"It's macro time again with the Fujifilm X100"

It's my first try using the Fuji X100 on macro photography.

Here are a few photos with some of my favorite quotes about photography.

There are no rules for a good photographs, there are only good photographs. (Ansel Adams)

Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still. (Dorothea Lange)

To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them. (Elliot Erwitt)

A firmware upgrade for my X100!

Just a few weeks after I bought my X100, Fujifilm released a firmware version 2.01 for it.

I had no issues with my x100 older firmware version, but to receive good news like this is very exciting.

The original Fuji X100 have a lot of quirks, and the newer X100S camera addressed them all.

With the new firmware my X100 auto focus is now faster, manual focus is now easy to use and start up time is now a little bit faster.

It feels like a new camera. Now, I didn't regret choosing this over the more enhanced but more expensive X100S.

Here are some photos I took after I upgraded to the latest firmware.

(All photos are JPEG straight out of the camera)

Fujifilm releasing a firmware update to a discontinued model is a very classy act. Something that the other brand names hasn't done.

They just gained another fan boy in me. (And thousand others I'm sure)

Great cameras and great costumer service.

I might go Fuji system all the way someday.

Keep it up Fujifilm!

Cheers!

Alex

Portrait #5

My portrait number 5 is teacher Jash from Bangkok.

We went to a nice local park yesterday and took some shots.

I brought with me my new Fuji x100 that day, it was supposed to be the main camera to be used. I am excited to test its high synch flash capability, and of course the Fuji colors.

Unfortunately, by some reason it went battery dead on us after just a few shots. Maybe I accidentally left the camera ON inside its bag.



So, before I can ruin the afternoon being upset about me being so careless, I pulled out my old but trusted Nikon D3100 and started shooting.

Shot with my D3100 with a 35mm prime. ISO 400, f2.2, 1/200s.

One flash with a brolly at subject's left.

Nothing fancy, a very simple set up. Thanks for my friend Ernest for being our human light stand that day.

It was fun.

Cheers!

Alex

Cold feet on a wedding day

Nervously shot a wedding last week.

Why?

Because...

I have never done it before.

And it was indoors at night.

But I am eager to experience it, so I took the chance.

Brought with me my D3100, the Fuji X100 and two flashes.

I was thinking that if I can set the lights off camera, bounce it into the ceiling from a fixed position somewhere in the room, I'll be okay.

But then...

Bad news

1.The room have all kinds of lighting with different kinds of colors (you name it). => Messed up white balance.

2. So many photographers nuking their flashes around. => Goodbye off camera flash on optical slave mode.

3. The ceiling is not white.=> Can't use bounce.

The FUJI X100

I decided to use my FUJI X100 for majority of the shots.

I believe its high ISO performance is good enough that I don't need my flashes. 

We'll see.

The FUJI is doing okay at the beginning. Ambient light is still sufficient.

As the outside light goes dimmer and dimmer, more indoor lights needs to be turned on, and the white balance problem became worst.

My solution?

I resorted to black and white shots.

I love how the X100 gives black and white straight out of the camera.

Most of my shots are taken in RAW format and converted in-camera to JPEG. Oh yes, the X100 can do that. Cool huh?

Most of the shots above are taken at iso 6400. I love how the FUJI X100 handles noise and still keep details at high ISO.

Nikon D3100

Some shots taken with my D3100 with flash on-camera.

Shot in RAW, as I always do if using the DSLR,  and tweaked white balance in post processing.

Where are they looking? Too many photographers.

Lesson learned

It is better to shoot with flash than using high ISO. I should have used it from the beginning. 

If your'e the official photographer, don't agree to shoot a wedding with hundred other photographers flashing and nuking around. Just don't, forget it. 

If you are not the official photographer, then don't shoot at all. Be an ordinary guest and enjoy the wedding.

The FUJI is a capable camera in low light, but don't leave it to chance. Use flash.

Buy some wireless triggers.

Probably avoid wedding shots for now, I still have a lot to learn when it comes to this.

Cheers!

Alex

"Lake on Fire"

Photo Taken from Moke Lake. An isolated lake located in Queenstown, South Island. New Zealand. The town is the most popular tourist destination for those who love winter activities.
Single Exposure
Nikon D800+ 16-35mm F4+ Manfrotto 405
Hoya ND16+BW N8+Lee 0.9
f16|2 secs| ISO 200

I love Fuji colors!

These past few weeks I knew I needed a little break, took my mind off anything that involves blogging.

After a long hiatus, now I'm back.

To spice up my life a little bit, I decided to add another camera in my collection.

I am thinking I needed a compact camera, even with just a prime 35mm lens,my DSLR sometimes feels like a heavy and bulky computer.

I need a camera I can carry around with me when I'm lazy to bring my DSLR.

I decided to buy this notorious fixed lens little camera from FUJIFILM.

(Well, after a very long research and finally after the finance department a.k.a wife approved the budget release for it)

The infamous Fujifilm Finepix X100!

And it didn't disappoint!

The camera feels and handles different. Feels solid but lighter.

I'm a fixed focal guy, so I love the fast f2 prime attached into it.

A breathe of fresh air. A lovely retro look with an optical viewfinder!

And the FUJI colors..

Photo straight from the camera, no post processing done except watermarking. 

Sweet, lovely FUJI colors...


Can't explain exactly what it is.


The texture...the colors...

                                          Photo straight from the camera, no post processing done except watermarking. 

The colors are something I cannot replicate in post processing.

I am a 100% RAW shooter, but I am starting to love the JPEG interpretation of this little gem.

                                            Photo straight from the camera, no post processing done except watermarking. 


I will spend more time with this, and maybe will post some review.

But to be honest, I am already loving this camera.

The fuss about its quirks are over-hyped.

Can't wait to do portraits using this!

Oh, did I mention leaf shutters and a built-in ND filter?

Cheers!

Alex