X-T3 and Lightroom

[Gromit 2,687]

Whilst enjoying the luxury of semi-retirement (bar some music teaching and conducting) I'm giving thought to taking up some wedding photography. This wouldn't be a regular job, in fact if I do more than one a month it'll be too many; having made the mistake of turning my hobby (music) into a full time job I'm not going the same route with photography.

Joking apart though, as far as kit is concerned, running 2 systems is a bit daft so am coming down on the side of Fuji, perhaps investing in an X-T3. The X-T2 will wear the XF56, the T3 an XF23.

I do have Capture One 12 on my iMac, but whilst I appreciate its prowess at converting Fuji RAWs, I keep finding more comfort in using Lightroom. The cataloguing in LR is just so much better, and the UI overall is one I just feel so much more at home with. For those who have a T3, and are using LR (Classic) have the results proved satisfactory? Of course I could just shoot jpegs (which we all know the Fuji X cameras excel at) but the latitude provided by RAWs could be a life-saver.

I do read that C1 can convert Fuji RAWs into dng files though which can then be sent to Lightroom? This could be an answer but it's not a procedure I fully understand.

Thanks all.

[HectorHughMunro 839]

There is an Iridient converter which gives DNG. I have it but never use it but others rate it.

Why not convert to TIFF in Capture?  You’ll have the advantages of Capture but the workflow of Lightroom. 

Are you looking at Insurance?

[BeeRay 391]

I did see one review of Fuji files with LR and there does seem to be some problems, Capture was much better. I would shoot in RAW, for the WB alone it's worth it but I hate working with jpg files, getting the WB right in RAW takes seconds, if wrong in jpg then it is a lot of messing about. 

[Sumdumgi 1,742]

Sorry can't help at the minute Richard.

Having had my XT3 just 3 weeks or so I've yet to shoot RAW as I've just been away on a Baltic Cruise and just got back yesterday. Generally shoot all holiday pics in jpeg so a fair few to sort through. I've stuck with LR, tried a few things but as you say the ease of use and it's cataloguing suit me particularly as I transitioned from Apple's Aperture which is a very similar format and user experience.

With my XT2 RAW was around 20% of my photography, I never had a problem with LR and Fuji, perhaps it's something that impacts upon the needs of more advanced photographers and image processors. Just sitting going through my holiday pics now and they seem very similar to the XT2 jpeg output but that's not an observation based upon any meaningful examination.

I'll be experimenting with RAW and the cameras full facilities from now obviously starting thursday when I have a trip arranged with a couple of friends.

As HHM says you could process to TIFF in Capture and catalogue and process in LR, or perhaps use large capacity cards and do Fine/Raw and you could use the Raw only if needed. Your images taken on a multitude of cameras and processed in different software as jpeg and Raw have always been of a very high standard Richard, I cannot believe that the XT3 in your hands will produce anything less than top class results.

[Bolts 1,455]

I used the Iridient software when I shot Fuji - it works, fits well with the LR workflow and helped out on the odd occasion when I felt an image needed tidying up.

[Gromit 2,687]

Thanks fellas - I've been doing some digging about and found the Iridient tool which Tim refers to; 'X-Transformer'.

For a smidge over 30 quid it looks like good value. It's definitely better than LR as a raw conversion tool but has taken a bit of fiddling to get the import settings (sharp/noise/correction etc) right. It's more faff than using LR as a standalone but for the occasional raw it'll work fine, and keeps the Fuji film sims options in Lightroom.

[HectorHughMunro 839]

On 11/07/2019 at 21:51, Gromit said:

Thanks fellas - I've been doing some digging about and found the Iridient tool which Tim refers to; 'X-Transformer'.

For a smidge over 30 quid it looks like good value. It's definitely better than LR as a raw conversion tool but has taken a bit of fiddling to get the import settings (sharp/noise/correction etc) right. It's more faff than using LR as a standalone but for the occasional raw it'll work fine, and keeps the Fuji film sims options in Lightroom.

It’s not bad. I still prefer Capture but I don’t have time constraints. 

Have you tried the Fuji app where it uses the camera for conversion?  I wonder if you  might be able bulk convert to Tiff with some basic adjustments so you don’t lose all the advantages of RAW. You would get the simulations. 

[Gromit 2,687]

4 hours ago, HectorHughMunro said:

It’s not bad. I still prefer Capture but I don’t have time constraints. 

Have you tried the Fuji app where it uses the camera for conversion?  I wonder if you  might be able bulk convert to Tiff with some basic adjustments so you don’t lose all the advantages of RAW. You would get the simulations. 

Thanks Tim, the in-camera Fuji app totally slipped my mind! I've seen Kevin Mullins' YouTube video describing the workings of it, and it does look quite promising. Have now set up X-Transformer as a plug-in for LR which works a lot more seamlessly than before. It's not what one would call a vast improvement in raw conversion over LR (not as good as C1 that's for sure) but it's worth it for the low cost.

[Martin D 28]

I use this

https://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/myfinepix_studio/rfc/index.html

[lemongluten 0]

Why not convert to TIFF in Capture?

You’ll have the advantages of Capture but the workflow of Lightroom.

Review: Run 3 online.

[macvisual 728]

Great idea Richard! 

A close friend of mine Kevin Wyllie (www.ksgphotography.co.uk/) is a Fuji Professional wedding shooter for the past 5/6yrs using XP2/XT2 and just recently a XT3 body along with many of the XF quality lenses.

It may do no harm to contact Kevin for a chat regarding your editing query, he's very approachable and a great guy! Tell him I sent you...

Regards - Peter

Edited November 3 by macvisual