CAPTURE NEW HORIZONS

Frozen water - Fujifilm X-T2 + XF10-24mm f4 - 1/13 @ f8 ISO800 (zoom 10mm) Bealach na Ba is Gaelic for Pass of the Cattle and is a road that is reminiscent of Alpine roads with tight and twisty bends as the single track road twists it was from sea level to 626 metres (2054ft). We had packed away our camera gear into the car at the bottom of the pass and as we headed up the weather had taken a turn for the worse, with rain swiftly turning to flurries of snow as we headed up.  This made the climb seem even more dramatic as the dark layer of cloud was lit from underneath by the sunlight down on Loch Kishorn. Bealach na Ba - Fujifilm X-T2 + XF10-24mm f4 - 1/100 @ f4 ISO800 (zoom 10mm) When we reached the top we stopped to climb out of the car to taken some images.  The twisting road provided a great lead in line for the resulting image At the top of the ridge the large pools of water were frozen over with snow flakes being blown across the surface.  The X-T2 with the XF10

Russel Burn - Fujifilm X-T2 + XF10-24mm f4 - 77s @ f11 ISO100 (zoom 10mm) -  Point D on Map below After our brief stop in Inverness we pushed on cross country 64 miles to Lochcarron. We stopped briefly to take in the view across the sea loch and stretch our legs before setting off towards Applecross. At Lochcarron we spotted a Heron fishing on the shoreline so with the X-T2 and XF100-400mm I managed to capture a few shots of the bird and the landscape in the winter sunshine. Lochcarron - Fujifilm X-T2 + XF100-400mm f4.5/5.6 - 1/640 @ f5.6 ISO200 (zoom 400mm) - Point A on Map below Lochcarron - Fujifilm X-T2 + XF100-400mm f4.5/5.6 - 1/800 @ f5 ISO200 (zoom 100mm)  - Point A on Map below We then headed out of Lochcarron following the road across the headland to Kishorn.  As we dropped down towards the sea loch the landscape opened up and we were greeted by the looming  mountain Sgurr a Chaorchain on the far shore.  We stopped to get some shots of the mountain from the

After traveling up the A9 to Inverness and stopping for a coffee we crossed the bridge over the River Ness onto the Black Isle.  The city was back lit with a slight mist and the church spires above the tops of the houses. The image was shot on the Fujifilm X-T2 and the XF100-400mm. We pulled into a parking bay at the side of the dual carriageway opposite the port to take a few images before continuing our journey north towards Lochcarron and then onto our next stop on the River Kishorn before making the climb through Bealach na Ba (Pass of the Cattle). Other features from this trip A Highland Photo Trip: Part 8 Sunset at Altandhu -  CLICK HERE A Highland Photo Trip: Part 7 Clashnessie Beach to the River Polly -  CLICK HERE A Highland Photo Trip: Part 6 Kylesku to Drumbeg -  CLICK HERE A Highland Photo Trip: Part 5 Ardvreck Castle -  CLICK HERE A Highland Photo Trip: Part 4 Bealach na Ba to Applecross -  CLICK HERE A Highland Photo Trip: Part 3 Lochcarron to Loch Kishor

Fujifilm X-T2 + XF10-24mm f4 - 3s @ f9 ISO200 (zoom 10mm) On Friday 27 January we set off from Edinburgh for a two day photo trip into the Highlands around Ullapool.  We left Edinburgh two hours before dawn and as we traveled up the A9, the main road from Perth to Inverness through the mountains, we decided to stop at the ruins of Ruthven Barracks to capture the sunrise. Ruthven Barracks stand on a mound on the opposite side of the A9 from the village of Kingussie, about 13 miles south of Aviemore.  I have been traveling up and down the A9 since I was posted to RAF Kinloss in February 1987 but have never stopped to view the ruins. Fujifilm X-T2 + XF10-24mm f4 - 1/13 @ f11 ISO400 (zoom 12mm) Ruthven Barracks were built in 1719 by the British Army after the failed Jacobite uprising in 1715.   In the 1745 rising led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart a unit of 12 British soldiers, commanded by a Sergeant Terrence Molloy of the 6th Regiment of Foot , defended the barracks aga

Well it has been a fun three weeks testing the two XF 'Kit' lenses and I will admit that I would be happy to have either in my camera bag.  They certainly are not 'kit' lenses in the same vein as the ones you find on the low end DSLRs.  In this final review in this three week test I will weigh up the pros and cons of the two kit lenses and how they compare to the big brother, the XF16-55mm f2.8 R LM WR. I conducted two earlier reviews in Part 1 and Part 2 of this feature.  Click on the links below to see those reviews and sample images. Part 1: XF18-135mm f3.5/5.6R LM OIS WR Part 2:  XF18-55mm f2.8/4R LM OIS             QUALITY PRODUCTS Both the XF18-55mm f2.8/4 and the XF18-135mm f3.5/5.6 are well built, have a solid construction, are optically on a par with the best of the XF range of lenses and have a very useful Optical Image Stabilisation system built in.  The 18-135mm is also weather resistant which for lens that is very well suited to travel photogra