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asathor

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  1. Thanks
    asathor got a reaction from Jazz1 in X-Pro3   
    #1 Multi aspect-ration sensor is my #1 Imagine a square 24MP for shooting portraits in Across (or whatever you like) and a wider aspect for landscape. An oversized sensor could do this with essentially the same pixel size and effective higher resolution output since you wouldn't need to crop.
     
     
    #2 A menu system with context sensitive menu's that show you what is available and unavailable for all settings and leaves everything in the same place so you can see the changes when you for example chose manual vs auto focus.
     
     
    #3 Downsize but add a decent grip for single handed shooting.
  2. Like
    asathor reacted to merlin in Water Worlds Redux   
  3. Like
    asathor reacted to jlmphotos in I did it! I went and got me another 18-55!   
    Well my friends I went and done it!
     
    Some of you guys who have been here a while may recall my daughter "borrowed" my X-T1 and my "don't leave home without it lens" the Fuji 18-55.  For the last several months I've been photographing using my primes only -- the fabulous 16 f1.4, the 23 1.4, 35 1.4, and 60 2.4 plus the 55-200 zoom.  And I loved doing that.  I've truly enjoyed making images as I have to be slower, and more thoughtful in the process plus, let's face reality, the primes will always beat a zoom with regards to sharpness, and micro-contrast among other things.
    However, the 18-55 is a lens I cannot live without!  I love it.  There I said it.  If I loved it any more I'd have to name it and provide it it's own ss number for tax purposes.  
    I do plan on continuing to use primes for most of my images as I really enjoyed using them and have weened myself off the zoom, but I will feel much better knowing my 18-55 is back in my bag just in case I need it!
     
    To be completely honest:  I looked at the 16-55 2.8.  Many of you who "know me" know that I've said I would never purchase this lens, and it's brother the 50-140 2.8 due to 1) the weight  and 2) price.  I looked at the 16-55 2.8, i thought about it, but I just couldn't bring myself to purchase this heavy, and expensive lens when for a quarter of the price my 18-55 works wonders, is super tack sharp, and has provided me with YEARS of use -- my original 18-55 was the kit lens that came on my Fuji X-E1 I purchased back in February 2013!
     
    This image below is one of over 16,000 images I have taken in various locations ranging from Key West, to Prince Edward Island in Northern Canada between mid-July, and early November.  I believe I "lost" the 18-55 to my daughter when I returned from the Keys and was prepping to head north -- this image was in fact taken with the 18-55 lens.
     
    So, I'm now whole again and I couldn't be happier knowing it's there in case I need it.
     
    PS:  Here in the Classifieds I'm offering for sale my Zeiss/Touit 12mm F2.8 lens.  Check it out if you are in the market for a wide-angle for your Fuji!

  4. Like
    asathor reacted to Larry Bolch in Battery Management and the Fuji X-T2   
    I looked up CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) data on mirrorless cameras and made a selection of them. Being tested by an independent body, they should be much relative to one another if not absolute in real-world use.
     
    Fujifilm XA3 - 410
    Fujifilm X100F - 390 Fujifilm XT-20 - 340 Sony Alpha a6500 - 350 Sony Alpha a7R II -290 Canon EOS M10 - 255 Nikon 1 J5 - 250 Olympus PEN E-PL8 - 350 Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 - 410   As long as camera makers concentrate on compactness and light-weight, the situation will continue. Battery grips are somewhat of a solution, but large bodies and heavy batteries are pretty much dictated to get dSLR performance.
  5. Like
    asathor reacted to CDBC in Battery Management and the Fuji X-T2   
    Larry, that's an interesting input. And of course photographers would always have a second body loaded and ready, when shooting at that rate.
     
    Noting your location, here's an aside that may amuse: in the late 70's, I was working in a photographic retail store in Edmonton Centre. Very low humidity and lots of nylon carpet in the store, so static shocks were frequent.
     
    These shocks killed three brand new Pentax ME's just from being picked up from the display cabinet before we figured out what was going on; on one occasion (you learned to hold a key between your forefingers), just touching the cash register triggered it to ring up a $100,000 sale and open the drawer.
     
    But the weirdest thing (and one I'll take some credit for solving) was when a couple of photographers that I knew who were shooting for the Edmonton Journal kept encountering 'lightning strikes' across their negatives. This turned out to be caused by the automatic rewind in their Nikon's zipping the film back into the cassette so fast that it generated static shocks from the plastic film base passing through the 35mm canister's light blocking flocking (could not resist that) so quickly.
  6. Like
    asathor reacted to George_P in Battery Management and the Fuji X-T2   
    I seldom shoot more than a few pictures at a time, but for comparison: currently at a jazz festival after the second day, 455 shots still at the first battery with about 1/3 left in it. X-T10, 90mm (i.e. no OIS), EVF+Eye mode, CH, no chimping, jpg+raw. Batteries: I have three, they are numbered and I rotate them, two are aftermarket and they are as good as the original.
     
    Poor bass, had a cold, had to wear a hat.
     

     
    full resolution: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4456/37823072002_5d4001a462_o_d.jpg
  7. Like
    asathor got a reaction from Curiojo in Going to England - lenses   
    Keep in mind that it rarely rains inside in most countries so use the lens you have. If you want to use the X-T1 in the rain get a 23f/2 35f/2 or 18-135.
     
    If you want a permanent solution to rain and 100%+ humidity get the FinePix XP90 - http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/xp/finepix_xp90/img/index/img_main01.jpg it fits in a pocket and that can even be a wet pocket, or hang it around your neck outside your rain-coat so it is ready. They are truly cheap compared to running down and getting an emergency replacement on the day of your best friends wedding for a lens you though was OK but now has mold all over the glass.
     
    I expect to break down and get one next summer for using on my sailboat as I am a bit reluctant to hold my X-Pro2 w 18-135 our over the railing down and down near the water on a "selfie stick" - this little gem is build for that.
  8. Like
    asathor got a reaction from karin.gottschalk in X-pro 2 - I don't get it!   
    I recently shot a play in its entirety without emitting any light or sound using an X-Pro2 with a 56/f1.2 (and a few shots with the 35/f2), you can't do that with an X-T2.
     
    The lead actors wife sitting next to me thought I quit shooting when the show started.
     
    The Optical finder is necessary for this to work as is the the electronic shutter, no other camera has both. I shot ISO 400, f1.2 to f2 and around 1/200s. When the action was lit my multiple stage lamps the images were technically excellent except for motion, bad photographer etc. When lit by one or a few stage lights it would become apparent that some of the lamps had a short glow cycle where the color would change with the power net frequency but that is not the cameras fault. Long exposures is not an option when people are moving and talking and high shutter speeds would need higher ISO and have more stripes plus cause differing white balance frame to frame.
     
    The X-Pro2 can do things no other camera can do so it doesn't need to be an X-T2 or participate in the specrace.
     
    I am adding a link to a test video Shot in Across with the 35/f2 - HANDHELD - in a Dark Room - and it's not 4k - but I was sitting at the bar where Whisky was cold and by the 3rd set you wouldn't know that 3 of the 5 are not regular band members. I am going back tomorrow.  https://boundarylayers.smugmug.com/Music/The-Butanes-Sould-Review/A-few-test-Videos/i-sGL8XQk/A (feel free to browse my website just know that it includes a lot of family, casual and snapshots of people and places dear to me).
  9. Like
    asathor got a reaction from Mike G in Fuji and Red Dot Flare issue   
    Show us your stuff huck222. We all try to contribute each in our own way, please demonstrate what you mean and since you used the work Professional make it at that level.
  10. Like
    asathor got a reaction from Tool Belt in Iridient X-Transformer 1.0 Beta 1 for Windows Available   
    Downloaded it and it works as expected. I bought a license because $30 makes a lot more sense than spending money on the big guys.
     
    We need to encourage the people who are on our side! 
     
    I'll post something later.
  11. Like
    asathor got a reaction from PoulWerner in Do we tolerate the bodies because of the lens qualities?   
    I bought the XE-1 first and have continued to like the E body but the X-Pro2 is growing on me even though it is missing the built in "fill flash." Of the 4 bodies I have none of them have broken, worn out or malfunctioned, although one did suffer abuse by me which Fuji fixed.
     
    The Fuji optics are great but the magic is in in the combination - if it was just the glass the other camera maker would offer Fujifilm grade .jpg SOOC because they all have several (some many) superb lenses.
     
    They used to call it pedigree and I think Fujifilm has nailed it; grab any one lens and any one body and take some pictures w/o worrying about what else you could have had in your bag, if you know the craft you will be rewarded with keepers.
     
    Knowing what each body can and can't do falls under the heading of Home Work, of course I am so old that I go back to the time when the camera operator had to decide which part of a persons face to focus on and how to set the depth of field for the shot to work.
  12. Like
    asathor got a reaction from frankinfuji in Help defining travel gear   
    Use one zoom - 18-135 is bullet proof for travel with its WR and superior stabilization - you always get a good shot. The "kit: 18-55 is good enough and fast enough at 18mm to be your wide angle lens.
     
    Add one or 2 primes and force yourself to walk around like we did in the old days. Remember that all the "1" series cameras with a zoom framed correctly are just as good as the "2" with the wrong prime that requires too much cropping. You can buy a "1" very cheaply now that the megapixel race has hit Fijifilm as well.
  13. Like
    asathor got a reaction from crouse415 in Going to England - lenses   
    Problem solved - Depute is Right, It never Rains!
     
    Just did a Google Search and less than 3/100 pictures have no sun or evidence of rain, floods, oceanic storms and wet dogs (not necessarily in that order).
     
    Only when you search Cornwall/England/Storm do you see much water and that is mostly Neptune reaching for what is probably his in the first place.
     
    Enjoy and bring a couple plastic bags, use them for carrying ice for your beer. And if it rains you will be the the first to document it properly in the world famous Fijifilm colors.
  14. Like
    asathor got a reaction from Warwick in Which gear to use for a 15 year birthday party?   
    If you bring 2 lenses you will have the wrong lens as much as 50% of the time - and so on, if you have one you will to take the best pictures you can get. My choice would be a relatively wide prime for the venue on the T2 - and then crop in post. No one expects posters from this kind of party.
     
    As others have pointed out normal 15 yr old' are very lively and self conscious. So use the Canon when they already expect to be photographed if you bring it - they will surely notice it and promptly change behavior for better or worse - but for sports, games etc. the big rig and zoom will be handy because it is now "normal" and it may also be handy when you want to pose them for group - if others bring cameras it is nice for the kids to see that you have the biggest and that they should pose when you say so*.
     
    Set the T2 to Silent (no sound no shutter no flash) and use the 90 (50, 35 depending on venue) to pick out personal moments by gracing outside the group at a distance - since they won't know when you are shooting they will eventually ignore you.
     
    You will get the best shots from the "silent" approach but you may not get everyone so the group shots still have merit.
     
    And bring your Instax printer or Instax Hello Kitty, that will show you what really matters.
     
    * we just had a family reunion and my X-Pro2 outranked the other cameras but no one cared, the group shoot participants went from one "See Me" to another as the phones and cameras blazed - If we had continued for an hour we might still not have had a picture where everyone looked close to their best. I would have needed an old fashioned Gun Powder/Victor Flash Gun to get their attention or maybe a hat with a Press Card.
  15. Like
    asathor got a reaction from Athena61 in Help defining travel gear   
    Use one zoom - 18-135 is bullet proof for travel with its WR and superior stabilization - you always get a good shot. The "kit: 18-55 is good enough and fast enough at 18mm to be your wide angle lens.
     
    Add one or 2 primes and force yourself to walk around like we did in the old days. Remember that all the "1" series cameras with a zoom framed correctly are just as good as the "2" with the wrong prime that requires too much cropping. You can buy a "1" very cheaply now that the megapixel race has hit Fijifilm as well.
  16. Like
    asathor got a reaction from V23 in AM/PM 24 Hrs.?   
    While the firmware people are at it how about allowing current dates for folder names - 1000 shots to a folder if not humane.
     
    I structure my filesystem by date - with  keywords etc. That also makes it easy to back back and delete all the bad shots that I save "just in case" I find someone who asks for "450 not very good shots"
  17. Like
    asathor got a reaction from johant in More Kaizen Love for X-T1 Coming?   
    The Kaizen philosophy is the most effective way to expand the base of loyal owners, if no one feels like they were left behind each camera sold more or less counts as a loyal owner (even those of us with too many). My own first venture into digital SLR/ILC was the Sony A55 ILC (same sensor as the first Fuji 16Mp) - by all means a decent camera. By the time I had 3 lenses Sony had stopped development of all but the flagship A77 and had moved emphasis to the small mirrorless E series, When I started to look seriously for an upgrade theA7 was on the way - now the second Best New Thing that could not use my lenses w/o a $350 adapter that made the camera as big as a full frame.
     
    I was contemplating the Nikon 7000 and Pentax as well as Fuji but the Rumor mill was full of the "next sensor" talk already, so I decided to conduct an experiment: I ordered an X-E1 w. XF 18-55 on closeout for $720 (see Fuji Rumors). Because the X-E2 was already out I ended up paying only around $300 for the body. Being a "slow" photographer I found it amazing and when I added a XF27 I was sold. I later added an X-M1 which is still a cute little bugger and a used X-2E which is now an brand new X-2(s)/T10.
     
    Before I finally got my X-Pro2 I had 3 Fujifilm cameras that met my expectations above 100%. To this day none of these are obsolete and they all respond like thoroughbreds when I mount the 56 or 90.
     
    Back to X-T1 an Kaizen - If Fuji makes sure the X-T1 remain better than what people expected when they bought it they have our loyalty - to expect that they make it more is not realistic, There never was an X-T1.5 and there never will be.
     
    A few weeks ago you could get the X-E2 with the 18-55 for $699 - I wanted to buy two to prove the point. With sensor production ending Fujifilm will undoubtedly convert the last of their inventory to the most profitable cameras but there still could be some good deals out there on 16's in the near future.
  18. Like
  19. Like
    asathor got a reaction from Phil in Fuji and Red Dot Flare issue   
    This is what I mean: start under exposed and manipulate in post. The dark shot is 100% virgin except for the crop and resize, The other is "abused" in ACDSee Pro 10 - I have not played with the RAW files yet.
     
    You see only one color artifact lower center with this lens, that it!
     
    X-Pro2 with XF 18-135 WR. BTW the 18-135 is highly underrated; what it does not have in ultimate sharpness it has in everything else.


  20. Like
    asathor got a reaction from dv. in Samyang/Rokinon 300mm f6.3 mirror lens   
    It is a tripod-lens (as long and slow as it is) and an interesting close-up lens. Near field and far field bokeh can be interesting but midfield is truly LOOPY.
     
    I sold it because I don't do much tripod work and I can't handhold it.  


     
     
     
  21. Like
    asathor got a reaction from Curiojo in What hides in the shadows: Do you know?   
  22. Like
    asathor reacted to Lichtklicker in landscapes with fuji x   
    Morning has broken... by André Heid, auf Flickr​
  23. Like
    asathor reacted to Don Pino in landscapes with fuji x   
    Buongiorno Umbria

  24. Like
    asathor got a reaction from CRAusmus in Your X camera wishlist   
    I expect to buy an X-Pro2 but what I really want is an XE-3 and with that...
     
    a viewfinder/screen that does not fully auto adjust for lighting and a good exposure readout - I loved my old match-needle viewfinder from the 70's - pan it across a scene and you knew exactly where to set the exposure - My eyes are analogue, my brain is analogue, the camera sensor is analogue and I want my camera to at least feel analogue. When we have a 4 ev dynamic range to cover in the highlights the camera should help us to know where that is - not guess for us.
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