Thoughts From My Camera

Weekly Email - 3-16-12 - Wash Them Out

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:18:00 +0000

I've always been aware of the of the NYC reservoirs having grown up near them. This week while visiting upstate I took another look at them and can see how the effects of 9-11 reach into all parts of our lives.

Almost 100 years ago State Officials completed the Ashokan Reservoir and created one of the major NYC drinking water reservoirs. The reservoir was created and nine towns were moved or obliterated when the waters were ready to rush in. Nowadays the area is posted with many obvious signs warning of the perils for entering without a permit and the property being overseen by the State.

So figuring that I don't need a "use" permit to take a photo I thought I'd check it out and share and image of one part of the dam and viaduct which so many people who have been to the area know and enjoy. It's amazing to think that the water from 100 miles away travels by gravity feed to NYC to keep us all healthy.

In addition while enjoying the country I decided to pop a 680 second exposure of the starlit night sky which is so much nicer than the bland City sky. You can see some birch trees and what I believe is a cloud with the star trails as the earth turns.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 ISO 250 F/7.1 @ 1/420
Fujifilm X-Pro1 ISO 200 F/11 @ 680 secs

Fujifilm X-S1 Camera Arrives

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Another X series camera showed up at my door this week and I couldn't be happier!
The X-S1 is the fourth X series camera in our series of premier digital cameras. Of course this one fills a whole different category than the other three X's.
The way I see it is the X100 was the shot heard round the world for high-end digital quality and compact camera performance.
The X10 is a great compact zoom with gorgeous styling and performance. A perfect travel companion to a DSLR if that's how you roll.
Of course the X-Pro1 is going to hit the USA stores in about 2 weeks and the reviews are rolling in from around the world - exciting camera and amazing digital quality. I've been shooting with the X-Pro1 for about a month now and the jpegs are stunning.

Now I have the X-S1 and the camera has its own bit of allure. The first couple things I notice out of the box are the styling, the feel in your hands and the amazingly smooth manual zoom lens. The 26x zoom (24-624mm) is a huge reach, but there are other features and design of the camera which standout. The camera shares the larger 2/3" EXR CMOS chip in the X10 and delivers a crisp clear image. The camera has many of the familiar X series menus and buttons so it is rather easy to transition to the camera. It has a plethora of features and the link is below to review all the specs. I see this camera as a great addition to your gear if you enjoy capturing those telephoto moments which elude a traditional DSLR lens bag. Not many of us have a 600mm lens in our stash. This would be great for sports, safari, travel, scenic and creating interesting compression in some scenes. Images below are all shot with the X-S1. I shot over 400 images yesterday on one battery.

http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/x/fujifilm_x_s1/index.html

These images are shot with the X-S1 and the EF42 flash with an off camera flash cord.

These images show the massive zoom capability! Take a good look at what kind of pull the zoom lens has.

Look for the statue in the tress above center.

Zoom lens view is seeing down Sixth Ave approximately FIVE MILES from 59th street to WTC area. Low light and hazy evening shot at 6:17pm. F/5.6 @ 1/45th

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.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 ISO Ranges 200-3200

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:16:00 +0000

I've been meaning to shoot something halfway interesting on a range of ISO's so here is my attempt at 200-3200. I'm really impressed by the performance at 3200! I think the 16MP X-Trans CMOS performs extremely which is a great feature of the camera to utilize. I've been doing some daytime shooting at ISO 3200 and the results are excellent.
I saw that the tech blogs are lighting up as cameras are shipping overseas. As stated in January the X-Trans CMOS is outperforming many of the top FF CCD's on the market. Of course we are all waiting for a refresh of many of those models so this time on top will be challenged soon and that's what makes the digital photography market so exciting now.
As we are seeing in images streaming in from around the world the X-Pro1 has a beautiful CMOS, great internal processing and makes wonderful images.

Here is the ISO scale (with the moonrise coming up behind the buildings). The exposures range from 6 seconds to 0.4 seconds at F/8.0:
These images were shot with the 35mm lens on the X-Pro1.

ISO 200

ISO 400

ISO 800

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

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.

Weekly Email - 3-9-12 - Brooklyn Travels

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:35:00 +0000

This week I took a ride on the train about 15 stops to venture to an area I don't usually see. Brooklyn is of course a large area so I by no means saw anything besides a few blocks but it proved to be productive since I felt like an out of town tourist with my camera wandering the neighborhood.

Two scenes I'm gravitating to are the readily available food markets on every corner as well as the interesting man crossing the street. The food market has an interesting pattern with the pigeon poop on the awning and what I assume is all the gum (?) on street. Hanging out on the elevated track was neat since from one side I could see tons of street activity and way off in the distance I could see the top of the Freedom Tower going up. Traveling by subway through the boroughs above ground is a good way to explore.

Freedom Tower Rising in the Middle

I just don't know why I would need one of those!

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Accessories Update and Images (18mm)- USA

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:02:00 +0000

As we near the ship date of the X-Pro1 on March 27th (that's the leaving the warehouse date - as of this writing) I wanted to give a few tidbits of info regarding the accessories.
The accessories which include the battery, filters, flash, case and grip WILL BE available at the same time as the camera and lenses ship.
A quick review of the items are:
16225858 X-PRO1 NP-W126 Battery $68.99
16225901 X-PRO1 BC-W126 Charger $68.99

16240896 X-PRO1 Leather Case $148.99
16240913 X-PRO1 Assist Grip    $94.99

16241307 EF-X20 Shoe Mount Flash $228.99 NEW*
16144597 EF-20 Shoe Mount Flash     $129.99
16144614 EF-42 Shoe Mount Flash     $199.99

16240951 PRF-39 Protector Filter (39mm) $55.99
16240963 PRF-52 Protector Filter (52mm) $59.99

I am trying to find more time to shoot some more exciting subjects, but until I do I am still surprised and elated with the quality of the JPEG files out of the X-Pro1. These are images with the 18mm lens from a walk around town. No special handling or processing. Just fine details and color! Click to enlarge. I think the lines and edges look great with the 18mm.

What's awesome for me to see in these two images is the clarity of the wires from the spire on the right side of the image. There may be compression issues with the blog - but they are clear in the "original" jpeg. No sharpening done to any images.

Bye Bye Ektachrome, Don't Forget Fujichrome!

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Last week we heard the news that Eastman Kodak was discontinuing their slide films. This is not a huge surprise considering the market shift to digital. For those who are still enjoying film - the primary products are usually color negative and black and white now.
We do see a unique market in the plastic cameras from Lomography and others who provide interesting tools to explore photography. I would venture a guess this is dominated by the color neg 400 ISO products. How many Diana's are loaded with Pro400H 120 now? Occasionally people will shoot slides and cross-process for that funky look.

On the B&W side it is easy to see how this product is a cash cow for Kodak (Hello Tri-X !) but B&W remains in the line at Fujifilm with Neopan 400 and Acros 100 due to their ease of development.
Unlike E-6 and C-41, anyone can shoot and enjoy home processing of B&W film.

I felt like sharing some thoughts on the joys of slide film shooting. I think anyone who has not had the experience is missing out on one of the true ah-ha moments in photography. When you shoot E-6 film you have a varied palette of colors to choose from. You can choose Provia, Astia or Velvia and each will render the world in a slightly different contrast, saturation and hue. Back in the day when there were about 10 different slide films I used to explain the characteristics to people as similar to the process of buying your vanilla ice cream in the grocery store. We all know there are several varieties. Breyers was super white vanilla, Haagen Daz was a bit yellowish, Turkey Hill was in between, then you had Friendly's, Stewarts, Ben & Jerry's, Store Brands etc. Each had their own palette if you will and each were vanilla.
Knowing how each of these tools react to the world in front of us is what makes them a joy to use. And now with the discontinuation of the Ektachrome line up - shooting E-6 films is just as easy as ever using the Fujichrome slide mailers sold at retailers like B&H Photo and Adorama (links below-shameless plug).

Random 35mm Slide Images in a display mount page

Slide film for me is now a rare capture device but I still love the cameras I used.
My GR-1 was my go to point n shoot and is awesome. The Fujifilm GSW-690 was of course the most awesome manual point n shoot I could find. Then I relied on my EOS-3 and occasionally at the US Open the Canon EOS-1N RS. Those were the good old days. Blasting away frames and waiting for hours or days to see if you had "the shot". All kidding aside the experience of going on vacation with some slide film and not quite knowing what you had in your bag until days after you returned home seems distant and almost forgotten. So I push myself to shoot some slide film every once in a while. Scanning is pretty easy so there's a hybrid workflow that is available. I look back to the days when it really changed which was around the fall of 2001. Digital cameras were getting better and the rest in history.

I pulled out some slides & negatives from Sept 11, 2001 and you can see what the day was like on film. The obvious constriction that day was that as I exposed the tower falling (negative frames 34 & 35 enlarged) you can imagine what happened next - I ran out of film and as the roll rewound the building fell in front of me. Surreal on all fronts. (See the antenna tower changing location in the frame.)
So here we are in 2012 and if you want to take the slow methodical route of capture and truly test your photography skills for exposure and composition - go out and buy some E-6 slide film and a couple mailers and see what it used to be like! I am sure you will see color differently when you experience a Velvia colors versus digital ones.

Adorama Mailer Sales Link

B&H Photo Slide Mailer Link

Weekly Email - 3-2-12 Local Travels to Refresh

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 23:00:00 +0000

This week I was thinking about what I usually do for interesting photographic images and history when traveling overseas. Perhaps you agree that the answer seems to be visit churches and cathedrals. How many tours in Italy involve stopping at the local church or duomo? How can anyone visit Paris and not see Notre Dame? Who doesn't recognize St. Basil's cathedral in Red Square, etc.

I never gave it much thought when wandering around NYC (except St Patricks). Then I thought about all our tourists and that they might be going to our amazing architectural buildings scattered all over NYC so I ventured out all of one block and found a couple neat shots on the corner. You may want to bring a tripod with you when possible for longer exposures in the dimly lit areas.
More coming in the future as I branch out of the zip code!

These images were made using NIK HDR Efex Pro. For the eagle I shot 4 images in the bracket. For the wide shot I made 10 images and blended them. I did not do any real post beyond letting the program work its magic and help me out with the shadows and highlights. Both were shot with the 18mm lens on the X-Pro1 with my Induro CT014 tripod.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 at ISO 200 4 seconds @ F/5.6

Fujiiflm X-Pro1 Hits the Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:56:00 +0000

This week I was able to do some shooting with the X-Pro1 in a much warmer spot than NYC. I am posting some quick edits from the hundreds of shots. The hard part was that I arrived home at 10pm and less than 12hrs later I have to leave to the airport again - so there is no time to tweak and edit carefully. So bare with me as I share some images from jpegs mostly out of the camera as is.

Many of these images are at ISO 200 with the various lenses and film simulation settings. Velvia being a popular choice for obvious reasons. A couple are at higher ISO's. The scene at night with the pool is at ISO2000 for instance. The camera is now becoming very familiar and much easier to handle as my mind and fingers go where they need to to make things happen fast. I appreciate all the feedback from previous posts and I'm sorry I haven't had the time to address all the questions. If you have something specific email me and I can try to provide a more detailed response. But please do continue to leave comments - they are all appreciated. I will be on the road until Thursday so my answer may be delayed a bit.

bremler@fujifilm.com

ISO 2000

ISO 800

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Random Shots

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:22:00 +0000

I am trying to provide a slice of various attributes of the X-Pro1. I am certainly not a professional reviewer and I am only seeking to share some early images and try to respond to questions photographers have about the camera. I will leave most of the technical stuff to the professionals and I am sure the usual review sites will receive their test cameras soon.

Yesterday when wandering with the camera I ran into an M9 shooter and we did a side by side test shot. Now I am using the X-Pro1 with jpeg images only, and the M9 is shooting in DNG. It is NOT an apples to apples comparison. Both of us armed with our respective 50mm lens - which on the X-Pro1 is the 35mm = 53mm F1.4 after the 1.5x crop factor. I feel the X-Pro1 is delivering a nicer color palette and I don't want to set any precedents here - but when the tests are done I think the X-Pro1 will show a higher resolution. Of course the X-Pro1 is years later in technology and the X-Trans 16MP sensor is a new form of capture. Either way the Leica lens adapter which is on the horizon will be a welcome addition to all with other M mount style lenses.

I'm going to do some shooting with my 5DII and 28mm 1.8 vs the X-Pro1 and 27mm 2.0.

Another shot that REALLY impressed me is the shot of a friend's baby. I was getting out of the car and shot this from outside the car around the baby seat. What amazes me is the detail of her eyelashes at ISO 400 F2.2. The AF of the X-Pro1 IS faster than the X100 and the detail and resolution are clearly improved. The start-up time is much faster than the X100 from sleep as I've shown in the video earlier. I am sure photographers will pick up the X-Pro1 and be impressed with its classic handling and comfortable feel.
The question was asked about what happens when you switch the file format to a 1:1 ratio. The neat thing is that it is of course shown on the LCD, EVF and OVF ! No worries about not seeing the format change. Image size will be 3264 x 3264 (11M), and you can change down to 5M and 3M if you like. Plenty of options.
I am going to add some portraits with the 60mm (90mm) wide open at 2.4 or 3.6. The burst below was done at ISO 500 1/125th @ F/3.6. Original jpeg file uploaded.

This is a bike handle grip w/ 90mm Macro

Shooting with 27mm lens - minimum distortion noticed

Image by Nick Solares with his Lieca M9

Inside of the piano from the video up on youtube with X-Pro1

Multiple AF points allow focusing almost anywhere in the scene

Awesome detail with the 90mm and Off Camera Shoe Cord with EF20

ISO 400 with 53mm lens at F2.2

Screen Capture at 100% - upload compression may have softened it a bit.


ISO 500 1/125th @ F/3.6

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Start-Up Time

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:15:00 +0000

A video compilation of various X-Pro1 features including start-up time and burst rate.
My explanation of the write time is a bit off from the actual finish time of the file as seen with the orange light blinking. I can work on a burst video later but the key here is that the X-Pro1 does not lock up while the file is being written so this allows you to continue full operations. Handling of the camera is fast and comfortable.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 First Day Stroll

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:44:00 +0000

The X-Pro1 is proving to be solid performer on the street. With a few other folks taking a look at the design and performance of the camera I am confident there will be a solid reception of the camera - similar to the X100.

Click for LARGE file

I am going to have a lot more time with the camera over the next few weeks so it is still premature for me to issue edicts about all the features. I do feel the AF speed is faster than the X100 and the file looks gorgeous. Today, just some grab shots and I will try for images with people tomorrow.

I usually shoot a street sign as a gauge of resolution and it serves as my sort of eye chart. I've included the FULL file of the signs so you can see the detail in the letters at all sizes.

All photos here were done handheld wandering the streets. The ones here with the super blue sky are shot at ISO 200 at approx F/8 @ 1/250th.

The reflected light from the building in the image above this one.

The series with the Empire State Building is ISO 200, 400, 800, & 1600 as noted on the exif data on the image. Very smooth files I feel but we each have our own opinions to make. The order is with the ISO 1600 FIRST.

ISO 2000 Tweaked for intensity

ISO 500 1/140th @ F/2.8

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.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 First Night Out

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:04:00 +0000

Last night I knew I had to get some shooting in with the X-Pro1 and then it started to snow a bit so my first images are on the street and you can see flakes of snow and rain in the image. I got the camera home around 6pm, charged the battery and headed out about 9pm. The street image is a whacky kelvin temp from the overhead light. I purposely do little to tweak the image - I try to show it out of the camera with little post.

X-Pro1 ISO 3200 F/1.4 @ 1/90th

The noise levels at ISO 3200 look great to me - and of course many people will get to be the judge once the camera is released. Today is a gorgeous sunny day so I'll have some day shots captured soon. For now shooting at night at 3200 @ F/1.4 is nice! Click to enlarge - these are from jpegs processed in Aperture only.
I've added 3 jpegs (full file) of a portrait shot at ISO 500 and F/2.4 with the 60mm (90mm) lens. Sharpness is great and smooth background. No photoshop work.

X-Pro1 ISO 3200 F/1.4 @ 1/45th

X-Pro1 ISO 2000 F/5.6 @ 1/125th

ISO 3200 Desaturated - Full JPEG

X-Pro1 ISO 3200 F/1.4 @ 1/85th with NIK Effect

X-Pro1 ISO 400 F/5.6 @ 1/160th

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.

Found iPhone 4 in NYC !

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:11:00 +0000

Yesterday while crossing 14th Street at Fifth Ave I saw an iPhone in the street. It had been dropped and run over and now comes the fun part of trying to unite the phone with the owner.
Since the screen is cracked there is no way to see any messages it might have from Find My Phone since I know the owner is looking for it since the phone was beeping.
So I swapped out the SIMM card into my phone and found that the owner is William Taylor and his number is 917-848-4431. The number is not in service now but perhaps someone out there knows this guy and has his number in their address book! You never know!

Fujifilm X100 & X10 Firmware Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000

Today some new tweaks are available to improve the characteristics as requested by photographers.
If you have an X10 or X100 I would recommend you perform the firmware updates for your camera.

X100
http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/firmware/x/finepix_x100/download.html

X10

http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/firmware/x/x10/index.html

FinePix X100 Firmware Update Ver.1.13

Finepix X100
Purpose of File:
The firmware update Ver. 1.13 incorporates the following issues:

1.Compatibility on Mac OS 10.7 When the camera is connected to Mac PC on Mac OS 10.7, the camera is effectively recognized. Additionally, compatibility on RAW FILE CONVERTER EX with Mac OS 10.7 has been confirmed.

2.When VIEW MODE is set to EYE SENSOR activated mode, the camera may be frozen after changing OVF/EVF at dedicated shooting condition. This unpleasant phenomenon is improved.

3.After shooting images at A mode, if mode dial sent to other mode and returned into A mode during data recording, shutter of the camera may not work properly. This unpleasant phenomenon is improved.

X10 Firmware Update Ver.1.03

X10
Purpose of File:
The firmware update Ver.1.03 incorporates the following issues:

1.New function for "RAW" button can be applied by customer's preference By holding down RAW button for approx. 2 second or more, RAW button can be applied into new function similar to "Fn" button setting.

2.Each value set on ISO sensitivity and Dynamic range can be maintained even if aperture setting mode (P / A / S / M) is changed.

3.Face detection function is upgraded to keep tracking face by means of face-tracking AF function. As this function is activated even in movie recording mode, AF on detected face in the movie becomes more effective.

4.Blooming (White disk) phenomena, which can be observed in EXR AUTO mode, is reduced.

5.Compatibility on Mac OS 10.7 When the camera is connected to Mac PC on Mac OS 10.7, the camera is effectively recognized. Additionally, compatibility on RAW FILE CONVERTER EX with Mac OS 10.7 has been confirmed.

6.AF confirmation sound was controlled on "SHUTTER VOLUME" in the SET-UP menu. By this update, this sound is controlled on "OPERATION VOL." in the SET- UP menu, just similar to another functions.

7.The image area with high brightness might be recorded as "black-out" area, just in case of dedicated shooting condition, This unpleasant phenomenon is improved.

8.When the flash is used under macro shooting condition, light-reflected area was shown in greenish. This unpleasant phenomenon is improved.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Unboxing 1

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:13:00 +0000

The day has finally come!
My Fujifilm X-Pro1 is here and I am excited to take it through its paces and share some of the great
features of the camera. Here is a quick view of the un-boxing as it's called. Not a final boxed product since the manual and software is not included - but you get the idea!

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.

Weekly Email - 2-3-12 - Magical City Light

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:46:00 +0000

I can never seem to get enough of a nice twilight sky over NYC!

This week when I ended up on a roof around 5:30p I knew I had a nice photo coming my way and I decided that I would try bracketing the image several stops and merge the files together to see what the final product would be. This is commonly called HDR photography for those new to the technique. There is a lot of articles written about it all over the web. Basically the perfect exposure of the highlights is not the same as the perfect for the shadows - so if you can capture a range including both - software can help grab the best parts to make a winning image.

In this series I shot 11 photos and the exposure ranged from F/7.1 at 1 second to F/6.3 at 8 seconds.

Weekly Email - 1-27-12 - Do You Really Carry a Camera All the Time?

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:40:00 +0000

Folks always ask me if I really do carry a camera all the time and the answer is a resounding YES. 100% no matter where I go or what i do.

So this week I decided to include a few shots I could have only made with a handy camera in the spur of the moment.

My camera this week was the Fujifilm X100 and I like to mix it up often between 3-5 different cameras depending on my mood or location.

Hopefully you can feel the moments and enjoy the images.

X100 - ISO 1250 at F/2.2 @ 1/20th

X100 - ISO 1000 at F/2.8 @ 1/140th

X100 - ISO 1000 at F/2.5 @ 1/40th

Fujiiflm DS7, Apple Quicktake 200 & DS-505A

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:47:00 +0000

Over the years several companies have worked together to produce innovative products. Here are a couple examples where looking back I wonder who gets the credit for the camera? My how time flies as Fujifilm gets ready to launch their own X-Pro1 interchangeable lens camera. A product which raises the bar and I'm waiting for with great excitement to use.
http://fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/x/fujifilm_x_pro1/index.html
Do you think Apple made the Quicktake 200?
Of course looking back they seem quite simplistic. Imagine that DS-505A - the 20 MEG - not GIG - PC Memory Card sold for approximately $700.
Here are a few early rigs:

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.

Fujifilm FinePix 4-Proof Cameras

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:53:00 +0000

I'm a big fan of owning a 2nd or 3rd or whatever number it is camera which is a 4-proof unit. The 4-proofs are so handy for all the things you want to have a camera for but think better at the moment than using your X100 or X10 for. Like a messy snowstorm, a snorkeling trip on a small boat, playing with the kids at the beach, snowboarding, etc.

Having a camera with me at all times is a must. This is a 100% steadfast rule. I'm not a big camera-phone fan so I prefer the "real" thing for all its manual controls and zoom capabilities.

The Fujifilm XP series is now better than ever. I'm psyched to see improved speed and much brighter screens which will improve the shooting experience. Here they are with the press release and specs.

http://fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/xp/

Fujifilm FinePix XP150, XP100 and XP50 Press Release

FUJIFILM INTRODUCES ALL NEW RUGGED AND DURABLE FINEPIX XP150, XP100 AND XP50 DIGITAL CAMERAS THAT TAKE YOUR OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY TO NEW HEIGHTS

Extreme “Four-Way Protection” Refines What a Durable, Stylish Outdoor Camera Should Be

Valhalla, N.Y., January 5, 2012 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced the launch of the all new FinePix XP150 (with GPS) and XP100 (without GPS) digital cameras that take rugged protection and durability to a whole new level. Now, they are Waterproof to 33ft (10M) and Shockproof to 6.5 ft (2M), Freezeproof to 14°F (-10°C) and Dustproof. In addition, the all new XP50 also fights water, shocks, cold and debris by being Waterproof to 16.5ft (5M) and Shockproof to 5 ft (1.5M), Freezeproof to 14°F (-10°C) and Dustproof. With all this protection, you are certain to get your most adventurous shots, all with an extremely attractive camera body that is easy to use.

As a follow up to the highly successful XP-Series and its definitive “Four-Way Protection” each camera has been redesigned to deliver a brighter LCD screen, faster auto focus speeds, better ergonomics, and advanced functionality for all weather conditions.

The new durable FinePix XP-Series now feature the powerful and performance-driven 14-MegaPixel CMOS sensor, faster start-up and shot-to-shot times, up to 10 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting, a 2.7” anti-reflective, high-contrast LCD that has been brightened for clear viewing even in direct sunlight, and the high-precision, FUJINON 5x wide angle optical zoom lenses (28-140mm) with a reinforced hardened glass lens barrier and water repellent coating.

“Active families have redefined the uses for a digital camera, and Fujifilm’s versatile and durable XP-Series lets consumers capture images in more places,” said David Troy, director of marketing, Digital Cameras, Electronic Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “The XP150, XP100 and XP50 thrive in elements that most cameras are afraid of, and allow users to capture photos and movies in new and unique ways, even underwater.”

Four-Way Protection

The FinePix XP150 and XP100 are Fujifilm’s most rugged and durable digital cameras that are perfect for mountain biking, hiking, skiing, surfing, and anything else that defines an extreme adventure. Both the XP150 and XP100 are Waterproof to 33ft (10M) and Shockproof to 6.5 ft (2M), Freezeproof to 14°F (-10°C) and Dustproof.

The XP50, also extremely tough and stylish, is perfect for active families on the go that want a camera they can take anywhere without worrying about its safety. Consumers can drop them, soak them, freeze them, and even cover them in dirt and mud, and the XP-Series will come out unscathed and taking great pictures. The XP50 is Waterproof to 16.5ft (5M) and Shockproof to 5 ft (1.5M), Freezeproof to 14°F (-10°C) and Dustproof.

Newly Redesigned Double Locking Door

The ergonomically-designed cameras are housed in a metal uni-body chassis for durability, and now feature a totally redesigned double locking door that seals and protects the battery and memory card slots, along with the USB and micro-HD ports. This new, heavy-duty door keeps the XP-Series cameras watertight and locks out dust and debris in any situation that you can throw at it.

HD Capability

The FinePix XP150, XP100 and XP50 all offer stunning movies in full 1080p HD – even underwater – with sound at 30fps with one-touch ease. Many consumers are happy to enjoy HD movies on their PC, but with the optional HD Player accessory kit, with wireless remote control (HDMI cable not included), families can gather around their home HDTV to enjoy amazingly detailed stills and high resolution movie playback.

Advanced Image Stabilization

The XP-Series all have a powerful sensor shift Dual Image Stabilization (CIS) system. CIS works as the photo is being taken as it combines a mechanically stabilized sensor with high ISO to combat camera/hand shake and subject movement for improved low light shooting. The result is an expanded range of shooting situations where the cameras can be used without the need of a tripod or other support. With CIS working in the background, you can capture sharp, colorful scenes and portraits underwater or at night.

Tracking Auto Focus (AF)

Created specifically to capture an action shot, the AF function tracks fast moving subjects so they don’t escape from the frame in a blur. Subjects will be tracked automatically for as long as it is kept in the frame and the shutter is half-pressed; when users fully press the shutter button your subject will be in the centre of the photo in perfect focus.

GPS and Geo-Tagging (XP150 only)

The FinePix XP150 features a high sensitivity GPS antenna that is now quicker and easier to pinpoint your location, no matter where you are in the world. The FinePix XP150 also includes an electronic compass, Photo Navigation and GPS Geo-Tagging

In addition to these innovations, the cameras are loaded with the following features:

360° Motion Panorama Mode: Automatically creates a stunning panoramic (horizontal or vertical) picture.

Scene Recognition Auto (SR AUTO): This mode intelligently identifies the scene type and necessary shooting conditions to optimize picture perfect potential.

Face Detection and Automatic Red-eye Removal: To provide perfectly exposed and focused portrait shots, the XP-Series cameras are fitted with Fujifilm’s latest Face Detection technology which is able to track up to 10 faces simultaneously. The system instantly corrects red-eye and then saves both the original and the corrected image file automatically.

Li-ion Rechargeable Battery: The XP150 and XP100 both feature an extended-life rechargeable Li-ion battery with charger for up to 330 shots per charge. The XP50’s rechargeable Li-ion battery delivers up to 220 shots per charge. Either way, the XP-Series allows users to shoot all of their images without worrying if the camera is going to last for the duration of their trip.

Movie Editing Mode and Blog mode: Get creative and add finishing touches to movies and images, among others, you can choose from black and white, Sepia, or you can even add a dynamic lighting effect, all this in-camera.

The FinePix XP150 and XP100 will be available March 2012 at $279.95 and $249.95, respectively. The XP150 will be available in black and orange, while the XP100 will come in black, blue, orange, silver and green.

The FinePix XP50 will be available in March 2012 for $199.95 and will also come in black, blue, orange, silver and green.

An accessory kit for the new XP-Series containing an adjustable float strap, protective silicone skin and a neoprene sports case will be available in spring 2012.

Weekly Email - 1-20-12 - CES Press Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:45:00 +0000

Last week I was in Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show. A massive show which draws about 130,000 people to Vegas for a week long event highlighting all the latest technology products from thousands of companies. The action in the booths there is palpable. Every company is putting on their best show.

Fujifilm had a product launch I attended where we announced our new X-Pro1 pro digital camera. The takeaway from an event like this which drew almost 200 press attendees is that time is money and the live blogging from the event was furious! At the conclusion of the event the camera was in Kayce's hand and the crowd around her made for a fun shot. Usually if you see 12 or so guys with cameras crowding a woman you'd think there must be a bikini involved - but at CES it was all for the 2012 CNET Winner of best camera at the show - the X-Pro1.

If you'd like to see a live discussion about the camera click here to my video interview on it:
http://brandonremler.blogspot.com/2012/01/fujifilm-x-pro1-first-look-sync-uptv.html

Have a good weekend.

Fujifilm X-S1 ISO 800 at 1/15th @ F/2.8

Press Conference Crowd blogging away!

Fujifilm X-Pro1 CES 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:10:00 +0000

CES 2012 is a wrap and the follow up begins! Certainly it was great to have an exciting product launch and a camera which captured a lot of attention and many awards - including the CNET top Camera of CES 2012. Here are some shots from the week to show the action around the X-Pro1 and the media attention from the multitude of sites.
More soon as I gather the feedback and images from CES.

Video Interview at Playboy.com

http://www.playboy.com/entertainment/jo-garcia-tests-out-the-new-fuji-x-pro1
CNET Best of Show - Cameras
http://ces.cnet.com/8301-33371_1-57354573/fujifilm-goes-mirrorless-with-new-x-pro1-camera/?tag=mncol%3bcontentBody.4
PDN Online
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/gear/CES-PMA-2012-Fuji-U-4315.shtml
Luminous Landscapes
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/fuji_x_pro1_launch.shtml
DigLloyd
http://diglloyd.com/blog/2012/20120112_5-FujiXPro1-XFLens.html
Digital Trends
http://www.digitaltrends.com/
The Verge
http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/9/2694187/fujifilm-xpro1-official-price-release-date
Sync Up.TV Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUuObhzZbyQ&feature=related
Digital Camera Review.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY1JA8DTRS4&feature=related
Photography Bay Press Conf Coverage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5LbgUDPLME&feature=related
Crunch Techie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JysWoxFg5lY&feature=related


www.dpreview.com

CES Press Announcement

A nice new menu system with the Quick button

X-Pro1 is a Winner!

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.

New Fujifilm X100 Limited Edition Black Body!

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:44:00 +0000

It's here! The X100 Limited Edition Black Body. The camera will ship with a special black hood, case and filter. Each camera includes a numbered certificate and will be limited to 10,000 cameras.

• DSLR Size 12.3 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
• FUJINON 23mm (35mm Equivalent)
Single Focal Length Fixed F2.0 Lens
• Switchable Optical/Electronic Viewfinder
• 2.8” LCD Monitor w/440k - dot resolution
• JPEG + RAW (Process In-Camera)
• 100-12800 ISO Capabilitites
• HD 720p Video w/Stereo Sound
• Classic Design Magnesium Alloy Body
• Includes all black lens hood and filter adapter
• Includes Black Leather Case

Fujifilm X-Pro1

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:02:00 +0000

The time has finally arrived and the new X-Pro1 is here! Its been really interesting to watch the forums and blogs, and hear all the thoughts of photographers about how this camera was going to arrive. The wait is over and now we all know what we have to work with.
With a newly designed high performance 16MP APS-C sensor and resolution surpassing full frame cameras - the new X-Pro1 will be a hot item for many photographers. Rather than list all the new features - I'll leave that to the 1,000's of blogs to cover since I'm working at CES now. Images soon!
Here are some of the images of the newest member the the Fujifilm X series camera system:

The new QUICK MENU !

The NEW HYBRID Viewfinder with lens overlays

Look Ma - no RAW button!

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.

Weekly Email 1-7-12 Nostaglia for the Post Office

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:35:00 +0000

This week I visited a post office which had the old style mailboxes I don't see too often in NYC.
The classic look of the boxes made me think about the days before email when this was a meeting place and a center of activity for communities. I remember how I used to enjoy spinning the lock to the combination letters to get the mail.
Most have now moved to keys and are of course boring silver boxes.

The post office is usually a chore since the place is dingy and crowded. Getting out of NYC to see the old style was a nice blast from the past.
Have a good weekend.

FinePix X10 ISO 400 F/2.2 @ 1/90th

Cameras Raining from the Sky !

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Remler) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:39:00 +0000

Did you wake up to the announcement by Fujifilm that we launched 19 new cameras today? Some exciting stuff and I am looking forward to working with the new X-S1.

FUJIFILM X-S1 key features:

• Large 2/3-inch 12 MP EXR-CMOS sensor
• High quality FUJINON 26x optical precision zoom 24-624mm (35mm equivalent) with Intelligent Digital Zoom boosting focal range up to 52x and Optical Image Stabilization
• Superb build quality and finish with rubberized coating and metal dials
• Up to 10fps continuous shooting
• Large tilting 3” 460,000 pixel resolution LCD screen with Sunlight mode
• Large EVF with 1.4 million pixel resolution and 26 degree viewing angle
• Full 1080p HD movie with stereo sound
• Super Macro focusing as close as 1cm
• Raw and jpeg shooting
• Film simulation modes
• Program / Shutter-Priority / Aperture-Priority / Manual modes
• Lithium Ion rechargeable battery providing up to 500 shots per charge
• 360° Motion Panorama mode

http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/x/fujifilm_x_s1/index.html

RAW / RAW+JPEG Shooting
The X-S1 has the ability to shoot both a RAW and JPEG shot simultaneously. RAW is for ultimate quality shots via post processing, JPEG is for great quality with no need for further post-production work.
Motion Panorama 360°
The FUJIFILM X-S1 delivers exquisite panoramas by allowing its sensor to extend the sweep range to 360˚ (shots can also be taken vertically). Combined with high quality Fujifilm printing, sweeping and impressive scenes can be taken, showing fine detail, low noise and high resolution at 180°, 240˚ or full 360˚ panoramic ranges.
Extraordinary versatility
At the heart of the FUJIFILM X-S1 is the FUJINON 26x optical precision zoom lens that offers a focal range of 24-624mm with its bright and fast f/2.8 maximum aperture at the wide-angle zoom setting.
The X-S1 FUJINON lens delivers images with superb edge-to-edge sharpness and amazing clarity. The lens construction is of the highest standard, featuring metal cams for smooth zoom control and fast, precise framing.

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.