The Fujifilm X-T2: 120 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-T2, 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-T2.

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:	9781681982243
Publisher:	Rocky Nook
Publication date:	12/13/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

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-T2 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 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 5

Tip 4 Make sure that your camera and lenses are running with the latest firmware 6

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 11

Tip 9 Use Boost mode! 12

Tip 10 Keep the camera sensor clean! 13

Tip 11 Do-it-yourself sensor cleaning for tough sensor spots 14

1.2 The Basics (2): Things You Should Know About Your Lenses 16

Tip 12 X-mount compatible Samyang lenses are just like adapted lenses! 17

Tip 13 Zeiss Touit lenses 18

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

Tip 15 The optical image stabilizer (OIS) has its quirks! 20

Tip 16 The XF23mmF1.4 R, XF16mmF1.4 RWR, 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 handgrips 29

Tip 23 Off-camera TTL flash with a Canon OC-E3TTL extension cord 31

Tip 24 Issues regarding Canon TTL flash devices 32

Tip 25 Remote shutter release: three options for the X-T2 33

2 Using The Fujifilm X-T2 36

2.1 Ready, Set, Go! 36

Tip 26 Recommended settings for your X-T2 36

Tip 27 Avoiding the camera menus: practical shortcuts for your X-T2 43

Tip 28 Suggested Fn button assignment 46

Tip 29 Always shoot FINE+RAW! 47

Tip 30 Compressed or uncompressed RAW files? 50

Tip 31 Pick a suitable image format! 51

Tip 32 The magical half-press 52

2.2 Monitor and Viewfinder 52

Tip 33 Make use of the eye sensor! 52

Tip 34 Instant review 53

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 56

2.3 Exposing Right 56

Tip 38 Choosing the right metering method 58

Tip 39 Linking spot metering to AF frames 61

Tip 40 Using the live view and live histogram 61

Tip 41 Auto exposure (AE) with modes P, A, and S 63

Tip 42 Using manual exposure M 64

Tip 43 Using aperture priority S 65

Tip 44 Using shutter priority S 67

Tip 45 Using program AE P and program shift 68

Tip 46 Playing it safe with auto exposure bracketing 69

Tip 47 Long exposures 69

Tip 48 Long exposures in bright daylight 71

Tip 49 ISO settings-what's the deal? 71

Tip 50 What you should know about extended ISO 75

Tip 51 Auto-ISO and minimum shutter speed 75

Tip 52 Auto-ISO in manual mode M: the "misomatic" 77

Tip 53 ISO-Bracketing: it's just a gimmick! 78

Tip 54 Extending the dynamic range 78

Tip 55 Extending the dynamic range for RAW shooters 81

Tip 56 JPEG settings for RAW shooters 83

Tip 57 Extending the dynamic range for JPEG shooters 84

Tip 58 Using the DR function for high-key and portrait photography 87

Tip 59 Creating HDR images with the X-T2 92

Tip 60 HDR: the handheld way 94

Tip 61 Using the electronic shutter 96

2.4 Focusing with the X-T2 98

Tip 62 CDAF and PDAF: what's the difference? 98

Tip 63 AF-S or AF-C? 99

Tip 64 AF modes: Single Point AF vs. Zone AF vs. Wide/Tracking AF 100

Tip 65 Selecting an AF frame or AF zone 103

Tip 66 Choosing a suitable AF frame or AF zone size 103

Tip 67 Manual focus and DOF zone focusing 105

Tip 68 Manual focus assistants: focus peaking and digital split image 107

Tip 69 Focus check: use the magnifier tool! 108

Tip 70 One-Touch-AF (Instant AF) 108

Tip 71 Using AF+MF 109

Tip 72 Pre-AF: a relic of the past 112

Tip 73 Using face detection and eye-detection 113

Tip 74 Using AF-Lock 115

Tip 75 Using AF-ON (back-button focusing) 116

Tip 76 Focusing in poor light 117

Tip 77 Macro: focusing at close distances 118

Tip 78 Focusing on moving subjects (1): the "autofocus trick" 121

Tip 79 Focusing on moving subjects (2): the focus trap 124

Tip 80 Focusing on moving subjects (3): Autofocus tracking using Single Point AF, Zone AF, or Wide/Tracking AF 126

Tip 81 Using AF-C Custom settings 130

Tip 82 Focus priority vs. release priority 133

2.5 White Balance and JPEG Parameters 133

Tip 83 Custom white balance: a little effort can go a long way 136

Tip 84 Infrared photography 138

Tip 85 Changing color tints with WB SHIFT 140

Tip 86 Film simulations: it's all about the look 141

Tip 87 Using the GRAIN EFFECT 146

Tip 88 Contrast settings: working with highlights and shadows 147

Tip 89 Skin tones: smooth or with texture? 148

Tip 90 Color saturation 149

Tip 91 Choosing a color space: sRGB or Adobe RGB? 150

Tip 92 Using custom settings (usage profiles) 151

Tip 93 Working with the built-in RAW converter 152

Tip 94 Comparing RAW converters 155

Fujifilm film simulations 157

Extended dynamic range (DR200%, DR400%) 158

Digital lens corrections 159

Tip 95 Displaying EXIF metadata 161

2.6 Burst Mode, Movies, Motion Panorama, and the Self Timer 163

Tip 96 Using burst mode 164

Tip 97 Shooting motion panoramas 165

Tip 98 Shooting video With the X-T2 167

Tip 99 Using the self-timer 170

2.7 Flash Photography 171

Tip 100 Flash photography in modes P and A: slow shutter speed limits 174

Tip 101 Controlling the surrounding-light component of flash photography 175

Tip 102 Controlling the flash-light component 178

Tip 103 Rear curtain flash synchronization: what's the deal? 179

Tip 104 Flash synchronization: where's the limit? 181

Tip 105 Red-eye removal: a two-step affair 182

Tip 106 Using TTL-Lock 183

Tip 107 Little slave: the EF-X20 184

Tip 108 Big master: the EF-X500 185

Tip 109 Generic third-party flash units 187

2.8 Using Adapted Lenses 188

Tip 110 Finding the right lens adapter 189

Tip 111 Adapting third-party lenses: here's how 191

Tip 112 Exposing with adapted lenses 191

Tip 113 Focusing with adapted lenses 192

Tip 114 Using the Fujifilm M-mount adapter 194

Tip 115 Quality considerations 195

Tip 116 Speed Booster: miracle or trick? 196

2.9 Wireless Remote Control and Tethering 198

Tip 117 Using the Camera Remote App 198

Tip 118 Streaming the live view via HDMI 202

Tip 119 Tethered shooting via USB 203

2.10 Anything Else? 205

Tip 120 Forums, blogs, and workshops: be a part of it! 205

Online References 207

Index 211