I love my new X-E1 / photos of New Orleans

[JamiePen]

The X-E1 is great. Sure I could be nitpicky, but in the end what the camera, in that small body can accomplish, is amazing.

I'm coming from using a 5d mark 2 and zeiss 21 2.8--so that's a pretty high standard. Does it match up? Well the zeiss 21mm is considered one of the best lenses ever made, and there is subtlety in color tone and contrast that is really special. Also canon RAW files seem much more pliable. However, that set up is heavy, and using it required a lot of effort, and the camera ended up staying in the bag for day-to-day purposes. The XE-1 feels weightless. And in many respects might be my favorite camera since my old pentax k-1000.

Anyway, below is a link to some of my first shots with the camera, from a recent trip to New Orleans. I used the 14mm and 35mm.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hymietown/sets/72157633071522489/show/

 

[PeterPrism]

A very interesting view of America. Thanks. Voted +1

 

[mrgooch2008]

How were the b/w photos taken?

 

[Allen Chernack]

Very good shots. Quite a wide range of subjects and locals. Looks like Marde Gras.

I'm also in how you made your wonderful black and white photos. i.e. in camera & which setting or out of camera & which software.

 

[JamiePen]

mrgooch2008 wrote:

How were the b/w photos taken?

Most of the black and white's were made with the in camera jpeg.

There might have been some minor adjustments made a lightroom, lightening for example.

A very small few B&Ws were converted from the RAW file. In general, the in-camera B&W jpegs seemed to be more pleasant than RAW conversion--this could be because of my (lack of) skills as an editor ; )

 

[JamiePen]

Allen Chernack wrote:

Very good shots. Quite a wide range of subjects and locals. Looks like Marde Gras.

I'm also in how you made your wonderful black and white photos. i.e. in camera & which setting or out of camera & which software.

 

[JamiePen]

PeterPrism wrote:

A very interesting view of America. Thanks. Voted +1

Thank you, appreciate it.

 

[mmmmmmmm]

I can't believe all the B&W pictures of those fancy costumes! You can always convert to B&W if you needed. Take color of the fancy costumes.

respectfully,

David miller

 

[JamiePen]

Yeah I know what you mean. I actually shot both RAW & Jpeg. So I alway had the option of either color or B&W. I always tried to pick the strongest shot, and for me, finding simplicity in chaos is a big part of composing a good photo. In the instances that I used B&W, I felt the color shots just had too much going on, and were in fact distracting, harsh mid-day sun doesn't help that. Initially I didn't like the color at all, but a bit of desaturation, for me, actually made the image stronger, still illustrating the colors, but in a way that was more organized--this is all of course subjective, others would have different opinions when looking at the originals.

 

[1drey]

Excellent series! Love composition and toneality, plenty of well capured moments.

Also it lis very inspiring - I received my XE1 today and it is nice to see my new camera's potential in action and street photography.

 

[Allen Chernack]

JamiePen wrote:

Yeah I know what you mean. I actually shot both RAW & Jpeg. So I alway had the option of either color or B&W. I always tried to pick the strongest shot, and for me, finding simplicity in chaos is a big part of composing a good photo. In the instances that I used B&W, I felt the color shots just had too much going on, and were in fact distracting, harsh mid-day sun doesn't help that. Initially I didn't like the color at all, but a bit of desaturation, for me, actually made the image stronger, still illustrating the colors, but in a way that was more organized--this is all of course subjective, others would have different opinions when looking at the originals.

I agree with your choices. The B&W of the colorful costumes makes it look authentic like some of those early photos of American Indians done in B&W. And I agree that some of the colors can be too overpowering and take away from what was going on. I've tried some B&W in camera and just didn't get enough contrast. Must be wrong subjects.

 

[3dmus]

Just to say I love the pictures. Very nicely done indeed and draws the viewer in.

 

[Ivar Dahl Larsen]

Most everything of what I can only say too, has been said here already. But as I just got my X-E1 and the way you have explained it so cleverly by Your Pictures and orally explicit, I certainly look forward to hit the streets with it. You mentioned a very clever thing, shoot in raw and jpeg and choose the black and white in Jpeg. In that respect as I understand it, you shall have both colours by raw and the black and white by the Jpegs, right?

Cheers mate, you did a marvelous job and the camera just added to it.

 

[Joachim Gerstl]

Very nice images. Very different. Love the people shots taken with the 14mm.

 

[alan brown]

Very nice set of images. For me, the b&w work quite well. I don't like to photograph things just because they are colorful, too much else going on. My favorite is the one with the dollar bill in the air.

Best,

 

[Fenwoodian]

Jamie, I have the X Pro 1 and the Fuji 35mm lens. I was thinking of also getting the 14mm Fuji lens.

Could you please share roughly how many of your beautiful images are taken with the 35mm and how many were taken with the 14mm?



Thanks,

Dave in Wisconsin

 

[JamiePen]

alan brown wrote:

Very nice set of images. For me, the b&w work quite well. I don't like to photograph things just because they are colorful, too much else going on. My favorite is the one with the dollar bill in the air.

Best,

 

[JamiePen]

Fenwoodian wrote:

Jamie, I have the X Pro 1 and the Fuji 35mm lens. I was thinking of also getting the 14mm Fuji lens.

Could you please share roughly how many of your beautiful images are taken with the 35mm and how many were taken with the 14mm?

Thanks,

Dave in Wisconsin

You know, I'd say at about 2/3 were with the 14mm. The lenses work great together, letting you work with two distinct visions.

 

[JamiePen]

Ivar Dahl Larsen wrote:

Most everything of what I can only say too, has been said here already. But as I just got my X-E1 and the way you have explained it so cleverly by Your Pictures and orally explicit, I certainly look forward to hit the streets with it. You mentioned a very clever thing, shoot in raw and jpeg and choose the black and white in Jpeg. In that respect as I understand it, you shall have both colours by raw and the black and white by the Jpegs, right?

Cheers mate, you did a marvelous job and the camera just added to it.

 

[Aussiemarco]

You mentioned a very clever thing, shoot in raw and jpeg and choose the black and white in Jpeg. In that respect as I understand it, you shall have both colours by raw and the black and white by the Jpegs, right?

If you have a RAW file, you can create a JPG version of any film simulation in the camera later. This is a great feature, as you don't have to take several versions of the same scene when you're out and about. The downside is when shooting RAW plus JPG, you fill a 4 gb card very quickly. Even an 8 gb wouldn't last a day, since you'll find yourself taking thousands of shots!

Marco