Down the backstreet (Maryland Ave.) in our neighborhood is a mini-wildlife refuge that I call the Butterfly House. Few front yards offer as much foliage, and variety of it, for bugs and birds. But mainstay […]
Category: Fuji
The Old-Timer
Among our neighborhood cats is Fess, who carries kind of an angry expression, although being quite friendly. He’s a slow, mature mover, and you don’t see many of them round here because of the double-C […]
Flickr a Day 364: ‘Mr. Lonely’
I picked the second-to-last pic in the series for capturing my mood: somber. I enjoy curating the photos and end satisfied in completing the task: 365 selections, one a day, each from a different Flickr […]
The Pricey and the Priceless
Christmas came early this month, with the acquisition of Google Pixel C tablet and Master & Dynamic MW60 wireless headphones. So Santa rightfully pulled only a few items from the sack—and they are more than I deserved. The pricey: Sunglass clips for my spectacles and Hard Graft Atelier Hang Camera Strap (pictured) for my Fujifilm X-T1. Priceless; Necklace made by my wife.
The strap is in some respects more than the X-T1 needs, being such a compact, mirrorless camera. But the accessory commands more respect, hangs the Fuji better around my back, and easily pulls up for hand carrying. A last-minute purchase, Hard Graft shipped from United Kingdom on December 22nd for Christmas Eve delivery. I must thank DHL for calling that day to ensure someone would be home and by ringing allowing me to provide the apartment complex gate code.
Flickr a Day 331: ‘Selfie’
This series features plenty of selfies: Days 15, 142, 160, 201, 261, 275, 310, 316. Today’s selection differs by making the selfie-taker subject of the photo, which wins for clarity, color, contrast, and composition. The clutter behind adds character to […]
Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR lens
I retract regrets stated two days ago about parting with the Fujifilm X100T. Today I had chance to use the Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR lens attached to the X-T1. Wow, the 53mm film-equivalent glass swipes away my major complaints compared to using the smaller camera.
For starters: The aperture ring offers tactile response. You can feel the click between stops, which are unmistakably visible at a glance. When the San Diego sunlight is to too bright for me to easily see numbers in the electronic viewfinder, the ring reveals the aperture by touch. Click. Click.
What I Miss About the Fuji X100T
Not long after buying the Fujifilm X-T1 in July I sold my beloved X100T. At the time, it didn’t make much economic sense to keep both. Some decisions, no matter their practically, we regret. I miss the X100T’s simplicity, portability, and manageability.
The X-T1’s appeal is full manual control, including ISO, and interchangeable lens. But for me, the fixed-lens camera’s aperture ring is a killer feature. In the bright San Diego, I often find even X-T1’s excellent electronic viewfinder is difficult to read. I typically shoot aperture priority, but consistently can’t read the setting. The X100T offers tactile clicks from a ring which numerals are clearly etched into the metal. Then there is benefit of the optical viewfinder, which works well for me outdoors.
Flickr Day 271: ‘Thelma and Louise’
Professed car and technology enthusiast Kārlis Dambrāns is a photo editor by trade, and it shows in the images he captures or post-processes. He shot self-titled “Thelma and Louise” on Aug. 29, 2015, during the “Retro auto” […]
Flickr a Day 260: ‘Embarcadero’
You don’t pick a Ted Lee pic. It choose you. His photostream is a marvelous mix of street art and studio portraits, and the view counts are unusually high. He shot self-titled “Embarcadero” on April […]
Flickr a Day 242: ‘After the Storm’
Picking a pic from the photostream of Eric Verdaasdonk is easy. This series only features images with Creative Commons licenses, and among his 5,000-plus there is but one so designated. He shot self-titled “After the […]
There’s Something You Should Know About the ONA Bolton Street Backpack
It’s beautiful but bigger than it looks. I ordered and returned the Bolton Street this week, fulfilled by Amazon from one of its retailer partners. Words cannot express how much I wanted to keep the backpack. The craftsmanship is fine art, attention to detail is finer still, and quality of materials is outstanding. But the thang doesn’t fit my digital lifestyle or my back. Depth is the problem.
My story starts on July 9, 2015, when I walked out of Best Buy with a ridiculously fantastic deal: Fujifilm X-T1 kit body and 18-55mm lens, discounted $250, bundled with the XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS for another $100. The second lens alone retails for $699. My previous digicam, the Fuji X100T, is so compact that I didn’t use backpack or other carryall. But interchangeable lens camera changes everything, so I started looking for an appropriate backpack.
Meet the Fujifilm X-T1
Someone please explain the mysteries of retail marketing and sales, because they baffle me. Last week, I quite unexpectedly purchased the Fujifilm X-T1, which got clumsy break-in during San Diego Comic-Con 2015. The story I tell is true, a point necessary to emphasize because I wouldn’t believe it if not for my real-life experience.
Last November, I asked: “Fujifilm X100T or X-T1?” After making comparisons, seriously evaluating my budget, contemplating my past experience using the X100, and considering the benefits of nearly-silent leaf shutter and ND filter to compensate for the Southern California sun, I chose the fixed-lens camera. Besides, I have used only mirrorless digicams since Sigma DP1 in early 2008 and, with brief Olympus PEN sojourn, only non-interchangeable lens shooters.