Ben Bishop

Point 1: There are too many options to learn. Most of us learn what we need to and go back to the manual in special cases. It's too easy to get overwhelmed. Find a guide that gets you shooting a few shots, selecting a few to keep and maybe doing a simple edit or two, Even the phrase "newbie" has many levels. You mention "camera information"; photos will have EXIF data attached will tells which lens was used, the aperture and shutter speed, but this isn't a lot of use until you're more advanced. When I got into photography there were many magazines and some would have an article aimed at beginners, one written for generalists (one month would talk about landscapes, the next might be on children) and one on advanced technique. These days when I have a problem I know there's an answer somewhere. I have a list of people I trust, whether they produce text or video, and I'll check their answers first. I keep up with the ones who shoot Fuji so we're looking at the same menus. Does the store who sold you the camera have a "getting started" program? I treasure my pictures of friends and a couple from travels. With practice and patience you'll find out what you're supposed to find out.

Your owner's manual will tell you how to get the current installed version of the camera firmware (and that of the lens, if attached). When you go to Fuji's site for updates it will tell you which version is the latest. Most likely you'll have to do the update. And check your lenses at the same time - there have been updates for many of them.

I like the X-H1 but that's a big beef with me; I much preferred the dials. The default on the X-H1 is that you hold down the little button to the right of the shutter button while rotating the rear command dial. I have mine set in the alternate choice, where the little button toggles exposure compensation between on and off. If you go to the "wrench" settings, select Button/Dial setting, scroll down to page 2/3 and near the bottom you can select Expo. Comp. Button Setting. You have a choice of holding the button while rotating the dial to do exposure comp, or to make the button toggle between on/off. There's a half-moon by the exposure comp scale that shows if adjustment is active. See which one you prefer.

I shoot photographs. That's what I buy a camera for and being nearly 70 I sold my X-T1's as soon as IBIS was available. I wish there was a smaller, lighter body with IBIS and much simpler menus. I like to go out with one or two bodies each with a prime. If I miss a shot ... so what? Sure, I have some zooms - I like toys and I can afford a few. My only long lens is the XC 50-230. The people designing cameras with 800 options are the same kind of people who've decided that they don't want to sell a rear wheel drive four door sedan with an upright seating position. Have I told you about my stupidphone yet? Press the modifier key and press for a capital letter. Press 5 three times and you have a capital L. No web, no pictures, no problem.

The off-camera cable is like an extension cord. In this case it has four terminals, whether used on a Canon or on a Fuji camera. The important point is Canon and Fuji use each line for a different purpose. A Fuji flash mounted on a Fuji camera works fine. A Fuji flash attached to an extension cable that has four lines that meet the terminals? That'll work fine on a Fuji camera. I have a Canon extension cord that's more than ten years old. It used to connect my Canon A2 to a 540EZ flash. Now I attach my X-H1 to the cord to a Fuji EF-42 and it works exactly as I would want. Don't hesitate to buy the Canon or the Vello-for-Canon cords. If you deal with one of the big New York stores where you can actually talk to an informed sales rep you can get the right fancy or budget cable.

waiting for loading slot:

I've owned many cameras and the X-H1 is my favourite. The real drawback as a first camera are the huge number of options you can adjust. The traditional learner's camera was simple, with just the basic adjustments. Even the simplest cameras today seem to offer video recording, a choice of automatic or manual settings for shutter speed, sensitivity, colour balance and many more options, so getting to grips with the camera and quickly moving on to taking pictures means getting guidance that keeps it simple. And that's not simple; most instructors seem to bury you in detail, proving their own mastery but not helping you get up to speed. I love the anti-shake system, but I love taking pictures near sunset when light levels are low. I hope you know someone or can take a simple course that helps you understand the basics of exposure and the basics of getting an interesting picture. I bought mine at the end of production when they were an excellent value. If you're getting a good guarantee then it can be a great buy. With the low cost of a simple 4x6 print it isn't expensive to take a few pictures and then see what they look like on a flat piece of paper. Get some basic instruction, take some pictures and you can be on a fun and interesting path.

I think you're asking about the cover that protects the contacts in the body when the grip is removed. In that case "Yes, the cover that protects the contacts on the X-H1 is the same as the cover on the X-T2". Although I've seen a listing for a kit for the X-H1 that includes that cover, a PC socket cover, and one or two other items. My local dealer (in Canada) couldn't find a listing for the X-H1, ordered a pack for the X-T2 and it was great. It included a PC socket cover, a door and two of the soft inserts that cover the contacts in the body and the slide-in cover for the flash. The kit for the X-T3 is CVR-XT3 and will work just fine for you.

It isn't easier. It's a marketing decision. A zoom is going to be heavier and slower than a prime in its range and harder to hold steady. The market for primes is much smaller than the market for zooms and they're more likely to be bought by people with a specific interest and, probably, better technique. I know these are great facts because I made them up myself and I'm impressed. Actually the 18-55 is lighter than the 16 1.4, but I suspect the average buyer is much more likely to buy a zoom and is happy to pay for stabilization rather than learn camera holds and body bracing to steady a lens. A really quick look tells me the only primes with OIS are the 80 macro and the 200. The only zoom without is the exceptionally heavy 16-55. That an inexpensive and light lens like the 15-45 has OIS suggests to me that it's a marketing decision - even in a budget lens people will pay for the anti-shake.

I checked a couple of US dealers and the XC 50-230 is certainly a budget-friendly item. I bought a Minolta-Fuji adapter but haven't had any reason to use it with my Rokkor 200 4.5. The first choice is well under $300US and the second was under $200Cdn.

Great idea. You could also put on a 16mm or 23 set mostly automatic for grab shots and a short tele under full control for design and architectural details. In film/manual focus days if the weather was bad I'd go out with a 24mm and a 50, if it was nice maybe a 35 and a 100 macro or 135. Old ideas still have value but the zooms today are great.

I would buy the X-T1. As you're buying new I expect there's a warranty in case there's a manufacturing defect. The 18-55 zoom has image stabilization and good autofocus. If you buy a used lens how long will it take for you to know if there is a problem? I would buy the new one.

I'd like to set up my custom settings for shooting situations but would like to copy the settings to the base so I can alter them without upsetting the complete custom set I've figured out. Is there a way to do this? Is it possible to reset the base setting to the factory settings?

Prices for used are set by demand and it seems that used X-T1's are selling quickly at only a modest discount to the price of new. That tells me the relatively high price of a camera that has been superseded is realistic. I guess we're not the only ones watching for that drop!

I wouldn't try it; the flash may fit in the shoe but the pin configuration will be different. I checked the specs and it doesn't appear that you have a PC socket, which is a simple socket that can trigger a flash. There are 3rd party units that use the Fuji layout but there's no conversion cables for you to use a Nikon flash on a Fuji camera.

I just tried to order a FotodioX shift adapter that uses manual focus Minolta lenses on an X-T1. They were out of stock, so I just ordered a stright adapter. There are two factors that are important. The image from the lens has to be much wider than an APS-C sensor because we're using it off-centre. And there's the multiplier effect. So a 24mm Minolta MD Rokkor lens will work as a 36mm equivalent, but it will work well. I'll be using an 85mm and a 135mm in the adapter, which will give me a 128 and 202. As I rarely shoot long and do it from a tripod this works for me. YMMV.

I just went through the process of choosing between the two (goodbye Canon). The scale tipped on control issues - Sony menus versus Fuji knobs. I made this decision after months of frustration with, for example, my new car's information centre; navigation and operation decisions and entertainment in a single box that encourage me to take my eyes off the road. My old radio was much better. I resent the idea that I should be trained to use their computer; they are too stupid to design a flexible system that mimics what we had (hello Mazda - only once). If the interface is non-intuitive then it was designed by someone ignorant of history and with more arrogance than common sense. I'm not giving my money to anyone who doesn't respect where I come from. Take your tattoos and social media and ignore someone else. And take your menu trees with you.