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NIKKOR 105MM F2.5 I've been wanting one of these Nikkor 105mm lenses for quite awhile and finally found one in mint condition! This is one of Nikon's best ever lenses! It has an iconic past from photographers shooting some incredible images with one being "The Afgahn Girl" from the Time Magazine cover shot. This lens paired with the X-T20 is a pretty sweet combination!

A NEW ADDITION! Just picked up the Fujifilm X-T20! As many of you can probably attest, this camera is so popular, it can be very difficult to find in stock. At it's price point, it's a hard camera to beat! I bought this because I like Fuji cameras, and if you read this blog, I own a X Pro 2. I definitely needed a camera that shoots 4K, and it just made sense to pair the X-T20 with the X Pro 2 for my video needs. Most of what I edit is delivered in 1080, so it's just a matter of taking the X-T20 - 4K clips into a 1080p timeline, and the images look great and match almost exact with the X Pro 2, so i'm not working myself in a heavy duty color correction session. I may write a video setup guide ebook for the X-T20, I'm just undecided at this point if I should venture back into writing a guide, but you never know!

VIDEO PROJECTS WITH THE FUJI X PRO 2

I recently finished up a pretty big shoot, whereupon, I rented a couple of Sony A6500’s for shooting 4k, and used my Fuji X Pro 2 to shoot b-roll at 60fps for slo-motion footage. This project wasn’t being presented for playback in 4k, so the entire edit was a 4k to 2k timeline. What really surprised me was how well the Fuji X Pro 2 footage looked against the A6500’s down-rez 1080p image, in many cases, it looked better than the Sony!

The lens used were also a surprising factor, on the Sony’s were two Zeiss Milvus Lenses, a 21mm f2.8, and a 50mm f1.4, both extradinary pieces of glass! On the X Pro 2 was one of my favorite lenses, a Mamiya Sekor 55mm f1.8. This is an old lens that is fully manual, and the video image quality it produces is impressive!

Have a look for yourselves, and you tell me, are all these so called reviewers correct in stating the X Pro 2’s video quality isn’t something you should consider when buying this camera? Now, I’m not arguing that the 1080p image out of the X Pro 2 is going to compare to a 4k image, but it certainly will compare if you’re down-resing that 4k footage to a 1080p timeline for your edit, which is a very common editing scenario.

4k is still not the standard end product delivery. Here in the United States, we still don’t even broadcast in 4k. Your 4k delivery options are YouTube and Vimeo, which are quite stunning. One other important thing to consider is if your 4k project that you have on Youtube is going to playback un-interrupted tothe masses. Meaning, is Youtube dishing it up fast enough, and do you, the viewer, have a fast enough computer. When it comes to 1080p, we don’t have that problem, pretty much anything will keep up with that stream.

I didn’t have the time to slap one of those Milvus lenses on my Fuji X Pro 2, but I have no doubt that would make for an incredible video image! The moral of this rant is don’t listen to the nay-sayers when it comes to this cameras video quality capability, judge for yourself, because I can tell you this for certain, the Fuji X Pro 2’s 1080p video quality is better than any camera I’ve shot with to date, and the biggest reason for writing the Fuji X Pro 2 Video Setup Guide ebook!

Top photo Fuji X Pro 2 - Bottom photo Sony A6500

X PRO 2 - FILM SIMULATION BRACKETING - VIDEO

Although this isn't anything real critical, it was left out of my ebook, not on purpose, but by over-sight. The problem with writing a guide for a camera that has no video mode, such as the X Pro 2, the camera then shares both worlds, that of still photography and video in the same menu set. I'm sure many of you are using the film simulations and are taking advantage of the new update allowing these simulations to be shot in bracketing along with shooting RAW simultaneously! I might talk about that a little later, as there really isn't much to talk about, in that regard, but what I do want to tell you is that if you're in a film simulation bracket, and you decide to roll off some awesome video, the X Pro 2 will default to the Provia Standard profile. In fact, hitting the Q button, you'll see the simulation Q-bank can be selected, but not changed. If you're wanting to shoot video, in say Classic Chrome, you'll have to hit the drive button and return to still image to be able to change that simulation.

FUJI X PRO 2 - MANUAL LENSES

I wanted to show those people that have bought my Fuji X Pro 2 Video Setup Guide, an example of the video image quality coming from this camera!

Both shots are video screen grabs, the (Peet’s Coffee) was shot with an early 1970’s Russian lens, and was lit with one small light off to the side at a relatively low ISO setting.

The (Hookah smoke) was shot with an old 50mm Nikkor lens, and was lit with nothing more than the natural light coming through the front door of this business.

I didn’t get into actual video production in the ebook because it is a vast subject that I didn’t want to mix into the book. However, from time to time, on this blog, I will post some of my working knowledge with video!

In this example, it’s all about the light, in fact, if you’ve read through the ebook, you know I speak that video is really no different than shooting still images, you’re just shooting at a different aspect ratio and at 24-60 frames per second. Light is no different for video than it is for stills, good light is good light!

So, just like you do for your photography, also do for your video shooting, look for that dramatic light that will enhance your over-all image!

#Fujifilm X Pro 2 #Fujifilm #X Pro 2 #Fujifilm X Pro 2 Video #Steve MacDonald

X PRO 2 CUSTOM WB

I wanted to talk a little bit about the custom WB for the X Pro 2. The custom WB not only effects your still shots but they also apply to the video you shoot! In my X Pro 2 Video Setup Guide, I didn't go into a lot of WB detail, other than telling you to set this to AUTO WB. The AUTO WB is a good choice for many reasons, first it’s pretty accurate for most situations, and it’s a fast setup.

Okay, so you’re getting use to shooting video with your X Pro 2, so let’s talk about a custom WB. Access the WB via the default function button, here you’ll see what is depicted in the top photo. There are three custom WB presets. Joystick to the right on one of them and you’ll see a square box over-lay. Point the camera at a properly exposed white card that is next to your subject, or something white next to your subject, and fully press the shutter button. The camera will set a custom WB, press the OK button to set, or the BACK button to re-take.

You can now use the joystick to select between the AUTO WB or any CUSTOM WB that you have set, and see that dynamically through the EVF or LCD. You can also access the WB SHIFT MATRIX for a CUSTOM WB by right joystick on a CUSTOM WB and pressing the OK button, which will bring up the shift matrix.

Look at the two Yaffe Cafe photos above, the top is a AUTO WB and the bottom is the CUSTOM WB. I know they’re kind of hard to see, sorry, but if you look closely, you’ll see the subtle difference between the two. The AUTO WB has a very slight reddish tint to it. Look at the wall, bottom left, of the two photos, see how that top photo has a bit more red than the bottom? To my eye the bottom photo, the CUSTOM WB, is rendering a truer WB over the AUTO WB set, as it just looks better over-all! Of course, if I felt this CUSTOM WB set was slightly off, I could go into the shift matrix and make a subtle change.

The moral of this story is, on your video shoots, experiment with a CUSTOM WB, and compare it to the AUTO WB, and see which one is rendering the truer color temp.

X PRO 2 RAPID ISO CHANGES

Here’s a tip many of you may or may not know of, which is a way of rapidly changing between 3 different ISO settings with your X Pro 2!

I call this the “Invert Auto-ISO Lock Method” and this is how it’s setup. We’re going to be using the three Auto-ISO presets that can be setup within the camera. MENU-SHOOTING SETTING-ISO AUTO SETTING. Highlight Auto ISO 1 and right joystick into it’s editor. Set the DEFAULT SENSITIVITY to 12800, set the MAX. SENSITIVITY to 400, and the MIN. SHUTTER to 1/60th. By setting the Default sensitivity above the value of the Max. Sensitivity, the camera will set a locked ISO to the ISO value you set for Max. Sensitivity, in this case, ISO 400! Now, no matter what you point the camera at that ISO 400 value will not change. I setup the other two Auto-ISO presets the exact same way with Auto preset number 2 Max. Sensitivity set to ISO 800 and Auto preset number 3 set to Max. Sensitivity ISO 1600.

Next, I set the back left arrow function button to the Auto ISO Presets, in this manner it’s just a matter of hitting that right back left arrow and quickly selecting between those three ISO values, 400-800-1600 that will remain locked no matter what I point the camera at. This is indeed much faster than using the top command dial, although, the caveat being these can only be set in full stop increments.

X PRO 2 OVF AND MANUAL LENSES Using the OVF on your X Pro 2 with a manual lens is somewhat different than using native Fuji glass. Here's a method I use when I have a manual lens and want to use the OVF. Set your focusing mode to 'M' manual, and activate the OVF, as well as, the ERF. Now, set the ERF to full magnification, so that you can set a critical focus. Notice that if you have the histogram activated, it will reflect the metering for the punched-in image and not the entire frame. Okay, so we need to re-comp this shot, because as you well know the parallax for a manually attached lens will be way off. We could press the rear command dial twice to disable the ERF magnification to full view, or better yet, switch the focusing mode to AF-C. This will disable the ERF magnification to full view. Here you can re-comp the shot and fire! You can, in fact, pop in and out of ERF full magnification, to full view, by switching between the focusing modes 'M' and 'AF-C.' In AF-C the histogram will also reflect the entire scene!

FUJIFILM X PRO 2 -OVF - MANUAL LENSES

Attaching a manual lens to the X pro 2 has its advantages, but, one thing you may notice if you use the OVF with a manual lens attached is a transparent white square that is almost the full OVF view. Now, I’m not talking about those white outlined frame boxes seen in the center, I’m talking what would appear as a large white transparent over-lay.

Bright Frame Brightness with a Fuji attached lens auto adjusts via the camera, so you would never notice this white square I’m referring to, however, if you attach a manual lens and activate the OVF you may indeed see this transparent white square.

To disable it, long press the OVF lever function button, then highlight the bright frame brightness option, and exit out. Then press the OVF lever function button, and set that to -5.

If you use the bright frame simulation overlay, you can again, long press the OVF lever function button and select this option. The bright frame brightness will remain at -5 as previously set.

#manu

Fujifilm X Pro 2 Acros G Fuji X Pro 2 photo of my iMAC - FCPX editing project. This camera shoots incredible black & white stills, and believe it or not, incredible video! In fact, I'll go so far as to say, I haven't seen anything shoot a better black & white video image.

Excerpt from the Fujifilm Xpro2 video setup guide!

Well, it finally looks like this is going to be released! The plan is to have this available at the end of January 2017 on the FUJILOVE website. Tomash has been gracious enough to host this product on his site. In the interim, here is a link to a video excerpt from the ebook! https://youtu.be/o5G4lM14uTQ

FUJIFILM XPRO2 SHOOTING VIDEO GUIDE EBOOK Well, the ebook is pretty much complete! I'm not quite sure how I'm going to distribute this yet, but I will post it here on when that's determined. I hesitate on waiting for the FUJI Xpro2 update, which is rumored for October 6, 2016, but who knows. This firmware update could add some significant features to the video side of this camera that would warrant an update to the ebook! I guess time will tell.

FUJIFILM’S XPRO2 AND X-T2 BLACK LEVEL CRUSH ISSUE

Many of you know I’ve posted a few articles on the crushed black levels the Xpro2 video clips produce. Turns out, this may be inherent to all Fuji cameras when it comes to shooting video, including the new X-T2.

Wilecoyote, posted this information on another site:

There seems to be a bug in the Firmware of Fujifilm X cameras that leads to a reduction of the displayed tonal range of recorded videos:

The pixel value of each color channel in an 8 bit RGB video may be any integer value in the full range [0,255]. However, there exists a convention (which emerged from the history of video technology) that allows to only use values in the range [16,235], which is called video range. So a completely black pixel, which would be a 0 in full range, is a 16 in video range and the same goes for white, which is a 255 in full range and a 235 in video range.

The information whether a video’s pixel format is full range or video range is stored in the video file itself in the case of h264 video, which is recorded by Fujifilm cameras, so that the video player knows how to interpret the pixel values in the video. If that flag is not set, so that information is not given, most players assume that the video is in video range.

And although Fujilm cameras record video in full range, which is a really good thing because more color information is provided that way (thanks Fuji!), is seems that the according flag is missing so that many players and editing programs interpret the videos as video range and therefore cut the tonal range!

Some editing programs might provide a setting to interpret the videos as full range, which should be activated. Otherwise, I don’t know an easy way how to fix this unfortunately.

(end of article)

It would appear this is all accurate information, and I’d also like to credit RogerJonz for his post on how this is remedied in Da Vinci Resolve 12.5 - his instruction is to simply right-click on the Fuji video clip(s) in the browser, and change the clip attribute from it’s default “AUTO” to “FULL” this will correct the crushed black levels.

The screen shots above depict this attribute change. The top waveform shows the “FULL” clip attribute change with correct black levels seen at zero. The bottom waveform shows the “AUTO” attribute, where the black levels are clipped below zero. Also, look at the rock work behind the guy standing, you can clearly see the change in levels.

The side by side photo shows the two clips with the one on the right having the “FULL” attribute added.

Tracks It's been awhile since my last post, I've been working on getting my "Fuji XPro2 Shooting Video - A Guide" ebook ready for distribution! I had no idea how much work was involved in putting together an ebook! I'm hoping there will be interest for those owning this camera that want to learn the video side of the XPro2. This ebook may end up being available through the Fuji Love website, at this point, Tomash, who runs that site, is interested in this publication, so we'll see what sticks! I wanted to just give it away, but after putting tons of hours in on this project, I'm hoping that you the consumer will support it! I promise the price will be no more than a really good latte!

NIGHT TIME SHOTS XPRO2 Some night time shots with the xpro2! These were shot with various film simulations.

FUJI XPRO2’S CRUSHED BLACK LEVEL

Here is another example of the XPro2's crushed video black level. This was shot at a stop and one half over exposed, and as you can see in the photo above, with the Color Correction disabled, the black level is crushed. The Corrected image is with the Color Correction enabled. As of this post I'm trying to find out from Fuji why this camera shoots in this manner, and if the X-T2 also has this issue, or perhaps it isn't an issue at all, and I'm missing something! Stay tuned!

THE T-A-C CONTROL OF THE XPRO2! One of the biggest complaints I see on the Xpro2 is it's lack of ISO soft control within the camera via one of the command dials. I have to agree, being pinned to setting a hard ISO via the top wheel is somewhat awkward, and slow. Although I have gotten use to setting a hard ISO with the wheel, there are a few things you can try as an alternative! I'll also talk a little about controlling the shutter speed of the Xpro2. Within the camera menu, under the camera icon, - Auto ISO, you'll see three separate Auto ISO presets. Within each preset you set the parameters to which the camera will enable once the camera is set in an Auto ISO mode. Set your top wheel to the red "A" and you're in Auto ISO, and the camera will use whatever preset you have currently selected. In each preset you'll see three parameters, Default Sensitivity - Max Sensitivity - Minimum Shutter Speed. Default Sensitivity is the lowest ISO setting you desire, Max Sensitivity, is just that, whatever you want as a Max ISO setting, and Minimum Shutter is set to the speed you think you can hold for a crisp shot. There are a couple of caveats, the first is you can't set your default any lower than 200-ISO and if you set you default sensitivity at a higher value than your Max sensitivity, it will default to any ISO value you have set within the Max sensitivity parameter, regardless of the lighting situation. Yes, you can use that to your advantage, but more on that a little later! I said a couple of caveats, make that three, the third being you cannot set this Auto ISO preset to the "Q" menu, you can however set it to a function button. Mapping the Auto ISO presets to an arrow button makes for quick access and quick changes. Getting back to that advantage above, I set my last Auto ISO preset to a reverse value so that it will default to whatever I have set to the Max Sensitivity value, in this manner it basically forces the camera to a set ISO. Is it quicker than using the top ISO wheel, perhaps, that all depends on the user, it is in a sense, less quirky! So, whatever preset you have selected, the camera will use those parameters to set an ISO. Oh, but there's more! You'll notice in the photo my Xpro2's shutter is set to "T" and the compensation dial is set to "C" Let's talk about the shutter speed first. If you set the top dial to a shutter speed value, the Xpro2 will allow you to adjust that value with the front command dial by 2 - 1/3stops in either direction and not any further. If you set this dial to "T" you can run the full spectrum of ISO's by 1/3stop increments. Now let's get to the "C" by having this set to "C" on the compensation dial, you have 5 stops of compensation. You activate that compensation control by pressing in on the front dial, this locks the shutter speed and now gives you control of the compensation value. Pressing in on the front command dial gives you control of either the shutter speeds or compensation values. With the camera set to "T" "A" "C", along with the Auto ISO presets, controlling your exposure can be both easier and quicker!

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