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!