APhotoContributor

zodiac friends

I’ve had my little friend Taurus since April in one form or another through many iterations of firmware.  I lost count of how many times I had to re-do my settings.  Each version got better and better … and … better.  There’s a kind of thrill taking an “experiment beta” on a real job.  If you’re not nervous, the client’s not nervous.  It’s nothing a battery pull can’t remedy.

Having freshly come off the Fujifilm X-Pro2 it was nice to get the camera in my hands I really wanted to use.  The Fujifilm X-T1 had become my go-to “B” camera 70% of the time and my “A” and “B” camera about thirty percent of the time.  There weren’t many jobs I couldn’t complete with just X-T1’s.  Most of those jobs including the need for flash.  I’m so used to the consistent results I get with Nikons that it’s hard to fully pull away from them.  I’d probably not feel the same way if I were still shooting Canon.  Hey, Canon, it’s 2016:  Isn’t time you did as well as Nikon in the flash department.  I still remember being told by Canon people back in the day, “Maybe you’re doing it wrong.”  

“That’s funny it’s always worked flawlessly with Nikon.”  They're both full of arrogant staff.

I have a feeling Fujifilm will get there with flash, although I primarily used it with slaves and studio strobe and not with an on-camera-type flash.  When I do use it with flash, though, I put a Nikon SB-910 on manual and it does pretty well.  What I’d love, though, is for Fujifilm to do as well as Nikon’s TTL flash does.  I think they’ll get there.  I’m looking forward to seeing how good the (new flash) is.  I’d love to dump all of the Nikon gear. :)

Although the X-T2 is bigger than the X-T1, you can barely notice it except in the front grip.  The new accessory grip configuration fits my hands really well.  Having three batteries on-board is almost as good as one D4s battery, which have given me more than 2,000 frames.  With any Fujifilm you need to have a lot of batteries if you’re hammering through assignments.  I don’t think I’ve shot the X-T2 without the grip at all.  If I want a smaller footprint, I just use the X-Pro2.  Having shooting controls on the grip is a welcome addition.  Having the extra batteries on-board and using an electronic shutter on boost mode allows up to 14 fps.  It also allows you to use boost mode, which brings the EVF up to 100 fps.

The EVF on the X-T2 is beautiful and one of the best I’ve seen.  No, I don’t use Sony stuff but know they’re great, too.  You can’t be a gear whore and get to know any one system exceptionally well.  Since you’re just “shooting for the blog,” though, one would think one could get to know them more than tacitly.  I love the way the X-T2 — and the X-Pro2 for that matter — render what I'm looking at.  The higher magnification of the X-T2 is better for me and its refresh rate is spectacular.  

It’s funny that I’ve heard people say that the X-Pro2 is “better for prime lens users” and street photography.  Um, really?  They’re both equally good for using primes AND for street.  I don’t know how people come up with that stuff unless they’re just “looking for something to say” because they’ve “only tacitly gotten to know the platform.”  Dunno why but the X-Pro2's EVF looks different than the X-T2's.  It was explained to me that the X-Pro2's is/was a TFT and the X-T2 is an OLED.  Guess that explains why.

Even though I know the X-T2’s rear screen has less resolution than the X-Pro2, it rendered files to chimp beautifully.  I’ll give up whatever the minuscule difference is to have a rear screen that articulates, too.  It’s one thing I really missed having used the X-Pro2 for so long.  I guess if you have an articulating screen you have to give up a little reso because it has to be inherently thinner.

While the X-Pro2 focuses better than the X-T1, the X-T2’s AF is better than the X-Pro2.  Even though I’m not a sports-guy I found AF-C focus tracking to be as good my Nikon D4s.  No, I don’t have a D5; I have no reason to ever buy one.  I’m sure they’re lovely.  I’m over the whole full-frame (whatever that really means) vs. APS-C debate.  If you’ve enjoyed anything Hollywood has put out for the last while, it’s more than likely shot on an Arri Alexa, which has a sensor size very very close to APS-C (within a millimeter).  If it’s good enough for those kings of visual schlock, it’s good enough for me.

Bigger costs more.  It’s not any different in the sensor world.  Bigger sensors cost more money.  I’m not sure spending $6500 on a Nikon D5 is going to do anything for me except waste valuable resources.  Editors nor clients have ever said, “the quality isn’t good enough.”  Actually, much to the contrary.  Clients love the skin tones that come out of the Fujifilm X-T2.  I just heard about a client that actually wanted “the look” of what Canon does so the photographer had to get a whole Canon kit Fedex’d because he is a Nikon shooter.  Like they say in used car sales, “There’s an ass for every seat.”  Perhaps that client needs to be introduced to lovely Fujifilm files?

While there is a slight difference in unscharfen bereichen — another word for bokeh, a word I refuse to use — or out-of-focus areas when shooting wide open between full-frame and APS-C, I don’t think it really matters.  It hasn’t hampered me from shooting gigs and assignments.  Zack explains it the best.

When you hold the X-T2 in your hands you can feel the quality that goes into building it.  Wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the little push button locks on the shutter speed and ISO dials but learned to love them.  Not only that but the detents on things like shooting modes and compensation are much stronger.  I don’t think I cursed at it once for going into "Toy Camera" mode.  I’ve also dropped one of the X-T2’s several different times.  Once its strap was tangled with a Nikon and it went from the seat of a car to the floorboard to the curb to the street.  Another unfortunate time it went from the dashboard bouncing off the gear selector to the floor board.  That time I saw some weirdness in the EVF but it’s almost as if it self-healed.  The last and least graceful crashes to the ground involved me tripping in an airport and the X-T2 dropping to the carpeted floor and sliding a few feet.  It’s still going although I’m using another one that’s less “pre-production-y.”

I’ve found all of the Fujifilm digitals I’ve used to be extremely durable.  I don’t mean to break things; it just happens.

I’d hate to be in the camera blimp manufacturing business because those are all but irrelevant unless you’re a total dinosaur.  In electronic shutter mode they’re absolutely silent.  Was walking around DTLA one day and was stopped on the sidewalk so they could shoot a take.  When I looked for the A-Camera I saw the unit shooter using his Sony without a blimp.  Although I didn’t shoot the X-T2 on a film set, I did happen to use it during a live performance at the St. Louis Opera Company.  I was told I was the only one in twenty-plus years to do that.  When I showed the director how quiet it is he didn’t believe I actually made any frames.  A Leica sounds like an explosion compared to the X-T2 or even the X-Pro2 in electronic mode.  Another way -- besides their old sensors -- Leica is completely behind the times, especially for a manufacturer that claims they're so silent. 

Love the fact that the card slot door is so much better than the “flappy thing” used on the X-T1.  Having dual UHS slots is really nice as well.  

I know people bitch about the camera not having a GPS radio built in but hopefully those in the U.S. military find out because they actually require the cameras they use NOT to have onboard GPS capabilities.  Perhaps that’s why I’ve never seen a U.S. Air Force-guy with a Canon?  Fujifilm’s government sales should take note.  I still use the Fujifilm app on an iPhone for GPS tagging when I need that.

Like the X-Pro2 I loved seeing that I could control the AF focus areas with a joystick.  Such a great addition.  My Nikons have it but my Nikons are significantly more expensive than this “little $1600 camera body."

Coming from using several X-T1’s as my secondary — and many times primary — bodies I didn’t think there was “much to fix.”  They worked perfectly for me in every situation where I didn’t have to use some behemoth of megapixels such as my D810 or Phase back.  Of course, there were the dials that moved a bit easily, the mode buttons that would move over to “toy camera mode” a bit too much or the card doors that were a little flimsy.  None of those problems precluded me from making the photos I needed to make.

Fujifilm made the next iteration of the X-T1 even better in my opinion.  Not to mention the fact it’s so much lighter than the behemoth Nikons I shoot.  My shoulders appreciate it.  Oh, yeah, that little diopter control dial on the left side of the “prism bump” (which doesn’t have a prism) could use stronger detents.

Having the lovely joystick that controls the AF point just like my Nikons is great but the one thing that some of my Nikons have and the X-T2 does not … is … voice tagging.  Besides the need for a powerful on-camera flash I also need voice tagging to help editors (and myself) with the captioning part of many of my assignments.  Writing stuff down is so 1999.  You guys have done it before so it can’t be that tough.  

The “big guys” will see that as a shot across their bow and it’s going to be funny as hell when they realize a company they “never saw as a competitor” is taking some of their market share.  Mirror boxes are not the future yet I don’t think they’ve “seen that memo yet.”

Another reason I “kept the Nikons around” for was video and motion photography.  Normally, I just put it on 24p and forget about it because I hardly needed to over crank.  If I really needed it I’d use 50p and then slow it down another 40% in Final Cut.  Would I like to have 96p to make over cranking that much easier?  Sure.  It’s kind of a shame that Fujifilm hasn’t put out some kind of video-centric grip together like the Panasonic GH4 has with the YAGH interface unit.  Although I didn’t shoot anything I’m going to show here, I did make some test videos and they look amazing.  

The AF focus tracking also worked very well in video mode.  I was kind of shocked.  I could never imagine any of my Nikons working that well.  Having a friend walk down the street as I used the joystick to nudge the AF point in the direction they were walking nailed focus every time. 

It’s great to see that Fujifilm isn’t just relying upon their past successes and becoming complacent.  They’re continually moving forward and giving us better and better stuff.  I don’t know of any manufacturer that works so hard at newer and better firmware making our jobs/hobbies that much easier.  

Oh, wait, how about dual battery chargers?  The big guys won’t like seeing that either.

Really don’t need to talk about ISO performance as I believe I covered it when I talked about the Fujifilm X-Pro2, which I loved.

How about some photos?  I've processed these very minimally.  In fact, all of these were shot as in-camera JPG files.  I know ... everyone talks about how good Fujifilm JPG's really are.  They are amazing.  Yes, I prefer to work on RAW files but I don't mind working their JPG's coming out of Fujifilm cameras ... nor should you.  I just had no time to process RAWs. :)

Nick Jonas Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

"Things will be fine" Dinosaur, Los Angeles Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Frank Jackson doing Frank Jackson-things.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

There were giant inflatable rabbits all over DTLA a while back.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 16/1.4

People actually brave the stench of stale urine and go to DTLA.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 16/1.4

Also

Where you can find a Cavalier King Charles, surprisingly.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 16/1.4

Always airports.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

The Opera Theatre of St. Louis' "Shalimar the Clown"  Fujifilm X-T2 and 16/1.4

The Opera Theatre of St. Louis' "Shalimar the Clown"  Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

The Opera Theatre of St. Louis' "Shalimar the Clown"  Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

The Opera Theatre of St. Louis' "Shalimar the Clown"  Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

The Opera Theatre of St. Louis' "Shalimar the Clown"  Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Salman Rushdie at The Opera Theatre of St. Louis' "Shalimar the Clown"  Fujifilm X-T2 and 16/1.4

The Opera Theatre of St. Louis' "Shalimar the Clown"  Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

The Opera Theatre of St. Louis' "Shalimar the Clown"  Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Did some product-y stuff, too.  Hensel Porty strobe.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 60/2.4 Macro (if you're easily triggered, just scroll past)

Hensel Porty strobe.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 60/2.4 Macro

Hensel Porty strobe.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 60/2.4 Macro

Hensel Porty strobe.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 60/2.8 Macro

Hensel Porty strobe.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 60/2.8 Macro (Battle Arms Development take-down pins are amazing)

Hensel Porty strobe.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 60/2.4 Macro

Hensel Porty strobe.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 60/2.4 Macro (that Surefire P3X Fury is ridiculously bright)

Another great cup at Copa Vida. Fujifilm X-T2 and 23/1.4

Baby pinot noir.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Things you don't see in California.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

If you say so.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Burbank.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Smoke and cars.  Summer in L.A. Fujifilm X-T2 and 16/1.4

Makes the summer better.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Girl boss.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

The closest I get to shooting sports.  AF-C did nice!  Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

They're actually pretty fast. Ish.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

She's always the fastest!  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

One of those nights I suppose.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Ubiquity.  You don't need full-frame for lovely unscharfen bereichen.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Whenever you fly in a Robinson and live it's a great day!  Fujifilm X-T2 and 16/1.4+polarizer

Teenage pinot noir.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

More teenage pinot noir.  X-T2 and 35/2.0

More lovely late-day light on teenage pinor noir from Wädenswil clones. Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

A moment and a sun star.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Waiting for customers.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Those lovely pinot noir grapes grow up to die for us.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Old glory.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

When one is in the PacNW one drinks coffee.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Lovely sour cherries are found up there, too.  FujiFilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

"But rent is really expensive now."  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

The incomparable Ryan Muirhead, his empty taco (vege) bowl and his tattoo.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Just a dude playing piano on a street.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Met my dog's litter brother in an airport.  Small world.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Time to bail. Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Moses invests.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

I'm sure he'd rather have been taking my finger off.  X-T2 and 35/2.0

Pretty Los Feliz sunset.  Fujifilm X-T2.

Thoughts.  X-T2 and 35/2.0

More thoughts.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

And more thoughts at the Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus.  Fujifilm X-T2 and 35/2.0

Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Wild Belle (amazing) at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Wild Belle at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Wild Belle at AAnnenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Nas at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Nas at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8 (some LED-type lighting and the electronic shutter don't play well together)

Nas at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Nas at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Nas at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Nas at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Nas at Annenberg Foundation Sound in Focus. Fujifilm X-T2 and 50-140/2.8

Yes, indeed, you can tell that I love the 35/2.0.  If you don't have that particular lens, you should buy it.  I mean it's almost free.  I used it along with the venerable 50-140/2.8, the 23/1.4 and 16/1.4.  All of those are very similar focal lengths to what I normally use for work with the Nikons.  I can definitely see the day when I don't use Nikons any longer because these Fujifilm digitals (X-T2 and X-Pro2) are fantastic. 

They're not just fantastic for work but also for just walking around doing some street or when you travel.  The thought of ever bringing a gigantic Nikon D-SLR on vacation or travel (unless it's work) makes my shoulders hurt just thinking about it.  Taking the grip off of the Fujifilm X-T2 makes for an extremely capable platform that can make any photo that's in front of you.

Cannot wait to see what they do with the 23/2.0.  I think, though, I'd love for Fujifilm to do another iteration of their 23 and 35 in 1.4 with faster focusing motors.  I have a feeling they're pretty busy.

With more and more newspaper staffs laying off employees, wires firing staff and such I think that the day of the $6-7K D-SLR flagship is coming to an end.  For the price of one body a photographer can get an X-T2 and several lenses and be ready to shoot.  Honestly, I think wire services are going to wise up soon, too.  There's no need to spend $20K to outfit any one photographer.  While Nikon and Canon rest on their laurels companies such as Fuji and Sony are just killing it. 

A lot of people were waiting with anticipation for this camera and I see why:  It's fantastic.  Again, well done, guys!  You continue to make my shoulders thank you.

***This post, its text and photographs, is not intended to be included in posts by ANY aggregator site unless specifically authorized in writing.***

i didn't actually plan to do this...

Honestly, I can’t believe I remembered my password much less my username to log onto my typepad account.  It’s been almost two years since I’ve written anything here.  My friend Randall saw me in Venice walking to a gig and he said, “When are you ever gonna write something new.”  He named my last blog post but, seriously, I have no idea what it was.  I’m actually shocked typepad was still here when I went to my blog.  I’d suspect old people with gardening blogs probably use the service. Gardening is the number one hobby in the States.

I remember sitting in Central Park talking about street photography with Severin awhile back.  The topic of popularity, social media and what kind of people are attracted to that in the context of photography.  We both agreed that it takes a lot of effort to post content every day.  One has to be committed.  I just don’t know any constantly working photographer who has that kind of time.  It’s not just the work.  It’s the marketing of oneself to one’s clients to keep up the flow of work.  That takes time.  

I’d rather makes photos for clients than spend time racking up likes and followers.  Thinking of running a blog-slash-forum actually turns my stomach.

That, in a nutshell, is why I haven’t blogged a lot … well … at all.  The page views aren’t important to me.  In fact, I’d rather post a stream of photos, which I do much more regularly than write blogs.  

I mean if that’s what you want to do and if that’s how you feel relevant in photography … by all means.  Making photos for clients allows me to make photos for myself; I prefer it that way.

I still like to share photos.

I/we have been working on an update or answer or whatever to “Documenting the Human Condition” as well.  Editing video is a joy.  A week or so ago someone rushed up to me on the street trying to scare me and said, “Give me your Leica, pal.”  I knew him.  He introduced me to his friend who said he was a video editor to which I said, “So you have no life, enjoy tedious bullshit, rendering and you live in a black hole?”

“Something like that.”  Yeah, that’s how I feel about video editing.  But instead of responding to blog/forum comments or endlessly promoting oneself on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram I’d rather do something more fulfilling.  Fulfilling to me, at least.

We shot footage in a lot of different cities in a few different countries on a few different continents over the past three or four years.  Human Condition was way too Leica-centric for my taste.  But whatever I didn’t know any better at the time.  I think it'll be done this year.  I’d say the appearance of a Leica played a pretty small part in the current project.  

The only Leica I use is my venerable MP which has been loaded as of late with CineStill film.  Shooting street with the M9 taught me that there were more than a few instances where I really liked what I saw in color unlike always having b/w film loaded in the MP.  The Fujifilm X-Pro1 solidified it because I didn’t have to focus and the files the X-Trans sensors make are fantastic.  I’m so used to shooting Nikon D4’s and D800’s and before that Canon 1Ds Mark 3’s and 1D Mark 4’s and their terrific autofocus. I wanted that option when I was using a rangefinder-ish body. The Fujifilm X-T1 isn't a rangefinder-ish body in the way the X-Pro1 is but it's definitely different. 

I still get asked if the X-Pro1 is a film camera.  No, not by photographer-photographers but like laypeople.   After almost two years I can say that I beat the crap out of my X-Pro1.  It has dropped to tarmac on at least a few occassions from at least a couple of feet.  There is NO WAY I could have done that with an M9.  No way.  It'd still be getting fixed.  I’m sure the X-Pro’s resale value wouldn’t be too high, though.  But whatever.  She served her purpose more than well.    

It’s nice having AF; I don’t care what the hardcore Leica-users say.  The only place they’re absolutely relevant is largely to themselves within their specialist forums with a couple thousand users.  They have their heroes.  Their heroes like to measure sharpness by shooting hoses in their yards.  I guess that’s real world to someone.  It's funny the difference between the "real world" my friends and I have and the "real world" of enthusiasts/forum photographers.

I can honestly say I’ve never shot a hose in my yard nor patio furniture nor any trees for that matter unless I'm paying homage to enthusiasts.

Recently, I've been using the Fujifilm X-T1.  I’d heard rumors on enthusiast sites that “mirrorless was going to replace the D-SLR.”  I always laughed when I read that.  My only experience with a mirrorless EVF was the X-Pro1.  It has an optical and EVF mode.  I used them each about half of the time equally.  I didn’t mind the EVF at all.  I thought I’d hate it but I didn’t.  Did I ever think an EVF/mirrorless camera would replace my D-SLR’s?  No way.  None of my shooter-homies shoot mirrorless.  Perhaps they have a point-and-shoot for throw-away snaps or even an iPhone but no way could it replace one of our D-SLR’s.

I also hear “...but full-frame is always better than a cropped sensor.”  I shot cropped sensors for years.  It never bothered me.  It never hindered me from getting a frame I needed.  I got published plenty.  I guess I just don’t need full-frame for everything I do.  If I really need what full-frame is truly capable of, I’m going to shoot a 16-bit RAW out of a Phase back, which no D-SLR can match.

When talking about the X-Pro1 I’d heard people also say, “It’s only 16 megapixels.”  I’d ask them, “That’s going to hold you back from getting a two-page spread in a magazine?”

“I don’t shoot for magazines; I just post to my blog and flickr.”

“Well … I think 16 megapixels will be fine.”  I’ve made beautiful 16 x 20 and larger prints with 16 megapixel X-Pro1 files on the Epson 9890.  They’re gorgeous.  Color and monochrome.  

When I held a pre-production sample of the X-T1 I had no predisposition about how I’d feel about it.  When I put it up to my eye, though, I had never seen an EVF like that.  No optical finder option at all.  First time I’d ever had a camera like that in my hands. I knew I couldn’t post anything so I just made a few random frames to check a few things.  No, I didn’t find any hoses laying around the hotel to shoot.  I looked, though.

A few weeks later I got to use a proper X-T1.  Same battery as the X-Pro1, which was nice.  Same menus except for some additional WIFI modes.  The EVF, again, was the first thing that absolutely blew me away aside from the build quality.  I know it’s way better than what I saw in the 1.4 mp EVF Leica rebrands and sticks on their M240.  In fact, the EVF in the Fujifilm X-T1 is almost double the resolution of the Leica EVF and the Fuji is OLED. The AF was significantly faster than anything I’d used extensively from Fujifilm, meaning the X-Pro1.  The X100s has pretty zippy AF but I didn’t use that camera very often. 

After making a few frames I put on my glasses and looked at the beautiful monitor, which seems better than the X-Pro1 as well and was amazed it nailed focus so consistently.  Again, no, I didn’t run outside and find the first hose to photograph.  I did make a photo of a pretty rain drop – yes, it rains here once in a while – on a branch.

Homage to you backyard tree shooters and gear reviewers.  

Took the Metro – yes, we actually have public transit in Los Angeles other than than buses with pee-stained seats – and shot downtown.  Took it with me pretty much everywhere because I always have something to shoot with.

As long as I picked the perfect spot to use AF with the X-Pro1 it was cool.  The X-T1, however, locked on  anything.  So fast it's mental.  I still use a center AF and recompose.  I know my Nikons will focus just about anywhere there are AF patches but I still use the center. I've just always just used the center.  I'm old.  Same goes the same with how I focus with the X-T1.

Yeah, I know: I hate when cars are in photos.  Rinz hates them, too.  But random mariachis (sp?) are pretty common in Los Angeles.

What I like about a small-ish camera like the Leicas I’ve used is that it’s not like putting a D4, D800 or some other huge D-SLR to my face to make a frame.  Even though the X-T1 has a bump on the top part, which usually signifies some type of prism (there’s no prism in there), it’s still a diminutive camera.  The shutter is way quieter than any digital Leica I’ve ever used.  It’s about the same as the X-Pro1.  I’m not buying a db meter to find out the difference.   

I like surreptitious frames.  The X-T1 helps me achieve that kind of photograph by boiling itself down to the essentials.  Honestly, having had the Nikon Df in my hands I can say that Fuji did what Nikon wished they could have done.  The X-T1 is almost half the weight of the Df. The MP with the Summilux-M 35/1.4 ASPH is far heavier than the little X-T1 with any lens other than the Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS.  That isn’t to say that it doesn’t feel nice in your hands.  It has that little bit of heft like the iPhone 5, which lets you know it’s made very well.

I guess they weren’t too busy.  Then again, it was an odd time during a weekday.

 

I’m not totally sure I would have raised my camera to my face and pointed it at this dude.  I’ve never had a camera that had a rear monitor that tilted.  For the much-vilified hipshot it sure is useful.  I was surprised I liked that aspect so much.  Who knew.

In this low-light situation I don’t think the X-Pro1 would have liked it so much.  The X-T1, well, it nailed the face in the window three frames in a row.  I think in any low-light situation you really have to pick your AF area wisely.  AF likes contrast.  Granted, with the MP I could have nailed it no matter what but that’s one of the places a rangefinder really shines.

Spot-metering works extremely well, too, nailing the exact shutter speed I would have picked manually.  I know, I know, I’m supposed to get out my physical spot meter and take a real reading.  My bad. I'm supposed to use a color checker, too, right!?  All real photographers never leave home without one. ;)

I’m not bagging on the AF of the X-Pro1 at all.  I knew how to make it work for me.  The X-T1 is seriously in a whole other league.  I would sometimes have had to double-check the focus on the X-Pro1 monitor.  Ya' know ... just to check.  There was no AF-hunting with the X-T1 on the man’s face at all in the above photo.  I didn’t believe it, checked focus on the monitor, zoomed in and was impressed. 

I still have no idea what a benevolent society is.

I don’t think I’d ever try on a hat.  It kinda creeps me out.  Happy these two were enjoying it.  We also talked about how to make carnitas.  I’ve learned three random facts about carnitas by asking three random people.  Each of them has said, though, “You must cook it really really slow.”

I know for a fact that firecrackers are illegal in Los Angeles County if not all of Caifornia.  The dude frame left lit pack after pack of various sizes with impunity.  It was the weekend after Chinese New Year and they were still going.  LAPD acted like nothing was going on.  Love city cops!

A whole store and they sell pandas accessories.  I had no idea there was market interest like this.

I wasn’t ever able to look at RAW files (.raf) because as of the night of 19 February neither Adobe or Apple (or Phase) had any update including the X-T1.  Each file, sorry, photo, was an in-camera jpg.  That being said Fujifilm appears to crank out very pleasing jpg’s.  Best coffee in Los Angeles on this corner.  Just FYI.  They don’t serve sugar or any standard Dumb Starbucks condiments.

This is my friend’s latest rescue.  He’s pretty amazing.  They found him wandering the streets.   The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R Lens makes lovely frames.

I also had the Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS.  Normally, I use this kind of lens for atmosphere photographs during assignments.  It’s definitely not something I would carry with me.  Knowing that lens is available, though, is quite nice.  When I used the M9 as an ambient body one of the biggest issues was super-wide glass.  Not just 24mm or 21mm … but wide-wide. It just wasn't available. 

Not to mention the extra accessory grip.  It makes it look like a bit smaller FM2 with a winder.  Having extra battery life is nice, too.  Anything besides a D4’s battery is less-than-optimal for me.  I can make over 5000 frames on one charge.  It seemed as though I got about 200-250 frames per charge with the X-T1.  I have several batteries – as I do with every camera I own – so it’s not a huge issue for me.  Gotta think that gorgeous EVF sucks a little energy.  Everyone should have at least four batteries.

I was interested to see what the continuous focus AF mode was like.  I tried it only a few times with the X-Pro1.  It’s not a camera format I mentally associate with continuous.  If I need focus-tracking, I use a Nikon.  I didn’t shoot any sports with the X-T1 but subjects I shot moving toward me or away from me were surprisingly tack.

I think I made four or five frames on Continuous Low and it was properly focused on each one.  I just don’t use that mode of AF.  I guess it’s nice to know that if I really need it this camera can deliver.  I’m almost positive homeboy had been drinking.  Driving a rascal on the sidewalk after drinking and then talking on the phone.  We have it all in L.A.

People always duck and look more asinine than if they would have just walked through the frame.

If you’re near Sunset and Alvarado, you can find free records.

Or all sorts of religious items if you’re into that.

Or a random fire suit and whatever that is frame right.

Or a motel room by the hour.

Or … whatever the hell that is in the window.  Sunset is very colorful.

Instead of going into the backyard and finding a hose or snow-covered law furniture I texted my friend and actress, Cody Kennedy, and asked her if she wanted to do a shoot.  I’m not a huge fan of the Hallmark holiday that screws with the self-confidence of insecure single girls.  I had an idea.  

The available light was spilling in frame right so I diffused a surprisingly bright LED by Simple Studio Lighting (Photo Video 1344 LED Light Panel) to “extend the available light.”  This thing is kind of a brute force kind of LED; I've diffused it everytime I've used it.  I get sick of strobe all the time.  Dunno wny.  Continuous is so much more fun.

Our winter light is almost over.  Soon we’ll be back to that brassy up and down stuff we get for a while.  I wish we had winter light all the time. 

The premise was that she was pensively readying herself for a Valentine’s day date.  All girls wait by pools in their bra waiting for a text.  #normal

I tried to use the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R Lens as much as I could.  Whether it's wide open or any other f/stop I found it to be excellent.  Reminds me of the out-of-focus areas unscharfen bereichen I get from one-four Nikon glass.  I just can't bring myself to use the word bokeh.  It gives me the same reaction as some girls I know when they hear the word moist. 

I used the same kind of diffusion as I did for the first shot but with different light.  A kind gaffer on a set where I was doing unit photography explained a concept for me and I use it quite often.  When the ambient light is one thing or another I try and use the same color temperature.  This scene was predominately tungsten so I used a Mole Richardson 1K Baby Solarspot.  Yes, I could have gelled up the LED with CTO but I didn’t. A gel plus diffusion cripples the output. 

We had access to more clothes than I think is healthy.  I've seen stylists racks but this was outta control.

Harsh I know.  My poor subject gets the text of death on Valentine’s.

Clearly, the text wasn’t taken well.

I used the same 1K Baby Solarspot Mole outside next to the window and blocked out most of the spilling ambient daylight with two four-by bottom floppies on C-Stands.

Even shooting into a mirror the X-T1 focused where I wanted every time.

As a note I haven’t color-graded these at all.  Levels, contrast and perhaps tweaking the color temperature/hue or adjusting the exposure level is all I did.  I wanted to show what was possible in-camera with only light adjustments in Aperture … on a broken MacBook Pro.  An old one to boot.

Cody was beyond brilliant!  Thank you again!

We wrapped in about two and a half hours.  Everything I asked the X-T1 to do it did.  Everything I asked Cody to do she gave me.  Love working with professionals.

That’s another thing.  There’s this new type of SD card called Exceria Pro by Toshiba that writes at 240 MB/s (reads at 260).  Ridiculous.  I have fast CF cards and even faster XQD’s that I use in the D4’s.  This is on the same level as the XQD it seems.  I did a burst of about five frames and didn’t even see the drive light on the camera body light up.  I actually wondered if it actually recorded the frames.  

Valentine’s Day dinners were in full swing at the restaurants. 

When I write a blog I use Word and make notes as to what photo to insert in brackets.  My bracket for this photo was [enormous breasts and desert].  ‘nuf said.  And, honestly, I have no idea if I took this or my homie Bert did.  Mai Tai's were involved.  He won Best Director at the Pasadena International Film Festival.  Congrats, again, man!

I don’t think I shot anything at 3200 ISO.  I have this mental block to never go past 1600.  If I have fast enough glass, which Fuji definitely has, about all I need is 1600.  And the X-T1 has a clean 1600.  I wouldn’t expect any less because the X-Pro1 did very well at high ISO’s. 

Fuji’s got this app called Fujifilm Camera Remote that I downloaded from iTunes.  It took a little bit of getting used to it.  It has four programs:  Remote Control, Receive, Browse Camera and Geotagging.  Between all of those programs it cancels your connection and you have to reselect the camera’s WIFI from the iPhone.  That was my only issue with it.  As long as you work within one particular program it was pretty robust.  You have to reconnect within each of the four programs in the Remote app.

Although it doesn’t have a GPS radio, you can get GPS data from an iPhone and embed it into the EXIF on the X-T1.  I do a lot of location scouting and don’t have to take a reference photo with the iPhone any longer.  Yes, I know I can buy a GPS radio for one of the Nikons but I never did.

Browse Camera is cool because I can transfer a photo to the iPhone instead of using the iPhone’s camera.  I know you can control the iPhone's camera pretty well but I still prefer using a “real camera,” whatever that means.   I pulled a few photos from the X-T1 to my iPhone, adjusted them in VSCO and posted to Instagram pretty fast. 

I have no idea what Receive does within the app but I’m going to assume it receives something.

Wish my Nikons did this kind of stuff.  There are always situations where a client wants something immediately.  Being able to send a file from my iPhone to my client will be more than helpful.  Except once you spoil them there’s no going back.  Ya’ know kind of like showing them how well you can do video b-roll with D-SLR’s.  

On the X-Pro1 I had the Fujifilm 18mm f/2.0 XF R on it at least seventy percent of the time.  On the MP or the M9 I primarily use a 35 ‘lux.  The Fujifilm 18mm f/2.0 XF R is the closest prime Fujifilm had available at the time.  I knew the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R was available at a certain point but never got one.  The Fujifilm 18mm f/2.0 XF R’s angle of view was interesting because it was just that little bit wider that I didn’t normally use on my street/personal Leica.  In fact, because of using that 28mm on the Fuji I'd buy one for the MP if Leica ever does a Summilux-M 28/1.4 ASPH. It would represent the last Leica lens I ever buy. I'll bet if one ever comes out it's at least six grand.

I've recently been using the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R and feel like I’m looking through an old friend.  It’s funny how we find that focal length that we like more than other focal lengths. 

 No idea what was going on behind the curtains.

It’s also odd that I never really got around to buying the normal set of ND filters I normally have for whatever system I’m shooting.  The day I received the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R I also received the requisite set of filters from B&H for the Fuji glass.  It was so funny when I tried to shop local.  “Can I get 52mm and 62mm in either Hoya or B+W 1, 2 and 3 stop ND’s”?

“You really should be using Heliopan.”

“Yeah, okay.  B+W and Hoya have always treated me well.  So have the Schneider Cine ones.” 

“With that beautiful Fuji glass I’d really put Heliopan on it.”

He starts rattling off prices and I’m B&H’ing the prices on my iPhone. 

“That’s the best you can do?”

“Yeah.”

I turned the phone around so he could see that B&H’s prices were about thirty percent less.  The Fuji lenses I have use 52mm, 62mm and 72mm (for that super-wide zoom which I already have because they're the same size on many Nikon lenses, too).  I don’t use dial-a-stop ND’s even though I’ve heard they’re good. 

I like using an ND filter when I'm shooting digital so that I can open up a bit and sometimes give my subject a bit of diferentiation from the background.  I remember when I loaned my Noctilux to a workshop instructor who was a friend at the time.  He looked at the front of the lens and saw the 3-stop B+W filter and said, "Why do you have that on there?"  I thought everyone knew what an ND was.  I mean especially by someone who teaches Leica owners.  I hear since that day he's been all about using an ND.

I’m so happy to have a 35-equivolent on my ambient body.  Sometimes I really missed that extra stop when using the Fujifilm 18mm f/2.0 XF R.  

Although I didn’t expect the build quality of the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R to be anything but well-made, it’s not until you get it in your hands that you see what a great job Fujifilm did. 

When I was mentally proofreading this to see if I missed anything I couldn’t believe that I almost blanked out about something I saw.  The local news in LA starts off with the first five minutes telling us who was brutalized, who was run-over, who was shot, who was whatever.  This day was no different.  There was a story about a nineteen year-old girl who was shot by her boyfriend who then went on the run but turned himself in at the behest of his mother who witnessed the shooting in her apartment.  I looked it up on my iPhone and saw they were having a candlelight vigil for the slain girl.

It’s only a few blocks away.  

It could be a world away, actually.  

His sister was brutally murdered the night before.

And the “news people” stood around to get their eleven o’clock content.  They’re so formulaic and predictable.  They were literally bitching at each other to get their interviews first so they could finish up and go home.  Each time homie was asked to recount his story he cried.  It was sad to watch.  

I was making this frame and thinking, “My kid never had to see this kinda shit.  I never grew up seeing this kind of shit for that matter.  But it happens right around the corner.”  How does that affect you growing up?

The little camera I was holding didn’t make me stand out at all even with the grip.  I shot the photos with the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R and the Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 XF R.  They both performed lovely.  When the ENG (electronic news gathering) guys get “their content” I don’t think their mannerisms, methods and equipment lend anything to being surreptitious.  Your subjects will almost always be reacting to the massive equipment you’re using to document the situation. Putting a ultra-bright spot light in someone's face is never a way to get true emotion.

After I made a few frames I asked, “Did you know her?”

“She was my neighbor.  She was so nice.  I haven't seen her for a month or so.”

Any blur is not the AF.  It was the fact I was at an 1/8^th wide open and 1600 ISO.  There’s no mirror floppin’ around, which makes shooting slower shutter speeds easier. But 1/8th's and 1/4's can sometimes be a little tricky handheld.  Not that I'd bring a tripod with me. I could always just bite the bullet and shoot 3200 I guess.

Luckily, these subjects were lit so that I could be at a 30th.  Looking right of that group I saw a frame I wanted but knew I’d never get it at an eighth.  I thought I could use that extra shutter stop.  So I went to 3200.  Not only that but the Fujifilm X-T1 performs very well in low-light (I don't have the AF focus assist beam turned on).  AF-hunting depends upon the skill of the photographer knowing where to select focus.  At least I think so.  I find that some complain about their system's AF ability because they don't know how AF works and they expect it to work under any circumstance.

I got the extra shutter stop I needed by going up to 3200.

I left but got one more frame.

When I looked through the EVF I saw the lines on the girls hand when I went to focus.  I can now say that if I really really really need 3200 I’m pretty confident shooting it that high with this camera.

Sent the photos I posted here for online printing and delivery to the family of the slain teenager.  In a neighborhood where pit bulls roam the streets – happened during the vigil – and life is a little tougher than many other places ... there was a kind energy in that little part of the world.  It’s too bad it had to happen because of the death of some girl who hadn’t seen the best part of her life yet.

I still can’t believe I like a mirrorless camera body.  The OLED viewfinder is just amazing.  From the analogue dial on the top for exposure compensation – it doesn’t move as easy as the X-Pro1 – to the ISO and shutter speed knobs the X-T1 just feels like someone finally got it right.  It doesn’t have a cable release-type shutter button.  I know that’s gonna piss off some.  My Nikons don’t have one either.  I think that’s one of the reasons it felt so good in my hands. It feels quicker making photos than the X-Pro1.  I'll just use Camera Remote to trip the camera without touching it.

How many times has any of my Nikons been mounted on a tripod?  Probably count it one hand.  Never put the MP’s or M9’s or the X-Pro1 on a tripod.  The only reason I’d ever need a cable release was if it was tripod-mounted.  So … I see no need.  I’m sure there will be some who just have to have a soft-release.  Although my friend Gandy gave me several of them, I believe they’re still in some random box containing random unused accessories.  I don't know one working photographer who uses a soft release. I always though they were camera jewelry.

Looking forward to making many many more frames with the Fujifilm X-T1.  It’s a joy to use.  Wanna see the RAW files, too.  I’ve been shooting RAW+jpg so that I’ll have the RAW files in the future.  Hopefully, that will be very very soon.  

Figured out that using “Silent Mode” didn’t actually give me all of the AF’s capabilities.  You get essentially the same thing by turning off the beep and the AF-assist beam but the AF is a hair faster when you don't activate Silent Mode.  I have no idea why that is but on both the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and X-T1 it seems faster to me without it.

There's this other palpable different I see with the files from both the X-Pro1 and X-T1:  the colors are so different than the "other CMOS" sensors out there.  There's just something.  They seriously remind me of the colors I loved getting from the CCD sensor on the M9. Ya' know ... up to ISO 640.  There was a "pop" to them that CMOS files just don't seem to have.  Whatever Fujifilm is doing I hope they keep doing it because I get that same pop.

Not once did I take it off auto-white balance.  Granted, I wasn't able to see the files from RAW but the X-T1 did really well.

I used the M-Mount Adapter as well.  On the X-Pro1 I used several Leica lenses with the adapter and was pretty pleased with the results.  It slows shooting down considerably seeing as how the X-System is meant for autofocus especially now with the X-T1's lighting fast AF.  With the X-Pro1 I was able to use assisted manual focusing with a later firmware update including focus peaking.  The X-T1 has a Digital Split Image focusing aid that is spot on and seems faster than the previously mentioned method.  I used my Noctilux-M 50/1.0, which makes it about a 75mm in full-frame parlance.  I just wanted to see how the split image worked and it seemed to be more than adequate.  The OLED EVF makes that aspect of the camera sing.

The X-T1 also comes with a tiny flash but I didn't really check it out yet.

There are definitely going to be situations in future assignments where at least one of the Nikons will be left at home.  I can foresee situations where I could use just the Fujifilm platform and save my shoulders. 

I don’t know why I’m shocked I love this camera as much as I do.  Fuji did A LOT of things right with the X-T1.  And, no, I've never extensively used one of the new Sony's or the Olympus I've heard some things about.  Unless I know a system pretty well I'm not going to talk about it.  No idea how they compare but then again I don't chase gear.  I learn how to use what I have.  It's cheaper that way.  Most working guys I know don't chase gear at all.  

Would have put this on tumblr but doing a long post and tumblr aren’t well suited for each other.   I have no idea how often I’ll post on this blog in the future.  I’d rather spend my time making photos. 

In the comments leave me a website, tumblr or flickr feed or wherever you start posting the photos you're making with the X-T1!  I want to see!  I really want to see what James can do with one!

I hope this finds everyone very well!

Note:  None of the photos or text posted in this entry are intended for use or quotation anywhere but on aphotocontributor.com. 

Digital Kool-Aid.

Let’s see … I know I’m many months late with my impressions of the Fuji X-Pro 1.  I’m sure there were “reviews” before the camera was even released.  Even if there weren’t I’m sure there were thoughts – probably numbering in the thousands – on forum sites.  Quite honestly, I didn’t read any of them.

Then again, I never really do.  How is the experience of a retired engineer or a forum-whore-turned-blogger going to help me?  They’re not.

I got the chance to play with the X100 when I was in Berlin last summer.  Loved how quiet it was.  I wasn’t, however, so happy with its AF focusing ability.  It hunted like the old Nikon AF stuff I shot back in the day with D-series lenses.  It wasn’t quite the same but it hunted.  In daylight it seemed fine but I wanted more than fine.  I compared – at the time – everything AF to the way my Canons performed.  Now, since I’m shooting Nikon digital, I compare everything to that.  And that’s pretty spectacular.

Interestingly I was having “issues” with my digital rangefinder, the venerable yet outdated M9.  There was a time when the M9 was my ambient light body as an accoutrement to the Canons I was using.  For some reason the SD cards would lock up.  I’d get that annoying red “writing light” more than I cared to see it.  Anyone that knows me knows it wasn’t because I was reaching the end of the buffer either.  It’s one thing to happen when you’re shooting for yourself but I also shot that camera system for clients, too.  If it weren’t for clients, I wouldn’t be able to make as many personal photographs.  Each is important yet when someone’s paying you to shoot your equipment must work 100% of the time.

With the M9 that wasn’t exactly the case.  I’m not an M9 hater.  I’m not a Leica hater.  I just think they’ve done boneheaded marketing moves but I still like the company.  I mean … I was one of the original beta-testers of the M9 when it was the P864.  I know I’ve made almost as many frames with that camera system as anyone on the planet.  That folder has in excess of 100,000 photos in it.  Personal street, stuff I shot at the request of engineers on the original design … and work stuff.  The M9’s that went through my hands saw everything from street photos all over the world to Metalica to The Prince and Princess’ visit to California last year.  Speaking of which I was overjoyed that the M9 worked flawlessly on that assignment. 

It tended to do that when the light was good.  When ambient (good CRI only) was 800 or higher and you were about halfway on a battery you’d get banding.  Ya’ know … and even though they released firmware update after firmware update the response I got was “use older cards with it.”  Nikon and Canon have never told me that.  Then again, working photographers DEPEND on their cameras and most who shoot with Leica are more concerned that the strap matches their bespoke jacket and hat. ;)

Last summer my love affair with Leica digital ended.  I started shooting my daytime street photography with my MP almost exclusively.  The lab was happy.  Now, though, the lab is sad because I’m souping my workflow.  From USD22.00/roll to under a dollar.  Way under a dollar.  Forgot how much I loved doing my own analog workflow.

Besides … when I push the release on the MP I know I am making a photo and not possibly doing a battery-pull-reset on the M9 and losing a frame (s) I liked.  I know some – and I used to say in the past – that digital street is heresy.  Well, it’s not.  It’s just different.  I know it’s different for me.  I missed having the ability to reliably shoot a digital rangefinder-ish camera.  That was until this Spring.  I got my hands on the Fuji X-Pro 1.  My only memory of shooting anything Fuji – besides their lovely black and white and E6 film – was the X100.

When I first looked at the initial frames I thought “gone is the nicely rendered CCD colour images from the Kodak sensor.”  They weren’t exactly gone because the Fuji looks different than my Canon and Nikon files.  Not worse.  Different.  They were, again, different than what the M9 produces but … not worse of better.  They’re just different.  And I grew to love those files!  Still do!

Admittedly, most of the colour files from the X-Pro 1 become monochromes via Nik’s Silver Efex Pro 2.  That was one of the things I credit the M9 with:  It got me used to and enjoying street moments in colour.  I like having the option.  Besides … if I showed up to a shoot and told a client, “This camera only does black and white images” I think they’d look at me funny and tell me to use one of the others.  Never quite understood the Leica mM as it’s a solution to a problem that didn’t exist in the first place. 

Unless you’re rich and want the newest fetish in camera wear.  Or, of course, that you really enjoy monochrome HDR images.  You’d be an mM-man.  I have no doubt they’ll sell every single one they make, though.  Funny thing is I know more kids with Canon digital Rebels doing better work than 99% of the guys wearing a Leica.

I found that I enjoyed looking at X-Pro 1 images and making them monochromes in post just as much as the files I saw from the M9.  They were just different.

It always struck me odd that I would use a seven grand camera and have to manually focus it.  Even though the X-Pro 1 was “challenged” in certain light to grab AF on a subject I found that it liked certain areas better than others.  I also found if I used the EVF in the viewfinder it seemed to focus much quicker.  I’m sure if you used this camera for a few days and didn’t know how to work it you’d be a bit frustrated.  Cameras don’t frustrate me.  I just learn their weak points and strong points and use them to the best of their ability.

I got pretty good with the X-Pro 1.

Never had a problem writing to any SD card either!  Old cards.  Newer cards.  The little-ish Fuji wrote to them all (I use only Sandisk cards of the SD or CF variety but use Sony QXD cards in the D4) without the complaint of a batter-pull reset.  In fact, I’ve never had to pull the battery on the X-Pro 1 to stop it from doing something I didn’t want it do.  I heard people say they didn’t like the menus on the X-Pro 1.  I get through them just fine.  Their RAW conversion program is another story altogether, though.  Saw it once and never launched it again.

In the back of my mind I always said, “Oh, but your favourite glass, man:  it’s not gonna look the same.”  My go-to lens on my Leicas is the 1.4/35 Summilux-M.  With film I rarely go above 800.  Funny that with the M9 one couldn’t go over 800 if they wanted useable photos.  The closest lens on the Fuji system was the 18mm f/2.0 XF R.  A stop faster than what I normally use for the ambient body.  Having the ability to shoot the X-Pro 1 at 3200 and 6400 ISO made that extra stop irrelevant.  I could actually shoot in situations I would have just put the M9 back in the bag and forgot about it.  

I found that the 18mm f/2.0 XF R was faster focusing than the 35mm f/1.4 XF R.  Could have been just me but seemed that way.  Both of these lenses are fantastic.  Are they less expensive than the Leicas?  Totally.  They performed every time I asked them to.  The results are beautiful.

It seems Fuji has a pretty good idea how to make excellent lenses.  Are they excellent?  Well … for someone that actually uses them for work … they perform amazing.  I’m not an MTF-freak.  Both the Fuji 18 (about 28mm in full-frame parlance) and the 35 (about 50mm in full-frame) are in my opinion spectacular.  When one factors in the cost associated with them and contrasting them with Leica lenses the difference is staggering.  Is the performance difference staggering?  Well … Fuji’s are AF and the Leicas will probably never be AF.  Ya’ know …. Even though it’s 2012.  Shoot a jumping puppy with an MF Leica digital and see if you can get what you want. 

I heard a quote from Leica back in the day, “We’re not interested in AF:  Our customers know how to focus.”  Think that’s bitten then in the ass to tell you truth.  Leica digital’s footprint on the digital photography landscape is pretty small in terms of users.  I don’t think they’ve ever wanted mainstream acceptance.  They want customers who want to take pictures in Cuba. 

Another thing it seems to me is that Fuji designed a digital rangefinder-ish camera from the ground up instead of trying to appease a group of Leica owners who are older than those sitting on the Supreme Court.  I think that Leica used to think of the photographer first before they became a lifestyle brand but I guarantee Fuji thought of the photographer first.  You can tell by using the X-Pro 1.

I’m done with any digital system that isn’t AF.  Digital should be AF.  Why the hell would anyone want an MF-only digital camera in 2012?  Not only that but when the M9 develops new problems and Leica starts to consider it a “legacy system” I have no doubt they’ll try to just up-sell the customer to their newest model instead of fixing it.  I was genuinely concerned that my M9 would end up a paperweight instead of a viable camera.  That’s one of the reasons I sold it.  I'm not interested in mounting my Leica glass on the X-Pro 1 either unless it's the 2.0/75 Sumicron-M perhaps for tight portrait work.

I’ve gotten literally a hundred emails from guys who ditched their M9’s, bought the X-Pro 1 and have never looked back.  A Leica and “passion for the perfect picture” doesn’t mean you’re going to make great photos.  A camera is a tool.  The photographer makes the photos.  The camera just records what he/she saw.  The X-Pro 1 does that exceptionally well.

Another thing that used piss me off about the M9 is the shutter sound.  An MP it definitely is NOT.  The X-Pro 1 is a whisper compared to the M9.  I like being as inconspicuous with my camera as possible.  The Fuji may be a bit bigger but … it’s way more silent.  The Fuji is way lighter, though.  Does lighter make it more prone to break?  No way.  So far the X-Pro 1 has fallen from the backseat of a car to the ground (2 feet), knocked off my shoulder by the gf (about 3.25 feet to concrete) and a couple feet to a wooden floor.  It's still making fabulous frames and hasn't complained.  It's also been knocked into door jams.  Not on purpose, of course.  I can tell you that when you knock a Leica hard it's going in for an RF adjustment. 

I’d spent more than a few months with the X-Pro 1, gotten used to its AF quirks and still loved what I was seeing.  Then … the engineers did the 2.0 firmware upgrade.  They unleashed a beast.  Fuji makes you update camera firmware AND lens firmware.  Whatever the hell they did made the AF really really good.  I mean … almost great.  I switch back and forth between the optical viewfinder and the EVF and find that they both perform way better than before.  The files write to the cards faster.  I was used to Leica updates and being wholly underwhelmed. 

This update was OVERwhelming.  So nice to see a company actually care about people who want to make beautiful photos instead of appeasing people who wear a camera.

The wake-up time has drastically improved as well.

I couldn’t be happier shooting the X-Pro 1.  When I just “grab and camera” and go I either get the X-Pro 1 or the MP … or lately a Nikon F100 with the 2.0D/35.  If I’m purposefully going to make street photographs I use both the MP and the X-Pro 1.  One of the bodies is normally in my bag, though.  They are nice accoutrements to each other.  Both wholly different but … they’re both amazing in their own ways.

I couldn’t have been happier exiting from the Leica digital upgrade path.  Spending 7K every time they upgraded their lagging technology wasn’t something I was interested in doing.  I’m a photographer; I’m not a fanboy; I’m not into looking like I’m a discerning picture taker.  I was in a Sur La Table in L.A. one day and a check-out clerk seeing the MP says, “Nice camera.  Do you actually use it or carry to be cool.”

I told him he probably had outdated headshots and wasn’t getting the commercial work he hoped for and that he was arrogant.

Seeing the look on his face made me also think he was probably “an improv guy” and was improvising with me in a jocular way. I doubt he’ll do that to another customer.

Honestly, I don’t care if it’s a Leica or a Fuji on my shoulder when I want to make photos.  I make photos because it’s one of the reasons I live not just because I want to look cool wearing a Leica as the king of dilettantes likes to say.

I just want to make the photo I want to make when I push the button.  The X-Pro 1  allows me to do that every single damn time.  Not to mention really silently!  I have more confidence picking up the X-Pro 1  more than I ever did when I wanted to make a photo with the M9.

I’m done drinking Leica’s digital Kool-Aid.  From what I’m hearing so are a lot of others.  Their work isn’t suffering whatsoever.  Neither is mine.

Bravo, Fuji, Bravo!  You guys really went above and beyond.  In fact, I think you guys out-Leica’d Leica.

The only caveat with this camera is that for some reason Apple hasn’t released a Camera RAW update for it.  All of the photos I’ve posted in this entry were processed through Lightroom 4.  I know.  Heresy for a diehard Aperture user.  Perhaps someday… I mean they've never ignored a camera but ... seriously ... wtf?

Beyond having to use Lightroom 4 when doing post on the X-Pro 1 files this is the digital rangefinder-ish camera of choice for me.  My last Leica M9 has a nice new home and I hope that guy is making lovely photographs with it.  

In the eyes of the Kool-Aid drinkers, though, seeing that Fuji on my shoulder must mean that I don't know how to make proper photos ... and that if I could possibly like an affordable camera ... I'm not as cool as they are.  That's all good.  Let them think that ... It's all good with me.

The Fuji does a better job at street photography than the M9 could ever dream of doing. I have a feeling that the market segment that used to only use Leica will "see the light" as it were sooner or later when they're tired of chasing an upgrade path that costs as much as a car.

And if you're a red-dot-Kool-Aid drinker and see the Fuji and think I'm less of a photographer than you are, well, go ahead and keep that "passion for the perfect picture" going on in your head.

Oh, yeah, buy the X-Pro 1 grip-thing, too.  It's way better with it.  And, I'd also get at least one extra battery.  I don't know if it was the battery that was originally sent with it but ... I wasn't too stoked on its performance.  The crappy M9 battery almost seemed good compared to it.  The second battery I ordered seems to be way better.  Funny when you look at those prices.  The battery is half of what Leica would charge and it's probably a better battery.  Who the hell knows what a grip would cost for a Leica but I'm positive the Fuji's grip is at least a cheaper by 80%, too. ;)  Sorry red dot ... the Kool-Aid is starting to taste a bit overly sugary yet rancid.

Cheers from La-La-Land. Best wishes for making nice photos!

p.s., check out my homey Rinzi's work on his blog ... he's uses the X-Pro 1 well. 

Multi Selector slut...

Although I’ve shot Canon for the last 8 years, it wasn’t something when I decided to switch that I thought I’d do forever.  Prior to buying my first Canon Eos 1D all of my professional gear was Nikon and the Mamiya RZ-67 Pro II system.   Prior to that I’d used Canon A-1’s, Canon AE-1’s, a Zenza Bronica EC, Rolleiflex 2.8 and the venerable Pentax K-1000.  I’ve just so dated myself.  Prior to Leica but during my Nikon F4s days I’d shot the Contax G2 system, which was the reason I started shooting Leica M’s.  I don’t want to get off-track but the AF on the G2 system sucked and the MF was practically non-existent.

The day I sold my Nikon F5’s was a sad day.  To be relevant in the market I was then shooting in it was all digital.  Scanning film was finished as part of a serious workflow for most or us.  The Nikon D1 was revolutionary.  It was the first camera – felt a lot like my Nikon F5’s – that wasn’t one of those cobbled-together USD20,000 beasts made by Kodak for Nikon and Canon.  Those bitches weighed a ton and they sucked.   The D1 answered a lot of questions for me … ya’ know … with those massive 128mb and 256mb CF cards.  I think I have enough of those things to actually use them as poker chips.  Could probably complete a set pretty cheap I’d think.  Aren't they like a nickle a piece now?

The 16gb and 32gb XQD cards I’m using now are way more like SxS cards than they are like either CF or SD’s.  Looking forward to seeing video output from the Nikon D4 with hopefully less banding than I saw come out of the Canon 1D Mark 4 when I shot at more than 800 ISO.

Don’t get me wrong the Canon 1D Mark 4’s were great -- we deserved even better, though.  Even though they were crop-frame cameras I found them to be the best Canon had produced.  I know people bitched and moaned about the 1D Mark 3’s inability to handle autofocus well but the only Mark 3’s I had were of the 1Ds-variety; they worked exceedingly well for me.  I punished those things and they all worked as well as I expected them to work.  The 1Ds Mark III also did the best on DxO compared to other Canon bodies.

Unlike the Nikon D1X’s from back in the day that failed on me time after time, it was nice to be using gear that didn’t burn through shutter boxes.  For whatever reason all of my bodies tend to do that frame 9999 reset to frame 0001 around the same time.  Sometimes it’s literally during the same shoot but most often at least during the same day or 24-hour period.   Always seemed odd to me.  During the time I was being told by one of my agencies “you better get a Canon and start using one if you want access to the lens pool:  We’re switching in a couple months” I had not one or two but three D1X’s fail on me.  Funny thing is that I had two 1DX’s fail on me within one two-hour period and one fail the next day.

After returning from the Nikon repair depot I immediately picked up a Canon 1D and the lovely 70-200/2.8.  I thought I’d dip my toe in the Canon world by using it as my ambient body alongside my primary Nikon 1DX’s.  Honestly, I didn’t hate it at all.  The colours were interesting ... different than what I was used to but ... interesting.  The body worked really well.  Even though Canons aren’t know to be “as durable” as Nikons it felt pretty good in my hands. I beat the shit out all of my Canon bodies and they did really really well.  I'd made a Nikon 1DX crumble once so I was pleased.

What didn’t feel good in my hands was that stupid-ass big dial on the back of the Canons.  Gone were the days of truly simple AF sensor selection.  Yeah, I know diehard Canon guys say it’s “just as easy to hit the button and then turn the dial” but I never got into it.  In fact, eight years later I was still not digging it.  It never made sense to me after having used the Multi Selector on the F5 and then on the D1 and D1X I was a Multi Selector slut.  The Sub Selector is pretty damn cool, too. 

One of my Canon-loving friends said, “Say goodbye to easy aperture control, man.”  Oh really!?  You mean the stupid wheel that would rub against my hip and change my stop?  I always like the Sub-Command dial much more for selecting my aperture.  I don’t mind the Main Command dial for Shutter speed at all. The little joystick on the back of the D4 is nice, too.

I will say that going back from Canon’s odd zoom direction has been a bit odd … not to mention the fact putting lenses on bodies is different as well.  I’m hoping this wears off quickly.  Having had Canon bodies and lenses in my hands literally tens of thousands of times over the past eight years has made the Nikons feel much different in my hands.  Feels ergonomically 10x better.

I’m actually pissed at Canon so I’m equating the “difference” of feel … mentally … as a way to deal with how much they pissed me off.  Changing systems is not something many really want to do.  It’s hella expensive and just a pain in the ass.  Cables.  Batteries.  Flash cables.  Not to mention ALL of the lenses.  And … the flashes that are almost approaching the price of proper studio strobe heads – unless, of course, you’re using Alien Bee’s.

As an aside I can’t tell you how many people I know who actually work as photographers who are switching from Canon to Nikon right now.  I’m shocked yet from what I hear there is a flood of guys switching to Nikon.  I don't know anyone who's switching to Canon, though. ;)

I was able to use some Nikon D3s’s during real assignments and commissions – wholly different than wanking about with a bunch of gear geeks at a glorified meet-up and cooing about bokeh.  I prefer the word unscharfen bereich.  I doubt it will catch on, though.  Whatever.  The D3s’s in the real-real world and not what starfucker lackeys call real world … were … brilliant.  Honestly, I’m not sure any manufacturer marketing rep has a qualified eye or they’d be able to see through the equipmentbator-driven page views and stop giving most idiotic blog writers evaluation cameras.  Then again, I consider DPReview and their "cadre of the unqualified" complete shit.

Sorry.  Canon.  The D3s’s did what Canon could not even dream of doing:  Making TTL flash actually work.  In as much as I’d love to never have to use on-camera TTL flash that’s not my reality.  If I did ambient or studio strobe work only, I wouldn’t have been as motivated to switch systems.  Again, that’s not the case and from what I saw with the Nikon D3s and its ability to perform with TTL flash.  It was superb.  Every damn frame.  Perfectly exposed.  Light background, dark subject … perfect.  Dark background, light subject … perfect.  Not having to fight my equipment is a high priority for me.

Funny that when a lot of us were fed-the-fuck-up with Canon’s lackluster TTL flash performance someone from Canon said, “Well, you’re a pro, you should be shooting manual flash.”

So I buy USD500 flash units to shoot friggin’ manual?  Yeah, okay.  Sure.  That makes a lot of sense.  I never used the Nikon D3 and have no idea if it was as good as the D3s but damn was the D3s good.  What I expect from TTL on-camera or even off-camera flash – I doubt Canon will ever get the off- part right – is that 90% of the flash exposures should be spot on.  The Canon 1D Mark 4 was right about 70% of the time during great conditions and much less in questionable conditions.  The original 1D sucked and exposures with flash looked blue/green-ish.  I got over it.  Still hated that stupid wheel but … ya’ know … if you’re in a bad relationship but just don’t want the hassle of breaking up or changing, you just put up with it.  At that point I had a Canon 1D Mark 2 and flash was a bit better but still not great.  The 1Ds Mark III was pretty good but still intermittently bad.  I think the only time I used on-camera or off-camera flash with the 5D or 5D Mark 2’s was when I was seriously dragging the shutter and using the flash pretty much manual so I can’t really say if they sucked as bad as the rest of the bodies.

There was this other thing, too.  I got some email that had CPS on it so I totally thought it was CPS-oriented.   RSVP’d as I was interested in seeing the C300 cine camera Canon was touting.  Turned out it was a Canon Live Learning event yet they spammed their CPS members for good measure.  When I was in line I could tell that perhaps 1 in 50 of these people actually used their cameras to make money.  The rest were lookie-loos taking time off from “forum patrol” or cruising for porn on DOMAI.  That’s totally cool and good for them but I don’t want to be surrounded by these fucking donuts when I want to see some equipment up close and personal.  Besides all of that … they ask the dumbest questions on Earth.  Even though CPS is a pay-to-play service now at least they kind of weed out some of the people and allow real working photographers to actually demo the equipment. 

I’d been playing with the idea of really switching but after that P.O.S. event Canon my decision was solidified.  Actually, though, the odd thing is that my kid bought me a lens coffee mug as one of her Christmas presents to me.  It was a Nikon lens mug.  I asked her “You know I shoot Canon, right!?”

“I thought you said you didn’t always so I bought you that.”

 Fair enough.  I guess it was a sign.

Whilst on the subject of CPS I’m sorry but seriously … you can buy your way in?  Didn’t used to be that way but now … anyone can join and reserve lenses to borrow.  Nikon Professional Services still requires tear sheets, letters from editors, references from other NPS members and approval by NPS.  Sorry I know that sounds exclusionary but it’s way better than buying your way in.  Seriously, it’s kind of like photo schools that don’t require a portfolio for admission.  Same mentality.  I love the fact that NPS requires sponsorship from two current NPS members.  It really does cut down on the rich wannabe’s who just want to flash an NPS card.  Those kinda donkeys also reserve new equipment that could have gone to legitimate working photographers.  Ya’ know … the equipment that’s very tough to get at present.  Many times they're the same ones who get a body or two before the masses and sell them on eBay.

Besides that lame Canon Live Learning bullshit, using the D3s and loving it, the fact my kid bought me a Nikon coffee mug … I left Nikon because the 1DX wasn’t the greatest camera and I sure as hell wasn’t going to be buying a camera with essentially the same name but made by Canon.  Really Canon?  You couldn’t have come up with a better name?  The Eos 1D-X?  I think that Canon's brilliant marketing people must have thought, "It's extreme:  We'll call it the X."   Not only that but I knew it’d be delayed in typical Canon style.  Since the AF is nice on it ... I wonder what friggin' issue they're trying to solve now?  TTL flash perhaps?

I think their success with the 1Ds Mark 3 killer revolutionary 5D Mark 2 made them arrogant.  I’ll never forget them telling me to “shoot manual flash” or spamming me with Canon Live Learning pedantic bullshit all because I was on their CPS list.  Donkeys.  Dumb donkeys.  I feel bad saying that as I like donkeys.

A few weeks ago I had a couple friends over.  One is a staffer from a Canon-shop and the other from a Nikon-shop.  It was hilarious seeing the Canon guy's face when TTL flash exposure after TTL flash exposure on the Nikon D4 was absolutely perfect.

“Think you Mark-fucking-Four can do that, man!?”

He shook his head and the Nikon-shop shooting friend said, “We’re all getting those in a couple weeks.”  Should be interesting to see the stills come out of the Olympics in London soon.  Canon should have released their 1D-X’s long before that event but … no … just a delay. ;)

Since I was swapping systems, I thought a lot about the lenses I was shooting, too.   The standard set up I shot back in my old Nikon days and the current Canon days was the 16-35/2.8, 24-70/2.8, 70-200/2.8, 50/1.4, 85/1.4.  At one time I also had the 300/2.8 but lens pools make it so you don’t have to own that beast or any of the other beasts.  I thought a lot about how I really shot and what I really needed.

I know it sounds like heresy coming from me but … ciao-ciao Zeiss ZE manual focus primes.  Yes, they’re nice but they tended to have lateral fringing when shooting backlit subject matter.  Not only that but when shooting a concert I’m done using manual-fucking-focus unless it’s a Leica body I’m using.  I can’t focus as fast as AF … especially the Nikon AF that’s in the D4.  Jesus.  Amazing.

The one lens I was always pissed I felt like I had to buy was any 24-70/2.8.   For me this lens was what I used when I was commissioned or assigned to shoot some fancy event or party.  No, not on the outside but as the official inside photographer.  I love when I get comments from anonymous commenters saying “you’re a paparazzi.”  Sure, you uninformed forum troll neophyte … I’m a paparazzi.  Anytime any entertainment-related subject is who you’re shooting there is some landscape-only shooting forum troll who thinks you’re a paparazzi. 

I never shot the 24-70 at full 2.8 aperture.  Almost ever.  Seems like a waste of about a grand just to have a two-eight lens that I’ll never use at its fullest potential.  I only ever used this lens at events and whilst on the wide-side was fine with fullframe sensors but a bit tight with crop-frames like the Mark 4 on the long-side it just wasn’t tight enough for me.  This is the lens that would also get beat to shit just from working.  Yeah, beat an almost two grand lens just for the fuck of it.  Fun.

Not only that but the Canon 16-35/2.8 always seemed wonky to me.  Things didn’t look right to me.  I could always tell when I looked at someone’s photo and it was shot with that P.O.S.  Honestly, 16mm never seemed wide enough to me either and what the hell do i want a 2.8/35 anyway.

The 70-200/2.8 Canon lens was pretty damn good, though.  Then again, the one I just replaced it with is just as good if not a bit better at AF.

This time around I purchased the following lenses:

AF-S NIKKOR 
14-24mm f/2.8G ED

AF-S NIKKOR 
24-120mm f/4G ED VR

AF-S NIKKOR 
70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G

AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G

AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D

All of these lenses on the D4 have been superb.  The 14-24/2.8 is ridiculously good.  The 24-120/4 is way better than I expected.  I know a lot of staffers who’ve been given that lens to use and if they love it … I felt I’d probably love it, too.  I do.  The 70-200/2.8 kicks ass as I thought it would.  My past Zeiss ZE primes were great except putting them on one of the best AF platforms to ever hit the planet seemed antithetical.  That … and I’m getting older. ;)  The Nikon 50/1.4 is pretty damn nice and doesn’t seem to lateral fringe like the Zeiss or that P.O.S. Canon 50/1.4 did.  I know.  I know … I should have bought the 50/1.2 or the 85/1.2 for that matter.  Well, I owned the 85/1.2 and found the AF slow as shit.  The 50/1.2 was the same.  Heavy and slow and expensive for what it is/was.  Nikon's newest iteration of the 85/1.4 is so lovely.  I got the 35/2D to shoot on either an F6 or F100 for some street photography. :) Heresy ... shooting an SLR for street, right?  And, no, I didn't opt for the 24 or 35 1.4 Nikon primes. Given the fact the D4 has such good high ISO performance there really was no reason.  Shooting 6400 clean is a gift.  Thank you, Nikon!

Besides … why the hell would I want to have same “special sauce glass” that all of the mamarazzi-turned lifestyle-picture-takers so loved to shoot and post on blogs proving to their suburban white friends they’re amazing?  Not that suburban moms have a "qualified eye."

The Canon one-two glass is a gimmick.  Did I mention it was expensive as hell?

With the Canon system I had the 24/1.4 but honestly it was big and heavy and seemed like a chore to carry.  Hence the reason I didn’t get either a 24/1.4 or 35/1.4 with the new Nikon kit.  Great lenses but … seeing as how the D4 handles 6400, which is the highest ISO I’ll ever use, I didn’t need one-four glass on that prime.  Two-oh is fine.  No, it’s not a fancy AF-S but the little AF-D focuses really fast.

Did I mention that the D4 – and for that matter the D3s – and the Nikon SB910 kick Canon’s ass?  Oh, yeah, I did.  It makes me happy that I don’t have to fight my equipment to make it work.

Perhaps the 1D-X does a better job with whatever new flash they’ll throw at the problem but I don’t think it will.  In fact, I’ll bet it will still suck.  Wasn’t gonna spend seven grand to find out.  I’d waited them out long enough to get it right.  They didn't.  In fact, the 5D Mark III is kinda how D3S users feel about the D4 if they already owned the 5D Mark II.  Ciao Canon.

Honestly, I think that because Canon develops their own proprietary sensors – unlike Nikon that uses Sony sensors – they lag in other areas. I don’t think they put enough research and development into AF or TTL flash for that matter.  Now they have the whole video-thing to worry about so … more R&D into that and less into things that matter to stills-only photographers. 

The Nikon D4 completely leap-frogged Canon in every way possible.  I know that there are guys who say the D4 isn’t sharp and doesn’t have enough contrast.  Others say there’s some weird colour-cast.  Others that say it didn’t work tethered.  First off, this camera is sharp as hell.  Since shooting motion projects with the 5D Mark 2, I always set the camera to a flat picture style to suck all dynamic range I could out of it.  Have you ever seen RAW Alexa or RED picture before?   To those with a surface understanding they’d look like shit.  Once you do a little post … they look amazing.  Whilst this isn’t the case with the Nikon D4 completely I like to shoot flat and D4 files look flatter to me.  I’ll add the contrast and sharpness myself, thank you.  I don’t need a camera cooking files for me.  Then again, I prefer shooting RAW.  Coming from what I was shooting D4 files looked lovely!

I’ve never seen any colour cast in my D4 files.  They’ve looked fantastic.  And before I ever used any camera on an editorial job I think I’d check to see – ya’ know seeing as how the camera had been out for a day or two – if it was compatible with my tethering software.   I know at least a few guys who’s D4’s are still in the boxes as they haven’t had time to completely familiarize themselves with it.  Anyone who would bring an untested new camera to a shoot deserves the problems they had with tethering.  No matter if they think they’re cool and live in Brooklyn or not.

I could NOT have chosen a better time to not just “come back to Nikon” but swap systems … for a MUCH better system.  The D3 led a lot of temporary Canon shooters either to or back to Nikon but the D3s really turned the tide.  I suspect The D4 will bring even more Canon shooters to the Nikon system.  Haven’t even talked about the Nikon D800.  Another time.

Agencies and photographers don’t want to have to switch from one system to another.  It’s expensive.  It’s a hassle.  There’s a learning curve.  I gotta say, though, if you do what I do for a living, there’s no way you’re going to still be shooting Canon unless you’re a total fanboy and are deluded to think that a better tool doesn’t exist to do your job.

The learning curve has been easy.  Menu systems are great.  I have buttons on the back of my camera that light up because it gets dark in VIP areas and in the pits of concert venues.  Canon never gave me that.  Canon never gave me truly great AF like the D4 has been giving me.  Mind you … I’m not a sports guy.  The most sports I’ve shot has been golf and those fuckers don’t move very fast.  I think I’ve shot two soccer games in my life.  I have shot my share of polo games all over the world and some high school water sports at the behest of my kid and other parents.  Hmm … I’m sure most wouldn’t consider the showing of dogs a sport. 

That doesn’t mean I don’t want really good AF.  I do.

Canon’s also arrogant for charging USD6,799 for a 1D-X body.  Sure it’s got barely 2mp more sensor-wise.  Is there much of a difference in me doing my job with 16mp or 18mp camera bodies?  Um, no.  Those are concerns of gearwank blogs.  Canon thinks their camera is worth almost a grand more than the D4?

Honestly, I think they think so.  I mean … they thought the C300 was worth almost twenty grand  … and revised that.  I’ve also heard that sales of the C300 have sucked.  Bad.

The difference in price between  buying the D4 and passing on the 1D-X bought half of the beautiful 85/1.4.   What I got for the Zeiss 85/1.4 ZE bought the other half.  Effectively, it was a complete wash.  Is the Canon 1.2 USD500 better than the Nikon 85/1.4?  Perhaps, only to those needing that fraction of a stop because optically I prefer the Nikon.  I also prefer 9 bladed apertures over 8.  Is the Canon 50/1.2 at USD1,599 a grand better than the Nikon 50/1.4?  Well, again, if you really need that fractional f-stop, sure.  Optically, it may be a bit better but when I shot the one-two I saw a lot of lateral fringing.  The Canon’s got 8 aperture blades and Nikon, again, 9.  Call me an elitist but the Leica lenses I’m most accustomed to have 9 and 11 blades respectively.  Only my seventy-five ‘cron has 8 blades like Canon but I don’t think it could physically have any more if memory serves.  Hell … my Nocti’ has 11 blades. What does Leica and NIkon know about using as many aperture blades as possible that Canon doesnt?

I think the more blades a lens has the better the unscharfen bereich.

Pretty sure I’ll add a Nikon F6 as well but I may end up with an F100.  I’d love to see how this new Nikon glass renders to film.

I haven’t decided if I’m going to include photos with this blog.  Anyone who really knows me knows where I post and I think I’ve grown tired of including photos in a long-form blog post.  I’d much rather tumblr a photo stream than do photoblogs.  Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy checking out traditional photoblogs but it’s way too much work to post.

Thank you Canon for making my decision so easy to once again shoot Nikon.  Funny enough, though, a friend of mine tells me that the new 1D-X actually does focus much faster than anything Canon’s produced so far.  TTL-flash was still questionable and I hear the wireless capability of the 1D-X isn’t that great.  So slow ... it's almost unusable. ;)

So, yeah, still happy with my decision! :)

Hope this finds everyone well!  Wish I could do these more often but when you actually work making photos these kinds of things have to take a back seat.  Pretty much the commenters I care about interacting with are FB friends anyway. ;)

And, no, I decided I'm not posting photos to go along with this entry.  Go find me on tumblr for photos.

gear wanks...

gandy sent me a link to dxomark.  had no idea what the hell it was but when the first sips of coffee started working ... i figured it out.

very interesting.

i compared three cameras i use often:  canon 1dsm3 vs. canon 5d vs. leica m8.

gear wanks are going to absolutely love this.

about all that showed me is that i made a good choice with the canon 1dsm3.  there isn't anything i'd change about that camera.  there's plenty i'd change on the 5d but ... we'll have a new 5dm2 very shortly now.

seriously, photos soon! :)

hope you're all well!