Fuji X-Pro1 Black and White
Fuji X-Pro1 Black and White: One of the things that excited me about the Fuji X-Pro1 is its magnificent Black and White image handling, especially at high ISO levels. The Fuji X-Pro1 Black and White photographs are just beautiful and its primarily for this reason that I tend to shoot in JPG rather than RAW when using the camera.
Whilst the Fuji X100 produced some amazing black and white images, the X-Pro1 has taken it to a new level in my mind. I’m using the camera a lot now at weddings and when the time is right, shoot entirely black and white JPGs.
This first image was shot at a recent wedding at Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire. The bridal room is large and spacious, but for any of you who have been there, you will know its actually quite dark too. The image was shot on the XF18mm F2 lens at f/2 at 3200 ISO. The beauty of the camera as a stealth machine has been well documented and I really enjoy using it during bridal prep time. The size and weight really allow you effectively sneak into places you may well not have so much confidence doing with an SLR.
I shoot with a 35mm and 85mm lens on my DSLRs and so this shot would not have been possible without changing lenses using the SLRs. The 18mm lens remains my favourite because its quicker to focus and gives you a beautifully wide view of the scene (effective 27mm). Having the wedding dress in the background was what I wanted here and the Fuji X-Pro1 delivered a perfect shot for what I was trying to achieve. Using the Fuji X-Pro1 Black and White mode meant I could effectively get the dress into the shot without worrying (too much) about the huge amount of light coming in through the back window.
This next shot was taken at Adrian and Marianna’s Greek Wedding back in April. I’d literally only just got the camera and at that time Lightroom still did not have any support for the X-Pro1 – and it was because of this that I started and continue to shoot in JPG with the camera. This image was shout on the XF35mm F1.4 lens at ISO6400. The shutter speed here was 1/400th and to be completely honest I was trying to shoot even slower to get an element of motion in the photo. It worked to a certain extent but perhaps a little slower and panning would have resulted in the exact image I was thinking of.
The final Fuji X-Pro1 Black and White image I want to show for now is this one. I shoot in an un-orchestrated manor. This means I don’t ask the bride and groom to do anything or pose etc. So, its actually rare for me to get a shot of a bride walking down a stunning staircase bathed in light (!). As Marianna descended the stairs I was coming up and at the same time changing lenses on the X-Pro1. I knew what I wanted, and hopped I could get it. I set the camera to Aperture priority quickly using the dials to enable me to concentrate on getting the shot quickly. This Fuji X-Pro1 Black and White photo was taken on the 18mm F/2 lens at 1/125th second at 2000 ISO.
So, as you can see, I’m a big fan of the Fuji X-Pro1 Black and White images, and of course of the camera as a whole. Fuji have made a few minor firmware updates recently and I would encourage any users to update their systems and lenses. Currently I’m using the 18mm almost exclusively. I have the 35mm lens too and I’m fairly sure I will purchase the 60mm lens in the near future – if only for candid of the kids at home.
As the wedding photography season progresses I’ll be posting more and more images from weddings using the Fuji X-Pro1 in this section of my website. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below.
Subscribe to email updates – stay up to date with every wedding that I post on my site.
Send to KindleAlso, take a look at:
Facebook Comments
Posted in: Fujifilm X-Pro1
Leave a Comment (26) →
This looks an amazing piece of kit. Would you say it’s worth the extra extra extra £’s over the X100 then? Bet you get a few questions from guests using this little beast as well?
It is worth it in my book for the multiple lens system. However, I still use and love my X100. I think there is a place for both (though its a budget buster). Most guests these days have DSLRs themselves, many with bigger and better equipment than me. These little machines help you blend in a bit more I guess.
Great pics Kevin, and I fully suscribe to the discreet aproach allowed by unconspicuous cameras such as the Fuji.
Bit puzzled though by your insistence on shooting Jpegs which, as we all know, is a destructive format!
I make exhibits in high quality BW from color RAWs converted to BW in Caméra Raw. The Raw files keep maximum détails in both shadows and highlights, which you can redistribute at will, according to your own rendition.
Thanks for the comment Dominique and taking time to visit my blog. The reason I shoot JPG on the X-Pro1 is quite simple really; The JPGs it produces are better than I can emulate via RAW conversion. Also, wedding pictures will only ever make and album or perhaps a framed item. If I can get the exposure correct in camera (not always 100% of course), then it means I don’t need to worry about post-processing the image so much. When you shoot a lot of weddings, the post production time becomes quite considerable.
Also, I’m not happy with the Adobe LightRoom handling of the X-Pro1 Raw files (and using Silkypix is simply not an option for a workflow point of view).
It makes sense in my case not to shoot in RAW though I totally agree for some assignments it makes much more sense to shoot RAW.
For landscape or one off pieces I would shoot RAW+JPG to give a bit more latitude.
I tend to agree with you Kevin. I’ve previously almost always shot RAW with my Nikon dSLR’s, but the Fuji X-Pro 1 JPEGs are so good that I tend to shoot pretty much everything in JPEG with it.
I agree that LR doesn’t do a great job with the RAW conversion, and although sometimes you can pickup some details more by processing it yourself, I often find that the straight out of camera JPEGs are usually better than I can process the image myself, so I end up just making some minor adjustments to the JPEGs rather than having to start from scratch with every file and wasting loads of time – as you point out, it adds up when you’re processing a lot of images!
Fantastic shots by the way! The 18mm is the best lens for quick focusing and capturing those spontaneous moments. I have the 60mm and find it can be pretty frustrating to use indoors honestly, but outdoors it’s great and could easily become my favourite lens.
stunning images Kevin, shows it’s not the camera but who’s hands the camera is in.
I really like you B&W shots! Can you share your B&W preferred settings? color filter, shadow and highlight tone.
Thanks!
Thanks David. I set the camera to shoot in JPG, using the Red B&W Filter. I set Sharpness to +1 and the Dynamic Range remains at the default of 100%.
In post processing the images have a very subtle warmth added to them as an import preset in Lightroom.
Beautiful atmospheric pictures. I am an employee video cameraman in News but read your articles in Professional Photographer with great interest and pleasure. They are a fascinating insight into your business, and also generous with advice and idea that people can compete with AND help each other. I’ve bought the x-pro1 to pep up my stills from filming assignments. Your vote of confidence as someone who depends on their living from the camera reassures me. But as others above am quite clear that it is the finger, not the button that matters most! Thank you for sharing your insights and lovely photographs.
Thanks for the kind words Keith and I’m glad you enjoy the articles I’ve been writing in Professional Photographer too.
Word-for-word, what David said above.
Stunning Kevin! Bride getting ready shots with the X-Pro1 is my favourite part of a wedding now, nice, easy and relaxed before all the timing goes to pot! I’m using the ExpoDisc to set custom white balance at each section of a wedding and it’s giving me amazing results in the colour shots, but I really want to shoot all black and white! I’ll probably stick to jpeg’s even when LR4 raw conversion improves. I still shoot jpeg with the X100 too. If you’re using the 18mm on the X-pro1 most of the time, are you being pushed more toward the 85mm on the Canon or do you feel there’s a big enough gap between the 27mm (actual focal length) and the 35mm??? Derek.
Thanks for the comment Derek. I tend to shoot at the moment with the 85mm on the 5D Mark III which is the perfect full frame companion for it (in my humble opinion of course).
Really great, Kevin! Like the depth, the atmosphere and the hard contrasts. Joining others, I would like to know a bit more .. Settings? Post processing? Spot metering? Would you share (some) of your secrets?
Wonderful stuff. I’d also love an insight into your jpeg settings. Keep it up!
yes, beautiful B&W. do you encounter any focusing problem under low light condition?
Focusing is a little more difficult in low light – but it is also with my 1D Mark IV and 5D Mark III too. I tend to shoot using the EVF in low light and use the smaller focus point (resized to its smallest point).
This does effect battery life though so, to counteract it, I switch image preview off (and carry a couple of spare batteries too).
Very nice work Kevin! I have the X100 and love it although people seem to take me more seriously when I’m holding my Nikon… It’s a shame when we are judged by people who think they know photography because they own a camera… I will say they are stunned once they see the images from that little X100! To me, the photos from the Fuji’s have a certain character that I just don’t see in the full frame Nikons & Canons… I wrestle with whether to jump to full frame Nikon or go with the X-Pro1… I love low light shooting so the larger sensor is appealing but the high ISO capabilities of that X-Pro1 are amazing and it will deliver that certain character the Nikon doesn’t seem to be able to match… Having both cameras of the same system would be nice too…
Totally agree with you Matt – I also get the odd funny look at weddings, but mostly its just inquisitive folks wondering what it is that I have.
I think the X-Pro1 with the 18 or 35mm lenses coupled with a full frame body is just a brilliant combination.
Hi Kevin top class work as usual.
I love what the BW images come from my X100 and wondered what Fuji settings you use?
I am still considering selling ALL my Canon gear and investing in one of these little gems.
You mentioned on one post many guests use “better” DSLR’s – do you think the Xpro could do a complete wedding?
Thanks for a great post
Mark
The XF 18mm lens is a 27mm equivalent, not 23mm like you say in paragraph 4.
Thanks for that Hub – have corrected the error now.
Impresionante el buen uso de isos altos en B/N impresionante!!!