Mikofox

Re #3 The X-T3 hopefully will have low-power Bluetooth support and pair with BT Loggers and GPSs or some company will step in and fab a hot-shoe GPS for the X-series. The current GPS feature is just silly, as is the built-in server for the most part.

#1 I'm on Mac and have EXIF Tool installed with a script icon in my Finder Toolbar, which allows me to drop the out-of-camera files (JPG or RAF) on it to see all the EXIF the image may contain. In camera processed JPG show the tag FilmMode: under ----Fujifim---- category LR exported JPG show the tag CameraProfile: under ----XMP-crs---- category If you use Provia film mode it shows as 'Standard' Aperture does not list the Film Mode, but it lets you add custom tags where you could fill in the info. Lightroom does not list it either. I pretty much gave up on worrying about the Film Simulations and shoot all my images with Provia Setting as I find Velvia overcooked in color saturation. The moment you 'enhance' your shot in post processing the Film Type becomes irrelevant as it is when processing from RAFs. I process most of my images where strong contrasts are present as RAFs in LR, then compare with the OOC JPG in Aperture (which is still my favorite File Manager). LR beats OOC JPGs with strong differences in contrast every time, while low contrast shots often look better as OOC JPG or processed with Aperture. I also use the X-Raw Studio now and find it quite good, but it is missing Highlight/Shadow Recovery which is not possible to ad as long as it is not part of the in-camera JPG-engine.

Maybe he/you can show us some pictures?

Actually I really liked the way the X-T1 handled this. Pressing the AF-L button did focus and then lock the focus. The X-T2 changed that it does not focus any longer, just locks, unless one is in M-mode. I got a few out-of-focus shots until I realized that the X-T2 did no longer focus when locking AF-L. No idea why they changed it, but probably to accommodate the BBF people. It was a really nice feature even in Non-Manual mode. Unless it conflicts with the BBF changes, I'd like to see a AF-L Button option: AF-ON+LOCK. But I doubt it will change. Too many complained that the Fujis focus not like DSLRs, which is silly, since the buttons are too small for efficient BBF anyway, especially in cold weather.

I found that using the Fujifilm MCEX-11 macro-adapter does a really nice job with the XF18-135 lens at the 35mm to 135mm zoom level. I also have a set of Toshiba Close-up lenses, but only use the No.4 lens. This combination serves me so well, that I decided not to invest in a dedicated macro lens. I like it actually better than my son's 105mm Micro-Nikkor. More versatile and greater DOF.

I have the iShoot grip and L-bracket, and find it very satisfactory. Major improvement in handling. Fits very nicely. Grip is just the right size. Price on eBay was a fraction of what a UK site charges. It had a couple short edges that they forgot to round off, but I did that myself with a Dremel-type handpiece, then re-blackened with aluminum gun blackening I had around. The grip is aluminum and yes on first contact it feels cold, but if one holds it for a while it acclimatizes. I was researching on coating it with truck-bedliner, but because it is aluminum, it would need to be coated with 2k primer first to ensure a bond, so I will leave it for now. If it were patterned it would feel even better. Another option, as someone mentioned above would be using modelling clay for a real custom grip. The best stuff for this is the Staedtler FIMO Pro modelling clay, which can be baked in an oven for further use in molding techniques. I plan on re-casting just the grip part with some Urethane Casting Resin.

Regarding your Magic Numbers Scale ( and thank you for that and the research!) Can you tell me how this scale will look when using the Metabones N/F - X mount adapter that only has a scale to 7? I have it mounted to a Tokina ATX 100-300 f4 lens on a X-T1. The lens has 10 stops from 4 to 32, with 1/2 stops? between 5.6+8, 8+11, 11+16, 16+22 If I figured it out correctly the scale would look like this: Lens Stops: 4-5.6-(6.7)-8-(9.5)-11-(13)-16-(19)-22-32 F=4 2=5.6 2.5=8? 3=11? 3.5=16? 5=22? 7=32 Have I figured this correctly?

Although the camera is made in Japan it doesn't mean all the parts are Japan made. If the rubber deteriorates/deforms it may well be the same problem one can observe with most synthetic rubber products coming out of mainland China since several years. I have installed engine mounts, drive-axle boots and other rubber parts that fell apart just one week after being exposed to the environment. Then there are some OEM rubbers that still look great after 15-20 years. I'm sure most people are also familiar with the poisonos smell of these China rubber products. They don't smell like rubber used to smell, because they are mostly made from recycled rubber scrap that has burned particles and other industrial solvents/residues inside that make the products unreliable, if not outright poisonous to use or handle. So I figure it is a combination of the rubber being too soft, of questionable source and quality, added by environmental factors, like propane appliances at the place of storage, user's sweat chemistry and climate conditions or an underlying adhesive vs rubber incompatibility. I have a Panasonic lens which has a bulged/loose zoom ring and I notice that some lens makers are forgoing the rubber zoom or focus rings for solid patterned plastic to avoid these problems. I also had several camera brands where corners of the skin came loose, some because the older adhesive was not as good as todays, but also because the rubber just softened and bulged.