tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85858212049003010222024-03-14T07:27:08.666+01:00Dare to see!Learn to look - dare to seeRene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-55475348567343352872013-03-18T10:58:00.001+01:002013-03-18T10:58:23.832+01:00Street view<p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wc6NPohN6WY/UUblG5-hV9I/AAAAAAAADKM/P-HI6bpkNus/s1600-h/_DXE3410Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3410Ew" border="0" alt="_DXE3410Ew" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QSZ90_wOV4I/UUblHvbtj7I/AAAAAAAADKU/cRYcH3pDMj8/_DXE3410Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>A day in the life</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">A couple of randomly selected street photography samples this time. </font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">All were shot with the X-E1 during our brief trip to <a href="http://renedelbar.blogspot.be/search/label/Granada" target="_blank">Granada</a>. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">For this kind of pictures, I most always gravitate to a classic black-and-white rendering. With that comes that special ambiance, and reminiscences of great masters from the past. The images here have gone first through Lightroom (for a minimal exposure and crop adjustment) and then moved on to Nik’s Silver Efex Pro 2, to apply my favorite custom ‘magic sauce’ preset.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-r5ILQLuFgS4/UUblIxb5AVI/AAAAAAAADKc/ZQmH1ZtOc44/s1600-h/_DXE3427Ew.png" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3427Ew" border="0" alt="_DXE3427Ew" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-anEXg7zLFOo/UUblJqCJXhI/AAAAAAAADKk/Igq3_jzypJo/_DXE3427Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Yes, we can! <br /></em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MfP7Xcvc18U/UUblKsh1ktI/AAAAAAAADKs/pJ8iT3xX44E/s1600-h/_DXE3613Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3613Ew" border="0" alt="_DXE3613Ew" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lhZPgeldfTA/UUblLQbzziI/AAAAAAAADK0/swI4BffJ3cY/_DXE3613Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Let me tell ya, … <br /></em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kGH13KOYWP0/UUblMpwNGwI/AAAAAAAADK8/v9XfiMIE8n0/s1600-h/_DXE3614Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3614Ew" border="0" alt="_DXE3614Ew" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PFQzOkDWLl8/UUblNRMmTRI/AAAAAAAADLE/Ew334NLiZQw/_DXE3614Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a><em>Olives & Co</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The four images above were shot with the 18-55mm zoom, a very pleasing and convenient tool for casual walk-around photography. All but one were at focal lengths between 18 and 23mm. I could easily have made these with either the 18mm or the long-awaited 23mm prime. I am so curious how that latter lens will perform: 35mm (equivalent) is my most favored focal length for street shooting.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Late at night, there's no better pick than the XF 35mm… Wide open and at ISO 1600, it perfectly captured the mood of a freezing evening walk in the old Albaicín quarter. <br /></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HXKuaqQu0M4/UUblOj2kIyI/AAAAAAAADLM/2jmuPgU0gzM/s1600-h/_DXE3455Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3455Ew" border="0" alt="_DXE3455Ew" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NqP7QIQjf4M/UUblPTI66dI/AAAAAAAADLU/YE4JZZFmXLc/_DXE3455Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Frozen time</em> <br /></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-E1, Fujinon XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 & XF 35mm f/1.4</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-26701300487604449212013-03-13T02:08:00.001+01:002013-03-13T13:48:16.019+01:00Interior shots with the XF 14mm<p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9UNjsDitEOo/UT_RSd9ZJRI/AAAAAAAADHk/WWguaN-o6GY/s1600-h/_DXP3456w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3456w" border="0" alt="_DXP3456w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Fxr1CvhddhM/UT_RTdOF0RI/AAAAAAAADHs/CQoLxwf_gMI/_DXP3456w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="442" /></a><em>Hotel entrance (ISO 200, f/8, 1/80s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">During our recent family mini-trip to <a href="http://renedelbar.blogspot.be/search/label/Granada" target="_blank">Granada</a>, we stayed at the </font></span></span><font size="2" face="Verdana">picturesque <font size="2" face="Verdana"><font style="font-weight: normal">Hotel </font></font><a href="http://www.palaciosantaines.es/en/index.html?id_referer=ADWORDS&gclid=CODIicm1-LUCFYfJtAodAXUASw" target="_blank">Palacio De Santa Inés</a>, in the Unesco World Heritage Albaicín district. Its 35 rooms are located in two small 16th century Mudejar buildings, restructured and renovated in 1995 and 2001 respectively. The hotel fascinates by </font><font size="2" face="Verdana">its courtyard beauty because of its fountain, columns, balustrades and in particular, of Renaissance frescos painted by two of Rafael’s disciples. </font></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">What better setting can you imagine to learn more about how well the Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8 lens handles interior and architectural shots?</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S_Ay17vkGgs/UT_RUabg2AI/AAAAAAAADH0/UxKKkIsUBk8/s1600-h/_DXE3677w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3677w" border="0" alt="_DXE3677w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rcXAxWCMw0I/UT_RVFW7eaI/AAAAAAAADH8/P5h16s2L0mU/_DXE3677w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="604" /></a></font></span></span><em>Hotel lobby (ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/25s)</em></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><font face="Trebuchet MS"></font></em><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sC37pxH8zJA/UT_RWFfS0zI/AAAAAAAADIE/OBdSm01aW6w/s1600-h/_DXE3674w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3674w" border="0" alt="_DXE3674w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VVEvDNItgK0/UT_RXFZwgPI/AAAAAAAADII/NYiBTmEG0IA/_DXE3674w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="604" /></a></font></span></span><em>Lobby courtyard (ISO 400, f/4.5, 1/40s)</em></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">With no side windows at ground level but a lot of bright daylight coming in through the courtyard’s skylight, these images challenge the dynamic range of the X-Pro1 and X-E1 X-Trans sensors. Fortunately, these raw (RAF) files provide a lot of room for optimization in post using Adobe’s Lightroom 4.4RC, and combining detailed highlights as well as low-noise shadow areas is not to hard at all. Just pull’em sliders…</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0QQjpKetRDA/UT_RYH505hI/AAAAAAAADIU/zBzblZhrhJg/s1600-h/_DXP3300w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3300w" border="0" alt="_DXP3300w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9YPSeNfiH6g/UT_RY_pvtFI/AAAAAAAADIY/hs6ObkK2pz8/_DXP3300w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><em> Second courtyard (ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/5s)</em></p> <p align="center"><em></em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zW45L2VxDic/UT_RZu2SWYI/AAAAAAAADIk/03F0esaGIHU/s1600-h/_DXP3301w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3301w" border="0" alt="_DXP3301w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XrNHiWOjzAo/UT_RakWwVLI/AAAAAAAADIo/mJ93dpJxyyU/_DXP3301w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><em>Second courtyard (ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/9s)</em></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Working in small, cramped spaces with a 21mm-equivalent wide angle will often require tilting the camera, resulting in the well-known converging vertical lines. These may become an interesting compositional element, as in the following two shots (that again challenge the dynamic range). Alternatively, state-of-the-art post-processing tools like Lightroom incorporate perspective correction features, which were moderately applied in most of the other pictures.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GjZOKUUrHSY/UT_RbeJNYTI/AAAAAAAADI0/s4dhJk0CvOs/s1600-h/_DXP3459w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3459w" border="0" alt="_DXP3459w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-06HldjQxnKI/UT_RcVkfaHI/AAAAAAAADI8/VZb8xRBwfx8/_DXP3459w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Skylight in lobby</em> </font></span></span><em>courtyard (ISO 400, f/6.4, 1/75s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em></em><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ufXWvC5WEfc/UT_Rdat2boI/AAAAAAAADJE/iG-G4buKxnI/s1600-h/_DXP3299w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3299w" border="0" alt="_DXP3299w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HPRXmlq32a0/UT_ReUwYyvI/AAAAAAAADJI/liqpSvgRqm4/_DXP3299w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="604" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Skylight of second courtyard (ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/40s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I will point out once again that on this family leisure trip I did not bring any tripods, bubble levels etc. as you would normally use for this kind of images. All shots were made hand-held, in a minimum of time, occasionally resting the camera against whatever column or railing was appropriately available. Using a tripod would have allowed smaller apertures (and more DOF) as well as lower sensitivities (and thus lower noise and better dynamic range). But hey, these are X-cameras, so higher ISO settings are no problem, and the 14mm lens gives a large depth-of-field at almost any F-stop!</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ijcqjr0q1Bg/UT_RfKUgCfI/AAAAAAAADJU/E9cW4KxPPWs/s1600-h/_DXE3672w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3672w" border="0" alt="_DXE3672w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-72QfHcnhVBQ/UT_RgTP13gI/AAAAAAAADJc/yIqabXZl0Cc/_DXE3672w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em> Upstairs (ISO 400, f/9, 1/30s)</em></font></span></span></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span><font color="#3778cd"></font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EWpEfEMFNg0/UT_RhsMuwSI/AAAAAAAADJk/NWLtfhCKClA/s1600-h/_DXE3675w.png" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3675w" border="0" alt="_DXE3675w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8MxI0RCRXqc/UT_RigTmNfI/AAAAAAAADJs/UdMV25T3kGM/_DXE3675w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="604" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em> Stairway (ISO 800, f/4.5, 1/30s)</em></font></span></span></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The least I can say is that the XF 14mm prime has not disappointed at all! Just as with the exterior pictures shown in my earlier <a href="http://renedelbar.blogspot.be/search/label/Granada" target="_blank">posts</a>, this little gem keeps amazing me. It has rapidly become a favorite of mine, and will find itself in my bag on many, many occasions. I am really looking forward to give it a run at some ‘real’ architectural work, working from a tripod and taking all the time required for optimal image quality.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-17mc8uprIo0/UT_RjVTsfvI/AAAAAAAADJ0/SmMqtYAys4Y/s1600-h/_DXP3303w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3303w" border="0" alt="_DXP3303w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EVoVIJhEv44/UT_RkAvc_DI/AAAAAAAADJ8/fxubHNCfazI/_DXP3303w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Breakfast room (ISO 800, f/3.2, 1/25s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">In the next posts-to-come, we will have a look at that other excellent travel companion, the Fujinon XF 18-55mm zoom. Stay tuned! <br /></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-Pro1 & X-E1, Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-69582552992024043032013-03-08T00:10:00.001+01:002013-03-08T00:10:54.665+01:00More XF 14mm shots from Granada<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Continuing our visit to Granada, let’s find out this time what the XF 14mm captured outside the Alhambra.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-knfcFzx616Y/UTkeUekU1CI/AAAAAAAADF8/Y2XFeogX7g0/s1600-h/_DXP3305w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3305w" border="0" alt="_DXP3305w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0jAM3tab9sc/UTkeVZBq1eI/AAAAAAAADGE/y9N4W-Aq7rY/_DXP3305w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><em>Cathedral (ISO 400, f/8, 1/170s)</em></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-S49uqxxa6es/UTkeWqAyxMI/AAAAAAAADGM/1LIbf6UosCc/s1600-h/_DXP3296w.png" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3296w" border="0" alt="_DXP3296w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zYbU56NudCM/UTkeXjqjOAI/AAAAAAAADGU/l5-7jVrH_zE/_DXP3296w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a><em>Plaza Nueva</em> <em>(ISO 800, f/8, 1/2000s)</em></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">With its wide angle of view, the XF 14mm is ideal for the traditional ‘postcard shots’. You cannot escape from converging vertical lines as soon as you tilt the camera upwards of downwards: so you options are either to keep them as an element of composition, or correct for them in post-processing. If you make your framing generously, you can properly account for the cropping required after strong compensation.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4K1xFHTYdC4/UTkeYmEVnHI/AAAAAAAADGc/V3Rt3uft1gk/s1600-h/_DXP3395w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3395w" border="0" alt="_DXP3395w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-t2U__VcRHn8/UTkeZtjAwMI/AAAAAAAADGk/P8HFymeVE4w/_DXP3395w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></span></span><em>‘Wired’ </em><em>(ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/40s)</em></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3HggXdwdl3M/UTkearBXNNI/AAAAAAAADGs/lH9OIfSNeU0/s1600-h/_DXP3431w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3431w" border="0" alt="_DXP3431w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-q3CUtYubXQc/UTkebTHmyLI/AAAAAAAADG0/I4JmE_9WPzI/_DXP3431w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Souvenir shops in the Albaicín (ISO 200, f/6.4, 1/25s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The wide angle view of the XF 14mm also comes handy in the narrow streets of old Granada, such as throughout the Albaicín Moorish quarter. The 21mm (35mm equivalent) perspective for me is a little too wide for people-oriented street photography, but is works great to capture a broader view of a cramped environment.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W2B4U27Q7a0/UTkecePoEYI/AAAAAAAADG8/AxyYLfutAPY/s1600-h/_DXP3284w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3284w" border="0" alt="_DXP3284w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2mxwaSZLK6Q/UTkedZZLtAI/AAAAAAAADHA/_WHqutxoR5U/_DXP3284w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Iglesia del Salvador (ISO 400, f/4, 1/35s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GHVGHAS_DpU/UTkeeZ59SLI/AAAAAAAADHM/mhgLoMvDR60/s1600-h/_DXE3376w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXE3376w" border="0" alt="_DXE3376w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qtcUevXdbF4/UTkefDoFrJI/AAAAAAAADHU/G48PtItswuk/_DXE3376w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Carrera del Darro at nightfall (ISO 1600, f/4, 1/15s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Coupled to either the X-Pro1 or the X-E1, this lens performs equally well in low light situation, indoors and outdoors. There are no obvious issues like flare when light sources enter the image. Fairly long exposure times are quite feasible with a little technique (and, to make sure luck goes your way, an extra take or two just in case …).</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Next time, we’ll try the XF 14mm at some interior shots.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-Pro1 & X-E1, Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-74614110683359739632013-03-03T02:53:00.001+01:002013-03-03T02:53:00.124+01:00Granada captured by Fuji’s XF 14mm f/2.8<p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ULCpxPVj9is/UTKsloXKTCI/AAAAAAAADCk/2iOjeyaCWRg/s1600-h/_DXP3415w3.jpg" target="_blank"><font size="2"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3415w" border="0" alt="_DXP3415w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8q4TE4QRXaw/UTKsm0AT5oI/AAAAAAAADCo/yqNVMHEvNuY/_DXP3415w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></font></a><em><font size="2"> At the Mirador de San Nicolas, looking out on <em>Alhambra and </em>Sierra Nevada <br />(ISO 200, f/8, 1/450s)</font></em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">A couple of weeks ago, we took a short but much needed break from the Belgian winter and from all other things-as-usual. We set course on Granada, a city of UNESCO World Heritage fame that we hadn’t visited before. This was to be a relaxing family trip, so I was told to go tourist-style and leave behind any heavy stuff or tripods.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">My travel kit was easy to assemble: first the X-Pro1 with the just arrived all-new 14mm f/2.8 wide angle, then the X-E1 with the 18-55mm zoom, and finally the 35mm f/1.4 just in case. Everything fitted comfortably in my Think Tank Retrospective 7, with room to spare. <span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Sometimes things fall nicely in place…</font></span></span></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-n_8bHCzQFX8/UTKsoPch2aI/AAAAAAAADC0/RSUNeb6Ol2A/s1600-h/_DXP3321w.png" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3321w" border="0" alt="_DXP3321w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_W1RPZsh7vI/UTKspWrEEZI/AAAAAAAADC4/s0Sqv4gxaJc/_DXP3321w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="357" /></a></span></span></font></span></span><font size="1"><em><font size="2">Alhambra – The Palace of Charles V <br />(ISO 800, f/8, 1/60s)</font></em></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="1"><em><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3363w" border="0" alt="_DXP3363w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Eb69syNRlsM/UTKsqC-iVMI/AAAAAAAADDA/_WMygFCvh6Y/_DXP3363w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></em></font><font size="1"><em><font size="2">Alhambra – The Courtyard of the Lions in early morning light <br />(ISO 400, f/11, 1/170s)</font></em></font></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">We found ourselves in a sunny but bitterly cold Granada, with above-zero temperatures between mid-morning and late afternoon only. The wind had a nasty chilling bite. This time of the year the light is very harsh: perfect conditions to challenge the sensor’s dynamic range. The quality of the out-of-camera JPEGs keeps surprising me, it is simply amazing how much shadow and highlight detail is captured and available to be further exploited in post-processing. I did often shoot at a minimum ISO 400 or 800 to maximize the potential dynamic range enhancement.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Q9DAl4uKeFA/UTKsrvMLqmI/AAAAAAAADDM/irpsTgWdqwU/s1600-h/_DXP3345w1.png" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3345w" border="0" alt="_DXP3345w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SjVvVlAieyk/UTKssUS0NlI/AAAAAAAADDU/ZwIfvCIBbyc/_DXP3345w_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="397" height="604" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The Courtyard of the Myrtles, o</font></span></span></em></font></span></span>ne of Alhambra’s signature shots <br /></font></span></span></em></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>(ISO400, f/11, 1/180s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WJ6hKweQUxA/UTKst39y6cI/AAAAAAAADDc/3_Qt6DcQTfU/s1600-h/_DXP3353w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3353w" border="0" alt="_DXP3353w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5lVInXntqd0/UTKsutkcTVI/AAAAAAAADDg/lSvKmz3iWM0/_DXP3353w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a>Tesselations and arabesques</font></span></span></em></font></span></span>  <br /></font></span></span></em></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>(ISO400, f/11, 1/180s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The harsh lighting conditions and the huge contrast between indoor and outdoor scenes however call for shooting RAW followed by careful post processing: that remains the best approach to reveal all highlight detail while maintaining low noise shadow information. Adobe’s Lightroom 4.4 release candidate finally brings us X-Trans demosaicing support at the level of the sensor’s image quality; this software was used for all sample images in this post.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-havS-b26eWA/UTKsvnmznQI/AAAAAAAADDs/d1MIKD6XXcA/s1600-h/_DXP3355w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3355w" border="0" alt="_DXP3355w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ayzr9-qnt2Y/UTKswc5NDdI/AAAAAAAADD0/7m7IGr0mqk8/_DXP3355w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span></em></font></span></span></font></span></span></em></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Around the Courtyard of the Lions</font></span></span></em></font></span></span>  <br /></font></span></span></em></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>(ISO400, f/5.6, 1/40s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7fFHoM5NnyM/UTKsxSqlS1I/AAAAAAAADD8/LmXyWzLAcVc/s1600-h/_DXP3356w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3356w" border="0" alt="_DXP3356w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MFbssxXEBh8/UTKsyDDQP-I/AAAAAAAADEA/NEwoaIl-yhM/_DXP3356w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="604" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Around the Courtyard of the Lions</font></span></span></em></font></span></span> </font></span></span></em></font></span></span></font></span></span></em></font></span></span></font></span></span></em></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></em></font></span></span> <br /></font></span></span></em></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>(ISO400, f/5.6, 1/50s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8 proved to be all that is reported by many reviewers and early adopters. The lens is sharp right from its maximum aperture, shows excellent micro-contrast and is virtually distortion-free. Color rendition is superb. Autofocus is more than adequately fast (behaving like a true tourist on this trip, I almost never selected manual focus). Shooting handheld only, I was able to use fairly long exposure times with a very high keeper rate. In one word: the 14mm prime is a pleasure to work with!</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ORW_DMf8wtg/UTKszHyvl4I/AAAAAAAADEM/JP3HcKOT_2U/s1600-h/_DXP3352w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3352w" border="0" alt="_DXP3352w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eSdxxDuGxUQ/UTKs0Qv3HoI/AAAAAAAADEU/YOTYV8_oXuA/_DXP3352w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Alhambra – Hall of the Ambassadors</font></span></span></em></font></span></span>  <br /></font></span></span></em></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>(ISO1600, f/5.6, 1/8s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yu48HzSOyhc/UTKs1aDfVEI/AAAAAAAADEc/4JU5NFEkV84/s1600-h/_DXP3358w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3358w" border="0" alt="_DXP3358w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3n5yM7gp4ck/UTKs2SIt9UI/AAAAAAAADEk/sl0BYRj1AYI/_DXP3358w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="448" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Alhambra – Ceiling of the </font></span></span></em></font></span></span></font></span></span></em></font></span></span></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Hall of the Abencerrajes</font></span></span></em></font></span></span> <br /></font></span></span></em></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>(ISO800, f/4, 1/45s)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The very wide field of view of course means that perspective distortion always lies just around the corner. Lightroom’s lens correction tools make it easy to compensate when desired, and the image files allowed so without visible loss of quality and detail.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MKx6a_yHw0w/UTKs3rCiPkI/AAAAAAAADEs/3cWumf1XZtQ/s1600-h/_DXP3373w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3373w" border="0" alt="_DXP3373w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OGBZV9976_8/UTKs4QldP6I/AAAAAAAADE0/eGRWRQZNfEk/_DXP3373w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="604" /></a></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Looking out at the Palacio del Partal <br /><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">(ISO400, f/5, 1/450s)</font></span></span></em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-d0dfb7FMyW0/UTKs5aJnmUI/AAAAAAAADE8/kn-K8Svd6hw/s1600-h/_DXP3374w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3374w" border="0" alt="_DXP3374w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nXX0TBN04d0/UTKs6oWUWUI/AAAAAAAADFA/LUzFaJUQni8/_DXP3374w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a><em>The famous fountain in the Patio de Lindaraja <br /><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">(ISO800, f/6.4, 1/60s)</font></span></span></em></font></span></span></p> <p align="left"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%">Let there be no doubt: the 14mm prime is a beautiful lens that is likely to come along on many more trips. And that’s just one of its many potential applications!</span></span></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1LIQCAdOVMo/UTKs7hhUXTI/AAAAAAAADFM/u3LGg-R-byA/s1600-h/_DXP3387w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3387w" border="0" alt="_DXP3387w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-L1fZYSMXPjc/UTKs8amb20I/AAAAAAAADFQ/N8Pm9je0iRw/_DXP3387w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><em>Vista from the side gallery of the Generalife <br /><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">(ISO400, f/11, 1/480s)</font></span></span></em></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IOyKf3jcQJg/UTKs9bViaGI/AAAAAAAADFc/ejOn5IvtH84/s1600-h/_DXP3391w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DXP3391w" border="0" alt="_DXP3391w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XWf_nvJpjvM/UTKs-VXJOeI/AAAAAAAADFk/1dozIUTT8LM/_DXP3391w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="404" /></a></font></span></span><em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Generalife – View on the Patio de la Sultana<font face="Trebuchet MS"> <br />(</font></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">ISO200, f/8, 1/850s)</font></span></span></em></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">More images from Granada and its wealth of monuments and sights to follow.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-39943164115858709922013-01-19T16:39:00.001+01:002013-01-19T16:39:08.824+01:00Good to see you back!<span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"> <p> <br /></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HgGNrXnN8J8/UPq-FSsUpdI/AAAAAAAAC34/LxvCS63gIEs/s1600-h/2013_blog_E%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2013_blog_E" border="0" alt="2013_blog_E" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-njL5FzXMmQE/UPq-GOlerqI/AAAAAAAAC4A/tk5SGouzScI/2013_blog_E_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="214" /></a> <br />I know, it’s been too long… I will not even attempt to <strike>make</strike> come up with an explanation. </p> </font></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Just too much other stuff on the burner.</font></span></span></span> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Not that my photography did come to a standstill, though. Riding the waves of the Photokina announcements, there were a few gems added to Fujifilm’s X-line, to my great excitement. You know that I have fully embraced the X-series cameras, X100 first, X-Pro1 later as well as the excellent Fujinon XF lenses. Over the last two months, they were joined by an X-E1, the 17-55 zoom, a Samyang 8mm fish-eye and –as of today – Fuji’s latest: the XF 14mm f/2.8.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I now pick up those tools </font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">almost exclusively for most shoots. As Fuji and others build towards a complete “X-system”, exceptions get rare. My full frame Nikon D700 and its great but heavy f/2.8 zooms only see some action for very specific projects. My Nikon DX gear is sadly collecting dust and goes up for sale, a few FX travel/prosumer zooms as well. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">No, it is not all about the equipment! But since I picked up the X100 and helplessly fell for it, I am enjoying my photography more than ever. A more deliberate shooting style, greater challenges calling for better preparation… these are only a few of the elements that contributed to a kind of creative revival and boost.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The good news about having stopped blogging for a while is that there is now a backlog of images to share (and alas, also still a bunch to process). So stay tuned!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: all images in the collage shot with X100, X-Pro1 or X-E1</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-41701601999062319312012-08-12T22:53:00.001+02:002012-08-12T22:53:44.025+02:00Xboxes on a stroll<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Finally back after a long period of… well, just no time for blogging. Luckily, that did not mean no chance to get out shooting (just almost no spare room for reviewing, processing etc.).</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4X9eValTUPY/UCgXgL676fI/AAAAAAAACzY/NuA5acnpQ5c/s1600-h/_DSF0873Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0873Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF0873Ew" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YnIlEjB9aZg/UCgXhP8iWDI/AAAAAAAACzg/iJGfPp75Lz0/_DSF0873Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="284" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ypwQlf4nftM/UCgXiEpfpLI/AAAAAAAACzo/fOG2I1ddK-I/s1600-h/_DSF0872Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0872Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF0872Ew" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_5NBuZ7IY3g/UCgXjUmVB_I/AAAAAAAACzw/Eq935ArCObk/_DSF0872Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="424" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I took my X-</font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">cameras along on a full day of street photography in Brussels’ Marolles neighborhood, situated between the Law Courts of Brussels (the biggest building worldwide constructed in the 19th century) and the Brussels-South railway station. During the Middle Ages lepers were exiled to this area, where they were cared for by the nuns of Maria Colentes (Marikollen) – hence the origin of the area’s name. </font></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o6KrBXct-eo/UCgXkuBKQjI/AAAAAAAACz4/P-35Y-kCX4I/s1600-h/_DSF0876Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0876Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF0876Ew" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BYxKJshZGEI/UCgXlm0-nEI/AAAAAAAAC0A/0fv_Zv-Zlaw/_DSF0876Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="424" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aV35uFABWG0/UCgXm2cmKBI/AAAAAAAAC0I/osT7O1vPqxk/s1600-h/_DSF0887Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0887Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF0887Ew" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_r_3jEK9pQM/UCgXn2SgHYI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/urh-GPVgXYY/_DSF0887Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="284" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">In later centuries, the Marolles became a working class district, and in modern times even a laboratory for the construction of social housing. <font size="2">The neighborhood today is known for its social authenticity, as it houses a mix of generations and ethnicities. </font></font></span></span></p> <p><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Cd59-X4waCc/UCgXopOduZI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/z-QIxCimNXo/s1600-h/_DSF0901Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0901Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF0901Ew" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ai8ATeRDUBs/UCgXp9OQx_I/AAAAAAAAC0g/35Y7JU9MkRw/_DSF0901Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="284" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iuKYnw-I6_M/UCgXqxVybZI/AAAAAAAAC0o/d3Qgxrz8X74/s1600-h/_DSF0898Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0898Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF0898Ew" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bku0SD6fhFA/UCgXr_iJW-I/AAAAAAAAC0w/3cmY_h7yKtA/_DSF0898Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="284" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="2">Visitors and tourists will be attracted by the daily secondhand trade market on the ‘Vossenplein’ and by the many antiques in the surrounding streets. But if you venture a little further, there is much more to discover! </font></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xUjeEMP4bRU/UCgXtLieP4I/AAAAAAAAC04/h2pi6zDOmL4/s1600-h/_DSF0915Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0915Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF0915Ew" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PuB4Ed4nCHk/UCgXuG2sHtI/AAAAAAAAC1A/hQFPwskeaeE/_DSF0915Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="424" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Tg877IMjUhw/UCgXwrbqN8I/AAAAAAAAC1I/0G6T2klWxPU/s1600-h/_DSF1033Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF1033Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF1033Ew" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ds4OSsp-frw/UCgXxrIxsuI/AAAAAAAAC1Q/R92SshwjyiI/_DSF1033Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="424" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Not uncommon for street photography in general, I find this subject matter ideally suited to be captured in black and white. So these few selected shots got a good dose of Silver Efex Pro.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mMG_gRMr4UE/UCgXyrg9yfI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/gT_T_HFcccA/s1600-h/_DSF0892Ew%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0892Ew" border="0" alt="_DSF0892Ew" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MeapOHAhnzA/UCgXzh5Qw8I/AAAAAAAAC1g/JeQjiMoZV5I/_DSF0892Ew_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="284" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IJHE-uUbSMg/UCgX0jG_RtI/AAAAAAAAC1o/hv7cBmCpEuE/s1600-h/_DSF0014E-2w%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="_DSF0014E-2w" border="0" alt="_DSF0014E-2w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-twTjvgZMHtQ/UCgX1rUGfkI/AAAAAAAAC1s/F82RLstojTk/_DSF0014E-2w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="283" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 & 60mm f/2.4; <br />Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-88492877793409493292012-05-27T00:24:00.001+02:002012-05-27T00:24:04.148+02:00Xperiment<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I am still discovering, bit by bit, the wonderful tool the X-Pro1 continues to be for me. As I grow more familiar with its operation and its characteristics – and learn better ways to deal with its puzzles and pitfalls – I take the camera to new challenges. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">As I am writing this, Adobe still has not released any X-Pro1 RAW support for Lightroom 4, my preferred – and in reality uniquely used – post processing utility. Apparently an early evaluation version has been available to a very restricted number of parties, and most likely the ACR crew is busy finding out the hard way how to fine tune the demosaicing for Fuji’s X-Trans color filter array. So we’re stuck with out-of-camera JPGs for now, and thank God-san these are nice and useable well above average!</font></span></span></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%">I currently shoot RAW + JPG large, so I will have a RAF file to revisit when LR4 support makes it to my desktop. On a few rare occasions I used the in-camera RAW conversion function to get an ‘alternative’ JPG next to the one with my default settings.</span></span></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LCSGPOqmXLM/T8FX8Cd4B3I/AAAAAAAACx4/qZKF-Muwl7A/s1600-h/DSCF0169-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0169-Editw" alt="DSCF0169-Editw" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LpI63O1hwbw/T8FX86NWHiI/AAAAAAAACyA/NOWhpUrMv3k/DSCF0169-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="235" /></a></span></span></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%">Not only do I find the X-Pro1 JPGs of very high quality with respect to color fidelity, tone rendering and image detail, shooting with neutral to somewhat flat camera settings leaves you with base images that do quite well with common post adjustments. </span></span></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%">The image above got a dose of Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 4 filtering: a mix of Bleach Bypass and Detail Extractor that I have found to like a lot. And the X-Pro1 JPGs respond rather well to such a treatment.</span></span></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Recently I accepted to shoot the wedding of a good friend of the family. I was not ready – by far – to rely on the X-Pro1 as my main camera: not enough hands-on experience, no medium tele option (still waiting for that 60mm lens…), no RAW support in LR4, autofocus to be improved (at least) for fast paced events… </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-G5dP3bPAS60/T8FX9wh4O6I/AAAAAAAACyI/3pKWjUbskdU/s1600-h/DSCF0471-Editw%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0471-Editw" alt="DSCF0471-Editw" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-a7IRQXYDRls/T8FX-_Y8jcI/AAAAAAAACyQ/C8BQdLjLD8o/DSCF0471-Editw_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">My trusted D700 with its 24-70 f/2.8 took good care of the formal ceremony. But the X-Pro1 played excellent as second body, and I shot it a lot more than anticipated during the more casual and private parts of the day. More than anything else the indoor, no-flash, available light images surprised me pleasantly!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The flower arrangement of the little bridesmaid was shot with the 35mm f/1.4. That JPG went through LR4 and next through Color Efex Pro 4 AND Silver Efex 2. Yes, you can combine an ‘original’ image with both a color and a monochrome treatment thereof, all three mixed appropriately within Lightroom using Perfect Layers. <br />Look ma, no Photoshop! <br /> <br /></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jmXvrkbtunw/T8FX_tKOENI/AAAAAAAACyU/Lhl5RZP6t-Y/s1600-h/DSCF0652-Editw%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><font size="2"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0652-Editw" alt="DSCF0652-Editw" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bNcC7mousa8/T8FYAR2nCaI/AAAAAAAACyg/vn47JW75wZo/DSCF0652-Editw_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></font></a><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Adding a slight touch only of a plug-in filter effect to an image is something I happen to do more often lately. This shot from the main Greek Orthodox Church in Brussels (captured with the 28mm f/2.0) received a little kick from Color Efex Pro’s Bleach Bypass and Detail Extractor filters combined, each one muted using a low opacity setting. The result shows a pinch of an HDR-like effect but keeps a natural look. All starting from a single JPG file…</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I can’t wait to discover the full potential of the X-Pro1 images once the gates to their RAW richness get unlocked!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Fujinon XF 18mm f/2.0 & 35mm f/1.4</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-44750687452483454642012-05-03T01:53:00.001+02:002013-01-19T16:43:35.567+01:00I stand corrected<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">As of today, I enjoy a much clearer view through my X-Pro1 viewfinder: I finally could install a diopter appropriately correcting for my vision. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I never intended for this blog to be about technical issues, but I guess my recent ‘quest for the optimal diopter’ may be of interest to many X-Pro1 owners.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Is there a problem?</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Fujifilm X-Pro1, unlike most recent cameras, does not come with any built-in means to adapt to its owner’s eyesight. Whether that is the result of some technical limitation linked to its unique hybrid viewfinder design, or as one more way to add to the retro look and feel, who but Fuji’s engineers can tell? The end result anyway is that many people with less-than-perfect vision - and especially those keeping on their glasses while shooting – will not be able to have a uniformly sharp look through the viewfinder, be it in optical (OVF) or electronic (EVF) mode.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Adding insult to injury, those using progressive lenses face another handicap: they will see the top and bottom of the viewfinder image with a different degree of sharpness, as their glasses’ corrections vary from top to bottom as well.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">And then alas, there’s more… In OVF mode, electronic information is displayed on top of the direct optical view. The Fuji engineers for some reason have decided to ‘project’ the two images at different apparent distances. Some estimate that the optical image appears at about 1.5-2 meters, whereas the electronic overlay (and, in EVF mode, the full viewfinder image) lies closer.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ckfOutpvl-k/T6HJDtJSskI/AAAAAAAACuo/opBUqh-kuBU/s1600-h/IMG_0315w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="IMG_0315w" height="286" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YhZLP7hgFKs/T6HJEAWC_bI/AAAAAAAACuw/6Mmxcunl4wA/IMG_0315w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto;" title="IMG_0315w" width="420" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>A wealth of information in the X-Pro1 optical viewfinder</em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Is there a <span style="color: #4f81bd;">solution</span>?</strong></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The viewfinder comes equipped with a screw-in clear protection glass with zero correction. How do I know? If you remove the part and hold it over e.g. text on a page, the image seen through the glass does not shift when the glass is moved around.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">That ‘neutral’ eyepiece can be replaced by a diopter, a lens with a positive or negative correction factor just like eyeglasses. The X-Pro1 accepts a 19 mm diameter screw-in type diopter, the same type as once used by Voigtlander Bessa cameras, or older Nikon F (FE, FM, FA…) series SLR bodies. If your photography history goes back far enough, you might have some lying around in a drawer. Otherwise, you can go hunt for them at the handful of specialized camera shops that still carry or cater to (used) rangefinder cameras. As these diopters recently became a hot item overnight, you will likely find them back-ordered from the manufacturer: prepare for another patient wait…</span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> (remember the anticipation for your camera to arrive?).</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: x-small;"><strong>What diopter correction do you need?</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Correction eyepieces typically come in -3, –2, –1, +1, +2 and +3 diopter strengths (a 0-D part has no correction and serves as a replacement for a lost neutral glass).</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you know the details of your eyeglass prescription, you may try to do the math. T</span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ake into account that by design the X-Pro1 viewfinder has a built-in correction of –1, as confirmed by Fuji support sources. That value has been known to work best for the ‘average’ photographer (know any?), and also was the default with the older Nikon SLRs; Leica M-series cameras come preset to a –0.5 strength. <span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It’s not impossible to calculate the desired correction, but nothing will work better (or at least, prove to be more reliable) than a real eyes-on test.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Better swing by your local optician and look into the viewfinder through the correction lenses they always keep handy. Test first with an EVF display (or call up the Q menu), then switch from EVF to OVF. Do this while wearing your glasses, of course, if you plan to keep them on while shooting. You will be able to verify the perceived image under different circumstances (OVF, EVF).</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I myself cheated. Being nearsighted, I knew I needed a positive correction *. I recently have liberated a set of three Hoya close-up filters (in +1, +2 and +4 strengths) from the drawer where they had long retired. Every accessory I have with a 52mm filter thread has become popular again: once Nikon’s standard thread for basic prime lenses, this size is now used on the Fuji XF 18mm and 35mm lenses. So I had a set of trial diopters ready at hand (and a lot of filters as well).</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">* <em>Just to be clear: nearsighted (myopic) people need a negative correction from their eyeglasses for distance viewing. For more nearby objects, that correction typically (and over age) will be weaker, maybe even zero for very short distances. Progressive lenses therefore add a positive ‘counter’ correction kicking in across the lower half of the eyeglasses. And as I want/need to keep my glasses on for shooting, I need a positive correction on top of the bigger negative one already built into them.</em></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><strong>Where do you find one?</strong></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I ordered my Voigtlander +2 round diopter correction lens online from <a href="http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/">www.robertwhite.co.uk</a>. They are sold at an acceptable GBP 15.00 excl. 20% VAT; too bad the cheapest delivery method, signed-for air mail, adds another GBP 10.50 excl. VAT. Reported out of stock at the time of my order, the diopter still came in pretty fast and showed up at home this morning.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-27nXZhoV2Q0/T6HJEzKIt7I/AAAAAAAACu4/Usv9kL7Dx8U/s1600-h/_DS77106w%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="_DS77106w" height="280" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_EwNyIZmVYE/T6HJFc_2-UI/AAAAAAAACvA/6f_KUEXyv4k/_DS77106w_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto;" title="_DS77106w" width="420" /></a></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><em>Left the Fuji original, right the Voigtlander +2 diopter</em></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Voigtlander diopter looks remarkably like the original Fuji eyepiece. I would not be surprised if they shared a manufacturing line somewhere East. Fortunately, the diopter glass has a discrete reflective (in my case) +2 marking, barely visible in the above (click to enlarge) picture. The diopter has the same nice rubber coated ring as on the original: ideal for eyeglasses. Beware that the Nikon diopters have metal rings!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Do diopters work well?</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Of course they do! With my diopter installed, I have a perfectly sharp view on the entire viewfinder area. Well, at least on the electronic overlay part and – when enabled – on the EVF image. Which is what I find most critical: the EVF is used for an exact display of the frame-to-be-captured, and also for macro shots and for fine tuning (manual) focus, with or without the optional enlargement. There is a small but noticeable difference between top and bottom sharpness, but of course that’s due to my use of progressive eyeglasses (there’s no progressive diopters that I know of…).</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">However, the OVF image showing at a different apparent distance now is slightly more out of focus. Not all too critical, since the OVF frame lines are approximate anyway, and all of the electronic data still looks tack sharp. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">So I managed to reach my objectives, and finally have a super view through the super viewfinder of a super camera.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Just to be 100% convinced that I did not overcompensate with a +2 correction, I also did order a +1 diopter now (see? I should have taken a better look to begin with!). I will evaluate both options in real-life use, and perhaps one of the diopters will find another home then. Will take some time: the +1 is on back order…</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Gear notes: D700, Tamron 90/2.8 – iPhone 4S</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 78%;"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span>Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-60096144778762967312012-05-02T01:22:00.001+02:002012-05-02T01:22:08.501+02:00Xpedition<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Just two days after getting my Fujifilm X-Pro1, I participated to a Belgiumdigital Shooting Day in the southern Antwerp area. Our route partly followed the ‘Expedition Blue Gate Antwerp’ trail, a discovery tour laid out last year through a historically significant but today largely abandoned section of the old harbor (locally known as ‘Petrol South’).</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-E4HPpBYbHzM/T6Bv7wEPx7I/AAAAAAAACtE/lBjpaGSILlA/s1600-h/DSCF0087w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0087w" alt="DSCF0087w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qJId2IZKWyQ/T6Bv8j8c1kI/AAAAAAAACtI/qizMe8JA3E8/DSCF0087w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The gear was brand new to me, but coming from the X100 and having read the X-Pro1 manual long before the camera arrived, the basics were well understood. Just a matter then of getting familiar with the latest toy and two of its new lenses.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Gc7DYaWMroQ/T6Bv9p07iTI/AAAAAAAACtU/2l8YtjpOmdw/s1600-h/DSCF0101w%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0101w" alt="DSCF0101w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FOXQVK1B2B4/T6Bv-qtIfhI/AAAAAAAACtc/C19alCrMHBY/DSCF0101w_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="263" /></a></span></span></p> <p><font size="2">What’s so special about the old petroleum harbor? In 1863, only four years after drilling the first well in the US, Antwerp already had become the largest and best equipped import harbor for oil products in Europe. It kept that status until 1927, when Hamburg and Rotterdam took over.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ETpnYWNfG2M/T6Bv_gghEaI/AAAAAAAACtk/7RjibqXlp50/s1600-h/DSCF0132Ew%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0132Ew" alt="DSCF0132Ew" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BhhFxYyA_R4/T6BwAfwNpII/AAAAAAAACto/Ij1FZwVeC08/DSCF0132Ew_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="280" height="420" /></a><font size="2"></font><font size="2"> <p>At the start of the 20th century, Antwerp moves its focus for oil related activities to the south of the city. An area of 100 hectares is acquired and construction work starts: a 300m long concrete pier, underground pipelines, huge fuel storage tanks…  After only one year of operations a big catastrophe happens: one of the fuel tank ruptures and ignites. Immense fires rage for twelve days and destroy the installations almost completely. <br />Within the year, the infrastructure is rebuilt and industrial activities resume, and with that, the first complaints about oil leaks and the resulting pollution are recorded.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H88fHV6A_F8/T6BwBa3RoFI/AAAAAAAACt0/yDfN31EMRf8/s1600-h/DSCF0134w%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0134w" alt="DSCF0134w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L6efkpDnwBo/T6BwCMslm3I/AAAAAAAACt4/cSfEHE0dhOw/DSCF0134w_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a> <br />When World War I erupts, the authorities give the order to set fire to the oil tanks and destroy all infrastructure. The arriving German troops will find only a small part intact. After the war, the expansion of Antwerp’s petroleum harbor resumes. By 1920, no less than 233 oil storage tanks are counted. A final extension is realized in 1934. But the area runs out of space for new plants, and oil tankers have grown to a size that the old harbor can no longer accommodate. During the same  year a first new refinery is constructed in the northern harbor. This is the beginning of the end for ‘Petrol South’…</p> </font></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-c4Ejr6zbw2o/T6BwDDgaiKI/AAAAAAAACuE/Yvrv4hVnYA0/s1600-h/DSCF0177w%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0177w" alt="DSCF0177w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jYUqjpDafc0/T6BwD6uPHMI/AAAAAAAACuM/xwye43okTA4/DSCF0177w_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Today, only a few oil-related companies remain active, the rest of the area is dotted with industrial antiquities and derelict buildings. But the heavily polluted site stands on the brink of a new future: a massive cleanup and reconversion effort has begun to turn this part of Antwerp’s south harbor into the place to be for new sustainable and ecological ventures.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WL9nWAM-KcY/T6BwGslxhDI/AAAAAAAACuU/rsDtKnKUB6w/s1600-h/DSCF0184w%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0184w" alt="DSCF0184w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W8RBulWnzxk/T6BwHv18cjI/AAAAAAAACuc/6JSSmVqLL6I/DSCF0184w_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">It’s not hard to see that ‘Petrol South’ is a visually rich area and a real treat for photographers. So it did serve as an ideal playground to discover a new camera that by itself represents a unique combination of past and future.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Fujinon XF 18mm f/2.0 & 35mm f/1.4</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-64854603544483343782012-04-26T23:27:00.001+02:002012-04-26T23:29:21.103+02:00Xcitement!<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The brand new X-Pro1 has been in my hands for two weeks now. There was (too) little time to take it through a full spin, but – other than the usual trial shots in and around the house – I took the camera out to two long photowalks (the recent Belgiumdigital Shooting Days in Antwerp and Oudenaarde). Here’s my first impressions and lessons learned.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6-JjsuNNwao/T5m9cUwPcRI/AAAAAAAACrg/NQyGPG7apM0/s1600-h/DSCF0142w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0142w" alt="DSCF0142w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dJVEemScoSQ/T5m9d6MVM9I/AAAAAAAACro/XGCHQvPBTOw/DSCF0142w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Beautiful color and tone rendition (with 35mm f/1.4)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><strong>Handling</strong></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I shot with optical viewfinder film cameras before and have intensively used an X100 for a year, so this type of gear is not new to me. Picking up the X-Pro1 after the X100 gave me no issues whatsoever. The camera is slightly but pleasantly larger and heavier. It balances well with the 18mm and 35mm lenses (my 60mm copy is still to arrive). I went for the additional handgrip, and I like how it adds to the handling. It will probably show even more useful with longer and heavier glass. Of course, it will take some time before I can operate the X-Pro1 without taking my eye from the viewfinder: some controls moved position, and my fingers must learn to keep away from the Q button and the AF/MF dial. The more than complete feedback through the viewfinder (in both OVF and EVF modes) is of great help!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">One serious issue in this area: the lack of eyesight adjustment. Based on technical limitations or in a misguided attempt to ‘go retro’ even more, Fuji’s engineers threw a spell on anyone wearing glasses while shooting – especially those with progressive lenses. We simply cannot get a complete sharp viewfinder image, even with funny head contortions… Replacing the standard neutral diopter with an appropriate correction lens is the only solution. These once common optical gizmos today are very hard to find (and out of stock at about every dealer that still carries them). </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I ordered a +2D Voigtlander diopter (of Bessa fame) from a specialized UK shop. Even better: I got news today that it just shipped by air. I soon will find out whether manual focus with the electronic viewfinder is feasible (judging from how things work from the back LCD, I am not all too worried).</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jcV3CLzjS2E/T5m9e1LrQBI/AAAAAAAACrw/XREx6YmlIJg/s1600-h/DSCF0295w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0295w" alt="DSCF0295w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FnNnriKXcAA/T5m9gYFogNI/AAAAAAAACr4/d3uYIRFaxbw/DSCF0295w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="280" height="420" /></a><em><font size="2">Subtle nuances all over (with 18mm f/2.0)</font></em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><strong>Operation</strong></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I grew to love the X100 and learned to live with its ‘personality’. The X-Pro1 improves in many areas, so it performs even better as long as you keep a conscious and ‘forward thinking’ shooting style. I will not rely on this camera as the primary body for a fast-action or be-ready-for-anything situation, but I will happily take it there as my second one. If you know nothing else but über-automatic compacts or faster-than-you-can-think DSLRs, you might end up confused and disappointed. I for one enjoy the more determined and relaxed approach that both X-bodies promote.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I looooove the extensive manual controls, and consider the new Q (for quick) button a godsend. For a Nikon fanboy like me, changing lenses feels awkward at first: the unlock button and the direction of rotation are clearly ‘wrong’…  The touch and feel of the lenses is excellent. I don’t understand why some people complain about their low weight: isn’t this kind of camera all about carrying smaller and lighter?</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The aperture blade chatter was present but – to me – not overly irritating. It’s mostly gone now anyway after the 1.01 firmware update (thank you, Fuji-san, but were you really surprised?).</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The battery capacity could be better, so far I cannot or just hardly make it through a full day of varied shooting (note that I do keep Power Save off and Quick Start on). Maybe battery life will improve after a few more charging cycles. The spare battery on my original order (still not delivered) will be more than welcome. Actually, I intend to buy an extra one from whatever dealer or webshop that can supply <em>now</em>. </font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I-8Gdgd_wF0/T5m9hdgqSBI/AAAAAAAACsA/iQmnp12jpYE/s1600-h/DSCF0090w%25255B8%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0090w" alt="DSCF0090w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uBbXWjDZlWo/T5m9iYNigmI/AAAAAAAACsE/9IYgTX_fy8c/DSCF0090w_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a><font size="2"><em>Sizzle and detail (with 18mm f/2.0)</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><strong>Image quality</strong></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">As said before, I did not take the X-Pro1 through a full battery of tests - and probably never will. I did attempt to grab as many different types of shots as possible during the recent field trips. <br />I very much like everything I’ve seen so far. The 18mm lens is perfectly sharp, and the 35mm even more. The images are full of crisp detail, white balance is as correct as can be expected. Colors are Fuji-great, tonal range stunning. The X-Pro1’s images generally stand up to – correct that, often look better than – those from anything else I shoot with, including my trusted D700. No little feat.</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-azbO18i8eL0/T5m9j2-NkqI/AAAAAAAACsQ/23HBdqS4mtw/s1600-h/DSCF0336w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0336w" alt="DSCF0336w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gneSSWKXMbc/T5m9klWmZYI/AAAAAAAACsY/BQRJaV4G2vY/DSCF0336w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="280" height="420" /></a><font size="2"><em>A dynamic range with room to stretch (with 35mm f/1.4)</em></font></p> <p><font size="2">Remember, all you see here comes from JPG files produced by the camera. No RAW file support for the X-Pro1 yet in Lightroom nor Aperture, and the bundled Silkypix software shows nothing that prompts me go through another learning curve. The quality of the out-of-camera JPG images is top-notch though! So far I did not experiment with the available conversion settings to get the results even closer to my taste. Rather, I leave all settings on ‘neutral’ and make minor adjustments in Lightroom, as usual. </font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-T1N4uhCkmbY/T5m9mEx7XII/AAAAAAAACsg/1JUVkbmpp8w/s1600-h/DSCF0165-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0165-Editw" alt="DSCF0165-Editw" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Du7HyX26-04/T5m9nCNmvpI/AAAAAAAACso/-lq4fe4_cvk/DSCF0165-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a></font><font size="2"><em>Plug’em to your taste (with 35mm f/1.4)</em></font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>Post-processing</strong></font></p> <p><font size="2">Lightroom 4 is just great to explore and exploit the boundaries of your image data. The X-Pro1 images perfectly behave through all kinds of manipulations. Insofar those are required, beyond a basic cropping, contrast boost and occasional color twist. Obviously, JPG files come with less tweaking latitude than RAWs, so I shoot RAW+JPG and save the RAW files for later, Adobe permitting.</font></p> <p><font size="2">The JPGs are also fit for processing by your preferred plug-ins. The image above got a dash of Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 4.</font></p> <p align="center"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8FPCzqRWQho/T5m9oI-yo7I/AAAAAAAACss/-uo9s37OOgw/s1600-h/DSCF0418w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0418w" alt="DSCF0418w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4-nCKsSEv8Q/T5m9o0zhrKI/AAAAAAAACs4/Ho_mouov20k/DSCF0418w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="280" height="420" /></a><em>Getting close (with Tamron 90mm f/2.8)</em></font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>More fun to come</strong></font></p> <p><font size="2">As with most compact system cameras, the X-Pro1 lenses are designed to come very close to the sensor. That setup – getting rid of the deep mirror box of a DSLR – leaves room for an adapter accepting lenses from another camera system. No doubt the current Fujinon lenses will outperform most of the old ones with similar focal length, but beyond that there’s macro, fisheye, portrait, long tele…</font></p> <p><font size="2">I already received a Chinese Kippon adapter for Nikon F lenses, and a lot of manual focus and AF-D lenses – some dating back to the 70s – are waiting to make a pass at the X-Pro1. The well-known Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens was one of the first to get mounted. The example above shows part of a postage stamp (original size about 20 x 30 mm).</font></p> <p><font size="2">A newer Kippon adapter for Nikon G-type lenses (without an aperture control ring) is already in transit from Hong Kong, soon to be joined by yet another adapter for Leica 39mm screw mount glass (I am lucky to own a few of those built around WWII).</font></p> <p><font size="2">Hope to see you back when there’s more to report!</font></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Fujinon XF 18mm f/2.0 & 35mm f/1.4, <br />                  Tamron 90mm f/2.8 SP Di</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-48722758746424564422012-04-14T01:26:00.001+02:002012-04-14T01:31:50.449+02:00Black box revelations<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Aaah! The joys of unpacking newly arrived boxes after weeks of anticipation! Opening plastic bags, slipping out exquisite pieces of craftsmanship, pondering over what-the-heck-are-these bits!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-korhb3oYsQk/T4i1-Y6mv6I/AAAAAAAACqU/mTk1whdFORs/s1600-h/DSCF0068w%25255B7%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="DSCF0068w" alt="DSCF0068w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Tgq8tBpuo-k/T4i1_SzG4AI/AAAAAAAACqY/dIVBd41Fht0/DSCF0068w_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="280" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">My new Fujifilm <a href="http://fujifilm-x.com/x-pro1/en/" target="_blank">X-Pro1</a> camera arrived yesterday. Together with the body, I received the 35mm f/1.4 and 18mm f/2.0 lenses – a good starter’s kit corresponding to 50mm and 28mm field-of-view on full-frame systems. The 60mm f/2.4 macro lens has not arrived yet, neither has an extra NP-W126 battery (thus limiting my shooting autonomy for a while). </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">In this post and a series of follow-up ones, I will cover my early findings and ongoing experiences as I discover this camera. Don’t hope for technical specs, pixel-peep test frames or side-by-side comparisons to other bodies: there’s more than enough other blogs and sites for that.  Stay here for a step-by-step evaluation of Fuji’s new FX system, and for hints and tips about it.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">As you might know I have very much enjoyed my Fujifilm X-100 over the past year. An intriguing device with original technology, excellent image quality but also eh… its own ‘identity’. Those who persisted however, willing to somewhat adjust their ways for optimal results, have been charmed by its unique qualities. A number of firmware updates have made the X-100 much closer to what its engineers must have intended at the start. So expect that form time to time I will compare the X-Pro1 to the X-100.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><strong>First encounters</strong></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Just as with the X-100, Fuji brings us nicely styled and sleek but also functional packaging. Everything that should be there is indeed included with the body and lenses. This time, even the lens hoods, and quite original ones too. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The body feels nice and solid, lighter than many seem to have expected. But isn’t the reduced weight one of the famed advantages of mirrorless systems? The lenses are compact and light as well, but I don’t see any reason to doubt about their quality and robustness.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">What at first sight looks like a generous piece of microfiber cloths, packed with each lens, turns out to be a handy lens pouch. The carrying strap is made from leather and more discrete than the X-100 one. Good enough to start with.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mUn1dLV40Qg/T4i2ANtPjUI/AAAAAAAACqk/szElsP86HIg/s1600-h/_DSF0031w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="_DSF0031w" alt="_DSF0031w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cKSTqq0-x10/T4i2B3QQfOI/AAAAAAAACqs/E9aMClggAN4/_DSF0031w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Time to put a lens on the body. If you’re a long-time Nikon user like me, you will suddenly find yourself in a universe where all things look reversed: the unlocking button seems oddly placed at the ‘wrong’ side, and lens alignment and twist direction are different too. Something to get accustomed to.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Throw in a battery (that of course was already charging in the background) and a memory card. As with the X-100, go for the fastest card you can obtain and afford: it does make a significant difference especially if you are/will be shooting RAW. I use 16GB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC cards rated at 95MB/s, and these make me happy as a clam.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Now let’s look through the viewfinder, a hybrid one of course, that’s one of the features to want this camera for in the first place. I don’t have the impression (like others) that the X-Pro1 offers a smaller image compared to the X-100. I do believe however that the eye point is different: wearing my glasses (as usual) I find it harder to see all four corners at the same time.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">But unfortunately, there’s more… Fuji has left out a built-in diopter adjustment, and that makes it impossible for me to get a sharp image across the viewfinder. Even worse, I use progressive glasses, and I can only see near-sharp through their bottom half. That means awkward head positioning and neck contortions. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">It is possible exchange the ‘neutral’ ocular by a diopter lens matching your eyesight. Such 19mm round diopters have been used before on Zeiss/Cosina cameras and Nikon F-bodies. They are not easy to find, and (as I found out) mostly available on order only. I will have to wait a few more weeks for my +2 relief!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dhnDM9V8Rmg/T4i2CmQTW3I/AAAAAAAACqw/Jcg3j90A2nI/s1600-h/_S010040w%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="_S010040w" alt="_S010040w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-x_4BOelXLF4/T4i2DcWCNjI/AAAAAAAACq8/EC01S_tizSY/_S010040w_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I also got the optional hand grip, as seen in the above picture. It doesn’t add a lot of weight or bulk, but makes the hold just that bit more comfortable. Having not that large hands, I am not sure I really need it, or even will end up using it most of the time. Only a lot of shooting practice will tell. But hey, I went for it anyway: you know it hurts less when extras are added to the initial order!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><strong>More accessories</strong></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The absence of a reflex mirror box makes it possible to move the elements of a ‘native’  mirrorless lens a lot closer to the sensor. That, in turn, opens the way to use adapter rings – essentially metal tubes with a different lens mount at each side – for attaching ‘foreign’ DSLR lenses at their original imaging distance. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I purchased a Chinese Kipon adapter for using Nikon F-mount lenses on Fuji FX-mount bodies. No mechanical links or electrical connections are present, so both focus and aperture control remain entirely manual, and must be set from the lens. Pre-AI, AI, AI-S, AF and AF-D lenses will do; G-type lenses (including all those for the DX crop format) will be stuck at their smallest aperture setting (highest f-number) and thus be pretty useless. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Kipon has announced a second generation device with an added control ring to (approximately) set the aperture from the adapter itself. That will make G-lenses work as well, and yes, my copy is already on its way from Hong Kong. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I have a collection of older and recent F-lenses, and some of these should be fun to use on the X-Pro1: fast ones like a 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/2.8, a 16mm fisheye (why did I sell the 10.5mm DX when I went FX?), a 90mm macro… I even kept a copy of the 28-200G, a small and lightweight do-it-all. Think compact 42-300mm sneak-in-the-bag travel lens?</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The few ones I quickly slapped onto the adapter all worked well, at least mechanically. Below is the X-Pro1 with the Kipon adapter and a 1976 Nikon 50mm f/2.0, the very first SLR lens I bought from my own money!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k19NvzkQKpA/T4i2ErtASeI/AAAAAAAACrE/ZQL6jZYEQ-Q/s1600-h/_DSF0047w%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="_DSF0047w" alt="_DSF0047w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lrZMC26cwZs/T4i2Flfa8qI/AAAAAAAACrI/-JYQDk5aIMI/_DSF0047w_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><strong>And now for something completely relevant…</strong></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">All of the above are mere impressions from my first 24 hours with the camera. Yes, of course I have initial opinions on image quality, AF speed, MF usability, aperture blade chatter… but all are way too early to be meaningful, as I have hardly made a decent shot so far (I don’t have a dog nor a black cat, no brick wall either, you see?).</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The good news: tomorrow I will have the opportunity to take my X-Precious out all day long. A Belgiumdigital Shooting Day will take us to both an urban/industrial site and a nature preservation area. The X-100 will tag along (I fear that a single X-Pro1 battery will not take me through the day…).</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Stay tuned for real images and more observations!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>P.S. A small note to the title:</em> <a href="http://blackboxrevelation.com/" target="_blank">Black Box Revelation</a> <em>is a Belgian garage rock band with a fast growing international reputation.</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X-Pro1, 35mm f/1.4 – Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-81174285529025276412012-04-11T01:09:00.001+02:002012-04-14T21:45:23.400+02:00Heavenly peace<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Little or no blog activity for some time, but that doesn’t mean my cameras have been idle… Most projects though were not for public sharing.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">A week ago, I had to kill some time in the beautiful city of Lier. As always my Fujifilm X100 was on my side, and we paid a quick visit to the small but exquisite beguinage. While founded in the year 1258, most surviving buildings on this UNESCO World Heritage Site date from the 17th and early 18th centuries. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Amazing how this place still remains an oasis of peace in the middle of an otherwise thriving city.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nMq_MrywtlA/T4S9lMzjCkI/AAAAAAAACpE/GUF5zdLIj_w/s1600-h/_DSF0045w%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="_DSF0045w" alt="_DSF0045w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-J3JFR9q_v48/T4S9l2_H6xI/AAAAAAAACpI/rO_hCvpFKDs/_DSF0045w_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pqO3lKFlWq8/T4S9m5NKMWI/AAAAAAAACpQ/V4VStQAFesw/s1600-h/_DSF0037w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="_DSF0037w" alt="_DSF0037w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qM5vO663YHQ/T4S9nxgsZcI/AAAAAAAACpc/LnG_nE_qx5w/_DSF0037w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-A0QeeL5SoAE/T4S9o0NFPWI/AAAAAAAACpk/XD4xQSG_bJM/s1600-h/_DSF0032w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="_DSF0032w" alt="_DSF0032w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sGD2sr3zs4I/T4S9puS5NSI/AAAAAAAACps/nBqE5cIEhDI/_DSF0032w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EvzfAH8OEXA/T4S9qsRbzcI/AAAAAAAACp0/UmWHIFDqr3Y/s1600-h/_DSF0048w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="_DSF0048w" alt="_DSF0048w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Vmtkya9zgPk/T4S9rlBo6BI/AAAAAAAACp4/g2bhosw1ROI/_DSF0048w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="272" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-e8JgXtibyCg/T4S9sgNcOrI/AAAAAAAACqA/FCnmDMY4Qcw/s1600-h/_DSF0041w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="_DSF0041w" alt="_DSF0041w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LnctZNOW1uI/T4S9tT8UlCI/AAAAAAAACqI/O9ADoRh9PVU/_DSF0041w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Meanwhile, I am (im)patiently waiting for the X-Pro1 to arrive…</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-12543498539519894642012-03-08T22:20:00.001+01:002012-03-08T22:20:05.796+01:00As time goes by…<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7OMvmuGOo9g/T1kieCH9WJI/AAAAAAAACow/jsKYPRRmdaQ/s1600-h/waiting_for_XPro%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto; display: block; float: none" title="waiting_for_XPro" alt="waiting_for_XPro" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FJJZsC8QPFU/T1kigGUprQI/AAAAAAAACo4/tB10sgOsQ0g/waiting_for_XPro_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you will know that I dearly love my Fujifilm X100. Since its arrival last May, that camera has brought me more photographic pleasure and satisfaction than I ever could have expected. I have no doubt that the X100 will remain my tool of choice when I am looking for simplicity and for shooting pictures for the fun of it.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">There is also no doubt in my mind that my trusted D700 goes into the bag whenever I need to shoot dynamic action, a fast-paced event, or simply cannot afford to miss the golden shot. Or need a long tele, or capture ‘true’ macros. The D700 should not worry about being left in the dark too much. For what I plan to shoot in the coming months, I see no need to make a move to a D800 (although a D4 would be great, even a good used copy of a D3S).</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">But for a while now a new potential contender lurks around the corner. One that most likely will steal a lot of street time from the X100 – without replacing it completely. One that almost certainly will be picked up where otherwise I would have taken the D700. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I am talking about the new Fujifilm <strong>FinePix</strong> <strong>X-Pro1</strong>.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">As soon as that camera was announced, I put in my pre-order for a body and all three of the initial prime lenses. There’s so much of the great X100 stuff I learned to love in the X-Pro1, and then some more. And unless something else is totally screwed up (and not being properly addressed promptly), I know I will like it a lot!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I was able to handle a pre-production X-Pro1 for some 20 minutes earlier this week, and it felt great. Late next week I should have another brief go at it. And then it will be another long wait until the black boxes arrive, hopefully around the end of the month.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I will be happy to share with you my adventures with the new X-kid on the blog, just like I did for the X100. As the old song goes:</font></span></span></p> <blockquote> <p><font size="2">“<em>On that you can rely <br />No matter what the future brings <br />As time goes by.”</em></font></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: “under construction”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-29966534500028924272012-02-20T23:03:00.001+01:002012-02-20T23:03:46.424+01:00100X100 – epilog<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">At the end of May last year I received my Fujifilm FinePix X100, one of the first batch arriving in Belgium. The end of a long waiting period, as I first saw (and immediately fell for) that beautiful camera at the 2010 Photokina. It turned out to be a significant milestone, as the X100 has strongly influenced my photography ever since.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PUdbVGvHVB8/T0LC1IITbkI/AAAAAAAACnY/93kT2qwCoo0/s1600-h/DSCF0164-Editw%25255B7%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF0164-Editw" border="0" alt="DSCF0164-Editw" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Now6QLw6bNw/T0LC2KVi3_I/AAAAAAAACng/XoDgvGvfnkI/DSCF0164-Editw_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="283" height="424" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Within days I decided this camera is worth the effort of getting deeply acquainted with. It seemed and later proved to be a tool that will not simply adapt to whatever your shooting habits may be… The X100 opens up to a wealth of photographic pleasure and lots of creative stimuli, but only when you accept to explore and embrace its essence and particularities.</font></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cXB65UQaYYA/T0LC24knPvI/AAAAAAAACno/XcWh5APzfCE/s1600-h/DSCF0442-Edit-2w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF0442-Edit-2w" border="0" alt="DSCF0442-Edit-2w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xWPRD5b45zw/T0LC4dLMA1I/AAAAAAAACnw/hHRi47fqoqI/DSCF0442-Edit-2w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="283" /></a></p> <span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I decided to share my journey with the X100 on this blog. The result: twenty ‘100X100’ episodes that document my learning process, five images at a time. I also determined that I would not once put a 35mm prime on my D700 (my favorite street shooting combo at the time) before completing this X100 series. </font></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BoZLX0N-Jnk/T0LC5cO3wGI/AAAAAAAACn8/ahgoYNWA_4c/s1600-h/DSCF0175-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF0175-Editw" border="0" alt="DSCF0175-Editw" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-O6sK8pl1w0A/T0LC74nUIgI/AAAAAAAACoE/HcN3sfB2PZs/DSCF0175-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="283" height="424" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">And so I started growing into the X100 more and more. Light and compact to come along to any occasion. Clear and sharp from the hand and from the hip. Vibrant colors and smooth tones, whatever the lighting, dynamic range or ISO setting. Super quiet and unobtrusive, stealthy as needed. Simply said: a pure gem.</font></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M1iGLAyn49c/T0LC8jrSs9I/AAAAAAAACoM/F8XnzOKOVc8/s1600-h/DSCF1240-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF1240-Editw" border="0" alt="DSCF1240-Editw" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-InyQAThPokI/T0LC9bqRTxI/AAAAAAAACoU/qLsMMQljmpc/DSCF1240-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="283" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I relived the pleasure of letting the eye dominate the equipment. Somewhat forgotten, but never unlearned from the days that cameras were either simple and compact, or else  not affordable. Remembering to anticipate, reposition, preset and zone-focus. <br />To see before shooting, to capture without chimping. <em>That</em> joy!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_3HHCJCp2lA/T0LC-9IdyhI/AAAAAAAACoc/5nYS3aog76Y/s1600-h/DSCF0467-Editw2%25255B7%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF0467-Editw2" border="0" alt="DSCF0467-Editw2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sHq5PKXqfkE/T0LDANb6QMI/AAAAAAAACok/GJkGWry5dwI/DSCF0467-Editw2_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="283" height="424" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The X100 also got me firmly back into ‘shooting’ black&white. Admitted, Nik’s wonderful Silver Efex Pro played a big role there too: that software allows me to dust off my tricks from the  darkroom past, as well as taking images past old frontiers.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">That’s why, for this 100X100 epilog, I picked some of my favorite color shots from the series and spinned them through the B&W machine. Hope you enjoy!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100, Silver Efex Pro</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-14887826723616299902012-02-02T00:04:00.001+01:002012-02-02T00:04:58.404+01:00100X100 – episode 20<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">So glad to escape form my desk for an hour or two! Today we had a cold and windy but also rather sunny day: ideal to make the hop to a nearby recreation ‘park’, a former clay pit turned into a not-too-fashioned collection of ponds, trails, sports facilities and event areas. And the X100 came along – of course.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--PF71Sjxf4s/TynE_JCSJtI/AAAAAAAAClA/Gz8ELooJTBQ/s1600-h/_DSF0635w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0635w" alt="_DSF0635w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FCxJjwOf5RI/TynE_3dM8RI/AAAAAAAAClE/YIt0Tr1ecgo/_DSF0635w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">That little camera handles wide dynamic range situations oh so well! Its RAW files leave plenty of room for adjustment to match your memorized impression or any other creative rendering. And the latest Lightroom spin (a.k.a. beta 4) brings new strings to pull. That doesn’t just sound like fun: it is!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xMzSQ2oC3XY/TynFAtTl0DI/AAAAAAAAClM/UzJR89IVVck/s1600-h/_DSF0646w%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0646w" alt="_DSF0646w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RsDJQ8DrP2c/TynFBeAjLeI/AAAAAAAAClU/Ns4rH-2px0o/_DSF0646w_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">If you know your way around the 185 acre terrain, you can find some relics of the brick making industry that thrived in this area for centuries, until it mostly died in the seventies. Rust and dust, tones and structures: time to fire up some of the usual post-processing plug-ins!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5SWfh01zjcQ/TynFCPGl5XI/AAAAAAAAClg/1h392RT6-0k/s1600-h/_DSF0590_1_2w%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0590_1_2w" alt="_DSF0590_1_2w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-P5MHKoAMDio/TynFDDTZw6I/AAAAAAAAClk/Z5W-1shalig/_DSF0590_1_2w_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="280" height="420" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"> <br /><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-p5ZAHyyuXJg/TynFDx7Q-pI/AAAAAAAAClw/1Ny-_LpsRXA/s1600-h/_DSF0622-Editw%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0622-Editw" alt="_DSF0622-Editw" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wMzuYFldFlw/TynFEzurfVI/AAAAAAAACl0/6sD1ObZBtMA/_DSF0622-Editw_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">And finally, none of these posts will do without a square and/or black&white image… Here we go!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Gjw1y0G6kWA/TynFFqM5sOI/AAAAAAAACl8/Y1x8QSMVbGU/s1600-h/_DSF0633w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0633w" alt="_DSF0633w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-t0Qa6yPCZD0/TynFGK4AkVI/AAAAAAAACmE/Aw2S5aD5U3Y/_DSF0633w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="420" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100, Lightroom 4 beta, Nik Color Efex Pro 4</span></span> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-9962051026005014782012-01-01T14:23:00.001+01:002012-01-01T14:23:46.705+01:00All the best to you!<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-U3Jk-cxAlbE/TwBeXQtZ8ZI/AAAAAAAACks/tEFDiUttPK8/s1600-h/blog_900%25255B10%25255D.png" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="blog_900" alt="blog_900" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qsAXwQqCf9s/TwBeYTUvZeI/AAAAAAAACkw/2MJ50mHuLbA/blog_900_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="420" height="219" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I wish all you visitors to this humble blog a great 2012, loaded with exciting photo opportunities and rewarding pictures.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">And, as the year’s start is rumored to come with lots of product announcements and will lead to another Photokina anyway, a healthy wallet should come handy as well… </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-69881000291776876162011-12-14T22:49:00.001+01:002011-12-14T22:49:30.274+01:00100X100 – episode 19<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">If you capture live performances of popular music, the sound of your camera’s shutter may not be your greatest concern. Stage illumination, freezing movement in low light, critical focus… will be more than enough to keep you busy and worried.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Shooting pictures during a classical music performance is very different. No one should behave so rudely as to disturb quiet passages or spoil intimistic movements with the clicks and whirs of the focal plane shutters common to DSLRs. In practice, that means that your picture options are restricted to those moments immediately before and after the actual playing. At best, for concerts with large orchestras and/or choirs, you might get away with a distant shot during the fortissimos. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-34M2DoySkBM/TukZzQyREtI/AAAAAAAACjY/fI_-J5BvJbE/s1600-h/TdLBd_3_015_DSF0101w%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="TdLBd_3_015_DSF0101w" alt="TdLBd_3_015_DSF0101w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gtmVP_f_2Yk/TukZz1zBNYI/AAAAAAAACjc/TQ-2fgtgJ_k/TdLBd_3_015_DSF0101w_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Not so with the Fujifilm X100! That little gem comes equipped with an almost totally silent leaf shutter (as long as you disable the optional electronic shutter ‘sounds’). So silent even that once in a while you will wonder whether you actually just took a picture, or not. Add to that an f/2.0 lens of exceptional optical quality and great high ISO image quality and color rendition, and there’s your go-to hero when things go classic.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hgRMjRqtyCQ/TukZ0kMClVI/AAAAAAAACjk/15Of-ta6Uzc/s1600-h/TdLBd_3_030_DSF0114w%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="TdLBd_3_030_DSF0114w" alt="TdLBd_3_030_DSF0114w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GN6-_S_cTzE/TukZ1DpLsfI/AAAAAAAACjs/6DAdSU7Tdlc/TdLBd_3_030_DSF0114w_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I recently was asked to cover a series of small, intimate concerts featuring contemporary vocal, piano, chamber and choral music. Allowing me to put my full-frame D700 (with standard and tele zooms) aside and give two radio-triggered SB-800’s some rest, my X100 proved perfect for capturing the actual performances using available light only.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AZDLutp-w-I/TukZ15z3AVI/AAAAAAAACj4/egIU9YdkF40/s1600-h/TdLBd_5_007_DSF0234w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="TdLBd_5_007_DSF0234w" alt="TdLBd_5_007_DSF0234w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_IrF21lhJAs/TukZ3EF2sDI/AAAAAAAACj8/RYWpzDTMNfY/TdLBd_5_007_DSF0234w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Obviously, the X100’s wide-angle field-of-view (equivalent to a 35mm lens full-frame) is not ideal when your discrete shooting position is constrained to the back and sides of the theater. But then again, 12 great megapixels leave ample room for some careful cropping.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-O0c6WnNnSmQ/TukZ3rEjkTI/AAAAAAAACkE/8uzwrzYK9hE/s1600-h/TdLBd_4_024_DSF0179w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="TdLBd_4_024_DSF0179w" alt="TdLBd_4_024_DSF0179w" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2oThnxVSB8E/TukZ4SY1H0I/AAAAAAAACkM/17oT5PAHhNU/TdLBd_4_024_DSF0179w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">All images shown here were shot handheld at ISO 1600, using f/2.0 or f/2.8 as aperture, and with shutter speeds between 1/20s and 1/60s. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Yj8k5_YQtWo/TukZ5egb7WI/AAAAAAAACkU/uQULrA_5JtI/s1600-h/TdLBd_6_039_DSF0350w%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="TdLBd_6_039_DSF0350w" alt="TdLBd_6_039_DSF0350w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uIXOCvWXOew/TukZ6MH5_VI/AAAAAAAACkc/u4z_Io-ga3A/TdLBd_6_039_DSF0350w_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><font size="2">Another outstanding performance by the little one!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">G</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">ear notes: Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-60774987312437291342011-12-07T17:31:00.001+01:002011-12-07T23:30:01.406+01:00100X100 – episode 18<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The year’s end is coming near, and all the glossy lifestyle magazines bring plenty of ‘variations’ articles. Nine fresh ideas to dress the family dinner table. Five ways to mix a cocktail with gin. Three trendy preparations for fresh tuna. Four alternatives for the traditional Christmas chocolate trunk cake. And so on…</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">That variations theme led me to think about different ways to <br />‘interpret’ a single image in totally different ways. Not just sticking to whatever you had in mind as the shutter clicked, but a little creative exploration of different looks and moods. And what better and easier way to tackle this challenge than to randomly grab in the goodies bag offered by post-processing plug-in suites.</font></span></span></p> <p><em><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kmNoANr6Jqs/Tt_oyPIOlNI/AAAAAAAACiI/2D9oh_mXKjU/s1600-h/_DSF0293_ORG%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0293_ORG" alt="_DSF0293_ORG" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UBao_eFOkPs/Tt_oym5fYCI/AAAAAAAACiM/URzwZsybPX4/_DSF0293_ORG_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></em></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">This is what my X100 ‘saw’ from the fifth floor hotel room balcony on a drab and windy Sunday morning. You’re looking at a part of downtown Breda, in the south of the Netherlands: the Chassé Promenade, with the Chassé Theater and the Holland Casino in the background (locals by now will know where I was staying).</font></span></span></p> <span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span> <p><em><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vV5sz7BQLSs/Tt_ozaVi--I/AAAAAAAACiU/4uIWHaWGSYg/s1600-h/_DSF0293_LR%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0293_LR" alt="_DSF0293_LR" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wXZsPmPCSx8/Tt_o0Hb8-2I/AAAAAAAACig/fQTSb8cDxQE/_DSF0293_LR_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="236" /></a></em></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Let’s start with a simple basic treatment in Lightroom. A little tweak of exposure and contrast, a pinch of clarity and vibrance, and a more interesting crop: that’s all.</font></span></span></p> <p><em><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UJoji9zaPiU/Tt_o1YlpQVI/AAAAAAAACik/ES-R0MXiBQk/s1600-h/_DSF0293_SEP%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0293_SEP" alt="_DSF0293_SEP" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aFij6hgou7M/Tt_o19v6EiI/AAAAAAAACis/D6RAAsW8FzU/_DSF0293_SEP_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="236" /></a></em></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Over to Nik Software’s Silver Efex Pro: a tool I could hardly go without anymore by now. I ended up with this rather dramatic, dark and grainy look. As a matter of fact: this is the ‘look’ I had in mind when I took the picture.</font></span></span></p> <p><em><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UdCC8A2Le4o/Tt_o2v9ZXgI/AAAAAAAACi4/vMEdiVDMw14/s1600-h/_DSF0293_CEP%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0293_CEP" alt="_DSF0293_CEP" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WNysbUdQNfw/Tt_o3t6pmBI/AAAAAAAACjA/uOfQiJVlKZg/_DSF0293_CEP_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="236" /></a></em></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Creativity can come in colors too: Nik’s latest Color Efex Pro 4.0 spoils you with stackable effect filters and selective blending. <br />For this one I combined one of the Cross Processing filters with a Bleach Bypass one; a few carefully placed control points were used to set each filter’s strength in specific areas.</font></span></span></p> <p><em><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-thXfWhx-vy8/Tt_o4-Y4xRI/AAAAAAAACjI/9BPQKqGJZx8/s1600-h/_DSF0293_HDR%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="_DSF0293_HDR" alt="_DSF0293_HDR" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-leKdKxdwD_4/Tt_o51KsXTI/AAAAAAAACjM/EOKgytuHyG4/_DSF0293_HDR_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="236" /></a></em><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">  <br />You cannot let a cloudy sky and such concrete walls slip by without a try at HDR processing. The starting image in fact was the middle one of a three-frame bracketed series with –1EV, 0EV and +1EV exposures; that setting too was premeditated… Unfortunately, the X100 does not offer you a 2EV spacing option, more useful for HDR capture. The three frames were combined in Nik’s HDR Efex Pro. This time, I ignored my preference for a more realistic rendering and rather pushed for more. Here again, one or two control points and a little tweaking once back in Lightroom added some final touches.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Do these plug-ins, with their endless creative variations, make your pictures better? I will leave that for others to decide, but they do at least help me to look differently at my shots. And I will visualize a broader range of options when I next push the trigger.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100 – Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-28984097551617900632011-11-10T17:29:00.001+01:002011-11-10T17:29:33.606+01:00100X100 – episode 17<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">A blessing or a curse?</font></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SzKN1XYo8tk/Trv70OcuJPI/AAAAAAAACcI/6qosadH_shk/s1600-h/DSCF0470-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF0470-Editw" alt="DSCF0470-Editw" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nTLwPENGi-k/Trv70iEO4iI/AAAAAAAACcM/kO-wknPEBf4/DSCF0470-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">So far I haven’t really made up my mind about the role and usefulness of ‘creative filters’ in post-processing. Sure, they are my go-to tools for B&W conversions and HDR processing, and I will use them without hesitation as long as their effect on the final image is subtle and seemingly non-existent. Based on that same logic, I will rarely include Photoshop in my workflow, except for ‘mandatory surgery’: I prefer staying within the capabilities and confines of Lightroom and its basic toolset.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WAXCi0Ci-PM/Trv71YZXGlI/AAAAAAAACcY/LxJ9DpG4SHA/s1600-h/DSCF0467-Editw%25255B8%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF0467-Editw" alt="DSCF0467-Editw" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-snFIeXBVcaw/Trv72bFFn6I/AAAAAAAACcg/Lv6eyFiAbMc/DSCF0467-Editw_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">And yet, having installed a fair selection of plug-ins for some time now, I find myself revisiting my original position. Photomatix Pro has become my workhorse for photorealistic HDR images, and Nik Software’s excellent suite serves me well for more artistic versions and interpretations. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LkRjKELtbZE/Trv73DZI-tI/AAAAAAAACck/oAN3DaVLJ1w/s1600-h/DSCF0541_HDRw%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF0541_HDRw" alt="DSCF0541_HDRw" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-X-7tWuESjrQ/Trv735SPE-I/AAAAAAAACcs/IDFK5W3pFfQ/DSCF0541_HDRw_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a> <br />For creative experimentation, I would have a hard time doing without Nik’s ‘Efex Pro’ triplet. It has become so easy to see a fast preview of any effect, thanks to the many built-in presets, and there’s ample sliders to tweak the processes to your personal liking. And then the luxury of the almighty U Points!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P1-__o6z95I/Trv74lqfPaI/AAAAAAAACc4/fcEeredKmGg/s1600-h/DSCF0462-Edit-2w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF0462-Edit-2w" alt="DSCF0462-Edit-2w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_7Y_3yj_JIE/Trv75VD0rII/AAAAAAAACc8/8c3DtUAESmk/DSCF0462-Edit-2w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /><font size="2"></font></a></span></span> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%">There’s one drawback in taking this route. Potentially, a big one. It is so easy and alluring to take an otherwise bland, uninspired shot and transform it into something ‘worth looking at’. Indeed, a trendy effect may make the picture look more interesting – at least to its author - than content or composition deserve. I note the same pitfall in so many iPhone snaps that litter Twitter and Facebook: often empty shells but coming in a nice gift wrapper.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pIGm6_-qvbY/Trv76Ddl4gI/AAAAAAAACdI/xovZCY1hlOk/s1600-h/DSCF0596-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF0596-Editw" alt="DSCF0596-Editw" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-N_N35ynHG6s/Trv7604PF1I/AAAAAAAACdM/_Qn5bhRi2F4/DSCF0596-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></span></span></p> </p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">On the other hand, creatively fooling around makes you wonder why an skipped discarded at first suddenly looks more promising, even takes on a new personality. Perhaps that brings us to a better look into composition and the use of light and color. And thereby teaches us a thing or two to make our next pictures a tad better. What do you think?</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100 – Silver Efex pro, Color Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-57031718672209796852011-11-07T23:15:00.001+01:002011-11-10T17:32:54.444+01:00Long time no see…<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I have been suspiciously absent from this blog for a while. Not one specific reason for the silence, rather a multitude of them!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mqdfNZCyPqg/TrhYaPg6oaI/AAAAAAAACas/tl9t_FUwZy8/s1600-h/BD_Lite_2011_white%25255B14%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="BD_Lite_2011_white" border="0" alt="BD_Lite_2011_white" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PjfWRNmMMD8/TrhYa0ljX7I/AAAAAAAACa0/73DV2fGj7E0/BD_Lite_2011_white_thumb%25255B12%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="440" height="125" /></a> <br /> <br /></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">First and foremost, I was totally engulfed in the by now annual digital photo enthusiasts event organized by Belgiumdigital, the leading Dutch language photography </font><a href="www.belgiumdigital.com" target="_blank"><font size="2">forum</font></a><font size="2">. This year we opted for a smaller scale but more interactive <strong>BelgiumdigitalLite</strong> version.</font></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dOlYtHDY4EE/TrhYcL0U0dI/AAAAAAAACa8/qZtVD6ztuOU/s1600-h/_DS74822w%25255B3%25255D.png" target="_blank"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dOlYtHDY4EE/TrhYcL0U0dI/AAAAAAAACdY/2h5m20ppjaU/s1600-h/_DS74822w.png" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline" title="_DS74822w" alt="_DS74822w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-i2g6mf6Snns/TrhYc9MKRRI/AAAAAAAACdc/ax93GvaBRbU/_DS74822w_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="210" /></a></font></a></p> <p><font size="2">Again, the organizing team prepared for a full day packed with workshops, photo opportunities, software demos, all kinds of equipment on display, and a series of fully loaded studio setups –complete with models - for all to go wild.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-c759sAMg0mE/TrhYd-JvCvI/AAAAAAAACdg/0ZbIeV-l_74/s1600-h/BDLite%252520collage.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="BDLite collage" alt="BDLite collage" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SAC_1rMuzFA/TrhYe36tXFI/AAAAAAAACdk/GhqrlIiPeyo/BDLite%252520collage_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="280" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Besides that event, I got plenty of opportunity to shoot but mostly on projects that do not allow me to share the pictures…</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">That’s behind me now, and I am looking forward to post again on a more regular basis.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: D700, X100, and various kit through friends</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-9565345230304580622011-10-14T14:43:00.001+02:002011-10-14T14:43:56.303+02:00100X100 – episode 16<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">There’s plenty of debate about the optimal aspect ratio for cameras. Do you prefer the 35mm film classic 3:2 proportions, or the old school video 4:3? Or do you long for 4x5 or 6x7 film ratios?</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">I for one find myself returning to a square image crop on a regular basis. probably a deeply rooted heritage from 6x6 analog film shooting days - or even 4x4, do you remember those tiny 127 format rolls?</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">So for this episode in my X100 saga, a choice of ‘square cuts’ from a recent  Belgiumdigital Shooting Day and from Scott Kelby’s PhotoWalk, both in Antwerp.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PkiwnphKiNU/TpgueoTOqCI/AAAAAAAACVM/yK25Quvzg1g/s1600-h/DSCF1178w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1178w" alt="DSCF1178w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Kq4fI-TChHo/TpgufDYsQFI/AAAAAAAACVU/tCJ6p1rcyiI/DSCF1178w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="420" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rM65pyeuBFo/TpgufqZSW_I/AAAAAAAACVc/5GukokuDrwU/s1600-h/DSCF1261w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1261w" alt="DSCF1261w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GY7nTYTChaw/Tpguf0STd7I/AAAAAAAACVk/nl9jBixtGeQ/DSCF1261w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="420" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-D-3maQhsG5c/TpgugirPr0I/AAAAAAAACVs/05ScvFx8GIg/s1600-h/DSCF1264w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1264w" alt="DSCF1264w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1o0ewkhwa-o/TpguhGPVirI/AAAAAAAACV0/ijNikGcqkdM/DSCF1264w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="420" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4tEQ5gHo20c/Tpguhk323NI/AAAAAAAACV8/VGvmdD4vSTA/s1600-h/DSCF1267w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1267w" alt="DSCF1267w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-F4O7pV4TV7g/TpguiJA4WHI/AAAAAAAACWE/xg3ivCMXeZ8/DSCF1267w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="420" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KaeakJta39Q/TpguiWwGsZI/AAAAAAAACWM/WGs5fB4Cdc4/s1600-h/DSCF1271-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1271-Editw" alt="DSCF1271-Editw" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IZadvDJD-ts/Tpgui-ttGII/AAAAAAAACWU/LX-R6qDwMvQ/DSCF1271-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="420" /></a></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-77201788847912212562011-10-08T02:12:00.001+02:002011-10-08T02:14:45.499+02:00100X100 – episode 15<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Tone and structure… Two characteristics that may contribute to make an image more captivating and interesting. And even more so with black&white (con)versions. </font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Here’s a number of playful variations on shots taken during two separate strolls in Antwerp: a recent Belgiumdigital shooting day, and the local edition of Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk. <br /></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ITL2peORPYU/To-VRs5gzyI/AAAAAAAACUE/AXWHltTkf1c/s1600-h/DSCF1262-Editw%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1262-Editw" alt="DSCF1262-Editw" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IojaNffrVHA/To-VSMmwO8I/AAAAAAAACUI/Mku4vOzCjQk/DSCF1262-Editw_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><em><font size="2">Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…</font></em></span></span></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UUuj0u_jSOk/To-V6C3oyYI/AAAAAAAACU0/68GIqg0XSCE/s1600-h/DSCF1289-Editw%25255B12%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1289-Editw" alt="DSCF1289-Editw" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mgKGoOWoMxA/To-V6hLgmAI/AAAAAAAACU4/FfAaMGlsSEw/DSCF1289-Editw_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Help!</font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pWMW67HArEA/To-VT6hxHZI/AAAAAAAACUU/LciVHk2KisM/s1600-h/DSCF1194-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><font size="2"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1194-Editw" alt="DSCF1194-Editw" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ngwr8ZTNT_M/To-VVDQy15I/AAAAAAAACUY/CaFFougdVXM/DSCF1194-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></font></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Hope</em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_pQgo1MoKC8/To-VV1z5_kI/AAAAAAAACU8/c9PG1_pXJ8I/s1600-h/DSCF1195-Editw%25255B3%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_pQgo1MoKC8/To-VV1z5_kI/AAAAAAAACVA/323I548Yoj8/s1600-h/DSCF1195-Editw%25255B4%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF1195-Editw" border="0" alt="DSCF1195-Editw" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BnTQavIuQBI/To-VW3bOBDI/AAAAAAAACUk/nVLXG3ajMQQ/DSCF1195-Editw_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="283" /></a></font></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>Despair</em></font></span></span></p> <p align="center"><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-V3C1O5xWxJw/To-VXRg11MI/AAAAAAAACVE/-P-LO2j_6Xc/s1600-h/DSCF1360-Editw%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-V3C1O5xWxJw/To-VXRg11MI/AAAAAAAACVI/oS5CokkV8Ps/s1600-h/DSCF1360-Editw%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1360-Editw" alt="DSCF1360-Editw" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-me-x1EAxdJM/To-VY_DCpxI/AAAAAAAACUw/9kI2CJDzigQ/DSCF1360-Editw_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></font></a></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><em>What’s on tap?</em></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">B&W conversions using Nik’s Silver Efex Pro 2.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-36279764304545521932011-09-30T00:29:00.001+02:002011-09-30T00:29:33.210+02:00100X100 – episode 14<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">No doubt: the Fuji X100 is an excellent tool for street photography. But how does it perform after the sun goes down?</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">A recent shooting day in Antwerp provided – after a tasty dinner with the friends – for an opportunity to find out.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_Fm1v4HBL3E/ToTxM4axDxI/AAAAAAAACTc/NuRp7fpUTUU/s1600-h/DSCF1235w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1235w" alt="DSCF1235w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--0o2M_WiJDo/ToTxNe1zqPI/AAAAAAAACTg/MCHEhvmgcbA/DSCF1235w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KLNYTGwbISg/ToTxN9p4crI/AAAAAAAACTk/XGS2Rs4Klmw/s1600-h/DSCF1247w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1247w" alt="DSCF1247w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uyvaRSn2TdI/ToTxORbZqLI/AAAAAAAACTo/HtTkiSe_LSo/DSCF1247w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-chPiqUMedes/ToTxPCsGIfI/AAAAAAAACTs/pUla3bY_a0w/s1600-h/DSCF1225w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1225w" alt="DSCF1225w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_MMORUSBlys/ToTxPYtAGFI/AAAAAAAACTw/1uvtSf_41O4/DSCF1225w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-P9X0Wd4CmdI/ToTxRU9am1I/AAAAAAAACT0/_TorChmVG3Y/s1600-h/DSCF1228w%25255B3%25255D.png" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1228w" alt="DSCF1228w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u54OC_vetXo/ToTxR1e7DoI/AAAAAAAACT4/EXfrLTo_-Ko/DSCF1228w_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-679yROhrqqw/ToTxSoltKLI/AAAAAAAACT8/T1iExPAa40c/s1600-h/DSCF1240w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1240w" alt="DSCF1240w" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e_W55wX41Hg/ToTxTEOFdTI/AAAAAAAACUA/LlOIH0bOubU/DSCF1240w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">All five images are shot handheld (no tripod!) at ISO 1600.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Once again, I am amazed how well the X100 performs in low light conditions, deals with a large dynamic range and renders colors under mixed light sources.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-77357451185352067332011-09-11T23:56:00.001+02:002011-09-11T23:56:12.725+02:00100X100 – episode 13<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">People organizing off-site team meetings can be quite creative. One of these sessions a week ago brought us to a vast section of forest near Bastogne, in the Belgian Ardennes. A break in the otherwise so-so weather made us venture out and organize a mushroom collection competition.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">As always, I had my X100 by my side for more opportunities to try impromptu close-up pictures. </font></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PhHb1Gk3WBc/Tm0uahup4cI/AAAAAAAACS0/JCNsUq3pyWA/s1600-h/DSCF1089w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1089w" alt="DSCF1089w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-e7IpfzW_oGU/Tm0ubJD99AI/AAAAAAAACS4/fzEX1oziOY0/DSCF1089w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Pd1JJjrl6z4/Tm0ub58CeWI/AAAAAAAACS8/YWlVba086u4/s1600-h/DSCF1100w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1100w" alt="DSCF1100w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9AqtqPTY6S0/Tm0ucHpRstI/AAAAAAAACTA/OHymoUpqP7k/DSCF1100w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="279" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-910oQNhy0Oc/Tm0uc7F1hNI/AAAAAAAACTE/uvZ0D9kTrDs/s1600-h/DSCF1105w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1105w" alt="DSCF1105w" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Yx5isYftb4I/Tm0udIl13vI/AAAAAAAACTI/mtTiUflSYaU/DSCF1105w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9ke9HVSA0QE/Tm0udgv7PHI/AAAAAAAACTM/vQ0WYyfo6r0/s1600-h/DSCF1106w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1106w" alt="DSCF1106w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AfB9Q5aMdG0/Tm0ud4ZIArI/AAAAAAAACTQ/tOPt8Z_aeGo/DSCF1106w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o6Y8Ilgpe94/Tm0ued1iI8I/AAAAAAAACTU/1AiGu1iKeQw/s1600-h/DSCF1113w%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="DSCF1113w" alt="DSCF1113w" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P9CdPXBe53o/Tm0ufFjjOBI/AAAAAAAACTY/WPvwpZ7AaHM/DSCF1113w_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="420" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">All images shot handheld, f/4, ISO 800.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8585821204900301022.post-88978692427776383352011-08-31T17:45:00.001+02:002011-08-31T17:51:43.595+02:00100X100 – episode 12<p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">The Fuji X100 comes with a number of ‘digital compact’ features that seem rather out of place on such a straightforward camera. I guess Fuji’s marketing staff wanted to avoid ‘missing’ marks in comparison tables for (supposedly) hot capabilities… The X100 thus offers settings and tricks I do not much care about.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">That doesn’t mean of course I may not get curious and wanting to find out what these features are all about. So let’s try…</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--5EzyyF_uWU/Tl5W-RuYu2I/AAAAAAAACSM/wvRZJPsfcIc/s1600-h/DSCF0817p%25255B8%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline" title="DSCF0817p" alt="DSCF0817p" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-44nX26Bi5d8/Tl5W-zJCZ-I/AAAAAAAACSQ/6ctsvSZh7PU/DSCF0817p_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="118" /></a> <br /> <br />…the ‘sweep panorama’ capability? A very attractive proposition on paper: easy to use, with flexible options, and </font></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">promising great results with little or no pain. Ah, you’ve guessed it too!</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NKYVoyCrZUU/Tl5W_SaVhrI/AAAAAAAACSU/qPwYbgnYuZg/s1600-h/DSCF0820p%25255B9%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline" title="DSCF0820p" alt="DSCF0820p" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7g4Jv1D85So/Tl5W_pLe-ZI/AAAAAAAACSY/vcteZYhHU50/DSCF0820p_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="118" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2">Of course I have only my poor technique to blame, but I found it very difficult to get panorama shots without disturbing stitching artifacts. You sometimes must look carefully on the back display in full-size ‘play’ to notice, but those d**n jumps surely will pop up on the computer monitor later. My results did improve with exercise and my success rate on 120° panos got reasonable by now, but it remains a tricky and frustrating experience. Needless to say: all my trials were done handheld, no tripods around while vacationing…</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ut93Iy430Ww/Tl5XACM2PwI/AAAAAAAACSc/BY1j2OtOlZs/s1600-h/DSCF0846p%25255B9%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline" title="DSCF0846p" alt="DSCF0846p" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_MkLpr6u6KY/Tl5XApIvW3I/AAAAAAAACSg/q6vtwPAR1Uc/DSCF0846p_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="79" /></a></font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BGnH8Z4TW-w/Tl5XBJ18CDI/AAAAAAAACR8/MPlI_zeXrCs/s1600-h/DSCF0934p%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline" title="DSCF0934p" alt="DSCF0934p" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HqvwrzKn_rU/Tl5XCPkn6FI/AAAAAAAACSA/Mp2qrlBgNfI/DSCF0934p_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="118" /></a> <br /> <br />What did I learn? First, make sure to use a fast shutter speed, to avoid motion blur while sweeping. Next, select a scene where most points of interest lie at about the same distance, and pick an aperture giving sufficient depth-of-field (combined with rule #1, up go the ISOs!). Focus and lock exposure at an ‘average’ part before you start your sweep. And last but not least: try (again and again) to pan smoothly at the right speed, keeping the camera moving horizontally across a straight line.</font></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 100%"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jbZk7xDzySw/Tl5XCtZVSxI/AAAAAAAACSk/gg9wCM8PUmo/s1600-h/DSCF1023p%25255B5%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><font size="2"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jbZk7xDzySw/Tl5XCtZVSxI/AAAAAAAACSo/RspQVp3PTEQ/s1600-h/DSCF1023p%25255B6%25255D.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline" title="DSCF1023p" alt="DSCF1023p" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FY0xhl8oyws/Tl5XDPOsVdI/AAAAAAAACSI/lg1cEe1Zhf0/DSCF1023p_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="420" height="79" /></a></font></a></span></span></p> <font size="2">Easier said than done, but with a little luck you will get results that are ‘acceptable’ for the family album. Don’t push beyond that, though!</font> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%">Gear notes: Fujifilm X100</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: verdana"><span style="font-size: 78%"><em>Click on the image(s) to see a larger version</em></span></span></p> Rene Delbarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10801589074738767200noreply@blogger.com0