Maybe you were gifted a Fujifilm X-mount camera like the X-A7 or X-T30, or you treated yourself to an X-T3 for being extra good this year. In either case, we’ve got some suggestions when you’re ready for your next lens purchase.
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We’ve updated our guide to the best cameras under $ 1500 and despite some serious competition from newer models, Fujifilm’s excellent X-T3 remains our top pick in the price bracket.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The Fujifilm XF 16-80mm F4 R OIS WR is a versatile, everyday lens for X-mount cameras. We show you how it compares for image quality, and Jordan tells us why he thinks its a great lens for shooting video.
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The Profoto A1X, a model the company says is the smallest studio light d on the market, can now be used with Fujifilm cameras. The new support covers the Profoto A1X AirTTL-F model, as well as the Off-Camera Kit featuring a button-free trigger and the Profoto Connect.
The Profoto A1X AirTTL-F studio light connects to a camera’s hot shoe, offering up to 450 full-power flashes, a rapid full-power recycling speed at 1 second, as well as 20 wireless channels and an updated UI from the previous A1 model.
The A1X likewise features a 6.9cm (2.75in) round tilting and rotating head with 76W of flash output via an LED modeling light, as well as auto-zoom functionality with a manual override, support for high-speed sync (HSS), shutter speeds as fast as 1/8000s, and a built-in white-on-black LCD.
The Profoto A1X AirTTL-F studio light for Fujifilm is available from B&H Photo now for $ 1,095; the A1X Off-Camera Kit for Fujifilm is currently listed for preorder at $ 1,195.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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In April 2018, Fujifilm announced it was discontinuing its much-loved Acros 100 film stock. Now, more than a year later, Fujifilm has announced that its new Neopan 100 ACROS II film, first teased in June of this year, will start shipping in Japan on November 22, 2019 in 35mm and 120 formats.
According to Fujifilm, the newly developed Neopan 100 ACROS emulsion features the company’s ‘Super Fine particle technology,’ which better retains highlight gradation and improves overall sharpness that ‘emphasizes the contour of the subject.’
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Fujifilm hasn’t shared any pricing information, but as noted by Emulsive, Rakuten Japan has both the 35mm and 120 versions listed for 1,045 Japanese yen, which equates to roughly $ 9.50 a roll.
Press Release (machine-translated):
Fujifilm Co., Ltd. (President: Kenji Sukeno) realizes ultra-high image quality with world-class graininess and three-dimensional gradation reproduction, and is suitable for shooting a wide range of fields, and is suitable for photographing a wide range of fields, and is suitable for photography in a wide range of fields, and is used by “Neopan 100 ACROSII” (hereinafter referred to as “Acros II”). will be released in Japan on November 22, 2019. “Across II” will be available in two types: 35mm size and browny size.
The Neopan 100 ACROSII, which will be released this time, uses our unique technologies, including “Super Fine-Particle Technology” As a black and white film with sensitivity ISO100, we have achieved a three-dimensional gradation reproduction that can clearly express the world’s highest level of graininess and the tint of the subject, and excellent sharpness. By precisely controlling the structure of the silver halide to form an image by capturing light and making it highly sensitive, and by efficiently placing the photosensitive particles of different sizes in the light receiving layer of the film […] It is possible to describe finely down to the details of the texture. We respond to the needs of photography in a wide range of fields, from landscape and mountain photography, portraits, product photography, architectural photography, to astronomical and night view photography of long exposure photography.
In the future, we plan to hold events and photo exhibitions where you can experience the charm of “Across II” where you can enjoy deep and quaint expressions. We will also consider overseas sales.
As a leading company in the imaging field, Fujifilm will continue to provide better products and services in response to diversifying customer needs in a wide range of fields, from analog to digital. The power and splendor of a single photograph will be conveyed.
A technology that contributes to high print quality by precisely controlling the size and composition of silver halide particles contained in photographic films, which achieves both sensitivity and excellent graininess.
A layer that is photosensitive to the light entered from the lens during shooting and forms a black-and-white silver image during the development process.
Book
Features of “Neopan 100 ACROSII”
History of the release
We ended sales of black and white film in autumn 2018 due to a decrease in demand for black and white film and difficulty in obtaining raw materials that are essential for production. However, many people who like photography with the unique texture of black and white film have received many voices that want us to continue selling black and white film, so we have been considering re-opening sales from all angles. In addition, we have been able to develop and sell the black and white film “Across II” through research on alternatives to raw materials that have become difficult to obtain and a drastic review of the manufacturing process tailored to new raw materials.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Fujifilm has announced plans to release future firmware updates for its X-T3 mirrorless camera. The first update to version 3.10 will arrive in mid-December, according to a release from the company published on Wednesday.
The update scheduled for release in mid-December will bring ‘controls for video recording from Gimbal / Drone via USB communications,’ according to Fujifilm, meaning X-T3 owners will be able to use their camera with a drone and gimbal setup that supports the function. This same functionality will also be released for the X-T30 and other models not specified at this time.
The firmware version 3.20 update is scheduled for release in January 2020 and will bring ‘enhanced autofocus’ with better eye AF frame tracking and face-detection performance, as well as improved autofocus when it comes to foreground subjects. Additionally, versiohn 3.20 will add support for saving up to 9,999 images in each folder on the SD card, a dramatic increase from the current 999 limit.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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The Fujifilm X-Pro3 is a 26 megapixel mirrorless interchangeable lens camera built around a clever optical / electronic viewfinder and designed to look like a classic rangefinder.
This, the third iteration of Fujifilm’s first X-mount camera gains titanium top and base plates but the most noteworthy feature is an LCD panel that faces the back of the camera and needs to be flipped down to use it. The viewfinder and rear screen are the main distinctions between this and the similarly-specced X-T3.
A low-resolution status panel on the back of the camera speaks to the underlying ethos of the camera, which we’ll look into in more detail on the next page.
The X-Pro3 is available in painted black version with a list price of $ 1799 or with the silver or black hardened, coated surface for $ 1999.
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The X-Pro3 looks a lot like its predecessors except for one major change. Read more |
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A new titanium top plate, rear ‘sub monitor’ and hidden flip-out LCD round out the major body updates. Read more |
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Photo editor Dan Bracaglia took a pre-production X-Pro3 on holiday to Northern California. Here are his thoughts on the hidden rear screen. Read more |
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The X-Pro3 offers the excellent image quality and attractive processing options we saw in the X-T3. It also gains an in-camera HDR mode. Read more |
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The X-Pro3’s autofocus is highly capable but requires more user input than the best of its peers. Read more |
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Despite its old-skool stills ethos, the X-Pro3 can shoot some impressive video footage. Read more |
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The X-Pro3’s design pushes you to shoot with the optical finder or with the camera at waist level. We found both methods to be limiting and engaging to different degrees. Read more |
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The X-Pro3 is an intentionally divisive camera, but one we think will hold a certain appeal for some photographers. Read more |
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The X-Pro3 gains the ‘Classic Negative’ film stimulation. Check out examples of it and more in our hardy samples gallery. See more |
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
The post Best Fujifilm X-Series Kit for Urban Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.
With a range of feature-packed cameras that are fun to use, and a line of stunning lenses, a Fujifilm X-Series kit is the ideal companion for urban portrait shoots.
I have been shooting with the X-Series for four years and love the system and the results I get from it. However, with so many good options available, one problem you may have is choosing a lens or kit to shoot with!
In this guide, I discuss what you need to consider when choosing a lens for a shoot, and a list of my favorite Fujifilm lenses for shooting urban portraits.
There are a few key advantages that the Fujifilm X-Series has for urban portrait shoots. Being a mirrorless system, it’s generally smaller and lighter than DSLR kits. In practice, though, my camera bag probably isn’t much lighter because I usually fill it with more of the excellent Fujinon lenses.
Fujifilm’s X-Series is ideal for urban portrait shoots for so many reasons.
Excellent ergonomics and usability is a hallmark of the system. I love that I can change aperture on the lens instead of via a menu – in fact, I could never move back to a system where I have to change aperture via a menu now. The camera bodies feature shutter speed and ISO dials on top of the camera, so you have all the elements of the exposure triangle at your fingertips without a menu in sight.
Live view is another feature I couldn’t live without – it’s amazing seeing what your exposure will look like before pressing the shutter button. This is particularly useful in low light situations that you often encounter in urban shoots. Another dial on top of the camera is exposure compensation – you can easily adjust the exposure as you look through the viewfinder, which is perfect for the way I shoot.
Using live view on my Fujifilm X-T3, I could see exactly what adding extra exposure compensation would do when photographing Anne.
Another big advantage of Fujifilm cameras is their stunning color rendition – the best of any digital camera manufacturer. Fujifilm has used their decades of knowledge to produce JPG simulations that bear the names of class film emulsions: Provia, Astia, and Velvia, to name three.
The images in this article are JPGs (Provia simulation) with only small edits made in Adobe Lightroom. You can, of course, shoot in RAW alongside JPG and add your own looks or presets in post-production.
I prefer to take two camera bodies with me on my shoots: the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T2.
You can pretty much substitute any of the excellent X-Series lineups into your urban portrait kit, from the X-T series I use to the X-Pro line and the X-E line. I’ve even shot urban portraits with the X100 line of fixed-lens compact cameras.
If you only have one camera body, that is workable – you just need to be careful if you plan on changing lenses in urban environments to minimize the possibility of dust ending up on your sensor. The last thing you want on your mind during a shoot is the feeling of dread that you just let a whole lot of dust bunnies inside your camera.
Choosing a lens for an urban portrait shoot is a balancing act between a focal length that flatters your subject, but still allows you to be close. This image of Bailey was taken with a Fujinon 23mm f1.4 lens.
The Fujifilm X-Series boasts a stunning range of superb lenses, with more being added every year. Fujifilm regularly updates a lens road map to let photographers know what new additions are coming. Portrait shooters have many fast primes available to them, as well as weather-resistant primes and a fantastic range of zoom lenses.
When choosing a lens for a shoot, I consider the following things:
How flattering is this focal length for portrait photography? The images should flatter your client or model and make them look amazing.
What’s the practical working distance of your lens? Ideally, for urban portraits, it’s good to have a lens choice that flatters your client for portraits, but without you being too far away. For me, this rules out some options such as the Fujinon XF 90mm F2 R LM WR lens.
In low light, I often find myself shooting at, or close to, the maximum aperture of the lens (the smallest number). In this image of Natasha, I was using the Fujinon 56mm f1.2 lens at f1.6.
The maximum aperture of the lens determines how wide it can open. The smaller the number, the ‘faster’ the lens is, allowing you to take images at high shutter speeds in lower light. ‘Slower’ lenses will not be able to shoot at the same shutter speeds unless you crank up the ISO, which can affect image quality.
During the middle of the day, this may not be important, but with less light after the sun goes down, fast lenses are important for sharp images and to keep the ISO lower. The X-series lineup has a range of very fast prime lenses with many maximum apertures at F1.4 and even F1.2.
If planning a shoot in the rain or snow, a weather-resistant lens and body are a must. This is generally something I don’t need to think about – if it does start raining during a shoot, I usually move to an undercover location. Usually, clients don’t want their hair, makeup, and outfits ruined by a downpour.
Listed below are my choices for urban portrait lenses.
I love this lens – there is real magic to it. It’s my number one choice for urban portraits. The XF 35mm F1.4 is the closest Fujifilm has to the full-frame equivalent angle of view of 50mm – a classic focal length used by photographers for decades.
One of the three original lenses in the X-Series lineup, it has a fast maximum aperture of F1.4, making it perfect for images with a shallow depth of field and night shooting.
Featuring stunning optics and pleasing bokeh, this lens gives you a relatively short working distance for portraits. Best of all, it’s a lot cheaper than most of the other lenses in this guide.
I love this shot – so much fun! Alyssa in a phone booth, Brisbane, Australia.
The 35mm F1.4 lens has a magic quality. I love that the lens is flattering for clients, yet it allows you to get quite close to them while shooting.
The next choice on my list is arguably one of the best lenses Fujifilm has ever produced – the stunning Fujinon XF 16mm F1.4 lens.
With a full-frame equivalent of 24mm, you may think this is an odd choice for a portrait session, but it’s a perfect lens for wide-angle environmental shots. With a minimum focus distance of just 15cm, this lens is the perfect option when working in confined spaces.
The excellent build quality of the lens is also matched by its stunning optics. Although any distortion is corrected in-body by the camera, you still need to be careful when shooting with it. Place your model or client towards the center of the frame for the best results.
Sasha sitting on beer kegs in a Brisbane laneway. There wasn’t much room in the laneway, so the 16mm F1.4 was a perfect choice for this shot.
The short working distance and wide angle-of-view enabled me to take this image of Natasha in front of some metal shutters.
The XF 56mm F1.2 R lens is perhaps the jewel in the crown of the X-Series lineup. Stunning image quality and beautiful bokeh make it a winner in anyone’s book.
This is the lens that all Fujifilm portrait photographers either have in their kit or on their wishlist. With a full-frame equivalent of around 85mm, it is substantially lighter than full-frame equivalent lenses for DSLRs. It boasts a super-fast F1.2 maximum aperture, is tack sharp, and has the most pleasing bokeh in the X-Series lineup.
For portrait work, this lens is fantastic. Just bear in mind that in urban environments, it’s not always a suitable choice, as you need a greater working distance when using this lens.
Sasha in Brisbane, Australia. I love how sharp she looks in this frame, and how the out-of-focus lights have rendered in the background.
Natasha in a laneway, Brisbane. With a bit more working distance, full-length portraits are also possible with this lens.
Perhaps the most underrated lens in the entire Fujifilm line up, the XF 60mm F2.4 R Macro, was another of the original three lenses released for the system. It had a reputation for being slow to focus, but improvements to the firmware for this lens have made a big difference. I have no hesitation in using it on shoots.
Although it has the word macro in its name, the lens can only shoot at a 1:2 magnification ratio. (Generally, a 1:1 magnification ratio is regarded as true macro.) With a maximum aperture of F2.4, it’s not as fast as other lenses in this article, but the lens still provides excellent image quality and has a very good bang for your buck.
Alyssa at dusk, Brisbane. The XF 60mm F2.4 is an excellent option if the XF56mm F1.2 is out of your budget.
Alyssa in Brisbane. The XF 60mm F2.4 is stunningly sharp.
The Fujinon XF 23mm F1.4 R is another lens often mentioned as the best in the X-Series lineup. With the 1.5 crop factor, it’s Fujifilm’s closest lens to the traditional full-frame 35mm angle of view. This angle of view makes it perhaps the most versatile lens in the lineup for any given range of shooting scenarios – a big plus.
Another fast lens with a maximum aperture of F1.4, the lens is optically stunning and produces sharp images and beautiful bokeh.
Although I love this lens, I often leave it at home and take along the XF 16mm 1.4 and the XF 35mm 1.4 instead. However, it still deserves a place in this guide as it’s an excellent choice for urban portrait shoots.
Bailey, Cleveland, Australia. The XF 23mm F1.4 lens is super-sharp and produces beautiful bokeh.
Bailey, Raby Bay Harbour, Australia. It was quite dark when I took this shot, but with a higher ISO and some exposure compensation, Bailey looks fantastic – as do the pretty lights in the background.
The Fujifilm X-Series lineup is ideal for shooting urban portraits. The range features a range of compact, feature-packed camera bodies, along with optically stunning fast prime lenses.
Although you could invest some serious money in this system, there are many excellent value-for-money options, including the X-E line of camera bodies, as well as the X-T30 and the X-T20. In terms of lens choices, two of the original X-Series lineup – the XF 35mm F1.4 and XF 60mm F2.4 lenses – represent excellent value for money, blowing the competitor’s budget lenses out of the water in terms of quality.
If you have a bigger budget, also consider the X-T3, the new X-Pro 3, and the excellent XF 16mm F1.4, XF 23 1.4, and XF 56mm 1.2 lenses.
I’ve been using the system for four years and love the images the system produces straight out of the camera, thanks to the magic of Fujifilm’s JPG film simulations. The beautiful rendering of colors makes post-processing work a breeze.
What Fujifilm X-Series camera bodies and lenses do you use for urban portrait shoots? Let us know in the comments below.
The post Best Fujifilm X-Series Kit for Urban Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.
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As autumn rolls in in the northern hemisphere I always find myself wishing that summer would stick around just a little bit longer. So, in the spirit of summer, I’m going to take you for a voyage in the wayback machine all the way to August, when the sun was bright and the temperatures warm.
One of the highlights of the warm(ish) season here in Seattle is Seafair, a summer-long festival that culminates with an airshow featuring the US Navy’s Blue Angels and hydroplane races on Lake Washington. Not familiar with hydroplanes? Imagine strapping a turbine engine from a helicopter onto the back of a boat and racing it around an oval loop at up to 320 kph (200 mph). Wild stuff.
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Hydroplanes are lifted in and out of the pits by a crane between heats for maintenance. ISO 1000 |1/5000 sec. | F4.0 | 280mm |
It’s a fun event to photograph, but a challenging one as well; your subjects are typically far away and moving very fast. I had been looking for an opportunity to use Fujifilm’s 200mm F2 telephoto and Seafair seemed like just the right event. I paired the lens with a X-T3 body and headed out for two days to shoot in the hot summer sun.
Fujifilm isn’t the first brand I think of when it comes to shooting fast action, but I was dying to try the lens and Fujifilm’s AF system has been getting really good on recent models, so I decided to give it a go. TL;DR – I wasn’t disappointed.
I spent my first day at Seattle’s Boeing Field where the Blue Angels are based during the airshow. I had planned to shoot planes in flight (hmmm… maybe not the best way to phrase that), but I was pleasantly surprised at all the shooting opportunities on the ground. The 200mm F2 came through for me big time here.
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Photos of the Blue Angels in flight abound, but the 200mm F2 also allowed me to focus on the ground crews to show the people who make these airshows possible. ISO 400 |1/640 sec. | F5.6 | 200mm |
With a bit of creative positioning I was able to shoot above, around and, in a few cases, straight through the crowd to get some close photos of the planes, pilots and ground crews before takeoff and after landing. I love these types of photos because they add a human element to the story that’s often missing from Blue Angels photos.
Image quality was outstanding. In my opinion, this lens performs as well as any similarly specced optic I’ve tried (comparable to a 300mm F3.0 on full frame). Images were consistently sharp with excellent contrast and looked great straight out of the camera.
The following day I headed out to Lake Washington to shoot the hydros. I quickly discovered what experienced hydroplane photographers already know: the hydros are a lot farther from shore than you think and the lens didn’t provide enough reach to get a tight shot on the boats. Fortunately, I had the lens’s companion 1.4x teleconverter which quickly transformed it into a 280mm F2.8 (420mm equivalent) to get a bit closer to the action.
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Hydroplanes skim across the water at speeds in excess of 300 kph. Even with the Fujifilm 1.4x teleconverter attached the boats were a bit far away for a tight frame. ISO 200 |1/5000 sec. | F3.2 | 280mm |
I was impressed with shots using the teleconverter as well, though you do give up a bit of absolute sharpness when it’s used. However, unless you’re pixel peeping or printing very large the difference won’t be apparent to most viewers. It’s also worth noting that I was shooting distant objects on a very hot day, so heat haze likely had some impact on absolute sharpness in these images. Overall, I really enjoyed shooting with the teleconverter attached and didn’t notice any compromises in performance other than a slight loss in sharpness.
And the X-T3? It exceeded my expectations. I mostly used zone focus and the AF was fast and precise. Did it miss some shots here or there? Definitely. But no more than I’d expect from any other camera this side of a Nikon D5 or Canon EOS-1D X Mark II.
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The US Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team thunders overhead. ISO 400 |1/4000 sec. | F3.6 | 200mm |
I have to give props to Fujifilm for one other thing as well. I almost always make adjustments to Raw files, but I didn’t need to make adjustments to any of the photos I shot over the course of two days. The entire sample gallery was created by opening Raw images in Lightroom and immediately exporting them as Jpeg images using Fujifilm’s Astia film profile, which did the best job of rendering the blue color of the planes. Fujifilm just gets this part right, and it’s one of the reasons I keep getting drawn to Fujifilm cameras.
My verdict on the lens? Fantastic. I just need an excuse to go use it again.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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This gallery includes sample images from a pre-production Fujifilm X-Pro3, captured in Calgary, Alberta, while shooting our hands-on preview for DPReview TV.
Check out our Fujifilm X-Pro3 sample gallery from DPReview TV
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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