First Look: Fujifilm XF35mmF2 R WR

 

LIVE BLOGGING (CLICK HERE)

_ _ _

First Look: Fujifilm XF35mmF2 R WR

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

Rico’s XF35mmF2 R WR Full-Size Sample Images

X-T10 with optional handgrip and XF35mmF2 R WR
(shot with X-T1, XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR + XF1.4x TC WR)

At first glance, adding a XF35mmF2 prime to an already existing lineup of XF35mmF1.4 and Zeiss Touit 1.8/32 offerings looks like an unusual choice. But then again, the new XF35mmF2 R WR is slimmer, lighter and less expensive than its internal competition. It’s also weather resistant and tailored to the hybrid viewfinder of the X-Pro1 (and its highly anticipated successor).

Size comparison: Zeiss Touit 1.8/32, XF35mmF1.4 R and XF35mmF2 R WR
(shot with X-T1, XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR + XF1.4x TC WR)

Despite its attractive price tag, the XF35mmF2 R WR is made in Japan with a high build quality and an all metal exterior. The aperture ring may very well be the best I’ve ever encountered in an XF lens, and I also like the handling of the focus ring. To me, they feel “just right”.

X-T10, XF35mmF2 R WR, f/3.2, Lightroom

With 9 rounded aperture blades, the XF35mmF2 R WR delivers pretty smooth bokeh. The minimum focus distance (MFD) is 35cm, so you can get close to your subject. However, similar to the X100/S/T, shooting wide open at or near MFD can lead to some dreamy softness. It disappears as soon as you stop down to f/2.8 or f/3.2.

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

First Look: Fujifilm XF1.4x TC WR Teleconverter Lens

_ _ _

First Look: Fujifilm XF1.4x TC WR Teleconverter Lens

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

Rico’s XF1.4x TC WR Full-Size Sample Images

X-T1 with XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR + XF1.4x TC WR
(shot with X-T1, XF56mmF1.2 R APD)

By attaching Fuji’s new 1.4x teleconverter between the XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR zoom lens and any Fuji X-mount camera, you can expand its focal reach to 70-196mm. In “full-frame” terms, this equals a maximum focal length of almost 300mm.

X-T1, XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR + XF1.4x TC WR, 196mm, f/4, Lightroom

By expanding the original focal length by a factor of 1.4, we are basically cropping the image that’s captured by the host lens, so only 50% of the light that’s entering the lens is actually transmitted to the sensor. This means that the speed of our lens+teleconverter combo is going down one stop: our fast XF50-140mmF2.8 lens turns into a slower XF70-196mmF4 zoom lens.

X-T1, XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR + XF1.4x TC WR, 196mm, f/4, Lightroom

In order to communicate correctly when a teleconverter is attached, the lens and the camera both require firmware updates to transmit the correct EXIF data and to make sure that the electronic distance and DOF scale remains accurate. The new firmware files are supposed to be available on October 29. Fuji says that for things to work correctly, we have to first update the camera body and then the lens.

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

First Look: Fujifilm XF90mmF2 R LM WR

 

First Look: Fujifilm XF90mmF2 R LM WR

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

XF90mmF2 R LM WR Official Specs and Information

Rico’s XF90mmF2 R LM WR Sample Images – Rico’s XF90mmF2 R LM WR Bokeh Test

My XF90mmF2 R LM WR pre-production sample is probably the most amazing lens I’ve every used. This is weird, because in their notes accompanying the lens, Fujifilm emphasized that hardware, firmware and image quality weren’t quite final. Well, if this ain’t final—how in the world are they going to top it?

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

First Look: XF16mmF1.4 R WR

First Impressions Review: XF16mmF1.4 R WR

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

Specs – Rico’s XF16mmF1.4 R WR Sample Images – Deutsche Version

^ X-T1 with XF16mmF1.4 R WR

As you might already know, my new book featuring 111 tipps for X-T1 users is now available as an eBook and as a conventionally printed edition. If you are still undecided, click here to download 47 free sample pages. If you like my book and can afford the time, please leave a review at Amazon.

^ X-T1, XF16mmF1.4 R WR, f/1.4, Capture One Pro

Fuji’s latest lens addition has “high-end” written all over it. The XF16mmF1.4 R WR is a fast, weather- and dust-sealed wide-angle prime lens with Nano-GI coating (to eliminate flare and ghosting), a 0.21x magnification close-up capability with a minimum focus distance of only 15 cm (thanks to two floating focus groups) and nine aperture blades for a smooth bokeh with circular blur discs.

^ X-T1, XF16mmF1.4 R WR, f/2.0, SOOC JPEG (Pro Neg. Std)

The lens also features two aspherical elements and two ED (extra low-dispersion) elements that minimize spherical and chromatic aberrations to surprisingly low levels and deliver corner-sharp images even at the widest aperture setting of f/1.4:

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

X-T1: Tethering with Adobe Lightroom and Fujifilm HS-V5

X-T1: Tethering with Adobe Lightroom and Fujifilm HS-V5

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

Istanbul CallingFuji X Secrets X30 Workshop in Nuremberg

My new book featuring 111 X-Pert tipps for X-T1 users will be available as an eBook this month, with a printed version following in March. Let’s have a quick look at USB tethering options for the X-T1 that are available after Fujifilm’s press announcement from earlier today.

Tethering requires you to connect your X-T1 to a computer with a USB cable. To make it work, select SET-UP > USB MODE > PC SHOOT AUTO. This makes sure that your tethering software (Adobe Lightroom or Fuji’s HS-V5) will recognize the camera.

A tethered X-T1 operates in single shot mode only, so the setting of the DRIVE dial has no significance. There are two basic tethering modes: camera mode and PC mode.

  • Camera mode means that the camera is still operated by the photographer. In this mode, tethering transfers the recorded images directly to the computer for review and further processing. The only remote control capability is a remote shutter release.
  • PC mode means that the camera can be located elsewhere (like a remote location). It can be remotely configured and controlled from the PC running the tethering software. There’s also a live view image on the computer, so the person operating the computer can see what the camera is seeing.
** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **