Last week, I posted an article about how well the XF100-400 f/4.5-5.6 OIS WR performs for shooting fast action photography, especially with the latest X Series camera bodies like the X-T4.
Despite the relatively large size of the 100-400, that lens has an exceptionally fast twin-linear autofocus motor, which allows it to acquire and track subjects with a surprising level of speed and accuracy.
Today, I want to highlight how well it performs as a video action lens when shooting quick subjects.
During the same enduro bike race I mentioned in my previous post, I also shot a number of slow motion videos with the X-T4 and XF100-400mm lens, using the FULL HD HIGH SPEED REC feature that’s found in the X-T4’s video menu. (This setting is found on all of the current X Series, including the X100V.)
Shooting in tight quarters with the 100-400 lens, I captured a number of scenes at 1/2 and 1/4 time, and I was amazed at how well the camera and lens locked onto and tracked the subjects through the frame, even when I quickly swing the lens around to grab the racers as the rode by me.
Given that telephoto lenses effectively magnify distance, which means the camera has to work even hard to follow the focus, this is a testament to just how good the 100-400 is for shooting fast subjects.
X-T4 Autofocus Settings for Shooting Action
In the X-T4’s MOVIE MENU, I kept the MOVIE AF MODE set to “MULTI,” with FACE DETECTION set to ON. The combination of these allows the camera to do the heavy lifting and choose what to focus on.
For more manual control over focus when shooting movies you’d want to switch the MOVIE AF MODE to “AREA.” This setting allows you to move the little green focus box around the frame via the AF joystick.
In addition to showing you just how capable the X-T4 and 100-400mm lens are for shooting sports and fast moving subject, it’s just a really fun mountain biking video with a cool soundtrack.
The Gambler 2021 Enduro mountain bike race, Anchorage Hillside
I’ve shot a lot of action with the Fujifilm X Series cameras, and the lens I think is best suited to capturing very fast moving subjects is the XF100-400 f/4.5-5.6 OIS WR.
Despite it’s larger size compared to the rest of the Fuji lenses, the XF100-400mm has an extremely fast autofocus motor. It’s even faster than the AF motor on the workhorse XF50-140mm f2.8 telephoto zoom. I didn’t believe this at first, but after a few tests, this was easily confirmed.
With its ultra fast twin linear motors, the 100-400 is easily the Autofocus King of the Fuji zooms, and when paired with one of the newest bodies, like the X-T4 or X-T3, X-T30, X-Pro 3 or X-E4, this thing really cooks. Even with the older X-T2, this lens will give you incredible results.
Having shot a wide variety of action with the 100-400mm lens, including bike racing, airplanes, wildlife and flying birds, I’ve been impressed every single time. This thing simply does not miss a beat.
So, when I headed up to shoot a downhill bike race in Anchorage, last week, I kept things simple and took a single body and lens kit: the X-T4 and XF100-400mm. Despite it’s less-than-small size, this combo still fits in my smallest camera pack for easy transport as I rode up the hill to set up.
The Gambler 2021 Enduro mountain bike race, on the Anchorage Hillside
Very Fast Autofocus
When it comes to autofocus, the hardest types of motion to track are when the subject is coming directly towards or away from you. This is because the distance between you and the subject is constantly changing.
That relative speed of your subject as it’s moving towards or away from you is magnified when using a long lens, and so this makes shooting telephoto action pretty much the hardest type of thing to capture.
In addition, the system not only has to keep moving as it analyzes the motion, it also has to compensate for the inherent lag of when you frame the shot you want and when you actually press the shutter button.
However, this is exactly what those highly tuned predictive autofocus tracking algorithms inside the camera’s brain are made for. Combined with the X-T4, I was highly impressed with how well the camera and lens tracked these bikers as the raced down the trail. You’ll never get 100% with any camera or lens, but this combo got pretty close with very few missed frames.
Shooting in AF-C in Continuous High with PRE-SHOT ES mode on, I’d grab the riders coming straight toward me, and then quickly swing around to capture them after they passed. Almost every time, the AF was able to quickly pick up the subject again.
Tracking the subject in AF-C and PRE-SHOT ES mode
Extremely Sharp Optics
The Fuji 100-400 is also razor sharp. Built with 21 events in 14 groups, and 5 extra low dispersion elements, this lens is ridiculously sharp. Even when I was shooting inside the forest and occasionally cranking the ISO up to 6400, the 100-400 pulled out incredibly crisp details.
With the Fuji cameras, I have no problem turning up the ISO dial, because I know I’ll still get great looking images, even at very high settings.
Overall, the 100-400 is not a small, lightweight lens by any means, but it’s an extremely capable and very fun lens to have in the arsenal. I love the way it brings you right into the scene and gives you these tight, intimate views, with compressed, looming, shallow depth of field backgrounds.
If you like to shoot sports, action, wildlife or any other kind of tight subject I’d highly recommend Fuji’s XF100-400 f/4.5-5.6 OIS WR. It may not be on your short list, but once you bring this into the kit, you’ll be surprised at how good of an investment it turns out to be, and how fun it is to shoot with.
The Gambler 2021 Enduro mountain bike race, on the Anchorage HillsideThe Gambler 2021 Enduro mountain bike race, on the Anchorage HillsideThe Gambler 2021 Enduro mountain bike race, on the Anchorage HillsideThe Gambler 2021 Enduro mountain bike race, on the Anchorage Hillside
Perhaps the best way to customize your Fujifilm camera to match your shooting style is to set up the Function (Fn) Buttons your own personal way.
Most of the newer Fuji cameras have either 7 or 8 programmable Fn buttons. Most come with default settings, which you may elect to keep. Touchscreen models also add the four up/down/right/left LCD swipe gestures, which gives you a total of 11 Fn controls on the X-Pro 3, 13 on the X-T3, and 14 on the X-T4. Even the new X100V has 10 Fn controls.
Depending on the camera, there are over 50 separate menu items and functions you can assign to the Fn/AE-L/AF-L Buttons. (The X-T4 reigns supreme with a whopping list of 60 items).
To see all of the options or assign any Fn button, press and hold the DSIP/BACK button until the Fn Button menu comes up. From there, you can select which button you’d like to change, hit OK, then scroll through all of the possible items you can set.
This give you an enormous amount of possibilities to set up your camera so that you can quickly access your most-used settings, or those that are most useful for the kinds of subjects you shoot.
By doing this, you will instantly make yourself a more efficient photographer, and your Fuji camera will suddenly become even more “yours.”
In Japanese philosophy there exists the idea of “wabi-sabi,” the act of embracing the flawed or the imperfect.
However, in our modern society, signs of imperfection are shunned. Everything from music to photography, social media, to how we look, how our life looks. In many areas of our life, perfection is an absolute must.
Without the presence of imperfections, the wonders of the world would not be so breathtaking. After all, it’s the imperfection that gives the world it’s charm.
In art, Perfectionism is the enemy of creativity
In art, a dichotomy exists between creating the perfect thing, and yet trying to create it in such a way that adds a sense of individuality so that it’s truly ours and truly unique. In other words we add our style, and for the most part, style sort of implies a level of imperfection, doesn’t it?
As photographers, we all live this constant contraction between trying to find the perfect subject, and then photographing it with an “imperfect technique.” Not placing subject in the center. Using off balance compositions to achieve a more dynamic feel.
And we often overvalue the notion of technical perfection. The dilemma is that unlike other forms of art, with photography, we can perfectly reproduce the subject matter that’s in front of the camera.
Perfection is boring. Mistakes are human. If you’re too fixated on perfection, and you’ll miss the moments that take your breath away.
the more we fear and obsess over perfection, the less attention is given to making images in a way that actually connects with your viewer.
To get away from this, one thing we do is go back to old technology, or in most cases, modern replications of old technology.
Blown exposure, or moody, dark image?
I’m fascinated with the notion that photography isn’t about reproduction, it’s about representation, and when get that into your mind, you suddenly open up a lot of doors. You suddenly have a free pass to do whatever you want, because your goal is to create a photo that doesn’t show your viewer what they’re looking, at, but instead evokes a feeling that reminds them of what they’re seeing.
I consider myself a technically proficient photographer, but sometimes I love breaking those rules and seeing just how far I can go and still tell get the message across in a compelling way.
Your assignment this month is to get out there and break some rules. Give yourself permission to go completely outside the box as you try and represent your subject matter with what might be considered non-traditional techniques, or else with technique or styles that you’ve resisted in the past.
I know for some of you, this might be as simple as cranking up the ISO dial, which, god forbid, might add a little bit of noise. You might intentionally blur your shot, or focus on something that isn’t your subject. Maybe you’ll use a color palette, film simulation or processing technique that is radically different from what you’re used to, that is a long way away from what would be considered “accurate.”
Try thinking like an impressionist.
Damn… this one’s out of focus.
This will require a lot of experimentation, and you’ll probably blow a lot of frames, but I guarantee, if you keep an open mind, both during the shooting process and when you’re looking at your images, I guarantee, you’ll get something that works, that communicates your idea in such a compelling way that all those imperfections will simply fall away.
And even if you don’t plan to shoot like this all the time, playing around with this sometimes will give you one more tool to use in your quest to create unique images.
In the end, letting go of perfectionism can help unleash your creativity and ensure that you don’t miss important moments.
As a teen of the 80s, music videos are burned into my soul. So, with today’s cameras and video technology, it’s inevitable that I would eventually make my own. Today I uploaded a music video for my song “Can’t Look Past Ourselves,” which is the lead-off track on my brand new album, “Up Higher.”
The video was shot using the Fujifilm X-T4 and XF35mm f/2 lens, and assembled the final production together in Final Cut Pro. The motion background was created by Stefania Buzatu.
The nice thing about the X-T4 and X-S10, is that it has the flip-open screen that allows you to see the video if you’re filming yourself. For models that don’t have this, there are a few relatively inexpensive HDMI monitors out there that attach right to the hot shoe.
It’s incredibly rewarding to combine my two passions in life with this kind of creative outlet. Shooting and editing video has been a learning experience for me, and I’m amazed at how accessible it is to do this kind of project. It’s quite easy to make a music video with iMovie and other apps as well. Even if you’re not trying to sync the much to the video, you can still pair video and audio clips together and get some really fun results!
The original song, “Can’t Look Past Ourselves”was produced using Apple’s Logic Pro X, with IK Multimedia software, including Amplitube 5, Syntronik and MODO DRUM sample libraries, and T-Racks5 mixing and mastering plugins, and my trusty Fender Stratocaster.
A commentary on the relevant challenges that we always seem to face in our society, I feel that this is one of, if not the best song I’ve ever written and produced.
Being my third full music video, I feel like I’m getting into a groove. I’m becoming more knowledgeable about the techniques needed to create a production like this, and I’m increasingly conformable in front of the camera.
I’m pleased to announce that my new album, “Up Higher,” is now available on all the big music sites, like Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Pandora and more.
This means you can stick it on a playlist and rock out to Dan Bailey guitar jams anytime, day or night, or if you’re out exercising or waiting at in line somewhere. Do we even do that anymore…?
Writing and releasing an entire album was a huge momentous creative accomplishment for me, and it blows my mind that I’m able to get it out to the entire world like this. What a brave new world we live in.
So, stream away to your heart’s content, and be sure to share my music with your own friends and followers. I you want to throw some extra support my way, since streaming doesn’t exactly rake it in for independent artists, you can purchase the album on my Bandcamp Artist Page, or hit this little blue “buy” link below.
Either way, thanks so much for your support and your interest in my music. I’m so proud of how this project turned out, so I hope you enjoy it! Stay tuned for some music videos!
By the way, I shot the cover photo with my Fujifilm X-T4 and XF55-200mm lens, using Aperture Priority at ISO 640, with a shutter speed fo 1/1700 sec at f/3.5.
Aerial photo of the Front Range Chugach Mountains at sunset, shot during springtime.
I’m excited to announce the release of my brand new album, “Up Higher.”
Featuring eight vocal and instrumental tracks, most of which were written and recorded during the past year, this album is the best, most personal, and most ambitious music project I’ve ever created.
Titled to reflect the positive feel and messages I tried to evoke in the songs, and the fact that two of the songs were written as aerial photography soundtracks,“Up Higher” features a cover image I shot last week with the Fujifilm X-T4 and XF55-200mm lens over the Chugach Mountains.
Heavily influenced by the events of the past year, and the realization that I’m not getting any younger, I dedicated myself to spending much of this past winter and spring writing, recording and mixing a handful of new songs.
I gave myself a deadline of May to finish the album, and so I’m so really pleased to finally have it completed. I hope you enjoy it!
Springtime has long been my favorite time for shooting mountain aerials. With warmer temps, there’s no shoveling, I don’t have to deal with wing covers, it doesn’t take very long to preheat the engine, and with the longer days, and 9:00pm April sunsets, it’s not pitch black when I land.
However, I just discovered another reason why it’s such an awesome time to be up in the sky. The other night, while flying over the Chugach Mountains and shooting aerial stills and video out the window of my little Cessna, I saw something I’d never noticed before.
Groups of ravens were flying and playing right up against the high mountain peaks, at almost 7,000 feet! The were pretty hard to spot, but when I came home and checked out the footage, I was blown away by what I saw!
I immediately put a collection of clips together and then set the piece to original music, and the result is my latest adventure video short, Soaring In The Ravens’ Playground.
Since the initial launch of the X Series cameras in 2011, Fujifilm has continued to add a new film simulation every year or two. Lately, they’ve been on a roll, with ETERNA in 2016, Classic Neg. in 2019 and now with the launch of the X-T4 last year, ETERNA Bleach Bypass.
This process leaves the silver halide crystals and the color dyes intact, with the end result being a black and white image over a color image. The visual effect is even more reduced saturation, but increased contrast and grain, and a look that delivers a color image that looks very close to black and white.
With a dynamic range similar to CLASSIC CHROME, ETERNA Bleach Bypass hits that mark of being “Color that’s Almost Monochrome” that I’ve been searching for during the past few years. In Fuji’s own words, ETERNA Bleach Bypass film simulation,
“delivers hard, serious images that―apart from being in colour―resemble black-and-white photographs.”
I love finding scenes that lend themselves to this look, and with the use of Fuji’s lower contrast film simulations, like Pro NEG Std., Classic Chrome, ETERNA, and to some extent, Classic Neg., to create imagery that lies right on the border between color and black and white. In other words the complete antithesis of rich, saturated Velvia.
In a sense, abbreviation is just another way to describe the “Less is More” aspect of creativity, and in addition to only showing part of, or “removing” subject matter, you can also remove part, or all of the color. Reducing the saturation or removing it entirely by shooting black and white, has a definite effect on the way your viewer sees and interprets the work.
Sometimes just removing the saturation can leave the image looking a little bland. Often times, we make up for this by adding contrast, which helps add drama and restore life to the shot.
(ETERNA Bleach Bypass with +2 Shadow Tone.)
ETERNA Bleach Bypass does exactly that. It pulls the color and saturation almost all the way back towards monochrome territory, but retains enough dynamic range to give the shot some additional drama.
You can further accentuate or de-accentuate that with a Shadow Tone Adjustment, as I’ve done for a couple of the shots above. With heavy shadows, this very much has the Velvia look, but with the color pulled all the way back. No other film sim does it this well.
Fuji designed ETERNA Bleach Bypass was primarily as a color space for moviemakers, but it obviously works exceptionally well for still imagery; even better, I think, than regular ETERNA. I love how it looks with the mountain aerials I’ve shot this week.
I look forward to pushing my creativity even more with through out the next few months, and seeing how it responds to different subjects. I encourage you to try it out as well. If you do, let me know what you think!
The FUJIFILM cameras use a specially designed hybrid autofocus that incorporates both contrast and phase detection sensors, as well as intelligent, predictive algorithms. The result is an extremely capable system that offers a high degree of speed and accuracy. They can even be set up to function with back button focus.
Nearly all of the Fuji cameras acquire subjects quickly and are able to track moving subjects and shoot fast action, even at high frame rates. They also have great Face Detection systems that let you shoot portraits and scenes with people without having to move the little focus zone around.
The latest generation of X Series cameras, X-T3/4, X-Pro3, X-T30 X-S10 and X100V have even faster performance. With an increased number of phase detect pixels that cover 100% of the frame, faster processors, custom AF settings and new algorithms, these cameras are now in the same category as some of the highest end DSLR cameras when it comes to autofocus.
I’m utterly amazed at how fast and accurate the X-T3’s autofocus is, even when tracking quick subjects when using long lenses. Having used many cameras in my 20+ career, I can say with confidence that the X-T3 and X-T4 has the best AF system of any cameras I’ve ever owned. I’ve thrown everything at it, and after well over a year of solid use, it’s kept up and done everything I’ve asked of it. The X-T4 is even faster.
(With the latest firmware updates, the X-T3 now has the same AF algorithms and AF speed found in the X-T4)
That said, even the previous generation X Series cameras outperform many comparably priced DSLRs in this area. While they aren’t as fast as the newer models, these cameras are still quite fast and are perfectly suitable for shooting a wide variety of action and fast moving subjects.
Even if you already know the basics of how the system works, it might be worth watching this lesson to refresh your knowledge, and you might even pick up some new tips!
Enjoy the video and feel free to leave a comment to share you feedback or ask questions, either here or in the video comment section.
Also, since your autofocus performance depends largely on technique and not just the gear, be sure and check out my video, 10 Essential Autofocus Tips for Shooting Sports and Action. This one will really give you a handle on how to get the best results, no mater what you’re shooting.
