Equivalence

Joseph James's piece, entitled Equivalence, is the most thorough article on the subject in the English language. It is well annotated, well reasoned, and precise. It is also like forty pages long. You may not be ready for it. I wasn't. But I bookmarked it anyway.

Equivalence

OHM AIR episode #3: Photokina Ho!

Fuji X Forum admin, Timo Schnitzlein, (known in the forums and across the web as Arjay), joins me for episode 3 of OHM AIR. We discuss Fujifilm's latest announcements, sliced bread, the challenges of shooting still life with an X camera, the new X100T, why fly-by-wire rocks, why it sucks, and a flippy-floppy back-and-forth about Nikon and Fujifilm kit lenses, a strange misunderstanding about kit VS 50mm prime, and what have you. 

Meanwhile, I drink.

Timo will be heading to Photokina this week, to gather the skinny on several most-wanted items, and hopefully, will grace OHM AIR again with his presence and a proper run-down of the event. 

Relevant talking points include:

Fujifilm X100T (Fujifilm Global)
Sliced bread (Wikipedia)
Photokina (official site)
Sony A7r (OHM's scathing review; OHM's comparo of the A7r and D800 live views)
Nikon 50/1,8 (Nikon Global)
Nikon 18-55 kit lens in plastic mount (Nikon Global)
Nikon 17-55 f/2,8 pro-APS-C lens (Nikon Global)
Fujifilm 18-55 f/2,8 - 4,0 kit lens (Fujifilm Global)

Be sure to follow OHM AIR on SoundCloud.
And be just as sure to check out Fuji X-Forum, which is one of the friendliest, helpfulest X forums on the planet. 

Fujifilm X-T1 electronic shutter via hardware or firmware upgrade?

It's kind of cheating to give two options against which Betteridge must contend, but I'm going to say 'no'. It's fair to say that thus far, Fujirumors hasn't fared well against Betteridge. (Fujirumors may not even have heard of Betteridge, in which case, the '?' marks may just seem clever.)

Here's a hint: if you have to ask, you're being baited. On the other hand, Fujifilm don't exactly play a steady hand. With interfaces changing left and right, who knows, maybe they will offer to upgrade your old X-T1. 

The question should be, then, 'how much for an electronic shutter in your now-shitty old, X-T1?'

Hilarity ensured here: X-T1 firmware in December + Rumor-Riddle: electronic shutter via hardware or firmware upgrade?

Fuji VS Fuji: Fujifilm X30 hands-on review

Fuji VS Fuji's well-organised Fujifilm X30 review is well worth the read. The review picks out several of the compounding interface inconsistencies across Fujifilm's camera line:

“The twist to turn on feature is clever, but this is one of those things I’ll have a hard time getting used to as the owner of multiple Fuji bodies. I always pick up the camera while fondling the shutter release, looking for the power switch. This is a non-issue for folks who only intend to own an X30 of course.”

as well as several of the improvements being made to the line, namely direct-selectable AF points:

“If you’re constantly changing your AF point and need to do it on the fly as fast as possible, Fuji has you covered. You can now set the D-pad to move the AF point immediately, rather than after tapping the AF button to activate. With this mode enabled, the functions listed on the D-pad are only accessible via drilling down into menu, or configured in your “Q” Menu.”

Fujifilm fans startled by new picture of XF 16-55 f/2,8 R

DPReview user, Robert Garcia NYC, posted the above photograph in this thread at the Fujifilm X System / SLR Talk forum. 

Reader reaction has been mixed. Readers disappointed by the lens quote its ostensible lack of OIS (optical image stabilisation), its size, and more. 

My thoughts go like this: what were you expecting? With the notable exception of the 18/2, current Fujifilm X lenses aren't small. They fall perfectly in line with APS-C lenses and FF equivalents. My hope is that Fujifilm install focus helicoids in their most expensive lenses, therefore enabling real-time manual focus override, and that that switch on the left, in the shadow of the man's palm, is for OIS. 

Martin Irwin discovers whisky

Says Martin:

“Written whilst enjoying a single malt, “With a Whisky” brings you the latest ramblings from my side of the world. I can’t promise prominent prose, or impressive imagery, but I’ll do my best to keep you entertained.”

Glad to have another contemporary writing under the influence. The other tool Martin wields in his inebriate article, is the classic Jupiter-3 50mm f/1,5, a lens, that even without alcohol, can really skew reality. 

Check it out here: With A Whisky #1

Fujifilm X30 - retro?

Fujirumors's hosting of Rico Pfirstinger's X30 First Look article is a breath of fresh air in an often-stale Expert Corner. One thing about the article puzzles me, though. That is Rico's use of the word retro. 

“The X30 is currently Fujifilm’s most advanced camera, combining premium build with retro elements and a flexible and mature user interface. But is it worth 549 Euros incl. VAT? With X-M1 double-lens kits already selling for 100 Euros less than that, I expect the street price of the X30 to adjust downwards rather sooner than later. Yes, it’s a fantastic camera with great handling and performance, but it’s still a compact camera with a 2/3″ sensor. The IQ is great, but at higher ISOs, it can’t match Fuji’s entry-level APS-C cameras. That said, if the price is right, the X30 is a clear buy for those who are looking for a compact camera for grown-ups that doesn’t look and handle like a toy, but like something more substantial.”

As far as I can see, the only thing retro about the X30 is its belonging to the X series, which uses dials for certain controls. Anyway, good read.

Fuji Rumors: First Look: Fujifilm X30

Fujifilm X30 - a portent of things to come

By now, you have heard of Fujifilm's new X30 compact camera. Its bold lines and moulded grip pay homage to the X-Pro 1.  While it has lost its iconic OVF, its general unification of X-camera design elements is a good thing. The X series, as a whole, has little to unify it other than round dials. 

The X30 inherits the following from the X-T1 and X-Pro 1

- tilting LCD (X-T1)
- WiFi connectivity (X-T1)
- 2,36M dot EVF (X-T1)
- 3,0 inch LCD (X-T1)
- Weight (423g: X30 including battery; 440g: X-T1 including battery)
- front function button (X-T1)
- Easy to press rear buttons (X-Pro 1)

Raising the bar for functionality across the series is good. So is firming up design elements. Making a large compact camera with a teeny tiny sensor, however, is scummy. So, too, is yet again re-arranging button layout. No self-proclaimed premium camera manufacturer has changed hardware interface elements so often. 

Picking up an X100/s and then operating an X-Pro 1 or an X-T1 or an X30 is nearly as frustratingly fractured an experience as going from Sony to Fujifilm. Unifying skin-deep design cues are a good idea. Constantly switching haptic interfaces, and switch-swapping iconic selling points such as OVFs, are not. 

Ω is somewhat hopeful that Fujifilm will finally settle on a single, unified hardware interface.

Flash pass-through thumb grip for Fujifilm X100/s and X10/20

Awesome (though old) thread by Fuji X Series member, CarlosV, who commissioned Michael Bass to design a flash pass-through thumb grip for the Fujifilm X10 and X100s. 

Full thread: Custom modification: Thumb grip with flash "pass through" for x10 and x100. The CV special!