INTERVIEWS: X-PRO2: “We need more New Technologies!” X100S: “No More FW Updates!” 2x converter “Could come!”

Time for another series of interviews with Fujifilm Managers… let’s start with the main points in the one imaging-resource had with Makoto Oishi from the Sales & Marketing Division, Optical Device & Electronic Imaging Products Division.

4K:”Currently, our X-Trans CMOS II [sensor] cannot realize 4K videos because it has a smaller number of pixels, like 16-megapixel. Also, if we [want to] realize 4K video, the sensor itself should have much faster reading speed.”

I remind you that our trusted Japanese source confirmed a few weeks ago, that Fuji’s plans are to make the X-PRO2 4K capable.

X100S firmware: “While we have provided firmware upgrades for the X100S many times, now we have the X100T, we’re finished, no firmware upgrades [for the X100S] anymore.”

Frankly disappointing, if true. I can understand that they hold on with the FW release, since the X100T is relatively new, and a new X100S firmware would probably influence negatively the sales… but on the long term Fuji must update the X100S. X100S owners are a VERY important part for Fuji’s success, so they deserve an update.

X-PRO2: “But if we launched an X-Pro, we’d need more new technologies, and we’re still developing and investigating. Especially the new devices like the processor or sensor, we’re still preparing.”

There is more to read at imaging-resource, for example about the gyro sensor used for the OIS in the 50-140. A technology missing in the 16-55… and in another interview at fujifilm-blog another manager (Mr Soga, the man responsible for the lens roadmap) explains the true reason for the lack of OIS: it’s not about size, it’s not about costs… it’s about IQ at the wide end (16mm)! He says:

“OIS needs to move the lens inside to compensate for camera shake and as a result can cause loss of resolution in the edges of the image. In long zoom lens such as the XF50-140mmF2.8, the angle of view is narrow enough to not show this negative effect of OIS in the edges. However, the angle of view of the XF16-55mm, when set to the widest setting, is large enough for OIS to affect resolution at the edge of the image. Considering this trade-off, because we wanted this zoom lens to start wide at 16mm and F2.8, and we wanted to best edge-to-edge quality throughout the entire zoom range, we decided to not employ OIS.”

Mr. Soga also confirms that teh XF 35mmF2 will have faster focussing and “we may create a 2x converter in the future although this has not been confirmed.”

Source : fujirumors

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Digital Photography Camera Requirements

If you are taking the plunge into digital photography, you are going to need a camera. Speed is the key consideration in choosing a digital camera. Because digital cameras need time to transfer the image to your storage media, it is an important issue. This is referred to as 'shutter lag' by the photography pros. With candid photography, a three-second shutter lag can mean the difference between taking a blah, ordinary photo, or capturing your child with the perfect grin....

Article Body: If you are taking the plunge into digital photography, you are going to need a camera. Speed is the key consideration in choosing a digital camera. Because digital cameras need time to transfer the image to your storage media, it is an important issue. This is referred to as 'shutter lag' by the photography pros. With candid photography, a three-second shutter lag can mean the difference between taking a blah, ordinary photo, or capturing your child with the perfect grin. Because digital cameras eat up a lot of batteries, you'll also want startup speed. If you are taking photos intermittently, you'll want to be able to turn off your camera to preserve battery life. Then you'll need it to start right up again when the perfect photography moment arises. Autofocus is another speed requirement in digital photography. You don't want to wait for your autofocus to resolve your photo after you aim your camera, only to find that your target has wandered off! Through the lens (TTL) composition is another consideration. TTL refers to the fact that some digital cameras require photographers to compose their photos on an image screen. To allow for the battery-sucking screen to be shut off most of the time, a digital camera with TTL has a viewfinder like a film camera. You will want manual controls if you are the least bit interested in using digital photography to produce quality photos as a hobby. Someday you may want to compose a photo without using the presets built into your digital camera even if you do not know what those controls do. Another important element of digital photography is megapixels. Generally, the more megapixels your digital camera can take, the larger your end photographs can be without distorting them. However, the more megapixels, the slower your camera responds. Even just three megapixels will produce large, quality photos.

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Beginning In Photography: Choosing A Camera

 

You’ve been snapping away with your nifty little point and shoot camera for a while now and you’ve discovered you really like taking pictures and want to get more creative and have more control over your photos. Naturally the next step is to upgrade to an SLR camera. But which one? There is a ridiculous number of products out there with all sorts of buttons and dials that do this or that. This article attempts to give a brief overview of the things that are actually important...

Article Body: You’ve been snapping away with your nifty little point and shoot camera for a while now and you’ve discovered you really like taking pictures and want to get more creative and have more control over your photos. Naturally the next step is to upgrade to an SLR camera. But which one? There is a ridiculous number of products out there with all sorts of buttons and dials that do this or that. This article attempts to give a brief overview of the things that are actually important when considering which camera to buy. Firstly, let’s dispel one of the most common myths associated with upgrading equipment. Buying a new camera will not make you a better photographer. Repeat: it will NOT make you a better photographer. Not instantly, not in 2 years time, not in 10 years. What will make you a better photographer is you. Your willingness to learn and develop your skills. Sure a high end camera will give you more control over your image making, but that’s just it; its you controlling the camera, and therefore the end image. Ok, now that we’re on the same track, a few things to think about. How many megapixels do I need? We are going to assume that you are looking at digital cameras here, although I should point out that there are some excellent film cameras around at much less expense. So don’t discount film altogether (it’s not dead just yet!). But to answer the question, we first need to answer another: What do you want to do with your photos? If you only want to post your photos on the web, e-mail them or make small prints to put in a photo album, the resolution you need for this is quite low. To give you an idea, a camera with 2 megapixels will create an image that can make a good quality 6 x 4 print (standard photo album size). Most entry level DSLR’s or Mirrosless cameras start at around 6 megapixels. Therefore if this is all you want to do with your images, the amount of megapixels does not need to be a major concern. If, however, you want to make large sized prints, you may need a higher resolution camera. While entry level DSLR’s or Mirrosless often produce very good quality prints up to a certain size, more pixels gives you the freedom of being able to enlarge even further. While image software programs can increase the size of your photos they will lose some quality. Starting with a larger image means that fewer pixels are added by the program and less quality is lost. Is brand important? Not as important as some would have you think. While photographers will continue to debate the Nikon vs Canon issue, my belief is that it is a moot point. Both companies produce some excellent products and some pretty ordinary ones. What should be foremost in your mind is build quality. How many plastic parts does the camera have versus metal ones? Metal parts can be replaced, while plastic parts are usually set into a mould and cannot be. Potentially this could mean the difference between having to buy a new part or a new camera a few years down the track. Check how the camera feels in your hand. If it feels solid and sturdy, it probably is. Quality between brands doesn’t differ greatly until you get into the higher end cameras. This is where Nikon and Canon come to the fore and other brands that don’t target this market drop off. However if you decide you don’t need a higher end camera, don’t discount other brands. What about features? Cameras come with all sorts of different modes and features. Some of them seem to be included for no other reason than to be a selling point for that particular model. It takes a little research to discern which are actually going to be useful. There are, however, some that you should factor into your considerations. Firstly, what mode settings does the camera have? Many entry level DSLR’s or Mirrosless have similar settings to point and shoot cameras. I.e. Portrait, landscape, low light etc. While these make things easy, the point of moving up to an SLR camera is to gain more control over your photos. You will never gain the control you want without learning how to use a camera in full manual mode. Other features, such as a built if flash or cable release socket, may be important to you depending on the type of photography you want to do. If you like to shoot portraits, a built in flash can be a huge help in lighting shadows. If you are interested in landscape photography, you will at some point want to set you camera up on a tripod to capture a low light scene. Using a cable release allows you to press the shutter without actually touching the camera, removing the camera shake that blurs a picture. One final consideration. This is possibly the most important of all. Make sure the camera you choose is comfortable and easy to use. Check that you can reach all the buttons easily while shooting and that the dial and menu configurations are logical. This allows you to learn your gear easily so that you can concentrate on the most important thing: taking pictures. 

Keywords:
photography, cameras, equipment, buying a camera, taking pictures, basics, begginers

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Digital Camera Basic Information

A digital camera is an electronic gadget that can capture photographs and then store them. Instead of employing photographic films like the traditional cameras or using magnetic tapes to record images in an analog format like in video cameras, a digital camera stores photographs in an electronic way in a digital format. Nowadays we also get modern and multifunctional compact digital cameras that can record and store sound and video apart from pictures.

A digital camera is an electronic gadget that can capture photographs and then store them. Instead of employing photographic films like the traditional cameras or using magnetic tapes to record images in an analog format like in video cameras, a digital camera stores photographs in an electronic way in a digital format. Nowadays we also get modern and multifunctional compact digital cameras that can record and store sound and video apart from pictures. Digital cameras have become a rage everywhere in the world. They are amongst the top items of must-have lists of every home. Not only much more technically advanced with better features than their older versions, digital cameras are also very handy and practical. They come in a wide range and variety to suit everyone`s tastes and budget. Apart from having a better picture quality, the most obvious advantage of digital cameras over the conventional ones is that you can click and store as many pictures as you want without worrying about wasting the film roll. After you have transferred the pictures to your computer, you can easily keep those you want, discard others, print some and may even edit the not so flattering ones. This clearly gives you a lot of options and choices as you can change the background of photograph edit brightness and contrast and make other changes according to your whims. Digital cameras can be of various types. The first in the category is the video camera which is mainly used to record moving images. Then you have digital still camera or live preview cameras. These cameras are usually of two types, compact and bridge. Compact digital camera has small zooms and is characterized by easy focusing and easy operation. They usually have a built in flash. Bridge digital cameras have super zoom lenses and are capable of taking good images. Then we have digital single lens reflex cameras with a mirror and reflex system, digital rangefinders which is nothing but a camera that has a rangefinder and the professional modular digital camera system that is a very professional camera with different modular parts like grips, winders etc to suit different purposes. These types of cameras are usually used for commercial purposes in studios as they are quite big and bulky. With a wide variety of digital cameras available in the market, it is obvious to get confused as to which will be the best-buy amongst them. However you need to understand that each camera has its unique function and specialty and you need to check out each one to determine your pick. As for example, if your purchased camera is going to be a gift then you need to know which type of digital camera will be suitable for the person. For instance, teens will obviously like cameras that are funky and cool, while mums will be delighted to get cameras that will allow easy image sharing for family pictures. Before buying a digital camera it is important that you get your basic information right so that you can get the best deal. There are lots of factors that you need to consider like the resolution of the photograph and the size of camera. Another important consideration is the Digital Camera Storage or Memory Cards. Semi professional photographers would also like to consider having a decent Digital Camera Zoom. Last but not the least, after you get your brand new digital camera then learn about the basics of its maintenance and operation. Get acquainted with its various features; learn how to share your images with friends and family and steps to take to troubleshoot your camera.

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Tips On Buying A Good Digital Camera

One of the top selling items on the market today is the digital camera. People enjoy taking pictures when on a trip or vacation, at sporting events, when the flowers are in bloom and just about any other occasion that may arise. Countless teens are taking pictures at the most random events in order to put them on their “flickr” page. Pictures capture moments and preserve memories. With a digital camera you are able to save these photos on your computer and print them at your...

One of the top selling items on the market today is the digital camera. People enjoy taking pictures when on a trip or vacation, at sporting events, when the flowers are in bloom and just about any other occasion that may arise. Countless teens are taking pictures at the most random events in order to put them on their “flickr” page. Pictures capture moments and preserve memories. With a digital camera you are able to save these photos on your computer and print them at your convenience. Instead of wasting a roll of film that you used to use in a regular camera, you are able photograph as many things as you want and delete the bad shots and save only the best digital images. So the real question is; which digital camera is the best to buy? There are so many digital cameras on the market today it can be very difficult to make a decision. If you go to any store with an electronics department or if you are looking online, you are bound to see a whole line up of different digital cameras promising the best product with highest quality photos. It is helpful if you have a friend who is knowledgeable about digital cameras. They can possibly steer you in the right direction. If you are not lucky enough to have such a friend, I have listed a few key things to look for when shopping for a digital camera. One of the first things to look for in a digital camera is the amount of mega pixels. The higher the mega pixel the digital camera has the better photo quality you will receive. This means that when you try and enlarge the picture, the resolution of the photo is going to be better or possibly worse depending on the different mega pixel levels. If you have a one mega pixel camera, when enlarging your photo, the quality is going to quickly deteriorate. The opposite will occur with your digital photos when you have a seven mega pixel digital camera. Another thing to look for when selecting a digital camera is the LCD screen. The better digital cameras will provide a LCD screen so you can frame your picture easier. Try to find a camera with a LCD screen about 2.5 inches or larger for maximum results. Also notice the zoom strength when you are researching digital cameras. The best digital cameras will provide up to a 10x digital zoom for your all your close-ups. It is not always necessary to spend a lot of money. Keep your eyes open for the sales. We were able to purchase a very high quality digital camera with 14 mega pixels on sale and have been very satisfied with our photos. Taking pictures with a digital camera is a great way to capture moments that will stay with you forever. It is important to purchase a high quality digital camera in order to save these precious moments. There is a variety of digital cameras available on the market, so do your research before choosing the one for you.

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