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Posts Tagged ‘Decision’

Opinion: Fujifilm’s decision to omit the headphone jack on the X-T4 is a mistake

28 Feb
Want to monitor audio while shooting video on the Fujifilm X-T4? You’ll need a dongle.

Just a quick warning: I’m going to clobber Fujifilm a bit in this column. But not until I praise Fujifilm.

A few short years ago, Fujifilm was the last camera company I associated with great video. At a time when competitors’ cameras were capturing serviceable 1080p footage, Fujifilm’s models slotted in somewhere between the Fisher Price Elmo video camera and the iPhone 4 in terms of video quality.

A ‘worst to first’ story?

My, how times have changed.

Today, Fujifilm is a shining example of what’s possible when a traditional camera company decides to tackle the challenge of video. There’s no complacency here, and in recent years the company has not only caught up with, but surpassed, many of its competitors in key areas. Recent models deliver beautiful 4K video, 10-bit color and support the H.265 codec up to 400 Mbps. F-Log gamma provides post-processing flexibility, and the gorgeous Eterna film simulation delivers beautiful cinematic footage.

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Fujifilm’s early efforts at video were less than spectacular. In recent years, however, the company stepped up its game and is a top contender in the mirrorless arena.

With the X-T4, Fujifilm dials it up a few more notches. In-body image stabilization, separate menus for stills and video, F-Log view assist for visualizing a LUT in-camera, 240 fps recording, a dedicated Q-menu for video and much more show that Fujifilm is serious about appealing to video shooters.

That’s why its decision to omit a headphone jack from the X-T4 is simply mind boggling, especially considering that the X-T3 includes one. Here’s the problem: being serious about adding features that people want and recognizing how customers actually use your product are two different things.

Being serious about adding features that people want and recognizing how customers actually use your product are two different things

For all the great improvements – and they are great – the X-T4’s design overlooks one of the most basic principles a video shooter cares about in the field: a reliable workflow with as few points of failure as possible. Every time you introduce something like an adapter between connectors you increase the risk of something going wrong. Some things will always go wrong in the field, but there are certain key things that just can’t go wrong, and the ability to monitor audio is one of them.

I’ve been here before

I was an early adopter of mirrorless cameras for video work and embraced models like the Panasonic GH2. There was a LOT of room for improvement in that camera, but I found reasonable workarounds for most things.

However, it had a big Achilles heel, and it’s almost the same one as the X-T4: it used a non-standard 2.5mm microphone jack that was incompatible with the standard 3.5mm plug on most hot shoe microphones (like the Rode VideoMic series).

I ordered a couple adapters and threw them into my bag, but adapters and dongles have a habit of disappearing or failing without warning. As a result, I subsequently ran into several situations where I couldn’t connect a microphone due to a missing or, in at least one case, a defective adapter. Was it the end of the world? No, but it was very disruptive and frustrating, particularly since the camera included a jack – just a non-standard one.

Requiring an adapter to monitor audio on the X-T4 is reminiscent of Panasonic’s decision to use a non-standard 2.5mm microphone jack on the GH1 (above) and GH2 – something that wasn’t popular among videographers.

When this happened, it didn’t matter how capable the GH2 was when it came to video quality. The fact that it introduced a point of failure to one of the most fundamental parts of my workflow did. Where will you be when you discover you’re missing the USB adapter for the X-T4? I don’t know, but the things I do know are 1) it’ll be precisely when you most need it, and 2) USB to 3.5mm adapters aren’t the easiest thing to replace quickly, unless you’re lucky enough to be close to a big box or electronics store.

If fairness to Fujifilm, there’s one way to get a headphone jack on the X-T4: you can use the battery grip. This may appeal to some people, but unless you need the grip it’s basically a really big dongle. The headphone jack should really be an integral part of the camera.

Why Fujifilm needs to get this right

Some may argue that the X-T4 isn’t a ‘real’ video camera, and therefore omitting a headphone jack isn’t a big deal. You’re right: it’s not a C200 or an FS7 or anything else in that class. It doesn’t have XLR inputs, SDI connectors or any number of other things. Also, one could fairly argue that the Fujifilm X-H1—a camera we praised for its video capabilities—had the same limitation, so why complain?

Because the basic definition of what a video camera is has evolved, particularly in the prosumer market; whether for size, budget or just familiarity, many creators—including enthusiasts exploring the world of video—are now using mirrorless cameras to produce content that would have required a pro video camera in the past.

Fujifilm, if you want to appeal to videographers please don’t introduce a potential point of failure to a critical part of the workflow.

I’m convinced that Fujifilm is trying to appeal to these users, and it’s certainly getting their attention with a product like the X-T4. Not only can it shoot beautiful video, but it’s a pretty self-contained, stand-alone solution thanks to all the tech packed into it.

Which is why removing a feature that’s so critical to the video production workflow, and which was included on the camera’s predecessor, is simply baffling. It suggests that while Fujifilm has done an amazing job of adding features that videographers will love, it still doesn’t quite understand how they work.

Despite what I’ve written here, I’m really looking forward to using the Fujifilm X-T4 to shoot video. It’s an exciting camera and I already know I’m going to love it, but I’ll have several USB to 3.5mm adapters in my possession before I commit to using it for anything serious.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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AT&T decision to drop Huawei Mate 10 Pro reportedly made under pressure from US Congress

17 Jan

According to a report by Reuters AT&T’s decision to not sell the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, currently one of the best camera smartphones, in the US might have been made under pressure from the US Congress.

According to the report, lawmakers did pressure the communications company to drop its plans to offer Huawei’s devices to customers. AT&T is also being urged by Senators and House members to put an end to its collaboration with the Chinese manufacturer on standards for its 5G network.

The report claims that companies are being told that doing business with Huawei, China Mobile and other Chinese companies could reduce the chances of procuring government contracts. “The next wave of wireless communication has enormous economic and national security implications,” said Michael Wessel of a US-Chain security review commission. “China’s participation in setting the standards and selling the equipment raises many national security issues that demand strict and prompt attention.”

According to US intelligence information, Huawei has shared sensitive information with the Chinese government

In addition, Congress has proposed a bill that would prevent any government agencies from working with the Chinese company. The proposal says that, according to US intelligence information, Huawei has shared sensitive information with the Chinese government, and that Chinese security agencies can make use of Huawei equipment to spy on US businesses.

As one would expect, Huawei insists that its technology does not come with any built-in tools for access to US communications infrastructure. The company also told Reuters that its equipment is used by 45 of the world’s top 50 carriers, for all of whom security is a priority.

The good news is that If you are based in the US and did like the Mate 10 Pro’s camera performance in our full review, you’ll still be able to purchase the device, just not through a carrier. Instead you can buy the unlocked version on Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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5 Reasons a Pro Photographer Sometimes Regrets That Decision

04 May

Following your dream is not always easy. Actually, it’s never easy.

To be frank, I think the only way you can achieve a dream goal is to leave yourself no other choice. You can’t say, for instance, “I’ll try this for a while and see how it goes.” because you’ll always find a reason (often a pretty good one) to give up and do something else. You have to be fully committed. That makes it easier decision-wise, because you literally leave yourself no other choice but to keep going forward. But the process itself is still very hard.

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So, that’s what I did and now I take pictures for a living. I also write for magazines and for newspapers. Sometimes, I sell my images by themselves, but my articles I always sell with my photos. I’ve been doing it for a long time now, and I can’t imagine any other way to make a living. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a struggle. Sometimes, when everything seems to be going against me, I have regrets about choosing photography for a career. Here they are, in no particular order.

#1. Low Pay

Photographers work hard, whether they shoot weddings, war zones or wallabies. But the pay is generally not great, which is just a polite way of saying it sucks. There are exceptions, of course, but they are, well, exceptions. So you work hard and are good at what you do, but you don’t make a lot of money. Your friends earn a lot more than you do, which is fine, but after a while it gives a numerical significance to how much you’ve sacrificed to be a photographer.

 

Of course it’s possible to make a lot of money at photography, as Peter Lik will tell you, but if making money is a priority in your life, you’re far better off choosing a different career.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’ve heard that before, and it’s not going to be a problem, you’re ready to live frugally. You say that now, but will you feel the same way in ten years?

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#2. Inspiration

While it’s definitely true that you should try to work at something you love, it has its consequences. The most obvious is that what you love becomes work. I have friends who shoot images just because they enjoy it and sometimes I think, “hmm, they seem to be having more fun at this than I am!”

The truth is, taking pictures with the aim of selling them is different, most of the time, from taking pictures for the pure joy if it. A lot of people confuse the two things.

It’s not that I love it any less, I don’t think, but sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the enthusiasm I see in amateur photographers. As much as I enjoy taking pictures — hey, I’m the one who decided to make a living out of it — I also like doing other things as well. I guess this is a way of saying that when you do the thing that you love for a living, you choose something else for a hobby.

#3. Work Never Ends

One of the great things about being a self-employed entrepreneur of sorts, is that if Monday the weather is great and a friend calls up and suggests a long lunch on a patio somewhere, at that moment you get to say, “Sure, sounds great!” Or perhaps, if you’re more disciplined than I am, you say, “Maybe next time, I really have to get some work done.” But the point is, you have the option. Freedom is pretty great.

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Of course, it comes at a cost, because depending on how you look at it, you’re never truly free. You can draw the line between work and play wherever you like, yes, but that’s both a good thing and a bad thing. Because you’re never not working. I sometimes envy my friends who have regular Monday-to-Friday jobs because when I see them on the weekend, they’re truly off work. Not me.

Also, vacations? Pretty much never. I go to a lot of great places, don’t get me wrong, but mostly on my own. I know this sounds like the stuff of dreams, but believe me, it’s still work. You go on an assignment somewhere and tell your friends you went to such-and-such destination, and all they think is “Ah, vacation.” But being in a vacation spot and actually being on vacation are two very different things. I get it, because vacations are awesome – I wish I could take one.

#4. Loss of Creative Input

Depending on the kind of photography you do, it can be hard to maintain a personal vision, or any creative input at all, really. I was once at the studio of a friend of mine, a commercial photographer who pulls in many big-time clients. I wasn’t involved in the shoot in any way, he just invited me over so I hung out and watched, scarfing down the free sushi when nobody was looking.

The shoot was of a young couple who had found their dream home. It was going to be a full-page advertisement in magazines and newspapers. The art director was there, and he knew exactly what he wanted. He had a clipping of a photo taken by somebody else, gave it to my friend and essentially said, “Copy this. This is what we want exactly.”

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This is an extreme example, but the point is, if you want to make money taking pictures, you shoot what other people want. At the very least, you shoot what other people want but in your style, and that’s the best-case scenario.

That’s why a lot of photographers take lower-paying jobs that allow them more creative control. If not, there are times when you’re just a robot putting the camera where other people want it and pushing the button when they say so. Unless, that is, you’re a superstar commercial photographer, but if that’s the case, you’ve already paid your dues, I’m sure.

I don’t usually have an art director over my shoulder telling me what to do, but I still submit my images to photo editors and designers, and they get to choose which ones get used, not me.

#5. The Myth of Being Your Own Boss

Some people who have regular jobs, whatever those are, tell me, “You are so lucky, you’re your own boss.”

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Well I suppose I am, in a way, my own boss. But that depends on how you look at it. From my perspective, I have it a lot worse because I don’t have just one boss, I have many. Every one of my clients is my boss.

I’ve been lucky in finding many great people to work with (for?) but I’ve had my share of nightmare clients, as well. Some of those people pay quite well, and although I’d sorely like to tell them to do something to themselves which is unprintable here, well, you know how it goes. Sometimes I have the courage to fire a well-paying client, and sometimes I don’t. But if you think that being a freelancer allows you to escape the unpleasantness of having to deal with certain bosses, think again.

Thinking about turning pro? Here’s another good read on the topic from a different pro photographer’s perspective: 6 Things to Consider Before Becoming a Professional Photographer

Mike Randolph has been a professional writer and photographer for more than 20 years. His photos have appeared in National Geographic publications as well as hundreds of others. For photo tips, techniques and gear talk, check out his travel photography blog.

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Tough Decision? We round up the best rugged cameras of 2013

10 Aug

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Over the past few weeks we’ve been reviewing this year’s collection of weatherproof tough cameras, and in this article we’re rounding them up, comparing their relative strengths and weaknesses and taking a more detailed look at how their image quality and feature sets stack up. Even if you’ve read the full reviews, we recommend clicking through and reading our final, definitive roundup of this year’s class of waterproof rugged compacts. Click through for a link. 

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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