Fujifilm XM-1 at Chisholm Trail Days

   Bright sunny days has its challenges with digital photography. I used to experience anxiety with such days as exposures might be fine on the ground yet blown out in the sky. Well, the SR+ setting on the Fujifilm XM-1 (and X20) is quite remarkable. I really prefer shooting manual, but in a pinch, or while casually shooting an event I find this setting to impress every time.
   The Chisholm Trail cattle drive through San Gabriel Park started around noon and I was fortunate enough to be on the forbidden side of the line of safety.  In fact, I moved to the absolute edge of the river bank so the sunlight fell on all before my lens. Perfect.

 A few test shots revealed a blue sky in the display monitor that excited the eyeballs. The cowboys began their procession as the cattle slowly followed while grazing at every opportunity.

   Above the 18-55mm lens is at 55mm f5.6 but I'm also pretty close to the cowboy on the horse. Below, the lens is zoomed to 55mm  and then I cropped the image by about 20%.

 Above, I made a few color corrections in Lightroom, namely, reducing yellow after turning up Vibrance a little, and hit the clarity button a few times.  ISO 400, f11, 1/350 sec.

Even though it was bright sun over my head, I had little trouble seeing the display of the articulating viewfinder.

Fujifilm XM-1 is in my bag

   I have been using the Fujifilm X20 for a few months now and really enjoy using it. I've learned that this little machine has a soul. It behaves like a "big" camera. Heck, even has a hot-shoe that use to attach my Pocket Wizards.  If only it had a larger sensor.  I often dreamed that Fuji would come out with a model just like the X20 with an APS sensor with its marvelous fixed zoom, X20-Pro. I love everything about the design of this camera. I really needed a bit more resolution and struggled with acquiring another body that would require purchase of lenses. THEN, the XM-1 came out.
   Workflow is really important, but, image quality is paramount. I've always like the look from Fuji Cameras like my S3 and S5pro. But, my goal is to achieve a workflow akin to DSLR gear. The XM-1 has the APS size sensor found in the X-Pro1 and XE-1. So I purchased the 18-55 f2.8-4 lens with the body. I found myself using the screen often with the X20, so it didn't bother me that the XM-1 has no viewfinder, but instead, a flip screen. I'm short and now I can hold the camera above my head and shoot over a crowd to get a better composition. The White Balance is amazing on both of my X cameras.

I would've expected quite a bit of orange and yellow in the above photo, but this is straight out of the XM-1 camera. Skin tones are also normal looking in the original photograph.

   So, one more camera to backup my X20!  And by the way, X20 does macro really well!

Fujifilm X20 mirror-less camera - Studio Testing

I met up with my friend and photo bud, Pete Dixon at his work at Central Texas Harley-Davidson where he has set up Novotron Studio lighting for photographing inventory, namely, pre-owned motorcycles. I connected the wireless transmitter to my X20 hot-shoe and dialed in my settings to ISO 250, f.9, 1/60.  I also selected NegHi and NegLo for film simulation. NegHi is a bit more contrast but tuned for portraits. NegLo is less contrast.  This 12mb sensor is 2/3" in size.

These set of photos underscore that "lighting is everything" when it comes to photography. Again, the acid test is to print a 12x18 or bigger.

Fujifilm X20 - testing continues with a portrait

While I was on facebook the other day, someone posted a photo of Charles Darwin with a quote by him written off to the side of the empty space of the image.  I couldn't help but think of my cousin Michael Ximenez and how similar they look.  I called him up and he agreed to pose for me.  I am recreating solely on inspiration. This is the third time of done this.

  I am using the Fujifilm X20 mirror-less camera, ISO 250, 1/125, f2.8 and a speedlight aimed at the ceiling.

I am regularly surprised at the detail of the images from this small-sensored camera. Under-exposed areas appeared a bit muddy, but when the exposure is correct the images look quite film-like. I think the acid test is to eventually make a large print, maybe 12x18.

Fujifilm X20 - more outdoor testing evening light

I'm curious of the performance of the Fujifilm X20 camera in real world situations. I have no scientific gear to measure anything except the built-in light meter and the histogram readings in Lightroom.
It's a partly cloudy early evening at a favorite restaurant Twin Peaks where there is  Hot Rod Night.
People vote on their favorite vehicles and the winner gets a door prize. Here are some photographs.

There is very little tweaking in Lightroom by the way, all have some amount of adjustment. All photographs were shot is Jpeg-Fine, ISO 250. Most were shot in Program-mode, which I don't always trust.

But, there it is ... Not bad for a small sensor point n shoot that has full manual capabilities.

Fujifilm X20

Fujifilm X20 is still a delight to use. Last Saturday me and a friend headed to the local camera store, Precision-Camera in Austin and their was a demo/class in progress  given by my old mentor, Randy Kerr. He was demonstrating the RapidBox collapsable umbrella-softbox attached to a speed light strobe fired with a Pocket Wizard.

He asked if I'd like to try using my Fuji X20 with the Pocket Wizard and photograph the model. Here is a sample.

I set my Fuji X20 to the same values as the Nikon D800 he was using too.  I think this is a bit jaw-dropping beautiful !

Oh did I mention this is JPEG???

Fujifilm X20 camera is now a part of my arsenal

Today, there is a great interest in mirrorless cameras for several reasons. Among enthusiasts, and pros, it is a camera that is easy to carry, small, pocketable, and almost pocketable, may have interchangeable lenses available, must most of all, produces DSLR-like images. Some of the mirrorless models like the Sony NEX line of cameras have APS-c size sensors with lots of area for beautiful high resolution images.
 Now some of the mirrorless cameras have smaller sensors but their processing engines still yield amazing images for their size. I looked into a few models from Olympus, Panasonic, and Fujifilm and finally chose the X20 from Fujifilm. I almost had the Sony NEX-7 in my bag of goodies, but, I still needed something from a small mirrorless. Dare I say, I needed a camera with soul. As I fiddled with the X20 I felt like I had bonded with it within a few moments of clicking and button-pushing. Can't explain it, but even after looking at Fujifilm XE-1 and X-pro1 which almost ended in my bag too, the layout and controls made more sense to me and my style of shooting. I sacrificed the larger sensor for this little gem, KNOWING, that images would not be as pristine and sharp and clear and all the other qualities we lust for as in my Nikon D800.  That being said,

  "I am an artist, the camera is my brush, and you are my canvas". The D800 is almost too sharp to do some of my painterly style art images. It takes a couple of extra steps to soften things up enough to begin working the image to my liking.  My old Fujifilm S5pro and Nikon D300 were excellent choices to create images that looked like oil painting after printed on canvas.

 But they get heavy after awhile and I wanted something lighter with a quality build that feels "pro" yet can almost fit in a big pocket.
  So, I'll be testing this little guy and posting and adding a few choice images to show the strengths and weaknesses of this camera.  I love shooting with it. The jpegs are not a crisp as maybe a Sony RX100 but it looks film-like VS film-slide-like, if that makes sense.


The photo of the barometer was in Macro mode and I was about 3-4 inches from it, ISO 800, there's a little noise in under exposed areas but details are really good.

 The next photo is used with a Pocket Wizard (Basic firing, not TTL). This was another criteria for me in choosing this camera. The flash is a Nikon SB-600, but any flash will do when set to Basic Fire Only.

This is the kind of texture I need to create some of my composite artwork and the image with the singer is perfect to begin a project.

While we are talking about flash, when using Pocket Wizards the transmitter/receiver must be set to Basic Trigger to take advantage of higher sync speed. In my test, I was able to achieve 1/1000sec sync, but, if the Pocket Wizards are not set to Basic Trigger Only, then the highest sync speed was 1/100th sec. on the Fujifilm X20. I set my flashes manually anyway so this is really good for my shooting techniques...

 My friend Dickie Bennett, with his Fujifilm X100s which he loves . We put my transmitter on his X100s and worked quite well...

Thank you for reading and viewing this evaluation for the Fujifilm X20.

Peter and Rebecca Dixon Wedding

One of the best weddings I've ever experienced. Peter managed to arrange for a bar - BQ get together with the closest of friends on a pleasant Saturday afternoon in Round Rock. He and Rebecca also managed to (mostly) keep a secret that they'd be wed during the outing. To take it a step further, Peter managed to keep the secret from  Rebecca that Tim, their best friend, was officially ordain 2 weeks earlier and would perform their vows. A friendly get together in the backyard turned wedding day.  Fantastic !!!

Meeting Mike Brito aka JediMasta

I met Mike Brito at a Mixer Event and in conversation shows me a video clip on his smartphone of a martial arts competition that he's in. I am a fan of martial arts and now sitting next to me is a champion. So, we arranged for a photo shoot during his following business visit to Austin. But, we shoot in Georgetown before he checks into his hotel. The shoot is scheduled for late afternoon. I look at the clear sky and hope for a few clouds to roll in. We headed for The Blue Hole around 6:30 and there are very few people at the park. I look up again and clouds are rolling in.  

  Mike has his complete outfit and sword, I have my studio light and speed light. The challenge is always having enough light for the shadow side of my subject while achieving blue sky greatness or in the case, blue sky and cloud greatness.  He gets into position and holds a variety of moves for a series of photographs. All elements came together and I couldn't be happier.

RSX STUDIOS

First of all, RSX STUDIOS is the shortened name I am registering and also I now have a "real" website that is, a "www" in the URL.  It is http://www.rsxstudios.com.  Heck, everything photographic is just about all digital, so I decided to eliminate "digital" from the name. I also had originally "Images" as part of the name so I changed it to "Studios". Studios has a connection with a place photographs are taken, as well as, a place photographs are displayed. I do both. So there. It makes sense, and the name is not that long, so people can remember it easier.

 Hopefully I will get more active with this blog. It seems that blogging became somewhat secondary as I had become rather busy with photography business, the business model and branding, and developing a workflow that works for me.  I appreciate your time on my blog and responses, and support.

Rudy Ximenez, Photographer !