Lady Liberty - using some extreme focal lengths with the Fuji X-Pro2

A long way back I wrote here that the Fuji X system would never be complete for pro use until it contained some really superb long lenses. Now with the Fuji 50-140mm and 100-400mm zooms plus the 1.4x teleconverter combined with the higher resolution sensor of the X-Pro2 have delivered what was needed for me to use it on this photo project to the Statue of Liberty.

I have visited the Statue of Liberty many times and always find the challenge to be finding a new way to photograph her.  This is especially difficult on a day with not a cloud in the sky. Such clear weather lends itself to some very stark compositions, it also doesn't provide the interesting cloud patterns that can give a photo a unique look. For this session I made two trips, one on a sunset cruise around the island, and the other the next morning leaving on the earliest ferry to the statue the next morning.

For cameras I had the Fuji X-Pro2 fitted with extreme focal lengths.  At one extreme was the Rokinon 8mm fisheye, and at the other the two Fuji long zooms, the 50-140mm f/2.8, and in the morning the Fuji 100-400mm plus the 1.4x teleconverter. I had the long Fuji lens with me because I was specifically going to take some extreme close-ups of the statue in the early morning light.

In addition to the X-Pro2 I had a Leica SL I was trying out with a Leica 24-90mm zoom to cover the middle focal length ranges.

It took 560mm (a full frame equivalency of 840mm to pull of this tight shot. That meant the Fuji 100-400mm plus 1.4x extender. Most amazingly is that I hand-held the shot and it is tack sharp. Only modern cameras and lenses with exceptional VR can pull off such a feat. 

At the other focal length extreme I took this shot with the Rokinon 8mm f/2.8 fisheye lens as the sun was setting behind the statue.

All these medium focal length shots were done with the Leica SL and 24-90mm lens, which I found to be tack sharp for a zoom. 

Another tight shot with the Fuji 100-400mm lens using the Acros film mode with red filter to darken the sky. 

This sunset view juxtaposing the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges against the statue in the distance was taken with the Fuji 50-140mm lens racked all the way out.