Monthly Archives: November 2020

 

As we come to the end of 2020 I had to give a shout out to some of my very favorite photography products of this year!  In fact I consider these “The Best Value for Your Dollar” products that you can buy.  Now if you are not a Fujifilm shooter, these products may be falling on deaf ears, but for less than $2,000. you could own all three!

 

Let me start with my newest drone the DJI Mini 2.  This is a very small less than 250 grams weight, that can nearly fit in your pocket.  In spite of it’s very small size it is fully featured, including; 4K video, fully stabilized, three axis gimbal, and in the Fly More Pack you get three batteries each good for almost a half hour of flight! A new controller makes flying this drone super easy and it also includes a three battery, charger!  For $599. this is one of the best drones I’ve flown and it makes spectacular video and stills, even shoots in Raw.  If all that was not enough it is super quiet!  Because of it’s small size it would easily fit in your camera bag!!  If you have been thinking about a drone, it’s time to go for it!!

 

 

My first flight I got a remaining all leaf covered tree and some lines in the field next to it, Can’t wait to find some interesting subjects in great light!!!!

 

 

 

 

Fujifilm has just released it’s new X-S10 which is shockingly full featured and very solidly built!  I am amazed that the Fujifilm engineers were able to pack the same 26 megapixel sensor from the X-T3 and X-T4 into this camera.  It has the same processor and 5 axis stabilization good for 6 stops of stabilization.  While the controls are different than on other Fujiflm bodies, after setting the control dials up it can behave almost identically to other bodies that you are most use to.  It’s tough magnesium body inspires confidence and it’s light weight make it a joy as a carry around camera.  The grip feels just like the X-H1, my favorite Fujifilm body!

 

The perfect combo for this new body, or for any of Fujfiilm’s camera bodies are two extrememly good lenses that are a perfect match for all the smaller Fujifilm boidies. I, and many others,  affectionaetly call them Fujicrons becasue they remind us so much of the excellent Leitz Summicrons of days gone by, compact, solidly built and of exceptional optical quality.  Only difference is the price these two guys are very affordable!  The 50mm f 2 goes for $449. and the 16mm f 2.8 for $399.  “Screaming Bargains”!!!!  I could live very happily with the X-S10 and these two lenses, O.K. maybe  the wonderful and now discounted 55-200 thrown in!  O.K. the 18-55 is a must too, and it you have the funds the 16-80 is even better!!!!!!!!!

 

Well. if you had extra funds lying around and was undecided on what to invest in, consider these suggestiions, I can assure you…. you would be thrilled with any and all of them!  Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

 

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Every early November our family goes down to Lake Santeela in North Carolina to hike one of Wesley’s favorite trails in the Joyce Kilmer National Forest.  this year most of our family was able it join us for  great weeend of food, family, fun and remembering Wes!

 

Above, left to right front row, Abigail Fortney, Diane Fortney holding Kozmo, Sherelene Forntey, Rhonda Fortney and Catherine Moore.  Back row, Scott Fortney, Ben Fortney, Elijah Fortney,  Cade Moore, Clint Moore and the pilgrim.

 

 

The family gathered at the bald at the top of the trail head!

 

The first night we had a beautiful sunset over the lake.

 

 

The folowing morning fog on the lake.

 

 

I had some fun shooting patterns with the X-S10.

 

 

We all had a wonderful time remmbering Wes and loving on each other!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

This will be a short review of Fujifilm’s newest camera, the Fujifilm X-S10.  I just had a great gathering of friends in the Great Smokies last week and at the last minute called my contact at Fujifilm and asked if we might could get one of these new cameras to show it around.  Let me be clear, I had no real inerest in the camera, I have a pair of X-H1 bodies that are my two main bodies when I go out to do serious work. I have an X100V for travel and casual work and that was all I needed.

 

I promised to shoot some images for Fujifilm’s use so I set up the camera with the custom functions I needed, (below), and proceeded to shoot with it for the next five days.  * NOTE:  THIS IS A PRE-PRODUCTION SAMPLE CAMERA WITHOUT THE LATRST FIRMWARE.

 

 

 

I put a universal L bracket on it so I could shoot from a tripod and give it a fair chance!  In a very short time I fell in love with this little gem!  Let me tell you why I found it so compelling!

 

1.  The grip is very much like the X-H1 which is my favorite of all the X series Fujifilm cameras.

2.  The shutter release is in the identical position as the X-H1 and has the same very soft touch!

3.  The Shutter is very quiet, again just like the X-H1!

4  Like the X-T4 and the X-T3 it has the same 26 megapixel, back light illuminated sensor and the same X4 processor!

5.  Like the X-H1 and the X-T4 it offers 5 way image stabilization that works fantastic when shooting handheld!

6.  Instead of an exposure compensation dail and a ISO selection dial it has two rotary dials that you can set for any funtion you desire.  I set the sample camera up that Fujifilm sent me with the right dial as the compensation dial and the left dial for setting ISO, jsut like on an X-T3 or X-T4.

7.  For those intersted in video, this camera has very high end specs and makes wonderful video files!

 

I found the autofocus to be great, the fold out LCD panel while slightly lower resolution than the X-T3 or X-T4 was still more than adequate and worked great.

Same with the viewfinder it was slightly lower resoluton but if never affected my image making.

 

 

All in all, I really love this little camera.  It is super capable and at a price of just under $1,000. for the body only, it is a remarkable value. The fact that if feels and operates so much like the X-H1s I use, it will be a natural for carrying around!  When mated with the 16 f 2.8. 23 f 2, 35 f 2 and the 50 f 2 Fujicrons, (my term not Fujifilm’s),  it makes a wonderfully small and capable package!

 

 

So  the camera that was not of much interest to me, is soon to have a place in my kit!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

* NOTE:  THIS IS A PRE-PRODUCTION SAMPLE CAMERA WITHOUT THE LATRST FIRMWARE.

 

All images with the Fujifim X-S10 and the XF 16-80 f 4 mid range zoom, except the mist rising from the mountains, that was made with the XF 100-400 f 4.5-5.6.