Most cameras, especially professional and enthusiast models, come supplied with a camera strap. A camera strap isn’t something you spend too much time thinking about; they’re usually attached the day you get your camera and promptly forgotten.
The main benefit of using a camera strap is that you don’t have to keep holding the camera with your hands. You can your hands for other things, while the camera hangs safely from the strap. However if you’re in the habit of carrying a couple of bodies over your shoulder, chances are your straps will have become twisted at some point and camera straps can be quite annoying when placing your camera back into a camera bag. The strap often needs to be carefully folded and if it’s not, it can become twisted. This, in turn, can often lead to fraying – and a frayed strap is one that can let you down when you least expect.
This is something our technicians see every week when cameras are brought in for servicing or sensor cleaning.
Many customers buying new cameras struggle to fit their straps in the correct way to ensure they won`t come undone. We are always happy to fit straps for you, even if you haven’t bought the equipment from us. We might be a company that earns our living repairing equipment, but we hate seeing a customer who hasn’t fitted their strap correctly, and it has slipped or come undone and damaged a camera or lens.
A camera strap can act like a failsafe. In the unfortunate event that you drop your camera, the strap will prevent it from falling to the floor. While you should always aim to keep a good grip on your camera, in busy areas such as city centers or crowded train platforms, you can easily take an unexpected knock and lose your grip. A camera strap helps in these situations, and also provides protection from opportunistic thieves.
However, straps can break. Depending on the strap, there may be multiple points of possible failure. Some use a split ring between the camera strap lugs and the strap itself. The split in the split ring may be widened through use, causing either the strap to come off the ring or the ring to come off the camera. A strap can also work its way backwards through the slider and come loose. Stitching on straps can break, as can the actual material from which they are constructed.
Replacement straps are not expensive – certainly less than the cost of repairing or replacing your kit if the strap gives way! We sell genuine straps from Canon, Nikon and Sony, and many of the major manufacturers make stronger straps that are specifically designed for telephoto lenses. This is useful if you are habitually kitting yourself out with a heavier setup!
It’s important to get your strap from a trusted manufacturer, as this will ensure you’re getting a quality product. We stock reputable strap-makers like Think Tank, Domke, Black Rapid and Op-Tech, all of whom produce fantastic all-weather straps.
We’ve also picked out a few great straps and strap accessories you might not have heard of! These are a great way to give your camera some additional protection.
Designed to keep your camera strap and shoulder pad securely in place even in the most extreme of circumstances.
Many Fixation customers love Peak Design straps because they are versatile, very strong and simple to use. Often when photographers collect their new gear, they will choose these over the straps supplied by the manufacturer, and we keep them in stock for this reason.
If there’s one thing to remember from this blog, it’s this: always check your camera’s anchor points when you have your gear attached to a strap. Replacing a fraying anchor or even a whole strap is not a huge expense, but replacing or repairing your camera body or lens almost certainly will be. So check, and check again!
Through three generations of the X-Trans sensor, through many sophisticated viewfinders, and through a smorgasbord of retro-styled camera bodies, the Fujifilm X series has come a long way. Comprising a mix of compacts and CSCs, the series blends vintage cool with serious imaging power.
If you’re new to the series, it’s easy to get lost just finding a place to begin. Read on as we break down the different camera lines within the series, and let us help you find the right Fuji X model for you…
The X100 series
It all began in 2011. Photographers and journalists alike were caught off-guard by one particular announcement at Photokina – a new compact camera from Fujifilm, eschewing the clunky, DSLR-style handling of previous models in favour of a sleek, retro-inspired design that would become the series’ hallmark. That was the Fujifilm X100, then known as the FujifilmFinePix X100, an ungainly middle name that would swiftly be dropped.
Pairing a fixed 35mm lens with a 12.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor (the famous X-Trans sensor debuted a little later), the X100 uses a hybrid optical and electrical viewfinder, allowing the user to switch between the two modes at will.
The X100 was followed up in 2013 with the X100S, incorporating the second generation of the X-Trans CMOS sensor, with 16.3MP of resolution and no optical low-pass filter. The sensor allows for fast phase-detection autofocus with acquisition times as low as 0.08sec. Fujifilm also fine-tuned the controls, responding to some of the criticisms of the X100.
In 2014, Fujifilm updated the line with the X100T, which used the same sensor and lens combination as the X100S but added the option of an electronic shutter capable of shooting at up to 1/32,000sec, as well as built-in Wi-Fi, a more advanced viewfinder, face recognition and more.
Now, this is where it gets slightly confusing, but bear with us. In 2016 Fuji released the X70, which sounds as though it should belong with the X10, X20 and others of that nature, but doesn’t. Whereas those are small zoom compacts, the X70 sports a prime lens and is more like a mini-X100T. So, despite, the name, it really belongs with the rest of the X100 cameras.
The most recent model in the line is the X100F, which was announced in January 2017. The significant gap between models meant considerable improvements, among them the third generation 24.3MP X-Trans III CMOS sensor and the X-Processor Pro image engine. The X100F wowed reviewers and photographers with its fast and accurate 91-point autofocus system, and its large viewfinder with a 60fps refresh rate.
Fujifilm X100F
Sensor: 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor
Lens: 23mm Fujinon lens (equivalent to 35mm on a 35mm format)
Burst speed: 8fps
ISO range: 200-12,800 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Fujifilm X70
Sensor: 16.3MP Fujifilm X-Trans CMOS II APS-C sensor
Lens: 18.5mm Fujinon lens (equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm format)
Burst speed: 8fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: No
Fujifilm X100T
Sensor: 16.3MP Fujifilm X-Trans CMOS II APS-C sensor
Lens: 23mm Fujinon lens (equivalent to 35mm on a 35mm format)
Burst speed: 6fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Fujifilm X100S
Sensor: 16.3MP Fujifilm X-Trans CMOS II APS-C sensor
Lens: 23mm Fujinon lens (equivalent to 35mm on a 35mm format)
Burst speed: 6fps
ISO range: 200-6400
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Fujifilm X100
Sensor: 12MP APS-C sensor
Lens: 23mm Fujinon lens (equivalent to 35mm on a 35mm format)
Burst speed: 5fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-12,800)
Viewfinder: 1.44-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
The X-Pro series
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 was the first indication that the X-series could be the real deal for pros, being the first X camera to take XF lenses. Launching in 2012, its sturdy, pro-quality build was an indicator of the quality within. It was the first camera to use the now-famous X-Trans sensor, and its resolutely dial-based control system won over legions of photographers who wanted a tactile handling experience. Reviews praised its high-ISO performance and its hybrid viewfinder, and the X-Pro1 was a deserved smash hit.
Photographers had to wait four long years for the difficult second album, but happily Fujifilm didn’t bottle the sequel. The X-Pro2 was an update with everything pro photographers wanted, delivering the latest X-Trans sensor to provide lossless compressed 14-bit Raw capture, as well as a wider ISO sensitivity range which could be used for both Raw and JPEG shooting (many previous X-series models would only shoot JPEGs) in the higher ISO bands.
Fujifilm X-Pro2
Sensor: 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 14fps
ISO range: 200-12,800 (expandable to 100-25,600)
Viewfinder: 3.69-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: 4K/30p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording at a maximum of 200Mbps
Fujifilm X-Pro1
Sensor: 16MP X-Trans CMOS APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 6fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-25,600)
Viewfinder: 1.44-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: Full HD at 324p
The X-H series
The Fujifilm X-series has unquestionably been an enormous success for photographers, revitalising the brand’s fortunes with a superb selection of stylish cameras. However, there’s generally not been a lot to tempt videographers away from reliable workhorses like Canon or exciting upstarts like Sony.
The Fujifilm X-H1 represents the first real attempt to change that. Announced in 2018, the X-H1 is capable of 4K/30p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording at a maximum of 200Mbps, with an HDMI out and a new dedicated video menu. Full HD video can also be captured at the super slow rate of 120fps, while there’s also F-log video recording direct-to-card available. All of Fuji’s film simulation modes can be used on video footage, and there’s an external microphone socket as well as a headphone jack for monitoring audio.
The X-H1 is also the first in the X series to come packing in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), and it has an overhauled design with a larger grip and new leaf-spring shutter release button. The shutter sound is also the quietest in Fujifilm’s stable.
The X-H1 represents an exciting move forward for the X-series, and promises that Fujifilm isn’t done innovating just yet.
Fujifilm X-H1
Sensor: 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 14fps
ISO range: 200-12,800 (expandable to 100-25,600)
Viewfinder: 3.69-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: 4K/30p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording at a maximum of 200Mbps
The X-E series
After the much-hyped announcement of the X-Pro1, enthusiast and amateur photographers were very interested to know when they could get hold of an interchangeable-lens X-series camera that wouldn’t cost them the earth. That came in the form of the X-E1, a slimmed down X-Pro1 that gave prospective X-system users a second body option. It used an EVF instead of the hybrid viewfinder of the X-Pro1.
This was followed up with the X-E2, boasting 60 improvements over its predecessor including the X-Trans II sensor, built-in Wi-Fi and an improved EVF. Fujifilm refreshed this camera with a minor update in 2016 — the X-E2S, which boasted a few tine-ups such as a higher ISO ceiling, improved autofocus and a new electronic shutter offering maximum shooting speeds of 1/32,000sec.
The following year, Fujifilm delivered the X-E3, a more comprehensive update with the latest in sensor technology. A larger shooting buffer, a faster autofocusing algorithm for improved tracking, 4K video recording and a redesigned ergonomic body were just some of the improvements that made the X-E3 as well-received as the cameras that came before.
Fujifilm X-E3
Sensor: 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 14fps
ISO range: 200-12,800 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: 4K/30p 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording at a maximum of 200Mbps
Fujifilm X-E2S
Sensor: 16.3MP Fujifilm X-Trans CMOS II APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 7fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: Full HD at 60p
Fujifilm X-E2
Sensor: 16.3MP Fujifilm X-Trans CMOS II APS-C sensor
Following the success of the X-Pro1, Fujifilm set about bolstering its high-end offering with the release of the X-T1 in 2014. The 16.3MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor and X-Processor II are housed within a weather-resistant body designed for rugged, outdoor shooting, with 75 seals designed to keep out dust and water. Add on a beefed up LCD and viewfinder, an optional battery grip and improvements in burst shooting and AF speed (a lean 0.08 seconds), and you’ve got a camera with the imaging spec of contemporaries like the X-E2, but with the build, features and ergonomics required by pros.
Of course, not everyone can afford the pro price tag, and Fujifilm went about wooing those with a little less cash to flash by introducing a smaller counterpart to the X-T1 — the X-T10. Featuring the same imaging internals as its bigger brother, the X-T10 provides a compromise with a smaller viewfinder and LCD, as well as a generally smaller body that lacks weather sealing.
When it came time to update the X-T1, Fujifilm delivered the superb X-T2, outfitted with the latest-generation sensor and an overhauled AF system, as well as a viewfinder offering twice the brightness of the X-T1’s. The X-T2 was also the first member of the X series to offer 4K video recording, shooting a bit rate of 100Mbps and at a maximum resolution of 30p.
In a move that surprised nobody, Fujifilm also brought out a miniature version of the X-T2, the X-T20. It followed the format of the X-T10, using the same sensor as its bigger brother, but skipping a few features such as a second card slot and a fully articulating screen in order to deliver a smaller camera, for a lower price.
Fujifilm X-T20
Sensor: 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 14fps
ISO range: 200-12,800 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: 4K at 30p
Fujifilm X-T2
Sensor: 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 14fps
ISO range: 200-12,800 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: 4K at 30p
Fujifilm X-T10
Sensor: 16.3MP Fujifilm X-Trans CMOS II APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 8fps
ISO range: 200-6,400 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: Full HD at 60p
Fujifilm X-T1
Sensor: 16.3MP Fujifilm X-Trans CMOS II APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 8fps
ISO range: 200-6,400 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: 2.36-million-dot hybrid viewfinder
Max video resolution: Full HD at 60p
The XQ series
A selection of dinky, pocketable compacts, the Fujifilm XQ cameras are ideal for enthusiasts who need something light. Despite its size, the XQ1 manages to pack in some advanced features such as Raw shooting, while its successor the XQ2 adds the Classic Chrome film simulation mode and a retro black finish.
Fujifilm XQ2
Sensor: 12MP 2/3-inch X-Trans CMOS II sensor
Lens: 6.4-25.6mm Fujinon lens (equivalent to 25-100mm on a 35mm format)
Burst speed: 12fps
ISO range: 100-3200 (expandable to 12,800)
Viewfinder: No
Fujifilm XQ1
Sensor: 12MP 2/3-inch X-Trans CMOS II sensor
Lens: 6.4-25.6mm Fujinon lens (equivalent to 25-100mm on a 35mm format)
Burst speed: 12fps
ISO range: 100-3200 (expandable to 12,800)
Viewfinder: No
The X-A series
The X-A compact system cameras are the cheapest interchangeable lens cameras in the Fuji line-up, designed with the entry-level user in mind. The range has gone through a fair few models: first the X-A1 in 2013, which offered a small and light body to use X lenses on, without the X-Trans sensor. This was followed by the X-A2, which was billed as a selfie camera thanks to its about-facing LCD screen and variety of selfie-modes. Fujifilm next bulked out the line with a more advanced offering, the X-A3, and a new slimmed-down entry-level model, the X-A10. Finally, in 2018 came the X-A5, which brought in phase-detect AF tracking and limited 4K functionality.
Fujifilm X-A5
Sensor: 24.2MP CMOS APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 6fps
ISO range: 200-12,800 (expandable to 100-51,200)
Viewfinder: No
Max video resolution: 4K at 15p (max 5 minutes)
Fujifilm X-A10
Sensor: 16.3MP CMOS APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 6fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-25,600)
Viewfinder: No
Max video resolution: Full HD at 30p
Fujifilm X-A3
Sensor: 24.2MP CMOS APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 6fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-25,600)
Viewfinder: No
Max video resolution: Full HD at 60p
Fujifilm X-A2
Sensor: 16MP CMOS APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 5.6fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-25,600)
Viewfinder: No
Max video resolution: Full HD at 30p
Fujifilm X-A1
Sensor: 16MP CMOS APS-C sensor
Burst speed: 5.6fps
ISO range: 200-6400 (expandable to 100-25,600)
Viewfinder: No
Max video resolution: Full HD at 30p
The X_0 series
The X_0 cameras are another compact range, smaller and less prestigious than the X100 series, with zoom lenses rather than primes. With more affordable price tags, they are ideal for the beginning photographer or light traveller, and have actually been around more or less since the series’ inception, with the FinePixX10 debuting shortly after the X100 in 2011, sporting a smaller 2/3-inch sensor and a 28-112mm equivalent lens. This was replaced in 2013 by the X20, which sported a new 2/3-inch X-Trans CMOS II sensor and a new viewfinder, and then the X30 the following year, which ditched the optical viewfinder in favour of an electronic model.
Fujifilm X30
Sensor: 12MP 2/3-inch X-Trans CMOS II sensor
Lens: 7.1-28.4mm Fujinon lens (equivalent to 28-112mm on a 35mm format)
My go to light modifiers in general are a beauty dish or an octabox, which are generally the first types of light modifiers photographers buy after they have experimented with umbrellas and soft boxes, because of the nice quality of light those light modifiers produce. Recently I got to photograph Muay Thai boxer, Lawrence Brown and when I started planning the photoshoot, I knew I would want to light Lawrence with a four point lighting set up, which would include two strip boxes.
Why you may ask… well I knew I wanted to have the side Lawrence’s body illuminated and not lit in a flat way with one big light modifier. So I rented out two Profoto 1 x 6′ strip boxes. The long shape of the strip box, creates a unique light fall-off, which gives a soft, but dramatic light.
In controlling the spread of light and how it falls on the boxer, I created more of a dramatic mood. I did have a grid which I could have used, to control the light fall off even more, but when I did the test shots without the grid earlier on, it seemed to work perfectly. Although I didn’t need to use the grid, I do recommend you bring it on set, just in case you need to contain the spread of light.
When I set up lights for a photoshoot, I always build the lights one by one, so I started off with the right strip box and then the left strip box to get the right exposure for the sides of his body. I had the strip boxes in the boxing ring originally, but found that I didn’t get a nice light fall off, so I moved the strip boxes outside of the boxing ring. Once I was happy with the look of the light on the sides of Lawrence, I then exposed correctly for the back light and then the main light. Below is a photo of just the use of the strip boxes.
I used a reflector as the light modifier on an Elinchrom light for the back light, to add light to his hair, so it wouldn’t get lot when I made the background darker in photoshop. I flagged the light at the bottom of the reflector, to reduce the light that was spilling onto his shoulders. I used a beauty dish, with silver on the inside, for the main light. I choose this light modifier to give a slightly contrasty look. I didn’t want to use a soft box and make the light too soft. Below is a BTS photo so you can see my lighting set up.
The result that I was after, are shown in the photos below. A combination of dramatic lighting, but soft and flattering. The 1 x 6 long strip box, was a great choice as it pumped out enough light that reached some of the shadows, this allowed the transition between light and shade, more soft and gentle.
If you have time and access to a venue where you are doing a photoshoot, it’s always a good idea to check what the location looks like before the day of the photoshoot. Unfortunately I was unable to see the gym beforehand due to lack of time. So when I turned up at 7am, I was faced with a busy gym and a lot of boxers training. This then limited me to using one side of the ring away from people but I faced the problem of having the ropes of the ring next to a wall cluttered with posters and signs. At that point I made the conscious decision that I would darken the background in photoshop, to eliminate the distracting wall. Below are the retouched images.
For the next set of photos, I wanted Lawrence sitting down in the ring, I moved the lights to the other corner of the ring, because I wanted to get the look and feel of Lawrence in a boxing ring that was in a gym. This was the corner that would have me facing the problem of people walking behind Lawrence. I cut the ambient light quite a bit using high speed sync, but I didn’t want to kill off too much light, so I kept an eye to see when I could photograph safely. For this set up, I changed the colour temperature in camera to give a more cooler tone to the image. Again I used all four lights with the strip boxes working their magic on Lawrence to produce a dramatic and contrasty look.
To see more of Nyla’s work, have a look at her website here – www.nylasammons.com
Video: Nick Blackburn | Music: ‘I dunno’ by Grapes 2008 – Licensed under creative Commons Attribution (3.0)
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