Shooting wide with the Xpan

Couple of weeks ago I finally took the plunge and snagged a Hasselblad Xpan with 45mm f4 lens.

What's so special with this 35mm camera is that it is a panomaric camera, with a flick of a switch it opens up from a regular 24mmx35mm to a wide 24mmx65mm.

Been playing with it for a couple of weeks now and this camera has definitely earned a spot in my travel bag.

VSCO Film 04 vs slide film

Early this week VSCO released Film 04 which offers a wide variety of slide film presets for LR, ACR and Aperture.
I love VSCO because it emulates the film look without the extra cost and time for developing and scanning, I use Film 01 and Film 02 for C-41 and B&W film look, skipped Film 03 as I never got into Polaroid film but Film 04 is an answer for all the E-6 shooter's prayers.
We recently traveled down to Montana and drive the historic Going-to-the-Sun Road and I brought the X100s with 28mm conversion lens and my Pentax 6x7 with 55mm f/4 lens (28mm on 35mm film) and loaded it with Provia 100f.

Here's 2 comparison shots taken between the Film 04 and actual slide film.

Pentax 6x7 + 55mm f/4 + Fuji Provia 100f


Fuji X100s + WCL-X100 lens, Film 04 - Fuji Provia 100f preset


Pentax 6x7 + 55mm f/4 + Fuji Provia 100f


Fuji X100s + WCL-X100 lens, Film 04 - Fuji Provia 100f preset


Bonus sample shot as I realized that I also took these shots with X100s at 35mm and Pentax 6x7 w/ 55 f/4 and Fuji Velvia 50
Fuji X100s w/ Fuji Velvia 50 preset


Fuji Velvia 50

Epson Scan vs Vue Scan vs Better Scanning on V600

The mailman finally delivered me the package that I ordered from BetterScanning last week.
Inside was a MF holder, MF ANR glass and 2 35mm ANR glasses for the V600.
Quickly loaded a 6x7 frame and ran some quick tests. (3200dpi, 24-bit, unsharp mask checked)

Here's the frame that I scanned with the Epson Scan software and the BetterScanning glass and holder


and here's the same frame scanned with the holder that the V600 originally came with


Zoom in and you can see closer the detail that the V600 is able to capture from a MF film.
Left: Epson holder
Right: BetterScanning holder



I don't see much difference between the two, the BetterScanning holder and glass may have 5% boost in IQ but it's barely noticeable, however we need to keep in mind that the BetterScanning holder has adjustable height, right now it's at stock 0mm.
Tomorrow I will try to increase it to 0.2mm.

Another quick test I decided to do is a Epson Scan software vs VueScan but for some reason the scans from the VueScan are not in focus or sharp. Then again never liked using the VueScan with it's antique and complicated interface.

VueScan scan with BetterScanning glass and holder

and close comparison between VueScan(right) and Epson(left)

Miami street photography

We went to Orlando and Miami for a nice sun vacation, go to Disney World, Universal Studio, enjoy some cajun food and bask in the sun in Miami.
Only brought 4 rolls of Portra 400 as was planning on doing some street shots in Miami (used the X100 90% of the time in Orlando).

My 2 favorite shots from the whole trip were these 2.
I was walking around South Beach Miami to get some street shots when this lady walking with a bright fuschia umbrella caught my eye and had to take a snap of her.
She saw me taking the picture, stopped me and asked if I took a picture of her and why.
I responded that it was her umbrella that caught my attention.
Tried getting couple more shots of her but soon after my response, she blushed and walked away leaving me behind with this shot.

And couple more street shots with the M6 and Portra 400

Landscape with the X100

Had to go to Edson for 3 days for work, have to say that the X100 is easier to carry around than my 5DII, it's definitely a camera that I can always have with me.
Bought the WCL-X100 conversion lens (28mm) and 49mm-77mm step-up ring so that I can use my Cokin grad filters on the X100 for landscape.
I have the conversion lens now and I hope the step-up ring arrives this week before our trip to Florida.
Anyhow, here's some landscape shots with the X100 around Edson.

Dani-Lynn Trentham

Couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of shooting the young and talented Dani-Lynn Trentham, if you've never heard her, go check her website out and listen to her songs, they are inspiring!
http://www.dani-lynn.com
Shots were taken in a farm outside of Olds, AB

New camera, new challenges

The Fuji X100 has been on my want list for the past 12 months with its rangefinder like look, optical viewfinder, good high ISO and a fixed 35mm f2 lens (say goodbye to sensor dust!)
If you still don't know about this camera, check this DRTV video out


or this review by KenRockwell

With the rumors of the X200 being announced later this year and the decrease of price for a used X100, I was finally able to snag one up from a local photographer.
I quickly updated the FW to 1.30, trying to familiarize with the interface and took some test shots with it.
Hopefully later this week, I'll be able to do some street shots and portraiture.



Now, why did I decide to go with an X100?
Couple of reasons:
.I wanted a small travel camera, the 5DII w/ 17-40 and 100-400 will still be coming with me for landscape, however for walking around with the fiance, eating at the restaurant, the X100 is much simplier to take with.
.35mm f2 is plenty fast, good for portraits and street. it helps that ISO 1600-6400 is usable on this camera
.don't have to load film after 36 exposures