Equipment Review

A 200mm Prime Telephoto on a Fuji X-E2!

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Note from Admin: I thought this would be a perfect time to post another great guest article written by Jed Orme describing how he uses a 200mm Fujinon F4.5 SLR lens with his Fuji X-E2, since I recently posted about the XF 90mm short tele lens.  This is a companion piece to his other article about the Fujinon 135mm F2.8, which can be found here.  I hope all of you enjoy!

A 200mm Prime Telephoto on a Fuji X-E2! (Yet Another Adapted Lens for Fuji X)

Having very recently written about adapting a Fujinon 135mm f2.8 telephoto lens for my Fuji X-E2 camera, I really had no idea I would be preparing a companion piece to it this soon thereafter.  However, I stated previously that this very exceptional 135mm lens made by Fuji for its old SLR film cameras had definitely stirred my interest in acquiring its’ companion lens, a Fujinon 200mm f4.5 longer range tele.  This 200mm lens was built using the same style & external appearance, identical ergonomics, a common optical design & construction, along with other similarities right down to sharing a 49mm filter.  But when I shopped for the 135mm, I didn’t see any of the Fuji 200mm’s for sale in the US, & those being sold offshore that I saw were fairly pricey.  So what could I do when one popped up on eBay a short while ago for sale in North America (Canada to be precise), for about one fourth the asking price of the others?  And thanks to NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), most camera goods pass free of any duties or clearance requirements across our respective borders.  It was obvious to me – I should rescue this Fujinon 200mm as well & see what it has to offer. [continue reading…]

Fuji XF 90mm F2 LM WR Lens Review

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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

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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…]

Leica Q Typ 116 Review: An Innovative Full Frame Compact

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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…]

A Lens Not Too Far! (Another Adapted Lens for Fuji X)

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Note from Admin: Today, we have a really, really cool and neat guest post from Jed Orme.  Jed is a Fuji X user and he’s been experimenting a lot with adapting different types of lenses to his X-E2.  In this article, he’s adapted a vintage Fujinon SLR lens to his camera.  If you’re a fan of the X Series, you should definitely take a look at this article!  Thanks, Jed!

A Lens Not Too Far! (Another Adapted Lens for Fuji X) :

A while back, Patrick graciously permitted me to offer an article for his blog about my experiences in adapting two very special lenses for use with my Fuji X-E2 camera system. These were a Leica Tele-Elmarit 90mm f2.8 & a Zeiss Planar T 50mm f2, both adapted by using Fuji’s X to M lens mount adapter. I can only say that my foray into this world of using adapted glass on my Fuji has proved most enjoyable, & only whetted my appetite to see what else there might be out there. Turns out the options are practically limitless (virtually every old SLR film camera lens ever made almost), & there are adapter mounts made for a great number of them. [continue reading…]