Tag Archives: new

“DSLR Killer!” — Maybe and Maybe Not

April 22, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Sony, a company that has made innovative inroads in the camera market in the past few years, just announced its new Sony A9, yet another innovative product that continues the impressive progress of mirrorless cameras. Some describe it as a “DSLR Killer.” I’m not so sure. Some thoughts follow.

(Sit back. This isn’t going to be a short post! Hint: It isn’t anti-a9, though it isn’t exactly pro-a9 either.)

First, some personal background and perspectives. I use both mirrorless and DSLR camera systems — a Canon system based around the 5DsR and a Fujifilm system based around the XPro2. I use both for serious photography. Either may be my first choice, depending upon my subject and other conditions, and each excels at some things and is less capable at others. All of this is my way of saying that I’m not “pro-DSLR” or “pro-mirrorless,” and that I’m fairly brand-agnostic. (My first digital cameras back in the pre-2000 “stone age” period were mirrorless!) There are a lot of great cameras coming from by a range of manufacturers today and choosing one brand over another makes little difference to one’s photography.

I’m convinced at this point that mirrorless cameras have the potential to become the predominant serious cameras eventually, and that they are already serious tools that can be the best choice in some situations. Their pluses, both current and potential, include the following: Continue reading “DSLR Killer!” — Maybe and Maybe Not →

Equipment, Fujifilm

Fujifilm Announces XT2 Mirrorless Digital Camera

July 6, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Everyone knew it was coming — and knew most of the specifications — but Fujifilm has announced the new X-T2 mirrorless digital camera.

X-T2 Mirrorless Digital Camera

The X-T2 takes its place alongside the X-Pro2 as the second of Fujifilm’s two “flagship” camera bodies. Both use a 24.3MP X-trans 1.5x cropped sensor and both work with the excellent selection of Fujifilm lenses. Like its predecessor, the popular X-T1, the X-T2 has a DSLR-like design with an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Fujifilm says that it improves on the autofocus system of the X-T1. The camera also can make 4k video, a first for Fujifilm, it has impressive burst mode speeds, and a flip out view screen on the back of the camera. There are rumors that the X-T2 can be charged directly using USB.

If you are ready to go out and buy one… you’d better be patient. First deliveries are scheduled for around September 8, 2016.

Preorders are available now:

Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Digital Camera (body only) $1599: B&H | Adorama
Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 18-55mm lens $1899 B&H | Adorama

X-T2 Vertical Power Booster Grip

Fujifilm has also announced the X-T2 Vertical Power Booster Grip, a long-rumored vertical grip for the X-T2. The grip holds two extra batteries (for a total of three in the camera), which extends shooting time without a battery change and also enables higher speed shooting and 4k video recordings of up to a half hour. Price is $329.99.

The XT-2 Vertical Power Booster Grip is expected to be available in September 2016. Preorders are available now: B&H | Adorama

EF-X500 Electronic Flash

One weakness of the Fujifilm system for some photographer has been the lack of support for electronic flash. Despite periodic rumors nothing has been released… until now. Fujifilm also announced a new EF-X500 electronic flash unit. List price is $499.99.

Expected availability for shipping is September 2016. Preorders are available now: B&H | Adorama

Updated “Lens Roadmap”

Fujifilm, unlike some other manufacturers, has provided a “lens roadmap” describing their overall system of lenses, including both current and planned future products. The roadmap was updated at the time of the X-T2 announcement to include three new lenses and planned introduction timelines.

Continue reading →

Photographs: Events, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: People, Photographs: Urban/Street

At the Gallery

June 1, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Visitors at the new SFMOMA museum in San Francisco

The newly expanded and refurbished SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art) reopened recently, and we had an opportunity to spend a day there during the week before the public opening. The new building is a success in our minds — full of interesting and sometimes surprising interior spaces, with new portals connecting it visually to the surrounding city, and beautiful galleries to display the work. (There are a few oddities — the space on the ground floor seems sort of sprawling and disorganized, but I digress…)

I always like photographing in museums, especially those with more modern architecture. The light and the angles of walls and entry ways are often fascinating, and people behave in ways that are much different from what I might see in other venues. I usually photograph quickly in these places, partly because I don’t want to intrude on the experience of other visitors and partly because scenes and juxtapositions often assemble themselves and then disappear so quickly.

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Urban/Street

Flag Makers Building

May 16, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

The Flag Makers building behind a couple sitting on a bench at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Today (Saturday, May 14, 2016, as I write this) marks the re-opening of the newly renovated and expanded San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, or SFMOMA. As members we got an early look about a week ago, and we spent the better part of a day exploring the place. We like it! A lot. There are quite a few things I could write about — the architecture, the expanded space inside, the collections, the photographs — but all I’ll write for now is that I agree with one architecture critic who pointed out that where the old museum felt walled off from San Francisco the new version connects directly with the surrounding neighborhood, with many windows and open balconies providing plenty of opportunities to see and interact the urban San Francisco landscape. You could have a bit of fun thinking carefully about all of the lines and angles in this scene and what might explain them…

These photographs of SFMOMA are also some of the first I’ve made using a new camera from Fujifilm, the X-Pro2, about which I’ll likely have a lot more to say in the future. It is a rangefinder-style interchangeable lens mirrorless body with a hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder system that mostly succeeds in providing a sort of best of both worlds design. I like it for this kind of photography because the camera not only produced excellent image quality (with its 24MP sensor and fine Fujifilm lenses), but it is also small and fairly unobtrusive.

G Dan Mitchell Photography