Fuji XF 90mm F2 LM WR Lens Review:

When I first invested in the Fuji X Series system, there was only one camera: the X100.  After a while, the X-Pro1 was introduced, which had many of the same features as the X100 but also had the ability to interchange lenses.  At the time, there were only three lenses, which I also bought.  Now, in just a short amount of time, Fuji has grown from that small system into something that includes a large selection of lenses that not only are excellent optically but encompass a huge variety of focal lengths aimed at satisfying a broader audience.  What was once a compact system that some could argue was aimed at purists or even rangefinder users has now grown into a system that also gives some users the option to leave their larger DSLR cameras for a compact mirrorless design.  One lens that was missing from this continuously increasing list of lenses was a decent 135mm focal length lens, which is often considered as a classic portraiture lens.  This missing focal length has finally been filled by Fuji with the XF 90mm F2 LM WR lens (B&H Photo/Amazon). [continue reading…]

EasyAcc 2nd Gen 10000mAh Power Bank Review:

Power banks are becoming increasingly important because we live in a world where we rely on our electronics but in order for our devices to work, they need power.  Ten years ago, I didn’t need a cell phone but now, I hate to say it, I think I would be lost without my smart phone.  The problem is, sometimes I rely on my phone so much that it just doesn’t make it to the end of the day.  It’s not just the phone though; many of us use tablets, Kindles, mp3 players, and there are even cameras with non-removable batteries that can be charged with a power bank to make it through the day.  Take for example, the new Olympus Air, which is something that I’m currently testing.  It has a non-removable battery, so I can’t bring spares with me.  Having a portable charger is great when I’m out with the Air because then I don’t actually need to stop anywhere to charge it from an outlet.  The portable charger that I’ve been using lately is the EasyAcc 2nd Gen 10000mAh Power Bank.  EasyAcc was kind enough to send me one to review, and seeing as power banks are something that I find very useful in my camera bag kit, I thought it would be a great idea to test one out. [continue reading…]

Fuji XF 90mm F2.0 R Lens First Impressions:

It’s 4am and I’m up but I’m feeling surprisingly energetic, which is kind of strange since I haven’t had a good night sleep in while.  I’ve been busy but the good kind of busy: I’ve been testing out some new gear to review here, and I’ve been occupied with a couple of cool photo related projects.  Mornings this early usually start off for me with some old school Santana (high definition tracks), specifically the “Treat” track played through my single ended triode tube amplifier and my Grado GS1000 headphones.  I’ve been a fan of Grado products and single ended triode tube amplifiers for many, many years.  Besides photography, hi fi is my other obsession :).  Anyway, I didn’t mean to drift off topic; I guess this is what happens when you don’t get much sleep ;).  Getting back to photography, my next review will be about the Fuji XF 90mm, and I thought for now, I’d post a few quick examples from this lens. [continue reading…]

I want to thank Bob Gragmegna from the Leica Boutique Bergen County Camera for loaning me the Leica Q, so can write up this review!

Leica Q Typ 116 Review:

As most frequent visitors of my blog know, I’m a huge fan of Leica and their M system.  I started out with an M3 that by a rare chance, I was able to acquire at a very young age, and since then, I’ve always had an M camera by my side.  With that said, I really believe that Leica has often made great non-M high end compact cameras and I’ve owned a few myself but in almost each one, it could be argued that they all had at least one key component that was missing.  For instance, the new X Typ 113 is an excellent camera but to this day, the X line still doesn’t have a built-in viewfinder.  Instead, if you want a viewfinder, you have to purchase an external one that makes the camera noticeably larger.  Well, the new Leica Q Typ 116 seems to be aimed at changing all of this because the list of features is quite impressive.  In fact, on paper this camera seems to be exactly what most have been asking for not just Leica to build but any manufacturer, and thanks to Bob Gragmegna at the Leica Boutique Bergen County Camera, I was able to test the Leica Q to see if it is what we’ve been waiting for. [continue reading…]