Ron Martinsen's Photography Blog

Showing posts with label X-T1. Show all posts

Monday, February 2, 2015

REVIEW: Sony Alpha a6000 with 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens (Part II of II)–A Fujifilm X-E2 Killer?

Sony Alpha a6000 with 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens

In the first part of this review it was hard for me to contain my excitement about this camera. After all, it is offered at a very reasonable price yet impressed me as much as the NEX-7, yet it is even more capable. It also helps that it is a fraction of the price so I started to wonder if this should be a replacement for my Fujifilm X-E2. Yes, it is that good!

What follows here are my final testing, some additional images and my final conclusion.

Bookshelf Test

My bookshelf tests are simple tests done on a tripod with in-camera steady shot turned off and all camera settings set to their defaults (except I do keep the raws).

f/4 @ 16 mm, 5s, ISO 100, No Flash

When I first looked at the bookshelf shots from this camera my jaw dropped! I had to go back to B&H and remind myself again about the price. It boggles my mind that a camera so cheap can produce such amazing results! I can definitely say this is the best image quality I’ve ever seen for below $1000 and realistically it ranks high on the list of overall amazing image quality.*

Yeah, notice that little asterisk? Despite testing many other cameras which had optical low pass filter removed, this is the only camera I’ve tested to really show a what appears to be a moiré pattern as you can see below:

That boys and girls is what a moiré pattern looks like
and it’s pretty intense in my bookshelf testing with the a6000

Sadly I had to go all the way to 18px in Photoshop’s Filter | Noise | Medium filter to eliminate that moiré, but only after selecting just the blue part (which isn’t an easy selection to make). I only saw this problem in the bookshelf test, so generally speaking it wasn’t a problem but it is something to keep in mind.

UPDATE: I haven’t been able to confirm if this camera has a optical low pass filter or not, but either way this pattern that showed up during my testing is troublesome. I’ve reached out to Sony to discuss this problem and will report back when I learn more.

While that was bad, when I look at the adjacent image books image quality (as shown below) then all is forgiven. This is one seriously high resolution combo! Pay attention to that last part too, because it is also clear that the 16-70mm (not to be confused with the cheap 16-50 kit lens) is one awesome piece of glass!

Outstanding image quality is adjacent to the moiré pattern so if you are lucky enough to shoot subjects that don’t exhibit this problem then you’ll be rewarded with phenomenally good images

Generally speaking I found f/5.6 under the 50mm range to be the sweet spot of this lens, but things do get soft when zoomed out to 70mm. This photo shows how things definitely get much softer:

f/5.6 @ 70 mm, 13s, ISO 100, No Flash

I loved having the range of 16-70mm because with this sensor size the 1.5x crop factor meant 24-105mm (in 35mm terms) which just so happens to be my favorite range on my Canon cameras. I’m happy to trade off some sharpness for that excellent range.

High ISO

This camera performed admirably, but not phenomenally at higher ISO’s. Here’s a shot at ISO 1600:

f/5.6 @ 16 mm, 0.8s, ISO 1600, No Flash

If you zoom in and compare 1600 to 3200 then you see that the detail loss becomes unacceptable at 3200, but it’s still clean enough to be usable:

ISO 1600 has pretty decent detail still, but it starts to vanish rapidly at ISO 3200 and above

This all reflects my real world results where I felt uncomfortable going above ISO 1600 unless it was simply a documentary shot. This was a little disappointing as it does limit it from becoming a true DSLR replacement, but it is consistent with this class of camera.

In a pinch, ISO 25600 exists for what I call documentary shots (i.e., those that capture something you want to remember), but not photographic art (unless perhaps you are a grain B&W shooter):

f/22 @ 16 mm, 1/15, ISO 25600, No Flash

As you can see from this shot, the detail and dynamic range suffer drastically. Yes, It captures an image which is good, but it’s not something that I’d want to use. Of course it is better than a cell phone image, so perhaps some will find great value in that reality.

More Real World Photos

I had such a good time with this camera that I ended up with a bunch more in the gallery. I decided to go ahead and share a few more real world shots. As is always the case, these are in-camera JPEG’s with no modifications. All camera settings are the default except the white balance which may be adjusted for creative intent.

NOTE: My apologies for the sensor spot on some of the photos, but I didn’t remove them since these are in-camera originals. Sadly I didn’t notice the dust spot until after my shooting all of my review photos.

f/8 @ 70 mm, 1/320, ISO 100, No Flash
Beautiful gradients with a little in-camera flare made for nice shot

f/11 @ 38 mm, 1/15, ISO 100, No Flash, -1EV
I exposed for the sky rather than the ground to capture the beauty of the clouds at sunset

f/8 @ 33 mm, 1/25, ISO 100, No Flash
There’s a little edge distortion at the 16mm range but I was pleased that at 33mm it is gone

f/13 @ 23 mm, 1/320, ISO 100, No Flash, 8192 x 1856 px, Pano Mode
It tripped up on the pano exposure on a couple attempts, but eventually got it right. If you’ve ever done a pano at sunset like this then you can appreciate how difficult it is to get this image. In this case it was ALL in-camera, so I was impressed (even if it was a little crooked – my bad)

f/5.6 @ 59 mm, 1/200, ISO 100, No Flash
Want a sharp shot with this camera?
Go for f/5.6 at as close to 16mm as possible for best results

f/5.6 @ 16 mm, 1/320, ISO 100, No Flash
The detail in this shot really made me love this lens

f/5.6 @ 70 mm, 1/160, ISO 100, No Flash, -1EV
AWB was yellow so I chose fluorescent 0 to get this blue tone

f/22 @ 23 mm, 1/40, ISO 100, No Flash
Sunset was a flare beast, but f/22 made it a fun flare

f/22 @ 70 mm, 1/800, ISO 100, No Flash, -2EV
I went super dark intentionally and loved the results

f/4 @ 44 mm, 1/10, ISO 800, No Flash, Handheld
Since this was handheld (using this technique) I had to use f/4 when I’d rather used a much larger f-stop number. However, I still was happy with the results all things considered
Watermarks added via Zenfolio to minimize Super Bowl abuse

f/4 @ 20 mm, 1/6, ISO 800, No Flash, Handheld
Same comment as above, except this one has already had clients purchasing prints!
Watermarks added via Zenfolio to minimize Super Bowl abuse

For more images check out the gallery at http://photos.ronmartblog.com/sony/a6000. You can also find more at:

My apologies for the watermark on the Seattle shots but if you click for the original you can see it without it. Watermarks were added to smaller sizes just to limit image theft prior to the Super Bowl.

All images are copyright ® Ron Martinsen – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may view them for your personal education, but you must delete them when done. You may not edit, print, share or otherwise use these images without my signed (on physical paper) consent.

DigitalRev TV Video

I enjoy watching DigitalRev TV videos as Kai usually has a funny perspective, even if I don't always agree with him. Here's his video for the a6000:

Conclusion

Simply put, I highly recommend this camera for someone who is looking for a lot of bang for the buck. Of course, the lens I used is twice the price of the camera so that may take away some of the value prop, but I’ve used the 18-55mm for NEX cameras and it was good so I’d suspect that the 16-50mm kit lens is quite usable. If you can afford it though, definitely get the 16-70mm!

Yes, the camera build quality could be a little better and I do wish the high ISO performance was better, but this camera has performed better than many DSLR’s I’ve tested a few years back. In fact, some have even suggested it is as good as the Nikon D7100, but I wouldn’t go that far. It’s good, but not that good.

With a great focusing system that is far superior than the Fujifilm it had me thinking about replacing my X-E2. However, the moiré issue is enough to keep me from buying one to replace my X-E2. I will be eager to see what replaces this model at some point in the future as it could be a real game changer for me.

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order the a6000 on the B&H web site. For the Sony Vario-Tessar T* E 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens, click here.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Photo of the Week: Sunrise Through Trees by Jim Martin

Sunrise Through Trees by Jim Martin on 500px

This photo was taken by blog reader, Jim Martin, with a Fujifilm X-T1 with a Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R Lens at f/1.2 for 1/2000 sec using ISO 200. While driving into work this awesome light display compelled him to pull over and capture an image of natures light show.

This photo sparked a discussion about the importance of having your camera with you at all times. While you can snap a shot like this with your cell phone, when life throws you something special like this you want it to be on your best camera if possible. Of course, don’t ever keep your gear where it can be seen or else you might find it missing when you return! Your car is also a great place to keep your “old” camera so that it is always on the ready. As the old saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you!

How to see your photo on ronmartblog.com

Would you be interested in showing your photo to the 70,000+ visitors from over 200 countries around the world that visit this blog every month?

Learn more about how you can participate in the Photo of the Week contest by clicking here. Many you have been adding some great photos to http://www.flickr.com/groups/ronmart without tagging them for the contest per the rules listed above. I see lots of winner candidates that aren’t in the contest so I’d recommend that people make my selection process harder by tagging their photos properly today!

Please note that if you would prefer no to use flickr or have special usage requirements (i.e., link destination, sizes, etc…) please contact me directly to submit your photo. I can host your photo or pull from other sites at your request.

Please note that if you leave comments on this blog, only submit once. Comments must be manually approved by me due to spam bot attacks. Your comment will appear once approved, and only comments with external links or offensive comments are rejected.

Where to order

Click here to learn more about the X-T1 on the B&H web site.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Monday, January 5, 2015

REVIEW: Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens–Real World Shots

Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens

People often ask me what lens is my “if I could only have one lens” lens for my DSLR and without hesitation I always say my 70-200mm f/2.8. It does matter if I shoot with Canon, Nikon, Sony or any other camera platform – it’s the 70-200mm f/2.8 that I love the most. When I talk to fellow pro photographers and enthusiasts it’s very common for me to hear others say the same thing.

As the mirrorless format has taken off, it’s quite common to hear people saying they are retiring their DSLR’s in favor of the more compact and lighter weight mirrorless systems like the Fujifilm X Series (i.e., X-T1, X-E2, X-Pro1, X-M1, X-A1, etc…). This begged the question, then what about your most popular lens? Until recently there was no equivalent, so those who have chosen to go with Fujifilm X-Series cameras have been thrilled at the arrival of the Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens – a fixed f/2.8 aperture equivalent coming at 35mm equivalent of 76-213mm.

This is lens that feels in the hand that it is built by Zeiss. While it appears to be all metal, the zoom ring is actually rubber which does have a tendency to be a dirt magnet. However, it feels fantastic in the hand and operates very smoothly. Everything about this lens screams quality so it’s big price tag will be easier to swallow when you hold it in your hand and think that for this price you can only get a constant f/4 for your DSLR body.

With a lens so big on a camera designed to be compact really be worth it? Read on to find out how it compares and my thoughts.

It should be noted that I tested this lens for this review with my own X-E2 using the v3.0 firmware. I set NR (noise reduction) to –2 and had OIS on for everything except long exposure shots (e.g., Bookshelf images).

Excellent OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)*

During my testing I found the OIS (optical image stabilization) of this lens to be outstanding. Even in cases where I was at 140mm and shutter speeds as low as 1/10 sec I was able to get a reasonably sharp shot of a stationary object. Please keep in mind that OIS only stabilizes camera shake so if your subject is moving then you may need faster shutter speeds than the OIS minimums to freeze your subject.

X-E2, f/2.8 @ 140 mm, 1/10, ISO 400, No Flash (Handheld)

Notice At 213mm (35mm Equivalent) the rule of thumb says that I'd need a minimum of 1/213 sec to reduce natural camera shake to get a steady shot, but the optical image stabilization (OIS) was so good I was able to do 1/10 of a second!

Unedited in-camera JPEG 100% zoom of focus point from the shot above
Notice the dust fiber on the bottom left grab handle and the thumb print detail

Please note that the subject was not moving so this is only possible with stationary objects and your results may vary depending on your physical ability to hold a camera still.

OIS is NOT Tripod Aware
OIS Off (left) OIS On (right)

I also observed that OIS is NOT tripod aware on this lens, so if you take a long exposure shot on a tripod you’ll want to manually turn it off otherwise you’ll get a blurry shot even of stationary objects.

Heavy, but hey it’s a constant f/2.8!

Overhead - Canon 5D Mark III w/ 70-200 f/2.8 IS II vs X-E2 w/ 50-140
The compact advantage starts to dwindle with this lens

At 2.19lb (995 g), this is a very heavy lens for a mirrorless camera. My X-E2 only weighs 12.35 oz (350 g) with battery and memory card and even the X-T1 only weighs 15.52 oz (440 g). By comparison, most of the Fujifilm lens I’ve tested have weighed roughly less than the camera body itself so this is a pretty heavy lens for this type of camera. With that said, it is still a little over 1 pound lighter than my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM, but it is heavier than the popular Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS which only weighs 1.67 lb (760 g). The Nikon equivalents are very similar in weight to the Canon’s, so the same comments apply to Nikon.

Side by side you can better tell the real difference
but the 50-140 is very similar in size to the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS

Alternatives

If the weight is an issue, you can certainly consider these lenses but personally I’d gladly take the weight for the image quality and fixed f/2.8 that this lens offers. Some people would much rather take a hit in quality for the extended focal range and significantly cost savings, so Fujifilm has done a great job of trying to meet the needs of all its customers by offering these alternatives:

Fujifilm XC 50-230mm f/4.5-6.7 OIS Lens

Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS Lens

Noisy Motor

One concerning feature of this lens is the amount of audible noise that comes from it at all times. While it is subtle and not especially distracting, there is a constant noise that comes from it continuously when the camera is not in sleep mode. I could easily notice this noise from the side from up to 3 feet away and nearly 1.5 feet away from behind the camera. My primary concern isn’t so much the noise as it is the amount of battery that must be getting drained when this noise is observed. Turning OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) off made no difference, and at the time of this review there was no firmware update for the lens to address this issue.

Tripod Collar

The tripod foot design is similar enough to share the same foot plate as your DSLR lenses

The tripod collar of this lens is excellent and rotates smoothly with an excellent locking screw. The foot easily accepted my Arca Swiss plate that I use with Canon and Nikon super telephoto lenses. If you have other long lenses you should try your lens plates out before rushing out to buy one specifically for this lens as my experience has determined that it isn’t necessary.

Bookshelf Shots

There 13 in-camera JPEG’s here for your viewing pleasure, but I’ve included a few here. You MUST click each to view them at 100% to really appreciate the images, so the “thumbnails” here are just for reference.

These were all taken with NR –2 and Provia film simulation under conditions identical to all of my bookshelf shots done with other cameras. While the camera and a hot shoe bubble level both indicated that it was level, I think some lens distortion (more noticeable at 50mm) resulted into the angled bookshelf effect that you see below. A general observation of sharpness and bokeh is still possible at the various apertures and focal lengths available in the gallery (most of which aren’t referenced here).

X-E2, f/5.6 @ 50 mm, 5s, ISO 200, No Flash, NR -2, Provia

Right away I was wow’d by the sharpness of the 50mm and the f/5.6 shot above was the sharpest of the bunch. At 140mm you definitely loose some sharpness, but it still performs well and certainly beats the dust collecting hassle of changing prime lenses right?

X-E2, f/5.6 @ 140 mm, 5s, ISO 200, No Flash, NR -2, Provia

In my testing I had to bump my ISO for the f/16 & f/22 shots to avoid going to bulb mode. My testing at ISO 200 validated that this lens does get softer at f/16 & f/22, but it is still sufficiently sharp and very usable. At f/8 to f/2.8 it is razor sharp with the major differences only being depth of field. I was sufficiently impressed and wouldn’t hesitate to use the entire range of this lens as needed to meet my needs on a shoot. I’d probably avoid f/22 unless I really needed it, but I’d feel comfortable doing paid work at f/16.

Compared to the XF 56mm f/1.2R

X-E2, f/4 @ 50 mm, 2.5s, ISO 200, No Flash, NR -2, Provia (OIS OFF)

To my eyes, the super zoom actually felt a little sharper at f/4 than the 56mm prime. Now this makes sense when you consider the range of the prime, but what it means in the real world is that even 56mm prime users may have a reason to put this lens on instead of their prime when shooting at larger f/stop numbers (common under studio lights).

X-E2, f/4 with 56 mm f/1.4, 2.1s, ISO 200, No Flash
See my Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2R Review

Compared to Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II

Canon EOS-1D X, f/8 @ 100 mm, 20s, ISO 100, No Flash

Surprisingly I didn’t have any 70mm bookshelf shots on file so I pulled my 70-200mm at 100mm and f/8 shots that I used for my D4s article. While it’s not scientific by any stretch, you can get a ballpark idea that full frame super DSLR’s are still going to give you the sharpest results, but this lens is no slouch.

X-E2, f/8 @ 50 mm, 10s, ISO 200, No Flash, NR -2, Provia

Compared to Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

Nikon and Canon both still have the edge in sharpness, brightness and AF performance this match up, but I’ve never had better real-world stabilization performance than what I saw with the Fujifilm setup.

Nikon D4S, f/8 @ 100 mm, 30s, ISO 100, No Flash
See my D4s Review

Real World Images

Here are some few high ISO images taken indoors under tungsten light conditions. The full gallery can be found at http://photos.ronmartblog.com/lens/fujifilm/50-140mm, and SEE PART II for wildlife shots outdoors.

All of the images for this article were taken with OIS ON and using NR –2 which sets in-camera noise reduction to its minimum setting. Noise reduction still takes place which gives skin a skin softening effect as you’ll notice from these UNEDITED in-camera JPEG images. Most images were taken using the Velvia film simulation mode.

All images are Copyright © Ron Martinsen 2014 – 2015 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may click the images or visit the gallery to view the full-size in-camera original JPEG’s, but you may modify, edit, print or otherwise use any of these images without my expressed written consent (and yes, this even includes the really bad ones – ha, ha).

Copyright Ron Martinsen - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Happy New Year from ronmartblog.com!
X-E2, f/2.8 @ 54.1 mm, 1/60, ISO 5000, No Flash, NR -2, Provia

The lower half of the zoom range on this lens is super sharp with great bokeh
X-E2, f/2.8 @ 54.1 mm, 1/42, ISO 6400, No Flash, NR -2, Velvia

I haven’t had a chance to do a model shoot with this lens yet, but this bokeh performance
tells me that I’m going to love the results under studio lights and low ISO
X-E2, f/2.8 @ 140 mm, 1/60, ISO 1250, No Flash, NR -2, Velvia

This is a sharp lens, but it does tend to shoot a little darker
than what I’m used to from my 56mm f/1.2R Prime
X-E2, f/4 @ 54.1 mm, 1/60, ISO 1000, No Flash, NR -2, Velvia

The 1.5x crop factor means more depth of field than what I’m used to from my full frame at f/2.8
I quickly got used to that, and APS-C DSLR shooters will appreciate the similarities
X-E2, f/2.8 @ 56.3 mm, 1/45, ISO 6400, No Flash, NR -2, Velvia

Yes, it is a terrible shot but I was impressed with how sharp the eyes were in this shot
so I felt compelled to include it – especially when you look at the EXIF below!
X-E2, f/2.8 @ 119.2 mm, 1/60, ISO 5000, No Flash, NR -2, Velvia
Here’s a similar shot with the 56mm f/1.2R – not a apples to apples compare, but FYI

Low light forced me to live at f/2.8 but gave me a great appreciate for this lens
X-E2, f/2.8 @ 54.1 mm, 1/40, ISO 6400, No Flash, NR -2, Provia

140mm certainly isn’t as sharp, but it is still quite good with excellent bokeh
X-E2, f/2.8 @ 140 mm, 1/60, ISO 5000, No Flash, NR -2, Provia

I regretted using Velvia film simulation for my test images
as I definitely preferred the Provia colors
X-E2, f/5.6 @ 50 mm, 1/14, ISO 6400, No Flash, NR -2, Provia

As I mentioned at the start of this section, better stuff is coming. My apologies for the placeholder images for now.

Conclusion

Some people will switch to a system like the Fujifilm X Series to reduce their overall load and size requirements of their gear, so they will need all of the lenses that a larger DSLR system provided. In the DSLR world, the 70-200mm f/2.8 is a must have lens for most photographers so it’s great that this system now offers an equivalent. If you fall into this camp then this becomes a must have lens so don’t let the weight throw you.

If you were one of those people who avoided the big 70-200 f/2.8’s in favor of the f/4 then you’ll be surprised to discover that this lens is heavier than what you are used to so that might be concerning for some. The good news is that you are rewarded with a sharp lens with phenomenal stabilization support with good, but not DSLR-like AF performance. What I mean by this is that sports and wildlife shooters aren’t going to be happy, but wedding, event, travel, portrait, etc… shooters will probably find it to be good enough.

Since I personally have no desire to drop my DSLR system in favor of any mirrorless platform (and yes that includes the mighty Sony A7R), I can’t see myself getting such a bulky lens for my “compact” camera system. To me it just defeats the purpose for owning a X series camera.

For those that have a desire to leave the DSLR at home and need this range, then this is a great lens that I highly recommend. For people who have a DSLR with a 70-200mm f/2.8, then I recommend you pull out the DSLR when you need that lens and keep a nice collection of small zooms and primes for your X series camera.

See PART II for more photos.

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order at B&H.

Need a camera bag?

Perception Backpacks

Upgrading lenses to this size often means a new camera bag. I’d strongly recommend you consider the Perception Backpacks or Mirrorless Mover by ThinkTankPhoto.

Inside the Think Tank Photo Mirrorless Mover 30i

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this. B&H loaned the zoom lens in this article this review, but the X-E2 and 56mm used in this article were my personal property that I paid for at full price.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Thoughts on the new Fujifilm X100T, X-T1 Graphite & More announcements

Ok, I’ll admit it – I’m a bit of a Fujifilm fan boy because I’ve had quite a bit of enjoyment out of reviewing and owning X-series cameras. As a result, I get excited to hear about what’s new when new models are released. Amidst all the hoopla around the iPhone 6 announcement, I almost missed this one!

Fujifilm X100T Digital Camera

The Fujifilm X100s is a very good camera that I enjoyed reviewing quite a bit. I was very surprised when I had discovered a new replacement was already being released. The full press release is here, but the highlights are an improved rear LCD & hybrid viewfinder, finer grain control on things like the aperture ring, exposure compensation dial, and up to 7 programmable buttons. While interesting, I’m not seeing anything here that makes this camera worthy of an upgrade so this one will be lower on my review priority list than the new lenses mentioned later.

When I see the back of this camera I get concerned as it appears they’ve decided to standardize on the X-T1 selector buttons that didn’t work very well on the X-T1 unit I reviewed.

X100T Rear View featuring X-T1 selector buttons :(

Here’s the X100s Rear Screen view which shows a smaller screen than the new X100T but a new button layout which means some relearning for loyal X100 users. While I welcome the new display, I much prefer the x100s rear view design. From what I see everything on top and in front of the camera on the X100T improves for the better, so this may not be an issue for some.

X100s Rear View

One thing that perplexes me is why can’t Fujifilm just settle on one design? In my opinion, the best rear panel design in the Fujifilm line up is the X-E2, which is why I bought one myself:

X-E2 Rear View

This was a good design that worked and people liked it. I’m all for innovation and trying new things, but the new body changes seem to be making things worse rather than better.

New X-T1 Graphite Edition – Now Featuring Hard To Read Controls!

Fujifilm X-T1 (Graphite Silver Edition) - Rear View
Pay $200 more to have harder to read controls – hum?

I think one of the things that gets people excited about the Fujifilm X series cameras is their cool retro style, and the silver editions are always a big hit. Over time I’ve discovered that the black ones are infinitely more usable in the real world because they resist scratches better and are easier to read in the bright sunlight. However, I’d still call all of the past silver editions as usable. However, I’m really perplexed by the press photo shown above of the rear of the X-T1 because even in the photo the controls are hard to read. Perhaps it is just a bad photograph, but I can certainly imagine that the black on graphite text is going to be a challenge to read in the real world use.

I’m also saddened to see that in designing a new camera body that they didn’t use the opportunity to come up with a better selector button design like they have in the X-E2.

As a camera, the X-T1 is fantastic – one of my favorite Fujifilm’s – but this edition doesn’t inspire much confidence. My advice is to stick with the black X-T1. At the time of this writing it is $200 cheaper and has easier to read controls.

Now for the really fantastic news – finally the ultimate zoom lens for portrait photographers!

Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens

Without question, my most beloved lens for real world shooting is my 70-200mm f/2.8 with image stabilization. As a result, I was thrilled to see Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens which has an 35mm effective focal length of 76 - 213 mm – close enough!

I want this lens big time as it’s the perfect zoom lens for how I enjoy photographing people. Granted, the 56mm f/1.2 I’ve tested has been one of my favorite thus far – it’s tough to live without a zoom in a camera system that is designed to be compact. Of course, some might say that this lens is too big for that reason, but personally I’m glad to see see it added to the line up.

Here’s more info on Fujifilm’s site about this cool new lens.

New 56mm f/1.2R APD – for bokeh junkies who thought the current 56mm f/1.2 wasn’t good enough

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD Lens

The still fairly new XF 56mm f/1.2 R is a fantastic lens, so I’m perplexed why a company with so many other needs in the lens department would release a new variant so soon. The answer lies in the APD designation which is supposed to offer much better bokeh than what is possible in the regular version – at a $500 premium. I’ll definitely have to test this lens because I was extremely happy with the bokeh of the non APD version that I tested as shown in the photo below, so I can’t see how the new one will really be $500 better.

However, for some more is better, so it’ll fun to be give it a try and see how it goes. However, it would have to be pretty incredible for me to recommend it over the existing 56mm which is a brilliant lens.

Here’s more info on Fujfilm’s site about APD.

For the record, I saw no problems with the bokeh from the original:

The original XF56mm f/1.2R does NOT have APD,
but I thought its bokeh quality was outstanding
(FUJIFILM X-E2, f/1.2 @ 56 mm, 1/300, ISO 400, No Flash – Unedited)

Conclusion

I’ll definitely get the lenses in for review, but I’ll not bother with the hard to read X-T1. The X100T will be in the queue for when I’m done with the lenses, or sooner if I get enough requests.

Share your thoughts – is this great news or would you have rather seen something else by Fujifilm announced?

[NOTE: Comments are not auto approved due to spam bots, so please only submit once and be patient for the comment to appear – sometimes days later. I do read every one!]

Where to order

Click the links above learn more or order from B&H. My friends at Adorama have a cool landing page for all of the new Fujifilm products featured here as well.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Pages

Monday, February 2, 2015

REVIEW: Sony Alpha a6000 with 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens (Part II of II)–A Fujifilm X-E2 Killer?

Bookshelf Test

High ISO

More Real World Photos

DigitalRev TV Video

Conclusion

Where to order

Other articles you may enjoy

Disclosure

Friday, January 16, 2015

Photo of the Week: Sunrise Through Trees by Jim Martin

How to see your photo on ronmartblog.com

Where to order

Other articles you may enjoy

Disclosure

Monday, January 5, 2015

REVIEW: Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens–Real World Shots

Excellent OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)*

Heavy, but hey it’s a constant f/2.8!

Alternatives

Noisy Motor

Tripod Collar

Bookshelf Shots

Compared to the XF 56mm f/1.2R

Compared to Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II

Compared to Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

Real World Images

Conclusion

Where to order

Need a camera bag?

Other articles you may enjoy

Disclosure

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Thoughts on the new Fujifilm X100T, X-T1 Graphite & More announcements

New X-T1 Graphite Edition – Now Featuring Hard To Read Controls!

Now for the really fantastic news – finally the ultimate zoom lens for portrait photographers!

New 56mm f/1.2R APD – for bokeh junkies who thought the current 56mm f/1.2 wasn’t good enough

Conclusion

Where to order

Other articles you may enjoy

Disclosure