Weekly Email - 8-31-12 - US Open with Fujifilm X-Pro1

Each year things ramp up to a tennis frenzy over at the US Tennis Center.

If you haven't ever been there - it's quite a showcase of shopping and eating - with tennis going on in the background.  Of course that's just one opinion.

I took a look around and as with any event from concerts to ball games - the amount of people capturing the event with their camera phones is expanding.  I wonder how often the photos are re-visited after they are shared in the moment - but certainly more people are engaging in photography through their phones.  Here's the journey captured with the X-Pro1.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 Camera with 18mm, 35mm & 60mm lenses ISO 200-2000

Weekly Email - 8-24-12 - Rebirth of a Film that Died

This week I thought the news in the photo industry was peeking when the Impossible Project announced they were introducing 8x10 peel-apart film.  Then later in the day Kodak topped that announcement.

The re-introduction of 8x10 film is a true commitment to the art of analog photography.  The experience of shooting film is such a different process than digital as we all know.  Shooting peel-apart instant film is a whole other level with an 8x10 camera.

Making the film by hand, the Impossible Project is providing customers with a unique experience in the field.  On the very same day Kodak announced it was looking into the sale of parts of its photo imaging unit which includes most paper and film.  The outcome is uncertain, but the posted announcement signaled another milepost in the struggling company's adjustment to the digital world. 

Some estimates of the decline of film sales in the past five years approaches 75%, to nobody's surprise.  It's refreshing to see some taking up the charge to re-invent products the market is demanding.

Below are two shots from the Impossible Project.  Their wall of old time instant cameras, as well as the look of one of their 8x10 images from the Lens Blog article.


http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/story/2012-08-24/eastman-kodak-sells-still-photography-business/57289302/1

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/reinventing-instant-film-in-an-age-of-instant-imagery/


http://www.pdnonline.com/news/Kodak-to-Sell-Film-a-6452.shtml

Weekly Email - 8-17-12 - Brooklyn Bridge

There has always been something captivating about the look of the Brooklyn Bridge.  I think the design is great with the cable patterns as they rise to support the structure.

The bridge is very crowded this time of year with hundreds of tourists wandering the span and ducking bike riders whizzing by.  There is also a lot of construction going on but some of the aluminum paneling added a design element to the images.
 
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects Manhattan to Brooklyn spanning the East River. With a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m), it was the first steel-wire suspension bridge.

The towers are built of limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement The granite blocks were quarried and shaped on Vinalhaven Island, Maine and delivered from Maine to New York by schooner

Fujifilm X-Pro1 with Leica 21 & 35mm Lenses

Today I popped over to a local dealer and decided to try out two Leica lenses on the X-Pro1.  I had them to test for a couple hours around Madison Square Park.

I know that enough has been written about this combo so I'd like to briefly suggest a workflow for making photos with the lenses on the X-Pro1 with the Fujifilm M Mount adapter.

Once you attach the lens make sure you set the camera to manual focus.  This isn't mandatory for the lens - but to activate the focus magnifying feature which is essential if you are going to focus with the EVF which is how I used it.

Then push the menu activation button on the M adapter and the menu pops up to enter the focal length of M lens you are using.  I switched between 21 and 35 and it's quick and easy.

Don't get distracted by the Aperture saying 0.  

I would also suggest you shoot in Spot metering mode (salt as you like).

Take a few shots of a simple subject and decide if you need any lens adjustments.  Like vignetting or color cast.  These choices are included nicely in the lens menu screen activated by the M adapter.

I used the exp comp dial to do most of my bracketing while shooting jpegs on my quick walk.  I have to say it was fun to get back to manual focus for a short while, and I know I don't have to explain that to the lens owners out there.

Have fun with it and good shooting!

I focused on the girl with the burger in black shirt center

I am an employee of FUJIFILM North America Corporation.

The statements, comments and opinions expressed here represent my own, personal views and are not endorsed by, or affiliated in any way with, FUJIFILM North America Corporation or its affiliates.
bremler@fujifilm.com