Can the Fuji X-T1 really replace a full frame DSLR?

This week my Nikon D810 was in the shop having the thermal light spot issue fixed. I had been using it almost exclusively for my lifestyle photography as a result of its new improvements. Instead of going back to my mainstay lifesyle camera, the Nikon D4, I decided to use only the Fuji X-T1 instead. There were a few times when I had to resort to the D4, usually when I needed the super fast shutter speed, and also when I was using a Nikon SB-910 flash outdoors and I needed a high synch shutter speed.

One of the weaknesses of the Fuji X system is that it doesn't have the sophisticated flash units of pro level DSLR cameras. For instance, I have no trouble integrating a Nikon SB-910  into a bright outdoors setting with a Nikon camera because the shutter speed can synch at very high levels. When using the same flash -- or any flash -- with my X-T1 I have to resort to the maximum speed of 1/185 second, and that is with a low ISO of 200. This doesn't allow much in terms of exposure maneuverability. In these circumstances I am stuck compensating by stopping down, or, if I want to keep the lens wide open, of using ND filters.

Aside from this one weakness, however, the Fuji X-T1 came through with flying colors. The lenses I used with it were the 56mm f/1.2, 35mm f/1.4, 23mm f/1.4, 10-24mm f/4 zoom, and Zeiss Touit 50mm f/2.8 macro. That was it.

I did use the X-T1 with the Nikon SB-910 flash units for quite a number of situations, triggering it with the Yongnuo RF-603NII  flash transmitters I tested with a Fuji X-camera in a previous blog post. The flash units will only work manually with the Fuji X cameras, but I normally use camera flash manually anyway so this was not a problem.

For this photo and the one below, the Nikon flash was placed behind the model's head and triggered remotely using the Yongnuo RF-603NII . For this photo the flash was hidden behind the model's head. In the shot below the flash was off to the left of the model and shining directly into the camera to cause the flare. Both photos were taken in a shadowy area of a parking lot, and all the bright light was supplied by the flash unit. And, yes, the motorcycle was stationary. 

It is obvious where the SB-910 flash was placed in the photo. It is shining directly into the camera lens, the Fuji 10-24mm zoom. 

Here I placed the flash unit in the refrigerator. The Yongnuo RF-603NII  had no trouble triggering it. Unlike using the Nikon flash units with a Nikon camera, line-of-site is not an issue. 

Yongnuo RF-603NII flash trigger for Nikon flash units sits on top of my X-T1. The Nikon flash unit is then mounted onto a second flash trigger. This system was used to fire the flash used to take all the photos above. The flash units only work in manual mode due to the limitations of the Fuji X camera. The system is relatively inexpensive at $35 for two units. Best place to pick these up is from Amazon where you can get immediate shipping. 

No flash used here, only a very strong back light. 

Extreme backlighting with no front fill. The X-T1 had no trouble focusing or dealing with the light in this harsh situation.

Bottom line results for this week's experiments is that I would have no trouble using the Fuji X-T1 as my principal camera. It focuses fast and accurately, and once you are accustomed to the nuances of working mirrorless instead of through the lens, some of the benefits -- like being able to actually see what how the exposure will look -- make up for the limitations.

One thing I did notice after completing my edit and post-processing of these shoots is that they seemed to require the least amount of post-processing correction compared to my normal workflow from other cameras. In fact, I was surprised when some images required literally nothing at all. Considering that I usually work -- intentionally -- under difficult lighting conditions, this was even more surprising.

Fujifilm has been doing a yeoman's job of supplying a new type of pro-quality mirrorless camera accompanied with exceptional optics.  Eventually, the company is going to have to turn its attention to the producition of a fully integrated flash units to round out the system.

Featured photographer: Paul Bowen and air-to-air images

While staring through the viewfinder of his Canon EOS-1D X, Paul Bowen is framing an image of a jet, only 50 feet away, coming towards him at 200 mph. While communicating with the pilot of the plane he is in, he maintains just the right distance to compose an exciting image of a plane integrated with its environment. It takes experience, dedication, and fortitude to pull off these shots while strapped into an open-air compartment of another plane pulling away at the same speed.

Corsair fighter

Paul is a professional photographer based in Wichita, Kansas with over 1000 magazine covers and countless ads to his credit. Over time he has won many awards for his considerable skill at creating dramatic air-to-air images of planes.

Paul often photographs from the open tail-gunner's position of a B-25 bomber travelling at a couple hundred miles per hour with the chase plane he is photographing coming straight at him and not far away. Here is where the benefit of the two Canon zooms come into play enabling him to create an exciting image due to the proximity of the chase plane. 

Air-to-air photography involves capturing aircraft in action in mid-air, from the close proximity of a second, airborne aircraft. To photograph an aerobatic pilot as she loops and corkscrews her way through the air in a vintage P-51D Mustang called "American Beauty," you strap yourself into a second P-51 Mustang and prepare yourself for a wild ride, complete with the requisite 4 Gs. At least that's what you do if you're Paul Bowen.

A-26 Invader

Bowen's shoots with a Canon EOS-1D X, and two Canon EOS 5D Mark III cameras. His favorite lenses are the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM and 24-105 f/4L IS USM zooms. The longer zoom enables him to create strong graphics, while with the shorter zoom he can better relate the plane to the over-all background scene.

Paul's favorite lens is the Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM zoom. With it he can create more dramatic images of the planes at close-up distances that make for a more exciting image than if the photo had been created from the safety of a long distance with a telephoto. As Robert Capa put it: "If your images aren't good enough, you're not close enough." A wide angle lens used in tight on a dangerous subject delivers a feeling of excitement readily understood by most of us today, a  learned experience from our constant exposure to and familiarity with dramatic imagery. 

Selecting the perfect shutter speed is a balance against achieving the right interpretation of a moving propeller while maintaining sufficient speed to capture a sharp image from a vibrating, moving plane. As Bowen explains it: "If you're shooting a propeller-driven airplane, generally speaking, based on the rpm, you will get a full prop arc at 1/80 of a second or slower. If you really want to be safe, it's 1/60 of a second," If you're in a vibrating, moving-around, bouncing airplane that's pretty slow, the thing you don't want to do is stop the prop or it looks like it's about to crash."

Corsair

For photographing propeller driven planes Bowen uses a working shutter-speed range of 1/60 to 1/500. This slower shutter speed will let the propeller make part or all of the rotation, creating motion and, in some cases, a full disk on the nose of the plane. This is where Canon Image Stabilization comes in handy, allowing the target plane to remain relatively stable in its position to Bowen's lens, while the relatively slow shutter captures a very graphic and unique disk from the rotation of the propeller.

P-51 Mustang

The other key issue Bowen deals with is the sheer temperature in which he is forced to photograph at such altitudes.

Dealing with shooting in the cold at high altitudes in the open air creates its own problem. In Bowen's words: "The other problem is the cold; it gets colder by about three and a half degrees for every 1,000 feet you go up. So if you're doing a sunrise shoot and it's 50 degrees on the ground, and you go up 10,000 feet to shoot, all of a sudden its 30-35 degrees colder and you're in some pretty cold air. You've got the doors or the windows off, so now you've got a wind-chill whipping around inside the airplane and it's below freezing. It's a very uncomfortable environment. Add the vibration and motion to the whole thing and that just compounds the difficulty."

"As far as the equipment is concerned, I give up before the equipment does." Bowen explains. "The real problem is that the cameras get cold-soaked, just like the airplane gets cold-soaked, and I don't care if you're wearing gloves or not, you're holding on to a big block of ice and your hands get really cold."

Lear jet with vortex cloud shape behind

Bowen has developed a popular shooting technique he calls his "vortex images".  This technique has yielded breathtaking images of aircraft shooting out of cloud tops leaving a trail of wing tip vortex cloud shapes behind them.  As Bowen recalls, "That really happened by happenstance—I was in the tail of the B-25, and we were off the coast of California; they have the marine layer [low-level clouds] there that is very smooth on the top and there's nothing underneath as you're out over the ocean. So we started dipping down on top of it, with me in the tail of the B-25, we're going about 200 mph and the target plane is a jet that is just kinda wallowing, almost like a boat that hasn't quite gotten on step, it's just kinda hanging back there, nose high, plowing along the top of the marine layer. I thought, 'wow, this is cool... let's get down a little lower and see what's happening,' and that has become my signature shot."

Corsair

Gulfstream IV

P-51 Mustang

P-51 Mustang

Want to see more? Visit Paul Bowen's website here.

Fujifilm releases new “Classic Chrome” Film Simulation mode

Fuji has released its latest addition to the film simulations of the X-cameras. It is called Classic Chrome and is supposed to deliver the tonal depth required in documentary and street photography. The Classic Chrome simulation will make its debut in the new Fuji X30 camera.

According to the Fujifilm announcement:

"In order to simulate the deep finish from a color reversal film printed on Deep Matte paper, Fujifilm developed a new algorithm that incorporates soft gradation, rich details in shadows and full-bodied tones to avoid saturated blues, greens and reds. Classic Chrome perfectly complements the story-telling functionality of Fujifilm cameras and will be phased in to models starting with the X30."

Here is a sample from the Fujifilm press release:

I expect it is only a matter of time before Classic Chrome finds its way to the rest of the Fuji X-camera lineup via a firmware update.

Speculating on the new Nikon D750 camera

Nikon is expected to announce a new D750 camera to add to its professional DSLR line-up. Speculation and leaks have already begun fleshing out what the new camera will be. It is expected to have a 24MP full-frame sensor, and (hopefully!) a 51-point focus array, same as the D4s and D810. Most likely it will also sport a fast motor drive in the 7-8 fps range. It should also have the same EXPEED-4 processing engine and improved auto-focus as the D4s/D810 with a longer buffer rate.

At this stage of camera development, considering what is already available in the market, built-in WiFi would be a must. I would love to see a WiFi remote control APP similar to what is available for the Fuji X-T1, where you can completely control the camera from a remote device such as a smart phone or tablet.

What remains to be seen is what improvements, if any, will be made to the video capabilities. The camera will probably have a tilting view screen, but is a coin toss as to whether or not it will come with an anti-aliasing filter.

With specs like these, the D750 is beginning to look like the perfect, all-around pro camera. The Df was crippled by having the 39-point AF of the D610 instead of 51-point AF of the D4s/D810. Also, the Df is a specialist camera built to be more about nostalgia than practical use. The D610 with its 24MP sensor is a fine camera, but without the advanced features of the top pro models. The D750 appears to be the re-incarnation and update of the popular D700, able to define its own slot in the Nikon pro camera line-up. Price? More than likely in the $2500 range to position it between the D610 ($1850)  and D810 ($3300).

All of this is speculation, of course, but it gives us something to dream about while waiting for the next photo assignment.

Leica introduces a new model -- the Leica M-P 240

Leica has announced a new model to join its flagship M 240. It is the M-P 240, and adds some professional changes to the standard M model -- the "P" in the name standing for changes appealing to "professionals".

Cosmetically, the iconic 'red dot' in front of the camera is missing. Taking its place is a big, black screw head that sits in the middle of the front plate just above the lens. Now we know what the red dot has been concealing all this time. I'm not sold on this being a design improvement. The screw head sticks out like a sore thumb. The top plate is now engraved with the Leica script logo.

Something I have missed on the M 240, the frame selector lever beneath the viewfinder window, has been restored. It brings up frames in focal length pairs of 28 and 90mm, 50 and 75mm, 35 and 135 mm. This is a very handy item when you are thinking about switching to another lens but want to know how it will look. 

A scratch resistant sapphire crystal now covers the LCD display to add an almost indestructible surface. An anti-reflective coating added to both sides of the cover glass should improve image viewing, even in difficult lighting conditions.

The biggest improvement to performance it an increase in the buffer memory to 2GB. This is twice as large as the M 240 and should result in a considerable increase in processing speed by allowing shooting up to 24 frames at 3.7 fps. The 7 frame buffer at 3 fps on the M 240 has been a big impediment for any kind of speedy shooting. 

The Leica M-P in silver will be available towards the end of August, and the black-paint version in September. The Leica M-P is not a replacement for the M. Both cameras will be available. The price of the M-P increases to $7950, which is $1000 more than the M. 

In the past, Leica has made some of its improvement available for prior models. No mention has been made of this, but it would be nice it some of the upgrades could be added to the current M model. 

The Leica M-P can be pre-ordered now and will be available in silver by the end of August and in black later in September. 

Zeiss Touit 50mm macro -- 1:1 with the Fuji X-T1

For yesterday's blog post I did some close up still life photos of herbs. This morning I decided to use the Zeiss Touit 50mm f/2.8 as close as it would go, which is 1:1. All of these images were taken with the aperture stopped down in the f/11-f/22 range. I used soft window lighting with the camera on a tripod.

Mostly, I used manual focus because I knew I wanted to be as close as the lens would go so I racked it to its closest focus point and moved the camera towards the subject until it was in focus. For the few shots where I did turn on the auto-focus the lens was very responsive and accurate -- a real pleasure to use compared to other macro lenses I use.

Close-ups of herbs with the Zeiss Touit 50mm macro on the Fuji X-T1

The Zeiss Touit 50mm macro lens is such a pleasure to use that I find myself looking for any excuse to put it to work. This morning, while at the farmer's market, I picked up some fresh herbs just so I could shoot still life images with it on the X-T1. The lens is really perfect optically and seems to be just the right focal length for studio macro work. Plus it's one of the few macro zooms I can actually use set to auto-focus all the time.

Everything was photographed with soft window light at f/2.8, except for the down shot of the group of herbs, which were taken at f/5.6.

Here are a few images from the session:

 

NOW IN STOCK: Nikon D810 cameras with the thermal fix!

No sooner had I published my glowing review praising the new Nikon D810, when Nikon issued a service advisory about a thermal issue (white dots) affecting the earlier cameras during very long exposures or when using the 1.2x crop mode.  Of course my camera had one of the early serial numbers, and although I haven't noticed the problem with it, back to the factory it goes for the free fix by Nikon. If you think you might have one of these early D810 cameras, you can check the serial number on the Nikon Service web site here.

Nikon's announcement:

"We have received a few reports from some users of the Nikon D810 digital SLR camera indicating that bright spots are sometimes noticeable in long exposures, and in some images captured at an Image area setting of 1.2× (30×20).

After looking into the matter, we have determined that bright spots may occasionally be noticeable when shooting long exposures, and in images captured at an Image area setting of 1.2× (30×20).

Nikon service centers will service these cameras that have already been purchased as needed free of charge to the customer."

Cameras seem to be coming to market sooner than ever and perhaps without enough field testing. My Fuji X-T1 had to go back for a light leak fix. My Nikon D600 had the sensor spot issue. It doesn't really pay to be the first kid on the block with the new toy.

But here's the good news:

The Nikon D810 is now back in stock at B&H, and they have confirmed to me that all the D810 cameras in their warehouse already have the fix for the thermal issue. So, if you're looking to pick up a new D810, you can do so now at B&H while they last.

Fuji X-T1 and Nikon D810 -- how do they compare?

On the face of it comparing these two superb cameras with each other is absurd. The Fuji X-T1 with its 16.3mp APS-C sensor is just not going to be a match a full-frame, 36.3mp sensor in the Nikon D810 -- unless you decide to compare them on equal ground.

I recently began using the D810 instead of the D4 I normally use for all of my lifestyle photography, but for a long time now I have been using the Fuji X-T1 also. I usually do not use the X-T1 for the bulk of the shooting, but have it around to take advantage of its specific features. As I am editing the shoots I am not always paying attention to the camera used for the shot. Every now and then, a shot will jump out at me as being a cut above what I had been working with that day, and invariably it turns out to be an image from the Fuji. In a recent shoot I went back and compared the X-T1 images with the D810 images where there was an overlap of the same subject matter, and was surprised to find that I generally like the X-T1 shots the best. They showed more contrast in deep shadows with a full, pleasing tonal range. I am often pushing the limits of these cameras by doing away with reflector fills in very harsh, back lit situations.

The D810 produces a final 103.4MB file measuring 7360 x 4912, where as the X-T1 delivers a 45.7MB file at 4896 x 3264. This would be about 16" x 25" vs 11" x 16" print size, and at full print size is where the quality difference can be seen. Without some talented massaging of the image it would be difficult to take an X-T1 image up to the 16" x 25" size of the D810 and have them look exactly equal. However, for most of what I do professionally, I don't need the larger file size. Much of my professional work is done for traditional stock where the maximum image requirement is 50MB. That means when I have a D810 image I have to severely down-size it from its original 103MB size, but only have to bump my X-T1 45.7 images up a bit to hit the 50MB mark. So bottom line in these circumstances is how do the images compare at the 50MB size.

Sounds like I'm using a little slight-of-hand in this comparison, but, truth is, we often forget to compare cameras based on the ultimate use of the final images.

All of the images below were brought in from the RAW to the same 50MB size (17.5MP) because that is the size I need to submit. Other than some dodging/burning here and there, no retouching has been done on them. Take a look and see if you can tell the difference between the Nikon D810 and Fuji X-T1 files, and which, if any, you prefer. There are two links below each photos and a key to let you know the results is supplied at the bottom of this post. No fair peeking!

All were shot of the same scene back lit with available daylight. It was a sunny day but occasionally the sun went behind a thin cloud and could cause a slight color shift. The Fuji X-T1 had the Zeiss Touit 50mm f/2.8 macro on it. The Nikon D810 had the 85mm f/1.4 lens.

Click here to download image A1.              Click here to download image A2

Click here to download image B1.              Click here to download image B2

Click here to download image C1.              Click here to download image C2

One reason I keep the X-T1 handy is because of its tilt screen. I use it to quickly grab shots like this from above on the fly -- no ladder needed.  This time the camera had the new 18-135mm zoom.  I also keep the X-T1 around now because its super-wide lenses, both the 14mm and the 10-24mm zoom are exceptional.  The Fuji X-T1 also has the best WiFi control of any camera I have used -- perfect for tucking the camera into situations where I cannot go myself.  

GUIDE TO THE IMAGES:
A1=XT1; A2=D810
B1=D810; B2=XT1
C1=D810;C2=XT1

Early morning light and shadow and the Zeiss Touit 50mm lens

The early morning sunlight was streaming into my apartment casting strong shadows on the walls. I grabbed one of my favorite cameras, the Fuji X-T1 with a Zeiss Touit 50mm macro on it ,and captured some of the abstract patterns formed by the light and shadows. At one point I also put a piece of white paper in the light and created some abstractions with some of the contents of my wallet.

I usually keep my Fuji X-cameras set to record both jpg and RAW at the same time. For this series I also had the X-T1 set to square crop mode, and increased the shadow tones by +2 and  the highlight tones by +1 on the "Q" menu to obtain a starker contrast.

Two credit cards balanced on  edge. I used the shiny laser seal on a third card to reflect a bright light pattern into the deep shadow.

Tips for hand holding a camera with a lens like the Fuji 18-135mm and its 5-stop Vibration Reduction

The new Fuji 18-135mm lens with its purported 5-stops of vibration reduction raises the question: How much can we really depend upon the VR claims made for modern cameras and lenses?  A 5-stop VR means that 1/4 second shutter translates into a 1/125th second hand held. Sounds like this speed should work for most situations, but the practical reality sometimes proves otherwise. Over-reliance on VR numbers often leads to disappointing results. It is best to develop good, steady-shooting habits, which, when coupled with modern VR claims can result in blur free images.

I have been testing the Fuji 18-135mm lens at low shutter speeds to see how much I can depend upon its claims. While I could go down to 1/4 second, for the most part such a slow speed resulted in blurred shots with an occasional lucky one. This is what I expected and is the reason I have developed slow speed shooting techniques over the years.

Photographs will always be at their steadiest with the camera mounted on a sturdy tripod. That said, there are times when you just don't have a tripod with you in an opportune moment. In this blog post I am going to discuss a few techniques for holding a camera steady. These can be applied whether using a slow shutter speed or not. Sometimes,what we think of as a fast enough speed will still transmit some motion blur to the image.

This dusk shot was taken at 1/8th second with a 74mm focal length (112mm equivalent). Panning the camera with the ferry kept it sharp while there is lateral motion blur on the background. 

The slowest speed at which a camera can be safely hand held is 1 over the focal length. So a 50mm lens would require a shutter speed of around 1/60th second, while a 200mm lens would need 1/250 second to achieve the same degree of motion stopping power. On top of this, 1/60th second was considered the minimum speed required for vibration free shooting, and that was only while using steady shooting techniques. Modern VR lenses change all of this, but how much is the question.

Here are some shooting techniques I have developed over the years to produce steadier shots while holding a camera at lower speeds:

1. Use a shorter focal length. Keep in mind that in addition to magnifying the size of the subject long lenses also magnify motion. What might be sufficient to stop motion at 18mm is not going to work the same at 135mm. Re-composing a shot so it can be taken with a shorter lens will help reduce blur.

2. Shoot in bursts instead of single shots.  When you press the shutter button you apply a downward pressure on it that moves the entire camera and can contribute to motion blur. To avoid this put the camera on continuous shooting mode, press and hold the shutter for several exposures. The initial pressed shot will be the most susceptible to motion. The next shots will be steadier because you are avoiding the push on the shutter button.

Hand held at a focal length of 104mm (156mm equivalent) and shutter speed of 1/15th second. This speed is very low for such a long focal length. I "bracketed the shutter speed" by first steadying myself and then taking several bursts of 3-4 shots. Some were very soft, some were moderately acceptable, and a few were sharp. I took a total of 24 "safety" exposures, even though all I needed was one good one out of the bunch.  

3. Bracket your shutter:   Don't be lulled into reliance on the vibration reduction claims. In those situations where you really need it to work the light will generally be awful -- high contrast with deep, dark shadows and no detail, while lighted areas may be overly lit with incandescent spot lights. By "bracketing your shutter" I mean considerably over-shooting to guarantee that at least one shot will be sharp. In number 2 above, you should already be using a motor drive.  Keep it pressed for several exposures.

4. Brace yourself against something solid.  If you can lean yourself and the arm supporting the camera against a solid surface, you can stabilize yourself and minimize the movement of your body. Couple this with #7 below and you could have a very stable platform for shooting.

5. Develop good breathing technique: Breathing causes motion. Nervous, or anxious breathing, or out-of-breath breathing causes even more body motion. To counteract this breath in deeply to oxiginate and calm yourself, then breath out and pause for a moment. Click the shutter in this moment. Sounds like some sort of Zen ritual, but it is really just common sense and works well anytime you need to take aim at something.

6. Rely on bone rather than muscle to support the camera:  If you hold the camera with your elbows pointing out, you are using your arm muscles to try and hold it steady. Resting the camera in the palm of your hand while keeping your arm straight up and down with the elbows tucked into your body allows the camera to rest on top our your arm bone. Bone is solid making it less subjective to shaking.

On the left the elbows are away from the body where they are unstable, whereas on the right the elbows are tucked into the body and the camera rests on top of the left palm -- a much more stable position.

7. Don't grip the camera with your left hand:  Allow the camera to rest in the palm of your left hand without gripping it tightly. Gripping the camera too tightly requires the use of muscles and muscles can cause shake.

8. Use your strap to add stability: Place the strap under your elbow and twist it around your forearm so that it is taught and the camera rests solidly in the palm of the hand.  Pushing up with the left hand should add tension to the strap to stabilize the camera. Keep the elbow tucked into the body for even more stability.  You may need to add a slight adjustment to the length of your camera strap for to maintain the proper degree of tension.

This method is very quickly applied in the field. It is similar to the idea of pulling against a string attached to your belt and pulled taught to add tension .  The main difference is that the camera strap technique is handier because it is always with you, and works similarly, if not even better. 

The Fuji 18-135mm zoom hand-held at f/8 and 1/15th of a second and 37mm (55mm equivalent) focal length.  Theoretically, that shutter speed would be equivalent to shooting at 1/500th second, and sounds like it should be sufficient to stop any motion. Don't trust it. No matter how good the VR looks on paper, it does not translate to the expected steadiness the formula suggests. 

At first some of these suggestions might seem a bit awkward to implement, but it won't take much practice for steady shooting techniques to become a regular habit.

Develop a habit of always shooting with steady techniques regardless of the actual shutter speed. No matter how good you are with your hand-holding technique, you are a shaky bi-pod that will never beat a steady tripod at the job of holding a camera steady. A lens like the Fuji 18-135mm is a modern miracle of vibration reduction and particularly handy with its slower maximum apertures. Keeping the shutter speed down, while sometimes risking a blurred shot, helps me avoid going too much noise with a high ISO. Everything is a trade-off. Getting the proper balance between the elements is the trick, and a 5-stop VR helps.

If you are planning on buying this lens, you can help support this site at no extra cost to you by purchasing from one of our affiliate sellers listed below -- and thanks for your support.

The Fujifilm XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens can be ordered from:  BH-Photo  Amazon