Deals: Fujifilm X-Series Special Pricing Announced

November 15, 2015 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A Fujifilm “Instant Savings” promotion just started today (November 15, 2015), and it brings some excellent price reductions on all of the current X-Series cameras and a whole bunch of lenses. This is a great opportunity to acquire or upgrade a Fujifilm system!

“Asian Styles” — People in front of a San Francisco storefront at night

If you follow this website and my photography, you may already know that I’m a big fan of the Fujifilm X-Series cameras and lenses. I rely on the little X-E1 plus a small set of the excellent Fujifilm lenses for my street and travel photography. This 1.5x cropped sensor camera system performs beautifully.

The list of cameras and lenses is too long for me to describe each piece of equipment. I’ll mention a few, but feel free to leave a comment if you have questions about anything on the list.

Fujifilm X Series Cameras

Summary: The X-Pro1 feels like an old-school interchangeable lens rangefinder camera. The X-Pro1 is the current high-end in this series — and probably the body I would get for my own use if I were buying right now. The X100T is a rangefinder body with a fixed 35mm-equivalent lens. The XT-10 shares many features with the X-T1, including its sensor, but at a lower price. The X-E2 is a very compact rangefinder-style interchangeable lens body with an electronic viewfinder. (It is the updated version of my X-E1.) The X-30 is a very small camera with an integrated zoom lens and a smaller sensor. With the exception of the X-30, all of these cameras use the excellent 16MP, 1.5x cropped sensor Fujifilm x-trans sensor.

X-Pro1: Fujifilm’s innovative interchangeable lens camera combining an optical rangefinder design with an electronic viewfinder.

X-Pro1 + 23mm + 27mm (save $900)

X-T1: Fujifilm’s flagship interchangeable lens mirrorless camera

X100T: Fujifilm’s compact rangefinder fixed lens camera. Street photographer’s love it.

X100T (save $200)

X-T10: A less expensive but very capable camera modeled on the X-T1.

X-E2: A very compact interchangeable lens mirrorless camera. (I use the X-E1, the predecessor of this model.)

X-30: A very compact mirrorless camera with a smaller sensor and a zoom lens.

X30 (save $100)

Forested Cliffs, Königsee — Steep, tree-covered cliffs along the shore of the Konigsee, Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany

Fujifilm lenses for X Series interchangeable lens cameras

Summary: Based on my own experience with a number of the lenses and confirmed by many other reports, the Fujifilm lenses provide first-rate optical performance. The range from very small prime lenses up to large aperture zooms that are competitive with the best from the DSLR manufacturers. I have marked lenses that I own and use with asterisks — *.

This list was compiled carefully, but errors could occur, so verify all prices and other information directly with the linked vendor(s).

Taking Stock of the Fujifilm X-E1, X-E2, S-T1 Mirrorless Cameras — My article with more information about the X-trans cameras from Fujifilm.

Links go to site-affiliate B&H Photo, and purchases through these links return a small percentage of the sale price to support this website. Your price will be the same as if you clicked directly on the vendors own links. Thanks for your support!

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast, Photographs: Wildlife

Pelican, Reflection

November 15, 2015 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A pelican skims above the ocean along California’s Central Coast

The brown pelicans are almost certainly my favorite California shore birds, and I photograph them often enough that I think I understand some of their habits and know when and where I’m likely to find them. (On the other hand, I have to admit to being completely unaware that we also have white pelicans until just a few years ago!) When I photograph them I often look for several specific kinds of opportunities — their incredibly low flight as they skim in groups right above the way, close passes in front of me as they ride thermals along the top edges of coastal bluffs, and their approach as they pass over peninsulas extending from the shoreline.

Seeing pelicans on this morning was a little bit of a surprise since I had not seen or photographed them much recently. I went to Point Lobos after hearing that humpback whales had been spotted close to shore, so I went right to the top of a high bluff where I could survey a big area of coastal waters. (My “whale hunt” was more than amply rewarded when groups of the whales appeared very close to the shore and engaged in bubble feeding behavior.) I wasn’t looking for pelicans, but when a few passed down below along the water’s surface I tracked them. This one flew over a small area of relatively smooth water, the surface of which reflected the mixed fog and blue sky along with the distorted shape of the bird’s shadow.

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast, Photographs: Wildlife

Tail of the Humpback

November 14, 2015 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

The tail of a humpback whale is all the remains as it dives beneath the Pacific Ocean

Back in early September I had a remarkable morning at the Point Lobos State Reserve along the California coast just south of Carmel. This has been a year of unusual weather and unusual ocean conditions, including much warmer than usual waters. Most likely as a result of this, sea life has behaved in unusual ways — for example, certain species that are rare along the coast or that usually stay farther out to sea have shown up right along the coast. That was the case on this morning when huge schools of small fish had apparently appeared very close to the rocks of Point Lobos.

When I went there on this morning I suspected that I might spot some whales, but what I saw exceeded my expectations. I arrived and walked out onto a high bluff that extends a way out from the shoreline, and from here I could immediately see commotion on the surface of the water very close — thousands of birds were obviously feeding on something. Within moments I spotted my first humpback whale and before long many more showed up. Every so often they engaged in spectacular examples of bubble feeding, in which groups of them work together to corral the fish they feed on, at which point the group suddenly breaks the surface all at once, with gaping mouths wide open to catch a meal. This photograph is a bit less spectacular, but it is still a special experience to watch these huge creatures slowly glide below the water’s surface.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Backcountry Lake, Dawn

November 13, 2015 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Dawn sky reflected in the surface of a Yosemite backcountry lake

Another morning from a week of such mornings at this Yosemite backcountry lake. My tent was at the end of a granite slab leading back up from the shore of the lake, so it became typical to arise each morning, crawl out of the tent, grab camera and tripod, and walk the slab and then the meadow beyond to the shoreline for morning photography. In this strange weather year in the Sierra every morning was different. One morning it might be clear, another was filled with thick wildfire smoke, and on yet another it was raining.

This was an in-between morning. There was a bit of wildfire smoke — it never went away completely during our stay — and high clouds muted the morning light on the lake itself. The air was not moving, and was September-cold. First light brought a bit of color to the clouds, reflected in the early morning stillness of the lake.

G Dan Mitchell Photography