James Wong Photography & Blog: January 2016

This year, 2016 marks the 5th anniversary of the Fujifilm X series cameras. In 2011, when the first X series X100 fixed-lens mirrorless rangefinder style camera came out, the photography world suddenly had a choice of a "affordable", "great image quality", "fine handling" and "portability form factor" in a camera.

Although limited by a fixed 35mm lens, many soon realised that this restriction can gave us more ideas & thinking on how to get the shot presented to us.

I got the camera after it was released a few months later. I still remember the first time i try out this camera, the moment I hold it up to my eyes, I was sold immediately. The hybrid EVF/OVF was like a "HUD" or head-up-display similar to the fighter jet. As I had experience with the bigger Leica/Panasonic Digilux 3, fourthird standard DSLR which also has the shutter dial and aperture dials on the exterior, I feel that the X100 was a smaller version of it but with a bigger sensor (APS_C). I immediately bought it.

The original X100.

After using it, I realised the camera gave images a 3D effect and the sharpness/ colours are very impressive. I was a Canon DSLR heavy user before and owned 1Dmark2 and Canon40D, which was one of the top end DSLR at those times. The Jpegs from the Canon are not so impressive that time and need alot of adjustment in photoshop to that look I want.

However, the X100 has a share of problems then before most of them were solved with the ongoing firmware upgrades from Fujifilm.

Overall the best thing that impresses me is still that image quality. Whenever i look back the photos, I have a special feeling to it.

One of the first shots.

The X100 in Thailand 2011. The shots from this trip still impresses me. I went back to the same place in 2013 but was using OMD EM-5 olympus and it doesn't gave me the feeling as per X100 although the OMD still produce great colours,

The B&W is special to me.

Then came 2012, when Olympus came out the OMD series, I was tempted and went into the system of m4/3 fully, selling away the X100. M4/3 has a good images but in certain aspect, there is still some limitation to the depth of field (and I use only fixed lens )and some of the newer pro zoom lens are way too expensive for me to invest. The m4/3 system is the true portable system so far as most of the fixed lens are really tinny.

Then in 2013, when I saw the Nikon D600 fullframe was at the same price as the new OMD EM1, I thought that it was a great time to try fullframe camera. I loved the D600 images as the fullframe image can have better dynamic range and tolerance to higher ISO. Athough I love the image quality, the bulk of the size turn me off. This system was shortlived as the D600 was destroyed by seawater accident during a trip to gold coast in Dec 2013.

Turns out to be a blessing in disguise.

In 2014, I sold all the remaining lens and flash from the Nikon, and bought the XE-1 with 18-55mmf2.8-4 and the 55-200mm f3.5-4.8 from B&H. It was heavily discounted due to the XE-2 launch. I still have a Olympus EP-1 with 9-18mm for my landscape shoot.

The so call kit lens Fuji X 18-55mm f2.8-4 can deliver in quality. The built of the lens is all metal and the output image looks like from a pro zoom I had (Canon 24-70mmf2.8).

Domke F8 bag with Xe-1 (18-55 and 55-200, both excellent lens if you compared to the other brand kits zooms)

XE1 with 55-200mm

XE2-18-55mm

Again, the shots impress me once again.

Panoramic mode is my fav in X series.

Since then, I was a FujiFilm frequent user as I still uses the Olympus EP1 and 9-18mm for other landscape. Then in mid of 2014, the zeiss touit 12mm and 32mm had a combo sale. It is then I am fully a Fujifilm user. The 12mm replaces the m4/3 9-18mm permanently until today. Boy, after seeing the touit 12mm and X series combo, I realised I should have change it earlier.

XE1 w 12mm

XE1 with 12mm

XE1 w 12mm

Xe1, 12mm

In August 2014, I upgrade my XE1 to XE2 for a faster refresh rate on the EVF and other enhanced features (wireless, build-in filters etc). I also got myself a used X100 in Jan 2015. The old X100 still produces images that I can feel and impresses me still. This old x100 has gone through many free firmware upgrades and the user experience has greatly improved. It was a camera I love and use more than the XE2.

In August 2015, when the news of Xpro-2 is launching later that year, I saw there was a sale of Xpro-1 with 35mmf1.4 and 27mm f2.8 at a grealty discounte price, I bought it at once and is still my main camera.

All in all, the X series has brought me joy and I have brought it to Indonesia,London, Germany, Thailand, Malaysia, China. They are my great companion during travels. Importantly, it is my everyday tool for recording my family life and moments.

My current setup since August 2015

Xpro-1 with 12mm

Xe1 w 18-55mm , Beijing

X100 handheld

XE-2 with 55-200mm

Now today, the Xpro-2 had finally launched. It is a greatly improved camera from the already good old Xpro-1. It has been five Ups and downs years using Fuji X series for me. Looking at the things Fujifilm has done, improving the old cameras and building great lenses , I am still with Fuji for the years to come. Xpro-2 will be on my target buy list as I think the size and handling still suits me after using the smaller size X cameras.

Great job FujiFilm!

As the Lunar New Year is approaching, there is a ongoing flower display inside the Flower Dome at the Gardens by the Bay Singapore. The entrance fee to the dome is $10 for locals. The dome is fully air conditioned and it is a gigantic green house. The flowers are grown in cold climate and needs to be maintain at a low temperature in our hot tropical heat.

I brought along the outdated Xpro-1 and 55-200mm / 12mm zeiss to the shoot. 10mm, 16 mm extension tubes and Raynox 250 magnifying glass were used for close-up shots.

News of the new launch of Xpro-2 has already released. The spec of the camera is impressive. It has a new sensor and to me it has the best of XT1 technologies and best of Xpro-1 handling combined. Hope one day, I will have a chance to own it.