Fujifilm just announced its newest camera, the X-T200. In this hands-on preview, Chris and Jordan explain how it fits into Fujifilm’s lineup and why they like it.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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The Fujifilm X-T200 is an inexpensive mirrorless camera that uses the company’s X-mount. It replaces the X-T100, a camera that seemed promising when it was announced, but whose sluggish performance was a big letdown. Thankfully, Fujifilm has put a lot of work into making the X-T200 both more responsive and full-featured.
The X-T200 will available in late February for $ 699 body-only or $ 799 with the XC 15-45 F3.5-5.6 OIS power zoom lens. This lens has received some cosmetic changes: the black finish is more matte and the zoom/focus dials have been improved, but it’s optically the same as previous models.
For those looking for an inexpensive prime lens, the new $ 199 XC 35mm F2 might be what your’e after.
The camera itself will come in what Fujifilm calls dark silver, silver and champagne gold.
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While the X-T200’s design has updated, what’s really changed is what’s inside the camera. Read more |
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Changes to the design of the camera are both good and bad, but using the X-T200 is similar to that of other Fujifilm cameras. Read more |
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The X-T200 is what the X-T100 should’ve been, according to DPReview editor Jeff Keller. Read more |
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The post 1 Year with the Fujifilm X-T3 – Was It Worth Buying? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
It’s been just over 1 year since the Fujifilm X-T3 debuted. This popular APS-C mirrorless camera replaced the beloved X-T2, but it also added lots of video features, leading many to declare the X-T3 the best hybrid mirrorless cameras of 2019. After shooting for 1 year with the Fujifilm X-T3, I’ll share my thoughts on the camera in this article.
Throughout my 10-year career as a professional photographer, I have always reached for a full-frame camera. During the DSLR days, I bounced between the Nikon D700 and Canon 5D Mark III.
When it came time to go mirrorless, I went with the Sony a7R III. As a concert and event photographer, I am often prohibited from using flash and always need the option to shoot at high ISOs. I also value quick, accurate autofocus. In both of those regards, the Sony a7 series made the most sense when I went mirrorless in 2018.
So how did Fujifilm get into the picture? My husband and I jumped into videography together at around the same time. He was attracted to Fujifilm for its film simulations and ergonomics that are similar to film cameras.
When the Fujifilm X-H1 came out, he jumped on it because of its superior video features, including IBIS (in-body stabilization).
As we started shooting videos together, we found it difficult to quickly and accurately match the colors of his Fujifilm to my Sony camera. Since he already had a large Fujifilm lens collection, it made sense for me to simply pick up a camera body so that we could share lenses. So the X-T3 ended up in my hands primarily as a video camera.
If you have never shot with a film camera or Fujifilm camera before, they can take some getting used to. Prior to the X-T3, I had never shot with a camera that wasn’t a full-frame DSLR. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to using the top dials to set my shutter speed and ISO. It took even longer to get accustomed to the aperture ring on the lens.
After a year with the X-T3, I am much more comfortable with its dials and settings, but I dislike the fact that I need two hands to shoot with this camera. On virtually any other DSLR or mirrorless camera, you can adjust all settings using just one hand, making it faster to shoot on the fly.
I intended to use the Fujifilm X-T3 primarily as a video camera. Fortunately, those features worked out perfectly, and one year later, the X-T3 is still my favorite for shooting videos.
This camera can shoot 4K video at up to 60 fps in 10-bit 4:2:0 color, and you can select a bitrate of up to 400Mbps for frame rates of 30p and below. That’s a lot of jargon, but it essentially means that the X-T3 is capable of outputting high-quality video footage.
In my experience, the video is razor-sharp, and thanks to Fujifilm film simulations, the colors look stunning straight out of the camera.
The X-T3 offers F-log recording to produce a flat video that can be color graded in post-production. However, film simulations are so good that you don’t need to color grade these videos. Saving time in editing was the main reason that drew me to Fujifilm, and I’m happy to say that it did not disappoint.
Previous Fujifilm cameras omitted essential videography features such as a headphone jack of monitoring audio. Not so with the X-T3. This camera has both a mic jack and headphone jack built into the camera, allowing you to capture high-quality audio. The only thing that this camera is sorely missing is IBIS or in-body image stabilization for capturing steady video. Thankfully, image stabilization is present in many Fujifilm X lenses, but you still need to pop the X-T3 on a gimbal to get ultra-smooth footage.
Fujifilm X-T3 with Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 lens. Focal length 18mm (in 35mm: 27mm), 1/250 sec, f/6.4, ISO 320, Aperture Priority
Even though I intended to use the X-T3 for video, I inevitably used it for photography. Thanks to the relatively compact size of the camera, and the accompanying Fujifilm X-Series lenses, the Fuji X-T3 is a solid travel camera.
Also, similar to videos, photo colors look stunning straight-out-of-camera when using film simulations, and you arguably needn’t shoot in RAW to save room on your memory cards.
Autofocus (AF) is vastly improved on the X-T3. The camera offers phase-detect AF with 425 selectable AF points spanning over the entire frame. Continuous autofocus does a great job of locking onto and tracking subjects, and there is also face and eye autofocus that works well.
In continuous shooting mode, the X-T3 can shoot at up to 11 frames per second (fps) using the mechanical shutter, or 30 fps with the electronic shutter. This is a crazy fast speed that rivals top sports photography cameras.
Fujifilm X-T3 with Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 lens. Focal length 18mm (in 35mm: 28mm), 1/180 sec, f/3.6, ISO 800, Aperture Priority
I base most of my wish list features on my experiences shooting with full-frame cameras, such as the Sony a7r III, which I think pulls off these features better.
First, is autofocus.
Even though the X-T3 has much-improved autofocus, it isn’t as fast and accurate as Sony’s. Eye autofocus, in particular, is much more effective on Sony.
Second is low light performance.
On my Sony, I’m comfortable shooting at ISO 6400-8000, whereas I won’t push the X-T3 past ISO 4000. To a degree, this isn’t a fair comparison. Full-frame cameras will always shoot a cleaner image at higher ISOs, but there’s always room for improvement.
Finally, the battery life on the Fujifilm X-T3 quite frankly sucks.
I generally need 3 batteries for a full day of shooting on the X-T3, whereas a single battery will get me through 1+ days of shooting with the Sony a7r III.
I understand that increased battery life often results in a larger battery and, therefore, a larger camera, but it would still be a welcome addition. In the meantime, you can increase the battery life by using the Fujifilm battery grip, or you can charge the camera via its included USB-C port.
All-in-all, you can’t go wrong with the Fujifilm X-T3. It produces incredibly sharp photos and videos with incredible colors straight out of the camera.
The camera and its accompanying lenses are compact and quite durable, especially when considering their price points, which are relatively lower when compared to other camera brands.
There are cameras out there that have better features such as autofocus, but the Fujifilm X-T3 will suit the needs of most photographers out there.
Have you used the Fujifilm X-T3? Have you spent more than 1 year with the Fujifilm X-T3? What are your thoughts? Please share them with us in the comments.
Fujifilm X-T3 with Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 lens. Focal length 18mm (in 35mm: 28mm), 1/90 sec, f/2.8, ISO 2000, Aperture Priority
Fujifilm X-T3 with Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 lens. Focal length 32.9mm (in 35mm: 49mm), 1/60 sec, f/3.6, ISO 2000, Aperture Priority
Fujifilm X-T3 with Fujifilm XF 35mm F2 lens. Focal length 35mm (in 35mm: 53mm), 1/90 sec, f/3.2, ISO 2000, Aperture Priority
Sony A7R III with Sony FE 55mm F1.8 lens. Focal length 55mm (in 35mm: 55mm), 1/60 sec, f/9, ISO 1600, Aperture Priority
The post 1 Year with the Fujifilm X-T3 – Was It Worth Buying? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
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Ricoh has announced the HD Pentax-D FA 70–210mm F4 ED SDM WR, a new telephoto zoom lens for its full-frame K-mount DSLR camera systems.
The lens, which strongly resembles the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD, is constructed of 20 elements in 14 groups, including three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements and two anomalous dispersion elements. It features a minimum focusing distance of 95cm (3.1ft), a nine-blade aperture diaphragm, uses Pentax’s high-definition (HD) multi-layer coating on its elements and features a weather-resistant design that works alongside Pentax’s weather-resistant DSLR cameras to provide a tight seal against the elements.
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Powering the autofocus is a ring-type supersonic direct-drive motor (SDM) and a quick-shift focus system makes it easy to switch from autofocus to manual after the shutter has been half-pressed. The lens measures in at 175mm (6.9in) long, 78.5mm (3.1″) diameter and weighs 859g (1.89lbs) with the lens hood on.
The HD Pentax-D FA 70–210mm F4 ED SDM WR will be available starting February 15, 2020 for an MSRP of $ 1,100.
New HD PENTAX-D FA 70–210mm F4 ED SDM WR provides great portability in a variety of applications, from nature and scenic photography to active fieldwork
PARSIPPANY, NJ, January 22, 2020 – Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the HD PENTAX-D FA 70–210mmF4ED SDM WR zoom lens for use with PENTAX K-mount digital SLR cameras. This high-performance telephoto zoom lens features a compact, lightweight body with weather-resistant construction for great portability in a variety of outdoor applications.
Featuring a highly portable design, this high-performance zoom lens covers the image circle of 35mm full-frame digital SLRs, and provides a focal length range of 70mm to 210mm ideal for handheld outdoor photography. A constant f/4 maximum aperture ensures consistent brightness throughout the zoom range and enables increased control over depth of field for selective focus effects. When used with an APS-C-format camera, its focal length range is extended to the equivalent of 107mm to 322mm in the 35mm format. The new lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.95 meters and a maximum magnification of 0.32 times, providing greater macro coverage than previous models. It also features a Quick-Shift Focus System that enables an instant shift to manual-focus operation after locking a subject in focus during autofocus operation.
This lens is ideal for active field photography in a wide range of outdoor applications including scenic photography, landscape shooting with a beautiful bokeh effect in the fore- and background, close-up photography of animals and plants, and sports and wildlife photography where its outstanding portability really comes in handy.
A high-grade, multi-layer high-definition (HD) coating has been applied to the optical elements of the lens, enabling the capture of high-contrast images with edge-to-edge sharpness and minimizing flare and ghost images. A super-protective (SP) coating, highly repellent to water, grease and dirt, has also been applied to the lens’ front surface, making it easy to wipe off stains or fingerprints.
Pricing and Availability
The HD PENTAX-D FA 70–210mmF4ED SDM WR will be available for sale on February 15, 2020, at www.us.ricoh-imaging.com and retail outlets nationwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $ 1099.95.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Flickr has notified its Pro subscribers about a price increase that brings the current annual rate to $ 60, a ten dollar increase over the previous $ 50 annual fee. Customers are also offered other plan options, such as a monthly subscription for $ 7, a three-month subscription for $ 19 and a two-year subscription for $ 118.
The price increase is not surprising in light of CEO Don MacAskill’s impassioned plea for more Flickr Pro subscribers published in mid-December. In it, MacAskill explained that parent company SmugMug didn’t acquire Flickr because it is a wealthy company — in fact, MacAskill says, ‘Flickr was losing tens of millions of dollars a year.’
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Despite the work that SmugMug put into Flickr, MacAskill had explained that the company was still losing money and that it needed more of its users to sign up for the Pro subscription. This subscription offers a number of benefits for users, including unlimited storage, ad-free browsing, discounts from partners, access to advanced account states, priority exposure in the service’s Explore section and more.
The price increase went into effect yesterday, on Tuesday, January 21. Existing Pro customers are given the option of immediately renewing their plan at the lower price using a link in the notification email sent to users. In explaining why it decided to increase the price, Flickr points toward MacAskill’s December letter and states that the company ‘cannot continue to operate at a loss.’
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Would you like to be able to view and save thermal images using your smartphone, whether for work or just for fun? Thanks to technological advances, it is possible today to do this without buying a very expensive dedicated camera. Read on to learn all the options you have to get thermal imaging on your cell phone. To Continue Reading
The post How Can You Get Thermal Imaging On A Cell Phone? appeared first on Photodoto.
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DynaLite Lighting, the New Jersey-based company founded in 1970, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and will shut down operations. The company’s CEO Peter Poremba revealed in the news in a statement on the DynaLite website, saying, ‘It is with sincere regret and heavy heart that I announce that DynaLite…has closed its doors.’
Poremba cites the ‘decline in the photography market’ as the reason for shuttering the company. His full statement reads:
It is with sincere regret and a heavy heart that I announce that DynaLite Inc. has filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy and has closed its doors.
For over 50 years, DynaLite has been providing lighting solutions for photographers. We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished and the careers we have helped. Unfortunately, due to the current decline in the photography market, we have found it difficult to remain competitive.
I want to thank you all for the years of support. It has been a pleasure servicing the photographic community.
DynaLite sold a large variety of products during its time, including power packs, mono lights, heads, lighting kits, portable lights, light modifiers and more. The photographic lighting industry has seen a large uptick in companies offering affordable products over the years, no doubt making it harder for some businesses to stay afloat.
Though many products are still listed on the DynaLite website, it doesn’t offer a way to directly purchase them. However, existing inventory remains available to buy from third-party retailers like Adorama.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
There are plenty of features present in iOS, or Apple devices in general that make the experience “magical,” and AirDrop is one of them. First introduced with iOS7, the file-sharing technology has made life so much simpler with regards to sharing files. As a photographer, AirDrop is invaluable! Not having to rely on cables, dongles, or even an Internet connection Continue Reading
The post Do Photos Lose Quality When Airdropped? appeared first on Photodoto.
The post 5 Things You Can Do in Capture One You Can’t Do in Lightroom appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
If you’re a Lightroom user, you may be wondering:
Are there any Lightroom alternatives that can take your editing to the next level? Are there any editing programs that can offer you something more?
The answer is a resounding yes:
Capture One Pro.
You see, Capture One is a step above Lightroom in several key respects. While Capture One isn’t for everyone, if you’re looking to expand your post-processing capabilities, Capture One may be the way to go.
So in this article, you’re going to discover five things you can do in Capture One that you can’t do in Lightroom. It’s certainly not an exhaustive list, but it should give you a sense of Capture One’s power, and why you might consider it as a RAW editor.
Let’s get started.
I’m a big fan of Lightroom’s catalog-based editor. I like Lightroom’s method of quickly organizing photos with Collections and Albums.
But Capture One’s session-based workflow option is well thought out and amazingly useful.
Here’s how it works:
First, you have a photography outing or a photo shoot of some kind, then you head into Capture One and create a session.
Now, every session involves a parent folder. And within that parent folder, Capture One creates four additional folders:
So when you begin your session, you can import all of your photos from the day into the Capture Folder. This is where all of your photos can reside until you go through them. When you do, you can move the best shots into the Selects Folder and the worst shots into the Trash Folder.
Once you’ve edited all of your Selects Folder photos, you can create JPEG or TIFF files, which you export into the Output Location folder.
Note that you can create a new session whenever you do a new photoshoot. That way, you can use the same session-based process on every single photography outing.
And your photography workflow will stay quick and efficient.
Plus, you can access every session from within Capture One, as part of the Library.
Cool, right?
One of the biggest things missing from Lightroom that you can find in other post-processing programs?
Layers.
Now, Adobe has found some nice workarounds; the Graduated Filter, Radial Filter, and Adjustment Brush tools are very powerful and give enough fine-tuned control to satisfy plenty of users.
However, if you really want to selectively edit your photos, layers (and the masking functions that go with them) can’t be beaten.
With Capture One’s layer options, you can apply masks using a brush, a gradient, and more. You can make any basic global Capture One adjustment via a layer, then quickly turn it into a local adjustment.
Plus, layers are useful for compartmentalizing different edits. If you’d like to keep your exposure adjustments separate from your color adjustments, put them in separate layers. If you’re like to make multiple exposure adjustments, but aren’t sure which ones you’ll end up using, put them in separate layers. Then quickly toggle on and off layers to see how the adjustments affect the final image.
Of course, you don’t have to use layers in Capture One. If you’re more a fan of Lightroom’s sliders, then there are some options for more selective editing compared to Lightroom, including the enhanced color adjustments I talk about in the next section:
Color toning is one of the most important adjustments I make to my own images, and it’s one of the simpler tweaks you can make to really improve your photos.
So it’s pretty important that you’re able to control color as much as possible.
And while Lightroom offers its (extremely useful) HSL sliders and split toning tool, the Color Balance tool is one of my favorite things about Capture One, from its interface to its control to its power:
You see, with the Capture One Color Balance tool, you can alter the Highlight, Midtone, and Shadow colors. You can do basic split toning by pushing blues into the shadows and golds into the highlights. Or you can go for a more advanced three-toned color grade using the Capture One color wheels.
Plus, color toning in Capture One is very intuitive!
Instead of doing toning while referencing an external color wheel, you can quickly select complementary colors off the wheel and see how they look. And if you don’t like those, well, you can switch to a different pair or harmonious colors, or a color triad, all within the Color Balance interface.
It’s a lot of power in a very simple tool.
Lightroom is known for its preset-creation capabilities.
But did you know that Capture One lets you create presets for individual tools?
If you hit upon a set of values that you like, simply tap the hamburger icon in the right-hand corner of any tool:
And select Save User Preset:
Then, the next time you get stuck using that tool, you can scroll through your saved presets and see if anything sticks out at you.
Capture One also provides you with a number of already-uploaded presets, so you’re free to check those out, as well:
By the way:
While Capture One user presets are nice to use, they’re certainly not a substitute for broader preset editing. Which is why Capture One includes preset functions just like Lightroom (but called Styles).
So you get the best of both worlds:
Tool-specific presets, and image-focused Capture One styles.
Here’s one more great feature that Capture One offers:
You can arrange your editing interface – and I’m not talking about toggling on and off a few editing panels.
Instead, with Capture One, you can remove tools completely from the editing interface. You can bring them out so that they float in the main editing window, or you can stick them back into entirely different sections of Capture One.
This is especially useful if you have a particular editing workflow that you tend to follow. Instead of hunting around for each tool every time you edit a photo, you can arrange your editing tools in a neat stack. Then, when it’s time to edit your photos, you can go straight down the sequence, doing one edit after another until you’ve finished.
Being able to rearrange the editing interface is also nice if there are certain tools that you never use, and just want to get rid of.
Hate the Levels tool? You can remove it in seconds.
And you’re also free to remove entire tabs. If you never want to use a Capture One style, you can delete the whole Adjustments tab.
Note that Capture One even has several tool tabs that you can add into the Capture One interface, such as a Composition tab and a Black and White tab.
Really, the options are endless!
Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all about the power of Capture One, and what it offers compared to Lightroom.
Bottom line:
Capture One is an impressive RAW image editor and one that packs a lot of punch.
So if you’re looking to increase your editing power, testing out Capture One is a good decision!
For those of you who have tried Capture One, what are your thoughts? What did you like or dislike compared to Lightroom? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post 5 Things You Can Do in Capture One You Can’t Do in Lightroom appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
As part of our upcoming review, here’s our 4K sample reel, shot using the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H at Seattle’s Emerald City Soul Club.
All footage is DCI 4K, 23.98p in the 400Mbps mode, with the exception of a short 60p clip, marked in the video. The camera’s Cinelike D2 color profile was used throughout, with minimal color grading subsequently applied.
Interview footage was all shot from a tripod, using the Panasonic 24-70mm F2.8 lens. The bulk of the in-club footage was shot using an L-mount Sigma 24mm F1.8 Art, and mounted on a DJI Ronin-S gimbal unless otherwise noted. All clips were manually focused due to the extreme low-light nature of the club.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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