Move to Mirrorless? Mirrorless vs. DSLR; mirrorless systems comparison

Sony recently launched an ad campaign called Move to Mirrorless.  Should you?  Mirrorless cameras are becoming increasingly popular, so much so that DigitalRev recently parodied the enthusiasm about mirrorless.  In this post, I'll post my reasons for shooting with mirrorless, and also discuss situations when I would prefer a normal DSLR.

Fuji X100S for Family Photos? A Candid Assessment

The Fuji X100S has been out for a while and there are already plenty of reviews for it.  Instead of being a general review, this user review will focus on the X100s' suitability for family and candid photos.  I will first discuss how a 35mm* lens is useful for candid shots.  Next, I will discuss how the X100S is different from other 35mm lens/camera combinations.  I will then discuss how the X100S performs.  Of particular concern is whether it can capture fast-moving subjects (e.g. kids and pets).  Lastly, I will also list some possible alternatives for those who are interested in this camera.

*By "35mm" I mean a lens and camera combination that has the same field of view as a 35mm lens on a full frame 35mm (36x24mm) sensor.

Yes, that's a shot of my daughter on a swing.  But you shouldn't jump to the conclusion that the X100S is good for candid action shots.  Because the truth is that capturing fast action on the X100S is possible but only under some circumstances.

Note: unless otherwise noted, the sample shots here were taken in raw, then converted in Lightroom, with minimal adjustments.  Shots of the X100S itself were taken with the Stylus 1.

Best Lens Hood for the Fuji X100, X100S, and X100T

Check out this lens hood for the Fuji X100, the JJC LN-RC49.  It's a clone of Pentax's lens hood for its DA 40 f/2.8 pancake lens (MH-RC 49mm).  It is sold as a complete set, with adapter ring and hood for around $30.  However, I got it for much less than that by buying a clone hood for the X100 (around $8) and using the adapter included with the hood (which is similar to the Fuji AR-X100), then I found the hood by itself on eBay for around $12.

Like the Fuji hood and most of its clones, this hood is also made of metal.  There is a silver version and a black version, although as a set I've only seen the silver version.

Compared to Fuji's lens hood, this hood:

• is more compact (smaller diameter)
• has a thinner profile
• obstructs less of the optical viewfinder
• doesn't block the flash
• shades the lens better from flare
• protects the lens better (because of the narrower opening)
• looks more stylish (in my opinion), and
• costs only a little more than a clone of the Fuji lens hood.

Note 1: like the Fuji hood, there is no vignetting from this lens hood.

Note 2: if you use this hood, you cannot put the included X100 lens cap over it.

To be fair, a Fuji lens hood or clone has the advantage of having a bayonet-style release (therefore it's easier to remove), and some may prefer its style over this one.  Another disadvantage is that although this hood protects the lens better from dust, if dust does get on the front element, you can't clean it off as readily as with the Fuji hood.  You'll either have to unscrew the lens hood first or else use a brush.  Or you can use a filter in front (see below).

There are two ways to use filters together with this hood.  Either you put a 49mm filter behind the lens hood, or you put a 30.5mm filter in front of the lens hood.  In the shot above, I have a UV filter (Hoya HD UV filter with hardened glass) installed behind the lens hood.  I should add that although the front element of the X100 lens moves in and out when focusing, it doesn't bump into the UV filter (the adapter is pretty deep).  Note: I haven't tried a 30.5mm filter, so I don't know yet for sure if there will be vignetting when doing that (but I've ordered one from B&H at a huge discount, so stay tuned).

UPDATE: I tried attaching different 30.5mm filters, and there was no vignetting, even with a Hoya circular polarizer that had a thicker rim.

You can get a lens cap for this hood in the 30.5mm size, like this one.  The Camera Hunter cap does not fit.  It is actually 30mm, not 30.5mm, so it's too loose.

Note: There's a similar lens hood that has a rounder appearance here though I think the one I got looks better, and I don't think you can mount a filter or cap over this rounder one.

DISCLOSURE: we receive a small commission (at no cost to you) on products purchased through the links above on Amazon. 100% of the proceeds are donated to 501(c)(3) charities such as www.FoodforthePoor.org.  We're not affiliated with eBay, any eBay vendor(s) above, or B&H.

2013: The Camera Year

Blockbuster

This year has witnessed an incredible range of very interesting camera releases (can you guess how many?), there are a lot of tidal shifts in the market, players that are becoming stronger, and others that are referred to as stagnant and old fashioned. I am not attempting to analyze the market and company strategies in this post, instead I will be thinking aloud, analyzing what is going on around, what to do regarding any further camera purchases, and where to head to. The more I think about the new camera releases in 2013, the more I get confused, so I decided to get a white paper and a pen, and jot it all down so I can be able to make a clear analysis. Hit the jump to continue reading, and be astounded with the sheer amount of cameras released in 2013.

Nikon D600 vs. Nikon D7100 comparison (daylight)

While I'm still analyzing the D600 and D7100 low light shots, here are more comparison shots between the D600 and D7100, this time in daylight.  For this test, I used the Sigma 35 1.4 on the D7100 and the Tamron 28-75 (at around 52mm) on the D600.  I know, your first reaction is that it's not a fair comparison because the Sigma is considered one of the sharpest lenses, whereas the Tamron is sharp in the center but it's not in the same league.

Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels

Last year, I had a chance to visit the cathedral of Los Angeles, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, which has amazing post-modern architecture.  Here are some photos I took (click on any photo for a higher-res version).

Nikon D600 vs. Fuji S5 Pro highlight dynamic range

Many recent DSLRs from Nikon have been tested to show a very wide highlight range.  For example, DPReview reports that the Nikon D800 has as much as 5 stops highlight range with Active D-Lighting at Extra High.

The D600 looks to have promising highlight range.  The D600 has been tested by DXO to have a dynamic range similar to that of the D800.  In my own testing, the D600 also appears to have a fairly wide highlight range, based on the latitude I have seen for recovering highlights.

In this post, I compare the highlight dynamic range of the Nikon D600 with that of the Fuji S5 Pro, a unique DSLR that has unparalleled highlight range.  I wanted to see whether the Nikon D600 has met or even surpassed the S5's highlight dynamic range.

A Lighting Opportunity You Shouldn't Miss

The spot above shows one of my favorite kinds of photo opportunities.  It allows me to get dramatic lighting effortlessly.  Hit the jump for a few samples.

Choosing the Exposure for Dynamic Range

Over the weekend, we visited Knott's Berry Farm, one of the first theme parks in the U.S.  What I like about Knott's is that the lines are much shorter than those of Disneyland therefore we get to experience more rides within the same amount of time.  I also think Knott's has a more interesting variety of rides for young children like our 5-year old, and has more thrill rides (though not as many as Magic Mountain).  Although the production value is not as high as that of Disneyland, it is still quite high.

During our visit the heat was intense, reaching 95°F (35°C), just one degree below the all-time record of 96 for that area, and 10 degrees hotter than the average for this time of the year.  With the sun blazing overhead, the dynamic range was very wide.  I used two different exposure strategies to deal with the dynamic range.

Capturing Epic Sunrises and Sunsets

Epic sunrise or sunset shots -- the kind where the sky is ablaze with hues of red, yellow and lavender -- don't happen purely by luck.  We can't control the weather but we can pay attention to the kinds of conditions that are conducive to producing glorious sunrises and sunsets.  Here are some techniques I learned for capturing sunrises and sunsets.

My First Crush: the Fuji S5 Pro

This is a hands-on review of the Fuji Finepix S5 Pro, a DSLR released back in 2007 that combines the best characteristics of negative film and DSLRs.

Included here is a dynamic range comparison between the S5, the Nikon D3 and Nikon D70.