Fujifilm announced new products in both the FX and GFX series, doubling down on their commitment to Film Simulation expansion and large-sensor digital photography.

At their recent Fujifilm X Summit in Sydney, Fujifilm unveiled the X-T50, GFX100S II, Fujinon XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 R LM WR lens, and Fujinon GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens.

Key Features

Fujifilm X-T50 Mirrorless Digital Camera
• Positioned below X-T5, above X-T30 II
• Dedicated Film Simulation mode dial
• All-new rounded body shape
• 40.2-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor
• 3.0 inch Tilt-Type touch screen LCD monitor
• In-body Image Stabilization (5-axis, 7-stop efficacy)
• AI-based subject detection autofocus
• 6.2/30P & 4K/60P video capture
• Native Frame.io Camera to Cloud connectivity
• REALA ACE Film Simulation mode
• 1.4/2.0 digital teleconverter option
• 13+ stop dynamic range on F-Log2
• Measures 4.9 x 3.3 x 1.9 inches (123.8 x 84 x 48.8mm)
• Weighs 0.96 pounds (438g)
• Black, charcoal silver, and silver colorways

• Body price $1399.95 in US, June availability
• Body with new 16-50mm zoom $1799.95 in US
For more information visit this Fujifilm website

Fujinon XF16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR Lens
• Standard (kit) zoom, 24-76mm equivalent
• 9.4-inch (24cm) minimum focusing distance (from sensor plane)
• Internal focus (i.e., constant length)
• Weather Resistant (hence the “WR” designation)
• 11 elements in 9 groups
• Includes 3 aspherical and 3 extra-low dispersion (ED) lenses
• 9-blade rounded diaphragm
• 58mm filter size
• Weighs just 8.5 ounces (240g)

• Lens price $699.95 in US, June availability
For more information visit this Fujifilm website

Fujifilm GFX100S II Mirrorless Digital Camera
• Compact body (lightest GFX body to date)
• GFX 102MP CMOS II sensor (about 1.7X larger than 35mm full-frame)
• In-body Image Stabilization with gyro and acceleration sensors
• IBIS is 5-axis, 8-stop efficacy
• Pixel Shift Multi-Shot feature
• Weighs 31 ounces (883g)

• Body price $4995.95 in US, June availability
For more information visit this Fujifilm website

Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR Lens
• Longest focal length in GF lens lineup
• Fast f/5.6 aperture
• 21 elements in 14 groups
• Includes 2 super ED and 5 ED elements
• 9-blade rounded diaphragm
• Weather Resistant (hence the “WR” designation)
• Built-in Image Stabilization (6-stop efficacy)
• Internal focus (i.e., constant length)
• Minimum focus 9 feet (2.75m)
• Compatible with Fujinon Teleconverter GF1.4X TC WR
• Weighs 3 pounds (1375g)
• Lens price $3499.99 in US, June availability
For more information visit this Fujifilm website

Catch the highlights of the Fujifilm X Summit 2024 in this 44-minute YouTube video.

— Shutterbug Staff

The Tone Curve is one of the most powerful tools in the post processing arsenal and it’s super-easy to use. Yet it enables you to make the most of just about any image you shoot indoors or out.

Instructor Abhisek Mitra has a relatively new YouTube channel that’s gaining in popularity among photographers who appreciate his straightforward tutorials that yield big results. In this episode you’ll learn how to significantly improve photos with the Tone Curve in barely three minutes.

Mitra considers this tool virtually indispensable for achieving optimum results when editing photos for maximum impact and he explains it like this: “The Tone Curve is an amazing feature that is available in most editing applications, be it on desktop with Photoshop and Lightroom or with many popular mobile applications like Snapseed and Lightroom Mobile.”

In other words you can use the same simple techniques to process photos on the computer, a tablet, or on your phone. In basic terms,  the Tone Curve tool enables you to manipulate photos by globally adjusting the brightness and contrast of an image. Mitra further explains that this tool is divided into five “regions”—namely whites, blacks, highlights, midtones, and shadows.

As you’ll see, the easiest and most common adjustment is known as the “S-Curve” which is a great place to start. Here all you do is drag down the shadows, and then raise the midtones and highlights. Doing this usually achieves fast, precise results without messing around with the Contrast slider. Of course some images require a different approach depending upon their brightness values.

Mitra demonstrates how “there is so much more that you can actually get out of adjusting the Tone Curve.” One such example is what he refers to as a “cinematic fade” effect that’s becoming veery popular. He walks you through the simple steps in just about 30 seconds.

Another fundamental application of the Tone Curves is color grading photographs, and here again it’s a straightforward technique that Mitra clearly explains. This method involves using the Tone Curve to manipulate the red, green and blue channels. His preferred approach is making an S-Curve of each of the three channels.

Mitra goes into specific details of these and other techniques, and by the time you’re done watching you’ll want to add Tone Curve adjustments to you post-processing workflow. Mitra’s instructional YouTube channel is a great source of simple photographic techniques like the one you see here.

And be sure to watch the tutorial we posted recently from a long-time image-editing expert who demonstrates how to use a “secret” Lightroom tool if the colors in your outdoor photographs “look all crazy.”

If you’re just getting started with bird photography or want to elevate your skills, this helpful tutorial is just what you need—especially if you don’t have a park, nature preserve, or other appropriate location close to home.

This lesson from Darrell Oakden provides five tips for shooting impressive photos of our feathered friends in the comfort of your backyard or garden. After all, most of us are visited daily by variety of attractive birds no matter where we live. And the species tend to change with the seasons throughout the year.

Oakden doesn’t make his living as a full-time photographer but the beautiful images he captures belie his amateur status, as do the instructional videos he shares often on his popular YouTube channel. The first thing you should do, if you haven’t already done so is set up a couple feeders in your yard that will quickly attract interested (and hungry) subjects.

Oakden provides several tips on bird feeders, their placement, and the best type of feed to use for the birds that are most common in your area. As he explains, “One thing that’s very important is to keep your bird feeders clean to avoid the spread of disease. This chore simply requires spraying the feeders weekly with a mild detergent and then doing a thorough rinse with warm water.

Another trick is to hang a small pan under the feeder to catch falling food so it doesn’t pile up on the ground and attract squirrels, insects, rodents, and other unwelcome visitors. He also has a helpful tip for keeping bird food dry when it’s raining. You also learn how to create bird feeders and stands from fallen branches and logs.

Oakden offers a variety of  interesting techniques for capturing great photos of shy subjects—like shooting through a nearby window in your home or from a simple “blind” in the yard. One of Oakden’s favorites is a shed with a small opening for his lens. The point is that it’s often necessary to disguise yourself until birds become comfortable with you and your yard.

As the lesson proceeds you’ll pick up valuable advice on gear, composition, and appropriate camera settings. One of our favorite tips has to do with capturing interesting poses, relative to prevailing light, as birds go about eating and visiting with their friends.

This is but a taste of the advice Oakden provides, and he illustrates everything with captivating images. If this genre strikes your fancy be sure to visit Oakden’s popular YouTube channel for more practical lessons as your skills evolve.

And on a related note, don’t miss the tutorial we featured from a South African pro who demonstrates several great techniques for shooting compelling wildlife photographs under a variety of conditions.