Fujifilm has announced the successor to one of the most popular cameras of the past decade, the X100VI.
This will no doubt be the hottest camera of 2024!

In short supply for many years, due to its cult-like following, the X100VI carries on the tradition of easy to use ergonomics in a compact body paired with its super sharp f/2 fixed lens. Perfect for travel, street and everyday family photography, the X100VI's fit-in-your-pocket styling and design gives photo lovers a real reason to put their phones away.

The biggest change to come to the X100VI is FUJIFILM putting in their 5 ^th gen 40mp BSI sensor, the same sensor found in the X-T5 and X-H2.

We already know how good this sensor is so, its higher resolution will pair well with the 1.4x and 2x digital teleconverter and will be a welcome addition to the X100 line. This combination allows a shooter to compose, crop and edit with almost unlimited range.

A huge quality of life upgrade and first for the X100 series is the addition of in-body stabilization (IBIS) to the FUJIFILM X100VI.

IBIS means you’ll be able to shoot at slower shutter speed handheld, allowing you to keep your ISO lower to get a cleaner image.

For a camera that will be my EDC (everyday carry), I’m pumped for this as I love to walk around the city at night for street photography.

The sensor is not the only thing being carried over from FUJIFILM’s X-T5 & X-H2, the X100VI is also getting the latest X Processor 5.

Zone focus will no longer be a necessity for street shooting since this processor will give a significant boost to the camera’s autofocus, especially with its AI trained subject detection (for animals, birds, cars and more).

One thing I did not anticipate is FUJIFILM’s beefing up the video capability.

You can now shoot video in F LOG 2 at 4k/60 AND 6.2k/30!

F LOG 2 produces fantastic results in FUJIFILM’s X-H line and this opens up some great potential to use the compact camera in ways I would not have considered before.

Driving home the camera's on-the-go functionality, you can now use Frame.IO without any additional hardware.

This means you can upload straight to the cloud from the camera so, all of your photos and videos can already be uploaded and waiting for you to edit as soon you get to your computer.

Of course, we could not forget to mention the addition of the REALA ACE film simulation! First seen in FUJIFILM’s GFX 100 II, the X100VI will be the first X series camera to have this new simulation.

To me it feels like a punchier PROVIA, which is perfect for me and will most likely make this my new color base setting.

All things considered, with everything packed into this compact package for $1,599.95 I am certain that this camera will go with me everywhere.

Click HERE to Preorder yours today!

Be sure to check out our video HERE!

And do not miss our X100VI Launch Party on February 28th at our W Anderson Ln location!
Click HERE to learn more.
We will deliver the first shipment for customer in the store, that day.
We will let folks know in advance the status of shipments and overall availability.

Often choices can be so great that it helps to know what fellow photographers are buying so, we thought our customers would like to see our top sellers by key product categories.

*look out for additional blogs for the other categories.

The top selling tripods, according to units sold, are popular for their low price and light weight.

• 1.Geekoto AT24EVO Aluminum Tripod with Ball Head - $109.99
• 2.ProMaster Scout SC423K Tripod with Ball Head - $89.95
• 3.ProMaster Scout SC430K Tripod with Ball Head - $119.95
• 4.ProMaster Scout SCM426 Monopod - $39.95
• 5.Sunpak 585D Tripod - $39.95

*Note that a monopod is number 4!

I personally use a monopod a lot. The stabilization it adds is terrific and is easy for me to carry around when collapsed. I spent an entire day in Paris with my camera attached to the monopod.

3 different models of monopods ranging from $40 to $110 each made it in to our Top 25!

The next group of top sellers are more expensive but sturdier and generally reflect a need to support a bigger camera.

• 6.Peak Design Aluminum Travel Tripod - $379.95
• 7.Benro KH26P Video Tripod Kit - $264.95
• 8.ProMaster Specialist Series SP528K Aluminum Tripod with Ball Head - $269.95
• 9.Benro KH25P Video Tripod Kit - $209.05
• 10.Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod - $599.95

Here are some comments from out Tripod Guru, Tamra Green.

*You can always reach Tamra at tgreen@precision-camera.com

• When shopping for a tripod remember that it’s only good it if it’s with you!
  So, factor in your personal needs relative to weight and ease of use.
• People buy the Geekoto because of the cost, height and sturdiness.
  Geekoto is a local supplier from Dallas / Ft. Worth – MIGHTY TEXANS!
  No doubt it’s a great tripod. They also make a Carbon Fiber of it too.
• The ProMaster Scout is fine for the money, but the legs aren’t quiet as sturdy, that makes customers opt for the Geekoto. Also, the Geekoto is taller than the Promaster Scout line.
• The Peak Design tripods are the smallest, most compact tripods when collapsed.It has great height and versatility. We sell a lot of them in spite of their high price tag! The Peak Design Carbon Fiber model is well known and well reviewed, those with the budget love it!

Tamra’s favorite, newly introduced (too new for the Top 25) tripod is the ProMaster Chronicle. She likes it because it is carbon fiber, lightweight, can be converted to a monopod and can also be a table top tripod with a grip that can hold you cell phone!

ProMaster Chronicle Carbon Fiber Kit - $399.99

Hope you found this useful and interesting!

- Phil Livingston, Owner, Precision Camera & Video

phil@precision-camera.com

The Sigma 17mm f/4 DG DN Contemporary Lens is a wide-angle lens that is ideal for landscape and architecture photography. It has a focal length of 17mm, a maximum aperture of f/4, and a minimum focusing distance of 0.27m. The lens is compact and lightweight, making it perfect for travel photography, and it features high-quality optics, minimizing chromatic aberrations and distortions. Additionally, the lens is dust- and splash-resistant, making it a reliable option for outdoor photography in adverse weather conditions.

The Sigma 23mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is a wide-angle lens that is ideal for street and documentary photography. It has a focal length of 23mm, a maximum aperture of f/1.4, and a minimum focusing distance of 0.22m. The lens also has a stepping motor for fast and quiet autofocus, making it an ideal lens for capturing candid moments or fast-moving subjects. The lens is compatible with Leica L-mount cameras and can be used on APS-C format cameras.

The Sigma 50mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Lens is a compact prime lens that is ideal for portrait and street photography. It has a focal length of 50mm, a maximum aperture of f/2, and a minimum focusing distance of 0.35m. The lens features a 9-blade rounded diaphragm that creates beautiful bokeh, making it perfect for portraits.

Additionally Sigma has released three lenses in the Nikon Z mount: the 56mm f/1.4 DC DN, 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, and 16mm f/1.4 DC DN lenses. In this post, we'll take a closer look at each lens and what kind of photography they are suitable for.

The Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is a wide-angle lens that is perfect for capturing stunning landscapes, cityscapes, and architectural shots. With a focal length of 16mm and a maximum aperture of f/1.4, this lens is ideal for capturing wide vistas with stunning depth of field.

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is a versatile lens that is ideal for street and general photography. It has a focal length of 30mm, a maximum aperture of f/1.4, and a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m. The lens is also designed with a Super Multi-Layer Coating, which helps to reduce lens flare and ghosting, ensuring that images captured with this lens are sharp and have excellent contrast, even in challenging lighting conditions. Overall, the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is a fast, high-quality prime lens that is perfect for photographers looking for speed, versatility, and excellent image quality.

The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens is a prime lens that is ideal for portrait photography. It has a focal length of 56mm, a maximum aperture of f/1.4, and a minimum focusing distance of 0.5m. The lens features a 9-blade rounded diaphragm that creates beautiful bokeh, making it perfect for portraits. It also has a stepping motor for fast and quiet autofocus, making it an ideal lens for shooting portraits of people or animals. 

A few years ago, I wanted to buy a new camera, but I loved my older camera. I knew I wouldn’t use it anymore once I bought a new one, so I decided to have it converted to infrared. This way I could justify a buying a new camera and still use the older one.

When you have a digital camera converted to infrared, they remove the infrared blocking filter from the camera's sensor and replace it with a filter that only blocks some of the infrared light. There are several choices of infrared filter strengths available from 590nm to 850nm. The 590nm filter will have limited color and the 850nm will be high contrast monochrome only. The typical infrared photos that you see have trees with white leaves and dark skies.

The most popular conversion is 720nm. This gives you an image that is monochrome but fairly flat in contrast. I choose this one because it gives me the most latitude to adjust the image in Lightroom and Photoshop.

As you can see in the images that I’ve taken, infrared loves sunny, contrasting light. For almost all of my infrared photos I use the Lumix 7-14mm wide angle zoom. I’ve also found that infrared does not look good with shallow depth of field, so it's best to set your aperture to f/8 or 11.

There are several places that you can convert your camera. I used LifePixel to convert my Panasonic Lumix GX7. Just remember that after the conversion that the camera won’t work as a full color camera.

After you’ve had your camera converted you can come down to Precision Camera and buy that new camera you’ve been trying to justify and have a fun infrared camera in your bag too!

Mark Toal is a photographer living in West Linn, Oregon. You can see more of his photography on Instagram and Facebook.

A few years ago, I heard about the Slack event at rodeos. Slack takes place in the morning or afternoon before the main event that evening. Slack is for the cowboys that didn’t make the main event. Most slack events that I have attended are free and allow you to wander anywhere around the arena. There are also very few people in the stands making for the perfect opportunity to get some awesome rodeo shots.

Although conditions are much more ideal than the main event, you'll still need a long telephoto lens. I shoot with Panasonic Lumix G Series four thirds sensor cameras and use the Lumix 100-300mm or Panasonic Leica 100-400mm lenses at Slack.

I also bring a wide-angle Panasonic Leica 9mm or 8-18mm lens for any close or detail shots. Because of the smaller sensor in these cameras, the 100-400mm lens is the equivalent to 200-800mm in a full frame camera with a much smaller size and lighter weight.

The photos you see here were taken with the Lumix GH6 and 100-400mm lens and the new Leica 9mm lens at the St. Paul Rodeo in St. Paul, Oregon. The images were shot in Shutter Priority at 1/2000 second shutter speed and continuous auto focus to track and stop the rider’s action. I use Auto ISO let the camera determine what ISO it needs to keep the shutter speed at 1/2000.

Mark Toal is a photographer living in West Linn, Oregon. You can see more of his photography on Instagram and Facebook.

A location guaranteed to reveal various wildlife to photograph is Brazos Bend State Park, which is about fifty miles south west of Houston. The 4,897 acre park is a mixture of coastal prairie, forest and wetlands consisting of lakes and swamps.

Over 300 species of resident and migratory birds can be found there. The highlight of the park is the numerous alligators, but there are also deer, armadillos, raccoons and even elusive river otters. The park offers hiking, fishing, picnicking, bicycle trails and ample opportunities for photography.

Photos via Robert Stallones

The park is usually very busy, so it is best to make entry reservations with the park. 

Kruger has served as the American judge at the Krainev International Piano Competition that's held in Kharkov, Ukraine. Kruger said, "I have judged many, many talented and beautiful young Ukrainian children and am sure they will be listening and smiling when our five young pianists bring the piano to life again."

The featured student pianists include Roland Fan (age 10), Ethan Wang (age 14), Vaani Matai (age 14), Yuan Dong (age 15), Natalie Kozlowski (age 16). All are students of Julia Amada Kruger of Austin and frequently compete in local and state festivals/competitions as well as national/international competitions including the Debose National Piano Competition in Louisiana. 

Ethan Wang (14) and Natalie Kozlowski (16)

Vaani Matai (14) Yuan Dong (15) and Roland Fan (10)

Get featured on Precision Camera's blog for a $25 PCV gift card!

Do you consider yourself a photo expert and are seeking an outlet for your vast knowledge? Just hoping to showcase some of your favorite photos?

Submit your work to cjanes@precision-camera.com to be featured in our blog! If your post is featured, we'll send you a $25 Precision Camera gift card for your work! Free exposure AND $25 to PCV?! Sounds like a win-win to us! 

Topics can range from your favorite Austin or Houston photo spots, lighting tips, a gallery of landscape shots, gear reviews or any area of expertise you have!

Thinking about making the switch from 35mm to 120 film? Shooting each film has its advantages and dilemmas. The greatest difference between 35mm and 120 is that 120 offers better resolution and detail because of its larger negatives. Photos shot on 120 film also tend to have more depth than their 35mm counterparts.

120 film cameras tend to be heavier and bulkier so at times it can be less convenient to shoot 120 for the photographer on the go. It is also typically more expensive to shoot in 120 because each roll maxes out at 16 shots.

It might be a good idea to start with 35mm for the amateur film photographer to allow for more experimentation in the beginning of figuring out what film photography is all about. The variance in the film photos’ properties largely lies in the level of ISO and type of film itself in terms of color, grain etc, not necessarily if it's 35mm or 120, although of course this is a factor in the final outcome of the photos as well.

Most films are available in both 35mm and 120, although there is currently a 35mm film shortage worldwide, so there’s no time like the present to add 120 to your film rotation!

Stop by Precision Camera to check out our rotating selection of 120 film. Some 120 films we have in stock this summer include:

Kodak: Portra 160, Portra 400, Portra 800, Gold 200, T-Max 100, T-Max 400

Ilford: XP2 Super 400, HP5 Plus, SFX 200, Delta 100, PanF Plus

Lomography: Color Negative 100, Color Negative 800, Earl Grey 100 Black and White Negative

Nervous about committing to 120 film camera? Check out our selection of medium format cameras in our used section for more cost efficient choices.

If you fall in love with one of the photos you can bid on it to take home with you on our silent auction table located in the back of the classroom! All proceeds will benefit Breakthrough Central Texas. The gallery with be up until July 5 and we will contact the auction bidders that week as well. 

Here are the winners: