flysurfer

Pro Neg Std is pretty neutral (and boring), there's little difference between this film simulation and the Natural Live View. Of course, you can set ST and HT to -2 to decrease contrast even more.

I use Aperture to browse and select. JPEGs are imported to the Aperture library from the card and automatically deleted from the card after import. So only RAWs remain on the SD card. Eventually, I copy the keeper RAWs from the card to my Dropbox for automatic sync to the cloud and import the RAWs to Lightroom (leaving the files at their place in the Dropbox). Final exported JPEGs from LR go back to Aperture.

We sometimes talk about workflow options in my workshops, but no, I don't think that my workflow is some gold standard that should be adopted by everybody else. I'm a Mac user (since 1985), and in my experience, that's already a point where I am losing at 50% of the audience, as those 50% refuse to use a computer that runs Mac OS and Windows for maximum flexibility and choice of options. Workflow is also a matter of personal preference. Personally, I recommend choices that allow maximum flexibility (hence always FINE+RAW). I also like speedy handling, so I first browse through my JPEGs and trash everything I do not need, then copy the RAWs of the remaining keeper shots. Of course, there's also the matter of "habit". Many users do not want to change their trusted ways, even when better options are clearly available. In the end, it's about what you like and what feels right. Very few people spend as much time with and thought about the X series as I do, so it's risky to say that my experience/conclusions should apply to everyone. So do as you like, but I do recommend FINE+RAW, then importing the JPEGs only first for browsing/selecting, then importing the RAWs of the keeper files. That works really well for me.

Fuji usually doesn't care about forum posts. If you want them to listen, write them an email.

Not the case with FW4.

For the X-T10, Fuji has reverted to printed manuals (also available as PDF download). That's a plus, I guess. The HTML manuals for the X30 and X100T (and their poor PDF versions) weren't that useful when working offline in the field.

Indeed, sound off and flash off are already available separately in the respective menus. This is about Silent Mode, a quick function to temporarily turn down all emissions (sound, flash, AF illuminator). There used to be a keyboard shortcut for it, but Fuji removed it after too many users weren't able to operate it properly, they accidently pressed the button, then called customer service to complain about a broken flash. They ignored the Silent Mode symbol on the screen, and of course they couldn't be bothered to read the manual. Fuji eventually got fed up and wouldn't have that anymore and removed the Silent Mode keyboard shortcut (which was pressing the DISP/BACK button for a few seconds). Today, this shortcut serves as a direct access to the Fn button configuration menu. Sadly, it's not even possible to assign Silent Mode to a Fn button, but one can assign it to a Q menu position.

Indeed. It's the same with the anti blur warning. Many users want it to be put at the border of the screen, but no one would see it there when they are composing the shot. Beats the purpose. OTOH, it's current prominent position is annoying those who know what they are doing. Similar with the overexposure warning: It's currently a red display of aperture and/or shutter speed. Some users say that's not enough. But as soon as Fuji displays an additional symbol in the middle of the screen, others will complain.

I thought he talked about flash. That works since FW 3. Focus tracking can't be performend between shots in ES, and it doesn't make sense to automatically change the focus mode in MS+ES, as the shutter speed can change anytime between shots, getting below or above 1/4000s. Tracking results would be unpredictable, and we don't want that. There is now a warning stating what's happening, as it seems that most folks weren't willing to read the notes in firmware 3. Firmware 4 and the X-T10 are now clearly telling what's going on, but I have already met users who are completely ignoring all written warnings on the screen, then wondering/complaining about the bad results. Difficult subject, I guess.

Since this already works since FW 3, I wonder what update you are waiting for?

It's not rocket science.

Tip 27 in my book explains it... „The live view in the viewfinder or on the LCD display will automatically adjust to the new format, making it easier to compose an image. Size and position of the camera’s 49 autofocus frames will adapt to the selected image format. This means that even in the highly cropped 1:1 format, all 49 AF frames will still be available. The camera’s exposure metering and live histogram are based on what’s displayed in the live view. Changing the live view to 16:9 or 1:1 will enhance metering accuracy for the respective format.“ Auszug aus: Rico Pfirstinger. „The Fujifilm X-T1.“ iBooks.

Well, if you don't need more accurate exposure for different formats or a full-size image to check your focus, you can shoot RAW only. Personally, I also need the JPEGs to quickly browse through them in Aperture. Much faster than browsing RAWs, not to mention import times I don't like wasting time on my Mac, so my workflow is streamlined to quickly separate the keepers from the "trash".

I have no daughters that I know of.

I tested it with my X100, X100S, X100T, X10, X20, X30, X-S1, XF1, XQ1, XQ2, X-A1, X-A1, X-M1, X-Pro1, X-E1, X-E2, X-T1 and X-T10, and they are all able to fire a flash when I turn the sound down or off in the respective menu. Maybe your settings are inadequate, like ES ON or Silent Mode ON. The latter was renamed to Sound And Flash OFF to make things clearer.

Of course. And also the X100, X100S, X100T.

Not quite. X10, X20, X30, XF1, X-S1, XQ1 and XQ2 feature a Fuji design that's now built by Toshiba (after Fuji sold them their sensor factory).

Smart users simply shoot FINE+RAW. If one doesn't like external converters, one can use the built-in one. Takes me about 15 seconds to create an improved JPEG with it, or an alternate version for later review/comparison. Others can use LR, RFC EX or Iridient with Fujifilm presets, that's also very quick. Others will make use of adaptive ISO and have even better results. It varies, there's no general rule. For me, it always depends on the actual image. I leave all options open. And I never erase the RAW file of an image I intend to keep.

There certainly were bugs. They were fixed with updates, and some of these fixes were even publicly acknowledged in the firmware description. Business as usual. The majority of these bugs were so exotic that they weren't discussed in forums.

Actually, my X-E1 never froze. Did yours?

I am not aware of 100s of daily reports in forums that are blaming user error to official firmware bugs. Actually, I'd have a very hard time finding a handful. Which isn't surprising, because with official firmware, most users are looking at themselves, like: "What have I missed? Did I press the wrong button? Did I misconfigure the camera?" Which are all the right questions in 90%+ of all cases, and others usually provide respective answers. However, with beta firmware, it has to be a bug in the firmware. What else?

This is actually good example why beta testing belongs in the hands of experienced, selected users—who don't switch-on face detection and then report a "non-working metering mode dial" as a firmware-related problem.

WR.

Btw, there is no RAW vs. JPEG debate in Fujiland. It doesn't exist, it's just a made-up tale. Everybody is shooting RAW, the only difference is how we process our RAWs and what we do with those RAWs after processing. If you set the camera zu "JPEG-only", you are still shooting RAW, of course. Your JPEGs will be processed in the camera's RAW converter with the RAW converter processing settings that are selected in the shooting menu (film simulation, contrast settings, color, sharpening, noise reduction, DR settings, LMO, white balance) and set-up menu (color space). After the RAW has been processed to a JPEG (using the quality, size and format settings in the shooting menu), the RAW file is deleted and the camera will save the JPEG on the SD card. Since most photographers (me included) aren't proficient enough to know and set the perfect film simulation, contrast settings, color, sharpening, noise reduction, DR settings, LMO and white balance settings for each shot in advance (not to mention the perfect exposure), we usually don't delete the RAW file after processing. We keep it to achieve a better in-camera conversion result with different (optimized) settings, or we keep it for external RAW processing. In the end, we still export a JPEG (or a TIFF), so there's really no difference. Of course, the most important factor ist that many situation don't have a solution for one perfect exposure. No matter how you expose, parts of the resulting image will either be too bright or too dark. To solve this impossible equation, one must apply selective exposure, like film photographers did when they printed from negatives in their lightroom. In the digital realm, selective exposure translates to adaptive ISO, which is only possible with either the DR function (in a crude but simple way) or external RAW processing (tone-mapping). This is also why we prefer cameras with ISOless sensors: They are more suitable for adaptive ISO.

Yes, if DR can save the sky, it can mitigate this effect. Firmware 4 doesn't matter here, but the book will of course be updated next month when I'm in Santa Barbara. I'll write at the house of my publisher. Doesn't really matter when you buy the eBook, as the eBook update will be free, I reckon.