CAPTURE NEW HORIZONS

I was able to borrow a pre production sample of the Fujinon XF50mm f1 telephoto prime lens for the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans for a quick review of Fujifilm's fastest prime lens. I am going to be honest but for the way I work in the pitlane I find the 50mm focal length a bit short, I much prefer the 90mm f2 or 200mm f2, if using a prime, or the 50-140mm f2.8 if I need a bit of flexibility.  With a 50mm you need to get in close and this can cause problems with the pit crews, you don't want to get in their way, or if the subject is at the back of the garage, we've not allowed to cross into the garage due to the Covid-19 protocols - breaking a bubble is the technical term! With that said I wanted to give it go as I was intrigued to see how the 50mm f1 operated, how shallow the depth of field was and how fast the AF was on the X-T4.  I did have a 56mm f1.2 but sold it for the reasons stated above but also because the AF was a bit slow - admittedly this was when I had an X-T2. I f...

Image taken on X-T4 with XF35mm f1.4 and a 16mm Extension Tube Macro photography is a fascinating subject but cost wise the equipment needed can be eye watering, but it doesn't need to be.  There are several options to produce a macro image. A dedicated macro lens Adding extension tubes to decrease the minimum focusing distance and increase magnification. Using close up filters MACRO LENSES Fujiflm make two lenses that are labelled as 'macro'.   The first is the XF60mm f2.4 R, one of the three original X series prime lenses launched in 2013 and the newer XF80mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR macro.  The 60mm is not a true macro lens as it doesn't reproduced images at a ratio of 1:1, it is a 1:2 (half size) lens, where as the 80mm is a true 1:1 macro lens. I bought a 60mm in 2013 alongside the 18mm f2, 35mm f1.4 and 14mm f2.8 primes when I bought the X-Pro1.  It was an excellent short telephoto lens.  It was a bit slow in the auto focus department but optical...

As a Fujifilm X Photographer working in the field of motor sport I am very proud to help Fujifilm develop new cameras and lenses that helps them produce high quality products.  Since my last blog nearly a year ago, Fujifilm has launched the XF200mm f2 with the matched 1.4x converter, which now gives the X Series a top class fast telephoto prime lens that can compete with the 'big boys' on a level playing field. I tested the 200mm prior to it's launch and I was the first photographer in the UK to purchase this lens last autumn.  Over the past nine months I have used it extensively, usually on my X-T3, and I haven't once regretted putting my money where my mouth is; it is a superb piece of glass and the best Fujinon XF lens by far! I am always interested in seeing what the other manufacturers are doing and last year Sony launched the FE 400mm f2.8 G Master lens, the lightest 400mm f2.8 on the market.  Because the Sony system is full frame, the XF200mm f2 fitted wi...

GREAT NEWS!!  This morning Fujifilm sent out a press release to announce some new developments for the X Series and GFX systems.  The thing that caught my eye is the one item I, and my fellow sports photographers, have been asking for ever since the 100-400mm telephoto zoom was launched last year and that is a fast telephoto prime lens has been added to the road map for 2018.   Now if you have been a regular reader of this blog you can't have failed to have seen my rugby images and the issue with having to crank up the ISO under the floodlights due to the limits imposed by the f5.6 maximum aperture.  The Telephoto Prime Lens will solve this issue and the other prime consideration and that is background separation in the images.   Now Fujifilm haven't said what the maximum aperture will be on the new lens but the Fujinon primes to date have all been f2.8 or wider. The standard lens for a sports photographer is either a 300mm f2.8 or 400mm f2.8 so we should...

When out walking I usually have a camera with me and sometimes the most mundane object can provide a bit of artistic inspiration.   A couple of days ago I was walking down by the harbour here in Dunbar.  The old benches that line the harbour wall have been replaced with new ones. are a bright shade of blue and very striking.    Add in the newly painted yellow mooring bollards and the red sandstone of the 170 year old harbour wall and my camera was switched on and ready. I had brought along the Fujifilm X-T2, fitted with the XF18-135mm f3.5/5.6 zoom that I am testing,  and I set about taking a set of images that would show off the blue colour in the benches.   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE SUPPORT THIS BLOG BY VISITING THE ADVERTISERS ON THIS PAGE By clicking on the adverts you are helping support this blog - thank you. ...