FujiFilm X-Pro2 User Manual
Fujifilm X-Pro2
115
Rico Pfirstinger
The Fujifilm X-Pro 2
115 X-Pert Tips to Get the Most
Out of Your Camera
Rico Pfirstinger
rico@fuji-x-secrets.de
Project editor: Maggie Yates
Project manager: Lisa Brazieal
Marketing manager: Jessica Tiernan
Copyeditor: Maggie Yates
Translation by: Rico Pfirstinger
Layout and type: Petra Strauch
Cover design: Rebecca Cowlin
Indexer: Maggie Yates
ISBN: 978-1-68198-150-5
1st Edition (1st printing, August 2016)
© 2016 Rico Pfirstinger
All images © Rico Pfirstinger unless otherwise noted
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Table of Contents
1. YOUR X-PRO2 SYSTEM ....................... 1
1.1 THE BASICS (1):
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR CAMERA 3
TIP 1: RTFM! Read The Fuji Manual! It is included with
your camera. You have a choice between the printed
version and the PDF version on the CD that comes
with the camera. ............................... 3
TIP 2: Get a few spare batteries. You can buy suitable
batteries from Fujifilm or from a third party. ........ 3
TIP 3: Get a suitable battery charger and a travel adapter. 4
TIP 4: Make sure that your camera and lenses are running
with the latest firmware. ........................ 5
TIP 5: Things to remember when updating your firmware: 6
TIP 6: Use fast memory cards with at least 80 MB/s write
speed. ....................................... 7
TIP 7: Working with Dual Card Slots ................... 8
TIP 8: Your camera is automatically numbering your
images. With a little trick, you can reset the frame
counter and even assign a new starting number. .... 10
TIP 9: Use High Performance Mode! ................... 12
TIP 10: Keep the camera sensor clean! .................. 12
TIP 11: Do-it-yourself sensor cleaning for tough sensor
spots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Printed in the U.S.A.
vi viiTable of Contents Table of Contents
1.2 THE BASICS (2):
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR LENSES .. 15
TIP 12: X-mount compatible Samyang lenses are just like
adapted lenses! ............................... 16
TIP 13: Zeiss Touit lenses .............................. 17
TIP 14: Decoding XF18–135mmF3.5–5.6 R LM OIS WR .... 18
TIP 15: The optical image stabilizer (OIS) has its quirks! .... 19
TIP 16: The XF23mmF1.4 R, XF16mmF1.4 R WR, and
XF14mmF2.8 R are different beasts! .............. 22
TIP 17: Use the Lens Modulation Optimizer (LMO)! ....... 24
TIP 18: Things you should know about digital lens
corrections ................................... 25
TIP 19: Use the included lens hood! ..................... 26
TIP 20: Lens protection filters—yes or no? ............... 27
TIP 21: 39mm filters can be tricky! ...................... 27
1.3 THE BASICS (3): USEFUL ACCESSORIES .............. 28
TIP 22: Optional handgrip ............................. 29
TIP 23: Off-camera TTL flash with a Canon OC-E3 TTL
extension cord ................................ 29
TIP 24: Issues regarding Canon TTL flash devices ......... 31
TIP 25: Remote shutter release: three options for the
X-Pro2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
TIP 28: Suggested Fn button assignment ................ 45
TIP 29: Always shoot FINE+RAW! ...................... 47
TIP 30: Compressed or uncompressed RAW files? ........ 50
TIP 31: Pick a suitable image format! .................... 50
TIP 32: The magical half-press ......................... 51
2.2 MONITOR AND VIEWFINDER ...................... 52
TIP 33: Make use of the eye sensor! ..................... 52
TIP 34: Instant review ................................. 52
TIP 35: The DISP/BACK button can be tricky! ............. 53
TIP 36: WYSIWYG– What You See Is What You Get! ....... 54
TIP 37: Using the Natural Live View ..................... 55
TIP 38: Using the OVF ................................ 56
TIP 39: Using the ERF ................................. 59
2.3 EXPOSING RIGHT ................................ 60
TIP 40: Choosing the right metering method ............. 61
TIP 41: Linking spot metering to AF frames .............. 64
TIP 42: Using the live view and live histogram ............ 65
TIP 43: Auto exposure (AE) with modes P , A , and S ...... 67
TIP 44: Using manual exposure M ...................... 68
TIP 45: Using aperture priority A ....................... 69
2. USING THE FUJIFILM X-PRO2 .................. 35
2.1 READY, SET, GO! ................................. 35
TIP 26: Recommended settings for your X-Pro2 ........... 36
TIP 27: Avoiding the camera menus: practical shortcuts
for your X-Pro2 ................................ 41
TIP 46: Using shutter priority S ........................ 70
TIP 47: Using program AE P and program shift .......... 72
TIP 48: Playing it safe with auto exposure bracketing ...... 72
TIP 49: Long exposures ............................... 73
TIP 50: Long exposures in bright daylight ............... 74
TIP 51: ISO settings—what’s the deal? .................. 75
TIP 52: What you should know about extended ISO ....... 78
viii ixTable of Contents Table of Contents
TIP 53: Auto-ISO and minimum shutter speed ............ 79
TIP 54: Auto-ISO in manual mode M : the ”misomatic“ .... 80
TIP 55: ISO-Bracketing: it’s just a gimmick! ............... 81
TIP 56: Extending the dynamic range ................... 82
TIP 57: Extending the dynamic range for RAW shooters ... 84
TIP 58: JPEG settings for RAW shooters ................. 86
TIP 59: Extending the dynamic range for JPEG shooters .. 88
TIP 60: Using the DR function for high-key and portrait
photography .................................. 91
TIP 61: Creating HDR images with the X-Pro2 ............. 96
TIP 62: HDR: the handheld way ........................ 98
TIP 63: Using the electronic shutter .................... 100
2.4 FOCUSING WITH THE X-PRO2 ...................... 102
TIP 64: CDAF and PDAF: what’s the difference? ........... 103
TIP 65: AF-S or AF-C? ................................. 104
TIP 66: AF modes: Single Point AF vs. Zone AF vs.
Wide/Tracking AF ............................. 105
TIP 78: Macro: focusing at close distances ............... 122
TIP 79: Focusing on moving subjects (1):
the “autofocus trick” ........................... 125
TIP 80: Focusing on moving subjects (2): the focus trap .... 127
TIP 81: Focusing on moving subjects (3):
Autofocus tracking using Single Point AF, Zone AF,
or Wide/Tracking AF ........................... 129
TIP 82: Focus priority vs. Release priority ................ 133
2.5 WHITE BALANCE AND JPEG PARAMETERS .......... 134
TIP 83: Custom white balance: a little effort can go a long
way .......................................... 137
TIP 84: Infrared photography .......................... 139
TIP 85: Changing color tints with WB SHIFT .............. 141
TIP 86: Film simulations: it’s all about the look ............ 142
TIP 87: Using the Grain Effect .......................... 147
TIP 88: Contrast settings: working with highlights and
shadows ...................................... 149
TIP 89: Skin tones: smooth or with texture? ............... 150
TIP 67: Selecting an AF frame or AF zone ............... 107
TIP 68: Choosing a suitable AF frame or AF zone size ..... 108
TIP 69: Manual focus and DOF zone focusing ............. 110
TIP 70: Manual focus assistants: focus peaking and digital
split image .................................... 112
TIP 71: Focus check: use the magnifier tool! .............. 112
TIP 72: One-Touch-AF (Instant AF) ...................... 113
TIP 73: Using AF+MF ................................. 114
TIP 74: Pre-AF: a relic of the past ....................... 117
TIP 75: Using face detection and eye-detection .......... 118
TIP 76: Using AF-Lock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
TIP 77: Focusing in poor light .......................... 121
TIP 90: Color saturation ............................... 151
TIP 91: Choosing a color space: sRGB or Adobe RGB?. . . . . 151
TIP 92: Using custom settings (usage profiles) ............ 152
TIP 93: Working with the built-in RAW converter ......... 154
TIP 94: Comparing RAW converters .................... 156
Fujifilm film simulations ......................... 158
Extended dynamic range (DR200%, DR400%) ...... 159
Digital lens corrections ......................... 161
TIP 95: Displaying EXIF metadata ...................... 163
x xiTable of Contents Table of Contents
2.6 BURST MODE, MOVIES, AND THE SELF TIMER ....... 164
TIP 96: Using burst mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
TIP 97: Shooting video with the X-Pro2 .................. 165
TIP 98: Using the self-timer ............................ 167
2.7 FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ........................... 168
TIP 99: Flash photography in modes P and A :
slow shutter speed limits ........................ 171
TIP 100: Controlling the surrounding-light component of
flash photography ............................. 172
TIP 101: Controlling the flash-light component ............ 175
TIP 102: 2nd curtain flash synchronization: what’s the deal? . 176
TIP 103: Flash synchronization: where’s the limit? .......... 178
TIP 104: Red-eye removal: a two-step affair ............... 180
TIP 105: Little slave: the EF-X20 ......................... 181
TIP 106: Using third-party flash units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
2.8 USING ADAPTED LENSES .......................... 183
2.10 ANYTHING ELSE? ................................ 198
TIP 115: Forums, blogs, and workshops: be a part of it! ..... 198
ONLINE REFERENCES ............................ 200
INDEX ......................................... 203
TIP 107: Finding the right lens adapter ................... 183
TIP 108: Adapting third-party lenses: here’s how… ....... 185
TIP 109: Exposing with adapted lenses ................... 186
TIP 110: Focusing with adapted lenses ................... 187
TIP 111: Using the Fujifilm M-mount adapter .............. 189
TIP 112: Quality considerations ......................... 190
TIP 113: Speed Booster: miracle or trick? ................. 191
2.9 WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL ..................... 193
TIP 114: Using the Camera Remote App .................. 193
1
1. YOUR X-PRO2 SYSTEM
To start off, here’s a brief overview of the buttons and controls on your Fujifilm X-Pro2:
2
3 41
5
6
7 8
Fig. 1: X-Pro2 frontal view: front command dial with integrated
button (1), viewfinder selector with integrated Fn button (2), AF assist lamp/self-timer indicator lamp (3), hybrid viewfinder (4), X-Trans
sensor (5), electronic lens contacts (6), lens release button (7), focus
selector (8)
1 387
2
46 5
Fig. 2: X-Pro2 top view (with XF35mmF2 R WR): on/off switch (1),
shutter release button (2), Fn button (3), exposure compensation
dial (4), shutter speed dial with integrated ISO dial (5), hot shoe (6),
aperture ring (7), focus ring (8)
2 Your X-Pro2 System The Basics (1): Things You Should Know About Your Camera 3
2 3 4 5 6 7
1
9
8
10
11
20
14
12
19
13 17 161518
Fig. 3: X-Pro2 rear view: diopter adjustment dial (1), hybrid view-
finder (2), eye sensor (3), VIEW MODE button (4), metering mode
button/Fn button (5), AE-L button (6), rear command dial with
integrated button (7), focus stick with integrated button (8), AF-L
button (9), Q button for Quick menu (10), playback button (11), delete (“trash”) button (12), DISP/BACK button (13), upper selector/
DRIVE button (14), left selector/Fn button (15), right selector/Fn
button (16), lower selector/Fn button (17), MENU/OK button (18),
status indicator lamp (19), LCD monitor (20)
1.1 THE BASICS (1):
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT YOUR CAMERA
RTFM! Read The Fuji Manual! It is included with your camera.
You have a choice between the printed version and the PDF
version on the CD that comes with the camera.
In case you have misplaced your printed user manual and
camera CD, or you want to update to a newer edition of a
manual, you can click this link [01] to obtain downloadable
PDF versions in all supported languages. You will also find
supplementary material that covers new features and
changes based on firmware updates.
Please do yourself a big favor and thoroughly study this
manual in order to get acquainted with the different functions of your X-Pro2, and don’t forget that your lenses come
with a user manual, as well. This book doesn’t replace the
X-Pro2 camera manual; it serves as an enhancement to the
existing manual, and offers valuable tips and background
information about how to use the various features and functions of the X-Pro2 and make the most of your equipment.
TIP 1
NOTE
Throughout this book, you’ll see a series of numbers within
brackets incorporated into the text. These numbers correlate
to reference websites, a list of which can be found in this
book on page 200. For an updated version of this reference
list, please visit http://www.rockynook.com/fujifilm-x-pro-2online-references/.
Get a few spare batteries. You can buy suitable batteries
from Fujifilm or from a third party.
The X-Pro2 is quite a compact camera, which means that
the rechargeable battery is also rather small. Depending on
how you use your camera, a fully charged battery will last
for 250 to 400 shots.
I recommend always setting the camera to High Performance Mode (SET UP > POWER MANAGEMENT > POWER
MANAGEMENT > HIGH PERFORMANCE) in order to secure
maximum autofocus and overall performance.
TIP 2
8 Your X-Pro2 System The Basics (1): Things You Should Know About Your Camera 9
TIP 7
Working with Dual Card Slots
Your X-Pro2 offers two SD card slots numbered “1” and “2”.
This means that you can use two SD cards at the same time.
Please note:
■ The primary SD card slot of your X-Pro2 is always slot#1.
If you are only working with a single SD card, always put
it in this slot.
■ Firmware upgrades and video recording are only sup-
ported in slot#1.
■ Slot#1 supports UHS-II, making it suitable for very fast
memory cards such as Lexar Professional 2000x, Toshiba
Exceria Pro, or SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II (280 MB/s).
Slot#2 only supports the slower UHS-I standard. If you
use a UHS-II card in this slot, it will only operate in its
UHS-I compatibility mode. The recommended (and
probably fastest) card option for this slot is the SanDisk
Extreme Pro UHS-I (95 MB/s).
Using two memory cards at the same time gives you three
different options to configure how image data is transferred
to your SD cards. To do so, select SET UP > SAVE DATA SET UP
> CARD SLOT SETTING (STILL IMAGE) and pick one of the
following options:
■ SEQUENTIAL: In this default mode, the camera saves
all image data (RAW and JPEG) to a manually selected
card slot. To change the slot, choose SET UP > SAVE DATA
SETUP > SWITCH SLOT (SEQUENTIAL).
■ BACKUP: In this mode, the X-Pro2 is sending all image
data (RAW and JPEG) to both slots at the same time,
creating a backup copy that can be useful when one of
the cards gets lost or suffers data loss. However, in this
mode, the overall data transfer rate is limited by the card
in slot#2, which is the slower of the two slots and only
supports UHS-I. This can become a performance issue
in situations that require many images with high burst
rates while shooting FINE+RAW.
■ RAW/JPEG: This setting splits the image data up by
saving RAW files to slot#1 and JPEGs to slot#2, so this
setting is only useful when you are shooting FINE+RAW
or NORMAL+RAW. If you shoot RAW-only or JPEG-only,
RAW/JPEG mode turns into BACKUP mode, saving your
RAW or JPEG data to both cards at the same time.
I always recommend shooting FINE+RAW. If you follow this
advice, selecting RAW/JPEG mode (and using the fastest
UHS-II and UHS-I cards available in slots#1 and #2, respectively) will give you the best camera performance in terms
of continuous burst rates.
However, RAW/JPEG data save mode also has its quirks:
■ Splitting up RAW and JPEG image data to slots #1 and
#2 only works in regular shooting mode (i.e., when you
take a new picture), not when you are using the camera’s
built-in RAW converter to create a JPEG from a RAW file
on card#1. JPEGs generated from RAWs on card#1 are
also saved on card#1 (the “RAW” card) instead of card#2
(the “JPEG” card).
■ In playback mode, the X-Pro2 will display small HD-sized
JPEG images that are embedded in the RAW files on
card#1 instead of showing the full-resolution JPEGs on
card#2. To access the full-res JPEGs (e.g., in order to zoom
in and check critical focus), you have to manually switch
slots in playback mode by pressing and holding the
playback button until the camera confirms the switch.
Sadly, this switch is only remembered until you take
another picture, so you’ll have to go through the motions
of switching slots in playback mode all over again once
you take another shot.
18 Your X-Pro2 System The Basics (2):Things You Should Know About Your Lenses 19
TIP 14
Decoding XF18–135mmF3.5–5.6 R LM OIS WR
This tip is of the “what you always wanted to know but
never dared to ask” variety:
■ XF: “X” means X-mount or X-series; “F” means Fine, for
Fuji’s premium line of lenses. There’s also the smaller,
more affordable XC line (“C” stands for Compact or
Casual).
■ 18–135mm: This is the focal length range of the zoom
lens. To translate the numbers to their full-frame equivalents, you have to multiply them by the APS-C crop
factor [08] of 1.5. Hence, the field-of-view (FOV) of an
18–135mm zoom on your X-Pro2 is identical to the FOV of
a 27–202mm zoom lens on a full-frame camera.
■ F3.5–5.6: This range describes the maximum aperture
opening at the low and high end of the focal-length
range. In this case, the lens offers a maximum aperture
of f/3.5 at 18mm and f/5.6 at 135mm.
■ R: This stands for Ring and simply means that the lens
features an aperture ring. This is a standard feature of all
Fujinon XF lenses, with the exception of the XF27mmF2.8
pancake lens. XC zooms don’t offer an aperture ring,
either. With those lenses, the aperture setting is controlled with the rear command dial (thumb dial) when
you are using exposure modes A or M .
still get usable results. It’s important to remember that
motion blur often plays a role at slower shutter speeds
since many subjects tend to move. Obviously the OIS
cannot reduce motion blur [10]—only blurring that
occurs due to camera shake (i.e., the shaky hands of the
photographer).
■ WR denotes weather resistant lenses. These lenses are a
great fit for your weather resistant X-Pro2.
Fig. 13: The XF35mmF2 R WR is the new standard prime lens for
your X-Pro2 (and its predecessor, the X-Pro1). It’s weather resistant,
and its lean design doesn’t obscure the optical viewfinder.
The optical image stabilizer (OIS) has its quirks!
TIP 15
■ LM: This stands for Linear Motor, which ensures quick
and silent autofocus operation.
■ OIS: This is the Optical Image Stabilizer [09]. This feature
allows you to perform handheld shots at up to five stops
slower of a shutter speed than you would usually need
to eliminate camera shake. For example, in situations
that would normally require a shutter speed of 1/80s
to ensure a clear image, you could shoot with 1/4s and
With the exception of the XF16–55mmF2.8 R LM WR zoom,
all XF and XC zoom lenses feature built-in optical image
stabilization (OIS). Switch on the OIS to prevent camera
shake and blurry images in situations that require you to
take handheld shots at a slower-than-usual shutter speed.
XF lenses offer a dedicated OIS on/off switch on the lens
barrel. The OIS in XC lenses is controlled through a camera
menu.
20 Your X-Pro2 System The Basics (2):Things You Should Know About Your Lenses 21
For handheld shots, an old rule of thumb recommends
using shutter speeds that are at least as fast as the reciprocal of the full-frame-equivalent focal length that is in use.
For example, with a 50mm lens and an APS-C crop factor of
1.5, the minimum safe shutter speed for handheld camera
use would be [1/(50 × 1.5)]s = 1/75s. In other words, when you
are shooting handheld with a 50mm lens and don’t want
shaky images, you should use shutter speeds at least as fast
as 1/75s. Or you can use the OIS to add a few more stops.
Of course, rules of thumb don’t apply to everybody. Some
users have quite steady hands and some have rather shaky
hands. The settings and equipment that work for me may
not work for you. However, the OIS will always give you a
few extra stops of shutter-speed headroom.
In SHOOTING SETTING > IS MODE, you can choose between
two basic OIS modes:
■ OIS mode 1 (CONTINUOUS) is the default setting. It’s
always stabilizing the image, even when you are just
looking through the viewfinder before you press the
shutter button.
■ OIS mode 2 (SHOOTING ONLY) only engages when you
fully depress the shutter button to take an image.
Please note that the OIS can also introduce camera shake,
especially at fast shutter speeds. This adverse effect is more
likely to occur in OIS mode 1 than in mode 2. However, OIS
mode 1 is more effective when used at very slow shutter
speeds, such as 1/15s, 1/8s, or even 1/4s.
Fig. 14: The optical image stabilizer of the XF50–140mm in action:
Thanks to a slow shutter speed of 1/6s, I could still use ISO800 for
this night shot. Even at a full-frame equivalent of 210mm, the OIS
was able to successfully compensate for any camera shake caused
by my hands.
These are my recommendations for using the OIS:
■ Only use (switch on) the OIS when necessary. When you
are using fast shutter speeds that don’t require image
stabilization, you can safely turn the OIS off to eliminate
it as a potential interference.
■ I prefer to use the OIS in mode 2 (“shooting only”). Mode
1 is useful at very slow shutter speeds and when you are
using very long focal lengths because the camera will
also stabilize the live view image, making it easier to
compose and focus a shot.
■ Turn off the OIS when you are working from a sturdy tri-
pod or with shutter speeds that are slower than a second.
You should also switch it off for panning [11] shots.
24 Your X-Pro2 System The Basics (2):Things You Should Know About Your Lenses 25
TIP 17
Use the Lens Modulation Optimizer (LMO)!
The X-Pro2 supports the so-called LMO or Lens Modulation
Optimizer. This feature premiered in the X100S and X20
fixed-lens cameras, and it counteracts common optical phenomena (like diffraction [13] and corner softness) when the
camera converts the RAW data into JPEG images. To make
it work, the firmware in the attached lens sends the LMO
correction data to the camera.
■ Neither Fujinon XC lenses nor Zeiss Touit lenses support
the LMO.
If your lens supports the LMO (all Fujinon XF lenses do), you
should enable the function by selecting LENS MODULATION
OPTIMIZER > ON in the IMAGE QUALITY SETTING menu.
You can also use the built-in RAW converter of your
X-Pro2 (PLAYBACK MENU > RAW CONVERSION) to enable
or disable the LMO for a specific image. With this method it
is easy to create (and compare) versions of a shot with and
without LMO enhancements.
In its current incarnation (May, 2016), the LMO takes care of
the following two optical effects:
■ Diffraction softness: This effect increasingly occurs
when the lens is stopped down beyond a certain point.
APS-C cameras like the X-Pro2 typically exhibit diffrac-
tion at apertures of 10 and smaller. While stopping down
increases the overall depth of field (DOF), it also reduces
the maximum resolution of the lens/camera combina-
tion. The LMO counteracts this effect and reconstructs
some of the lost detail.
■ Corner softness: Even the best lenses aren’t as sharp
in the corners as they are in the center. The LMO in the
X-Pro2 is able to digitally compensate for that loss of
quality.
LMO corrections are based on complex deconvolution
[14] algorithms. Currently, this is only supported in-camera
with the built-in RAW converter. External converters such
as Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Capture One Pro, Silkypix,
Iridient Developer, Photo Ninja, and AccuRaw can’t process
LMO data. This means that LMO corrections are only visible
in JPEGs that are generated in the camera.
Things you should know about digital lens corrections
Most modern lenses achieve their optimal image quality
through a combination of optical and digital corrections.
Corrections are mostly applied to the three following phenomena:
■ Vignetting: This effect results in a loss of brightness from
center to corner. Vignetting [15] is more pronounced at
large apertures.
■ Distortion: There are pincushion- and barrel-type dis-
tortions [16], both of which make straight lines seem
curved. Premium primes like the XF14mm, XF23mm,
XF35mmF1.4, XF56mm, and XF90mm are fully optically
corrected for distortion. Others (such as the Zeiss Touit
range, compact pancake lenses, the XF35mmF2, or zoom
lenses) require a combination of optical and digital distortion correction.
■ Chromatic aberration: Chromatic aberration [17] results
in color fringing. This effect can be corrected (or mitigated) with apochromatic lenses, or digitally corrected
during RAW conversion.
Some camera makers rely on dedicated correction profiles
that have to be provided by each RAW converter maker.
Fujifilm isn’t one of these companies: all current Fujifilm
cameras store digital corrections as metadata in the RAW
file. RAW converters can access this lens-specific metadata
TIP 18
30 Your X-Pro2 System The Basics (3): Useful Accessories 31
TTL is an abbreviation for “Through The Lens,” which
means that the camera determines the appropriate flash
output by measuring a scene through the lens with a weak
pre-flash. In order to work in TTL mode, TTL flash units have
to be connected with the camera’s hot shoe, and strangely
enough, there’s still no Fujifilm-branded TTL extension cable
on the market that allows you to use a TTL flash off-camera.
A simple solution is using a Canon OC-E3 extension cable,
which is pin-compatible with Fuji’s own flash contacts.
With such a cable (or a compatible third-party product), it
is possible to use an EF-20, EF-X20, EF-42, or another Fuji
TTL compatible flash off-camera in TTL mode. Please note
that Canon OC-E3 cables are only compatible with Fuji’s
TTL flash connectors, not with Fuji’s TTL flash protocol. This
means that it isn’t possible to use Canon TTL flash devices
with an X-Pro2 in TTL mode. The protocols won’t match.
Fujifilm’s compact (and retro-styled) EF-X20 flash features an optical slave mode and can be wirelessly triggered
by another flash unit. However, this is no automated TTL
mode, so the output of the EF-X20 has to be manually controlled while in slave mode.
Issues regarding Canon TTL flash devices
Canon-compatible flash devices (e.g. flash units or radio
transmitters) can lead to an overload of the X-Pro2’s processor and result in overheating (you’ll see the related
overheating warnings). The reasons behind this are incompatible Canon/Fuji TTL flash protocols that are routed
through compatible flash contacts (as described in the
previous tip).
This problem can even occur when you are using your
Canon-compatible flash gear in full manual mode without
any expectation of TTL exposure control. You might want a
simple trigger signal, but what you get are colliding protocols with adverse side effects.
Should you encounter these problems with your gear, you
have three basic choices:
■ Stop using your Canon-compatible TTL flash or transmit-
ter and replace it with simpler devices that only use a
central trigger contact.
■ Tape the TTL contacts of your flash devices, leaving only
the central trigger contact. This ensures that the only
electric connection between the camera and the flash or
transmitter is the flash trigger contact.
TIP 24
Fig. 18: A Canon-compatible TTL extension cord also works with
the X-Pro2. However, since the extra power line for Fuji’s tiny EF-X8
flash unit isn’t looped through, this flash can only be used directly
on the camera’s hot-show mount.
■ Use an adapter that isolates the flash sync signal and
blocks all other hot-shoe pin connections to your flash
device. This is like taping TTL pins, just more convenient.
Suitable adapters are available for only a few dollars.
Please note that flawless flash operation is only guaranteed
when you use devices that explicitly support the Fujifilm X
flash system and protocol. Alternatively, you can also use
simple, manual flash devices and transmitters that only
use the camera’s central trigger contact. Other flash devices
(that were originally made for other camera brands and
36 Using the Fujifilm X-Pro2 Ready, Set, Go! 37
TIP 26
Recommended settings for your X-Pro2
There is no perfect set of basic camera settings that could
suit all users in all situations. However, the following settings will allow you to use the X-Pro2 in a flexible manner
with good overall performance:
■ Auto-ISO is a convenient option with three presets that
can be selected by setting the ISO dial to “A” and selecting
one of three Auto-ISO choices (AUTO1–3) with SHOOTING SETTING > ISO AUTO SETTING. The corresponding
Auto-ISO fine-tuning is available for each Auto-ISO
preset by pressing the right selector button. There, you
can adjust DEFAULT SENSITIVITY (I suggest 200), MAX.
SENSITIVITY (I suggest 12800) and MIN. SHUTTER SPEED.
Don’t worry: even at the upper limit of ISO12800, images
made with the X-Trans sensor are quite good. When you
are using Auto-ISO, you should pick a suitable minimum
shutter speed with MIN. SHUTTER SPEED. A popular
setting for the minimum shutter speed is 1/60s, but you
can change this parameter to anything between 1/4s and
1/500s. Using a stabilized (OIS) lens, speeds slower than
1/60s are definitely a realistic option for this camera. With
fast-moving objects, faster speeds are recommended to
avoid unwanted motion blur. My personal minimum
shutter speed settings for AUTO1, AUTO2, and AUTO3 are
1/60s (landscape), 1/160s (portraits), and 1/500s (action).
ness, noise reduction, and color saturation. This enables
you to create different versions of a shot from a single
RAW file; for example, you can make both color and
black-and-white versions of the same image, including
different contrast settings. You don’t have to worry about
choosing the perfect JPEG settings prior to taking a shot
because you can always change and optimize those set-
tings afterward in the camera’s internal RAW converter.
■ As a typical standard setting, most photographers use
single shot drive (press the DRIVE button and select STILL
IMAGE) and single shot autofocus (AF-S; select S with the
focus selector at the front of the camera).
■ The most flexible AF-S setting is Single Point AF (AF/MF
SETTING > AF MODE > SINGLE POINT). This mode allows
you to select the area of the image where the camera
should be focused. To accomplish this, use either the
focus stick or select AF/MF SETTING > FOCUS AREA, then
use the selector keys (arrow keys) to pick one of the 77 or
273 available AF frames. You can change the size of the
selected AF frame by turning the command dial. Pressing
(not turning) the rear command dial resets the frame to
its default size. Pressing the DISP/BACK button selects
the central (default) AF frame. Press OK or half-press the
shutter button to confirm your selection. The camera will
use this frame in AF-S and AF-C modes as its focus area as
soon as you press or half-press the shutter button.
■ Always select FINE+RAW under IMAGE QUALITY SET-
TING > IMAGE QUALITY or in the Quick menu. This will
get you high-resolution out-of-camera JPEGs (digital
prints) and flexible RAW files (digital negatives). Using
the RAW files, you can create a variety of diverse JPEGs
with different looks and settings using the camera’s
built-in RAW converter (PLAYBACK MENU > RAW CONVERSION). Specifically, you can adjust JPEG parameters
such as white balance, film simulations, contrast, bright-
■ Unlike most DSLR cameras, the X-Pro2 uses a hybrid auto-
focus system: a blend of contrast detection autofocus
(CDAF) and phase detection autofocus (PDAF). The main
burden still rests on the CDAF, which covers all AF frames
(most of the sensor area). The PDAF is only covered by
the central AF frames (about 40% of the sensor area). It’s
faster, but only works in sufficiently good light. Both AF
methods work most precisely with a small AF frame, but
work faster and more reliably with a large AF frame. This
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