XF23mm, X-E2 and XQ1 samples and hands on review.

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XF23mm

[shopcountry 16128]

– Tom Grill is testing the XF23mm on the X-E2. Read his first impressions and download high-res samples here: “I think you will find that this is an extremely sharp lens wide open both in the center and in the corners, and at f/5.6 it is nothing short of sensational. […] The lens feels good. It focuses fast, is comfortable to hold, and due to its large size fits nicely on my X-Pro1. If anything, I am not a fan of scalloped lens shades. They seem unnecessarily large on short focal length lenses. I already found myself leaving it off when there was no absolute need for it.  That is the only negative thing I have to say about my experience using this lens, which says something in and of itself.”

XF23mm samples at brandonremler here.

X-E2

USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / AdoramaDigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER / PCHstore / AmazonDE (via DR)

– The X-E2 at yodobashi.com here (translation).

– X-E2 samples at the Polish site optyczne.pl (tranlsation)

– Portugal, a wedding and the X-E2 here (translation).

– Some shots taken with the X-E2 by mingthein here.

XQ1

USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / AdoramaDigitalRev / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / PCHstore / AmazonDE (via DR)

– Samples at letsgodigital here.

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From Greenland to Spain and to New Zealand: Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 feedback

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The brand new Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 is falling in the hands of more and more photographers all over the world… and they drop their feedback on their websites. Here are some of them. Feel free to say what you think about this lens in the comments.

greez
Patrick (google+, facebook and twitter)

P.S.: if you’d like to support this blog, consider to purchase your grear using the links below. Fujirumors gets a small commision that helps to run this site… and it won’t cost you a penny extra.

Fuji XF 23mm: [shopcountry 16128]

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GREENLAND

Hi Patrick

I got the 23mm 4 days ago but only had the chance to do a quick walk around the neighborhood here in Sisimiut, Greenland, this morning.

Included here are 5 images shot with the X-E1 and the 23mm f/1.4, and if you feel they’re worth anything to the Fuji Rumors community feel free to share them. I love the 35mm equivalent FOV but I mostly prefer to shoot it with people in the frame somewhere. However, being a quiet little town and during normal working hours, no one was really around to play with with, so I did a handful of quick shots of… stuff.

The autofocus I experience with this lens is quick and super precise, also handheld wide open, and the shallow DOF creates some really lovely out of focus areas. At least, they appeal to me :)

Also, it’s -10 C up here today, but I heard no mechanical complaints from the lens, going through the entire focus distance scale. It seems really well built.

Cheers, Mads Pihl http://northbound.glFlickr XF23mm images

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SPAIN

The Spanish site dslrmagazine posted downloadable high-res samples shot with the XF23mm and X-E2 here (translated version)!

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NEW ZEALAND

– Some samples and first impression can be read also at bokeh-monster.com here:

“There are not many negative things to say on the overall lens performance: it operates quietly, focuses quickly, corner to corner sharpness is awesome (even wide open) and it swallows flare whole while maintaining good contrast. During the three days I had to play with this lens I found no performance gaps and it is definitely the best 35mm (equivalent) I have had the pleasure of using to date.”

– First shots taken with the XF23mm at proimagenz.com here (with RAW samples to download): “I believe the best X series lens Ive tried is the [shoplink 12888 ebay]14mm[/shoplink] but this is right there wth it. Here is the file for you to play with.”

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For an alternative Lens Hood for your 23mm check out Chris’ solution here at dpreview.

Fuji XF 23mm: [shopcountry 16128]

mini-miXed zone: first impressions of the XQ1, XF 23mm… and “you don’t need Full Frame”

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image courtesy: riflessifotografici

PRE-ORDER

by using the links below to make your purchase, you’ll support FR. It won’t cost you a single penny extra, but FR will get a small commision that will help to keep this site running. Thanks.

X-E2 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / AdoramaDigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER / PCHstore /

XQ1 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / AdoramaDigitalRev / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / PCHstore /

XQ1

Max (riflessifotografici) posted his first impressions of the XQ1 here (English verison). He’ll share the full review once he completed the “stress-test” of this little camera. For now we can read his initial conclusions after 2 days of testing.

“It’s well built but is far from being as sturdy as the [shoplink 13127]Sony RX100[/shoplink]. It is also true, to be honest, that the Fuji costs around half the price of the competitors and given how fast camera bodies tends to be upgraded, thus compromising the used market price, a net saving of around 380 Euros will be highly appreciated. Dials and buttons are well built and assembled with high precision as usual for this Japanese manufacturer. […] I also have to point out that the battery life looks really good, even if unfortunately this is a different battery from the one of the X10/[shoplink 12884]X20[/shoplink] cameras.”

– Some initial impressions of the XQ1 at mirrorlessons here: “It is fun to use and can easily slip into your trouser pocket if you don’t have your bag on you. Not to mention that the simple retro design is, in my opinion, even more aesthetically pleasing than the vintage design of the [shoplink 12885]XF1[/shoplink].”

XF23mm

Fuji XF 23mm: [shopcountry 16128]

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image courtesy: michaelmcqueen

– The 23mm is stunning according to michaelmcqueen.: “Pros: Everything; Focussing both Auto and Manual – The Clutch feels firm and focuses smooth. – Sharp from 1.4-16 / Cons: A little big for the X-E1 (14mm and 35mm feel more at home on the X-E1) – That ridiculous lens hood.. but not to worry I pre ordered a month prior from ebay a metal vented lens hood. It arrived the day after I got the lens.”

– “The Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 is a lens many Fuji photographers have eagerly been waiting for. After spending 15 minutes with it and the X-Pro1 in Cossato, I can already tell you that it is one of the best pieces of glass ever produced for the system. But it also begs the question…if you already own an X100s, is it worth buying the 23mm? And if you don’t own either and 23mm is your favourite focal length, which should you go for?” The answer at mirrorlessons here.

– A 3 year old, a 6 year old, and a Fuji 23mm lens @ f/1.4 – sounds like a challenge. Click here!

Full frame or not?

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image courtesy: Olaf (part II)

– “Of course, we haven’t seen this camera yet but from early rumours and teasers this could be the first Nikon product for a long time that photographers should be excited about. “It’s in MY HANDS again.” Nikon teases with “Pure Photography.” I say: FINALLY!  […] Fuji – you started this revolution. The Fuji X100s is still my favourite camera but the competition is catching up. The ball is in your court.” Read more at olafblog here. In part two of his article here he Olaf says: “Some of you interpreted my article as a restart of a “full frame vs. APS-C” argument. Let me clarify. I don’t think it is necessary for Fuji to go full frame at all. The current Fuji X-series line-up is excellent. The whole hysteria around full frame is way overblown if you take a look at how people use their cameras or even look at prints (how many people actually print their photos?). For our work, Fuji X-Pro1, Fuji X-E1 and X100s are more than adequate. Most importantly, the “feel” of those cameras and how they engage a photographer and let him/her focus on key elements is much more important to me than discussion about full frame or not. After all, the Fuji X100s is the camera that I breathe in my daily photographic life.”

– What are the 10 things we can learn from famous photographers of the past according to digitalcameraworld.com? Number 1)You don’t need full frame: Galen Rowell, David Bailey, John Blakemore and Henri Cartier-Bresson are just a handful of photographers who shunned the big medium format cameras in favour of nifty little 35mm ones, and proved that it’s the eye behind the viewfinder that counts.”

X-E2 first test (with XC50-230mm) at riflessifotografici

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image courtesy: riflessifotografici

Fujifilm X-E2 & XF35mm  – Jpeg OOC, ISO 4000, f/1,4 – 1/125 sec – EV -0,33 –  Settings: Standard – Film simulation: PRO Neg Std

Riflessifotografici will take all the time they need to publish their full X-E2 review. They will push the camera to its limits in many different conditions before they speak their final word. But in the meantime Donato already shared with us his first field test here (English version). The review includes also images (and 100% crops) taken with the XC 50-230.

A few words, some 100% crops and a lot of images that speak for themselves.

“For now we can safely say that the X-E 2, even if not in the final version … seems to respond to the expectations, with regard to the overall responsiveness and the speed / accuracy of focusing in critical situations. It seems remarkable the quality of the EVF and quite useful the bigger rear display. […] So, we’ll let the pictures speak for now… and wait before posting a more comprehensive and thorough review that, just hours and hours of work in various conditions can make significant ….”

PRE-ORDER

by using the links below to make your purchase, you’ll support FR. It won’t cost you a single penny extra, but FR will get a small commision that will help to keep this site running. Thanks.

X-E2 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / AdoramaDigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER / PCHstore /

XQ1 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / AdoramaDigitalRev / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / PCHstore /

XC 50-230USA: AmazonUS  / BHphoto / AdoramaEUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR)

First Look: Fujifilm XQ1

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First Look: Fujifilm XQ1

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)Rico’s Flickr sets – XQ1 Sample Images Set – Expanded X-E2 Sample Images Set –  Mastering the Fujifilm X-Pro1 reading samples (65 free pages) – Order my NEW book (print or DRM-free eBook/PDF): Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 (use code FUJISAVES30 to save 30%!)

Size does matter: Succeeding the stylish Fujifilm XF1 point&shoot camera, the full-metal XQ1 is even smaller and more lightweight than its already very pocketable predecessor. Solidly built, the XQ1 comes in either black or silver, and it features the same 2/3″ X-Trans sensor as in Fuji’s bulkier and more retro-styled X20 compact camera.

Exterior

Since many customers took issue with the manual zoom mechanism of the XF1 (and its unconventional on/off switch), Fuji equipped the XQ1 with a more conventional electronic “fly-by-wire” zoom and a standard on/off button.

The manual zoom ring has been replaced with a multifunctional “lens control ring” that can serve many different purposes. One of them, of course, is zooming the lens, so those of you who actually like to zoom in and out the “old fashioned” way can do so by setting the lens control ring to serve as a zoom ring.

In its “smart” standard setting, the control ring will assume different functions depending on which mode the camera is operating in. For example, in P exposure mode, the control ring handles the exposure shift. In aperture priority mode, you can use it to set the aperture. If you want to manually set the control ring function, you have a choice of controlling either exposure, ISO, white balance, film simulations, drive mode or zooming. In its default “smart” setting, the control ring offers even more variety, like picking an effect when in the Advanced Filter mode, or choosing a scene mode when the camera is set to Scene Position (SP).

Like in the XF1, six of the nine buttons on the back of the XQ1 have a second function layer that can be user customized. This basically gives you six different function buttons that can control any of the following features: face detection, intelligent digital zoom, ISO, image size, image quality, dynamic range, film simulation, white balance, drive mode, photometry (exposure measurement mode), AF mode, focus mode, focus area or wifi. To access this second button layer, simply press the E-Fn button.

A notable change is the camera’s new NP-48 battery, which is smaller (but not less powerful) than the NP-50A batteries previously used in the X10, X20 and XF1. The battery can be charged inside the XQ1 with a simple USB connection. The camera comes with a power supply and USB cable, but you can just as well use any existing USB (aka smartphone) charger. You can also use the supplied cable to connect the camera to the USB port of your laptop, or any car/airplane charger with a USB outlet. So if you travel with your smartphone or laptop, chances are you can save weight and space because you don’t have to bring an extra charger or power supply specifically for your XQ1. Of course, those who prefer to charge their batteries outside the camera can always purchase an external Fujifilm or third-party charger.

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