Antony

When people ask why I love my XT1 so much, my answer is always "I enjoy using it." As a hobbyist photographer, getting a perfect image isn't the most important thing to me. I want a camera that I enjoy using so much that every time I leave the apartment I think to myself: "I want to bring my camera with me." The XT1 fits that bill perfectly. Love the quick access/lack of menus that the dials provide, and it's relatively small size, which all-in-all make me use the camera.

This threw me at first, but the first reply is correct - you can't just switch to MF and assume no change to focus. Instead you just switch to MF and then press the rear focus button to us AF in MF mode.

I'm a big fan of instant film so in addition to my X-T1s, X100T and X30 I also have several instax cameras, most notably the venerable 500AF and the Mini 90. I also have the Instax SP-1 Smartphone printer which uses standard instax film, as well as the impossible project instant lab for larger shots. What I can't understand is why Fuji won't release a printer for Instax Wide film. There would be huge demand from traditional photographers, and it would sure make my life easier not having to use impossible project film, which takes 40+ minutes to develop instead of the 3 minutes for Instax. It's also about a third of the price.
 
Can we get some support for this idea and send it along to Fuji?

I'm a big fan of instant film so in addition to my X-T1s, X100T and X30 I also have several instax cameras, most notably the venerable 500AF and the Mini 90. I also have the Instax SP-1 Smartphone printer which uses standard instax film, as well as the impossible project instant lab for larger shots. What I can't understand is why Fuji won't release a printer for Instax Wide film. There would be huge demand from traditional photographers, and it would sure make my life easier not having to use impossible project film, which takes 40+ minutes to develop instead of the 3 minutes for Instax. It's also about a third of the price.
 
Can we get some support for this idea and send it along to Fuji?

Well as far as I'm concerned, I think you are being overly critical.
 
1. The shutter speed dial is reflective of every camera ever made (to the best of my knowledge) that has a manual shutter speed dial. The ability to adjust in third stops using the dial is a bonus. The new changes with FW4 will further enhance this for manual shooters. Trying to have 40 odd click-stops on such a small dial would be overkill.
 
2. Seriously? Take a shot and review the viewfinder display, or bracket - it's on a tripod for goodness sake. Better yet shoot in RAW.
 
3. If the 56mm is too short and the 90mm is too big I don't know what they could do for you. 85mm effective focal length has been portrait standard for years. The 90mm (135mm equivalent) is the next step in virtually every pro system. Got an issue? Use the 60mm macro and cover your portrait AND macro needs.
 
4. Yes the Fuji system has flash shortcomings. They know it and are working on it. Buy a couple of cheap Yongnuo triggers and get over it until they bring out the new flash units.
 
5. Don't you think if Fuji could fit the X-T1 battery in the X100T they would have done it? It's like a pro canon shooter complaining that his 1Dx battery won't fit in a 5D3. Wow, Fuji is doing this "horribly wrong". If managing two battery types messes you up this much don't get a X100T.
 
Some of your suggestions are valid, but they are certainly not things Fuji is doing "horribly wrong".

Well as far as I'm concerned, I think you are being overly critical.
 
1. The shutter speed dial is reflective of every camera ever made (to the best of my knowledge) that has a manual shutter speed dial. The ability to adjust in third stops using the dial is a bonus. The new changes with FW4 will further enhance this for manual shooters. Trying to have 40 odd click-stops on such a small dial would be overkill.
 
2. Seriously? Take a shot and review the viewfinder display, or bracket - it's on a tripod for goodness sake. Better yet shoot in RAW.
 
3. If the 56mm is too short and the 90mm is too big I don't know what they could do for you. 85mm effective focal length has been portrait standard for years. The 90mm (135mm equivalent) is the next step in virtually every pro system. Got an issue? Use the 60mm macro and cover your portrait AND macro needs.
 
4. Yes the Fuji system has flash shortcomings. They know it and are working on it. Buy a couple of cheap Yongnuo triggers and get over it until they bring out the new flash units.
 
5. Don't you think if Fuji could fit the X-T1 battery in the X100T they would have done it? It's like a pro canon shooter complaining that his 1Dx battery won't fit in a 5D3. Wow, Fuji is doing this "horribly wrong". If managing two battery types messes you up this much don't get a X100T.
 
Some of your suggestions are valid, but they are certainly not things Fuji is doing "horribly wrong".

Google is your friend: http://petapixel.com/2014/06/04/review-rokinon-12mm-f2-0-great-option-astrophotogs-budget/

One of the reasons for switching to Fuji was my back. I was shooting with a 1Dx and a 5D3 on straps and was getting real issues. Since moving to the holsters I have to say I will never switch back to straps - it has revolutionized the way I work, and freed my shoulders to carry the super light Shootsac with the extra lens or accessory I may want at hand. No issues at all, I got two and a couple of extra pins so I can have one under my mini 90 etc. Make sure you tighten the pin with the wrench supplied - if you do it by hand it can work loose.

I have both and I'm very impressed with the Rokinon. I do need the flexibility of the zoom for some purposes, but the 12mm sees a lot more use in my kit. Fantastic for dance floor shots at wedding receptions!

You can "just" fit A4 paper in there if you move the divider so it attaches to the side walls and not the back seam. That said, a folder that added even 1cm would make the bag too small. I wouldn't recommend this bag if you needed to carry A4 paper.

Why not make AE-L and AF-L customisable? Better yet, why not make it so you can change focus points once AE-L is activated? So many improvements could be made!

My favourite camera bag is the ONA Prince St messenger bag in dark truffle leather - it's luxurious and a real pleasure to carry around. That said it is for my carry everywhere X100T, and it wouldn't hold mush more than a very basic system (eg. one body, 2-3 lenses).
 
My preferred bag for work is the Thinktank Airport Airstream. It's international carry on sized (meaning I can use it in Australia), and it carries a lot of stuff. Here you see it setup to carry my gear, and here's what's inside (clockwise from the top):
 
4 x X-T1 (2 with battery grips)
Nikon 35mm f/2 under a 50mm f/1.8 on a Kipon tilt adapter.
10-24mm f/4
50-140mm f/2.8
18-55mm f/2.8-4
56mm f/1.2
23mm f/1.4
35mm f/1.4 on top of stacked 11mm and 16mm extension rings
16-55mm f/2.8
Nissin i40 flash unit with spare batteries and diffuser
Rokinon 12mm f/2
Vello off camera flash cable
 
Then in the lid I've numerous small accessories/tools etc as well as 8 x W126 batteries and a card pouch.
 
One day I need to lay it all out next to the body so it can be truly appreciated!

The in-camera focus scale is MUCH more accurate than the lens one. The lens markings use DOF calculations from film days, when you didn't have pixel peepers, and so DOF could be a little looser and still look good enough on a print.
 
This is one reason why I can't understand Fuji crippling the DOF scale when using the focus chuck lenses in MF mode.

I've been a professional photographer for 15 years (and keen amateur for 20 years before that) and the A7s is the first camera I've ever used that I didn't immediately know how to operate. Canon, Fuji, Nikon are all easy - Sony is altogether different.
 
Personally, I don't care if it's got amazing image quality, the user interface just didn't work for me. Compare that with Fuji, which I picked up for the first time and was instantly engaged and able to use and it's like chalk and cheese.
 
Moving to a crop camera was something I never thought I'd do - I'd resisted digital until the full frame 5D came out, but I find the ability to shoot wide open with perfect sharpness compensates for the lower DOF. I'll be happy if Fuji concentrate on making the most of the crop sensor, perhaps with a higher MP camera plus a lower noise version at current MP count in the future.

Well as far as I'm concerned, I think you are being overly critical.
 
1. The shutter speed dial is reflective of every camera ever made (to the best of my knowledge) that has a manual shutter speed dial. The ability to adjust in third stops using the dial is a bonus. The new changes with FW4 will further enhance this for manual shooters. Trying to have 40 odd click-stops on such a small dial would be overkill.
 
2. Seriously? Take a shot and review the viewfinder display, or bracket - it's on a tripod for goodness sake. Better yet shoot in RAW.
 
3. If the 56mm is too short and the 90mm is too big I don't know what they could do for you. 85mm effective focal length has been portrait standard for years. The 90mm (135mm equivalent) is the next step in virtually every pro system. Got an issue? Use the 60mm macro and cover your portrait AND macro needs.
 
4. Yes the Fuji system has flash shortcomings. They know it and are working on it. Buy a couple of cheap Yongnuo triggers and get over it until they bring out the new flash units.
 
5. Don't you think if Fuji could fit the X-T1 battery in the X100T they would have done it? It's like a pro canon shooter complaining that his 1Dx battery won't fit in a 5D3. Wow, Fuji is doing this "horribly wrong". If managing two battery types messes you up this much don't get a X100T.
 
Some of your suggestions are valid, but they are certainly not things Fuji is doing "horribly wrong".

Well as far as I'm concerned, I think you are being overly critical.
 
1. The shutter speed dial is reflective of every camera ever made (to the best of my knowledge) that has a manual shutter speed dial. The ability to adjust in third stops using the dial is a bonus. The new changes with FW4 will further enhance this for manual shooters. Trying to have 40 odd click-stops on such a small dial would be overkill.
 
2. Seriously? Take a shot and review the viewfinder display, or bracket - it's on a tripod for goodness sake. Better yet shoot in RAW.
 
3. If the 56mm is too short and the 90mm is too big I don't know what they could do for you. 85mm effective focal length has been portrait standard for years. The 90mm (135mm equivalent) is the next step in virtually every pro system. Got an issue? Use the 60mm macro and cover your portrait AND macro needs.
 
4. Yes the Fuji system has flash shortcomings. They know it and are working on it. Buy a couple of cheap Yongnuo triggers and get over it until they bring out the new flash units.
 
5. Don't you think if Fuji could fit the X-T1 battery in the X100T they would have done it? It's like a pro canon shooter complaining that his 1Dx battery won't fit in a 5D3. Wow, Fuji is doing this "horribly wrong". If managing two battery types messes you up this much don't get a X100T.
 
Some of your suggestions are valid, but they are certainly not things Fuji is doing "horribly wrong".

I purchased the Fuji Long Eyecup for the X-T1 and have been very happy. I can't imagine having one of the old-fashioned round eyecups on my camera - personally I find them too aesthetically distracting to even consider using one for the marginal (if any) improvement in useability.

Hi all,
 
I've seen a lot of discussion about compatibility issues with some models of the Yongyou flash triggers, and I was hoping that someone could confirm specifically which current model works perfectly with the X-T1, without any modifications.
 
Cheers,
 
Antony

I've been a professional photographer for 15 years (and keen amateur for 20 years before that) and the A7s is the first camera I've ever used that I didn't immediately know how to operate. Canon, Fuji, Nikon are all easy - Sony is altogether different.
 
Personally, I don't care if it's got amazing image quality, the user interface just didn't work for me. Compare that with Fuji, which I picked up for the first time and was instantly engaged and able to use and it's like chalk and cheese.
 
Moving to a crop camera was something I never thought I'd do - I'd resisted digital until the full frame 5D came out, but I find the ability to shoot wide open with perfect sharpness compensates for the lower DOF. I'll be happy if Fuji concentrate on making the most of the crop sensor, perhaps with a higher MP camera plus a lower noise version at current MP count in the future.

I've got a 3 yo Ford and I can't understand why they won't give me free servicing like they do for cars less than 12 months old! It's outrageous!
 
Seriously, Fuji has no obligation to provide these updates to superceded cameras, and to do so would actually be counterproductive when they are in the business of selling cameras. Y'all asking for this all the time need to make a decision - do I really need these changes? If yes, BUY A NEW CAMERA

Hi Mark, I think that is correct, I was unaware of the new clickable dials when I posted. One other factor to consider is the grip, which is much smaller on the X-T10.

I normally use RAW + JPEG for all of my work, and the JPEG is only to enable me to check a higher resolution preview on back of camera.
 
That said, I've had several occasions recently where I've had terrible moire on grooms' suits, and I've found the jpegs have handled it better than lightroom.
 
The last two days I've been shooting an equestrian event - 700+ riders at an average of 8 frames per jump in consistent light. For the first time ever I shot in JPEG only and I'm delighted with the results. Sure I won't switch to JPEG only for my weddings, but (excuse the pun) it's horses for courses - this has saved me hours of uploading and processing time, for no gain.
 
Personally I'm thankful for the gorgeous Fuji Jpegs - I never would have used jpegs from my 1Dx or 5D IIIs - I never could get them to look as good as the default Fuji output.

I've got the 10-24mm and the Samyang 12mm. The zoom is sharp and will give you flexibility, the 12mm is cheap and really great quality. Honestly, at the price of the 12mm (the Rokinon is cheaper, same lens) it's a no brainer. Get the 12mm

I've got the original tilt adaptor which uses a silver chuck around the lens mount to loosen and tighten. When using I set the camera to MF with peaking and use the viewfinder to tell me what's in focus. I'm having a much better success rate than when using the Canon 45mm TS-E that I had with the Canon system.
 
The original Kipon tilt adapter allows the lens to move freely in any direction when it is loosened. It has the advantage of being compact and less expensive, but the lack of markings etc. mean the results are less replicable, and you have no idea how much you are tilted. That said, it's a vast improvement on freelensing and I've been happy with the results.
 
Kipon have now released a new model that allows a measured degree of tilt in one direction which can locked in. The mount is rotatable so this tilt can be achieved in any direction. I will likely pick up one of these in due course. A big advantage is that you can set it to zero tilt and have a standard adapter. You're never sure if it's square with the original "silver chuck" adapter.
 
I'm using the adapters with Nikon Series E manual focus lenses - I chose these because they are cheap and small in size. Sharpness is not really an issue, after all these are for artistic shots and with such a shallow plane of focus there's not a whole lot perfectly sharp anyway. I've found the main difference to be a massive drop in contrast compared to the Fuji lenses. I correct this in Lightroom, but if you shoot JPEG you will need some form of post processing to correct it.
 
There's a couple of examples on the link I posted earlier http://chasingsummerphoto.com/general/kirsty-and-tims-wedding-echidna-gully-armidale-wedding-photography-nsw/ - the B&W shot of the couple in the field where he is much further away but both are in focus, and the B&W portrait a few shots further down.
 
Cheers, Antony

I've got the original tilt adaptor which uses a silver chuck around the lens mount to loosen and tighten. When using I set the camera to MF with peaking and use the viewfinder to tell me what's in focus. I'm having a much better success rate than when using the Canon 45mm TS-E that I had with the Canon system.
 
The original Kipon tilt adapter allows the lens to move freely in any direction when it is loosened. It has the advantage of being compact and less expensive, but the lack of markings etc. mean the results are less replicable, and you have no idea how much you are tilted. That said, it's a vast improvement on freelensing and I've been happy with the results.
 
Kipon have now released a new model that allows a measured degree of tilt in one direction which can locked in. The mount is rotatable so this tilt can be achieved in any direction. I will likely pick up one of these in due course. A big advantage is that you can set it to zero tilt and have a standard adapter. You're never sure if it's square with the original "silver chuck" adapter.
 
I'm using the adapters with Nikon Series E manual focus lenses - I chose these because they are cheap and small in size. Sharpness is not really an issue, after all these are for artistic shots and with such a shallow plane of focus there's not a whole lot perfectly sharp anyway. I've found the main difference to be a massive drop in contrast compared to the Fuji lenses. I correct this in Lightroom, but if you shoot JPEG you will need some form of post processing to correct it.
 
There's a couple of examples on the link I posted earlier http://chasingsummerphoto.com/general/kirsty-and-tims-wedding-echidna-gully-armidale-wedding-photography-nsw/ - the B&W shot of the couple in the field where he is much further away but both are in focus, and the B&W portrait a few shots further down.
 
Cheers, Antony