I’m starting to get pretty steady stream of emails about the Fuji X-System. I certainly don’t mind, but I want to be very clear, I have no official relationship with Fuji. I love their products and admire how they conduct business, but I’m not on their payroll, and do not receive anything from them for free. Every piece of Fuji gear I own was purchased just like you would buy it! Some folks have interpreted my enthusiasm as a relationship, but that is simply not the case
So here are some of the questions I’ve gotten.
Question: “I’m still trying to figure out how you can get such great results from a camera half, or less than half, the resolution of your former D800?”
Answer: The result from any imaging device is a lot more than the sum of it’s parts. Let me speak directly to the comparison you brought up. The D800 (now D810) is a technological miracle, the highest resolution 35mm sized DSLR on the market. It has extraordinary resolution, dynamic range, and is built like a tank. It weighs as much as a tank compared to the X-T1! No matter how much cool stuff the D800 can do, if you are uncomfortable carrying it….. it is irrelevant. The Fuji X-T1 is capable of doing anything I need to do, I don’t need the capabilities of the D800 that exceed those of the X-T1, it as simple as that.
Question: “You’ve said you really love the Fuji lenses, are they really as good as the Nikkors you always used?”
Answer: Lenses focus light on the sensor. They are designed based on the size of the sensor, and the sensor in the Fuji X System cameras are APS-C size so the lenses can be smaller and the ability to make corrections in the optics is enhanced because of the size of the elements. The bottom line is can a lens yield exceptionally sharp images, free of distortion, and chromatic aberrations. Both Nikon and Fuji make such lenses, Fuji’s are smaller and lighter. I do not feel Iam giving any thing up with the Fujinon lenses.
Question: “You’ve stated you are very happy with the images from the Fuji, do you think it will holdup long term like your Nikons did?”
Answer: In the short time I’ve been using the Fuji X cameras I believe them to be very well made and the X-T1 especially is very well designed. How they will hold up under heavy use, over time, is still undetermined. Based on my 45 years experience with cameras, I think the chance is very good that they will prove very reliable. So far, so good!
Question: “Of the lenses you have, which are your favorites!”
Answer: The three zooms; 10-24, 18-55, and 55-200 are the most used, along with the 60 Micro. The 23 f 1.4, 35 f 1.4, and 56 f 1.2 are the most stellar, optically, and the fastest, but the zooms are so incredibly sharp I never worry about it. By-the-way the 14 f 2.8 was the first wide lens and is still the single best super wide lens I’ve ver shot!
Question: “How about the video on the Fuji X cameras?”
Answer: It is the weak link of the system, it is usable but not anywhere near the quality of the major players. For me that is not an issue, I am not a video guy.
Question: “Nikon has the Creative Lighting System, does Fuji have anything that compares?”
Answer: No. If you need sophisticated portable , automatic, camera controlled flash, for now, seek it somewhere else.”
Question: “Do you have any regrets about making the switch to Fuji and would you advise others to do so?”
Answer: I have no regrets, the Fuji X System is meeting my needs wonderfully and I love using the system. I would never advise anyone to switch unless they can identify that it would benefit them. All of us have different needs and requirements of a camera system, that is a highly personal decision, and one which they must decide other own.
I hope that answers one of the questions you may have.
Blessings,
the pilgrim
This post has 18 comments. Click here to read them
This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014 at 2:26 pm
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
* I rarely do this, but right after the Super Bowl this year I wrote this blog entry, something recently happened that made mw feel it was time to run it again, hop;e it speaks top your heart!
During the Super Bowl there was a ridiculously narcissistic song that backed up the Beats Headphones commercial by Aloe Blacc. Even though it had a catchy beat, it was dead wrong! It told us everything we need to know about the thinking of the world, self glorification, self worship, self reliance! When will we learn, God does not wants us to conquer our world, but for our hearts to be conquered by Him I took the song and changed the lyrics, oh how I wish a Christian artist would re-record this song to be our anthem!
PRECHORUS New Version
Stand up now and face the sun Stand up now and face the Son
Won’t hide my tail or turn and run Don’t leave in fear and run
It’s time to do what must be done It’s time to do what you must do
And be a king when kingdom comes and belong to the King when the kingdom comes
CHORUS CHORUS
Well, you can tell everybody Well, you can tell everybody
Yeah you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody
Go ahead and tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody
I’m the man, I’m the man, I’m the man He’s the Man, He’s the Man, He’s the Man
Well, you can tell everybody Well, you can tell everybody
Yeah you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody
Go ahead and tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody
I’m the man, I’m the man, I’m the man He’s the Man, He’s the Man, He’s the Man
Yes I am (x3) Yes He is! (x3)
I’m the man (x3) He’s the Man (x3)
VERSE 2
I got all the answers to your questions He’s got all the answers to your questions
I’ll be the teacher you can be the lesson He’ll be the teacher you can be the lesson
I’ll be the preacher you can be confession He’ll be the Savior you can be confession’
I’ll be the quick relief to all your stressing He’ll be the quick relief to all your stressing
(This is my world) (This is His world)
It’s a thin line between love and hate He’s the line between love and hate
Is you really real or is you really fake? He’s real, the world is fake!
I’m a soldier standing on my feet I’m His soldier standing by His feet
No surrender and I won’t retreat No surrender and I won’t retreat
(This is my world) (This is His world)
PRECHORUS PRECHORUS
Stand up now and face the sun Stand up now and face the Son!
Won’t hide my tail or turn and run Won’t hide from Him, or turn and run
It’s time to do what must be done It’s time to do what must be done
And be a king when kingdom comes And be the King’s when kingdom comes!!!!
The beginning of victory, is surrendering to Him!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
This post has 4 comments. Click here to read them
This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014 at 12:15 am
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
I agreed to bring Sherelene’s car to Knoxville to get it’s service done, and kill some time while that was accomplished. I mentioned to the guys at Harper Infiniti that I was always looking for a killer burger and one offered the suggestion to try Sam & Andy’s. Having never been there I was up for the challenge. Boy am I glad I did, this is one great place run by the Captain family, above left to right, John and his father, George, and below their sister Brenda! George’s wife Lucy sadly passed away back in Sept of 2013 and I’m told she was a great part of this team, and a team is what they are, first they make a great burger, a 4.5 on the 5 pickle scale which places it in the top 20 burgers in America!!! There are several highly acclaimed burgers around the Knoxville area, but for me, Sam & Andy’s beat the rest hands down! George uses his own special seasoning and that is the hat trick! He does everything else right too, fresh meat, flat top grill, and top notch ingredients. it reminded a lot of the Top Notch Cafe in Colfax, Washington and my good buddy Pete’s creation, also a top rated burger!
Family is important, and family business’ are my favorite, and this is one great family! They have been making customers very happy since 1956 when Lucy and George started the business! Even though they have a killer burger, I’m told George’s meat sauce for spaghetti is also spectacular, I’ll come balk and try it and let you know!
So thanks guys for rewarding me for bring my wife’s car to Knoxville!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
………and now a few more images from Memory Lane!
Any of you youngsters know what these are below???
FUN STUFF!!!!
This post has 12 comments. Click here to read them
This entry was posted on Monday, June 30th, 2014 at 4:31 pm
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
* Note before I share some very exciting stuff with you about a wonderful man I met, Otis Eldridge and his incredible creation, let me share a couple of other points! I just got back from Kingsport TN where I had the great pleasure of doing a workshop with twenty members of the Eastman Camera Club at Memory Lane. What a great group of folks and I will be eternally grateful for the invitation which allowed me to meet Otis and discover Memory Lane for myself!!! Thanks guys so much for asking me to come down and join you for a fantastic day of photography and fellowship! Other point: this will serve as Monday’s blog entry as I will be traveling Monday, I just couldn’t wait to share this anyway!
So back to Otis! Mr. Eldridge has built a wonderful 1950’s town on his farm complete with a fully stocked general store, diner, schoolhouse, garage with an incredible collection of classic cars of that era, a field full of junkyard art, country church, airport hanger, and much, much more. The little village has been painstakingly re-created and a visit to Memory Lane is truly like stepping into the past! Many of you know how much I have gotten into the Americana photography arena and this location is absolutely fantastic for that kind of photography! I know what you’re thinking and I can assure you that Otis and I are already working on plans to allow a His Light Workshop in Memory Lane! I hope to release our 2015 schedule of events after the 4th of July and you can bet a date for Memory Lane will be on there!!! Rather than go on and on about this wonderful place that Otis and lovingly created, let me show you some of my take from just a 3 hour shoot, and trust me I only scratched the surface! Thanks Otis for holding on to these incredible memories for all of us!
In the fully stocked, authentic general store!
Medicine for what ails you!
Entrance to the general store featuring the good ole’ Rainbo Bread Logo!
Some to the fantastic collection of Coca Cola collectables! The real ones! When I was growing up in Harlan Kentucky my father was the manager of a Coca Cola bottling plant and I haven’t seen some of this stuff since then!!!! My dad would have loved this place!!!
A fully stocked, era perfect, Diner!
Check out the fully restored historically accurate interior! I can just smell the burgers frying!!
Down the street you will find Harry’s Radio & TV Repair Shop just as it would have been around 1955!
Right next door is a auto repair shop with some interesting details to capture!
In Otis’ version of Old Car City, plenty of classic old junkers provide a ton of auto art shooting!
…..and lots of the little details that make this place so special! Please believe me, this is only scratching the surface!
Thanks Otis, you’re an All American in my books, thanks again for doing all of this!!! Thanks for keeping our past alive!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
*Photo Note: All images with Fuji X-T1, 18-55, 10-14, 60 Micro, and the 55-200, all Fujinon XF lenses.
This post has 10 comments. Click here to read them
This entry was posted on Sunday, June 29th, 2014 at 9:37 pm
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.