Peter Thoshinsky‎: “Central Booking”
San Francisco, California, 2016

Officer Darla McBride completes primary booking at Central Police Station on Thursday April 21st, 2016.

Going to take a little time to geek out on photography and such.

If you are not interested in the art of photography this will be of zero interest to you.

This image was taken with a Fujifilm X-T1, 18mm f2 (28mm equivalent), shot in RAW, and worked up in Lightroom and monochrome converted in Silver Efex Pro2.

If I were to show you the original image it is bland and flat, as is the nature of a RAW image. This isn’t dis-similar to a straight printed traditional darkroom negative. Mr. Adams himself never displayed a straight print, and neither should you. The straight image does nothing to project the feeling of this dirty, smelly, decades old jail area. The graffiti and cracking of the concrete, the age of the location, are obvious in person. It is not so obvious in the RAW image, or even in a camera boosted jpeg.

It’s a depressing little 12×12 foot tank.

As a photographer we try to express more than a visual representation, we need to present an emotional representation, one that accurately reflects the scene.

That’s the role of a photographer.

_ _ _

Here are the most liked images of the Fujirumors facebook photostream… and keep it up, share and vote your absolute favorite X-shot… and here is how to do it:

1) SHARE & DESCRIBE: go to the Fujirumors facebook timeline and submit your favorite X-shot (and a short description) in the timeline by selecting “Photo/Video” .
2) VOTE & COMMENT: All the images will be displayed at the Fujirumors facebook photostream. You can vote & comment the images there.

NOTE: The next selection will start from those images shared starting from April 26!

Enjoy the X-shots

_ _ _

Paul Cory: Fire dancer at the The 5th Annual Festival of Legends! pre-festival celebration. Firelight only. Fuji X-Pro2, Fuji 50-140mm f/2.8, ISO 6400, 1/320 f/2.8. — with Whitney Danser

Push the READ MORE button and Enjoy more Top Rated Images

The 2015 Fiscal Year Reports are now online (FYI, the Japanese Fiscal year 2015 ended on March 31, 2016)

Instax and X-series sell strong. A special mention goes to the X100T, X-T1, X-T10 and also X-Pro2… and of course to the Hello Kitty Instax (a limited edition version has been launched in 2016… sorry guys I missed to share rumors about that one ;) ).

“Strong sales of the FUJIFILM X100T premium compact digital camera […] FUJIFILM X-T1 premium interchangeable lens camera, interchangeable lenses, and other products […] Though the sales volume largely decreased due to the contraction of the product lineup of compact digital cameras, the sales of digital cameras X Series, centering on FUJIFILM X-Pro2, a flagship model launched in March 2016, were strong.”

Some excerpts from the reports (full reports here):

In the Imaging Solutions segment, consolidated revenue amounted to ¥353.3 billion, down 2.1% from the previous fiscal year, due to the decrease in sales of optical device and electronic imaging business, despite the increase in sales of photo imaging business.

Consolidated operating income amounted to ¥32.2 billion, up 55.5% from the previous fiscal year, reflecting an increase in gross profit by the growth in revenues of the photo imaging business.

In the photo imaging business, sales of instant photo systems such as the instax series and various designs of instax films increased especially in the United States and Europe. Fujifilm strengthened its lineup by offering a new instant camera with instax mini HELLO KITTY 2016 limited edition and new Hello Kitty patterned films, which were launched in March 2016. Sales also increased as a result of the expansion in the high-value-added printing business. Main contribution to this expansion were sales of the Year Album service, which can select good photographs and arrange them automatically, and the Shuffle Print service, which can summarize photo data and print it on a single sheet.

In the electronic imaging field of the optical device and electronic imaging business, sales volume of digital cameras decreased due to the contraction of product lineup, while the sales of X Series were strong. This was due to further shift to high-end models such as the mirrorless digital camera FUJIFILM X-T10, which realizes outstanding image quality and comfortable operability with a compact and lightweight body and FUJIFILM X-Pro2, a flagship model which realizes the best ever image quality and comfortable operability among X Series, and the sales expansion in Asian countries. In the optical device field, sales of camera modules for use in smartphones significantly decreased. Fujifilm tries to expand global market share in broadcast zoom lens, with such products as those for use with 4K cameras which were launched ahead of its competitors and highly appreciated in the aspects of imaing quality in the market.

Der Lichtklicker‎: The Look… X-T1 + XF1.4TC + XF100-400mm. LR6.x + Silver Efex Pro 2

_ _ _

Here are the most liked images of the Fujirumors facebook photostream… and keep it up, share and vote your absolute favorite X-shot… and here is how to do it:

1) SHARE & DESCRIBE: go to the Fujirumors facebook timeline and submit your favorite X-shot (and a short description) in the timeline by selecting “Photo/Video” .
2) VOTE & COMMENT: All the images will be displayed at the Fujirumors facebook photostream. You can vote & comment the images there.

NOTE: The next selection will start from those images shared starting from April 4!

Enjoy the X-shots

Omprakash Das: Sunrise with daffodils at Skagit Valley. Shot with FujiXT1 and 14mm lens

Push the READ MORE Button to see More Top Liked Images

A7rII + Zeiss 85mmF1.8 Batis Vs. Nikon D810 + the 85mmF1.8 Vs. Fuji X-Pro2 +XF56mmF1.2

_ _ _

There is an article at Petapixel, that is creating quite a buzz. Many FR-reader dropped me a link to it. In short: Sony’s Full Frame Mirrorless is a Mistake (and some are afraid that Fujifilm will Make The Same Mistake one day. Here some reasons:

1. Compactness: Full Frame lenses are Big, so you lose the size advantage of mirrorless cameras. “In many cases, Sony FF mirrorless works out as being bigger than a comparable DSLR.” […] If compactness really were your priority, you would choose the Fuji 56mm f/1.2, which also allows you to shoot faster in low light.”
2. Weight: “The next answer you will hear is that a FF mirrorless body is still lighter and the height or width might be a bit less. However, that’s partly because Sony put such a miniscule battery in their FF mirrorless bodies that you end up having to carry multiple batteries, which negate any size advantage.”
3. In Body Image Stabilization: In this case they quote a Sigma CEO, who said: “…the diameter is very small and makes it difficult to design high quality FF lenses … it almost looks like E-mount was designed for APS-C more than FF“.
   You might remember how a Fuji Manager said here, that IBIS is not good for X-mount because “The diameter of our mount was designed for the image circle without IBIS. It means the amount of light at the corners is reduced when the sensor is shifted. We could correct it digitally, but we don’t want to do it: we don’t want to compromise our image quality.” So the conclusions they make at the petapixel article is that “if you want IBIS, you have to design the mount in advance with a wider diameter, so that it doesn’t compromise corner IQ as the sensor moves around. What you don’t do is take an APS-C mount (NEX mount), turn it into a FF mount, then forcibly retrofit IBIS onto a mount never designed to take it in the first place.”
4. Sony FF Mirrorless not good for ultra-wide angle: “Zeiss has admitted that the short flange distance of the FE mount makes it technically challenging to design ultra wide-angle lenses, because the short flange distance between the sensor and the rear element is an engineering challenge for ultra wide-angle lenses. At really short focal lengths, the light hits the corners at too steep an angle, which is exacerbated by IBIS when the sensor moves. It isn’t without reason that Sony have yet to come up with any high quality wide-angle zoom lenses for the FE mount.”

All in all it looks like APS-C (and Fujifilm) is the better way to go for the reviewer.

Before you start the discussion, you should read the response of SonyAlphaRumors. He highlights a few “errors”:

1. Size: It’s not the “mirrorless” aspect that makes Sony FF attractive. But mirrorless is necessary for most of these innovative features to exist.
2. Big lenses: The lenses are big because it’s high quality glass, for example the [shoplink 44295 ebay]new 85mm GM lens[/shoplink] is made for ultimate quality. […] Sartor, the author of the article, did not take into account that lenses are also designed for different image quality performances.
   “Let’s make a more fair comparison: Here is the Zeiss FE 35mmF2.8 Vs the XF18mmF2.0 (29mm f/3.0 FF equivalent) comparison by CameraSize (re-aligned on the LCD screen)”
   So SAR’s conclusion is that: “Owning a Sony A7 camera gives you an extreme flexibility: If small size is what matters you can use small APS-C or FF lenses on the very same E-mount. If extreme quality is what matters you can use the bigger FF GM lenses. Such a flexibility is yet second to none in the camera business
3. IBIS: SonyAlphaRumors says that Sartor doesn’t bring a real actual proof to support his thesis.

Check out the Full articles at SonyAlphaRumors and Petapixel… and then feel free to drop your own considerations in the comments.

Record-high 9 Fujifilm cameras won this years’ Red Dot Design Award, including the X-Pro2 and the Instax Mini 70.

• Fujifilm X-Pro2
• Fujifilm X70
• Fujifilm X-T10
• Fujifilm X-A2
• Fujifilm X-E2s
• Fuji XQ2
• Fujifilm XF16-55
• Fujifilm XF50-140
• FinePix XP90
• Instax Mini 70

via fujifilm

Fujifilm X-Pro2: USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / FocusCamera / Adorama / Pictureline / BestBuy CANADA: AmazonCA / EUROPE: AmazonDE / AmazonUK / WexUK / PCHstore / AmazonITA / AmazonFR / AmazonESP /   AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

 Loading ...

Roy Cruz‎: “Farmland Sunset”. Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. Fujifilm X100S, handheld grid panorama. By Roy Cruz Photo

_ _ _

Here are the most liked images of the Fujirumors facebook photostream… and keep it up, share and vote your absolute favorite X-shot… and here is how to do it:

1) SHARE & DESCRIBE: go to the Fujirumors facebook timeline and submit your favorite X-shot (and a short description) in the timeline by selecting “Photo/Video” .
2) VOTE & COMMENT: All the images will be displayed at the Fujirumors facebook photostream. You can vote & comment the images there.

NOTE: The next selection will start from those images shared starting from March 23!

Enjoy the X-shots

Push the READ MORE Button to see More Top Liked Images

The J.B. Camera Designs Pro Wood Grip for Fujifilm X-Pro2 will be available on March 25. The Grip is Handmade in USA. Specs & Price at AmazonUS here.

Fujifilm offers its own (and more expensive) X-Pro2 Metal Hand Grip. You can get it at BHphoto, AmazonUS, and Adorama.

The Fujifilm X100T Teardown :: Look Inside the X100T