And here is part 2 of Zack’s Fuji X Buyer’s Guide… this time it’s all about the lenses. No XC lenses and XF 18-135 in this Buyers Guide (since he doesn’t use them).

At the end he recommends the ideal kit for:

1) Casual Enthusiast
2) Serious Enthusiast on a budget
3) Serious Enthusiast with a budget
4) Emerging Pro – Pro secondary system
5) Wedding – Event photographer
6) Pro Portrait photographer
7) Travel – Documentary

Check it out at dedpxl and let us know what would be your perfect kit for those categories in the comments down below.

Next post will cover accessories.

Plenty of lenses are right now in offer in USA, Europe and Australia. Check out the deals below:

DEALS OVERVIEW

USA DEALS

– X100S (save $450 – black version): BHphoto (free SD card and bag). The silver one comes for $934 at AmazonUS.
– X-E1: It was supposed to expire on DEC 9, but it is still live: BHphoto is offering the X-E1 + 18-55 for just $699.
– X-A1: You can’t enter the MILC Fuji X-world cheaper than with this offer: Adorama is selling the blue X-A1 with 16-50 & 50-230 for ridiculous $499!

XF-lenses
(expires DEC 27)

XF 18-135 WR (save $100): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
XF 56mm f/1.2 (save $150): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
XF 23mm f/1.4 (save $200): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
XF 14mm f/2.8 (save $200): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
XF 35mm f/1.4 (save $100): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
XF 60mm f/2.4 (save $150): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
XF 10-24mm (save $200): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
XF 55-200mm (save $150): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /

cameras
(expires DEC 27)

X-T1 body (save $100): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
X-T1 + XF18-55 (save $100): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Pictureline /
X100S (save $450 – black version): BHphoto (free SD card and bag)
X-PRO1 + 18mm (save $300):  Adorama / AmazonUS
X-E1 + 18mm (save $300): Adorama / AmazonUS
X-M1 + 18mm (save $300): Adorama / AmazonUS
X-E2 + XF18-55: Adorama

UK DEAL

– Claim up to £600/€750 Cashback on Fuji lenses and cameras
– Trade in your old DSLR to get £100/€125 off a new Fujifilm X-T1 or X-E2 Compact System Camera.
– Free XC50-230 when you buy a Fujifilm X-A1 or X-M1 with XC16-50mm kit or an X-E1 with XF18-55mm kit

Check the deals at Fuji’s site here.

Expire 11th of January

AUSTRALIAN DEAL

Big Cashback Deals in Australia, where even the brand new 50-140 and 56 APD are included in the offer. Check the deals out at CameraPro here.

Expires 24th of December

GERMAN / DUTCH DEAL

Cashback offers also in Germany, where you can save up to €150 in camera and lenses. Check out the deals at Fuji’s site here.

Expires 31th of December

ITALIAN DEAL

Cashback in Italy, too. Buy a lens, and get back €100, buy 2 lenses and get back €300, buy 3 lenses and get back €500! Also cameras like the X-T1 and X-E2 are in offer. See the deals at Fuji’s site here.

Expires 31th of December

ivanjoshualoh tested the 56mm APD vs the classic 56 f/1.2 and posted many comparison samples. At the end he concludes that:

“Finally the million dollar question; or rather the five hundred dollar question. The difference between the great and the greater is always just abit. To me as a portrait photographer, that extra sharpness,contrast plus a even creamer bokeh means a lot to my final photo. Will I get the APD? Its will be a resounding YES. A new Fuji king is crown; at least for me.”

XF 56mm f/1.2 APD
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / DigitalRev EUROPE: AmazonUK / PCHstore / WexUK / WexDE / DigitalRev AUSTRALIA: CameraPro / DigitalRev

If you are tormented by the question “Which X-series camera should I buy?”, then you should right now go straight to Zack Arias’ latest blog post at dedpxl and check out his big Fuji X camera Buyer’s Guide.

Oh, and guess which camera Zack Arias would save, if his studio was going up in flames? The answer can be found at dedpxl.

Novoflex BALPRO T/S adapter review: Part 2 – stability and accuracy

guest post by Nathan Wright (ohm-image.net)

In part 1 of this review, I discussed the design, operation, controls, and modularity of the Novoflex BALPRO T/S. In this part, I will focus on the stability and accuracy of the BALPRO T/S system for use in the studio.

Focus

Still life photography requires incredibly tight focus. It requires repeatable results. Just-about workmanship and focus can render simple jobs difficult, and lose clients. Most of my non-magazine work is spent nailing angles, lighting, and reflections. The actual taking of photographs is almost an afterthought. After all, when everything is ready, a photograph only requires the depressing of the exposure button. But at the end of a hard day of cleaning, placing, and endless adjusting, I need a camera system that does its job quickly and with as little fuss as possible.

Suffice it to say that when camera/stage angles are set, nothing must ever move. At macro distances, fine reflections can drastically change from the slightest sag of lens or camera.

This is the single biggest reason I prefer using geared equipment. As I mentioned in part 1, the BALPRO T/S has three geared controls:

1. front standard focus
2. front standard shift
3. rear standard shift

Each runs on metal teeth and gears, and is labelled to the millimetre. Measured and minute movements are easy to make. While no camera movement is labelled in increments smaller than 1mm, it is possible to set up good macro composites with the aid of muscle memory and a good eye, not to mention the proper use of a tape measure and those geometry lessons you had in secondary school.

Lateral shifts move with little pressure, and once set, never fall due to gravity. The focusing bolt on the front standard requires greater torque to turn, and it can be locked. As a result, it is a dream to use, and is far more accurate than the camera I used before, the 4×5 Horseman LD (pictured in part 1), which uses plastic focusing gears.

Of course, because the BALPRO T/S lacks a unified monorail, stacked focus, while accurate, is quick and dirty. If you are a capable mathematician, and very, very careful, you can achieve similar results with a good macro tilt/shift lens. The benefit to the BALPRO T/S is that every forward movement increases distance toward the subject in logarithmic, not exponential increments. That means a faster workflow. And a faster workflow means better dime for your time. And I’m not a mathematician.

I do miss the focusing monorail, but after completing four commercial shoots with the BALPRO T/S, I can say with unequivocal indemnity, that these compact bellows are most capable.

Stability

It was a long wait for the Nissin i40 to be in available also for Fuji X cameras. The delivery has started in Asia at the second half of November, then in EU, and finally also in USA (In stock at BHphoto, AmazonUS (via thrid party) and Adorama).

We now have some first samples and reviews about this new flash for Fuji X.

1) colinnichollsphotography says in the conclusions that:

” overall it’s a great piece of kit and really fun and easy to use. I’ve just completed a wedding using this flash and it was great, used mostly in manual in place of my usual Yongnuo’s the lighter option is much better, images to come soon.”

2) Some more samples here at thephotographyhobbyist.

“I’m very impressed with the build quality and features (having used Nikon flashes in the past). I’m also happy to see it comes with a built-in diffuser , bounce card, pouch and flash stand.”

NOTE: X-T1-owners, who plan to buy the Cactus V6 flash trigger with TTL Pass-Through will be disappointed, because the Nissin i40 will not work in TTL Pass-Through on the X-T1/ V6. You can read more at cactus-image. (thx “angry X-T1-V6 user“)