Oh, SNAP!

ahh.. you have an oly system, too?

in Fuji news, i've got this back-and-forth email with RRS, again. this time for the 50-140. they should make a new foot with the arca swiss-style dovetail thingamajig thingy. one that doesn't obstruct your hand from being able to actually hold the battery grip.
 
WHOOPS make that a 50-140. No Oly here. :)
ohh.. haha. and RRS have no plans to make a new foot. bah humbug! they only recommended a couple of their QR plates. i hope a third-party company makes a new foot.

here's one of the first test shots i did when i first messed with the lens handheld. i didn't get to save the one with OIS off, but trust.. it was blurry.

2014_1217_22223700_zpsrjuatdl2.jpg

F2,8 @1/4s ISO 200 racked to 140mm

this was a fairly dim room (in tungsten).
 
I'm leaning towards that 50-140 more than the new 16-55 right now. That OIS is nuts and it looks super sharp, plus I think I would like the extra range it gives. But then again when the 16-55 comes out maybe that will blow my mind since they're saying the optics on that are suppose to be insane.
 
the OIS is something else. i think the 70-200 f2,8L gives something like 3 stops.

i'm not a zoom person at all. i originally wanted the 16-55. but the 50-140 gives me the variable reach to subjects i can't actually trek to. plus, i love the compression this range gives. my current primes (14 to 56) covers more than enough of the 16-55 range to make it redundant, and with moar bokeh! though, i still want that 16 to compliment my 23 for all day & night street shooting, but not till after the 90! and i don't do any photography in this range where i need to be able to shoot immediately anywhere between 16 to 55.

i'm already trying to find some gigs i can really use the 50-140 on. dance tour, winter ski & snow, etc.
 
thanks, bit i took too long to decide on the dance tour thing. i'm considering this cruise vacations photog thing. but if i really have to be gone for a year straight, it might not fly with me.

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i'm so glad they bothered for the xt1. the thumb grip on my xe2 was always the better improvement over the RRS grip (though i still love that grip on there). but the thumb grip made the most difference in handling. on the xt1, my thumb would always be knocking the shutter dial, or hitting that Fn button or AF-L button.
 
Haven't been here in a while but your stuff still clicks with me, Romi.
thanks, ken. i hardly even come on as much as i used to.

---

welp, i just picked up a voigtlander ultron 28mm f2. it's no leica, or even a zeiss, and someone outbid me on the rokkor on eBay, but i've had the voigtlander 35mm f1,4 MC before and did enjoy the quality of the photos i got from it especially for high-contrast B&Ws. but what i especially loved about it was the handling and size. i originally picked up my first fuji because i didn't want to do street photography with the dslr i had. so i went for the x-e1 because i wanted interchangeability with lenses and i liked the rangefinder body-shape. also, it was smaller than the x-pro1 which by the time i'd add a RRS L-plate + grip, it would have been too big for my liking. the xf lenses are great when i need to autofocus - i can use my x-t1 for that. they're optically sharp, i could never get rid of them. and yet MF is still perfectly fine for landscape photography. but for street photography, i wasn't enjoying the experience. i prefer zone focusing with a lens with hyperfocal marks on it especially with a focusing lever like on many m mount lenses (leica, zeiss, voigtlander, rokkor, etc.).

IMG_20150310_080703_zpspusohfun.jpg
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also, size was the other main factor. i'm still waiting for my adapter - it's been over a week now. idk what's taking amazon so long. but there's a size comparison with the xf35. i know it's closer to the xf27, but that's a pancake lens. so, yeah.. bang-for-buck, i wanted a fast close-to-35mm FOV which is my favourite 35mm equivalent, but it still had to be relatively small. it came down to this lens. though, i prefer a tad wider - preferably 23mm (x1.5 cf). and the xf23 is pretty huge (but is still my favourite xf lens).

i wish Fuji would make a line of compact manual primes especially for street shooters. call them SS lenses, even.
- compact & short
- fully mechanical (not dbw)
- full manual (no AF)
- electronics for lens data
- hyperfocal marks on lens
- weather resistant

how awesome would that be?

---

edit: bah! i got a reply from the merchant saying that the adapter would be shipped/handled by amazon, and that they see a "payment pending" issue. i wondered why i had a few items there (all purchased different times within two days) just sitting in "preparing for shipment" status for a few days now. then amazon tells me there is no payment issue, and that they will rush delivery on my items. wth!? they were just sitting there.
 
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here're a few pics with the lens on...

2015_0312_11041500_zps8437aawh.jpg
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after mounting the lens, you get a real idea of just how much heft there is in the lens. it's quite front-heavy. and even with the RRS L-plate + grip (which i always thought added a nice heft and feel to the body) and ef-x20 flash, it's still a bit front-heavy. not that handling is horrible. just something i think is worth mentioning.

2015_0312_10540900_zpskcatm8xg.jpg
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with the RRS L-plate + grip

2015_0312_11015700_zpsylizfdzf.jpg
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without the RRS L-plate + grip

2015_0312_10591000_zpsid3q0m4c.jpg
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for size comparison (without the RRS L-plate + grip)

2015_0312_10555400_zpsoobkrv9y.jpg
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for size comparison (with the RRS L-plate + grip)

2015_0312_11141000_zpswbg94wa9.jpg
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and here it is on my other body with the battery grip and RRS L-bracket

2015_0312_11114700_zpsokqa0yed.jpg
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sorry for the blurriness...

2015_0312_11112300_zpshysehjzm.jpg
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...it wasn't as bright as it might look, and these were just quick snaps
 
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here're a few pics with the lens on...


2015_0312_11041500_zps8437aawh.jpg
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after mounting the lens, you get a real idea of just how much heft there is in the lens. it's quite front-heavy. and even with the RRS L-plate + grip (which i always thought added a nice heft and feel to the body) and ef-x20 flash, it's still a bit front-heavy. not that handling is horrible. just something i think is worth mentioning.

2015_0312_10540900_zpskcatm8xg.jpg
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with the RRS L-plate + grip

2015_0312_11015700_zpsylizfdzf.jpg
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without the RRS L-plate + grip

2015_0312_10591000_zpsid3q0m4c.jpg
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for size comparison (without the RRS L-plate + grip)

2015_0312_10555400_zpsoobkrv9y.jpg
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for size comparison (with the RRS L-plate + grip)

2015_0312_11141000_zpswbg94wa9.jpg
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and here it is on my other body with the battery grip and RRS L-bracket

2015_0312_11114700_zpsokqa0yed.jpg
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sorry for the blurriness...

2015_0312_11112300_zpshysehjzm.jpg
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...it wasn't as bright as it might look, and these were just quick snaps

You got some serious looking heavy duty rigs there, Romi, shhhh.....
+100.. on the need for compact hunting glass, all manual of course.
I've tried all sorts of 24mm legacy glass on the (ex-)NEXes, nothing came close to the f1.8 Zeiss optically, but that's almost as large as the 23mm Fujinon (actually a tad longer), too large on the NEX for my taste and I don't hold my breath for a reasonably fast (f2-2.8) 23mm pancake from either Fuji or Sony. Then I could have bought a X100S or T long ago but no, it just doesn't happen, it'd be exactly one camera too much to schlep around and I'm t.h.r.o.u.g.h. with that. I might as well dig out one of my old Olympus SLRs but traveling with film has become a big pain in the ... in the meantime. Oh well...
What's that Canon on the table? AE-1?
 
You got some serious looking heavy duty rigs there, Romi, shhhh.....
+100.. on the need for compact hunting glass, all manual of course.
I've tried all sorts of 24mm legacy glass on the (ex-)NEXes, nothing came close to the f1.8 Zeiss optically, but that's almost as large as the 23mm Fujinon (actually a tad longer), too large on the NEX for my taste and I don't hold my breath for a reasonably fast (f2-2.8) 23mm pancake from either Fuji or Sony. Then I could have bought a X100S or T long ago but no, it just doesn't happen, it'd be exactly one camera too much to schlep around and I'm t.h.r.o.u.g.h. with that. I might as well dig out one of my old Olympus SLRs but traveling with film has become a big pain in the ... in the meantime. Oh well...
What's that Canon on the table? AE-1?
haha.. i won't say, that's what she said. and yes. it's the Program. i do have an AE-1 somewhere though. i would prefer the A-1 with it's A Priority mode, but i don't want to spend any money on an SLR body if i were buying film. i just looove rangefinder bodies!

the 28mm Voigt is still on trial before i decide to keep it. so far, this 28mm is just an awkward FOV for me. and going closer to a 35mm FOV will mean a bigger lens especially one that's relatively fast. i even felt the same way with the xf27's FOV (but i got it for half off the original price, brand new), and this 28mm is a tad tighter (42mm FOV). i say awkward because it's like, either be a 35mm or a 50mm. for that reason, i just ordered a Lumix GX7 to try with my M.Zuiko 17mm f1,8 (34mm FOV!!!) as my primary street shooter. i could always bring along with me my X-E2 & xf35 for my standard bokeh shots as a secondary.

i don't mind carrying two bodies. two mirrorless bodies, that is. actually, i prefer having two focal lengths ready at all times, on two bodies especially for work. and my X-E2 is really my back-up to my X-T1. saying that makes me want to go the GX7 route over the 28mm Voigt even more. i'd get to use that as my everyday/general/street shooter. i already have a great lens for it which is sharper than this Voigt, fast and pretty darn small. it's about the same size as this Voigt, but a little shorter. i've read AF on this lens is pretty fast (i've only ever used it on my BMPCC). i've handled the GX7 body before with the kit lens and it was pretty darn fast especially for only having CDAF. i think the combo would be great especially with the 2-3 stops of IBIS. and finally, i'll get my 35mm equivalent FOV in a very small package!!!
 
haha.. i won't say, that's what she said. and yes. it's the Program. i do have an AE-1 somewhere though. i would prefer the A-1 with it's A Priority mode, but i don't want to spend any money on an SLR body if i were buying film. i just looove rangefinder bodies!

the 28mm Voigt is still on trial before i decide to keep it. so far, this 28mm is just an awkward FOV for me. and going closer to a 35mm FOV will mean a bigger lens especially one that's relatively fast. i even felt the same way with the xf27's FOV (but i got it for half off the original price, brand new), and this 28mm is a tad tighter (42mm FOV). i say awkward because it's like, either be a 35mm or a 50mm. for that reason, i just ordered a Lumix GX7 to try with my M.Zuiko 17mm f1,8 (34mm FOV!!!) as my primary street shooter. i could always bring along with me my X-E2 & xf35 for my standard bokeh shots as a secondary.

i don't mind carrying two bodies. two mirrorless bodies, that is. actually, i prefer having two focal lengths ready at all times, on two bodies especially for work. and my X-E2 is really my back-up to my X-T1. saying that makes me want to go the GX7 route over the 28mm Voigt even more. i'd get to use that as my everyday/general/street shooter. i already have a great lens for it which is sharper than this Voigt, fast and pretty darn small. it's about the same size as this Voigt, but a little shorter. i've read AF on this lens is pretty fast (i've only ever used it on my BMPCC). i've handled the GX7 body before with the kit lens and it was pretty darn fast especially for only having CDAF. i think the combo would be great especially with the 2-3 stops of IBIS. and finally, i'll get my 35mm equivalent FOV in a very small package!!!

Back in Austria I had some fun with the 30mm Sigma or 28mm C/Y Distagon on different NEXes, but that's more due to the special situation in central Europe and my stubborn old allergies - going any wider I'd usually end up with some crap in the images. So yeah, still looking for a compact 35mm FOV alternative. I thought about a compact 35mm m43 rig before, maybe the 17/1.8 on a EPL-5 or 7 but then I'd rather pick an X100(S,T) - just a personal choice. Believe it or not, I'm still shooting my X10 more often than those APS-C babies, but then I process most of my stuff in gritty mono-, duo, or tritone anyway and the files print just fine. If you don't have anything from a larger sensor camera hanging right next to prints from the X10 you probably wouldn't notice that they've been shot with a compact camera.
 
Back in Austria I had some fun with the 30mm Sigma or 28mm C/Y Distagon on different NEXes, but that's more due to the special situation in central Europe and my stubborn old allergies - going any wider I'd usually end up with some crap in the images. So yeah, still looking for a compact 35mm FOV alternative. I thought about a compact 35mm m43 rig before, maybe the 17/1.8 on a EPL-5 or 7 but then I'd rather pick an X100(S,T) - just a personal choice. Believe it or not, I'm still shooting my X10 more often than those APS-C babies, but then I process most of my stuff in gritty mono-, duo, or tritone anyway and the files print just fine. If you don't have anything from a larger sensor camera hanging right next to prints from the X10 you probably wouldn't notice that they've been shot with a compact camera.
i used to have the nex-7 when it first came out, then also picked up the em5 shortly after to trial alongside the nex-7. the em5 was nice, but i just was not liking the output of the RAWs as much as i loved the RAWs coming from the sony sensor. also, i just didn't like the pseudo-pentaprism hump being i prefer just a squared body. (the x-t1 is an exception due to fuji's manual knobs.) and the DX format is really the perfect sensor size/balance between body&lens combo and still getting nice shallow DOF, for me, at least.

IMAG0016_zpstqvc9piz.jpg
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size comparison of Nex-7 + Voigtlander 35mm F1,4 and the 60D + kit lens.

then, i discovered these little fujis with their manual controls combined with their more rangefinder-looking bodies and something different about their images that i liked, and converted over. i sold all my sony stuff including my DSLT and alpha lenses. i would love to shoot with the fuji controls and still get their quality images out of it, but for my street photography requirements, size comes first. i did have an x100s. i really liked it. i tried to, at least. there were many times i traveled with only it and many times i only wanted to travel with just a single body but also wanted to have a second focal length lens with me. i couldn't do that with the x100s. so, i picked up the X-E2, but really missed the 23 focal length on it. i had enough hotel rewards to almost pay the full price of the xf23 during a fuji sale. it's my favourite lens ever, for almost everything. just not so much for the streets where i couldn't slip it into a coat pocket really quick.

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just look at this size comparison of the xf23 (34.5mm FOV) next to the m.zuiko 17mm (34mm FOV)


hopefully, the GX7 ends my search. some pros about it combined with that 17mm lens are:

- quite small and very compact
(has the 35mm equivalent FOV i want)

- fast AF
(i think i remember Thomas Leuthard mentioning he uses AF with this Oly cameras - it's just fast)

- fast lens with focusing scale
(a third of a stop more light than the F2 on the x100 series. heard the manual focusing isn't so FBW-like)

- 1/8000s
(won't need to carry around an ND like i always had to with the fast fuji primes)

- electronic shutter operation up to (i think) 1/32000 like the X-T1
(moar stealth! and yes, i chose the black body with my black version lens)

- 1/320 flash sync
(i wonder if my ef-x20 flash will work on it)

- wifi control
(you can control every single setting from the phone from exposure for photo and video and effects. also, it has a unique tether feature where it automatically sends each photos to your phone so you don't have to keep conecting, selecting and transferring each time you want to share an image)

even though i would prefer Fuji's output, i believe i'll be able to achieve the results i want from the m43 sensor for street photography. it's not like i'm doing landscape shots for 500px or something. i prefer high contrast b&w anyway, much like Thomas Leuthard's stuff (with his m43 gear), so the DR and quality of the fuji i prefer isn't really needed. and i really like his street photography photos (sans the through-the-window shots). but, we'll see how that all applies to real usage.
 
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