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Posts Tagged ‘Fuji’

Photography, Technology, Travel | 0 comment

Fuji X100s – Exposure bracketing

HDR - National Cathedral - ©TimeLine Media

In delving through the manual of the Fuji X100s camera, I found bracketing operations in a menu. Previously, I have posted about the drive mode for making panoramas where the camera will continuously make images while guiding you to pan the camera to create super wide panorama photos. In that same menu, you also have access to create bracketed exposures!

Menu Exploring

I did not realize that this camera at first because there was not a dedicated function button for this, and it was not present in the Quick-access menu. It was only when really looking that I found this which really makes this a useful mode. Just like other ways of working with this camera, it is also much easier to setup this mode, and implement in taking photos. There are some limitations compared with the DSLR but for the trade off in size, it is worth it for light traveling.

Fuji X100s exposure bracket setup
Fuji X100s exposure bracketing setup
Fuji X100s exposure compensation dial
Fuji X100s exposure compensation dial

If you click the Drive button, you can select the AE bracket icon, and you can select from three different options – whether to have the exposures 1.0, 2/3, or 1/3 stop apart. This is similar to the tick marks along the exposure line on the Nikon DSLR setup. I set my exposure brackets to be 1.0 stops apart. One of the limitations of the X100 compared to the Nikon in terms of bracketing, is that you are limited to only 3 exposures per shutter release. This makes it more difficult to make a larger set if you are hand-holding, which I do not recommend anytime you are trying to make these!

Bracketing Images

To make more bracket images, I make use of the exposure compensation dial. This button which is easier to use than on DSLRs, allows you to change the exposure up to -2 or +2 around the metered settings in the camera. When on a tripod, you can set the X100s to make bracketed exposures, then set the camera to -2 with the exposure compensation dial. Then make the 3 exposures around +2, and finally, turn off the bracketed exposures to just a single exposure mode. Move the dial back to 0, and take the metered exposure. This should give you a set of 7 exposures of the same scene all 1 stop apart. It is a lot more complicated to do so, but it will get the job done quickly even with this small camera! Here are some examples from a walk around the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

HDR - National Cathedral - ©TimeLine Media
HDR – National Cathedral – ©TimeLine Media
HDR - National Cathedral - ©TimeLine Media
HDR – National Cathedral – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

Photography, Technology | 0 comment

First Impressions – FujiFilm X100s

©TimeLine Media - X100s in hotel ballroom

Alexandria, Virginia

The new Fuji X100s was the only camera I took with me to a fundraising dance event that we attended as guests. This is one of the hardest conditions to test a camera with very low available light in the ballroom. My first impressions of the camera was very positive, but it is also VERY different from using an SLR camera. For once, I did not have to carry around a huge camera body and lens with an attached flash much like this:

©TimeLine Media - X100s in hotel ballroom
©TimeLine Media – X100s in hotel ballroom

Mirrorless Camera

I brought  a camera that I could actually fit in my coat pocket! I did not need to have a strap, and it was so light to carry with me. Yes, there are a lot of compromises you have to make when using this camera. You do give up some performance when not carrying as much gear, but it almost makes up for it with the ease of carrying less. The above show was wide open at F/2.0 at ISO 4000. Considering how high the ISO, the skin tones still look good which is my biggest complaint of high ISO shooting. Another bonus of using these mirror-less cameras, is nearly silent operation. Because there is no mirror, you do not have a loud slap of the mirror and shutter curtain moving each time you take a photo. There is just a very quiet click when you press the shutter button – it is so quiet, the camera has a function to play a sound just to let you know that you took a photo!

©TimeLine Media - X100s in hotel ballroom
©TimeLine Media – X100s in hotel ballroom

This is perfect for making candid photos. For me, I can see this being very useful since I am not yet confident as to when the photo is actually taken with the camera. I end up firing 3-4 shots at one time. As with other point and shoot cameras, there is a slight lag in between pressing the shutter and the camera responding. Although it is not long, it does not seem as immediate as when shooting with a DSLR. Maybe as I get more experienced I will be better at know how and when to press the shutter. For now, it definitely cannot be used for an action subjects. Next, I will try the flash and flash commander functions to see how it shoots in more situations. I will only take this camera with me to Thanksgiving dinners to see more about what it can do!

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

Personal, Photography, Technology | 0 comment

New Camera – Part 1

©TimeLine Media - X100s in low light

The photos are coming along from last weekend nicely! It is a privilege to see all the routines from the day even though it is impossible to see them all because of the two ballrooms. I think my associate photographers did a good job covering the event for you, and I am working quickly to get these done and on the website.

Camera Testing

For today’s post, I wanted to write about a new camera that I have started to use. I have a full compliment of bodies, lenses, and accessories for my Nikon DSLRs, but it became apparent during the summer walkabouts, that it is simply too heavy to carry around all day. A fatigued photographer is a compromised photographer, and there will likely be some photos that you will miss. In researching a suitable substitute for all that gear, I found the Fujifilm X100s.

Fujifilm X100s - image provide by Fujifilm Global
Fujifilm X100s – image provide by Fujifilm Global

This is one of the new large-sensor mirrorless cameras that has been released in the last 2 years. This class of cameras is becoming very popular because of the lightweight bodies, and superior image quality. The camera has a fixed focal length 23mm lens which translates to 35mm on a full-frame sensor. The aperture of this lens can open to f/2 allowing excellent low light performance. Using these technical specs, I decided that this would probably suit just fine as a substitute for my “big” cameras. After it arrived, I had to hop on a learning curve, that will be a long run to being comfortable.

Portrait Photography

©TimeLine Media - X100s in low light
©TimeLine Media – X100s in low light

Before I went into the more complicated features, I started at the basics. The first thing I noticed, is the weight – this camera is so light! It was much lighter than I expected, but the ergonomics makes it really easy to hand hold. The rangefinder-like viewfinder is HUGE making composing photos very easy. The lens on this camera is tack sharp even at f/2. The above photo was taken wide open with just overhead lights. With the large aperture, I could still get a sharp photo at ISO 400. I was happy with how it performed, but with my first shoot, it was clear that this was clearly not the same system I have been used to.

TimeLine Media – www.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208