Fuji X-T1 Thoughts & Samples

Thanks Marcos. I loved the RX1 and would have kept it a good long time if not tempted by the Df. But that started a pretty thorough re-examination and thought process that led me back to Fuji. And, despite not being quite up to RX1 levels around the edges, it generally serves me well with a few different excellent primes instead of one utterly amazing prime.

All of my San Francisco shots were shot with raw + jpeg, with the jpegs set to the Velvia film emulation. For a lot of the daytime sunny weather shots outdoors, I generally used the jpegs because I love that Velvia look in certain circumstances. But I processed everything first in Lightroom and then in the Nik plug-ins of either Silver Efex Pro (B&W) or Color Efex Pro (color, sometimes touched up with Viveza also). In LR I just open it up and make any basic exposure changes that are needed (shadows, highlights, general exposure) and any NR that might be needed. In the Nik plug-in, beyond adding borders and a touch of vignetting, the processing is all over the place. Some I barely touched and others I touched quite a bit. A few to the point that I had to use the raw files because the jpegs couldn't handle my processing without breaking up and starting to show banding and other unpleasant stuff. I don't have any particular "recipes" for processing - I just open them in those programs, try a handful of presets I've saved, see which one seems to work best with the given image, and then start playing around with the particular settings in that combination of filters to get it where I like it.

Which probably doesn't help you other than to say that the Nik Plugins work well for me. The key is to find processing software you're comfortable with and just play with it until you know how to get a look or combination of looks you like out of it. I'm sure the same basic looks I get could be done a dozen other ways with other software - I'm just comfortable with these programs.

In terms of raw processing, it's true that Lightroom doesn't support XT1 files directly yet. But it's easy to get to them one of two ways. Either find the new version of the DNG converter online (I think its 8.4 and it's free) and convert all of your raw files to DNGs before opening them in Lightroom OR just use any EXIF editor to change the camera identifier in the EXIF from XT1 to XE2. The files are essentially identical and that's enough to fool Lightroom into opening the files. I find that doing a batch process of EXIF changes is a whole lot faster than converting a whole batch of files to DNG. And it might help preserve some future options for raw support when it's added.

I hope this helps,

-Ray

Ray,

Thank you so much for your explanation. You are very kind to be so detailed in your answers.

So it seems not much difference in PP from the RX1, right? Mostly when shooting, with the Velvia setup and the X-Trans by itself. Is that correct to assume? I ask this, because, I maybe wrong, of course, I liked your RX1 photos, but, if you let me say so, the Fuji seems to fit perfectly your style: framing, subject! They shine.

I'm very intrigued by the Fujis. I am about to buy a third camera to complement my system mostly on the wide end, and am closing on on the Sony NEX 5T. Although I would love to try a different maker than Sony (my other cameras are Sony's), I kind of fell in love with the idea of having again an articulated LCD, which I loved to use when I had a Pentax 750z. I work with many different artists and like to take self-portraits of me and them together taken by me and I also travel a lot by myself and have fun with some selfies... If Fuji had something almost as small as the NEX with an articulated LCD, I would try it... Pity. Bu who knows one day?

Thanks. Cheers!
 
So it seems not much difference in PP from the RX1, right? Mostly when shooting, with the Velvia setup and the X-Trans by itself. Is that correct to assume? I ask this, because, I maybe wrong, of course, I liked your RX1 photos, but, if you let me say so, the Fuji seems to fit perfectly your style: framing, subject! They shine.
Well, not much difference in basic approach with anything I shoot with, but I probably have to use slightly different combinations of settings and filters to get what I'm after depending on what I'm shooting. But the tools are the same and my basic approach of 'fool with it until it looks right and then stop' is pretty much the same. I'm glad you like the Fuji stuff I do. But I was every bit as happy with the RX1 and those files took more of a beating in processing without showing any ill-effects than the Fuji files do, raw or jpeg. I have some shots from my trip to Italy last summer from the RX1 that I don't think could have possible looked any better with a different camera...

There are a lot of good tools out there - I like Fuji somewhat for the look they get out of their files, somewhat for the handling of the cameras, and a LOT because of the quality of the lenses that are right in my focal length wheelhouse. The 14, 23 and 56 (going on second hand experience with the 56) are simply wonderful lenses. And while I'm OK with the 18, I'd love to see the other wide angle prime on the roadmap be either a 16 or 18 with nicer optics and a clutch manual focus ring like the 14 and 23 have...

-Ray
 
What Exif Editor do you use Ray? Or does it really matter?

I use EXIFChanger on the Mac, but I don't think it matters. As long as it's easy to batch process a bunch of changes to a single field in the EXIF data, anything should work. I think it's a $10 application - not sure how much it was back when I initially bought it...

-Ray
 
i converted from the nex system. there was much more in the fuji offerings that outweighed everything else about the nex7/6. for me, at least.

(Sent from another Galaxy via Tapatalk.)

I can see that, and may come to the point you are in later on. But right now I'm not looking for a whole set of lenses and all. I mostly want another smallish nice camera with a Wide Angle lens attached to put into another jacket pocket along with my cameras... and the articulated LCD... I guess the the X-M1 almost fits the bill, but then I'm obsessing with the LCD.. :)
 
if the x-trans sensor isn't too important to you, you can go for the cheaper x-a1 with its bayer sensor. couple that with the xf18 pancake-ish lens, and you've got a very pocketable kit. i'm able to pocket (jacket) my x-e2 with grip and xf27 pancake.

(Sent from another Galaxy via Tapatalk.)
 
if the x-trans sensor isn't too important to you, you can go for the cheaper x-a1 with its bayer sensor. couple that with the xf18 pancake-ish lens, and you've got a very pocketable kit. i'm able to pocket (jacket) my x-e2 with grip and xf27 pancake.

(Sent from another Galaxy via Tapatalk.)

I think I like the X-Trans, and would be OK paying the price for it. Just... the LCD, again. It goes up and down, but not to the front as the NEX 5T or 5R, right?
 
Well, you could use the wi-fi app on the XT1 to do the same thing, more or less. I've never bought a camera with selfies as a consideration, but I have taken shots that I'm in with a timer, cable release, or now with wi-fi apps. All of them work...

-Ray
 
Well, you could use the wi-fi app on the XT1 to do the same thing, more or less. I've never bought a camera with selfies as a consideration, but I have taken shots that I'm in with a timer, cable release, or now with wi-fi apps. All of them work...

-Ray


I know self-portraits may look silly and kind of egotistical, I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but it can be fun... (smiles) It's cool on a Film or TV set, and I want to take them better. There are the Jeff Bridges film set pictures as an interesting reference...

I tried the Wireless thing with my RX-100 M2, but it is kind of cumbersome to hold the camera and the smartphone at the same time and not nearly as snappy as with a more adequate camera. And you have so many time to take a picture while people are working, including you (even being the director).

thanks.
 
I know self-portraits may look silly and kind of egotistical, I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but it can be fun... (smiles) It's cool on a Film or TV set, and I want to take them better. There are the Jeff Bridges film set pictures as an interesting reference...

I tried the Wireless thing with my RX-100 M2, but it is kind of cumbersome to hold the camera and the smartphone at the same time and not nearly as snappy as with a more adequate camera. And you have so many time to take a picture while people are working, including you (even being the director).

thanks.
i remember doing that on sets back in the day with the very first camera phone released in the states, before the term 'selfies' came about. and speaking of Bridges, Beau wasn't as nice in person than he seems on tv. i always wondered how his brother is.


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i remember doing that on sets back in the day with the very first camera phone released in the states, before the term 'selfies' came about. and speaking of Bridges, Beau wasn't as nice in person than he seems on tv. i always wondered how his brother is.


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+1 : been doing that before the term was created...

People can be deceitful... and we have always to remember somebody wrote their lines, created their characters, and directed them. They may be quite different in person. Been doing that for more than 20 years, still surprise myself, some for the better, some for the worse, though less and less.
 
I know self-portraits may look silly and kind of egotistical, I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but it can be fun... (smiles) It's cool on a Film or TV set, and I want to take them better. There are the Jeff Bridges film set pictures as an interesting reference...
Didn't mean to imply anything of the sort with my comment. Just noting that I really can't help a whole lot with the question because I just haven't really thought about it. On top of which, if everything selfish and/or egotistical was a dis-qualifier for participation on an internet forum, things would be pretty lonely around here for whoever was left - sure I wouldn't be among 'em! :cool:

-Ray
 
Didn't mean to imply anything of the sort with my comment. Just noting that I really can't help a whole lot with the question because I just haven't really thought about it. On top of which, if everything selfish and/or egotistical was a dis-qualifier for participation on an internet forum, things would be pretty lonely around here for whoever was left - sure I wouldn't be among 'em! :cool:

-Ray

hehehe I know you didn't imply that. I was just making fun of myself.
 
Bonus time is Friday. As of now I'm ready to finally have something digital besides the X100 and an iphone. I am ready to plunk down a disgusting amount of money in an X-T1, the 14mm 2.8, the 35mm 1.4, and the 56mm 1.2 (and no kit zoom, because even though it's rated well I know that if I have it I'll probably use it, and I don't want to use it, I want to use those wonderful primes). Of those 4 items, only the 14 and the 35 are actually in stock anywhere. And somehow the thought that now that I am ready, the gear somehow ISN'T ready, is too awful to bear. Does anyone think that Friday or so is the magical day that some / both of those come into stock at B&H or Adorama? Is there some other purchase channel I'm ignoring?
 
Hey Kyle, check out Digital Cameras|Canon|Nikon|Drones|Lenses|Photo Restoration|LI I got my X-T1 there and they were really good about getting it sent out right away. When I ordered the X-T1 the guy said they had some of the 56mm in stock as well. Just a heads up.

On another note, I'm still getting used to the camera coming from an EPL-5 but man I'm loving it. Used it the other night hanging out with my friends I'll post some pictures a little bit later.
 
Kyle - absolutely just do a bit of calling around. I decided on the XT1 before B&H or Amazon had filled ANY of their pre-orders (I know they've both shipped quite a few at this point, but are out of stock currently). I decided on a Friday, gave myself a day to make sure I didn't change my mind, and started making phone calls Saturday afternoon. I found one with a kit lens at Berger Brothers with my first phone call, but didn't want the kit. My second call was to Kenmore Camera out near Seattle and they had a few body only's in stock. I ordered one and had it Monday at noon via priority mail. I think the 56 is genuinely hard to find (I'm gonna place an order with B&H for that later this week due to having a big credit there, but I expect to wait for it), but you should be able to find an XT1 with just a bit of calling. The big retailers usually get bigger shipments but MUCH bigger orders and pre-orders. Smaller shops will often only get a few in but only have one or two of those spoken for. At the very least it's worth a try.

-Ray
 
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