The Fuji X Files

Last post detailed my trip to the Stockton Opencast Mine, and eluded to the incredible vistas that you can see from the top of the Stockton plateau. These are some amazing views - too grand to simply capture with one image. So naturally, with my DSLR hat on, I immediately thought 'panorama'. Shoot a series of images, stitch them together in photoshop and bingo, you got yourself a pano. But, of course, I didn't have my DSLR with me. I had the Fuji X10. Which just happens to have a 'Panorama' mode in the 'Advanced' dial on the camera. Stockton Opencast Mine, Stockton Plateau Switching to the advanced mode and choosing 'Panorama', gives you several options. You can choose to shoot a 120, 180 or 360 degree panorama (by default it will start at 360). You can also choose to sweep the camera from left to right or right to left, up to down or down to up (for vertical panoramas). I started with the 360 degree panorama, but it was a bit 'too...

Last weekend I had the opportunity to play the 'tourist', when my stepfather invited the family along on a tour of the Stockton Open Cast Mine. I was excited not only by the prospect of seeing the mine in operation, but also of taking the X10 out on its first big adventure, to see how it would perform. Stockton Aerial Coal Bins. We started the day at the end of the process, at the Stockton Incline where the coal is delivered off the plateau in coal bins. These bins run 24/7, delivering coal down to the township where it is then sent by train off to Lyttleton for export. I kept the X10 in 'A' (Aperture) mode for most of the day, shooting at a safe 5.6 to f8 aperture, on my standard RAW + Jpeg at DR400. I also very quickly settled in to 'tourist' mode, composing in live view from the back of the camera (much to my surprise). Work gear drying after a shift. We started up at the Stockton Mine itself by getting a quick tour of the facilities - starting ...