Thoughts From My Camera

Weekly Email - Citibike Program with XF55-200

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:21:00 +0000

It's hard to live in downtown NYC and not see the new blue bikes which were loaded into their holsters on May 27th.

6,000 bikes were deployed by the city to encourage a new way of transportation around town. The stations are located below 60th Street, but will expand after this initial rollout.

I am pretty sure they will be a nice feature for tourists as well as locals who embrace the convenience of picking up a ride now and then. It'll be interesting to learn what the statistics are for use and accidents after the summer. Will there be DUI's on bikes since a bike is under same laws as a motor vehicle in NYS??

Here is a snapshot of the bike locator map to give you and idea of how many stations are here now. Then I took some impressionist liberty with a shot of the bikes in the meatpacking area.

And then some other shots all with the new XF55-200.

Some basic selective focus shots.

Washington Square Hawk Fledgling

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:05:00 +0000

This week as I strolled through Washington Square Park I noticed a few photo types pointing their lens up into a tree. I had no idea what was going on so I wandered over to check it out and saw that there was a red tail hawk sitting on a low branch. I thought it was odd and soon learned that it was a seven week old baby who had just left the nest earlier in the day. It is widely known that there is a hawk nest which had a live feed on it for some time.

I watched him for about 30 minutes then decided to head home for a longer lens. When I got back he had jumped to a higher branch but was clearly trying to decide what the next step would be. In an instant captured below he leapt and soon landed on a nearby building.

Once on the roof he seemed like he was just waiting for mom to come help out and sure enough mom soon arrived with a meal for him - she can be seen carrying a mouse. Once they ate together she took off and I wandered around to look at the nest. In the nest was a sibling who seemed restless now being the one there. And sure enough not five minutes later that hawk baby took off and left the 11 story nest and tried flying for the first time. But this baby landed on the sidewalk below after a short flight and those are the close up shots below.
The baby hopped into the brush and then up onto a bench. I watched her for a while, took a few shots then said good night.

Fledgling getting restless on ledge of nest.

Lands on the street - University.

Fujifilm XF60mm Lens

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 23:48:00 +0000

I went out to use the 60mm lens since it just doesn't get enough respect I think. So after a few snaps I felt I grabbed some of the essence of what the lens is capable of. Those few shots made me look back on my other 60mm shots and here they are.
It is of course on sale now with the purchase of a new body - $300 off.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 with the XF60mm

Fujifilm X-Series Promotions for June

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 05:18:00 +0000

There are some terrific deals now available on the Fujfiilm X-Pro1 and X-E1 bodies as well as XF lenses purchased with the cameras. Check out the details!

Fujifilm X-Pro1 is now $1199 body only.

Fujifilm X-E1 is now $799 body only. $1199 for kit with XF18-55 lens.

Buy either body and then add lenses for additional savings. For instance buy an X-Pro1 and add an XF14 and save additional $200. Add an XF35 another $200 and an XF60 another $300. Total savings on the body and three lens purchase is $1000!!

Lenses bought with bodies have following discounts:

XF14 $200

XF18 $300

XF35 $200

XF60 $300

XF18-55 $300

Must be purchased with a new body and you can buy one of each for big savings. See your Fujifilm X Series pro dealer for details!

Fujifilm and Zeiss Take a Walk in the Park

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 31 May 2013 12:51:00 +0000

The Zeiss lenses for the Fujifilm X series hit the streets with a big splash this month. Like many others I decided to head out with two X-Pro1 bodies and the Zeiss 12mm and Fujifilm 14mm. To quote a popular saying - Just To-It !

Great info up on their site - check it out -
http://lenses.zeiss.com/camera-lenses/en_us/camera_lenses/touit/touit2812.html

Here are 3 images w 3 lenses - the Zeiss - Fujifilm and Voigtlander

The Zeiss 9 blade aperture makes for a nice starburst pattern

Here are 2 images w 2 lenses - the Fujifilm and Zeiss

Below are the images shot with the Fujifilm XF14.

Nubble Lighthouse - York, Maine

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:37:00 +0000

When I was up in Boston for work and had a free afternoon I knew I had to take a drive up the Maine coast to try and get a nice shot of the Nubble Lighthouse.
As photographers know timing is a large part of the creative process and when I set out Sunday morning it was pouring rain. But I thought that a shot in the foggy rain would somehow work rather than no shot at all.
I made a few shots of a cloudy Nubble and headed north on the coast to see what else I could find.
Fast forward a few hours and I decided to head back down to the nubble and see if I could get lucky. Sure enough around 7:40p the sun peeked through and lit the Nubble in an awesome way. I shot the below pick with the Fujifilm X20 on its Miniature mode so this is right out of camera jpeg. What a great burst of sun to end the day.

Fujifilm X-Series Cameras in Desert

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:19:00 +0000

When I took off to Palm Springs I had to make the always tough decision of what cameras to shoot with. The combo turned out to be pretty easy.
Fujifilm X100S
Fujifilm X-Pro1 with 14mm and 55-200 lenses
Fujifilm X-S1 - since the zoom range can't be beat for general shooting. Smaller 2/3" sensor - but I can deal.
These images are just a few from my travels and I really enjoyed just driving through the desert and taking it all in.

The weather was approximately 105 on some days and cooler up in the hills of Joshua Tree park.

The real key for my shooting enjoyment is the X-Trans sensor. I love the performance of the Fujifil APS-C sensor. It makes shooting such a breeze since the post processing is minimal due to the color accuracy as well as overall sharpness.

Salton Sea is an amazing place to visit. The almost dead lake is California's largest lake. Born from a river flood - the lake now exists from rainfall and run-off and is over 500 square miles. Very scenic and pretty stinky from rotting I don't know what.

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

The statements, comments and opinions expressed here represent my own, personal views and are not endorsed by, or affiliated in any way with, FUJIFILM North America Corporation or its affiliates.
bremler@fujifilm.com

Bronx Zoo Shooting

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:24:00 +0000

Heading to the zoo for some casual shooting is a great exercise in camera selection. I had an X20, X100S and HS50EXR. Clearly the HS50 is the most useful camera with its incredible zoom. But this is subjective, since what is the shooting goal? Mine was to have fun and learn the cameras. That's pretty simple.
This week I am going to get my favorite combo going with the new XF55-200. I've been shooting with it for a day and it is a great lens addition to my X arsenal. Now I feel a bit more complete with my range extending out to an effective 300mm. Stay tuned for posted images.
On another note it is wonderful to be able to work in raw with much more ease now. I was missing my raw captures in Aperture.
This week saw the release of an X100S firmware update which continues Fujifilm's response to the market for photographer requests. I also think the X100 will see continued firmware support and update, so do not despair.

Here is the range of the HS50EXR Zoom from 24mm-1000mm

In-camera color filter. Isolating blue.

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

NYC Tulips and Trees in Bloom

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:57:00 +0000

This week I did some shooting around a tulip garden and the park with the X-Pro1, X100S and HS50. Each performed well in their strong areas. The X100S for general shots. The HS50 for the zoom and super macro and of course the X-Pro1 is a fav with the 14mm lens and the EF20 flash off camera. Hope you dig some.

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

Fujifilm FinePix HS50EXR Super Zoom!

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:49:00 +0000

http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/s/finepix_hs50exr/

The new HS50EXR superzoom camera has some impressive features I think any photographer can enjoy. After a week of playing with the camera certainly the zoom capability shines bright! With a 42X zoom from 24mm to 1000mm it is truly a new type of optical power in your photo arsenal.
I am showing some of the highlights of the camera below - but for complete details check out the link above or read the reviews beginning to pop up online.

The camera shares the Q button with others in our line up. This popular Quick access to the menu is a handy way to control your camera settings.

The HS series has long been known for its high speed capability and the HS50EXR shows it off in the movie mode as well as frame rate for still shooting.

Digital zoom allows you to get an approximately 84x effective zoom image. That's about 2,000mm.

Focus peaking is included as well. Of course Raw files.

Internal and external mic capability.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE have a flip out and tilt swivel LCD - AWESOME!!

The only issue in the below long zoom examples was that we had a very hot day and the temps were about 85 and the HAZE was affecting the sharpness of the images.

This was a quick snap showing the power of the zoom. The next four images show a scene then a woman who happened to be in the scene....

Model name	FinePix HS50EXR
Number of effective pixels ^*1	16.0 million pixels
Image sensor	1/2-inch EXR CMOS II with primary color filter
Storage media	Internal memory SD / SDHC / SDXC(UHS-I) memory card^*2
File format	still image JPEG (Exif Ver 2.3)^*3, RAW (RAF format), RAW+JPEG (Design rule for Camera File system compliant / DPOF-compatible) movie H.264 (MOV) Linear PCM / stereo sound
Number of recorded pixels	still image L : (4:3) 4608 x 3456 / (3:2) 4608 x 3072 / (16:9) 4608 x 2592 / (1:1) 3456 x 3456 M : (4:3) 3264 x 2448 / (3:2) 3264 x 2176 / (16:9) 3264 x 1840 / (1:1) 2432 x 2432 S : (4:3) 2304 x 1728 / (3:2) 2304 x 1536 / (16:9) 1920 x 1080 / (1:1) 1728 x 1728 <Motion Panorama> 360° Vertical 11520 x 1624 Horizontal 11520 x 1080 180° Vertical 5760 x 1624 Horizontal 5760 x 1080 120° Vertical 3840 x 1624 Horizontal 3840 x 1080
Lens	name Fujinon 42x optical zoom lens focal length f=4.4 - 185mm, equivalent to 24 - 1000mm on a 35mm format full-aperture F2.8 (Wide) - F5.6 (Telephoto) constitution 12 groups 17 lenses
Digital zoom	Intelligent digital zoom approx. 2.0x (up to approx. 84x, with 42x optical zoom)
Aperture	F2.8-F11 (Wide) F5.6-F11(Telephoto) 1/3EV step
Focus distance (from lens surface)	Normal Wide : Approx. 45cm to infinity / 1.4ft. to infinity Telephoto : Approx. 3.0m to infinity / 9.8ft. to infinity Macro Wide : Approx. 7cm - 3.0m / 2.7in. - 9.8ft. Telephoto : Approx. 2.5m - 5.0m / 8.2ft. - 16.4ft. Super Macro Approx. 1.0cm - 1.0m / 0.4in. - 3.2ft.
Sensitivity	Auto, Equivalent to ISO 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400* / 12800* (Standard Output Sensitivity) * ISO6400 : image size M or lower, ISO12800 : image size S
Exposure control	TTL 256-zone metering, Multi / Spot / Average
Exposure mode	Programmed AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
Shooting modes	SP Portrait, Portrait Enhancer, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night (Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Party, Flower, Text MODE DIAL EXR, AUTO, P, S, A, M, C, PANORAMA, SP1, SP2, Adv.
Image stabilizer	Lens shift type
Exposure compensation	-2.0EV - +2.0EV 1/3EV step
Shutter speed	(Auto mode) 1/4sec. to 1/4000sec., (All other modes) 30sec. to 1/4000sec. (combined mechanical and electronic shutter)
Continuous shooting	TOP H : approx. 11fps (max. 5 frames) M : approx. 7.0fps (max. 5 frames) L : approx. 3.0fps (max. 5 frames) SH : approx. 16fps (max. 13 frames ; Size M,S) Best Frame capture H : approx. 11fps 7 frames (Size L,M,S) M : approx. 7.0fps 7 frames (Size L,M,S) L : approx. 3.0fps 7 frames (Size L,M,S) SH : approx. 16fps 7/14 frames (Size M,S)
Auto bracketing	AE Bracketing : ±1/3EV, ±2/3EV, ±1EV Film Simulation Bracketing : PROVIA / STD, Velvia / VIVID, ASTIA / SOFT Dynamic Range Bracketing : 100% / 200% / 400%
Focus	mode Single AF / Continuous AF (EXR AUTO, Movie) / Manual AF (One-push AF mode included) type Intelligent Hybrid AF: Phase Detection AF / Contrast AF, AF assist illuminator available AF frame selection Center, Multi, Area, Tracking
White balance	Automatic scene recognition Preset Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White), Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light, Custom
Self-timer	Approx. 10sec. / 2sec. delay / Auto release
Flash	Auto flash (super i-flash) Effective range : (ISO AUTO) Normal Wide : Approx. 30cm - 8.0m / 1ft. - 26.2ft. Telephoto : Approx. 2.5m - 4.0m / 8.2ft. - 13.1ft.
Flash modes	Red-eye removal OFF Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro. Red-eye removal ON Red-eye Reduction Auto, Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Red-eye Reduction & Slow Synchro.
Hot shoe	YES
Electronic Viewfinder	0.26-inch., approx. 920,000 dots, color LCD viewfinder approx. 100% coverage
LCD monitor	3.0-inch, approx. 920,000 dots, TFT color LCD monitor, Vari-Angle, approx. 100% coverage
Movie recording	1920 x 1080 pixels / 1280 x 720 pixels (60 frames/sec.) / 640 x 480 pixels (30 frames/sec.) with stereo sound * Optical zoom function (manual) can be used.
Photography functions	EXR mode, High Speed Movie (120 / 240 / 480 frames/sec.), Face Detection, Auto Red-eye removal, Advanced mode (Pro focus, Pro low light, Multiple exposure), Motion Panorama 360, Film simulation, Electronic level, Histogram display, Focus check, Focus peaking in Manual focus mode, Framing guideline, Frame No. memory, Best frame capture, Advanced Anti Blur, Date stamp, Scene recognition on movie recording (Auto / Macro / LAandscape / Night / Portrait / Backlit Portrait / Night Portrait), Advanced filter (Toy Camera / Miniature / POP COLOR / High-Key / Low-Key / Dynamic Tone / Partial Color / Soft Focus), Microphone-level adjustment
Playback functions	Face Detection, Auto Red-eye removal, Multi-frame playback (with micro thumbnail), Protect, Crop, Resize, Slide show, Image rotate, histogram display, exposure warning, Photobook assist, image search, Favorites, Mark for upload, Panorama, Erase selected frames
Other functions	PictBridge, Exif Print, 35 Languages selection, Time difference, Silent mode
Terminal	Digital interface USB 2.0 High-Speed HDMI output HDMI Mini connector Audio input Ø2.5mm external microphone
Power supply	Li-ion battery NP-W126 (included)
Dimensions	134.9(W) x 101.3(H) x 145.9(D) mm / 5.3(W) x 4.0(H) x 5.7(D) in.
Weight	Approx. 808g / 28.5oz. (including battery and memory card) Approx. 758g / 26.7oz. (excluding battery and memory card)
Operating Temperature	0°C - 40°C
Operating Humidity	10% - 80% (no condensation)
Guide to the number of available frames for battery operation	Approx. 500 frames (AUTO mode) * Fujifilm research based on CIPA standards
Accessories included	Li-ion battery NP-W126 Battery charger BC-W126 Shoulder strap USB cable Lens hood Lens cap and Lens cap cord CD-ROM Owner's manual
Optional accessories	Li-ion battery NP-W126 Battery charger BC-W126 Remote Release RR-80A Shoe Mount Flash EF-42 / EF-20 / EF-X20 Protector Filter PRF-58 Stereo microphone MIC-ST1

*1 Number of effective pixels: The number of pixels on the image sensor which receive input light through the optical lens, and which are effectively reflected in the final output data of the still image.
*2 Please see the Fujifilm website to check memory card compatibility.
*3 Exif 2.3 is a digital camera file format that contains a variety of shooting information for optimal printing.

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

Fujifilm XF55-200MM LENS Images AND UPDATED XF LENS ROADMAP

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:01:00 +0000

Exciting news about a new Fujifilm XF lens coming to our shores in 4-5 weeks. Plus a firmware update!

The new XF 55-200 compliments our XF lens series - and of course the XF18-55 kit lens which is so popular. Please see the attached NEW Lens Roadmap for some exciting news. The feel of the lens is rugged and tight. The zoom feel is fluid and smooth.

Item number: 16384941
MSRP: $699.95

ISO 4000 handheld

FUJIFILM ANNOUNCES THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED SERIES OF XF LENSES – THE XF55-200MM TELEPHOTO LENS AND UPDATED XF LENS ROADMAP

New updated firmware for FUJIFILM X-Pro1 and X-E1 will increase auto focus performance

Valhalla, N.Y., April 17, 2013 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced the launch of the FUJINON XF55-200mm (83-300mm*1) F3.5-F4.8 R LM OIS, the first XF telephoto zoom lens for the X-Series Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera System that includes the award-winning FUJIFILM X-Pro1 and FUJIFILM X-E1. The all new XF55mm-200mm (83-300mm) F3.5-F4.8 gives photographers a fast aperture across the entire zoom range and outstanding image stabilization for sharp, high resolution images.

“We know that adding this newly designed, advanced telephoto zoom lens to our XF lens line-up will allow photographers who are using our premium X-Pro1 and X-E1 cameras to gain even more shooting flexibility, and also have cutting edge optical technology at their fingertips that enhances the way they capture images,” said Go Miyazaki, president and chief operating officer, FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

FUJINON XF55-200mm (83-300mm*1) F3.5-F4.8 R LM OIS

The all new FUJINON XF55-200mm lens gives users a fast F3.5-4.8 lens that produces sharp images across its entire zoom range, from edge-to-edge. Its image stabilization function enables the use of shutter speeds up to 4.5 stops slower, preventing camera shake even when shooting hand-held in low-light situations, or when shooting at a stopped down aperture.

The XF55-200mm lens includes two linear motors for high-speed AF of 0.28 seconds*2 to quickly focus on your subject. Together with its high quality metal design, the XF55-200mm lens delivers an easy-to-transport lens with a large maximum aperture for outstanding mobility and performance.

The FUJINON XF55-200mm (83-300mm*1) F3.5-F4.8 R LM OIS lens features:

An advanced optical design to cover the mid-telephoto (83mm) to telephoto (300mm)
Image stabilization for shutter speeds up to 4.5 stops slower
Two linear motors for high-speed AF and quiet operation
Two ED lens elements and one Super ED lens element for increased performance and effective control against chromatic aberrations
FUJINON's proprietary HT-EBC coating on the entire lens surface to effectively prevent reflections, and control flare and ghosting
Minimum focal distance of 1.1m across the entire zoom range to enable telephoto close-ups
A 1/3EV step aperture ring for users to easily adjust the aperture while holding the camera up to their eye
High quality, metal construction focus ring and aperture ring
New Firmware for FUJIFILM X-Pro1 and FUJIFILM X-E1

New firmware will also be released to improve auto focus performance for the FUJIFILM X-Pro1 and FUJIFILM X-E1*3. The new firmware maximizes the benefit of the XF lenses and enables the cameras to search the contrast AF quickly throughout the full range of focal length. The focus speed will be as fast as 0.7 seconds even if it searches from infinity to MOD at the telephoto end.

The new firmware*3 will be available in July 2013 for download at Fujifilm.com.

Updated FUJINON XF Lens Roadmap is below.

Fujifilm is committed to the entire X-Series line of advanced digital cameras and FUJINON XF lens, and is issuing an updated XF lens roadmap following the initial XF lens roadmap released in June 2012. *4,5

With 10 FUJINON XF lenses and the new three X-Mount lenses that Carl Zeiss announced in September 2012, there will soon be 13 high-performance lenses available for the X-Mount system to meet the needs of every photographer and support a wide range of photography from ultra-wide-angle at 10-24mm(15-36mm*1) to super-telephoto of 55-200mm (83-300mm*1.)

End 2013

In late 2013, Fujifilm will deliver the pancake XF27mm (41mm*1) F2.8 high performance single focal length lens. Fujifilm will then launch the super wide zoom XF10mm-24mm (15-36mm*1) F4 lens with optical image stabilization and the single focal length XF23mm (35mm*1) F1.4 lens.

Early 2014

In early 2014, FUJINON will launch its premier prime portrait lens, the XF56mm (84mm*1) F1.2R.

For information about the Carl Zeiss X-mount lenses, please visit http://lenses.zeiss.com.

*1 35mm format equivalent

*2 based on CIPA standards

*3 It will be necessary to update the firmware on all XF lenses except the XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS. The lens firmware will be available from July 2013.

*4 Images are not of the final product.

*5 Road map is as of April 17, 2013. Specifications are subject to change.

About Fujifilm

FUJIFILM North America Corporation, a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation consists of five operating divisions and one subsidiary company. The Imaging Division sells consumer and commercial photographic products and services including film, one-time-use cameras, online photo services and fulfillment, digital printing equipment and service. The Electronic Imaging Division markets consumer digital cameras. The Motion Picture Division provides motion picture archival film, and the Graphic Systems Division supplies products and services to the printing industry. The Optical Devices Division provides binoculars, and optical lenses for closed circuit television, videography, cinematography, broadcast and industrial markets. FUJIFILM Canada Inc. markets a range of Fujifilm products and services. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmusa.com/northamerica, or go to www.twitter.com/fujifilmus to follow Fujifilm on Twitter. To receive news and information direct from Fujifilm via RSS, subscribe at www.fujifilmusa.com/rss.

FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, brings continuous innovation and leading-edge products to a broad spectrum of industries, including electronic imaging, digital printing equipment, medical systems, life sciences, graphic arts, flat panel display materials, and office products, based on a vast portfolio of digital, optical, fine chemical and thin film coating technologies. The company was among the top 10 companies around the world granted U.S. patents in 2011, and in the year ended March 31, 2012, had global revenues of $27.8 billion*. Fujifilm is committed to environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmholdings.com.

* At an exchange rate of 79 yen to the dollar

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners. ###

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

New York Auto Show

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:05:00 +0000

Like every photographer and dreamer I went to the NY Auto show and didn't even bother to dream about some of the cars - yeah right!
I did of course try to capture some interesting parts. I think everything shown here is capable of passing 170mph with ease. Now if I could only get my butt into the driver's seat....

Click to enlarge

NYC Pillow Fight with Fujifilm X100S and 28mm adapter lens

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 17:23:00 +0000

The annual pillow fight is always a photographic moment worth exploring. This year I went with my Fujifilm X100S and the 28mm adapter lens. I mostly shot in manual around ISO 320 F/8 @ 1/500th. Just tried to get in there and blast off some shots to capture the action as it unfolds and bursts into the air.

Angry Birds!

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

New York Yankees Opening Day X100S Miniature Filter

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:49:00 +0000

What is more exciting than Opening Day in NYC ? Sure I know opening day in your hometown! This week up in the Bronx I decided to grab my Fujifilm X100S and leave it on the Advanced Filter mode - Miniature - and see what I could come up with to represent the day at the stadium. So before you think this was done with a phone - the files are big juicy 16MP X-Trans files with an in-camera tweak. Of course just for fun and to make me think more about the subject and where the blur effect would show up.

If you prefer not to scroll and instead watch the video - check out the youtube I did set to the obvious music here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvLjg5xmI9c
Enjoy the show. Click to enlarge images.

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

Weekly Email - 3-29-13 - Washington DC Travels

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:40:00 +0000

This week I took the train down to DC which is a really easy trip.
Why our country has not embraced high speed rail and better train service is beyond me. I remember all my train rides in Europe over 20yrs ago and the simplicity and speed was wonderful.
The trip to DC is effortless and I wish I had more extensive rail options. Get to Penn Station about 10 mins before the track is announced, show a printed ticket to an agent and walk on. Pretty much always have two seats to yourself and of course AC plugs at every seat. Three and a half hours later I'm in the heart of DC and ready to go!
I brought the usual spread of cameras to try to capture an interesting shot with each of them.
The Fujifilm X100S, Fujifilm X-Pro1 and Fujfilm X20. Each had its place in the day of shooting and DC has no shortage of amazing sites to see.

Weekly Email - 3-22-13 - San Juan

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:50:00 +0000

This week I went down to San Juan for a wedding and as usual wasn't quite sure which camera to bring - so I brought a few.

I knew I had to bring my Fujifilm X100s - check.
I felt I should bring my Fujifilm X-E1 with the 14mm and 35mm - for wide angle and speed.
I thought about it then also packed my Canon 5DIII and two lenses where I thought I had a gap - 15mm and 70-200.
Then not wanting to take a chance by the water I brought my Fujifilm XP100 and F800 so I'd have some compact long zoom action.

So here is a very small snippet of what I captured with each of the camera/lens combos. I'm still editing the pics from the weekend - but these are floating to the top now.
The top X100s group shot was at F/2 - 1/1600th with the EF20 flash - i love that high sync leaf shutter!
The wide angle of the cemetery is with the X-E1 with the 14mm F/11 @ 1/400.
The close up of the headstones with water is the F800 at 20x zoom - 500mm - F/11 @ 1/320.
The Canon images are the fish eye and zoom of the kiss.
Beach flash shots of groom and couple with the X100s.

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

Weekly Email - 3-8-13 - Snowy Scene of Truth ??

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 17:27:00 +0000

This week I sent out my weekly email and it was well received I am thrilled to report. I remember shooting the image and not quite loving it - but then I revisited the image and gave it a few tweaks and fell in love with it.
And then the problems started!
In my original post of the image I stated -
Whenever the snow hits the city it's always great to watch the transformation the area goes through.

This photo was really as is. A person with a red umbrella just happened to walk over that bridge while I was looking out across the pond. Such luck!

Now I didn't choose my words too carefully since I just popped out the image and did a few tweaks to it. Such as remove the color everywhere except the umbrella, and remove two people - more as practice than a point of deception.

So then I was accused of altering the image since there was no way the umbrella person would have walked there then. Of course I vigorously asserted that the image was as stated - the person with the umbrella walked by and I shot the image. But I did remove the color and run a filter on it, and remove two people who to me hardly make a difference, nor are related to the assertion that I placed the red umbrella there. I am not running a news bureau after all.

What do you think - was my statement accurate? Did I represent the scene fairly?

You can see the originally raw file in the photoshop camera raw window below.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 & X-E1 with a Bracket

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 17:17:00 +0000

I was going through some old gear and found my old GA Strobe bracket. A bracket which was sold around the time the Fujifilm GA645AF cameras were popular in the market. It was also sold with a ridiculously sized GA strobe (4-AA's).
The neat thing about this simple bracket was that it had a built in pc plug. Of course that doesn't help me for the TTL I'd rather be shooting - but it does help get the flash firing.
Then I got to thinking - what would be the best shooting combo? So I set out to try a few different options. I think I'm going with the X-E1 with the EF-20x in commander mode so the flash fires wirelessly by the strobe on the X-E1. I do also like the video light option, but I'm not sure how practical that is for shooting in say a bar since once you turn that light on people tend to yell at you that it's too bright!~

Look mom no wires!!

I could easily go with the EF-20 and plug it into the sync - but then absolutely manual shooting.

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

Aperture Magazine Relaunch Event

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:45:00 +0000

This week Aperture had a party to celebrate the relaunch of their magazine.
Here is a link to their site along with a short video I did of my walk home with their exciting new issue
http://www.aperture.org/magazine2013/

Photographic Prints Make an Impact

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:35:00 +0000

Bill Cunningham of The New York Times

I've always been a fan of sharing photographic prints. Almost gone are the days where we shoot, print and share our photos. Shooting and sharing is just too easy with an email - but does it really have the same feel - no way!
Anybody you email a photo to probably looks at the image for under two seconds and then moves onto the next email or task at hand.
Do you ever reach back into old mail from a month ago or a year ago or five years ago and say wow - I love that shot - I'm so glad Susie sent it to me! I doubt it. But with a print you may have it in a drawer or in a frame or on the fridge and when you pass by it the memory is fresh and the feeling is good.
I happen to print a lot and try to share a lot to keep this feeling alive.
Recently I got around to sending some photos to The New York Times attn: Bill Cunningham. For those of you who do not know who Bill is, you can watch a documentary about him on Netflix called - http://www.zeitgeistfilms.com/billcunninghamnewyork/

You can also look at his huge archive of unique fashion and city related stories on The Times' site -
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/bill_cunningham/index.html

Bill is a NYC fashion legend known for his blue jacket and riding his bicycle almost everywhere he goes - even now when he will be 84 on March 13th.

I sent Bill a few shots I took of him in action at the Jazz Lawn Festival. To my great surprise I received a hand written thank you note from him! I'm not raving about the note - but about the feeling of receiving in essence a "printed" note rather than an email as a thank you (yes he had my email as well). The warmth of a letter is so much stronger than an email.

Now I'm not much of a paparazzi type shooter - but I couldn't resist capturing Bill right in front of me. He is truly into the fashion and energy of events like this and he seems to find great joy in mixing it up with all the people at the events he attends. People rave about being snapped by Bill - not even knowing if their image will ever see the light of day beyond a hard drive or contact sheet. His presence is that strong on the streets of Manhattan.
He is ever present yet my sense is he prefers to observe and enjoy and not engage. The camera is his link to the event.

Think about how you can make an impact with your images and perhaps you will want to share more pictures in a printed form with your friends, family and even strangers you see on the street. Pay it forward.

Hard to miss Bill in that trademark blue jacket.

How wonderful and amazing is it to read that note from Bill?

There was another occasion when I almost bumped into him and that was at the annual Fifth Avenue Easter Parade.

Big City Broken Bikes

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:59:00 +0000

For years I've been shooting the myriad of broken bikes in NYC. It really is a bummer to have so much junk chained up all over the city. I know it's someone's bike and they are no doubt upset - but then when you decide to leave it there to rot away we all have to see it. I also want to test what happens if I post a ridiculous amount of images on the blog. And does anyone care to see these silly images I wonder?
I took a look at the metadata and realized I shot these with 15 different cameras since I'm always walking the street with some new toy.
Here is a slice of what I've seen:

Ski Day at Hunter Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:32:00 +0000

A day on the slopes is always a blast! I'm not sure what I like better - the feeling of whipping down the slope, the amazing vistas from all over the mountain, or the warmth of the lodge and the tasty treats after a day of skiing.

I'm not sure how smart it was to ski all day with my cameras on my neck - but luckily nothing was damaged and my FinePix X-S1 and Fujifilm X100s made it through the day!

The local cell tower disguised as a tree!

Taking Apart a FinePix Digital Camera

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 02:01:00 +0000

I thought I'd try my hand at taking apart a dead digital camera I had lying around. Here's a look at what's inside. Click to enlarge.

For a look at the current FinePix Digital camera lineup navigate to:
http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/showcase/index.html

http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/showcase/index.html

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

Weekly Email - 2-8-13 - New Orleans

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:25:00 +0000

I'll go out on a limb and assume most of you have at some point been down to the Big Easy!
It's a great city with one of the best layouts for walking and enjoying the town.

A perfect city to host a Superbowl with temperatures around 68 all weekend.

The nightlife in New Orleans is world famous and the streets were packed with fans from all over the USA.

Here is a quick look at the fun to be had - have a great weekend!

Images were just shot for party fun. Fujifilm X-E1 with 14, 35 & 18-55 lenses as well as some snaps with an early pre-production X100s.

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

Weekly Email - 1-25-13 - Lessons from Gum

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:28:00 +0000

This week I experienced a little bit of both ends of life.
I started the week off at a funeral and they always make me reflect on life. As sad as they are they are also a reminder that life is short and there's no better time than the present to take action on dreams and goals.

Then a few days later I was in the subway and I noticed a salad on the floor - clearly someone's meal didn't end up where it should have. What struck me was what a little girl said to her mom as she walked by "mommy why is gum black on the ground and not in your mouth?". That really hit me as a great question and helped me also realize how much we change as we grow up. Carpe diem!

Fujfiilm X100s at ISO 2000 - F/2.0 @ 1/45th (popped into Snapseed)

The roof shot was at ISO 1600.

The sunset shot was done with the advanced filter to just capture red.

This is midtown NYC at ISO 1600.

One of the all time great photojournalists - David Burnett spoke at the B&H Photo Event Space this week and I gave him the last two packs of FP100C and FP3000B 4x5 instant films. Can't wait to see what or where he shoots it!
The other guy in the pic is the fabulous Mel Digiacomo - photographer extraordinaire.