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Fun with the Fuji X ___!

m_driscoll

New member
This is one of those cameras that I'm increasingly becoming more and more trusting of it's automation and jpg capabilities. It's hard for me to let go and not shoot everything manually or at least AE priority with EV compensation. Ditto processing raw files - the Fuji converter seems pretty decent for neutral base images that I then load in to PS CS5 for basic curves and setting a grey point. Nothing else needed in most files so far, and then after all that they annoyingly end up looking almost like the out of camera jpg! :mad: :facesmack:

Are you shooting at the recommended AA settings or do you dial in any -EV? With AE mode I find myself happiest leaving at least -1/3EV most of the time or adjusting to protect the highlights if the preview histogram suggests over exposure.
Graham: The jpgs are pretty darn good!

My normal shooting mode is aperture priority. I'm pleased with the results from AA on this camera. Right now, I'm leaving the EV, alone. The images are slightly 'exposed to the right'. However, -1/3 EV is the basic setting on my M9 and Nex 7. I do adjust the max. Auto ISO, which works quite well. If the exposure's screwed up, it's my error for 'setting' it on the wrong spot. I'm just going to shoot it 'recreationally' for a while (actually, it always 'recreation' for me :D).

There's a set of electrical wires with a marina in the background near my office. I've shot it with every camera that I've owned in the last two years (Nikon/Sony/Leica/Ricoh). I focus on the wires. This camera auto focused on the background. Focusing performance is my only quibble about the X-Pro 1.

BTW: Stunning landscapes from Yosemite! :thumbup:

Cheers, Matt

Zenfolio | Matt Driscoll
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
This is a hard act to follow after viewing the latest images of Graham, Jolly, Rich, Matt, Joe, and Carl.

Along the backyard fence with the 60/2.4 ...jpegs...bottom 2 are b&w conversions.
 
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scho

Well-known member
This is a hard act to follow after viewing the latest images of Graham, Jolly, Rich, Matt, Joe, and Carl.

Along the backyard fence with the 60/2.4 ...jpegs...bottom 2 are b&w conversions.
Very nice Roy. I love the texture of weathered wood. The compositions with the vine and the shot with nails are great.
 

Rich M

Member
Thanks Rich. Yes, just sent a batch to Mpix. Haven't done much B&W printing lately so I'm a bit curious how these will look. Any suggestions?
Joe.....I still haven't found a B&W print option I like. I have an Epson 3800 and even using the ABW (Advanced BW mode), I still see metamerism in the prints.

I haven't found a quality custom printer to outsource either.

I have been considering converting the 3800 to a Piezography ink set, but the conversion and subsequent profiling efforts seem a little daunting.

R
 

scho

Well-known member
Joe.....I still haven't found a B&W print option I like. I have an Epson 3800 and even using the ABW (Advanced BW mode), I still see metamerism in the prints.

I haven't found a quality custom printer to outsource either.

I have been considering converting the 3800 to a Piezography ink set, but the conversion and subsequent profiling efforts seem a little daunting.

R
I can highly recommend an Epson printer with Claria inks and QTR driver for making outstanding B&W prints (particularly on metallic gloss papers). Lou Dina and I collaborated last year on a QTR profiling project for the Epson 1400 and produced a number of profile sets (neutral, warm, cool, and Selenium) for many popular papers. The neutral curves are dead neutral with no metamerism or color casts and you can produce a variety of hues using the curves blender in QTR. Neutral B&W prints on glossy metallic are identical in appearance to MPIX metallic B&W prints. The curves are available for download in the Files section of the Yahoo QuadtoneRIP forum site or I can email to anyone who wants to try them.

Link to curves files (you may have to be a member to download)
Link for Tutorial by Lou Dina
 
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Joe.....I still haven't found a B&W print option I like. I have an Epson 3800 and even using the ABW (Advanced BW mode), I still see metamerism in the prints.

I haven't found a quality custom printer to outsource either.

I have been considering converting the 3800 to a Piezography ink set, but the conversion and subsequent profiling efforts seem a little daunting.

R
Just received the Mpix images on True B&W Illford. Not really happy with the contrast. Blacks not deep enough. :(
 
I can highly recommend an Epson printer with Claria inks and QTR driver for making outstanding B&W prints (particularly on metallic gloss papers). Lou Dina and I collaborated last year on a QTR profiling project for the Epson 1400 and produced a number of profile sets (neutral, warm, cool, and Selenium) for many popular papers. The neutral curves are dead neutral with no metamerism or color casts and you can produce a variety of hues using the curves blender in QTR. Neutral B&W prints on glossy metallic are identical in appearance to MPIX metallic B&W prints. The curves are available for download in the Files section of the Yahoo QuadtoneRIP forum site or I can email to anyone who wants to try them.
Carl would you know how a B&W image would look printed on B&W Illford paper versus Metallic paper?
 

scho

Well-known member
Carl would you know how a B&W image would look printed on B&W Illford paper versus Metallic paper?
Hi Joe,

I don't know what the Ilford B&W paper is like, but we were getting dmax values of about L=3.2 or D=2.4 to 2.5 on the inkjet metallic glossy papers (Lexjet, Red River, Chrome, etc. - they are all the same). The nice thing about the Claria inks on these high gloss papers is that they don't sit on top of the paper like pigments, which will produce gloss differential and bronzing. The image appears to be in the print and not floating on top (similar to the silver based MPIX metallic on Kodak endura paper). If you remember what the old glossy ferrotyped B&W silver papers were like, then this is similar. Deep blacks. If you don't like the high gloss surface then Red River Polar Matte (highest dmax matte paper I've seen and flat matte) or Canson Platine (for a cotton fiber based air dried glossy look) will give decent dmax (about D 1.8 -2.0) with Claria inks and QTR.
 

m_driscoll

New member
Joe: Thank you, sir! :D Btw; the pp on your last set of images is stunning(as are the photos, of course)
Benroy: That's a beautiful set. #'s 1 and 4 are my picks. Artful compositions. :thumb up:
Rich: Thanks! :D
Carl: Excellent captures. :thumbs:

Here's a couple from the other night's SLUG (Seattle Leica User's Group) meeting. Coke bottle (mine), Ed, Dan, and Kay. X-Pro 1 w/ 18mm f/2.









Cheers, Matt

Zenfolio | Matt Driscoll
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
The monsoon season has begun here in South Florida...after the rain, overcast skies...using 60/2.4 in Velvia mode...really brings out saturated colors.

Oil slick images found in my next door neighbor's driveway... serendipitous!
 
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scho

Well-known member
Joe: Thank you, sir! :D Btw; the pp on your last set of images is stunning(as are the photos, of course)
Benroy: That's a beautiful set. #'s 1 and 4 are my picks. Artful compositions. :thumb up:
Rich: Thanks! :D
Carl: Excellent captures. :thumbs:

Here's a couple from the other night's SLUG (Seattle Leica User's Group) meeting. Coke bottle (mine), Ed, Dan, and Kay. X-Pro 1 w/ 18mm f/2.
Cheers, Matt

Zenfolio | Matt Driscoll
Matt,
Nice bokeh shot and casual portraits. That shot of Dan would make a good coke adv. "I should've had a coke" ;)
 

scho

Well-known member
The monsoon season has begun here in South Florida...after the rain, overcast skies...using 60/2.4 in Velvia mode...really brings out saturated colors.

Oil slick images found in my next door neighbor's driveway... serendipitous!
Roy,

Beautiful abstract shots of the oil slicks.
 

Rich M

Member
Hi Joe,

I don't know what the Ilford B&W paper is like, but we were getting dmax values of about L=3.2 or D=2.4 to 2.5 on the inkjet metallic glossy papers (Lexjet, Red River, Chrome, etc. - they are all the same). The nice thing about the Claria inks on these high gloss papers is that they don't sit on top of the paper like pigments, which will produce gloss differential and bronzing. The image appears to be in the print and not floating on top (similar to the silver based MPIX metallic on Kodak endura paper). If you remember what the old glossy ferrotyped B&W silver papers were like, then this is similar. Deep blacks. If you don't like the high gloss surface then Red River Polar Matte (highest dmax matte paper I've seen and flat matte) or Canson Platine (for a cotton fiber based air dried glossy look) will give decent dmax (about D 1.8 -2.0) with Claria inks and QTR.
:OT: Carl.....just so I understand, off the shelf Claria inks, an Epson 1400 six-ink printer and the QuadTone rip got the results you were satisfied with?

I converted a 1400 with a MIS ink set years ago and it was a MESS. Ink everywhere and lots of clogging/cleaning/purging.

I bought the ABW Epson driver with the 3800 would be my solution, but my fiber prints don't have the d-max and the ink sits on top of the glossy papers (with that slight greenish cast).

Maybe we should take this to the Printing & Output forum. :)

R
 

scho

Well-known member
:OT: Carl.....just so I understand, off the shelf Claria inks, an Epson 1400 six-ink printer and the QuadTone rip got the results you were satisfied with?

I converted a 1400 with a MIS ink set years ago and it was a MESS. Ink everywhere and lots of clogging/cleaning/purging.

I bought the ABW Epson driver with the 3800 would be my solution, but my fiber prints don't have the d-max and the ink sits on top of the glossy papers (with that slight greenish cast).

Maybe we should take this to the Printing & Output forum. :)

R
Rich,

Yes, the advantage of the 1400 is the very small drop size which obviates the need for gray inks, at least for small prints. I had hoped that that Epson (or others) might take the Claria type ink technology further with a larger format printer. Paul Roark has done this by making his own LF ink set based on Claria (Noritsu) type inks. The stock OEM Claria inks with the 1400 are quite capable of producing fine prints on both glossy and matte papers, but they really shine with the new metallic type media. You do need to use QTR, but the profiles are done already so easy to use. Roy Harrington is also developing a new commercial print tool app (in beta) that will make life easier for Mac users. There is already a nice QTR GUI for PC folks. As you say, we probably should take this discussion to the printing forum or PM if there is more to talk about.
 
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