The Fujifilm X-Pro2: 115 X-Pert Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Camera

by Rico Pfirstinger

Overview

In this book, popular Fuji Rumors "X-Pert Corner" columnist Rico Pfirstinger teaches about the little-known capabilities of the Fujifilm X-Pro2, which he’s discovered through months of in-depth research and experimentation with the camera.

After a brief overview of the camera’s basic functions, Rico cuts to the chase and provides a plethora of tips and practical instructions not found in the user's manual. With this knowledge, you will be able to take full advantage of the capabilities of the X-Pro2.

The Fujifilm X-series cameras have amazing features but may require an adjustment period for those new to using these cameras, even photographers who have been lifetime shooters. This guide will help you to quickly feel comfortable using your camera so that you can achieve excellent results.

Topics covered include:

• Menu shortcuts
• Long exposures
• Firmware upgrades
• Hybrid autofocus system
• Auto and manual focusing
• Face detection
• ISOless sensor
• Dynamic Range expansion
• Film simulations
• Custom settings
• RAW conversion
• Panoramas
• Movies
• Self-timer
• Flash
• Adapted lenses
• And much more…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681981505
Publisher:	Rocky Nook
Publication date:	08/09/2016
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

Rico Pfirstinger studied communications and has been working as a journalist, publicist, and photographer since the mid-'80s. He has written numerous books on a diverse range of topics, from computing technology to digital desktop publishing to sled dog racing. He worked as the department head of special assignments for Hubert Burda Media in Munich, Germany, where he also served as chief editor for a winter sports website.

After eight years as a freelance film critic in Los Angeles, Rico now lives in Germany and devotes his time to digital photography and compact camera systems.

Rico writes the popular X-Pert Corner blog on FujiRumors.com and leads workshops called Fuji X Secrets where he offers tips and tricks on using the Fujifilm X-series cameras.

Table of Contents

1 Your X-Pro2 System 1

1.1 The Basics (1): Things You Should Know About Your Camera 3

Tip 1 RTFM! Read The Fuji Manual! It is included with your camera. You have a choice between the printed version and the PDF version on the CD that comes with the camera 3

Tip 2 Get a few spare batteries. You can buy suitable batteries from Fujifilm or from a third party 3

Tip 3 Get a suitable battery charger and a travel adapter 4

Tip 4 Make sure that your camera and lenses are running with the latest firmware 5

Tip 5 Things to remember when updating your firmware: 6

Tip 6 Use fast memory cards with at least 80 MB/s write speed 7

Tip 7 Working with Dual Card Slots 8

Tip 8 Your camera is automatically numbering your images. With a little trick, you can reset the frame counter and even assign a new starting number 10

Tip 9 Use High Performance Mode! 12

Tip 10 Keep the camera sensor clean! 12

Tip 11 Do-it-yourself sensor cleaning for tough sensor spots 13

1.2 The Basics (2): Things you should know about your Lenses 15

Tip 12 X-mount compatible Samyang lenses are just like adapted lenses! 16

Tip 13 Zeiss Touit lenses 17

Tip 14 Decoding XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR 18

Tip 15 The optical image stabilizer (OIS) has its quirks! 19

Tip 16 The XF23mmF1.4 R, XF16mmF1.4 R WR, and XF14mmF2.8 R are different beasts! 22

Tip 17 Use the Lens Modulation Optimizer (LMO)! 24

Tip 18 Things you should know about digital lens corrections 25

Tip 19 Use the included lens hood! 26

Tip 20 Lens protection filters-yes or no? 27

Tip 21 39mm filters can be tricky! 27

1.3 The Basics (3): Useful Accessories 28

Tip 22 Optional handgrip 29

Tip 23 Off-camera TTL flash with a Canon OC-E3 TTL extension cord 29

Tip 24 Issues regarding Canon TTL flash devices 31

Tip 25 Remote shutter release: three options for the X-Pro2 32

2 Using the Fujifilm X-Pr02 35

2.1 Ready, Set, Go! 35

Tip 26 Recommended settings for your X-Pro2 36

Tip 27 Avoiding the camera menus: practical shortcuts for your X-Pro2 41

Tip 28 Suggested Fn button assignment 45

Tip 29 Always shoot FINE+RAW! 47

Tip 30 Compressed or uncompressed RAW files? 50

Tip 31 Pick a suitable image format! 50

Tip 32 The magical half-press 51

2.2 Monitor and Viewfinder 52

Tip 33 Make use of the eye sensor! 52

Tip 34 Instant review 52

Tip 35 The DISP/BACK button can be tricky! 53

Tip 36 WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get! 54

Tip 37 Using the Natural Live View 55

Tip 38 Using the OVF 56

Tip 39 Using the ERF 59

2.3 Exposing Right 60

Tip 40 Choosing the right metering method 61

Tip 41 Linking spot metering to AF frames 64

Tip 42 Using the live view and live histogram 65

Tip 43 Auto exposure (AE) with modes P, A and S 67

Tip 44 Using manual exposure M 68

Tip 45 Using aperture priority A 69

Tip 46 Using shutter priority S 70

Tip 47 Using program AE P and program shift 72

Tip 48 Playing it safe with auto exposure bracketing 72

Tip 49 Long exposures 73

Tip 50 Long exposures in bright daylight 74

Tip 51 ISO settings-what's the deal? 75

Tip 52 What you should know about extended ISO 78

Tip 53 Auto-ISO and minimum shutter speed 79

Tip 54 Auto-ISO in manual mode M: the "misomatic" 80

Tip 55 ISO-Bracketing: it's just a gimmick! 81

Tip 56 Extending the dynamic range 82

Tip 57 Extending the dynamic range for RAW shooters 84

Tip 58 JPEG settings for RAW shooters 86

Tip 59 Extending the dynamic range for JPEG shooters 88

Tip 60 Using the DR function for high-key and portrait photography 91

Tip 61 Creating HDR images with the X-Pro2 96

Tip 62 HDR: the handheld way 98

Tip 63 Using the electronic shutter 100

2.4 Focusing with the X-Pr02 102

Tip 64 CDAF and PDAF: what's the difference? 103

Tip 65 AF-S or AF-C? 104

Tip 66 AF modes: Single Point AF vs. Zone AF vs. Wide/Tracking AF 105

Tip 67 Selecting an AF frame or AF zone 107

Tip 68 Choosing a suitable AF frame or AF zone size 108

Tip 69 Manual focus and DOF zone focusing. 110

Tip 70 Manual focus assistants: focus peaking and digital split image 112

Tip 71 Focus check: use the magnifier tool! 112

Tip 72 One-Touch-AF (Instant AF) 113

Tip 73 Using AF+MF 114

Tip 74 Pre-AF: a relic of the past 117

Tip 75 Using face detection and eye-detection 118

Tip 76 Using AF-Lock 120

Tip 77 Focusing in poor light 121

Tip 78 Macro: focusing at close distances 122

Tip 79 Focusing on moving subjects (1): the "autofocus trick" 125

Tip 80 Focusing on moving subjects (2): the focus trap 127

Tip 81 Focusing on moving subjects (3): Autofocus tracking using Single Point AF, Zone AF, or Wide/Tracking AF 129

Tip 82 Focus priority vs. Release priority 133

2.5 White Balance and JPEG Parameters 134

Tip 83 Custom white balance: a little effort can go a long way 137

Tip 84 Infrared photography 139

Tip 85 Changing color tints with WB SHIFT 141

Tip 86 Film simulations: it's all about the look 142

Tip 87 Using the Grain Effect 147

Tip 88 Contrast settings: working with highlights and shadows 149

Tip 89 Skin tones: smooth or with texture? 150

Tip 90 Color saturation 151

Tip 91 Choosing a color space: sRGB or Adobe RGB? 151

Tip 92 Using custom settings (usage profiles) 152

Tip 93 Working with the built-in RAW converter 154

Tip 94 Comparing RAW converters 156

Fujifilm film simulations 158

Extended dynamic range (DR200%, DR400%) 159

Digital lens corrections 161

Tip 95 Displaying EXIF metadata 163

2.6 Burst Mode, Movies, and the Self Timer 164

Tip 96 Using burst mode 164

Tip 97 Shooting video with the X-Pro2 165

Tip 98 Using the self-timer 167

2.7 Flash Photography 168

Tip 99 Flash photography in modes P and A: slow shutter speed limits 171

Tip 100 Controlling the surrounding-light component of flash photography 172

Tip 101 Controlling the flash-light component 175

Tip 102 2nd curtain flash synchronization: what's the deal? 176

Tip 103 Flash synchronization: where's the limit? 178

Tip 104 Red-eye removal: a two-step affair 180

Tip 105 Little slave: the EF-X20 181

Tip 106 Using third-party flash units 182

2.8 Using Adapted Lenses 183

Tip 107 Finding the right lens adapter 183

Tip 108 Adapting third-party lenses: here's how 185

Tip 109 Exposing with adapted lenses 186

Tip 110 Focusing with adapted lenses 187

Tip 111 Using the Fujifilm M-mount adapter 189

Tip 112 Quality considerations 190

Tip 113 Speed Booster: miracle or trick? 191

2.9 Wireless Remote Control 193

Tip 114 Using the Camera Remote App 193

2.10 Anything Else? 198

Tip 115 Forums, blogs, and workshops: be a part of it! 198

Online References 200

Index 203