The Trial Run Is Up And Away

I have never used this lens before - any experiences I have with it are going to be new. Whether they will be rewarding or not depends on a number of factors:

1. The job in hand.
2. The degree of skill I can bring to it.
3. The expectations I have beforehand.

The lens is the Fujinon XF 16-55mm f:2.8 R LM WR and I have attached it to the Fujifilm X-Pro1. The reason I have chosen this camera body instead of the X-Pro2 or the X-T2 is because I own the X-Pro 1 and it has not failed yet. I do not expect it to fail now. Recent experience has shown that the ISO rating on this camera need not hover at the 200-400 mark as previously thought. It can readily be set to 800, 1600, or 2400 ISO for reportage and the images do not suffer. In addition to this capability, I have a new Fujifilm EF-X500 flash gun and it pumps out plenty of light. Previous trials with slower lenses than the 16-55 have had mixed success - particularly when there was lower illumination and a lot of subject movement. Whole sequences of dancers on stage have been lost to mis-focusing or lack of focus lock. The subject for the weekend's trials won't be moving - it'll be hot rod cars at a show - but there will be the need for fast reaction on these static subjects. The crowds at shows move in shoals that mask the cars and you really do have only a couple of seconds free for a shot at some of the exhibits. In addition, you generally are restricted in the distance you can be away from the cars - here 16-18mm lenses are necessary. There's bound to be a little distortion and keystoning, but you do what you need to do to get the shot. Good science needs careful controls and comparisons. Therefore, even though I will be shooting the first day with the new lens, I will leave it at home on the second day and take the XF 18-135mm f:3.5-5.6 R LM OIS for the Sunday session. Photos taken of the same sorts of subject can be directly viewed alongside the more expensive lens's output. The OIS may even mean that I can shoot at 1/30 or 1/15 of a second successfully...but I can still stick to 1/60 if need be - the ambient light in the Robinson Pavilion at the Claremont Showgrounds is not that attractive at the best of times. And the cost? Well, for the weekend, nothing - science and journalism having some perks after all. But if I find that it is the best thing since sliced bread and that I must have one, the loaf is going to be a dear purchase indeed. Cashbacks notwithstanding, I suspect this sort of professional lens will be a grand and a half. Unless the poorbox at the mission has been doing extremely well, it may be hard to come up with that kind of extra cash. We shall see. Just in case, how are you fixed for a two until Tuesday...? Featured Image: is this going to be the new Best Friend Forever camera combo?