November | 2018 | FUJI X WEEKLY

Weekly Photo Project, Week 17

Posted on November 26, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

I’m continuing last week’s theme of alternating between color and black-and-white. Monday and Saturday were the only two days that I didn’t capture a whole lot, and the pickings were slim. Otherwise I had at least a handful of photographs to choose from for each day. Amazingly enough, I’m about 1/3 of the way through this 52 week project, which is hard to believe because it seems like I just started. I’m anticipating that winter will be the most difficult season, but I’m staying hopeful that I can complete it without missing a single day.

Monday, November 12, 2018

Every Rose Has Its Thorns – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Lights & Shadows – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Steve – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Thursday, November 15, 2018

A Paleontologist Happily Working – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Friday, November 16, 2018

Little White Pumpkin On The Mantel – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Classic Russian Camera – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Waiting Alone For The Train – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Week 16 Week 18

Travel: Zion National Park in Autumn

Posted on November 26, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Virgin River From Canyon Junction Bridge – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Zion National Park was the third most visited National Park in America in 2017, right behind the Grand Canyon. Utah has five National Parks–only Alaska and California have more–and of the five Zion is by far the most popular, with Arches National Park a distant second. It’s no surprise that Zion is usually quite crowded. I was surprised at just how packed it was when I visited in the middle of the week in the middle of November. Isn’t this supposed to be the off-season when fewer people are there?

I arrived with my family in the morning about an hour after sunrise. We waited in a somewhat short line to get into Zion. Once inside we found the parking lot at the visitor’s center to be completely full, with a number of cars circling hoping that somebody would leave. We decided that we’d explore what we could of the park by automobile and hope that the parking situation would be better a little later.

This was our first time to Zion National Park and we really didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t anticipate the gobs of people and we didn’t expect that there’s not much one can see of the park from the car. There is the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, which is over one mile long, and a few pullouts along the road that were packed full of cars (I illegally parked to get the photo at the top of this article). There are some things that can be seen and experienced from behind the wheel, but most of the park is accessible only by the park’s bus system or by foot. Once we figured this out we put a more serious effort into finding a place inside Zion to park the car. Unfortunately, parking was still scarce and we were lucky to find a spot in an overflow lot that required a small hike to the nearest bus stop; however, we soon discovered that we left the kid’s sweaters at the hotel and it hadn’t warmed up enough yet to be out without them.

Vista From Mount Carmel Tunnel – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

We left the park feeling a bit defeated and disappointed. We found a combination coffee shop and gift shop in Springdale, which is the small town right outside of the park entrance, and purchased some warmer clothes for the kids and the wife and I sipped on some coffee. We decided to park in town and take the free shuttle to the park. This turned out to be a much better way to get into Zion. The bus dropped us off right outside the park, and a quick walk across a short bridge brought us to Zion’s shuttle stop. Unfortunately, the line for Zion’s shuttle was about 400 people deep, but thankfully there were a lot of buses running and the line moved surprisingly quick.

The bus was completely packed. We rode it to the end, which is where the Riverside Walk trail is located. This trail is about two miles round trip and very easy, even for the kids. It’s also extraordinarily scenic! The draw to this place is quite apparent. It’s a landscape photographer’s playground. It was also packed with people and at times felt like we were strolling through New York City and not a canyon in southern Utah. Even so, we had a good time enjoying the amazing natural sights around us.

After our hike we got back on the bus, which we had to wait in a line for and was again filled to the brim. We had intended to stay in the park longer, but we dared not get off the bus at a different stop because we might not find seats on another bus. So our stay in Zion was short. There is no doubt that this park is one of the most beautiful, but it’s too crowded. Next time I will have to ensure that it’s a less busy time of the year for a visit. I hear the park is beautiful dusted with snow.

For these pictures I used a Fujifilm X100F, a Fujifilm XF10 and a Fujifilm X-T20 with an Asahi Auto-Takumar 55mm f/2.2 lens attached using an M42 adapter. The Asahi lens is fantastic, with just a little corner softness that improves as you stop down, and I paid only $30 for it (and it came with a camera). Despite the crowds, Zion is incredibly beautiful with photographic opportunities literally everywhere. I spent a partial day there and came away with these pictures. I felt like I left many great photographs behind. Zion National Park is a magical place for photography, but it’s not a very good place to find solitude, at least not when I was there.

B&W

Virgin River Through Zion Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Rocky River – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sun High Over The Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Zion Canyon Sun – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sun Over Bridge Mountain – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Amanda & Johanna Asleep – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Rock Wall – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Trunks & Leaves – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Monochrome Vista From Mount Carmel Tunnel – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Color

The Family, Zion Bridge In Autumn – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

A Pine Among The Rocks – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Mount Carmel Tunnel & Chevy – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Autumn River – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Virgin River In November – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Strolling Through Zion Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Rock Ledges – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Yellow Tree Against Red Rock – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Yellow Trees Below Bridge Mountain – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Rocks of Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Desert Juniper – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Virgin River Through Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Yellow Tree, Zion Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Canyon Tree in Fall – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Yellow Leaves in Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Autumn Tree & Rock – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sunlight Through The Trees – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

The Yellow of Autumn – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Autumn Along The Virgin River – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

River Along The Autumn Path – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Flowing Through Zion Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

River In The Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

River & Canyon – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Rushing Virgin River – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Vibrant Autumn Forest – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Travel: Snow Canyon State Park – St. George, Utah

Posted on November 24, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Crevasse Tree – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Earlier this week my family and I traveled to southern Utah. One place that we visited was Snow Canyon State Park, which sits just outside of St. George. This place was new to us. I saw it on a map and thought it might be interesting, so we went. I knew nothing about Snow Canyon State Park other than how to get there. I didn’t have any expectations, but if I did they would have been blown away. This is a really neat state park!

Despite the name, Snow Canyon doesn’t receive much snow. It was named after the Snow family, who were early settlers to the area. The park features beautiful red sandstone, petrified sand dunes, a couple of small arches and different lava formations. It’s a place that begs to be explored. It’s a great location for hiking, camping and rock climbing–oh, and definitely photography!

We arrived about 30 minutes before sunset and stayed for about 15 minutes after. We didn’t have a long visit, which is a shame because it seems like an awesome park! In the short time that we were there we had a lot of fun. The kids ran around and explored as much as they could. From what I can tell the park has a lot to offer, including some large lava tubes that would have been fun to find. I didn’t know about the lava tubes until after we left, so we’ll have to find them the next time that we visit.

There are most certainly some great photographic opportunities in Snow Canyon. The place has something worthy of your camera’s attention at every turn! The quintessential red rocks of the region and the unusual land formations create the potential for great images. I was there for less than an hour and created the pictures in this article, which were captured using a Fujifilm X-T20. Zion National Park, which isn’t far away, get’s a lot of attention, but Snow Canyon State Park shouldn’t be overlooked! It is definitely worth your time to see.

Color

Last Light On The Cliffs – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Cliff Hanger – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Petrified Sand Dune – Snow Canyon, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Overcoming Adversity – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Crevasse Tree in Color – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fuji X-T20

Autumn Tree – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Autumn Tree In Snow Canyon – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Exploring Kids – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Moon Over The Rocky Ridge – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

B&W:

Rock Hills – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Monochrome Moon, Snow Canyon – Snow Canyon, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Using A Phone Because I Had Her Camera – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Small Arch In Monochrome – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Wood In The Sand – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Window Rock Joy – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Alone At The Top – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Monochrome Moonrise – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fuji X-T20

Fujifilm X Deals

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

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With the Christmas holiday just around the corner, I know that some of you are already thinking about gift-giving and holiday shopping. I wanted to give you a quick heads-up on several great discounts currently being offered on Fujifilm X items at Amazon. If you use the links below to purchase something, I get a small amount back, which will be used to improve the Fuji X Weekly experience. I want to give a big “thank you” to everyone who has done so already, and hopefully by the beginning of the new year you’ll be able to see some positive changes to this blog as a result of using the links I provide. I appreciate it so much!

Current discounts being offered on Fujifilm X cameras: the Fujifilm X100F is $100 off, the X-T100 is $100 off, the X-E3 is $100 off, the X-T20 is $200 off, the X-Pro2 is $250 off, the X-H1 is $250 off, and the X-T2 is $500 off, which is an incredible deal!

Current discounts being offered on Fujinon X lenses: the Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8 is $150 off, the XF 16mm f/1.4 is $150 off, the XF 80mm f/2.8 is $150 off, the XF 10-24mm f/4 is $150 off, the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 is $200 off, the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 is $200 off, and the XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 is $300 off.

As a reminder, I have Fujifilm and photography inspired merchandise, such as t-shirts, coffee mugs, iPhone cases, tote bags, etc., available for purchase in the Fuji X Weekly store!

Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram using @fujixweekly. If you have captured an image using one of my film simulation recipes, I invite you to use the hashtag #fujixweekly on Instagram so that I’m sure to see it. I would love to see what you guys are capturing with these settings. Thanks!

Weekly Photo Project, Week 16

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

You might notice that I alternated color and black-and-white photographs this week, which I did just for fun. Every day except for Monday I had both color and monochrome images to choose from, so it was easy. Alternatively, I could have made this an all-color week. If a theme presents itself I might try to do that on some weeks just to spice up this series a little.

You might notice that five of the seven pictures were captured at my house. It’s nice when you can travel someplace to do photography, but sometimes that’s just not practical. If you have a camera and a creative mind, it’s possible to create interesting images right where you’re at, wherever that is. It might seem like you’re in a boring location without photographic potential, but try hard enough and you’ll soon spot things worthy of pointing your camera lens towards.

Monday, November 5, 2018

Porch Light – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Sitting Room – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Union Station Waiting Room – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Peculiar Water – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Friday, November 9, 2018

Time to Dust Off My Film Photography – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Jonathan’s Smile – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Wasatch November – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Week 15 Week 17

My Fujifilm X-T20 Aged Color Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on November 17, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

White Duck – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Aged Color”

During World War II there was a shortage of rubber, and an effort was put forth to create synthetic rubber. There were many ideas and experiments to create rubber in the lab, most of which failed. One of those failures was a silicone-based elastic substance that could bounce, float in water, and lift print off of newspaper. This substance was created by mistake while trying to invent something else. It was a twist of fate. It was a happy accident. It was Silly Putty.

Recently I was experimenting with the JPEG settings on a Fujifilm X-T20, trying to replicate the look of some different films. I’ve been working on four different film simulation settings for several months, only hitting dead ends. I haven’t been able to achieve the desired results, but I did stumble across an interesting look. Like the discovery of Silly Putty, I made a happy accident! Even though I used an X-T20 for this recipe, you could apply these settings to any X-Trans III camera and get the same exact results.

This look doesn’t quite resemble any specific film that I’m aware of. I think it produces an analog film aesthetic, even though I couldn’t tell you which one. There are a couple of films that I can see maybe some resemblance, but overall it’s not an exact match. Actually, what it reminded me of is a group of four Alien Skin Exposure presets under the “Color Films – Aged” tab called Color Photo. These presets are similar to each other but each one has a slightly varied look. My new film simulation, which I’ve named Aged Color, produces a look that resembles those Exposure presets, although I will admit that it’s more of general aesthetic than a carbon copy. It’s just what I think it most closely resembles, by coincidence.

Below are three pictures of mine that were edited with those Alien Skin Exposure Color Photo presets:

Hidden Waterfall – Lava Hot Springs, ID

South Pasadena – Pasadena, CA

Three Kids In The Water – Carlsbad, CA

While Alien Skin Exposure gives you four preset options for this look, and each of those can be heavily customized, I only have one Aged Color recipe, but you are more than welcome to tweak it to your liking. I find that it produces muted yet lovely colors and slightly faded shadows. If the scene doesn’t have a lot of contrast the images can come out a little flat. The skin tones in the pictures below show a lot of red, but some of that can be attributed to cold temperatures, and I think that under normal conditions skin will look a little more natural. This film simulation recipe is an interesting option to achieve a look that is perhaps unexpected from a digital camera and looks a bit more film-like. I doubt that it’s everyone’s cup of tea, but I think some of you will really appreciate it.

PRO Neg. Std
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +2
Shadow: +3
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
Grain Effect: Strong
White Balance: Auto, +5 Red & -3 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 (typically)

Example photos, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured on a Fujifilm X-T20 using my Aged Color Film Simulation recipe:

Brother & Sister Fun – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Playground Play – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Joshua Throwing Leaves – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Evening Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Swingset Post – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Oak Tree Autumn Sun – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Last Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sunlight Through The Branches – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Ducks Swimming In A Pond – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Late Blooms – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Dry & Yellow – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Old Town Clock – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Little White Pumpkin On The Mantel – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Lego Food Stand Creation – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Boy Reading – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Hot Coffee Brew – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Potted Succulent – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Asahi Pentax SLR – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

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Fujifilm X-Trans III Sharpening & Noise Reduction

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

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About 11 months ago I published an article entitled Fujifilm X100F Noise Reduction & Sharpening, which detailed my opinions on these two features. I felt like this topic needed a quick refresher, but I didn’t want to rehash what I’ve already said. I think I came up with a good way to approach this topic while not repeating myself.

All Fujifilm files, whether RAW or JPEG, have some level of sharpening and noise reduction applied to them. The options found in the camera for sharpening and noise reduction are specifically for in-camera JPEGs. If you shoot RAW you apply whatever sharpening and noise reduction you’d like with the software of your choice in post-production. If you shoot JPEG you decide this using the options that Fujifilm provides inside their cameras. You cannot turn these off, and the lowest setting, -4, still applies some sharpening or noise reduction, even if a tiny amount.

I don’t think Fujifilm named the setting levels very well. It should be +1 through +9. Naming it -4 through +4 just causes confusion. Instead of thinking of 0 as zero, think of it as the middle option. 0 is really 5 on a scale of one through nine.

Sharpening and noise reduction are great because they make your photographs crisper and cleaner. They help give your images a polished look. However, too much of a good thing is not good at all. Apply too much of either and weird things start happening to your pictures. It’s a balancing act, and it’s easy to go too far.

How far is too far on Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras? That’s up to you to determine. I will give you my opinion, and you can take that for what it’s worth. I will say that for internet use or prints no larger than 8″ x 12″ it really doesn’t matter what settings you choose because it’s difficult to notice the difference between -4 and +4 when viewed that small. If you don’t pixel-peep or print large, using the default settings of 0 are a perfectly fine approach. If you do pixel-peep or print larger than 8″ x 12″ you may want to more carefully consider your choices.

Sharpening:

Sharpening -4

Sharpening 0

Sharpening +4

What can be determined from the three crops above? Not much, because to notice anything you have to look much closer. If you do take the time to study them you can spot the differences. The change from -4 to +4 isn’t especially obvious, so, as you can imagine, a plus or minus of one is very difficult to perceive. My opinion is that anything from -2 to +2 sharpening is where the best results are found, and I stay in the -1 to +1 range for my own photography, which I believe is the sweet spot. I used to use +2 all of the time but I haven’t used that high of a sharpening setting in probably a year.

Noise Reduction:

Noise Reduction -4

Noise Reduction 0

Noise Reduction +4

By looking at the three crops above it might seem as though there’s not much of a difference between -4 and +4 noise reduction, and you are correct, but it’s actually a bigger difference than you might initially think. In my opinion, the noise reduction setting is a little more critical than the sharpening setting as Fujifilm applies it a little heavy-handed on X-Trans III cameras. I think the best results are found between -4 and -2. In my opinion -2 can be marginal sometimes so I typically use -4 or -3.

If you aren’t pixel-peeping, and you are just sharing to Instagram or Facebook, none of this matters. Worry about sharpening and noise reduction if you like to zoom way in on your pictures or if you like to print them large. I personally worry about it, but I take great care with all of the settings so that I get exactly the results that I want. Just because I worry about something or like things a particular way doesn’t mean that you should, too. Find what works best for you, even if it’s unconventional or goes against popular opinion.

Using White Balance Shift For Black & White

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Dramatic Sky Over The Wasatch Front – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Just a couple of weeks ago I posted an article about using white balance shift to achieve different looks in color photographs. What you may not be aware of is that white balance shift can be used to adjust the look of black-and-white images, and it can sometimes be surprisingly dramatic how much it changes things. White balance shift is an unexpected tool that allows you to better achieve desired results in monochrome.

When you shift the white balance it changes how different colors are rendered, so it only makes sense that the grey interpretation of those colors would also be different. Some colors might appear as darker shades of grey and some as lighter. The tones shift, creating a slightly different rendering of the scene. It could be very subtle or it could be quite apparent, but indeed the monochrome interpretation has been altered.

Let’s take a look at the photo below. I reprocessed the same exposure using the RAW developer built into the Fujifilm X-T20, with each version having identical settings except for the white balance shift. I used the Acros+R Film Simulation for this image. As you can see, each adjustment changes the look of the image. For instance, the sky has some areas of bright white in the top version, which is the overall brightest picture, but not the bottom version, which is overall the darkest picture. The highlights on the mountain are handled a little differently in the top and bottom versions. The two middle versions fall in-between, and are only very subtly different from each other.

White balance shift: +9 Red & 0 Blue

White balance shift: 0 Red & -9 Blue

White balance shift: 0 Red & +9 Blue

White balance shift: -9 Red & 0 Blue

If I were to use Acros+G, the white balance shift would manipulate the image differently than what you see above. It still changes things, but not in the same way. That goes for Acros and Acros+Y, as well. It makes sense when you consider that Acros+Y, Acros+R, and Acros+G settings are designed to simulate the look of using colored filters on real black-and-white film. One must consider the color cast that is being applied to an image, and how the different Acros options will render that.

I’m still figuring out how to use this knowledge in actual real life situations. It’s one thing to apply it when redeveloping a RAW file, and another thing to use it in the field, applying it before the exposure. The latter option is where I’d like to be, but it will take a lot more practice. It’s certainly fun to play with! White balance shift is an interesting option for getting the grey tones more precisely where you want them to be in black and white photographs.

Fujifilm X100F in Brown Now Available

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm ended production of the black and silver-and-black versions of the X100F earlier this year, although there appears to be plenty of stock available. A couple of months ago in some parts of the world Fujifilm made a limited-run brown X100F, which apparently sold like hotcakes. They had previously said that the brown X100F would not be made available in North America, but, because sales have been so good, Fujifilm had a change of heart and beginning today they have made the brown X100F available in the USA and Canada. Yea!

I really want one! I have a silver-and-black X100F that I love, but the brown one looks particularly beautiful. I think it looks better than the brown X-E3, for whatever reason. It’s very tempting, but I don’t have gobs of cash to spend on cameras, and especially not right before Christmas, so if I do end up someday with a brown X100F it will be sometime down the road, perhaps in 2019 if things go well.

As a side note while I’m talking about the X100F, I do believe, although I have absolutely no inside information, that Fujifilm is working on the next X100 camera, perhaps called X100V or X200 or something along those lines. I think it will be announced within the next six months and will include an X-Trans IV sensor. I want to make it clear that I don’t have any proof of this, that I’m 100% speculating. It’s just a guess. If you’ve been waiting for the next model, I don’t believe you’ll be waiting all that much longer for some news.

Weekly Photo Project, Week 15

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Wow! It’s hard to believe that I’m already 15 weeks into this photo-a-day project. Daylight Savings ended and the clocks were set back one hour, and it almost derailed this series. Thankfully I had a camera with me and I was able to snap an image out the car window while driving down the highway just before the last light of day disappeared.

Monday, October 29, 2018

Window Pentax – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Empty Church Seats – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Stretching Scrub – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Fog On The Ridge – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Friday, November 2, 2018

Clouds Over The Great Salt Lake – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Saturday, November 3, 2018

Autumn Morning Sunlight – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Sunset From Legacy Parkway – Centerville, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Week 14 Week 16

Fujifilm X-T20 Impressions

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

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Back in June I bought my wife, Amanda, a Fujifilm X-T20 for her birthday. She’s a little more into video than stills, and her interest in photography has been fairly recent. This is her first interchangeable-lens camera. I promised that I would not take over her X-T20, which I’ve stayed true to, but I have used it on several occasions, and I have formed a few opinions based on those experiences.

This is not a review of the Fujifilm X-T20, but more of a discussion of who this camera is for. I will share my impressions and talk about the things that I believe others might want to know. What differentiates this article from a review is that this won’t be nearly as in-depth, as I won’t talk about many of the technical aspects of the camera, but I will offer several opinions. This will be a fairly short article. I hope that it will be helpful to those who are trying to decide if they should buy this camera or not.

The Fujifilm X-T20 is an X-Trans III camera, which means it has a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor. It has the same sensor and processor as the X-T2, X-Pro2 and X-E3 and is capable of the exact same image quality, which is nothing short of excellent. What differentiates the different camera models are the features that are and are not included. There’s also the X-T100, which is the closest camera in design to the X-T20, but it has a different sensor and processor, which means that it differs a little in image quality.

I’m actually quite impressed with the X-T20. It has a lot of great features! There are a few things that are missing, such as weather sealing, the focus joystick and a dedicated ISO dial on the body. The first one may or may not be a deal breaker, depending on the conditions you plan to use the camera in. The later two can be worked around fairly easily, and, while they’re nice to have, I doubt anyone would dislike this camera because they’re missing.

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What is included on this camera is a tilting touch screen. It’s not quite as adjustable and has more limited touch options than the one found on the X-T100, but it is definitely a nice addition. It makes the camera easier to use in certain situations. There’s a knob on top of the camera that allows quick access to some of the functions that you might not often use but would otherwise have to dig through menus to find. I don’t find it particularly handy for myself, but if you do panorama pictures or video or use the advanced filters this makes it a tad quicker to access.

If you are familiar with Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras, you will feel right at home using the X-T20. It’s a solid choice for a second camera body to backup an X-T2 or X-Pro2. The learning curve will be extraordinarily small and the images will look just like what your other camera produces. If I was in the market for a second camera body to go along with another Fujifilm camera, this is one I would look very closely at. Between the X-T20 and X-E3, you have two really great options that won’t break the bank.

The X-T20 is a great camera for the hobbyist photographer, or someone who thinks that they might become a hobbyist photographer. There are plenty of tools to help you improve your photography yet some great auto-features that will allow you to capture nice pictures even when you don’t really know what you’re doing. It’s a good camera to learn on. If I was looking for my first interchangeable-lens camera, I think this is an excellent choice but I would also take a look at the X-T100, which might be a slightly better option because it is more designed for beginners. If this wasn’t my first interchangeable-lens camera, but I was upgrading from an older camera, I would definitely recommend it. The X-T20 is a great value as it really does delivers a lot for the price!

If you are looking for a camera that is great for both still photography and video, the X-T20 is an excellent option because it’s good at both, which is the reason I chose it for my wife. It creates beautiful exposures, and the different film simulations are great for those who prefer JPEG over RAW. The 4K video quality is quite good, and all of the different film simulations can be applied to video. If you are primarily a videographer you might want to consider the X-H1 or X-T3 instead, which are Fujifilm’s two best cameras for video, but if you are interested in a budget-friendly camera that is capable of high-quality video recording, the X-T20 is a fine choice.

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The Fujifilm X-T20 seems like an all-around good camera for everyday use. It’s small and lightweight enough to carry around all day without feeling cumbersome. It’s quick. It functions very well. It captures very nice still photographs and video. It does everything well! It’s the jack-of-all-trades camera. It’s a camera that you could recommend to anyone and feel good about it. It’s simple enough for inexperienced photographers and advanced enough for professional use. I think anyone could buy this camera and be happy with it.

The X-T20 does have some minor shortcomings, and that’s why it has an MSRP of only $900 for the body. It can be found for less on sale ($700 at Amazon as of this writing), which is a heck-of-a-deal for what you get! It doesn’t feel like it’s a camera that should be at that price point when you are using it. It’s a quality camera that is versatile yet affordable. There are better cameras, such as the X-T2, X-T3, X-H1 and X-Pro2, but they also cost more, and they’re not significantly better, just slightly better in a couple of ways.

My wife loves her X-T20! She uses it for still photography and video. She’s still learning (aren’t we all?), but I can see that her photography has improved quite noticeably in the five months that she has had the camera. It turned out to be a great decision to buy this particular camera for her. I think that she will use her X-T20 for several years to come.

Below you’ll find 10 photographs captured by my wife, Amanda, and I using her Fujifilm X-T20. I think that her four pictures included here are quite nice!

Counters – McKinney, TX – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Amanda

Lone Hiker – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Amanda

Iced Iced Coffee – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Amanda

Jonathan’s Smile – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

Fog On The Ridge – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

November Rain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

Mueller Hike – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Amanda

Last Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

Autumn Morning Sunlight – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

Fallen – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

RAW Doesn’t Make You Better

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Canyon Pinion – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

I read something yesterday that bothered me. A really talented photographer, who has a blog that I like to read sometimes, posted an article stating that the number one thing you can do to improve your landscape photography is to shoot RAW. His argument was, essentially, that post-processing is a necessary aspect of photography, so you might as well fully embrace it and start with a RAW file. I get that if you plan to significantly manipulate your photographs you should probably use RAW because a JPEG is limited in how far you can take it before it begins to degrade. I disagree that post-processing is always or even usually needed, and I don’t think anyone should feel like they must fully embrace it. Edit if you want, or save yourself a bunch of time and strive to get the look that you are after using the options found in your camera. Most of the time it’s possible to get the look that you want straight out of camera, no editing necessary.

Fujifilm cameras are especially great at JPEG processing. Using the different film simulations, which can be significantly customized, and the dynamic range options, it’s possible to get polished images straight out of camera that resemble edited RAW photographs. In fact, while I do some light post-processing occasionally, most of the time I do not edit my photographs whatsoever. I don’t need to! Fujifilm cameras save me so much time because they can produce really nice pictures that don’t require editing, such as the two in this article.

In the early days of digital photography, cameras had a narrow dynamic range, were not particularly good at anything above base ISO, were spotty at white balance, and weren’t programmed to make JPEGs any better than mediocre (at best), so RAW was indeed necessary. Even just 10 years ago camera-made JPEGs weren’t especially great, although on most camera brands they had improved significantly. There was a time when the “you must shoot RAW” argument was valid. It’s not 1998 or 2008 anymore, and almost all cameras are capable of making nice JPEGs. Some cameras are better than others, and that’s why I shoot Fujifilm, but almost any camera make and model manufactured over the last five or so years can make a good JPEG if you take the time to program it to your liking.

Storm Over San Luis Valley – Alamosa, CO – Fujifilm X-Pro2

I’d much rather spend an extra moment setting the camera to what I want before capturing the image than sitting at a computer later fiddling with a RAW file. I’d rather let the camera do the work for me in the field so that I don’t have to at home. My photography doesn’t suffer for it. You wouldn’t know that my photographs are camera-made JPEGs if I didn’t tell you. I don’t know about you, but I already spend too much time sitting at a computer, so the more I can reduce that the better off I am.

Shooting RAW doesn’t make anyone a better photographer. Use RAW if you want, but it’s just a tool to achieve the results that you’re after, just as the JPEG processor in your camera is a tool to achieve desired results. Use the tool that works best for you. Don’t think that you must shoot RAW because someone doesn’t understand how to get good results without it. If the person who wrote the article took the time to set up their camera in the field, I’m sure that they could create the images they want without the need for Lightroom or Photoshop. It’s fine that the person didn’t, but I think it’s unfair to suggest that RAW is necessary for “better” photography. It’s untrue that you must embrace post-processing to create great photographs, because which format you choose has no bearing on your talent.

Introducing The Fuji X Weekly Store

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

The Fuji X Weekly blog now has a store! You can shop for shirts, coffee mugs, iPhone cases and more. Click here to check it out!

The Fuji X Weekly shop is a work in progress. I’ve been at it off and on for more than a month, and I’m not completely satisfied with it. I have some different ideas that I will work on as time permits, and I know over time it will improve. I am very happy with the products, which are all great quality. I’ve purchased a couple of items for myself, including the iPhone case pictured above. There are many great holiday gifts found in the store, and Christmas is just around the corner, although you don’t have to wait for the holidays to buy something.

If you look at the top of this blog, and perhaps you’ve never noticed, there are three horizontal lines on the left and four horizontal lines on the right. You can click on those and it will bring up different menus. The one on the left has an About Me page, which also includes a Contact Me option, the Fuji X Weekly shop, and a search box. The one on the right has a link to the ten most recent posts, a full archive organized by month, the top ten most viewed posts over the last week, another search box, and also my six most recent Instagram photos, which if you click on will take you to my Instagram feed. If you are looking for the store, click the upper left horizontal lines, and if you are looking for me on Instagram, click the upper right horizontal lines.

When I started this blog I wanted it to look simple and clean. I used to have a different photography blog that was always cluttered and looked like a mess. I vowed to keep this one from resembling that, which is why the menus aren’t completely obvious. There’s more to the Fuji X Weekly blog than meets the eye, but you’ve got to know where to look. I’m planning to add more goodies to these “hidden” menus, so you will want to check them every once in awhile to find what’s new.

Photoessay: Antelope Island State Park Buffalo Corral

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Buffalo Corral – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Antelope Island is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. It’s home to about 700 wild buffalo. Every year Antelope Island State Park rounds up the buffalo herd so that they can be counted, examined, and vaccinated. This event, which is open to the public, happens every autumn and takes place over a seven day period.

I had the opportunity to photograph a portion of this year’s buffalo roundup, which I was very excited about. I missed the actual roundup, where a bunch of cowboys on horseback traverse the island to guide the bison to the corral, but I did get to witness the second phase, where the animals are seen one at a time by a veterinarian. This operation takes a team of about 40 people several days to complete. It’s fascinating to watch, but it’s also a slow process and there is a lot of downtime where very little is happening.

I used my Fujifilm X100F to capture these photographs, which are all unedited camera-made JPEGs. For the camera settings I used the [Not] My Fujifilm X-Pro2 Tri-X Cross Process Film Simulation Recipe, utilizing the X100F’s built-in neutral density filter so that I could use high ISOs even in bright midday light. I took a photojournalist approach, and I think these settings worked particularly well for it. I’m pleased with how this series turned out and I hope that you enjoy the pictures!

White Rock Bay – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Park Patrol – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Time To Watch Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Waiting For A Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Buffalo Corral Workers – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Buffalo Head – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Cautious Buffalo – Antelope Island, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Running Bison Calf – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Roundup Downtime – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Rope On The Gate – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Leather Gloves – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

A Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Workers Waiting – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Between Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

On The Fence – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Utah Cowboys – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Park Ranger – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Bison Barriers – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

From The Holding Pen – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Mother & Calf – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Buffalo Track – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Three Bison – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Tractor Ride – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

State Park Workday – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujfilm X100F

Circular Gate Operator – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Rope Preparation – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Bison Spying – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Rope Pull – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Pulling Hard – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Rope Runner – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Waiting Games – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Waiting Buffalo – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Bison Skull – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Island Shore View – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Weekly Photo Project, Week 14

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

The interesting thing about where I live is that I have a front-row seat to the progression of autumn. I can see the colors turn first at the top of the mountain, which is clearly visible out the back door, and move down the hill over the following weeks. As the leaves begin to disappear off of the trees on the mountain, they start to turn from green to yellow, orange and red down in the valley, which is where I live. The fall colors have mostly disappeared off of the mountain, but they’re still vibrant in the foothills, although the trees have thinned out considerably. There’s probably one more week of autumn trees. Soon the landscape will be somewhat stark and barren, with the chill of winter quickly coming.

Monday, October 22, 2018

Autumn Tree Leaf – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

The Yellow Tree – Layton, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Joy Rider – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Yellow Tree Behind Fence – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Friday, October 26, 2018

Weber County Public Library – South Ogden, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Pentax Camera – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Sycamore Autumn – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Week 13 Week 15

Tri-X Push Process On The Fujifilm X100F

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

I have been using the [Not] My Fujifilm X-Pro2 Tri-X Push Process Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X100F, and I realized that the X100F is actually a better camera to use these settings on. Why? I will explain that in just a moment.

The Tri-X Push Process recipe is my favorite black and white option. It creates stunning results that are so film-like that you could easily convince people that it is film you used and not digital capture. The “problem” with it is that it requires a high ISO, the higher the better, in fact. It looks best at ISO 12800, which is a practical setting for dark situations but not for anything else. The recipe can’t be used all of the time because often it’s just too bright to use an ultra-high ISO.

Bumble Bee – Kaysville, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Tri-X Push Process”

The Fujifilm X100F has a 3-stop neutral density filter built in. That means on the X100F the Tri-X Push Process recipe can be used anytime if you activate the neutral density filter in bright light situations. This is one reason, albeit an unexpected reason, why the X100F is such a great camera!

I do find it funny that I’m using the neutral density filter to increase the ISO. I doubt anyone at Fujifilm expected that to be a use of this feature. It was intended to allow a slower shutter speed or a wider aperture. I’m using it for an unorthodox reason. It’s a great feature on the camera that is often overlooked.