Fujifilm FinePix X100 Updates and Manual Mode in 1/3's

Many people are upset that the X100 has full stop movements in the shutter and aperture selections.  I usually hear people say it really stinks that I cannot have 1/3 stops and I say - "Well you can! - but you need to shoot in Manual mode". (This functionality will be expanded in the upcoming firmware release this week.)  They look at me puzzled and say - hmm ok - how?
The key is to set the camera to a shutter speed and aperture close to what you'd like to shoot with and then tweak them with the back control wheel and thumb toggle (the thumb toggle is the control at the top right of the images below).  These two controls change the values in 1/3 stops as you can see in the images shown below.  You cannot scroll the whole exposure cycle - You can select +/-2/3 values in 1/3's as you will see.  You cannot be on F/16 on the lens and choose F/2.5 - you will need to be at F/2.8 on the lens. 
I usually pick a speed I need and then tweak the aperture for correct exposure.  Below you can see I am at 1/3 underexposed - and you can see this in the viewfinder as well.

While we are at it - don't forget that you can also change the location and size of the AF point  as you feel it should be set to.  That's the green box and the little marks all over the screen where it can be set to focus at.

Firmware update coming soon.  Should be about 10 days now and we are all excited to see this come down the pipeline.

For the USA some accessories will ship next week.  This should be a significant shipment since we need to catch up on many backorders.  Cameras will be shipping again in July in decent quantity.  I do not expect anymore units to ship in June.  Though surprises have happened before - but I doubt it.

Now You See It - Now You Don't !

Traveling by subway in NYC is a great thing.  I love all the people scenery and interesting human habits you can take in at any moment in any part of the system.
As changes take place and efficiencies are created the booths in some stations are removed.  Here is the before and after of one station. 

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Hood Idea

It has been frustrating to see how few accessories have shipped in the USA - and we all wish we had more to ship.  Until the inventory is adequate to meet demand I've seen a lot of great DIY hoods and I thought I'd share one I just made today.  I'm not claiming to have an original idea but if you have about $20 you can make a decent hood from two scrap 49mm filters.  Buy any two filters and take the glass out then reverse them on the body.  Easy as that!
Many more ideas out on the web to see.
I am not suggesting you leave the glass in for EITHER 49mm filter when making a hood.  That will not work well and will interfere with some AF operations.  Please take out both pieces of glass.  The images here were as a demo before I smashed out the other piece of glass (as opposed to unscrewing it).

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Red-Eye Reduction Flash & RAW

One of the quirks of the X100 camera is that if you want to shoot the camera in RAW (only) mode you cannot turn off the red eye reduction pre-flash.  This means that even with the camera's built-in flash or the external EF-20 unit - there will be a double flash when exposure is made.  I am not a fan of this since it drastically slows down my exposure time (and confuses people who move after the first flash).
Until the new firmware upgrade is released later this month the only way around this is to set the camera to record a RAW + JPEG file - and then you can turn off the red eye reduction pre-flash!
I know we are all excited to hear the details of the new firmware and we can expect that in two weeks (approximately).

Fujifilm SeeHere.com Print Deal

I'm just passing along a deal on Poster Prints and Photo Cards from Fujifilm.  This is a limited offer but if you are thinking of doing any sort of card - it's a good deal at 50% off.
http://www.seehere.com/photo-cards?cm_mmc=SeeHereHTMLEblast-_-June82011-_-LM_masterID-_-50OffPhotoCards

Weekly Email 6-10-11 High Line Section Two

I am a big fan of the High Line Park in NYC.  This rehabilitated short rail elevated track is a wonderful park and visual experience.  If you are in NYC this is a must see area on the far west side from Gansevoort Street to West 30th Street.  This week section two opened and it is impressive.  One of my favorite points to notice is how the new city architecture is sprouting up around the High Line and it gives way to the tracks to embrace the park as it towers above it.

All images with FinePix X100 at ISO 200 approx 1/300 @ F/5.6

iPhone Photo Apllication Suggestions

I've been a quirky hold out on all the iphone photo apps in the market.  I've never bought an app (for $$$) and I think it's time to jump in.  So I was wondering if folks out there had some suggestions as to which application (s) I should buy to make me waste more time with my camera phone?
My main reason for not buying anything was that I wanted to use my X100, 5DII, HS-10, or NEX3 to capture scenes in the best file quality - but I realize that doesn't matter so much when comes to the explosion of images on the web.  Content trumps quality in many cases and having an image tweaked just a bit can really up the creative impact.  I am still not a fan of using my iphone as a camera - but since I can and it is always with me - I want to get more into it.  So far I've printed about 100 of the iphone pics for friends and a few are here which inspired me to go with a new app purchase.  Suggestions ?

http://kerenlynn.com/

© 2011 Keren Greenberg

hhttp://kerenlynn.com/

© 2011 Keren Greenberg

©2011 Melchior Digiacomo

©2011 Melchior Digiacomo

©2011 Melchior Digiacomo

©2011 Melchior Digiacomo

http://kerenlynn.com/

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Limited Update #2

As I am sure you all have seen by now the planned release of the new firmware is confirmed in the works as I hinted at in an earlier post and which was reported on DPReview last week.  This is of course good news for us all as we await the next update which will "fix" many (not all) of the common firmware addressable issues.  I am excited to see this come to the market as many of you are as well.  The effort to make the X100 the best camera it can be is a serious job Fujifilm is working diligently on. 
The accessories continue to lag behind but we have shipped some in very limited quantities.

Previous post on the firmware bugs and quirks:
http://brandonremler.blogspot.com/2011/05/limited-weekly-update-on-finepix-x100.html

DPReview Statement from their site - Fujifilm is to update the firmware of its X100 large-sensor compact camera to address some of the criticisms raised in our review. The statement from Fujifilm Japan says: 'Fujifilm is planning to release a new version of firmware in the near future. The new firmware will include and respond to some of functionality posted by dpreview.' We will, of course, revisit our review in the light of these changes, when the update becomes available.

 X100 images by http://kerenlynn.com/b/b_index.php

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Tasty Cake

This post on Flickr really shows a tasty X100:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/garycruz/5811785948/in/set-72157626914349976/

Weekly Email 6-3-11 Citi Field Sweep Pano

Sometimes while hanging out in a place that offers so many amazing scenes it is hard to decide what final look is the one to print.
While using the X100 I shot this 120 degree pano to capture the stadium feel.  Then I couldn't decide if I liked the look of it in color or black and white.  Each seems to exist in its own time zone.

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Limited Update June

X100 Cameras and accessories are on the trucks to the dealers now and will arrive this week.  This will include the EF-20 flash and the lens hood with filter adapter.

Remember to use one of the best features of the camera while in manual focus:  Use the rear thumb toggle switch to press in and magnify the scene for critical focus.  But even more important is to then use the AFL/AEL button to snap the scene into focus.  This is a critical function to embrace!

UPDATE: Posted on DPReview and as we have all expected - Fujifilm is going to update the firmware of its X100 large-sensor compact camera to address some of the criticisms raised in our review.  The statement from Fujifilm Japan says: 'Fujifilm is planning to release a new version of firmware in the near future. The new firmware will include and respond to some of functionality posted by dpreview.' We will, of course, revisit our review in the light of these changes, when the update becomes available.
http://dpreview.com/reviews/FujifilmX100/page27.asp

The other night I shot a scene which even at ISO 250, ISO 1000 & ISO 4000 it's hard to say one is unacceptable.  Of course there is a difference - as there should be - but nothing that would make me scared to shoot at ISO 4000 in a pinch.  See what you think.

X100 ISO 250

No post processing in CS5 or sharpening added.  Just cropped to "match" and slightly adjust exposure from raw file export.

X100 ISO 1000

X100 ISO 4000