The Official Fuji X10/X20/X30/XF1/XQ1 Thread

[DayDreamer]

This is getting to be quite a problem...
It's not just you that's feeling this!

Long may it continue.....

Yes but think about it!!!

There are shots, on this thread (and on TP generally), that get comments where people say "how fantastic" whereas I think they must be taking the p*** as I don't rate them at all. Then other shots which I think really are fantastic but sometimes no one says so. I try as and when I am able.

So the old adage 'beauty is in the eyes of the beholder' is so true but no one is going to be over critical as it is not a true critique thread - well unless people ask for ALL critique whether positive or negative.

Just my opinion.

 

[souldeep]

Yes but think about it!!!

There are shots, on this thread (and on TP generally), that get comments where people say "how fantastic" whereas I think they must be taking the p*** as I don't rate them at all. Then other shots which I think really are fantastic but sometimes no one says so. I try as and when I am able.

So the old adage 'beauty is in the eyes of the beholder' is so true but no one is going to be over critical as it is not a true critique thread - well unless people ask for ALL critique whether positive or negative.

Just my opinion.

Quite true John - beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I try and give support or find something positive in most of the pictures posted on this thread. It's not so hard as there is a good standard of piccy's posted. I at times critique as well - Pete's work is a good example of this. He is developing his own style in PP and support to his work helps him refine his skills on his journey.

Sometimes I'll see someone's photo that's not quite there - but it's so close that I know some positive support will help motivate them to push just a bit further.

I know I've posted on occasions and not got any feedback - it feels quite demotivating. It's this thread - and the support and feedback members provide - that actually gives me the drive and motivation to keep pushing forward. My pictures end their lifecycle here so it means a lot to hear positive or negative feedback.

As always John - you opinions and comments are appreciated

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Quite true John - beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The more Photographs and other forms of Art that you see and take the time to study, the more often you are able to see the worth , intent or failings of particular shots.

Many shots can be "excellent" but fail in one or more directions. Many others are put up to illustrate a point but are no great shakes in other respects.
Not all photographs require or justify comment. They do what they do, sometimes very well.

What is unusual in this thread, is the very high proportion of "Interesting" Shots. And the generally high standard achievable with the X10. It suits and fulfils its niche exceedingly well.

 

[Ed Sutton]

I post photos only in this thread because I have become familiar with the regular posters work and have come to respect their opinions. I feel that if any of my photos are commented upon I can trust the criticism or praise.

 

[DayDreamer]

What is unusual in this thread, is the very high proportion of "Interesting" Shots.

This is so so true

 

[ChrisR]

I post photos only in this thread because I have become familiar with the regular posters work and have come to respect their opinions. I feel that if any of my photos are commented upon I can trust the criticism or praise.

I can really relate to that! I post only here or in the F&C forum, where a similar upportive environment applies. I've considered posting in Landscapes a couple of times, but in comparison it's a bit scary!

 

[DuncanDisorderly]

and now for something completely different....

I've been meaning to prove the X10 can take stars for a while.
Tonight wasn't ideal as the sky is not particularly clear. With the unaided eye I could only just make out the milky way I couldn't see many stars!
In other words - if I can take star photos tonight, then in better conditions they ought to be spectacular.

X10, ISO 100, 30s, f2, 28mm equiv, RAW, manual focus on infinity.
LR PP - WB Tungsten, +2.1 stops exposure, +43 contrast, -17 Saturation.
In summary - the longest possible exposure at ISO 100 then use PP to recover the image detail.

For comparison, here's the big camera.
5DIII, ISO 1600, 30s, f4, 8mm cropped to approx 15mm, only PP was to set WB Tungsten.

In short - the X10 did very well indeed!
But who is going to be the first of us to get out there and take a decent star shot ?

 

[souldeep]

Good photos Duncan and... A challenge woohoo you've laid down the gauntlet!

I took some in last weeks photo course - haven't had the opportunity to download them yet though. Will do so tonight. Also took some in Japan - nearly finished up the Korea set so will extract out the Japan star shots after I finish that.

 

[Ed Sutton]

But who is going to be the first of us to get out there and take a decent star shot ?

It won't be me. far too cold at the moment...

 

[Bruin]

This wasn't intended as a star shot, just my car in the frost but I like the background they supply.
2 Secs ISO400 F2

 

[happygolucky]

One from the other morning. Shame it's a little blown.


DSCF1189 by bray2012, on Flickr

It's scary posting in here with the very high quality shots being posted

 

[allanm]

and now for something completely different....

I've been meaning to prove the X10 can take stars for a while.
Tonight wasn't ideal as the sky is not particularly clear. With the unaided eye I could only just make out the milky way I couldn't see many stars!
In other words - if I can take star photos tonight, then in better conditions they ought to be spectacular.

X10, ISO 100, 30s, f2, 28mm equiv, RAW, manual focus on infinity.
LR PP - WB Tungsten, +2.1 stops exposure, +43 contrast, -17 Saturation.
In summary - the longest possible exposure at ISO 100 then use PP to recover the image detail.

For comparison, here's the big camera.
5DIII, ISO 1600, 30s, f4, 8mm cropped to approx 15mm, only PP was to set WB Tungsten.

In short - the X10 did very well indeed!
But who is going to be the first of us to get out there and take a decent star shot ?

Excellent start, guess its going to be the big coat and tripod for the next few nights! I have tried a few star shots previously, the trick is to use as short an exposure as possible to minimise star movement, unless of course you are after star trails......

Allan

 

[DuncanDisorderly]

Excellent start, guess its going to be the big coat and tripod for the next few nights! I have tried a few star shots previously, the trick is to use as short an exposure as possible to minimise star movement, unless of course you are after star trails......

Allan

You are right....
The 100% crop shows quite a bit of star movement.
My shots are looking East, so the stars are moving quite fast. North would have been a much better direction in terms of movement, but the light pollution from Bristol was obscuring almost all the stars.

For star shots, a good guide is "The 600 Rule"
"Use the rule of 600 as your thumb rule for keeping them static. This rule says that if you divide 600 by your focal length you get the number of seconds you can leave your shutter open without turning the stars into trails."
That's the full frame equivalent focal length, so for my X10 shot that is 600 / 28mm, giving 21.4s.
Stretching this to 30s is still giving acceptable results

 

[DuncanDisorderly]

One from the other morning. Shame it's a little blown.

It's scary posting in here with the very high quality shots being posted

Thanks for posting that shot in here - a lovely sunrise!
No camera is ever going to retain the highlights in a shot like that, DSLR or compact.
The mark of a good camera (and photographer) is whether the sky around the sun looks natural, and you've done fine
Also note the lack of flare; that's the X10's magic lens at work!

 

[happygolucky]

Thanks for posting that shot in here - a lovely sunrise!
No camera is ever going to retain the highlights in a shot like that, DSLR or compact.
The mark of a good camera (and photographer) is whether the sky around the sun looks natural, and you've done fine
Also note the lack of flare; that's the X10's magic lens at work!

Thanks Duncan, I really appreciate your feedback

 

[allanm]

You are right....
The 100% crop shows quite a bit of star movement.
My shots are looking East, so the stars are moving quite fast. North would have been a much better direction in terms of movement, but the light pollution from Bristol was obscuring almost all the stars.

For star shots, a good guide is "The 600 Rule"
"Use the rule of 600 as your thumb rule for keeping them static. This rule says that if you divide 600 by your focal length you get the number of seconds you can leave your shutter open without turning the stars into trails."
That's the full frame equivalent focal length, so for my X10 shot that is 600 / 28mm, giving 21.4s.
Stretching this to 30s is still giving acceptable results

Not heard of the 600 rule but as you say, it seems a good guide. I have a few shots of constellations taken with a DX sensor compact ( Leica X1 with 24mm lens ( 36mm equ on FF ) and 30 seconds was a tad too long, stars were starting to get elongated.

I guess its trial and error and I would imagine this time next week there will be lots of images to compare......

Allan

 

[Billy]

and now for something completely different....

I've been meaning to prove the X10 can take stars for a while.
Tonight wasn't ideal as the sky is not particularly clear. With the unaided eye I could only just make out the milky way I couldn't see many stars!
In other words - if I can take star photos tonight, then in better conditions they ought to be spectacular.

X10, ISO 100, 30s, f2, 28mm equiv, RAW, manual focus on infinity.
LR PP - WB Tungsten, +2.1 stops exposure, +43 contrast, -17 Saturation.
In summary - the longest possible exposure at ISO 100 then use PP to recover the image detail.

For comparison, here's the big camera.
5DIII, ISO 1600, 30s, f4, 8mm cropped to approx 15mm, only PP was to set WB Tungsten.

In short - the X10 did very well indeed!
But who is going to be the first of us to get out there and take a decent star shot ?

The more I read this thread the more happier I am that I purchased the X10, the star shot is very impressive for a camera with a sensor of its size.

 

[Billy]

This wasn't intended as a star shot, just my car in the frost but I like the background they supply.
2 Secs ISO400 F2

I really like the sky on this you've nailed the exposure.

 

[Piscator Pete]

:...I try and give support or find something positive in most of the pictures posted on this thread. It's not so hard as there is a good standard of piccy's posted. I at times critique as well - Pete's work is a good example of this. He is developing his own style in PP and support to his work helps him refine his skills on his journey...

And much appreciated it is too, Martyn! You wouldn't believe how much I've learnt from this thread from direct (always constructive) criticism, or from reading past posts.

However, I shall never be a photographer in the sense that all of you contributing to this thread seem to be: to me, taking photographs is almost exclusively an aide-memoire for the other activities I get involved in. The upshot is I take very few photos; try to make each as good as I can at the time, and very occasionally get lucky. But I just can't get artisitic with the camera in a way marvellously exemplified by recent postings.

This mundane batch makes my point, and starts by yesterday being a lovely day, and me needing exercise. In my mind is fishing, and a wish to show Dave so-called "Priddy Pool" relevant to our 'illicit' discussion on crucian carp! Hence, I found myself in the Mendip village of Priddy, and walking up Nine Barrows Lane to check on the real Priddy Pool that only Duncan, me, and the map-maker seem to be aware of. So silted is it, that my new competition is 'Spot the water':


The real Priddy Pool by wylyeangler, on Flickr

Putting this together, it seems to me that anyone interested might appreciate a map of the area: out came the X10, SP was selected, and "Text" chosen. Tungsten light and flash produced the same effect. I don't think this mode offers anything that can't be 'dialled-up', but it is convenient and fast, and requires little care:


Explorer map by wylyeangler, on Flickr

Leaving the lane at the big bend, I walked up to the set of 8 tumuli marked on the map but with no name:


Not the Nine Barrows by wylyeangler, on Flickr

For reasons I don't fully understand, I have been addicted to this walk (about one and a half hours if you take pictures) for some 20 years, but maybe it's down to those round barrows. They are arranged in a curve, clearly to follow a contour that gives maximum visibility for folk in the surrounding countryside: like "Time Team" which seems to pronounce 'fact' on the flimsiest of evidence, I can't help wondering about the bronze age people who created them, although I'm not the 'spiritual' sort. Here are six of the eight:


Tumuli by wylyeangler, on Flickr

Looking through two of these barrows to the south, another line of tumuli labelled on the map "Priddy Nine Barrows" (only 7 seem to have survived) appears on the skyline of the adjacent hillock:


Nine Barrows on distant North Hill by wylyeangler, on Flickr

From the highest point of the walk, "Alfred's Tower" some 20 miles away, was visible, but too distant to be recorded adequately with the X10. Descending, the pool adjacent to the road became visible:


walking down from hill to pool by wylyeangler, on Flickr

This is the "Waldegrave Pool" which everyone erroneously calls "Priddy Pool".

To be continued.

Pete

 

[Rhodese]

And much appreciated it is too, Martyn! You wouldn't believe how much I've learnt from this thread from direct (always constructive) criticism, or from reading past posts.

However, I shall never be a photographer in the sense that all of you contributing to this thread seem to be: to me, taking photographs is almost exclusively an aide-memoire for the other activities I get involved in. The upshot is I take very few photos; try to make each as good as I can at the time, and very occasionally get lucky. But I just can't get artisitic with the camera in a way marvellously exemplified by recent postings.

This mundane batch makes my point, and starts by yesterday being a lovely day, and me needing exercise. In my mind is fishing, and a wish to show Dave so-called "Priddy Pool" relevant to our 'illicit' discussion on crucian carp! Hence, I found myself in the Mendip village of Priddy, and walking up Nine Barrows Lane to check on the real Priddy Pool that only Duncan, me, and the map-maker seems to be aware of. So silted is it, that my new competition is 'Spot the water':


The real Priddy Pool by wylyeangler, on Flickr

Putting this together, it seems to me that anyone interested might appreciate a map of the area: out came the X10, SP was selected, and "Text" chosen. Tungsten light and flash produced the same effect. I don't think this mode offers anything that can't be 'dialled-up', but it is convenient and fast, and requires little care:


Explorer map by wylyeangler, on Flickr

Leaving the lane at the big bend, I walked up to the set of 8 tumuli marked on the map but with no name:


Not the Nine Barrows by wylyeangler, on Flickr

For reasons I don't fully understand, I have been addicted to this walk (about one and a half hours if you take pictures) for some 20 years, but maybe it's down to those round barrows. They are arranged in a curve, clearly to follow a contour that gives maximum visibility for folk in the surrounding countryside: like "Time Team" which seems to pronounce 'fact' on the flimsiest of evidence, I can't help wondering about the bronze age people who created them, although I'm not the 'spiritual' sort. Here are six of the eight:


Tumuli by wylyeangler, on Flickr

Looking through two of these barrows to the south, another line of tumuli labelled on the map "Priddy Nine Barrows" (only 7 seem to have survived) appears on the skyline of the adjacent hillock:


Nine Barrows on distant North Hill by wylyeangler, on Flickr

From the highest point of the walk, "Alfred's Tower" some 20 miles away, was visible, but too distant to be recorded adequately with the X10. Descending, the pool adjacent to the road became visible:


walking down from hill to pool by wylyeangler, on Flickr

This is the "Waldegrave Pool" which everyone erroneously calls "Priddy Pool".

To be continued.

Pete

Pete, if that isn’t the best little documentary on this thread or any other, I don’t know what is, and smashing pictures to boot.

 

[DayDreamer]

Fully agree beautiful set Pete.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Excellent stuff, Pete.

The real pool looks more like a puddle in the photo. Which has become the fate of many small ponds over the last half century or less.

 

[Piscator Pete]

Dave, continuing down the slope to the pool, this shot shows a gap in the 'brush' through which most anglers fish. Their actions tend to keep the water immediately in front of them clear of the weed which manifests itself as vertical stalks (a bit like the true bullrush but isn't) which, although much decayed, are still visible. At about 850 ft. the pool is charming but bleak. Open as it is to the northerly winds, and being very shallow (that's why I skate it), it freezes quickly - indeed, whilst Duncan was in Wells shooting the Christmas market last weekend, I arrived to take pictures of the pool for you, and was amazed to find it covered with an inch of ice after only a couple of nights of not so severe frost. However, even on a shallow lake, I won't get on less than 2 inches - more like 3 in these my advancing years!

Anyway - not your typical carp lake, and you would think that any carp species would struggle to reproduce. I guess the water is acidic, and that would be a reason for the stunted crucians, if indeed that's what they are. In this shot, 'Spot the barrow':


find the barrow by wylyeangler, on Flickr

The fishing, limited though it is, is free, and does attract the 'wrong sort' of angler: much litter is left by those who should be most caring of the environment. Thankfully, little was in evidence yesterday.


so-called Priddy Pool by wylyeangler, on Flickr

A rare, but obliging sun added a little interest to yesterday's shots:


Waldegrave Pool by wylyeangler, on Flickr

I watched the sun set over North Hill, leaving "the world to darkness and to me" as Gray's Elegy has it:


Sun sinks behind North Hill by wylyeangler, on Flickr

The downside of this walk is that after emerging on to the Wells Road adjacent to "Underbarrow Farm", there is a mile's trek along it to get back to the village; The Green had its Christmas tree lit, but I was too cold and idle to get other than my usual snap:


Christmas tree on Priddy Green by wylyeangler, on Flickr

Pete

 

[Ed Sutton]

Anyway - not your typical carp lake, and you would think that any carp species would struggle to reproduce.

Crucians aren't your typical carp! They do tend to breed prolifically in small ponds, and as such become stunted. They are very hardy though.

It looks a lovely pool.

The fishing, limited though it is, is free, and does attract the 'wrong sort' of angler: much litter is left by those who should be most caring of the environment. Thankfully, little was in evidence yesterday.

Please don't get me started on litter dropping 'anglers'.

 

[DuncanDisorderly]

Nice write-up Pete
It's part of one of my favourite walks too. I like continuing through the Mineries past St Cuthberts Swallet and on out to the edge of the Mendips with the mega views, then briefly dipping down into the top of Ebbor Gorge before returning to Priddy for a swift pint at the Vic.

Maybe we should offer a TP meet to do this walk as it is indeed a cracker

A few snippets of information you may be interested in....
- The eight barrows are Ashen Hill Barrows - http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=4942
- I believe that all the Mendip barrows have line of sight with Priddy Nine Barrows, the only barrows with this claim; they are extra special.
- funds are being raised to restore Priddy Pool; fingers crossed it won't be too long before there is proper water there.

 

[DuncanDisorderly]

The Green had its Christmas tree lit, but I was too cold and idle to get other than my usual snap:

LOL - those are causing quite a stir in the village at the moment. This is the first time LEDs have been used instead of traditional bulbs.
Lots of very good reasons for making the switch, but what everyone envisaged was a kinda twinkling star thing. What is actually happening is that when the lights get turned on, they randomly select a pattern, which frequently is VERY aggressive.

Using a music analogy, instead of twinkle twinkle little star, it's more Skrillex - which is really annoying the traditionalists

 

[Yv]

Last night I had to drive all the way to Birmingham so daughter and her b/f could attend a show at the NIA, which meant I had something like 5 hours to kill. So, wandered along the canals to the town centre and the seemingly never ending German Market. I was flipping cold and feeling very uninspired to be honest, but the atmosphere was great and the town looked very pretty. A few pics here [extras on flickr], gave the pro-low light setting a hammering, plus there are a few handheld slow shutterspeed manual ones too, mainly the big wheel/roundabout ones]. At least it was different


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr

 

[happygolucky]

Last night I had to drive all the way to Birmingham so daughter and her b/f could attend a show at the NIA, which meant I had something like 5 hours to kill. So, wandered along the canals to the town centre and the seemingly never ending German Market. I was flipping cold and feeling very uninspired to be honest, but the atmosphere was great and the town looked very pretty. A few pics here [extras on flickr], gave the pro-low light setting a hammering, plus there are a few handheld slow shutterspeed manual ones too, mainly the big wheel/roundabout ones]. At least it was different


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr


Christmas in Birmingham on the X10 by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr

Nice

 

[Piscator Pete]

Nice write-up Pete
It's part of one of my favourite walks too. I like continuing through the Mineries past St Cuthberts Swallet and on out to the edge of the Mendips with the mega views, then briefly dipping down into the top of Ebbor Gorge before returning to Priddy for a swift pint at the Vic.

Maybe we should offer a TP meet to do this walk as it is indeed a cracker

A few snippets of information you may be interested in....
- The eight barrows are Ashen Hill Barrows - http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=4942
- I believe that all the Mendip barrows have line of sight with Priddy Nine Barrows, the only barrows with this claim; they are extra special.
- funds are being raised to restore Priddy Pool; fingers crossed it won't be too long before there is proper water there.

Many thanks for your comment and the information on the barrows. I find hard facts about those barrows hard to come by. I wonder if any have been 'dug', or whether because most seem to bear evidence of previous assault (possibly mediaeval), it hasn't been thought worth the candle.

I like the sound of a meet-up, especially if it does end up in the Vic.!

I hadn't thought of extending the walk to Ebbor Gorge (would that make the total about 3 hours?). I hadn't climbed up Ebbor for a year or two, and so 'did it' back at the beginning of November. Ideal for a pano shot, but just got this; I couldn't keep my mind on the pano, and expose for the highlights as you were exhorting me to do at that time. But the potential for good shots is there, isn't it?


Panorama from top of Ebbor Gorge by wylyeangler, on Flickr

Glad to hear Priddy Pool might be restored.

Pete

 

[Piscator Pete]

Fully agree beautiful set Pete.

Many thanks John.

Pete

 

[Piscator Pete]

Last night I had to drive all the way to Birmingham so daughter and her b/f could attend a show at the NIA, which meant I had something like 5 hours to kill. So, wandered along the canals to the town centre and the seemingly never ending German Market. I was flipping cold and feeling very uninspired to be honest, but the atmosphere was great and the town looked very pretty. A few pics here [extras on flickr], gave the pro-low light setting a hammering, plus there are a few handheld slow shutterspeed manual ones too, mainly the big wheel/roundabout ones]. At least it was different

Smashing - what lovely quality images!

Pete

 

[Piscator Pete]

Rhodese,

Thank you very much - that's very kind of you, like everyone on this thread!

Pete

 

[Ed Sutton]

Last night I had to drive all the way to Birmingham so daughter and her b/f could attend a show at the NIA, which meant I had something like 5 hours to kill. So, wandered along the canals to the town centre and the seemingly never ending German Market. I was flipping cold and feeling very uninspired to be honest, but the atmosphere was great and the town looked very pretty. A few pics here [extras on flickr], gave the pro-low light setting a hammering, plus there are a few handheld slow shutterspeed manual ones too, mainly the big wheel/roundabout ones]. At least it was different

Another post to keep us all on our toes!

 

[DayDreamer]

Last night I had to drive all the way to Birmingham so daughter and her b/f could attend a show at the NIA, which meant I had something like 5 hours to kill. So, wandered along the canals to the town centre and the seemingly never ending German Market. I was flipping cold and feeling very uninspired to be honest, but the atmosphere was great and the town looked very pretty. A few pics here [extras on flickr], gave the pro-low light setting a hammering, plus there are a few handheld slow shutterspeed manual ones too, mainly the big wheel/roundabout ones]. At least it was different

All absolutely superb - well done Yvonne

 

[DuncanDisorderly]

All absolutely superb - well done Yvonne

Fantastic set!

 

[Blank_Canvas]

there has been loads of talk about this Blank Canvas, take a look through the posts

Daz

Thanks for that ! - given that I spend much of my time away at sea, far away for land that wasn't really an option at the time. HM ships currently don't have broadband.

 

[urdygurdy]

Peking Duck

Manchester China Town

 

[Ferj]

My Fuji X10 continues to amaze me, this was shot in EXR mode. Went out yesterday for a challenging walk up the face of Grasmoor in the Lake District. The weather was amazing apart from at the top! I put a few more on this thread here!


Grasmoor Fell by Ferj Photography, on Flickr

 

[souldeep]

This wasn't intended as a star shot, just my car in the frost but I like the background they supply.
2 Secs ISO400 F2

Hey Bruin - I like you POV and yes - the stars are showing

 

[souldeep]

so-called Priddy Pool by wylyeangler, on FlickrPete

Something really calming and beautiful about the shot above!

Your PP is developing into something quite unique! You've sorted out the halo's and some of those shots are proper on the nail. I love your documentary style photography. That style is very close to my heart - I just don't have the command of the pen like you to make it as funny and interesting.