Below is a copy of the press release circulated by Jude Savage, Chair, Foto Freo Inc about the closure of the iconic festival of photography known as FotoFreo.
Vale FotoFreo
The Board of FotoFreo Inc regrets to advise that FotoFreo, the festival of photography, will be discontinued.
The Board’s decision to not proceed with the event into the future is primarily because key funding was not renewed by one of the major sponsors and this in turn would make it more difficult to secure funding from other key partners.
FotoFreo has been going now for 10 years and there have been six festivals, and the event has grown with each successive Festival.
However, despite the success of the event, both nationally and internationally, recurrent funding (money committed to the event without having to apply for the funds each time) has not been secured from any of our major partners.
As an event FotoFreo relies substantially on the efforts of a large number of volunteers and a small number of paid employees.
However, a critical phase in the development of each Festival is the first 12 months after the last festival – the first year of the two year Festival cycle. It is during this time that most of the planning is done and where there is a continuity of effort required. This is probably the most critical period of the Festival cycle and where a component of core funding is now necessary.
In the earliest years of FotoFreo’s development this activity was undertaken by a small group of dedicated volunteers, in particular, Brad Rimmer, Graham Miller, David Dare Parker, Bob Hewitt, and later included Ben Walton, Seng Mah, Elizabeth McCaig, Lyle Branson and Brent Acie, but as the scope and scale of the Festival increased paid staff were necessary to undertake the work.
Another factor in the Board’s thinking was the decision by Bob Hewitt, who started the event in its current form in 2001 and has been associated with it ever since, to step aside to make way for a new Festival Director and his subsequent resignation from the Board. However, Bob did indicate that he would be happy to continue in a supportive role, particularly assisting a new Festival Director, if required.
FotoFreo was the first international photo festival in Australasia and one of the first if not the first in the South East Asian region. The pioneering nature of the event served as an inspiration for other festivals in the region.
FotoFreo successfully established its own identity amongst the growing ranks of photo festivals by the innovations and the risks it undertook. In particular, the commissioning of original work – Edward Burtynsky, Australian Minescapes (FotoFreo 2008), David Dare Parker, The Clubs (FotoFreo 2010), Martin Parr, No Worries and Bo Wong, Fremantle Markets Project (FotoFreo 2012). These exhibitions were funded without the help of government grants. Furthermore, books were published to accompany all of these commissions and exhibitions. These commissions all contributed to the cultural capital of Western Australia and indeed to Australia.
Another innovation was the focus given to photographers in the Asian region through group exhibitions from a number of countries, in particular China and most recently India. On each occasion a number of the photographers accompanied the exhibitions and spoke about the work during the Festival.
FotoFreo 2012 also saw the introduction of WA Life, a photographic competition that privileged WA photographers, and the highly successful FutureGen project that involved a partnership with the Pingyao Photography Festival in China and a cultural exchange between the two countries. These two events were set to become regular activities in future Festivals and for which ongoing sponsorship had been secured.
In recent years there was a growing awareness that the Festival was beginning to spread too widely and in the most recent evaluation of the event (of FotoFreo 2012) it was acknowledged that some consolidation was required and this was made clear to our sponsors.
In the end, however, the ongoing success of an event such as FotoFreo is determined initially by a small group of people and at least one ‘driver’, and at the scale of the current event such people must be appropriately remunerated. In addition, there are ongoing real costs of an administrative nature that need to be met.
On an optimistic note, I think it can be said that FotoFreo has played an important part in raising the awareness of photography amongst the wider public and made a positive contribution to the cultural landscape of Western Australia. The Board of FotoFreo are grateful to all our many volunteers, supporters and sponsors who have assisted us in realising the FotoFreo festival of photography over the past ten years and trust that they will continue to support many other photographic endeavours.
The only regret might be the loss of recognition that came with the event nationally and internationally over ten years or more of growth and development and for which there are few similar events in Western Australia, let alone Fremantle.
The imaging industry in Australia is on the decline restructure. Gone are the boom times of rocketing camera sales and profitability. Times are tough for most retailers and this has been reflected in a number of job losses across the wholesale imaging industry.
Today I found out Olympus made 9 positions redundant across Australia. To my knowledge most of the redundancies happened over in the east coast of Australia with no job losses in the State of Western Australia. The positions made redundant varied from business managers, administration and a position within the accounts department.
Recently I saw a similar situation happened with Sony Australia where service technicians and account managers (to name a few) were also given their pink slips .
But it’s not all bad news for Olympus. Industry figures (recently released) showed the Olympus OM-D held a whopping 43% of market share for Digital SLR cameras in the month of December 2013. Historically Olympus have been very strong in their compact range but over the last couple of years sales figures have been in a downward spiral. I’m sure this would have played a part in the redundancies as the rise of smart phones has clearly dominated this category. However saying this the OM-D is certainly making up for the lack of sales in compacts. To this day I have never seen a camera sell as well – so I think Canon and Nikon should take a leaf out of Olympus’s book to see what they are doing right!
On top of the OM-D’s success its rumoured Olympus will be releasing an updated Digital SLR to replace their flagship E-5 camera . I can confirm Olympus’s marketing department is heading on a plane to Japan for ‘meetings’ this week, where I’m sure this rumoured camera will be discussed and revealed. So stay tuned.
For those who are reading this who have been made redundant I certainly know what it is like. Over one year ago I found myself in the same situation. My role as an Area Business Manager for Fujifilm Australia was no longer required as the company was transitioning itself into more streamlined practices. Online services seemed to be the way of the future and since November 3rd 2011 (the day I was made redundant *on my birthday*) Fujifilm Australia is believed to have made a total of nearly 50 redundancies (unconfirmed). As I have been in the industry for some time this was no surprise. Online accounting services and cloud computing have replaced the expensive employee and at the time of my redundancy my thoughts were reflected in Dave Marshall’s CEO statement to the press (via current.com) –
“By creating clever internet systems that incorporate such initiatives as sophisticated reordering websites, centralised systems, Facebook applications and virtual photo books, Fujifilm aims to provide innovative platforms that will offer new business opportunities for all of its customers.
“Fujifilm Australia has already proved very successful in developing and delivering cutting edge network solutions for its customers within the consumer imaging segment.
“Advanced plans are now underway within Fujifilm Australia to extend its network connectivity capabilities to the Graphic Systems and Medical Imaging Divisions.
“New business models that maximise this trend to ensure customers are at the forefront of new technology is a key focus for our business moving forward.
“In order to reinvent our processes and technology, this represents an opportunity to create a range of new specialist positions within Fujifilm Australia to drive a seamless transition for both consumers and customers.
“Unfortunately, as part of this process, it has also meant some changes to positions that have become redundant in the back office administration area due to technological advancements.
“There has also been a small number of positions that have been rationalised at the front end of the business to accommodate the specialist roles that are being created as part of the transition.
“Our goal is to strengthen Fujifilm’s position and ensure it is suitably equipped to balance current market demands with future business investment.
“Advancements in technology coupled with changes in consumer behaviour, has resulted in a significant transformation in the way businesses such as Fujifilm need to operate.”
So do I have any advice for employees who find themselves out of a job? Certainly! My advice – stay positive and hold no grudges. Look at it this way, being let go is possibly the best thing that could happen to you. It’s a new start, a new you. So don’t be complacent, use this time to reinvent yourself and do what you love. Start your own business or even become a consultant within your industry. For me I followed my love of social media and although I am still working a 9 to 5 I do plan on making this my gig in the distant future.
So based on Fujifilm, Olympus, Sony and Panasonic’s (2011) redundancies the big question looms….what about the big players like Nikon and Canon? When will they be cutting back?
Over the last couple of days I have been doing a bit of research on the subject and have found two hypotheticals which could lead to redundancies (please take my findings as speculation and rumour, not fact):
I can see the move to Salesforce equating to job losses within Canon Australia in the next year. The reason I say this is because when I worked at Fujifilm I saw the same Salesforce rollout. It certainly is a powerful account management system and it does really replace the need to have extra account managers out in the field. Once the accounts are entered in the cloud they can be seen on any device from anywhere. Orders, leads, account history and delivery are all the vital information to an account manager. Salesforce easily combines a team of people reporting this information into a manageable feed which can be read by one person and acted upon. Need I say more?
2) The mirrorless camera situation for Canon and Nikon (Nikon especially) is serious.
Stock levels for the Nikon 1 J1 and Canon EOS M in their respective warehouses are said to be high. For Nikon this is quite alarming. The Nikon 1 J2 (announced August 9th 2012) and the anticipated Nikon V1 replacement (announced October 24th 2012) are simply premature for the market place. There is too much old stock (old models) sitting on retailers shelves. Something has got to give. Either the price has to be lowered and profits cut which in turn could affect jobs in the long-term.
Canon forecasters have anticipated their lack of sales by offering the slow-moving EOS M buyers a $150 cash back when they purchase their camera from an Australian retailer. I’m sure this will work in the short-term but it still early days. Over the next month you will see a huge marketing campaign from Canon to help their sell through across their range of products. I’m sure this is a one of their ways to cut their losses.
So in closing redundancies are never a nice thing. Unfortunately for industry they are a big part of life and for industry to evolve its a necessary thing. Over the next three years I can envision the imaging industry changing dramatically. The rise of connected smart phones and technology will certainly make the jobs within the imaging industry semi redundant if companies don’t act or embrace the technology.
I recently discussed the future of imaging over on F Stop Lounge which looks at some of the future technology and how it may play a part in the industry. No longer will industry be able to sit on their hands and wait for product to sell (fine example EOS M), employees and their associated marketing companies will have to be proactive in their marketing approach to reach a new audience that falls outside the traditional photographer. As the generations age and the technology evolves I see a new kind of photo being created and produced. One that will replace the photo industry and be more aligned with the Consumer Electronics Industry. I just hope that day doesn’t come too soon as I do like working in my industry…but hey we all have to live with change…good or bad.
Have you ever seen images of lightning, star trails and even light painting and wondered how the photographer captured it?
This little article is all about revealing some of the magic….using one of the low light photographers favourite tool – the camera remote.
The original screw in shutter button remote your grandparents had for their trusty camera certainly doesn’t stand a chance against the modern remote of today.
Wireless, timer, WiFi and even Bluetooth are common terms associated with this great device that will change the way you tackle your newly found photographic subject. Remotes are most useful when the camera’s shutter speed exceeds 30 seconds in a mode called bulb mode. When the bulb mode is used you can extend the camera’s shutter speed to what ever time limit you want (although you are limited to your camera’s battery). Shooting in bulb mode means whatever happens in the scene will be captured while the shutter is open.
I have just launched a brand new photography community called Google+ Photographers Community which can be found over on Google+.
Google has only yesterday released a new platform called communities which combines the best of Google+, YouTube, Google Groups and Google Events all in the one place. A community is ideally based on a subject, within the subject users are able to post their content directly to a sub-category.
Since the launch there has been many communities formed however I did notice that there was no place which combined the things in photography that interested me. So I decided to create the Google+ Photographers Community (GPC).
Within GPC I have created the following categories:
Android Devices – Community members post photos and content related to Android Devices.
Apple Devices – Community members post photos and content related to Apple Devices.
Canon – Community members post photos and content related to Canon gear.
Casio – Community members post photos and content related to Casio gear.
Fujifilm – Community members post photos and content related to Fujifilm gear.
GoPro – Community members post photos and content related to GoPro gear.
Kodak – Community members post photos and content related to Kodak gear.
Leica – Community members post photos and content related to Leica gear.
Nikon – Community members post photos and content related to Nikon gear.
Olympus – Community members post photos and content related to Olympus gear.
Panasonic – Community members post photos and content related to Panasonic gear.
Pentax Ricoh – Community members post photos and content related to Pentax or Ricoh gear.
Samsung – Community members post photos and content related to Samsung gear.
Sigma – Community members post photos and content related to Sigma gear.
Sony – Community members post photos and content related to Sony gear.
Events – +Leigh Diprose will run a weekly photo competition based on a photographic theme. Participants will be able to share their photos directly to the themed Event.
My future plan is to entangle my blog and Google community together with future events and google hangouts posted weekly to my YouTube channel and here on the blog.
The hangouts will talk about the latest in photographic gear as well as review some of the latest product. I can’t wait to see where this leads. In the first few hours almost 200 people have joined the community and the engagement between the users has been fantastic. ***Update*** 359 Members!
If you have any questions on the new community please let me know in the comments.
I have been part of the imaging industry since 1999 and since then I have seen some radical changes. Most of the changes have occurred in the last couple of years with the major collapse of one of the biggest imaging companies – Kodak. Social media has had a lot to do with that change.
I continually dream about the future…sometimes I even think I’m in the wrong career…maybe I should be an inventor, work in a technology R&D department or be a consultant to the imaging industry. What I’m thinking at the moment is writing a story on my predictions on the future of the imaging industry and how it will affect us. Three things were on my mind today so let me get started with those:
1) Cameras (mainly compact cameras to start with) will be replaced with smart camera technology.
This will only happen if camera companies wake up and smell the technology revolution. I see the imaging industry asleep when it comes to the development of new programs. I mean look at the phone industry. Before the word ‘smart phone’ was invented it was just called the phone but as soon as the big players in the telecommunications industry saw the potential of releasing the API (Application Programming Interface) and SDK (Software Development Kit) there was a huge influx of apps being written which only drew more and more people to the devices bringing much success. Eyebrows raise when someone doesn’t own a smart phone.
My biggest fear is seeing traditional camera companies like Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Olympus all sitting on their hands waiting for someone else to come up with the idea. All it would take is for a company to release the API or SDK to build apps for their cameras. The only company I see at the moment doing it successfully is Samsung with Android devices. Nikon have been the quickest as well to jump on the bandwagon releasing the Nikon Coolpix s800c. My only hope is they continue to grow this line of smart cameras. To be honest I only see the Andriod platform working on cameras as a newly developed system would only cause confusion in the market place. The time has passed to release a new version as it should have been done one year ago.
I find the biggest problem with the market place is that companies are relying on traditional advertising. The target market of 25-45 year olds are flooded with technology already. The only place left to grow in this area is life blogging and car technology. Most people in the traditional age bracket already own 1-2 cameras. Wouldn’t it be smarter to pitch the idea of smart cameras to a younger demographic around the ages of 18-24?
2) Wearable cameras offering life blogging will be the next big internet sensation
Life blogging is going to be huge. You may not think it but let me tell you some people thought digital cameras were a waste of time! These small cameras like Project Glass by Google will only need to be clipped on or worn to capture your life moments in an instant. I imagine as you record every second of your life you will have the opportunity to upload all of your moments directly to the cloud. Once your moments are online you will be able to edit your video sharing the stream via YouTube, broadcast it to your circles over a Google+ Hangout or even send it to family and friends via your favourite social media site like Facebook. Your photos and video would become the new cinema complex with fans following your every move!
I hear some of you saying that’s just weird I would never film myself and put my life online…..you are quite right in saying that….I’m not writing this for you, this article is intended for the younger generation in future years who will probably laugh at the ideas because they were so ‘old school’ in the year 2012. I do now something though….life blogging is going to be popular and I guarantee you will watch someone’s life moment on YouTube or the news one day.
3) Wireless power and wireless technology will replace traditional hardware plugs.
Wouldn’t it be great to walk outside on a holiday knowing that your smart phone had a full battery life from the previous night out? What if you were stuck at an airport due to a cancelled flight only to find that your laptop charger was in your suitcase which had already flown out of the country on another plane or what if you arrive on a planned holiday to your dream destination only to find you forgot to pack your camera charger? Unfortunately a lot of these hypotheticals are happen daily we reply on our wall plugs for so many things. What if I told you in the future this wouldn’t be a problem because in the future we will wireless power. A new type of power device generated on a wireless technology. Wouldn’t that be great? I can’t wait to see this technology spread across multiple devices. Finally I will be able to get rid of the rat’s nest of cables hanging from my computer desk!
If you have any questions on this article please let me know by emailing leighdiprosephotography@yahoo.com.au or submitting a comment below.
Nikon have officially announced the new Nikon D5200. Here is some information from Nikon about the camera:
Breath-taking image quality
The third camera in its series, following the D5000 and the D5100, the Nikon D5200 offers a massive leap in image-quality. In addition to the 24.1-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor for finely detailed images, the new EXPEED 3 image processor provides high-speed operation and excellent, rich colour reproduction – as well as enhanced movie recording. The high ISO sensitivity (100-6400 which is extendable to 25600) delivers brilliant shots in dark or poorly lit environments as well as producing clear images of fast moving subjects.
The Nikon D5200 shares an AF system, metering sensor and scene recognition with the Nikon D7000 series, giving this camera a new level of performance and much enhanced image quality. The superior accuracy of the 39-point AF system and nine cross-type sensors delivers razor sharp images by focusing precisely on the subject you choose. Meanwhile, the 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor provides precise data to the camera’s Scene Recognition System, which optimises exposure, autofocus and white balance immediately before the shutter is released.
Nikon D5200 Black with 18-55mm lens
Image creations from any angle
The Nikon D5200’s versatile 7.5cm (3-in) vari-angle LCD monitor provides the ultimate freedom and flexibility to take beautiful shots and movies from virtually any position. You can flip, tilt or turn the swivel monitor to get really creative with your angles. In addition, the Nikon D5200 is an intelligently designed lightweight camera, with clear menus and superior ergonomics, making it a pleasure to maneuver and shoot with.
Wireless connectivity to share your creations
Wirelessly transmitting images from your camera to an Apple™ or Android™ smart device is possible by using the optional WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter. This means you can share images that you are proud of with friends via social networks and email for instant reactions. It is even possible to control your camera remotely from your smart device to help you take beautiful shots without disturbing your subjects.
Distinctive HD movies
Effortlessly alternate between shooting stills and Full HD movies with smooth (up to 60i/50i) recording at the flick of a switch. The camera’s subject tracking of moving objects in three dimensions, with full time servo AF (AF-F), ensures focus of moving objects throughout filming. Adding to that, creating movies to be proud of can be achieved with in-movie editing and the camera’s built-in stereo microphone.
Inspirational Effect and Scene modes
Be even more original with the Nikon D5200 Effects mode. A range of seven special effects: Selective Colour, Miniature, High and Low Key, Silhouette, Colour Sketch and Night Vision can be applied in real time to images and movies through Live View so you can see what your final creation will look like before you shoot it. In addition, in-camera High Dynamic Range (HDR) and D-lighting capture detailed images of high-contrast scenes, increasing creative possibilities. You can also select from 16 different Scene modes – they optimise the camera settings, such as shutter speed, ISO and aperture – to the situation you are shooting. It is great for a quick shot or if you are still learning about D-SLR photography.
The Nikon D5200 Bronze with 18-55mm lens
Easy User Interface with Live View Feature as an option
Key features
– DX-format, 24.1 megapixel CMOS image sensor with EXPEED 3 for exceptional quality
– Vari-angle LCD monitor: View life at a unique angle with a high resolution, 7.5cm (3.0-in), 921k dot vari-angle screen
– Compatible with Wireless Mobile Adaptor WU-1a to transmit images from the camera to AppleTM or AndroidTM smart device and remote shooting¹
– High ISO (100-6400) extendable to 25600: keeps the detail with low noise in low-light situations
– Razor-sharp 39-point AF system with nine cross-type sensors in the center. Offers fast and precise autofocus coverage across the frame
– 2,016 pixel RGB metering sensor delivers highly accurate metering for exact exposures and provides precise data to the camera’s Scene Recognition System
– Scene Recognition System optimizes exposure, autofocus and white balance immediately before the shutter is released
– Continuous shooting at 5fps: so you do not miss that fast-moving action shot
– High dynamic range (HDR): Gives detailed shots of high-contrast scenes by combining two shots taken within a single shutter release
– Active D-Lighting: Retains details in highlights and shadows for well-balanced images, even if the subject is moving
– D-Movie: Full (1080p) HD movies with smooth (up to 60i/50i) recording and a built-in stereo microphone
– D-Movie AF modes: Live View autofocus works when shooting movie clips, keeping subjects in sharp focus
– In-built stereo-microphone for improved sound quality
– Updated new generation GUI Design
– 16 Scene modes: Automatically adjusts camera settings, including Picture Controls and Active D-Lighting, for optimal results
– Effects mode – seven effects including Selective Colour and Miniature, which can be applied in pre-shoot, for more creative movies and stills
– Compatible with WR-R10 Wireless Remote transceiver and WR-T10 Wireless Remotetransmitter that let you control key camera functions from a distance
– GPS compatible: Records the exact location of the camera when a picture is taken by using the optional GP-1 unit
– NIKKOR lenses:take advantage of Nikon’s legendary NIKKOR lenses and make the most of the camera’s 24-megapixel resolution.Capture photos with vivid colour and striking contrast. Shoot movies with crisp detail or experiment with cinematic effects
– Available in three colours: black, red and bronze
– Lightweight body (505g) with an intelligent design and superior ergonomics
¹ Compatible with iOS™ and Android™ smart devices. This feature requires use of a dedicated Wireless Mobile Utility application that can be downloaded for free from Google Play™ and the Apple App Store™.
I must say this was the first photography competition which I have conducted and what a success! A huge thank you to all the photographers for getting behind this free competition by submitting their motion themed entry! There certainly is some very talented photographers out there! We had over 144 entries which were accepted across the month-long competition.
This competition would not have happened if it wasn’t for the amazing judges who put in a huge effort to get this competition launched. Thanks to André Appel, Suzanne Clements, Andy Gray, Kev Isabeth, Paul Pichugin, Jack Salzke and Helen Sotiriadis for donating your time and photographic insight. Also a huge shout out for Don Noll for administrating the entire event. You all are truly amazing photographers, judges and wonderful people so from the bottom of my heart I thank you for all your help.
Below you can see the photos which made the finals as well as the top three photos. Congratulations to Nicola Davidson for the amazing photo which took out first place.
For your information this is how the judging was conducted:
Each of the 8 judges chose their favourite three entries from all the entered photographs. These selected entries formed the finalists.
From the selected finalists the photographs were judged individually and were scored out of 100 on the following criteria –
1. How well the photo fits the theme of motion.
2. How creative the photograph is.
3. How original the photograph is.
4. What the technical photographic quality is like.
Once an image had been individually scored the judges scores for that image were combined to give a final score. The finalist that received the highest overall score was selected as the winner.
Isn’t funny how we look for composition. Some of us practise it and for others it comes naturally.
My mother was an artist so composition came naturally to me. Maybe I was born with it….maybe its…..oh no that sounds like an ad! Seriously if you’re not born with composition then you will find it comes with practise. I think I learned how to compose an image as a child. Television and movies were my forte. Living in Sydney I would visit the cinema with a mate at least three times a month and the video rental card certainly got a work out too – normally 7 movies a week. When I watched a movie or TV show I would constantly look at the way the Director of Photography composed a scene. People were allocated head room and looking space…it was always consistent teaching. Two thirds looking room with the subject on a third line.
Want to learn composition but you don’t have the time to watch movies and TV? Don’t stress there is another way – bucket practice!
What the? Bucket practice I hear you say? Let me explain….start with some strong rope, a sturdy bucket (with metal handle) and some rocks. Attach the rope to the handle of the bucket. Throw the other end of the rope over an overhead strong horizontal beam. Measure so the bucket is hanging around chest height and tie off the rope again to the handle of the bucket. Add some rocks to the weigh down the bucket. Now your bucket will be hanging freely from a horizontal beam.
Hold the bucket and walk away from the hanging position so the rope is pulled tight. Release the bucket in any direction..for example swing the bucket left or right in circular motion or simply in a release it in a straight line. Once the bucket is in full swing pick up your camera with a telephoto lens attached and proceed to follow the bucket with the lens zoomed in all the way. This will take a bit of practice.
Once you have mastered following the bucket with the lens zoomed all the way try keeping your framing consistent by zooming in and out as the bucket moves towards or away from you. Try and make the bucket stay the same size. Spend about 10 minutes on this step. Once you have mastered following and framing proceed to the next step.
The next step requires a tripod and lots of practice. Set the camera up and turn your focus to manual. Proceed to do everything I mentioned above, keeping framing and zoom…..now simply add focus to the mix. This is hard but possible! You will now have two hands on the lens; one operating the zoom the other operating the camera’s focus…..let me know how you go!
All the hours of bucket practice has really helped my wildlife and sports photography. To this day I feel quite comfortable following a small bird through the viewfinder whilst maintaining framing and focus at 800mm.
Now back to the composition…
When out and about I’m constantly looking for leading lines and composition angles within my photographs. If I need to crop an image in post processing then I use the common third lines as a guide.
Don’t get me wrong. Not everything needs to be perfect. Sometimes rules are meant to be broken you simply just have to have the correct photograph to do it. I hear you say, when should they be broken Leigh? Simple answer….you just know…that’s what composition is about – producing a photograph that pleases the eye.
Take this photograph as an example. The birds lined up on the railing create a leading line to the bird looking in the other direction. See it?
So now I challenge you all, next time you are out with your camera don’t press the shutter button until you have composed the image first. In other words know what to shoot before you shoot it. Be sure to look for those leading lines too – they will make a big difference to your photography.
This review is based solely on my own opinion about the camera. I have been using the X-Pro 1 since the beginning of May and have seen some amazing results.
All my photographs were taken as a RAW file and edited in some way using Adobe Lightroom 3/4 or Adobe Photoshop CS5.
I have spread my thoughts on this camera across different aspects that are important to me. If you are after a detailed spec review then this is not the site for you. This review is based on a user experience the highs and the lows….so lets get started!
To celebrate the camera’s ability to shoot in low light I put this video together. Enjoy.
DESIGN
Fujifilm have managed to design the X-Pro 1 with style, class and quality. The full metal body speaks highly of the cameras design. The X-Pro 1 fits like a glove. The sleek stylish curved body accentuates and oozes quality. Many say a poor man Leica? I say touch of class.
However there are a few things that I don’t like so much about the camera. I’ll get into those later on.
I have found the bold black magnesium alloy shapes aesthetically pleasing. The designer in my has ignited. I simply wanted to get my hands on one. Two months later and I am thankful I have one.
Having a history with professional DSLR cameras the physical size of the camera and lens combinations have been a pleasure to hold. Most compact pro cameras out there have simply been too small. The Olympus OM-D EM5, Nikon V1, Sony Nex 7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 have all been in my hands before, all of which have lost their appeal due to their compact size (the closest thing to comfort out of these cameras would have to be the Olympus OMD with the grip on). Don’t get me wrong the other cameras out there take a great photo – what I am trying to say is coming from a Pro DSLR background, the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 simply feels better in my hands.
I think the Japanese do things well. For a camera to be in my kit it must be made in Japan or Germany. Quality is Japan and German – period. Luckily the X-Pro 1 was forged in Japan otherwise I wouldn’t even touch it!
CAMERA LAYOUT
All the buttons are ergonomically designed to fit the users hand. One of the main features I like about the design was the placement of the viewfinder. Too many cameras have the viewfinder in the middle. When you press your eye up against the viewfinder your nose becomes jammed up against the LCD which eventually smears the screen The X-Pro 1 has fixed that problem by moving the viewfinder to the side of the camera.
DIALS
The dials on the camera also reflect Fujifilm’s attention to detail. As you turn the on/off switch, the shutter speed dial or the exposure compensation dial you can be assured of the change as each movement is confirmed with a solid “click” as the dial moves into place. I have read a few reviews in my time and played with many cameras. One big issue for Fujifilm on the earlier X100 was the mode dial would move if you bumped it. This hasn’t been a problem on the X-Pro 1 as Fujifilm have added a much-needed lock on the shutter speed dial.
Coming from a Canon background I found when looking through the viewfinder navigating the button and dial configuration seemed second nature. When reviewing images on the 3 inch screen or through the 1,230,000 dot electronic viewfinder the colour and detail was very close to what I saw through my own eyes.
VIEWFINDER
Hybrid viewfinder. Now there’s an idea. I found myself using this feature all to often. I’ll give you an example. I was photographing some stars on a moonless night near Pemberton, Western Australia. I travelled there only to find there was no bright light source to set my focus on. I had two cameras with me the Canon EOS 1D MK IV and the Fujifilm X-Pro 1. After setting both up on tripods I attempted to gain focus on the Canon. Using only the optical viewfinder I set the focus point to the center point and half pressed the shutter button. The Canon 17-40mm f4 L lens whirred and hunted back and forth trying its best to focus on the brightest star in the sky. After five minutes of trying I had no luck. I’m sure if the Canon could talk it was saying “I think I can…I think I can…” My eyes were too bad to attempt to manually focus so the camera was useless on this occasion. The Fujifilm X-Pro had its chance.
I set the hybrid viewfinder to the electronic viewfinder. WOW! I was blown away. Not only could the camera focus in almost pitch black it was like I was looking through a window into clear daylight. The electronic viewfinder boasted amazing quality and only took less than a second to gain autofocus! To this day I am still amazed a camera can perform better than how I see in low light. Fujifilm clearly got something right!
X-PRO 1 – 18mm – ISO 400 – f2 – 30 secs
MENU
The camera’s menu took a bit of getting use to. Although after the first week I seem to have mastered it.
Conveniently placed the menu button sits nestled in-between the selector keys. Once pressed the shooting menu tab is the first out of eight tabs to be displayed – five of which are camera settings and the remaining are playback settings.
Previously on the Fujifilm X100 menu you had to fight your way through various functions to get to the next page of settings. The main menu on the X-Pro 1 has been laid out with some thought – thanks Fujifilm for listening! The X-Pro 1 menu allows you to bypass all the unwanted settings by selecting a tab on the left hand side. Navigating your way around the menu is simple. The selector keys scroll up, down, left and right while the command dial controls the function of the mode you have selected.
For changing settings on the fly the X-Pro 1 features a Q (Quick) button. 15 of the most common settings appear as symbols on the back LCD allowing you to bypass the main menu. I was able to control what settings appeared on the Quick menu as the camera allowed 7 different custom screens. Each custom screen allowed me to save my favourite camera settings to the quick menu. For example I set a custom quick menu for low light shooting which centred around ISO and bracketing controls; the other custom menu was set for landscape photography where I pre-saved my film simulation mode to Velvia.
I think without the Quick mode Fujifilm would have made a huge mistake. This button was designed to keep the user out of the menu so they could spend more time shooting and it certainly worked for me!
Check out the video from the Fuji Guys on how the new menu works.
Auto (400), Auto (800), Auto (1600), Auto (3200)….ok now that’s over….. I tended to use ISO 400 right through to ISO 2500.
The camera has really challenged me with my photography. I am so used to carrying my clunky tripod or flash to capture the dimly lit scenes in life. With the X-Pro 1 I didn’t have to worry about all the other photographic paraphernalia. I was able to go anywhere and photograph anything.
Setting the ISO control to 3200 my head was telling me ARRRGHHHH what are you doing???? I wanted to explore the camera…I mean if Fujifilm were going to put a setting on the camera it had to be good right? I had to test it – sort of like when you have to test if the paint is dry just after painting…I got that feeling! The question was at ISO 3200 was there going to be noise?
Really ISO 3200?
BOOM!
No noise.
The shutter had been pressed when shooting some low light urban scenes in Melbourne and Fremantle and look no noise! Crazy!
This would definitely be one of the very best features on the camera. High ISO with no noise. What more could I want?
Fujifilm X Pro 1 – ISO 2500 – 35mm – f1.4 – 1/170sec – Split Toning in Adobe Lightroom 4.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f10 – 5 secs
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f10 – 30 sec
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f2 – 1/4 sec
MOVIE
HD Video on the X-Pro 1 is a feature I am still dabbling in. However if you want to see what the quality is like at 720p I found this video showcasing the video quality. Remember to change the YouTube video setting to 720P HD for better viewing quality.
SWEEP PANORAMA
This sort of setting is not new for me. I have used this setting mainly on compact Fujifilm, Olympus, Canon and Sony cameras. The first series of cameras to bring this feature out were …how do I put it….crap.
The X-Pro 1 must have majored in sweep panoramas at production school! When it comes to sweeping the X-Pro 1 knows! The quality of the stitch is seamless if done correctly.
I pushed the camera to the limits by acting as a drunk and even portraying the smoker withdrawal shake. The pictures weren’t pretty….lets just say I found the limit. This mode is definitely not for the drunks. To be expected there were some problems with stitching due the rapid hand shake. My advice would be to use a tripod or monopod if you like your drink or smokes and suffer from withdrawals…this camera setting isn’t for you….but for everyone else all you need is a steady hand and you will be fine. This is the result in a high contrast scene. The outdoor light was pouring in and I don’t think I could have photographed this almost 180 degree view without the use of the sweep panorama mode.
Power consumption was probably one of my only dislikes on the camera (maybe because I used it so much!)
The CIPA (Camera and Imaging Products Association) standard is said to be 300 images from one charged battery. CIPA test under strict conditions. Each camera is turned on, the shutter button is pressed once taking a photo and the camera is then turned off. The process is repeated until the camera won’t turn on again. Fujifilm reached 300 cycles.
Fujifilm amped up the power from the previous X100’s NP-95 battery to the new Fujifilm NP-W126 battery. I would definitely recommend a spare as I found myself running out of power too often. The battery drain can really be likened to a car. Performance vehicles use a lot of fuel so really you should expect the X-Pro 1 to use a lot of battery.
LENSES
The XF lens system has produced some amazing results. No detail was spared when designing these lenses. The tow lenes I have been using are the Fujifilm XF 18mm F2 R and the Fujifilm XF 35mm f1.4 R. My favorite out of the two would have to be the 35mm as it gives a true representation to what I see. Recently Fujifilm announced the XF 14mm f2.8, 18-55mm f2.8-4, 56mm f1.4, 27mm f2.8, 55-200mm f3.5-f4.8 and the new 10-24 f4.
I just wish I had the 10-24mm as it would provide a nice wide-angle for shooting my landscapes. Currently I am stitching all my photographs which is quite time-consuming.
Pictured below is the road map of Fujifilm XF lenses which will be released shortly.
IMAGE DETAIL
Overall I think when it comes to reviewing a camera the image detail is one of the most important things. I won’t write too much more on this subject as the Jpeg images taken on the APS-C sized senor will show you . Take a look.
Full sized compact pro – fitted perfectly in my hands
High ISO with extremely low noise. I was able to shoot ISO 3200 with no problems at all.
Quick Menu allowed me to bypass the main menu for ease of operation
Hybrid Viewfinder worked well in low light situations.
Horizon tool on the rear LCD allowed me to get all my landscapes straight!
Magnesium alloy body meant I could take the camera anywhere without any problem.
XF lenses – clean, sharp and crisp – especially the 35mm f1.4
Amazing detail due to the removal of the low pass filter
Camera strap – the underside of the strap was rubberized and provided good grip. Never slid off my shoulder!
THUMBS DOWN:
Battery life – didn’t seem to last two days of shooting.
Diopter adjustment lens seemed to want to unscrew itself from the camera. I found it in my camera bag on one occasion.
Slow start-up time (compared with a Pro DSLR)
OVERALL
Overall I can recommend this camera to the keen enthusiast or professional photographer. The camera is light and perfect as a stand alone or second body. Shooting in low light stacks up against some of the bigger players like the Canon 5D MKIII and Nikon D800. I think the removal of the low pass filter to mimic film has paid off. Fujifilm have really developed a ground breaking camera adding to the overall success of the X series camera lineup. I look forward to seeing what other photographic boundaries can be pushed by Fujifilm in the coming year and I’m sure the X-Pro 1 will be just one of many X series cameras to wow the photographic world.
I took this image in Fremantle, Western Austraila. Please read on…..
As you all probably are aware social media is a massive part of my life. My social media coverage is expanding rapidly and I feel that I have to give back some of my knowledge and time to photographic community. I do this by offering as much advise that I can give out as well as free Fine Art Photographs.
This is reaching its limit due to my lack of free time. I currently work extremely hard running Leigh Diprose Photography Blog, Leigh Diprose Photography, Brides Perth, CameraED (coming very soon) and Valentine’s Camera House but I feel like I am not doing enough for the non photographers out there. So the next stage of my community outreach is through Virtual Photo Walks. My other outreach programs will continue as I have received a lot of positive feedback regarding the free Fine Art Photographs as well as the photographic and social media advise.
Enough about me! Let me fill you in – Virtual Photo Walks started just over 4 weeks ago by a few of my friends on Google+. John Butterill.
Simply Virtual Photo Walks is “To Know – To Care – To Act.” A photographer hosts a Google Plus Hangout and streams the feed live to a disabled community who don’t have the opportunity to get outdoors or even out of their beds. The hangout is interactive with many participants requesting what to take photos of during the LIVE feed. The feeling of bringing joy to someone who can’t walk just by climbing stairs is heartwarming and an emotional experience for many of the participants.
You will see me posting links and photographs about Virtual Photo Walks. I plan on doing my next Virtual Photo Walk with Paul Pichugin who is also behind this fantastic cause. If you know of anyone who may benefit from participating in these Virtual Photo Walks please drop me an email – leighdiprosephotography@yahoo.com.au and I will get you in touch with the right people.
Some history for you (taken from the Virtual Photo Walks about page – edited)
How Virtual Photo Walks™ came about
Virtual Photo Walks came into existence as a result of a series of random events. I was out for a walk and saw that +Don Noll had started I hang out on G+. As we chatted in the hangout I was also trying to manage my IPhone and the Nikon D 7000 at the same time.
We talked about having an extension arm on the phone or something to make handling the phone easier to handle. After the hangout I was looking at my camera and the phone and suddenly realized that all that was needed was a hot shoe adapter for the Gymbl (http://www.youbiq.com/site/gymbl-pro/ ) which I was using as a phone case.
The +Gymbl which by designed by +Gordon Fowler (youbiq) for doing virtual reality tours it comes with a tripod, IPhone case, and an adapter that allows it to sit on a tripod.
I called Gordon and suggested putting an adapter on the bottom of the Gymbl so that it could be mounted on the hot shoe of the DSLR.
With the IPhone mounted in this way I went for my next walk, I fortunately came upon a Barred owl and thought I would show it to my friends on Google+ I contacted them and they watch me photograph the owl, on google+ hangouts. +Andy Gray took some screenshots of that and posted them with his comments on his page
We had an interesting Hangout earlier as we joined our friend+John Butterill on a walk through the Canadian countryside spotting wildlife to photograph. To broadcast these John uses an#iPhonemounted on a +Gymbl iPhone holder attached to the hotshoe on his +Nikon DSLR, which kinda makes the whole thing look like someone wielding a bazooka in a 1st person shooter to us!
At the point you see below he was photographing a Barred Owl (Not a Barn Owl as previously stated). He’s since posted an excellent shot of the owl perched in a tree from later in his wildlife walk. We were all kind of excited because we realized this was a new way of going on photo shoot.
The next evening I was in a hangout with +C.Cory Fisk . She is bed ridden and was talking to +Helen Sotiradis+Don Noll+Rogier Root about how the only thing she could photograph was what she could see out her window. I simply spoke up and said Corey I’ll take you on a photo shoot, and you can tell me what you want to take pictures of because you will be seeing through the IPhone on Google+ what I can see through the viewfinder. The next day we did our first, now called a +Virtual Photo Walkwith +Don Noll , +AndyUnknown, +RogIer Rood who recorded it for You Tube. You can watch on channel Jbutterill or on the + Virtual Photo Walks page. We all had a lot of fun and it went very well.
Following that I was in a hangout with +Frank Garufi Jr and he was telling me about his son going into the hospital for an infusion which is very uncomfortable and painful for an 8-year-old. Again I simply said I’ll take him for a photo walk around my community and keep them distracted during the process, this was a great fun event and it was not recorded but Frank took a few pictures of his son during the photo walk watching me on the computer. +Frank Garufi Jr then posted them with a very emotional thank you for me doing it. This post was number 8 on what’s hot on Google+ for about 8 hours on Friday the day of the photo walk.
Some of you might remember the interview that +Shefali Burnsdid with me, back in the beginning of January, about Crohns Colitis disease and how my son has been battling it since he was born ( http://youtu.be/wP7cNbsbJHk ). Its a constant struggle for him, and unfortunately, one that he’ll have to struggle with for the rest of his life.
One, of the many, things we have to do is a monthly infusion of a medication called Remicade. The entire process is roughly 6 hours long and requires it to be administered in the hospital ( Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia ).
Today was our scheduled appointment for the month of February and Domenic got a special surprise thanks to +John Butterill and the sheer power and greatness of +Google+ Hangouts.
Armed with his IPhone, Nikon camera, and probably 10 layers of clothing, +John Butterill took my son on a photo walk around Rosedale, Ontario, Canada while he was getting his infusion done. Domenic loved every minute of it! For the hour that John braved the harsh weather conditions to show my son around Rosedale, my son didn’t have to worry about blood pressure cuff’s squeezing his arm too tight, the uncomfortableness of having tubes stuck through his arm, the drip rate of the medicine “burning” him ( the meds must be administered at a specific rate per hour ), or having to be stuck in a hospital when he much rather be at school!!!
+John Butterill is nothing less than a saint in my eyes! He brought a TON of joy to my son today, of what otherwise would have been, another excruciating day for him! This isn’t the first time John has done it either. He took +C. Corey Fisk on a similar photo walk ( http://goo.gl/6Dh0z ).
Frank and I along with +Bruce Garber, +Gordon Fowler and others decided that there should be a page on Google+ to spread the word about this exciting way to help people.
Now we have that page and photographers around the world are stepping up to help conduct photo walks around the world. Events are scheduled in Amsterdam Rome Germany Canada Australia New Zealand.
I have just been told that the new Nikon D800 should be released later today. Being a Canon shooter I am also hoping that Canon will be releasing a medium format camera in the next couple of days. Please note that this is purely speculation.
These days ads can take us on a ride and fool even the smartest adult.
Take a look at this example I noticed at work today. Robbie Williams is holding a BLACK Nikon Coolpix camera to take a photo of the crowd in the Nikon “I AM” commercial…..
Now take a look at the real video. He is actually using a SILVER camera not a BLACK camera. Fooled? Should we even believe that this is a Nikon Camera? Did this ad make you want to go out and buy a stylish Nikon Coolpix? Let me know what you think by posting a comment on the blog.
Paul Pichugin was with me when I took this image last Sunday.
You can just make out the Albany Windfarm in the distance on top of the high cliff. My camera, lens and Lee filters got hammered with salt spray….”If only I had a smaller camera body with built in filters, prime lenses and an awesome weather proof/dust proof body and lens” hehehe…..I’ll keep you guessing on that one……not long now…..watch this space!
Later on I will post an image of me taking this photo (an image that Paul took shooting with our combined Canon 800mm!)
The quality of the video on the new Nikon D4 is breathtaking to watch. Frame rates on this camera range from 60, 50, 30, 25, and 24 (approx). High and normal quality can be selected across all video options which means even slowmotion looks amazing!
Why is the video so good? Check out this video that was filmed on the Nikon D4. It explains itself!
Getting ready for a wedding shoot in Albany tomorrow. Is this enough gear?David Sobik is a want-to-be canon shooter clearly!!!..as you can see the good side is the right hand side – the “red” side not the gold side.
LEIGH DIPROSE 