The Fabulous Fuji X owners thread

Right, these two, out of 200+, I'm actually quite happy with! Both with XT1 and 18-135mm at f9. First is ~35mm at 1/60 and second is ~55mm at 1.80. Obviously had greater success getting sharp cars going quicker, but at the cost of less background blurring, so sod that :)

I have a lot with heads in the way which can't be helped in grandstand seating. The majority of those in focus are right at the end of the braking zone with the car half out of shot, which I think suggests I wasn't panning fast enough (or particularly accurately!) but my speed was about right for the corner entry, just not enough for the approach to the corner.

Any tips very welcome - this certainly won't be my last time bringing a camera when I watch some racing.


Checo by stickyfiddle, on Flickr


Spanish Samurai by stickyfiddle, on Flickr
 
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Looking good. Just practice, practice, practice :) Don't be disheartened with shots you have to throw away, it just comes with the territory. Up the shutter speed if you are struggling, 1/250 should still get a bit of blur, then as you start nailing those 100% start dropping the shutter speed down. Remember how the focal plane works, so if you are at a real slow shutter speed and shooting a car coming at you, there will only be a "slice" of the car in focus.

I did do a beginners post a while back which I stuck on my website (about all I ever put on there!), it's basic stuff: http://encounterphotography.com/?p=99190
 
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Was it just those 2? Never tried panning from the grandstand, last time went, I was able to find a few good places around the track, very close to the fence. I don't like the background too blurred, if it's too smooth, I think it takes the impression of movement away.
Slowest I got with keepers was 1/100 @ f11
 
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I had an XT1 in the classifieds but have decided to keep it, ordered a 35 f1.4 today with the offers on and will see if i want to order anything else before 12..... 90mm doesn't appeal to me but the 16mm and 56mm do.... I should probably just buy the 16-55....
 
chrism_scotland said:
I had an XT1 in the classifieds but have decided to keep it, ordered a 35 f1.4 today with the offers on and will see if i want to order anything else before 12..... 90mm doesn't appeal to me but the 16mm and 56mm do.... I should probably just buy the 16-55....
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That's some swing... The type of thing I keep thinking of, sell or just buy a shed load of lenses I can't afford and won't get time to use!
 
chrism_scotland said:
I had an XT1 in the classifieds but have decided to keep it, ordered a 35 f1.4 today with the offers on and will see if i want to order anything else before 12..... 90mm doesn't appeal to me but the 16mm and 56mm do.... I should probably just buy the 16-55....
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Think you've done the right thing ordering a couple of primes.

Get the 16-55 and you end up feeling like you might as well have brought the D750 along ;)
 
bazfoster said:
That's some swing... The type of thing I keep thinking of, sell or just buy a shed load of lenses I can't afford and won't get time to use!
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It is indeed... at present a Fuji is never going to replace a full frame DSLR (24mp X-Pro 2 might be good though....) but if I can take it with me and use it a lot more then thats progress... I don't think an A7 would replace my DSLR either, I think long term I will hopefully keep a small Fuji kit and upgrade my D750 to a D810....

JYC said:
Think you've done the right thing ordering a couple of primes.

Get the 16-55 and you end up feeling like you might as well have brought the D750 along ;)
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The thing I like about the 16-55 is that it lets me focus a little more on the shot I want to take rather than having to crop which with only 16mp on offer can be handy at times, and compared to a Nikon of other FF 24-70 its a tiny lens.... not sure what to get to go with the 35mm.... 23mm looks nice but as never too impressed with it before, the 16mm looks excellent and a 56mm would give me some range too.... decisions decisions!
 
manualfocus-g said:
I really like the 35/1.4, AF is much improved since firmware 4.0 :) The 56/1.2 is pretty special too! Even the 27/2.8 renders beautifully.

I bet the 90/2 is well worth getting as well. Grrrr.
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Don't tempt me.... the 90mm for the price looks very nice v the 50-140.....
 
Get an X-E2 or X-T10 as well, it will give you an excuse to buy a cool leather hand strap or some other bling.Those Foojs look great with bling.

In all seriousness, I enjoy shooting with the Fooj bodies so much, I've actually stopped caring about "ultimate" image quality. That said, the lenses are crazy good. I can shoot wide open with the 35/1.4, something which I couldn't do on full frame with the Zeiss Planar 50/1.4. Again, I can shoot wide open with the 56/1.2, wheres the Planar 85/1.4 needs to be stopped down to f/2.8 to get decent sharpness across the frame. The 23/1.4 is frighteningly sharp but a bit nose heavy on the smaller bodies.
 
jj_glos said:
Looking good. Just practice, practice, practice :) Don't be disheartened with shots you have to throw away, it just comes with the territory. Up the shutter speed if you are struggling, 1/250 should still get a bit of blur, then as you start nailing those 100% start dropping the shutter speed down. Remember how the focal plane works, so if you are at a real slow shutter speed and shooting a car coming at you, there will only be a "slice" of the car in focus.

I did do a beginners post a while back which I stuck on my website (about all I ever put on there!), it's basic stuff: http://encounterphotography.com/?p=99190
Click to expand...

Cheers. Certainly not disheartened. If anything I just wish I'd taken more so I'd have a higher chance of another keeper. JJ- Will have a read of your link :)

allanm said:
Was it just those 2? Never tried panning from the grandstand, last time went, I was able to find a few good places around the track, very close to the fence. I don't like the background too blurred, if it's too smooth, I think it takes the impression of movement away.
Slowest I got with keepers was 1/100 @ f11
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Yeah, those were the only ones I'm happy with. Lots almost there but not sharp, or car sharp but not all in the frame, or car sharp but someone's head taking up half the frame... I'll get there with more practice :)

The AD track is not great for it, I suspect, as you can't get near the track except in the grandstands. Not like my youth wandering freely around Snetterton, but a very different type of circuit, obviously!

Just another thought - I think I had OIS on for all these. I'm guessing that would be working against me, rather than with me, here?
 
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I had a D7000 and downsized to the XT1 in the hope I'd use it more... Not really happening though.

I do regret selling my 35 f1.4 as I've not really used the replacement 18-55 much at all. I miss the extra stops especially indoors.
 
Double damnation. I've just checked my bank account and the Winter Fuel payment arrived this morning. Why could it not be yesterday?
 
bazfoster said:
I had a D7000 and downsized to the XT1 in the hope I'd use it more... Not really happening though.

I do regret selling my 35 f1.4 as I've not really used the replacement 18-55 much at all. I miss the extra stops especially indoors.
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I've partly kept the XT1 as I was seriously considering an X100T to go with my DSLR but it made cost sense just to keep the XT1, I might even cancel the 16/56 order and just see how I get on with the 35mm as a nice little walkabout combo!
 
Just pulled the trigger (well pushed the button) on an X-T10 and 18-55 :D

I've had to downsize my kit for various reasons and nearly went for an A6000 but I had an X-T1 before briefly and I really do love the files from Fuji. I mainly shoot urbex and my kids so I reckon the X-T10 and 18-55 will do grand for that, I'll maybe add a 12mm Samyang when funds permit.

Looking forward to having a smaller camera again and also to having a Fuji again.
 
It was a tough choice as I wanted to get no more than two lenses :D went for the 16 and 90. I just love the Fuji primes :naughty:
 
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