Be Inspired

A collection of inspirational blog posts that will give you some great new ideas and cause you to pick up your camera and go out shooting

Are Fujifilm mirrorless cameras ready to replace your D-SLR system?

by Fujifilm EMEA October 9, 2015 Comments13

Fabio Camandona became a photographer in 2007 during a vacation, twenty years after the thought “I’d like to be a photographer” first entered his head. From there he embarked on an intense independent study of the art, which led to him becoming a Master of the Nikon School in just two years, holding many high-level workshops for the company and himself. He began photographing weddings almost by chance, and with the arrival of his wife Simona Pilolla, he opened a studio called CamandonaPilolla which has had great success across the nation. Member of Fearless Photographers, the official photographer for both the Reggia di Venaria and the Torino Polytechnic University, and testimonial for Fujifilm Italia, he continues to hold numerous workshops despite the many weddings he photographs every year. He defines himself as an extremely simple person who loves life and living it.

“I’ve owned a Fujifilm X-E2 for two full months, one of the most recent mirrorless cameras to be released by a company which gave a raison d’être to the mirrorless sector and managed to win over the market.

I’ve been following this sector for quite some time now. I’ve always harboured great interest in it and have been waiting for the moment when it would become possible to sell all my reflex cameras and continue to work using lighter and less invasive bodies.
I had some requisites that needed fulfilling however:

I didn’t want any significant loss in quality compared to the cameras I was using before. I have a Nikon D600 and D700, both of which are up for sale at the moment. They’re excellent cameras. They’ve allowed me to do things that have satisfied me personally and have helped me to produce images which have received appreciation in various countries around the world. With two great lenses in front of the sensor, I knew I couldn’t accept a decrease in quality. I needed something that was at least equal. Many have asked me, “why don’t you want more?” It is because I believe that there is a limit beyond which I would just be looking for trouble. Keep in mind that I am talking about MY personal photography. With these two cameras I was able to do everything I wanted. They were exceptional.
Reactivity. I do lots of weddings in the Kabul style. What does this mean? It means that our clients know very well that they need not pay any attention to us during their special day. As such, they dart back and forth from one part of the house to another, to the church and to the location, doing exactly what they want while we race behind them. (And rightly so: it’s their day!) For this reason, I need an autofocus that is both instantaneous and precise.
High ISO. Weddings are almost always in the evening. The locations are romantic and dark. High ISO is indispensable and 6400 is the bare minimum. I don’t expect every pixel to come out clean like at 200 ISO but I want my images to be useable. The D600 gave me what I wanted, the D700 didn’t.
Strobism. The technique of using flash controlled remotely via transmitter. I use it almost all the time. For me it’s fundamental.
Resilience. Ah yes, it’s important. Cameras and lenses fall, get wet in the rain and become victims of spilt martinis and flying sushi. It happens.

In short, a mirrorless had to give me everything I’ve listed above. However, I was also looking for a few extra characteristics that a reflex could never provide…

Discretion. Discretion as in not being identified as a crazy paparazzi. Discretion is something that can allow me to take NEW kinds of photographs and this is very important to me. Much more important than a crop or a shallow depth of field created by a Noctilux lens. Enormously important. New photos, new emotions.
Weight. Carrying around two catafalques for 12-14 hours was a lot. They were heavy; during the final hours I was always exhausted and a little bit aggravated. The desire to jump to my feet and photograph the bride being thrown in the air by her friends was purely psychological: my body, on the other hand, would be cursing me. We do lots of weddings but on top of that, we also engage in other services, workshops and of course, personal photography – in other words, a lot of shooting. About halfway through the season last year, I experienced a very strong inflammation of the meniscus and at the end of the season, I was completely burned out.
New incentives like the ones the iPhone gave me two years ago or the Fuji X20 (a super camera but not comparable to a reflex and thus appropriate for other purposes). There is always a need for new incentives and challenges.

Every year I tried the newest releases but there was always a missing link. Last year the X-E2 was released and as the slogan goes: the AF is lightning fast! (Well, more or less.) Interesting. The autofocus was one crucial aspect that Fujifilm always struggled with.

I wrote to Fujifilm, suggesting a one year project and they accepted. It was at that point I pleasantly discovered just how wonderful the company is. A company that keeps its promises. A company that goes above and beyond. I admit that I’m still a bit dumbfounded.

They sent me the X-E2 with three lenses: the 18-55mm kit lens, a 14mm wide-angle lens and a medium 60mm lens. I bought myself a couple of batteries and I was ready to go. I started to search for potential test shoots to verify whether or not my needs could be met.

The first: Its inauguration. A paid event similar to a wedding. The results? Excellent.
The second: A semi-sports photo feature at the Thay Boxe Mania event in Torino. A paid job. Again, excellent results.
The third: My best landscape workshop of the year, Snowscape. We’re talking serious landscapes. For the 14mm I bought ND filters, remote shooting etc. Excellent, just excellent.
The fourth: A photo feature at the fast-paced Orange Battle of Ivrea following the Devils under the floats. Excellent once again.

In between I had a few engagement, landscape and corporate jobs. The X-E2 shone every time.

In short, I’ve realised that I haven’t lost anything compared to my old gear. The images from the Fuji during the tests provided at least the same quality. In some cases, it was even better. Actually, sincerely speaking, it was always better but I repeat, going “beyond” the quality of my old gear simply isn’t important. I’m more interested in other features.

More than anything, I’ve released that I tend to take far more photos during the spare time between one service and another. It’s small, and it’s always on you. You naturally take photos with it.

One of the educational topics I often push at my workshops is just that: the act of taking photos. You have to take lots if you want to improve and this applies to anyone. With this camera, I’ve taken many more photos than I ever did before.

I tested the camera at high ISO speeds. I looked at the reactivity, the robustness, the quality of the files, the portability and its use for strobism. (By the way, the Yongnuo RF603 kit for Canon works just fine with the Fujis.)

But there was one aspect that made me reflect more than anything. I’ve always loved participating in photography groups and sites such as ArtFreelance, Shot Magazine, Full Frame, 500px, loveyourpix and so on. It’s something I do often. I measure the quality of my photos by how many times I am selected by the editors and by their placement in the various galleries some groups use. It’s useful, and the comparison continues. There are some very skilled people in these groups.

Let’s just say that since I started using the X-E2, the number of times I’ve been selected by the editors has doubled.

I’ve come to notice that I shoot much as I used to in some ways, but quite differently in others. I don’t really understand the reason but I believe it is also related to the question of chemistry. The positive attention I’ve received from Fujifilm has surely helped as well. In fact, it’s probably related to a number of things. But in the end, who cares? I’m producing better images for myself and my clients and that’s what counts. Nothing else matters.

Yes, I am selling my entire reflex system. The switch is effective as of now – I’m going mirrorless and the Fujifilm X-E2 is my camera of choice.

P.S. The question of chemistry is a fundamental one. I know many photographers (colleagues and friends) who for various reasons continue to use the reflex system. Reasons include being involved in a particular micro-sector of photography, the need for a large grip or a general indifference towards the gear used. Obviously if it works for them, then that’s fine.

This is my story and I cannot speak for everyone.

See more of Fabio’s work

www.fabiocamandona.com
www.camandonapilolla.com

Using flash to capture action

by Ben Cherry October 8, 2015 Comments3

I am currently in the middle of a six-month research stint with the Wild Macaw Association, gathering data on a scarlet macaw population for a study in Costa Rica, associated with Gent University. This remarkable opportunity allows me to study these birds closely and to explore the surrounding area during our two daily treks. To find out more about this very successful project, in which 75 macaws were released from 2002-2012, please check out this link here.

Scarlet macaws are incredible birds, with their bright colours and quirky behaviour making them very photogenic. However, they are often found within the rainforest and this often means in dark conditions, too dark for even the XF50-140mm F2.8 and high ISOs to capture any sort of motion. This problem will sound familiar to many of you in different situations, where OIS is redundant as the problem is subject movement, not camera shake. There is however one way to get around this: add artificial light. It may not be suitable for some situations but with a little bit of time and understanding this can allow for that otherwise impossible shot.

Here is a video showing how I developed my flying macaw photographs.

For me, there are two reasons to add flash to an action situation; we’ll take a look at both of these in a little bit of detail.

You need more light to freeze the subject/scene

In other words you simply can’t get a sharp image without more light. This is the most common reason to switch to flash. Most will start with the popup flash on their cameras and/or then get a dedicated flash and mount it on the hotshoe of the camera. There are photographers who can produce exceptional images using just this simple technique, and if you have a TTL (through the lens metering) flash then this becomes relatively quick and simple as the camera will communicate with the camera how much flash output there should be. Generally this will be fine for most needs, especially if you are short of time and need to take a variety of photos.

If you do have a TTL flash and you haven’t experimented with manual flash outputs before I would highly recommend that you give it a go. This slows you down and makes you think more about what you want to produce – do you simply want the flash to give a little bit of fill light to an otherwise correctly exposed scene? Or would you rather the camera underexposes the scene while the flash exposes correctly, so bringing the focus onto your subject and away from the darker background? These are all fun things to play with.

This all sounds great but flash photography can drive you around the bend if you’re not careful. On current X-Series cameras the maximum flash sync is 1/180sec (except the X100 series because of a leaf shutter allowing 1/1000sec flash sync). Anything more than this will not allow proper flash input. When it comes to action 1/180sec is pretty slow! There is one flash currently available, the Nissin i40, which is different. It offers high-speed sync (HSS), which allows you to use the flash up to 1/4000 sec, this is certainly helpful when adding some fill flash but it does cut the overall output of the flash. The reason for the downgraded power in this mode is because the flash sends out a series of very high speed flashes (instead of one, more powerful flash) that are fast enough to expose the subject within the maximum shutter speeds.

On camera flash — 1/180sec flash sync isn’t enough to freeze background movement when following a fast moving subject. This can be fine as it shows some motion. The illuminated subject should generally be sharp because a flash pulse is so fast. However this can be improved by using second curtain/slow sync that I will talk about soon.

If you want to freeze the subject and aren’t bothered by the background then what you want to do is find an exposure combination that creates a totally black image. For example 1/180sec (max sync), F11, ISO200 – a mix which should require too much light for a lot of scenes, thus leaving your image black/heavily under exposed. The next thing to do is to add the flash that will offer all the light on the subject. If your subject is moving quickly then you’ll want to cut the flash output, this sounds counterintuitive, but as you cut the light output say from 1/1 to ¼ then the flash time is four times faster than maximum 1/1 power. This ensures that the subject is completely frozen.

Stopping the feathers in mid-beat, using ¼ power of the flash ensured it froze the macaw. However, when you do this you’ll often need more than one flash to get enough light to illuminate the subject with the ‘ambient stopping’ settings and the fractional flash power output. — Stopping the feathers in mid-beat using ¼ power of the flash ensured it froze the macaw. However, when you do this you’ll often need more than one flash to get enough light to illuminate the subject with the ‘ambient stopping’ settings and the fractional flash power output.

The scene isn’t dramatic enough so you add artificial light

Sometimes a scene just looks flat and no matter what you do images just don’t ‘pop’. This is where some creative artificial light can make an image. In the rainforest undergrowth this definitely applies, as apart from being really dark, there is generally very little direct sunlight so the light is muted. Some images where I panned with the subject came out ok, partly thanks to the wonderful colours of the birds, but I still felt that it need an extra something. This is where the aforementioned video shows the progression from initial photos to more dynamic, off-camera flash images.

There are countless blogs on creative use of artificial light and I’m not going to pretend that I am a flash master, instead I’m simply going to show the set up I ended up using and why.

First of all I love off-camera flash, it opens up so many more opportunities compared to simple on-camera flash (this is just my opinion and not fact). So I very quickly knew that for the image I had in mind, I needed to use flashes off camera. I experimented from backlighting the birds to using the two flashes one from each side and then from slap bang in front. But the combination that created the image I really wanted involved having both flashes to the right-hand side, where the bird was flying. One flash was in line with where the birds fly over, while the other was slightly around towards me so giving a bit of light onto the side of the face towards the camera. This gave sufficient light onto the face to freeze the detail (especially as the face is lighter than the body) but didn’t cast enough light onto the rest of the bird to freeze more detail so creating motion. Here is a sketch to indicate what I did.

Different Flash Curtains

There are two curtains in a flash exposure. The first curtain reveals the sensor to the light coming through the lens and then the second that closes the sensor to light, completing the exposure. This is important to understand as it can greatly affect how you use flash.

First curtain flash

Where the flash is triggered as the first curtain opens. This is the most common set up, where your main priority is the flash. The go-to set up unless you’re using slightly slow shutter speeds with subjects or moving lights. It captures the exact action that you press the shutter to capture, if you use second curtain/slow sync then you could miss the split-second moment you were hoping to catch.

Second Curtain Flash

As the second curtain is about to come up and finish the exposure the flash fires making it effectively the last light to hit the sensor. This method does send off a flash initially to get a meter reading if used in aperture priority mode (no meter flash in manual mode). I generally avoid this method as it can give weird results (see video).

Look at the weird double freezes, by the metering flash and 2nd sync flash.

Slow Flash Sync

Slow sync is only available in aperture priority/auto-shutter speed modes, generally it is the same as second curtain flash but without the disruptive initial metering flash (note that it can only go down to 1/8sec). This is my favorite option for any kind of action photography and is the method I used for the panning images. The reason why this works best is it lets the ambient light reach the sensor first; correctly exposing the background and THEN the flash is triggered reaching and freezing the subject. This is preferential for panning/slow shutter speeds because it prevents ghosting – where the subject is flashed and but there is time afterwards for some light to reach the subject and any subject movement creates a bit of a psychedelic feel!

Conclusion

There concludes a rough/quick break down of different flash curtain types for the X-Series. To summarise there are a number of ways you can use flash to help your action photography:

Fill flash either up to 1/180sec or higher if using a HSS flash.
Causing a correctly exposed subject with a darkened/underexposed background.
Freezing a subject
Capturing motion with a bit of detail while panning with a moving subject.
Blending ambient light with directional flash light.

I hope that gives you a little bit of inspiration to get out there and try your hand at creative flash photography.

If you’d like to find out more about the Wild Macaw Association project or even donate to keep the project running then please check it out here – http://www.tiskita.com/macaw-conservation/

A little about Ben

Ben is an environmental photojournalist, zoologist and Fujifilm X-Photographer. His passion is showing the beauty and fragility of the natural world. Find more of his work at:

Filed under Be Inspired Photography Tutorials Wildlife

Five wedding photographers who made ‘The Switch’

by Fujifilm EMEA October 7, 2015 Comments13

So you’re thinking about making the switch to a Fujifilm mirrorless system. You’ve read the reviews, watched the videos and listened to people tell you how their experience of shooting weddings has changed since they halved the weight they carry around for 14 hours every Saturday. They might have also mentioned how much time they have saved with post processing due to the quality of Fujifilm’s JPG files. Or how many candid shots they are getting now since they blend in with the other guests.

But you’re still not sure.

Let these five professional wedding photographers tell you about their experience of making the switch.

If they can do it, why can’t you?

Ian Weldon – Ian Weldon Photography

“I had my Canon 5D II in my bag and a 580 EX-II Speedlight, just in case. My head was spinning all day and I must have opened that bag 3 or 4 times and had to force myself to not take the ‘easy way out’.”

“After that day, nearly 4 years ago, I’ve never used anything other than Fuji cameras for my wedding work. Light, inconspicuous and all round pretty cool. What more could a documentary style wedding photographer need?”

“80% of my wedding work is shot with the X-Pro1 and 18mm f2 and the rest, mostly dancing shots, are with the X-T1 and 18mm f2. I do switch to the 35mm f1.4 on occasion for that extra bit of reach and use a Nissin i40 flash with sync chord. That’s it, liberating!”

See more of Ian’s work

Website: http://www.ianweldon.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ian-Weldon-Photography-124854627581367/timeline/ & https://www.facebook.com/ian.h.weldon
IG – @ianjweldon
ello – https://ello.co/ianjweldon
tumblr – http://ianweldon.tumblr.com

Paul Richards – Albion Row Photography

“I first used Fuji at a wedding way back with the original X-Pro & 35mm in July 2013, originally using it alongside a DSLR. I loved it, but it wasn’t until 2014 and the purchase of an X-T1 along with the 23mm & 56mm that the system really took over my wedding photography.”

“The Canon 5d3 was rather swiftly retired; there’s a lot that I love about the Fuji system but for me the main eye-opener that changed the way I work is the tilt-screen. I shoot weddings in a documentary fashion and the tilt-screen has become a firm favourite of mine. I love being able to move among guests in tight receptions with a wide-angle prime and the ability to shoot with the back screen as a waist level viewfinder. I get so many shots without people noticing I am there and without the intimidation of a camera raised to the eye. I can get closer and make shots with a feeling of intimacy and of being there – with a guest’s eye perspective.”

“For a wedding photojournalist I think the combination of image quality, ease of use, discretion and weight (or lack of!) that the Fuji system offers is outstanding. Nowadays I shoot with 3 X-T1 bodies and mostly the 16mm f1.4, the 35mm f1.4 and the 90mm f2 lenses and I am immensely happy with the system as a whole.”

See more of Paul’s work

Website: http://www.albionrow.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weddingphotocornwall
Paul has also written a couple of blog posts about his switch that you can find here and here.

Lord Parker – Lord Parker Photography

“I switched from Nikon to Fuji in the latter half of 2014, after Damien Lovegrove advised me this was the future. I’m a disabled Photographer, so the weight of the DSLR has always been a problem by causing me to be more unbalanced.”

“When I switched to the Fuji X-T1 I was astonished by the weight of the camera and the images that were coming out of it, in my opinion superior straight out of the camera compared with the Nikon. The Fuji X-System has really helped me with my disability, no more arm aches and back ache”

“I shoot all my weddings using nothing more than the Fuji X-T1 and the X-Pro 1 with the 27mm, 18mm and the 16-55mm lenses. I don’t use flash, unless I’m getting creative after the wedding with a Cactus for some off camera flash work, I find that the ambient light, a low F-Stop and an ISO of 6400 is easily manageable.”

See more of Lord Parker’s work

Website: http://lord-parker.co.uk

Steve and Samantha Vaughan – SSV Photography

“We are documentary style wedding photographers, based in Bicester, Oxfordshire. Our style is to photograph the whole day, from preparation to well past the first dance. We starting using Fuijfilm X-series equipment a couple of years ago, to lighten the load on a long wedding shoot, but to also make us less obvious during the day.”

“With our DSLR gear, we found guests would pose and point at us. Using our 2 X-T1’s and X100T we are able to mingle with the guests and take natural, relaxed images. It is truly liberating to shoot a whole wedding with just a small shoulder bag, two bodies and 4 lenses.”

“The image quality from our X equipment is fantastic, as are the lenses. We are totally committed to Fujifilm equipment now.”

See more of Steve and Samantha’s work

Website: http://www.ssvphotography.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SSVPhotography
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BicesterPhotos
Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevevaughanssv/

Mike Riley – Michael Riley Photography

“I’ve been a commercial photographer for a while now but have recently decided to start offering a documentary style wedding coverage. I’ve thought about it before but I’ve always resisted as I’ve never liked the wedding pictures I’ve seen in the past – all grip and grin, faked smiles and endless group shots which don’t tell you anything other than what people wore on the day.”

“As a contrast to the highly technical staged commercial studio work I do I want to tell stories. To tell stories I have to be in the middle of the action or at least very close to it and so when picking kit to do this with I settled on the Fuji X system.”

“I already had an X-Pro1 for personal use and the quality was fantastic – so good in fact that its sometimes hard to match the jpg quality with a RAW edit. The X-T1 I’ve added to the kit bag now is even better as it its a more responsive in use and is completely silent with the electronic shutter allowing me to be stood right next to the registrar or vicar and shooting without them knowing about it.”

“I can be right in the middle of the action capturing the story of the day without people stopping and gurning at the lens. Because of the small size of the kit I can move fast and easily and not worry about a massive lump of glass and metal swinging around as I move. I’ve shot one wedding this way so far and look forward to many more.”

See more of Mike’s work
Website: http://www.michaelrileyphotography.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikerileyphotography
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MRileyPhoto
Instagram: https://instagram.com/michaelrileyphotography/

Filed under Be Inspired Photography Reportage Wedding

London Fashion Week with the Fujifilm X100T

by Guest Blogger October 2, 2015 Comments6

By Sinbad Phgura

The guys at Fujifilm asked me to put something together for fashion week, in the past I have shot for a few different designers & the principal sponsor of the event when it was held at the Natural History Museam & the opulent ‘Somerset House’.

This year it all moved into the heart of the West End, where the streets are the real stage!

“Fashion may come and go, But Soho’s always got Style”

Learn more

All of these images were shot on the Fujifilm X100T

See more of Sinbad’s work

http://www.sinbadphgura.com
http://www.facebook.com/sinbadphguraphotography
http://www.instagram.com/sinbadphgura

Tweets by sinbadphgura

Filed under Be Inspired Photography Reportage Street

Speed, smoke and adrenaline – putting the Fujifilm X-T1 to the test

by Fujifilm EMEA September 29, 2015 Comments8

By Jordan Butters

I first fell into motorsport photography almost by accident, through an interest in the competitive motorsport of ‘drifting’. Having tried my hand at driving in the sport for a brief spell, I hung up my race helmet and picked up a camera.

For the uninitiated – drifting is like all the best bits of a race rolled into one; the close calls, the smoke, the sliding, the excitement and the crashes. Competitors have to ‘drift’ powerful rear wheel drive cars around a predefined series of corners at high speed and angle according to criteria set out by three judges – this is often done in ‘tandem’ with another car for added excitement! I’ve photographed everything from historic classics to rallying and GT racing and, if anything, you have to have your wits about you more when shooting drifting than any of the above – it’s without a doubt one of the most exciting, emotional and unpredictable motorsports to spectate and photograph. There’s never a dull moment.

This year I was hired as the official photographer for the Extreme Drift Allstars series – a six-stop championship that tours across Europe showcasing the best drivers on the continent on some truly interesting and challenging circuits. The demands of the job, and shooting drifting specifically, are pretty hard on the kit that I use. My camera and lenses need to be durable, reliable, and perform without fault. Autofocus speed is critical, as is the ability to take a knock or two and stand up to the environment.

There’s rarely an event that passes when I don’t get covered in bits of rubber, dirt, dust, champagne (from the podium, of course!), pelted with debris, or find myself ducking for cover! Shooting track-side isn’t to be taken lightly, and the consequences for not being on your toes at all times are severe. My images are used for PR and marketing purposes, so I have to work fast and efficiently to capture, process and output work that represents the series and drivers in the best possible light. When Fujifilm approached me and asked me to put the X-T1 Graphite Edition, XF50-140mm F2.8R LM OIS WR and XF16-55mm F2.8R LM WR lenses through a test of speed and durability I knew exactly the circumstances to do so in!

My usual kit comprises of one or two full frame professional DSLRs, a 70-200mm f/2.8, and a selection of fast prime lenses. Straight away, my bag is noticeably lighter with the X-T1 in place of my usual DSLR setup. When using the 50-140mm and running the camera in High Performance Mode I find the VG-XT1 Vertical Battery Grip a welcome addition – not only does it increase the number of frames you can squeeze off before a recharge, it also balances the weight of the light X-T1 body with the bigger lens too. I always carry my little X100S with me when travelling too, and I’d previously tested the X-T1 with the excellent XF 23mm f/1.4 R while shooting street photography in Budapest last year and was very impressed with how it coped. The X-T1’s recent v4 firmware and autofocus upgrades intrigued me further – how would it fare when shooting fast action?

Before hitting the track I set the X-T1 up to suit my style of shooting. Most of my on-track images are taken in shutter-priority mode, which allows me to control the shutter speed to dictate the level of motion blur in the image. Setting this up on the X-T1 is easy – simply rotate the lens aperture ring to ‘A’ and then select the shutter speed using the top dial. The front control wheel by your right index finger then fine-tunes the shutter speed in ⅓ stop increments. Depending on the speed of the corner I’m shooting, around 1/250sec to 1/320sec is ideal to freeze a car approaching, whilst retaining motion in the wheels to avoid it looking parked.

I use back-button focusing with my DSLR as it allows me to switch between how I focus easily. I managed to set the X-T1 in a similar fashion, however it requires setting the camera to Manual Focus to decouple focusing from the shutter button. I then simply press the AF-L button once for single shot AF, hold it down for continuous focus or don’t press it at all if I want to manually focus – all independent of the metering and capture functions which are still taken care of by the shutter button. However, this doesn’t behave in exactly the same fashion on the X-T1 as I’m used to, as when depressing the shutter button and AF-L buttons simultaneously I found that only the first shot was in focus. I’ve found that all cameras require at least some form of adjusting to, so this wasn’t a huge deal, and is hopefully something that Fujifilm can look at in a future firmware update. Reverting back to focusing using the traditional shutter button half-press to focus, the camera acted exactly as expected.

Attaching the 50-140mm to the X-T1, the first thing that I noticed was the nice little touch of having a small window in the lens hood through which to adjust a circular polariser. I use a CPL 95% of the time and having to remove the lens hood each time to adjust it is a pain! The second thing that impressed me about this lens is the speed and accuracy at which the AF locks on. There is very little discernible difference between the X-T1 and my DSLR in this regard.

When tracking cars coming towards me at speed the X-T1 performs flawlessly, only thrown off balance when flare bounces off the car’s surface, or when presented with a low-contrast area. What really surprises me is how quickly any AF misjudgments are quickly corrected by the camera too. The X-T1 rattles off frames at an impressive 8 frames per second and the AF would only lose track for a single frame, or two at most, before locking back on. At the levels of magnification offered by this focal length any slight inaccuracy is amplified, but this lens and camera combination knocks it out of the park – the results are tack-sharp. Colour me impressed.

Tracking using the EVF was one area that concerned me before trying the X-T1. It’s obviously not quite the same as tracking through an optical viewfinder, but it’s as close as you’ll get and doesn’t cause a problem. Both traditional optical viewfinders and the X-T1’s electronic viewfinder go dark when firing the shutter, which makes tracking a car whilst shooting an acquired skill, as you lose line of sight momentarily every time an image is recorded. I don’t know if it’s possible, but if Fujifilm’s engineers could program in a way to keep the EVF always live whilst the image is being recorded then the X-T1’s viewfinder would snatch the advantage away from the traditional optical viewfinder for shooting sports!

Using AF-C + Single Point for my initial tests worked well, but relied upon my ability to track the car with a single AF point, set to the smallest possible size for accuracy. I was keen to see what the X-T1 could do in some of the more automatic AF tracking modes.

Switching to AF-C + Zone mode, I am able to select the area of the frame that I want to track the car in, perfect for compositions when the car is outside of the 3×3 central zone used in AF-C + Single mode. Panning the cars as they pass side-on, the AF system doesn’t have to work too hard as they maintain a constant speed and line and the distance between myself and the car doesn’t change much, however I can see that it’s doing its job as the AF points track the car as it shifts around the frame. Adjusting my position so that I shoot the cars approaching and passing offers more of a challenge to the AF system, and slowing down the shutter speed to capture more motion blur tests my panning technique too. By keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, locking your elbows into your hips and rotating just the top half of your body, you’ll soon start to see consistent results when panning, and you can start to have fun by playing with really slow shutter speeds.

Shooting with the 16-55mm is fast and accurate. Wider focal lengths tend to be more forgiving than telezooms when it comes to AF accuracy; as the subject is smaller in the frame any misfocusing is less easily noticed, however even zoomed right in it’s clear to see that the 16-55mm isn’t struggling.

The long end of the 16-55mm is perfect for those parts of circuit which permit me to get that bit closer, whereas the wide end is ideal for capturing the cars as part of the environment, for shooting the interiors of the cars as the driver buckles in, or when I’m lucky enough to get a passenger ride during the practice sessions!

I always look to capture more than cars sliding around the track – when I deliver a set of images I want to record the details and the emotion of racing too. Shooting on the startline is something that you can’t really do in many other motorsports, but with drifting I’m literally able to poke my lens into a driver’s window as he sits waiting for the light to turn green. It’s where I produce some of my favourite work; all the driver’s anticipation and emotion shows in their eyes, however it’s also very challenging to capture strong images here. You have just seconds with each driver before you have to be clear of the car, so being prepared with the right settings is crucial. Some cars are very dark inside whereas some are bright white and bounce the light around. Sometimes you’re shooting through the sloping windscreen glass while adjusting a polariser too – this makes judging the exposure settings beforehand tricky.

This was one area where the X-T1 delivered some really surprising results, all thanks to the EVF. Setting the 50-140mm lens to f/2.8 and selecting ISO 800 generates a fast enough shutter speed in most circumstances while retaining good image quality. I’m not bothered about blowing highlights or blocking areas of shadow for these images, and my exposure is based purely on the driver’s skin and eyes. With the EVF to my eye, I move into position as I adjust the exposure compensation dial until I see the results I want and press the shutter. The EVF helps me get it right on the first take without reviewing the LCD, adjusting and reshooting. I don’t even have to check the screen afterwards as I know what I’ve captured before I even press the shutter – perfect!

While I was already a big fan of the X-T1 as an all-round performer, I was apprehensive to shoot motorsport with it. My primary concern was autofocus performance, however the X-T1 quickly settled any reservations I had. The XF50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR really impressed, and the X-T1’s EVF simply cannot be faulted for helping you get the shot right first time in tricky conditions. While the X-T1’s control layout is incredibly intuitive and ergonomically pleasing to use, it did take me some time to adjust to its traits and quirks, but this is true of any camera. After a day or two shooting with it, I got faster and better with it, and before long was getting the same results that I’m using to getting with my regular kit.

My secondary concern revolved around using such a small and light camera in an environment which I know to be tough on kit, but the X-T1 rolled with the punches and stood up to everything I threw at it just as well as any pro DSLR I’ve used.

Size definitely isn’t everything, and the X-T1 is not to be underestimated!

TO SEE MORE OF JORDAN’S WORK

Website www.jordanbutters.co.uk
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Twitter: www.twitter.com/jordanbutters

Click here to find retailers selling the Fujifilm X-T1

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Filed under Be Inspired Photography Sport

Press photographer & Canon user David Hedges shoots Glastonbury with the Fujifilm X-T1

by Guest Blogger September 25, 2015 Comments17

By David Hedges

Revelers watch the sun rise from the Stone Circle as Glastonbury Festival comes to an end at Worthy Farm, Somerset. June 29 2015.

Like the cliche of many photographers, I got into taking pictures by means of my dad letting me have a go on his camera, which he then struggled to get back. I ended up taking photography all the way to University, doing a degree course at The University of Plymouth and graduating with a first in 2011. I was lucky enough (and through spending my summers doing work experience at local papers) to be offered a job coming out of university for South West News Service (SWNS), one of the largest agencies in the UK, and for the last four years that’s where I’ve been, covering news and features for the national papers.

One of the highlights of being a press photographer in the South West of England is having the opportunity to shoot Glastonbury Festival each year. If ever there was an event that you could fill your entire photography portfolio within a matter of days, this would be it. Everything from portraits, to music, to all the quirky stuff that happens there, it’s a photographers dream. The last few years I had been shooting on my Canon gear, and believe me, after 5 days of lugging it around a mud strewn festival site that spans the size of a small City, you start to feel it. So this year I planned something different, I thought I would try using the Fujifilm X-T1 system to cover the festival. Armed with the X-T1, 16-55mm 2.8, 56mm 1.2, 50-140mm 2.8 and the 23mm 1.4, I took to the, for the most part, sunny fields of Glastonbury for one of the biggest festivals of the year.

Revelers enjoy the Friday night atmosphere at Glastonbury Festival on Worthy Farm, Somerset. After a deluge of rain, the sun broke through for the headliners. June 26 2015.

Arcadia bursts into life as revelers enjoy the Friday night atmosphere at Glastonbury Festival on Worthy Farm, Somerset. After a deluge of rain, the sun broke through for the headliners. June 26 2015.

A dressed up woman poses for a photograph as revelers start to make their way home as Glastonbury Festival comes to an end at Worthy Farm, Somerset. June 29 2015.

The first obvious thing I noticed was just how light the little X-T1 was, even when paired with a long, fast zoom. It made light work of the arrival shots, which was of course the somewhat predictable shots of guys and girls arriving with too many bags and crates of booze.

Revelers arrive at Glastonbury Festival 2015. June 24 2015.

That evening, it was a trip up to the stone circle as thousands of people watched the sun set over the massive site by the Glastonbury sign. I tried out a few panoramas here using the built-in mode on the X-T1, which worked perfectly and really gave a good sense of scale to the site, which is the size of a town!

The sun sets over the festival site on the first evening of Glastonbury 2015. June 24 2015.

Throughout the rest of the festival, it was a classic mix of music and colour shots. Come rain, shine, night or day I was out and about with the camera. And, the size & weight of the camera really meant I didn’t feel like crawling into my tent for a rest. Well, at least not until the wee hours of the morning. I was also blown away by the quality of the images produced as well. For a non full frame camera it was fantastic in low light with very usable high ISOs, and when it came to editing some of the built in film emulation presets made it easy to give a stylised look to the images.

Edvinas Meilutis performs various flips as revelers relax at the Stone Circle as the sun sets at Glastonbury Festival 2015, on Worthy Farm, Somerset. June 25 2015.

Florence and the Machine performs on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival 2015, on Worthy Farm, Somerset. Florence was moved up the running order due to the Foo Fighters having to drop out. June 26 2015.

The who perform on the Pyramid Stage to close the festival at Glastonbury Festival on Worthy Farm, Somerset. June 28 2015.

After using the camera and lenses for the best part of a week, I found my favourite lens to be a fight between the 16-55mm and the 56mm. But the 16-55 might have just stolen the show with its weather sealing. It was much needed come the Friday when the heavens opened for the first of two deluges that weekend. I was confident enough that the camera and lens wouldn’t give up, even though the rain really was coming down and the mud started to build up in true Glastonbury style.

Two girls shelter under a shop sign as heavy rain descends at Glastonbury Festival 2015, on Worthy Farm, Somerset. June 26 2015.

I think the key to photographing Glastonbury is to approach it with an open mind. There are pictures everywhere you look. Interesting people, music, and just the vast site that the festival is based on. Having a camera with you at all times means you’ll never miss a shot and that’s what I really loved about the Fuji system. I could carry around a body and a couple of lenses and not feel like I needed a trip to the chiropractor afterwards. Oh, and of course the main thing to remember when covering Glastonbury…wellies. NEVER forget your wellies.

Revelers play in the mud as the sun comes out, following an hour of heavy rain at Glastonbury Festival 2015, on Worthy Farm, Somerset. June 26 2015.

If you would like to see more of my work, please visit:

Twitter: @dhphotography
Instagram: @pressphoto
Web: www.davidhedgesphotography.com

Revelers begin to head home through a sea of rubbish near the Pyramid Stage as Glastonbury Festival comes to an end at Worthy Farm, Somerset. June 29 2015.

Filed under Be Inspired Photography Portrait Reportage

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