Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Miller’s Canyon, Utah

This aperture series from f/1.7 to f/11 puts the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR to classic landscape photography use.

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Miller’s Canyon, Utah

Includes a 2-frame focus stack at f/8 for a bit more foreground sharpness. Also includes renditions in both color and monochrome.

The 55/1.7 is a must-have lens. No other lens in its range will suffice. I am very annoyed that I do not have the funds to buy the lens I just sent back.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Miller’s Canyon, Utah

f1.7 @ 1/1900 sec EFC shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-10 12:32:27
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Millers Canyon, altitude 7000 ft / 2134 m, 78°F / 25°C
RAW: Adobe Color, Enhance Details, LACA corrected, WB 5150°K tint 20, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10, USM {8,50,0}

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Miller’s Canyon, Utah

f1.7 @ 1/1900 sec EFC shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-10 12:32:27
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Millers Canyon, altitude 7000 ft / 2134 m, 78°F / 25°C
RAW: Adobe Color, Enhance Details, LACA corrected, WB 5150°K tint 20, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10, USM {8,50,0}

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Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Commemorative Flag Shed

This aperture series from f/1.7 to f/8 fills a large portion of the frame with a flat (planar) subject, offering a discerning look at the ability of the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR to capture fine detail, as well as ruling out focus shift issues.

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Commemorative Flag Shed

Includes images up to full camera resolution, plus crops.

The 55/1.7 is a must-have lens. No other lens in its range will suffice. I am very annoyed that I do not have the funds to buy the lens I just sent back.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Commemorative Flag Shed

f1.7 @ 1/1800 sec EFC shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-13 08:33:30
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Colorado, altitude 98350 ft / 29977 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: Enhance Details, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GFX100 II: 4-Shot Pixel Shift vs Single-Frame + Reader Comment

A 4-shot pixel shift mode a la Sony was added to the Fujifilm GFX100 II. As this page was written, Fujifilm had not issued any firmware update(s) to bring that feature to sibling cameras like the Fujifilm GFX100S/100. Users of those camera are obliged to engage 16-shot mode, record 16 frames, and then use 4 of those frames to achieve 4-shot result. This is a crap design, but Fujifilm has not even issued a statement on the matter, let alone issued a firmware update (as this was written).

The numerous workflow headaches with Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner will be noted in passing here, but for the full summary, follow that link.

Should you use 4-shot pixel shift on the Fujifilm GFX100 II?

This page delves into how 4-shot pixel shift mode of the Fujifilm GFX100 II compares to single-shot frames using Adobe Camera Raw Enhance Details, both with sharpness degrading distortion correction and not, since Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner forces-on all lens corrections including distortion correction. Unfortunately, Adobe Camera Raw offers no mechanism to defeat these forced-on EXIF flags* as this was written. I’ve sent a note to Adobe asking for a fix.

Fujifilm GFX100 II: 4-Shot Pixel Shift vs Single-Frame

Includes images up to full camera resolution, plus crops.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Flag Shed

f5.6 @ 1/280 sec electronic shutter pixel shift, ISO 80; 2023-10-13 08:46:32
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Colorado, altitude 8350 ft / 2545 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: LACA corrected

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Dr S writes:

Since the pixel shift image is "clean" and free of digital artifacts, do you not think it would provide a very stunning extremely large print?

I don't know what the final image size is but it may be worthwhile to comment on your blog..... especially since you mentioned it may be worthwhile for indoor studio, and therefore truly static images.

DIGLLOYD: yes, it would make a superlative print, better than any single shot print. If you can get the rendering you want (Fujifilm profiles unavailable), and avoid the motion artifacts (eg leaves, grass), which this image does not.

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Aspen Log Stack, The Cabin 1990

This aperture series from f/1.7 to f/11 includes a 13-frame focus stack . which gives us a great idea of sharpness and bokeh corner to corner and near to far (since DoF is rather limited).

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Aspen Log Stack, The Cabin 1990

Includes images up to full camera resolution, plus crops.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Aspen Log Stack, The Cabin 1990

f1.7 @ 1/3500 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-13 08:50:42
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Colorado, altitude 8350 ft / 2545 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: Enhance Details, WB 5200°K tint 15, push 0.65 stops, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Flag Shed and Snowy Aspen

This aperture series from f/1.7 to f/11 includes an 11-frame focus stack of a through-focus scene which gives us a great idea of sharpness and bokeh and focus shift behavior.

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Flag Shed and Snowy Aspen

Includes images up to full camera resolution, plus crops.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Flag Shed

f1.7 @ 1/3800 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-13 09:01:13
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Colorado, altitude 8400 ft / 2560 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: Enhance Details, LACA corrected, WB 5200°K tint 15, push 0.4 stops, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GFX100 II: Image Quality is Making my Head Spin

I shot 3000 or so images on my 1-month trip (many focus stacks increase the frame count). I’ll never get through them all before I have to move onto the next project. Out in the field in Live View, things looked awfully nice though.

I cannot get over my impression, which keeps growing stronger: image quality of the Fujifilm GFX100 II keeps impressing me more and more. By that I mean both sharpness and color rendition. There is something there in the images that I have never before seen with Fujifilm, which has always seemed a bit dull and uncouth to my eyes, offering little vs 35mm. That impression is now challenged.

Could it just be the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7? Maybe, but it doesn’t seem like that to my eyes. Then again, it is a hell of a lens, the gem of the entire line IMO.

I don’t yet have a conclusion based on A/B comparisons (I did shoot some), but dang things look better than I have ever seen before from Fujifilm. It’s more like I’m looking at Hasselblad X2D images, which I’ve rated the best out there today in terms of color.

TBD. The image below might not compel you, but I intend to show enough images and comparisons to get the job done. I am now scheming about what I have to sell to get the GFX100 II.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Colorado Aspen and Barn

f9 @ 1/140 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-13 08:54:36
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Colorado, altitude 8350 ft / 2545 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: Enhance Details, WB 5000°K tint 15, push 0.66 stops, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10, USM {6,50,0}, diffraction mitigating sharpening, SmartSharpen{35,0,7,0}

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SHOOTOUT: Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II vs Voigtlander FE 35mm f/2 APO: Rare Pond, White Mountains

This shootout from f/2 to f/11 pits the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II at 35mm against my reference lens, the Voigtlander FE 35mm f/2 APO-Lanthar.

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II vs Voigtlander FE 35mm f/2 APO: Rare Pond, White Mountains

Includes images from f/2 through f/11 at up to full camera resolution, plus crops.

Never in my 15 years of experience testing all manner of gear have I ever seen a zoom lens perform this poorly. It takes the “bad sample of the century” prize. F/11 has little effect! That Sony can ship this dumpster material to customers suggests a total lack of a quality control process. It’s so deliciously godawful that I’ve elected to show its results as a “reference lens” of another kind!

Wide Lenses for Sony mirrorless

Sony Mirrorless wish list • Deals on Sony

$2848 SAVE $150 = 5.0% Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 FE GM IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$1723 Sony 12-24mm f/4 FE G IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$1448 SAVE $150 = 9.0% Sony 14mm f/1.8 FE GM IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$2248 Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 FE GM II Lens (Sony E) IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$1848 Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 FE GM IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$798 SAVE $100 = 11.0% Sony 20mm f/1.8 FE G IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$1248 SAVE $150 = 10.0% Sony 24mm f/1.4 FE GM IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

f2.8 @ 1/2500 sec EFC shutter, ISO 100; 2023-10-27 14:43:13
Sony A7R V + Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II @ 35mm
ENV: White Mountains, altitude 11700 ft / 3566 m, 48°F / 8°C
RAW: Adobe Color, Enhance Details, LACA corrected, vignetting corrected, WB 5000°K tint 10, +20 Whites, +10 Clarity, AI Denoise 10

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Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II: Distortion Corrected vs Uncorrected at 16mm, 24mm, 35mm

This page shows distortion across the zoom range of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II, corrected vs uncorrected, at 16mm, 24mm, 35mm.

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II: Distortion Corrected vs Uncorrected at 16mm, 24mm, 35mm

CLICK TO VIEW: Wide Lenses for Sony mirrorless

f8 @ 1/100 sec, ISO 100; 2023-09-30 14:37:47
Sony A7R V + Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II @ 35mm RAW: LACA corrected

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SHOOTOUT: Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM @ 16mm: End of Road, White Mountains

This shootout from f/2.8 to f/11 pits the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II at its strongest zoom setting of 16mm against the reference standard, the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM.

Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II vs Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM: End of Road, White Mountains

Includes images from f/2.8 through f/11 at up to full camera resolution, plus crops.

Pretty much all you need to know for wides on Sony.

Wide Lenses for Sony mirrorless

Sony Mirrorless wish list • Deals on Sony

$2848 SAVE $150 = 5.0% Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 FE GM IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$1723 Sony 12-24mm f/4 FE G IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$1448 SAVE $150 = 9.0% Sony 14mm f/1.8 FE GM IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$2248 Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 FE GM II Lens (Sony E) IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$1848 Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 FE GM IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$798 SAVE $100 = 11.0% Sony 20mm f/1.8 FE G IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

$1248 SAVE $150 = 10.0% Sony 24mm f/1.4 FE GM IN STOCK in Lenses: Mirrorless

f8 @ 1/200 sec EFC shutter, ISO 100; 2023-10-27 15:49:36
Sony A7R V + Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM @ 16mm
ENV: White Mountains, altitude 11900 ft / 3627 m, 45°F / 7°C
RAW: Enhance Details, LACA corrected, WB 5000°K tint 10, push 0.1 stops, AI Denoise 10, diffraction mitigating sharpening

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Apple 2023 MacBook Pro M3 Max: my Perspective on Apple’s Powerful New Laptops

Apple 2023 MacBook Pro M3 Max

As a working photographer, computing performance is critical to me getting things done; like processing 100-megapixel RAW files, focus stacking, panorama assembly, etc. 

Apple has been hitting home-runs with recent laptops. To wit… back in May 2023, I bought the MacBook Pro M1 Max for my photographic work while traveling (incentivized by a deep discount).

 I was and remain thoroughly impressed with its capabilities and yet it was already a generation behind the Apple MacBook Pro M2 Max, which upped the ante significantly when I tested it. 

Read more...

A Pro Photographer’s Perspective on Apple’s Powerful New M3 Laptops

Good news: B&H Photo is loaning me a 2023 MacBook Pro M2 Max for testing soon, specifically this model, which will allow direct comparison vs 2023 Mac Pro M2 Ultra and 2021 MacBook Pro M1 Max.

CLICK TO VIEW: Apple MacBook Pro and Goodies

• Apple M3 Max 16-Core CPU
• 128GB Unified RAM
• 4TB SSD
• 16" 3456 x 2234 Liquid Retina XDR Screen
• 40-Core GPU | 16-Core Neural Engine
• Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | Bluetooth 5.3
• Thunderbolt 4 | HDMI | MagSafe 3
• ...

Apple 2023 MacBook Pro M3 Max

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Colorado Aspen and Barn

A far distance scene is most demanding of all, such as in View Across Saddlebag Lake, Fresh Snow; the lens has to perform in a geometric plane, with even subtle weaknesses being exposed.

This aperture series from f/1.7 to f/11 offers another instructive look at the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 on a “deep 3D” scene, assessing sharpness, focus shift, field curvature, secondary color. The test scene is exceptionally revealing.

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Colorado Aspen and Barn

Includes images up to full camera resolution, plus crops.

A must-have gem for Fujifilm medium format.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Colorado Aspen and Barn

f5.6 @ 1/60 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-14 09:34:43
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Colorado, altitude 8450 ft / 2576 m, 60°F / 15°C
RAW: Enhance Details, WB 5000°K tint 15, push 1 stops, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner : Multiple Headaches, Can’t Do Anything Well—Bad Color, Forced Lens Corrections, Film Profiles Lost

With the advent of the Fujifilm GFX 100 II, a 4-shot pixel shift mode was added, which does not exist on the Fujifilm GFX100S*. To which I thought at first... hooray!

To turn those 4 separate frames into a DNG, you must use Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner. Perhaps the world’s crappiest user interface for photo software, the FORTRAN programmers writing it must be laughing at us (doesn’t even support drag n drop). Big surprise, given the muddled state of the camera menu system. But I digress.

I could live with the crappy software, except...

* Is a firmware update coming for the GFX100S, or is the IBIS mechanism incompetent to do it?

Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner

Problems with the resulting DNG file

Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner
DNG offers no film profile

Color seems a little better. Sharpness is worse because of forced distortion correction. But a lot more is worse:

• Taking the 4-shot pixel shift frame yanks the sensor to one side, so that a pixel shift frame cannot match a single-shot non-pixel shift frame. You can actually see and hear the sensor go clunk while changing to 4-shot mode.
• ACR processing settings are radically different for the resulting DNG vs any of the single-shot frames (white balance and tint in particular).
• Fujifilm film profiles are incompatible with the DNG (!), as shown. All you get is some generic "Color" camera profile. Which sucks.
• Distortion correction is forced on, so that sharpness gains from pixel shift are smeared away by pixel stretching.
• Distortion correction produces a quite different result from what ACR does, and crops-off more of the image.
• Vignetting correction is forced on.
• Chromatic aberration correction is forced on, apparently inducing color fringing (!), since unless you check the box in ACR you will see apparently artifically created color fringing. Ummm...
• Adobe Camera Raw AI Denoise cannot be used. Ironically, a single frame from the pixel shift series is at least as sharp if not sharper, and seems no less good on noise.

Fujifilm calls this disaster “accurate color mode”. I call it a clusterfuck. The inmates are running the asylum.

Obviously I could go mess with the pixel shift DNG and try to fix the godawful balance, but it’s now impossible to choose the film look (ASTIA) that I want, even if I can unfuck the WB and tint.

Which image do you prefer? Toggle to compare.

f8 @ 1/30 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-14 09:35:57
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Colorado, altitude 8400 ft / 2560 m, 60°F / 15°C
RAW: LACA corrected, WB 5200°K tint 15, push 1 stops, +20 Whites

[low-res image for bot]

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Reader Comment: incompatibility issues of Godox and other flash products with the EVF of the Fujifilm GFX100 II

Dr S writes:

This is a short one. You may or may not be aware of the incompatibility issues of Godox and other flash products with the EVF of the GFX100 II. The EVF blacks out completely and only the LCD can be used..... It has been widely reported and a stain for many portrait and other photographers who bought the camera or are considering the purchase. I am one of those. Last night in the wee hours of the morning Fujifilm announced FW Update 1.1 that fixes the issue.

I updated the camera and now the Godox triggers work flawlessly with the remote strobes. I bring this up because you have commented numerous times about Fujifilm's issues that have not been addressed. The most recent one is the fact with focus stacking it won't properly take an infinity photo. That fact Fuji has not addressed this and other concerns must be that certain issues are put on a priority list.

Of course they should fix them all, but I suppose there are limited resources, whatever that may be, to allocate to the issues. That is no excuse but something that we have to live with if we chose to own the product.

Lastly, the prime issue that truly needs to be addressed is the claim of "surgical precision AF." I have found, especially with the combo of the 100 ii and the new 55/1.7, the eyeAF is pretty darn good. It nails focus nearly every time. Can't comment about landscape because my technique is always AF +MF since Fujis have been notoriously bad in the past.

DIGLLOYD: that’s good news for flash shooter.s

It must be a low priority to not fix after 5 years (failure to reach INF for focus stacking). Or cognitive blindness or a cognitive commitment that the issues does not exist.

Regarding the 55/1.7 AF: at closer range I had very good results with it also. That's not the issue. My issue is that with all lenses including the 55/1.7, I see obvious blurry focus results on a regular basis in magnified Live View (where it is obvious), even as the camera confirms focus acquisition.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

View Across Saddlebag Lake, Fresh Snow

f1.7 @ 1/3200 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-02 09:33:41
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Saddlebag Lake, altitude 10200 ft / 3109 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: Enhance Details, LACA corrected, WB 5000°K tint 15, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: View Across Saddlebag Lake, Fresh Snow

This aperture series from f/1.7 to f/8 offers a critical look at the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 on a far distance scene, assessing sharpness, focus shift, field curvature, secondary color.

The test scene is exceptionally demanding, being both at far distance and having snowy high contrast, thus revealing all shortcomings mercilessly.

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: View Across Saddlebag Lake, Fresh Snow

Includes images up to full camera resolution, plus crops.

A must-have gem.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

View Across Saddlebag Lake, Fresh Snow

f1.7 @ 1/3200 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-02 09:33:41
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Saddlebag Lake, altitude 10200 ft / 3109 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: Enhance Details, LACA corrected, WB 5000°K tint 15, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10

[low-res image for bot]

Reader Comment: Thumbs down on the Fuji 80 f/1.7 GF and Donkey Lenses

I have a bunch of stuff coming on the Fujifilm GFX100 II and the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7, but having been gone for a month I’m playing catchup before I get rolling on that.

Roy’s summaries are always most entertaining and spot-on.

Roy P writes:

FWIW, I am declaring the Fuji 80mm f/1.7 as a dog, and I’m finally giving up on this lens.  I tested this lens for the third time, this time with the GFX 100 II, and quite extensively too, after which I am raising the white flag, and sending it back to B&H.

The autofocusing on the GFX 100 II is noticeably improved, but that is relative to the low bar set by GFX 100S.  It is barely adequate to freeze adults in engaged in normal conversations in a social setting, and the lens can’t chase kids like my 2-year old grandson running around.  The contrast wide open is quite weak.  By f/2.8 it becomes acceptably good in the central area, although some tweaks in post-processing helps.  But as you move towards the sides, you can see increasing lateral CA creep in.  You see LACA even at f/4.  I didn’t test it for focus shift, field curvature, etc.

I think the only good GF lenses worth owning are:

1. 20-35 f/4
2. 35-70 f/4.5-5.6
3. 50 f/3.5
4. 55 f/1.7
5. 110 f/2
6. 250 f/4

 If you have either the 35-70 or 55/1.7 or both, then the 50/3.5 becomes redundant.  But the 50/3.5 still has its charm as a compact, walkaround lens for street photography, although the max f/3.5 is a bit slow.  Still, it is the closest thing to a pancake lens in the medium format / semi-medium format universe, and it’s great value if you bought it at $500.

All the other GF lenses are desperately in need of next generation redesigns, IMO.  The two most hideous GF lenses I have tested were the 45 f/2.8 (Prime Donkey) and the 32-64 f/4 (Zoom Donkey).

DIGLLOYD: I concur, no disagreement.

The 55/1.7 is a gem. Together with the 20-35/4 and 35-70, the kit is outstanding. The 110/2 is nice, but has some drawbacks, the 250/4 is great but bulky and awkward. Your baseline kit should be 20-35mm + 35-70mm + 55/1.7.

The tilt-shift lenses are specialty and we have to wait until December arrival to asses .

Jason W writes:

This post is spot on.

I bought and sold the 45/2.8 and it's funny, because I don't know what it was that made this lens suck, but it certainly did. I loved the 50/3.5 but every image for the 45/2.8 felt clinical and lacking in charm. I like the aberrations and distortion on the 50/3.5 and I don't on the 45/2.8 is best I can sum it up. And perhaps the minor difference in focal length is somehow relevant.

The 35-70 has a lot of the 50/3.5 draw style, although that lens does it a bit better. The 80/1.7 is a horror with all the monstrous CA that does nothing good.

DIGLLOYD: the Fujifilm GF 45/2.8 has plenty of focus shift and field curvature. It’s actually quite good (as good as the 50/3.5), but much harder to get optimal results because of those things.

Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

$7499 FUJIFILM GFX100 II Medium Format Camera IN STOCK in Cameras: Medium Format	$2499 FUJIFILM 20-35mm f/4 GF R WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format	$3999 FUJIFILM 30mm f/5.6 GF T/S Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format	$999 FUJIFILM 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 GF WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format	$999 FUJIFILM 50mm f/3.5 GF R LM WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format
$2299 FUJIFILM 55mm f/1.7 GF R WR Lens (FUJIFILM G) IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format	$2249 SAVE $550 = 19.0% FUJIFILM 110mm f/2 GF R LM WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format	$3499 FUJIFILM 110mm f/5.6 GF T/S Macro Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format	$3299 FUJIFILM 250mm f/4 GF R LM OIS WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

Message to Fujifilm: a Trivial Fix for Focus BKT Failure to Reach INF with GFX100 II/100S/100

The engineers in the audience might appreciate this... the whole situation is ridiculous.

Dear Fujifilm engineers,

Your Focus BKT feature has been broken for 5+ years. Back in 2019, it was a complete joke with some lenses, so badly broken that one can only conclude that no field testing was ever done. Or if it were done, whoever did it was incompetent. And it was never tested again, seemingly.

Today, Focus BKT still does not work correctly, failing to achieve infinity focus virtually every time (to varying degrees), which I have observed repeatedly with every lens I have tried (and proven it in published articles moreover I have hundreds of proofs since it always happens).

I know how hard it is to get code written correctly since I’ve been a software engineer for 46 years, since I was 12 years old. Still, this situation is pathetic.

A plausible explanation

The behavior I see imagines one of the most time-honored software bugs that has ever existed: some engineer forgot that assigning a floating point number to an integer will round down by default. It’s possible that this is not the explanation and the answer is more complex, but all behavior that I observe is totally consistent with that idea.

The errant code would look something like this:

float  fc = calcFrameCount(...);
int    numFramesToShoot = (int)fc; <=== 9.1, 9.3, 9.7, 9.99, etc all become 9 frames

Such a coding error would explain perfectly why the amount of error (the degree of softness/defocus of the last frame) varies from one focus stack to another.

A 12-year-old engineer (me in my boyhood) might make this mistake, but a major corporation with professional engineers? Any code review by peers* should catch it as a novice mistake.

* If the software engineering best practice of code review by fellow engineers doing is even implemented?

Fixing the issue with a kludge

So, Fujifilm, I offer you my at-a-glance and guaranteed-to-work fix, at least for all the failure cases I have observed:

// mask the bug; shoot one more frame than the bad code calculates
numFramesToShoot = numFramesToShoot + 1;

There you have it. It is zero risk and code review should take all of 30 seconds. Please remit a check for US$10K once the fix is implemented. And send me a Fujifilm GFX100 II with fixed firmware as compensation for the enormous and ongoing hassle and workload this failure has inflicted upon not just me, but your entire user base.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Glenn K writes:

cc: Sony

DIGLLOYD: yep.

Fujifilm GFX100 II vs GFX100S: Zeroing-In on the Benefits that Matter

Should you spend $7500 for the Fujifilm GFX100 II to upgrade from the Fujifilm GFX100S?

The gains are specific, and quite limited.

Shot in 8K on Sony A7R V near Saddlebag Lake, downsampled to 4K.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR: Optical Masterpiece

Corner-to-corner detail of the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR is spectacular.

It might be the best prime lens of the entire lineup, a must-have masterpiece of lens design!

It’s going to be hard to send this one back, but I cannot afford to buy it.

Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

$7499 FUJIFILM GFX100 II Medium Format Camera IN STOCK in Cameras: Medium Format

$2499 FUJIFILM 20-35mm f/4 GF R WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3999 FUJIFILM 30mm f/5.6 GF T/S Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

$999 FUJIFILM 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 GF WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$2299 FUJIFILM 55mm f/1.7 GF R WR Lens (FUJIFILM G) IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3499 FUJIFILM 110mm f/5.6 GF T/S Macro Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

View across Saddlebag Lake to SE ridge near Mt Conness

f7.1 @ 1/320 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-02 09:09:52
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Saddlebag Lake, altitude 10200 ft / 3109 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: Camera ASTIA, Enhance Details, vignetting corrected, WB 5000°K tint 18, push 0.17 stops, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10

[low-res image for bot]

Reader Question: Picture Profile for RAW + JPEG

Reader Leo G writes:

Can you set your film simulations for one slot and RAW for the other slot?

Is the RAW file being changed by the pic profile?

DIGLLOYD: yes, you can save RAW to one slot and JPG to the other slot. Or save both on the same card. I always save both to the same card, and use the 2nd card for a real-time backup, recording all stuff to both cards.

RAW is not an image per se. The RAW file data is nothing but computer bits which have to be interpreted into an image. A host of factors are involved, with the camera’s “picture profile” just one of numerous factors. These factors control how raw data bits are wrangled into a TIF or JPG. In no case is the raw data itself affected in any way whatsoever.

Most/all cameras not only embed a reduced-quality and lower-resolution JPG into the RAW file itself for fast previews. Indeed, one can strip-out this preview to reduce file size.

Various Camera Profile in ACR
(many more are available)

One can also shoot RAW+JPG, with a choice of quality and size for the separate JPG file, which incorporates picture profile as well as all other factors, baking-in all to the JPG. For dual slot cameras, it does not matter whether the JPG is stored on the same card as the RAW file, or separately.

I always shoot RAW+JPG SuperFine, because when reviewing images, I can assess detail much better with a full quality JPG rather than the low-grade embedded JPG. Most cameras are smart enough to use the full-quality JPEG associated with the RAW when reviewing images, allowing one to zoom in more for image review and with far lower compression artifacts.

On the computer, Camera Profile in Adobe Camera Raw is the equivalent to “picture profile” in the camera, though sadly the image rendition often does not match what the camera itself produces with the same profile. So if you want the look the camera produces, shoot RAW+JPG SuperFine and use that JPG from the camera.

Some camera vendors provide a variety of looks (camera profiles) and some offer few or none. Fujifilm does a particularly nice job in offering profiles corresponding to their film stocks, Sony has a variety but are not as nice as Fujifilm, other brands have choices but IMO mostly suck. On top of all that are all sorts of other settings that get baked-in.

Below, the same image from the Fujifilm GFX100 II, but with three different Camera Profile choices in ACR.

View across Saddlebag Lake to SE ridge near Mt Conness

f7.1 @ 1/320 sec, ISO 80; 2023-10-02 09:09:52
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)

[low-res image for bot]

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

View across Saddlebag Lake to SE ridge near Mt Conness

f7.1 @ 1/320 sec electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-10-02 09:09:52
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
ENV: Saddlebag Lake, altitude 10200 ft / 3109 m, 28°F / -2°C
RAW: Camera ASTIA, Enhance Details, vignetting corrected, WB 5000°K tint 18, push 0.17 stops, +20 Whites, AI Denoise 10

[low-res image for bot]

White Mountains Notes

I’ll be home in a few days to sort out a good trip’s photos, reporting on the Fujifilm GFX 100 II, Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7, and Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II.

I stopped in the White Mountains but have now left, because steady cold wind made photography not just unpleasant, but blur-prone with a high failure rate.

Last night it was 19°F where I slept, and 26°F inside my Sprinter van, along with a steady ~20 mph NW wind—a combination that in the daytime might warm to 35°F which is not an issue but that wind makes it all pretty useless for photography albeit hiking is fine if one keeps moving.

There is still last year’s snow 11800' on northern exposures that will not melt this year.

Below, this snowshoe hare’s camouflage doesn’t work anywhere; it stands out like a sore thumb. As a kid, I shot and ate rabbits (and squirrels and deer), but now I value life and beauty more and more... let’s see if it makes it through the weekend what with deer hunters showing up.

Snowshoe Hare transitioning from summer to winter coat

f2.8 @ 1/160 sec, ISO 50; 2023-10-27 17:00:24
iPhone 15 Pro Max + iPhone 15 Pro Max 15.7 mm f/4 @ 15.7mm
ENV: White Mountains, altitude 11669 ft / 3557 m, 38°F / 3°C

[low-res image for bot]

Sad to witness, this winter-coat-ready coyote had its backbone blown apart by a high-powered rifle. Totally legal as I understand it. While I have hunted to eat and can accept with strong distaste the hunting of coyotes for pelts, pointless slaughter like this is hard to stomach. Especially in this high-altitude area with a tenuous balance of predator and prey eg not a ranch with sheep or some such. And whatever loser shot it did so 30 feet from the road, showing disregard for that legality and its obvious safety considerations.

Slaughtered coyote left for scavengers

f1.8 @ 1/3000 sec, ISO 64; 2023-10-27 12:27:22
iPhone 15 Pro Max + iPhone 15 Pro Max 6.9 mm f/4 @ 6.9mm
ENV: White Mountains, altitude 11800 ft / 3597 m, 33°F / 0°C

[low-res image for bot]

Using the MSR Guardian, I refilled my water bottles for a ~3 day supply.

Frozen-over high-altitude pond

f1.8 @ 1/3200 sec, ISO 80; 2023-10-27 12:09:27
iPhone 15 Pro Max + iPhone 15 Pro Max 6.9 mm f/4 @ 6.9mm
ENV: White Mountains, altitude 11700 ft / 3566 m, 38°F / 3°C

[low-res image for bot]

Water resupply from high-altitude pond

f1.8 @ 1/3000 sec, ISO 64; 2023-10-27 12:27:22
iPhone 15 Pro Max + iPhone 15 Pro Max 6.9 mm f/4 @ 6.9mm
ENV: White Mountains, altitude 11800 ft / 3597 m, 40°F / 4°C

[low-res image for bot]

Cold Sunrise

f1.8 @ 1/900 sec handheld IS=on panorama, ISO 200; 2023-10-28 07:14:55
iPhone 15 Pro Max + iPhone 15 Pro Max 6.9 mm f/4 @ 6.9mm
ENV: White Mountains, altitude 10760 ft / 3280 m, 26°F / -3°C

[low-res image for bot]

White Mountain Road to locked gate

f1.8 @ 1/5600 sec, ISO 80; 2023-10-27 16:00:27
iPhone 15 Pro Max + iPhone 15 Pro Max 6.9 mm f/4 @ 6.9mm
ENV: White Mountains, altitude 11900 ft / 3627 m, 40°F / 4°C

[low-res image for bot]

Note to Longtime Readers: Publish on Substack?

Standalone web sites like this one are an anomaly in the age of Platforms and click-driven content management systems. Some make their living at it (me) and some for personal reasons eg the highly technical but excellent Kasson.com. Who and what will be left standing in 5 years, let alone 10? I don’t have the 'personal reasons' option—it has to pay the bills.

I gratefully thank my longtime subscribers for their support and especially the last three years, which were my life's greatest challenge*, and still in transition.

Contractions in both the photography and computing industries are exerting pressures everywhere including sponsors of this site like B&H Photo and OWC. Plus general user satisfaction with photo and computer gear of unprecedented capabilities slows interest and purchases. Various sources of my revenue have dried up over the years. In short, financial pressures are coming to bear even as the baseline costs rise of running a corporation and web site rise.

Most frustrating and bearing directly on subscribership, the pace of content production here stemmed from from trouble I never asked for* but nonetheless has disappointed both me and my subscribers.

* As most longtime readers know I am only just now recovering from a 2.5-year test of perseverance and the required cognitive commitment to passing through it. That period plundered my finances and degraded everything, including this web site's coverage. Hence my special thanks to loyal subscribers.

Wider audience?

Forward-looking feedback and suggestions especially from current and former subscribers is welcome, monetization being the nut to crack.

I would like to continue the present format and will do so for a time. High-res images, aperture series, etc that I publish on this site would be difficult to impossible to present properly elsewhere, let alone manage over time. I am reminded of that every time I view other web sites and their frustrating presentation. Furthermore, it would be difficult to impossible to have the curated and indexed topical organization and search seen here reproduced on any platform—they all invariably suck in that regard.

In a fantasy world, I would have benefactors that would allow me to eliminate all ads and even subscription fees, exposing all content to the world, and just do my thing.

However, I must necessarily look at other monetization possibilities at least as adjuncts. Well, unless I can dramatically raise the revenue on this site. And while often experiments fail, sometimes they bear fruit—fail until success is a good operating principle.

My main thought is SubStack (and even a modest subscriber base could work). But what focus, what to charge, and how many people would subscribe, and how to relate it to here? Substack is poorly suited to images and video, so it might mean some complementary thing.

An obvious choicer is YouTube, but YouTube is not safe for business, because arbitrary cancellation can happen overnight, as recent events show over and over—punishment for wrongthink starts with demonetization. While I’m not even a footnote compared to well known names, it's a real risk for anyone who speaks their mind.