Over the Water

cameras, Fujichrome, fujifilm, Lenses, opinons, thoughts, photography, pictures

Took a trip on the ferry over the Tonle Sap river today to get out and make some pictures. Using my Fujifilm XT3 and an XF 16-80 f4 OIS WR zoom. The lens is new too me so was really just giving it a workout.

This is a fine walk around and travel lens, no real need to carry anything else.

The VILTROX 23mm f1.4. Astounding value.

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Certainly not the most expensive 23mm f1.4 lens on the market but what a good little performer IMHO, good contrast and sharpness and works very well with my Fuji X Pro3.

Fuji XF 16-80 f4 OIS WR

cameras, Fujichrome, fujifilm, Lenses, opinons, thoughts

Fujinon xf16-80mmf4 R OIS WR has a maximum aperture value of F4 throughout the focal length of 16-80mm (equivalent to 24-122mm in the 35mm film format). This lens has a minimum shooting distance of 35cm over the entire zoom range, which gives a maximum shooting magnification of 0.25x. The compact and lightweight lens weighs only 440G which is approximately 40% lighter than an equivalent lens for a 35mm format system. When attached to an x-t3 the kit weighs only 979G and 823G when combined with x-t30, making it the ultimate travel combination. This new standard zoom lens features 6.0-Stop OIS, meaning you can comfortably shoot in a wide variety of situations from a Night scene or indoors without worrying about camera shake.Just upgraded to this lens and it looks and functions extremely well giving great images. Very pleased. Yet to try it on my X Pro3 but balances well on the XT3.

GAS – Gear Acquisition Syndrome

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I have always had an appreciation for fine pieces of engineering, be it cars or cameras or even phones. I can feel the urge biting at me again, having recently found a very competitively priced (used) Fujifilm X Pro 3 with a couple of decent lenses. As is always the question, at these times, do I need it, what will it do that I cannot already do with the cameras I already own.

I already own the X Pro 2, which I admire greatly and does the job I require of it, it takes great pictures with great colours. So why am I considering the X Pro 3 ??

Fujifilm X-Pro2 vs Fujifilm X-Pro3 Comparison Review

There is, as far as I can tell, no real rational explanation for GAS other than I want, I have the cash and I love the design. Yes the XPro3 has a slightly larger sensor, and does things that the XPro2 cannot, but none of them are deal breakers. I just want.

Fujifilm X-Pro3 review: living in the moment, not a screen in sight: Digital Photography Review

I must say, I do like the idea of not chimping all the time, which I have a habit of doing, as the main screen is hidden as to make this more difficult, not impossible, but less likely. Giving a more film like operation to the camera. Making you think before you soot, slowing you down a little, getting things right before you click the shutter. Sounds like I am trying to persuade myself, and I probably am. Even used, it is a very expensive item for me.

FUJIFILM X-Pro3実写レビュー。最も富士フイルムらしさを感じられる個性的な最新ミラーレス一眼 - Rentio PRESS[レンティオプレス]

It certainly won’t make me any better of a photographer, but will encourage me to get out and take pictures because I have robbed the bank manager of all that cash. LOL. Watch this space as I have not bought it yet.

Deposit left, collect on Friday, great deal. Trading in one of my XT’s for this icon

**First pictures taken with this camera using a Viltrox 23mm f1.4 lens**

Day 2

Early thoughts, this camera and the way it produces colour is simply amazing

Always Clamouring for New Gear

cameras, Fujichrome, fujifilm, Lenses, opinons, thoughts, photography

Some people always seem to be wanting to upgrade to ”a better” camera because it has newer features or a bigger sensor. I truly find it hard to understand. When I find a camera lens combination that does what I want it to do, I tend to stick with it for a long time and ignore all the new gadget, bells and whistles. The images below, taken today, on what many would say is an obsolete camera, Fujifilm X Pro1. This camera still is capable of excellent quality. Yes it does not have all the ”features” of the newer cameras but it does what it says on the box, takes amazing quality images.

I also took out with me today my ”old” Canon 5D Mk2, another machine that is able to produce high quality images. Its robust and heavy and slower to use that the newer cameras but who cares, it produces images that I enjoy at a price that I can afford, why would I upgrade.

The need to upgrade continually to the next ”best” camera, is a phantasy invented by the camera makers to enable them to sell more cameras, not to enable you to make the best pictures IMO. If you need to upgrade for a specific reason, and can afford to do so, then by all means go for it but think about,clearly, what you need to produce the images that you (and others) may enjoy.

Monochrome with a standard RGB camera.

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The possibilities are endless.

With good post-processing or even processing in the camera such as in Fujifilm bodies, making high quality monochrome images, (maybe not in the league of dedicated mono sensors as in the Leica) but more than enough quality for the average pro/hobbyist.

Leica Q2 Monochrom Full Frame Compact Digital Camera

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Would I buy one even if I could afford it, the answer would probably be YES.

$6,195.00

47.3MP full-frame black-and-white CMOS sensor Captures amazing stills and 4K video 3-inch TFT LCD monitor with touch control 3.68MP OLED electronic viewfinder with eye sensor Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE connectivity ISO range of 100-100,000 Fast and accurate AF Compact, fully weather-sealed body Compatible with Leica FOTOS app Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH lens. It certainly has an impressive specification, but would I need it. I have never handled the camera but have used Leica cameras in my film days and know just how well constructed they are, but is this just overkill, a rich mans toy. Watch the review below.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/videos/photography/hands-on-review-the-new-leica-q2-monochrom

Is anything ever NEW

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It doesn’t matter whether someone has done it or not in the past. What is important is that you enjoy doing it.

”For example, would you not drink coffee because everyone else does it, and everyone else has done it before? Or would you not have a coffee this morning because you’ve “done it before”? Eric Kim

Everything is simply a remix or iteration of things in the past

Everything has been done before by somebody

The big mistake photographers make is that they make photos based on what others haven’t done before, rather than thinking whether they like it or not.

Do we make pictures for ourselves or to please others, do we copy what others have done before or try to be our own person and make something new. Is there anything new ??

Do we try to say things with our pictures, give them meaning or tell a story, or do we just like to make attractive images that appeal to people and that people would enjoy looking at. This of course presupposes that we make images for others to enjoy. Many of the images I make are not pretty, but hopefully they tell the story I would want them to tell.

If we make an image for others, and are paid to do a job, then yes we have to work within the brief given but that, fortunately, does not apply to the images I choose to make as I am the person that I have to please. I can choose the story or the subject that pleases me. It may have been done before, not original, but as I have already proposed, nothing is original.

Freezing TIME

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Making a photograph is about freezing a moment, and fraction of a moment, in time that will never happen again. That moment should mean something if it, IMO, is to be a successful picture.