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The Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR on the X-H2S is a great combination for nature photography. The lens is richly featured including focus recall buttons, an image stabiliser with 5.5 stops benefits and a fluorine-coated front lens element.

 

Shoot nature and you’re often dealing with the very distant which means a powerful telephoto lens is essential if you want subjects to be a decent size in the frame. That sounds straightforward but typical long telephoto lenses are big and bulky, and if you want a fast maximum aperture, they are prohibitively expensive too. All in all, telephoto lenses for nature are a challenge.

Occasionally, along comes a lens that rewrites the rules and here’s one such lens from Fujifilm for its X Series camera system. The new Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR delivers a field of view equivalent to 609mm long telephoto in the 35mm format, and it does so in a remarkably portable package. It measures just 239.5mm and tips the scales at 1245g.

I got the opportunity to try out the new telephoto, shooting on the 26-megapixel Fujifilm X-H2S, a camera that weighs 660g, so the combination is a little under 2kg.

 

The Fujifilm X-H2S with the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR weighs under 2kg, so ideal for location photography and it’s light enough for successful handheld shooting when shutter speeds drop.

 

Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR: Setting up

Before striking out with the Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR, I tried photographing visiting birds in the garden. It was the ideal situation to get a feel of the lens’ handling and the best set-up. 

For long lens shooting, the logical exposure mode is shutter-priority AE, so I set that in tandem with auto ISO set with a 400-3200 working range. The lens has an impressively fast maximum aperture, but when the light drops and you’re shooting at 1/1000 sec and above to stop the action, you need all the ISO you can get. Besides, the high ISO performance of the Fujifilm’s X-Trans CMOS 5 sensors is tried and tested, so I know there’s no problem getting great quality shots at ISO 3200 and even beyond. 

 

In the garden, I managed to capture a fleeting visit from a great spotted woodpecker. It stayed for three or four seconds, and it was off, but it’s always a treat to see this lovely bird especially as we live in the city. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S with XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/500 sec f/4.5 ISO 1250.

 

Capturing birds in flight is easier if you can track them from afar. Here, though, I turned round and saw the heron, so I just lifted the camera to eye and squeezed off a few frames but didn’t expect them to be sharp. This was the first shot in the sequence and it’s lovely and sharp, and it’s large in the frame. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S and XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/2000 sec f/4.5 ISO 800.

 

The XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR has a minimum focus of 2.75m and this jackdaw moved in so close to me I had to lean back to keep the bird’s eye in sharp focus. The lovely fine detail around the bird’s beak is critically sharp. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S and XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/2000 sec f/4.5 ISO 500

 

I tried the AF system set to the 5x5 zone and Wide/Tracking, and both worked well with bird subject detect and continuous AF for larger birds such as ring-necked parakeets but was responsive and sensitive enough for smaller birds such as blue tits too.

To keep pace with the action, I set 15fps continuous drive but with the electronic shutter engaged and a CF Express Type B loaded, I had the headroom for shooting up to 40fps if required. 

With the initial set-up completed, it was off to Bushy Park with the Fujifilm X-H2S, the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR and a spare battery.

 

Herons are a common sight in Bushy Park and the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR was perfect for this tightly framed bird portrait, and the background is nicely blurred even at f/8. The detail in the bird’s head and feathers is exceptional. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S and XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/1000 sec f/8 ISO 400.

 

Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR: on location

For my day out, the weather conditions were good with the sun making regular appearances and little wind. Bushy Park yielded its usual wide variety of subjects from insects and birds to mammals including deer. It was very early on in the deer rutting season and having such a long lens available meant I could shoot from a very safe distance.

 

With so much focal length available with the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR, larger nature subjects such as this fallow deer buck can mean a tight crop or you have to take a few steps back if you want the entire creature in the frame. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S and XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/800 sec f/5 ISO 400.

 

On location, the combination’s portability was a serious benefit. Walking around with the Fujifilm outfit that weighs under 2kg made life so much more comfortable compared with my usual long lens kit. The park is mostly flat and it’s easy walking, but you have to cover a good distance to find subjects.

There were also handling benefits. When I shoot street, I like to have the camera in my right hand, forefinger resting on the on/off collar and when I see a potential shot, I can bring the camera up to the eye, switching it on as I do so, and shoot. Of course, for street shooting I’d be using a wide-angle or standard focal length, not an extreme telephoto. However, the Fujifilm X-H2S and XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR combination is lightweight enough to let me adopt the same approach which greatly increases the chances of getting the shot. 

I’m not saying I could work like this for hours at a time and of course you can do this with other camera/long lens pairings, but this Fujifilm duo was light enough not to be uncomfortable or too much of a strain.

 

I was carrying the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR on the X-H2S in my right hand ready to shoot. When I spotted the robin, I turned the camera on and lifted it to my eye in one smooth action and got the picture before it flew off. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S and XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/500 sec f/4.5 ISO 2500.

 

Also, for nature shooting with long lenses, I usually have a monopod on hand so when it gets darker and shutter speeds drop, I can shoot without suffering from camera shake. For this practical look at the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR, I left the monopod in the car and relied on the lens’ Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) together which claims a 5.5-stop benefit.

With a grey squirrel on a tree trunk, light levels were relatively low but shooting at 1/100 sec was no problem in terms of camera shake; the creature was eating, so I did get some subject movement.

 

The XF400 f/4.5 R LM OIS WR’s minimum focusing distance of 2.75m is perfect for nature subjects that aren’t backward in coming forward, such as grey squirrels. The camera was set to single zone AF which was moved to cover the squirrel’s eye to ensure focus was spot on. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S with XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/100 sec f/4.5 ISO 800.

 

The XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR has internal focusing, so its size stays constant and a high-speed linear motor means autofocusing is silent, judder-free and very responsive. When I was setting up back home, I’d tried Wide/Tracking and 5x5 zone AF, but when I started trying to photograph black-headed gulls in flight, the smaller 5x5 zone seemed to acquire the subject more quickly and held on more tenaciously once locked on. I did switch to a smaller single zone for static dragonflies where I wanted focus on its head and eyes.

 

Set the Fujifilm X-H2S to continuous focus AF with the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR attached and the duo does a fine job of tracking birds in flight. The AF was set to 5x5 zone autofocus and the camera tracked the black-headed gull all over the sky as it was fishing. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S and XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/3200 sec f/4.5 ISO 400.

 

The migrant hawker dragonfly likes to hover for a few seconds, which is just enough time to frame and focus. Having the camera menu item AF+MF set to on means it’s possible to get it recognisably sharp with manual focusing, then hitting the shutter release and the camera’s autofocus takes over for the final shot. Using the lens’ focus preset feature with focus set to roughly where the insects were flying was a great help too. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S with XF 400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/2000 sec f/4.5 ISO 3200.

 

 

Reflecting on the experience of using the Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR while looking through my photos, I was very pleased with the results. Using a prime lens is more of a compositional challenge and of course such a long lens can generate its own problems. For instance, with some deer shots, I was too close to include the deer’s surroundings, so I had to retreat a little, and when they moved closer, again I had to take steps back. However, I thought there were more upsides of using a prime lens. It was mostly a bright day but shooting with fast shutter speeds with the f/4.5 aperture meant I could keep ISO down for excellent image quality. 

The big benefit, though, is the image quality of the Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. I am used to using telephoto zooms and while image quality is good, the look of the shots from this Fujifilm prime lens was in another league. Image quality was excellent with very impressive detail resolution and overall sharpness, and this was also a benefit when I cropped into the photo for a larger subject size.

 

This kingfisher was perched high in a tree taking a break from feeding. The pulling power of the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR lens helped produce a reasonably-sized bird and cropping for a larger subject size is no problem thanks to lens’ impressive resolution. Image: Will Cheung. Fujifilm X-H2S with XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR. 1/640 sec f/4.5 ISO 2500.

 

 

Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR: Summary

 

Nature is such a diverse subject that there’s no ideal focal length or even lens type and obviously much depends on the subject as well as budget.

Zooms are popular for their framing versatility, but their generally more modest maximum apertures can be an issue when light levels drop and that’s why fast primes are often preferred by expert nature photographers even though they aren’t flexible like zooms.

Then there’s the matter of focal length. The XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR gives the equivalent of 609mm in 35mm full-frame format, so it qualifies as an extreme telephoto and might be too much focal length in some cases. It's perfect, however, for birds where the subject is generally small and wary, so shooting from a distance is standard procedure. 

For my photo walk, I really enjoyed and appreciated the pulling power of the XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR and being a fixed focal length made me think harder about composition and positioning and that is a good thing. Its portability is also worth stressing and I finished my day without aching arms, which can be the case with my usual long lens set-up.

 

Fujifilm XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR Key Features

• Price £2499
• 609mm focal length (35mm equivalent) 
• Internal autofocusing with high-speed linear motor
• 21 elements in 14 groups construction
• Optical Image Stabilisation system, 5.5 stops benefit
• Fluorine-coated front element
• Focus control button and focus preset
• 2.75m close focusing distance
• Two on-lens focus limiter ranges
• F/4.5-22 aperture range 
• 9 diaphragm blades
• 20 weather seals
• 95mm filter size 
• Compatible with Fujifilm XF1.4x WR and XF2x WR teleconverters 
• Bayonet fit lens hood supplied
• Dimensions 104.5x239.5mm
• Weight 1245g 

 

Adobe has completed its acquisition of Topaz Labs, the company behind the upscaling and enhancement models a lot of photographers and editors already run on their own files. Topaz Labs continues as a standalone brand, its apps and models stay available on their own, and its technology is already in Adobe Firefly and Photoshop. Adobe did not disclose financial terms.

 

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Rain forecast for hours, gone in two minutes, followed by sun, clouds, wind, and a location that shut down mid-shoot. That's the exact scenario behind this off-camera flash session, and it turns into a lesson far more useful than the tidy tutorial that was planned.

 

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A $199 fifty that outresolves a Panasonic 50mm at double the price and half the weight is the kind of result that reshuffles a whole lens lineup. That is exactly what happened when the Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 landed on L-mount this week.

 

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Buying a Leica M11, struggling with it, and selling it within a couple of months is a cycle plenty of shooters know well. The rangefinder demands patience most digital cameras have trained out of you, and that gap between wanting the camera and actually using it is where the frustration lives.

 

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A 50mm at f/4 has a physically larger opening than an 18mm at f/1.8, yet the wider-angle lens is the faster of the two. That contradiction sits at the center of how apertures actually behave once you start swapping focal lengths.

 

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A good photograph can capture a moment, but sometimes a still image does not fully show the feeling behind it. With video becoming a common way to share creative work, creators are looking for simple ways to give their existing photos more life.

AI photo animation offers one practical solution. Instead of taking new footage, creators can use AI to add natural movement to a single image. The key is to add motion while keeping the original subject, style, and visual details intact.

 

 

Why More Creators Are Exploring AI Photo Animation

 

AI photo animation technology is changing how creators work with existing visual assets. A single photograph can now become the starting point for a short video, giving creators more ways to share their work without starting every project from scratch.

For photographers, this can extend the value of a finished photo shoot. A portrait, landscape, or event image can be animated for social media, a portfolio, or a short presentation. The original photograph remains the foundation, while AI adds movement around it.

The same idea is useful for other creators. Designers, marketers, travel creators, and social media users can animate still images to create short-form content. This makes it easier to turn existing visual assets into fresh content for different platforms.

 

How AI Is Changing the Way Creators Animate Still Images

 

Traditional photo-to-video editing can involve keyframes, transitions, and motion settings. For creators who want to turn a single image into a short clip, this manual process can add unnecessary steps to a simple project. 

This is where AI image animation tools such as AIReel can simplify the workflow. Creators can upload an image and generate a video with smooth motion, without building every effect manually. It also offers a range of models and formats for different creative needs.

 

 

• From single images to short videos: Existing photos can become ready-to-share video content.
• From manual editing to AI-assisted motion: Creators can reduce the need for detailed keyframe work.
• From one asset to multiple formats: A single image can be reused for different social platforms.
• From reshoots to content repurposing: Older photos can become new creative assets.
• From complex workflows to simple creation: Users can focus more on the visual idea and less on technical settings.

 

5 Practical Ways to Animate a Photo With AI Without Losing the Original Look

 

Animating a still image works best when the added movement follows the logic of the original photograph. The aim is not to make every part of the image move, but to introduce motion where it supports the subject, composition, and mood.

 

 

1. Start With a Photo That Has Clear Visual Structure

Choose an image with a clear subject, good focus, and enough detail. Photos with strong foreground and background separation are often easier to animate because the main subject can remain stable while movement is added to other areas.

 

2. Match the Motion to the Original Scene

Consider what would naturally move in the photograph. Clouds, water, hair, fabric, and tree branches can support gentle movement, while a slow camera push can work well for portraits or architecture. The motion should follow the scene rather than compete with it.

 

3. Protect Faces, Hands, and Fine Details

Small changes can be very noticeable when a person or a detailed object is the main subject. Before using an AI animation, check the eyes, facial features, fingers, text, and product edges. Keeping these areas stable helps the result stay close to the original photograph.

 

4. Use Camera Movement to Add Depth

A subtle zoom, pan, or forward movement can make a flat image feel more cinematic without changing the subject itself. When the composition already has clear foreground and background elements, controlled camera movement can also create a stronger sense of depth.

 

5. Keep the Animation Short and Review Every Frame

Longer clips give unwanted changes more time to appear. For most photo-based content, a short animation can be enough to add movement while preserving the original look. Review the complete clip before publishing and compare key frames with the source image.

 

To Sum Up

 

AI photo animation gives creators a practical way to get more value from the images they already have. Instead of replacing photography, it can add another layer of motion and help still images work in video-first spaces.

The best results come from using AI as a creative tool rather than letting it take over the image. With a strong original photo, suitable motion, and careful checking, creators can animate pictures with AI while keeping the look and character of the original work. Tools such as AIReel make this process easier, helping turn photos into simple, engaging videos without a long editing workflow.

 

Fog and mist give instant mood, adding an extra level of environmental interest to your shots. You actually do not have to do anything special apart from just being out in it with your camera. So, whether you are walking the dog or on your daily commute to work, it is worth having a camera with you for those unmissable mist images.
 

1. Camera Choice

Any camera is good for mist photography and you can use any lens too, so just stick to your favourite combination. There is nothing wrong with using a top-end compact if carrying a DSLR around with you is not feasible.
 

2. Lens Options

In terms of lens choice, a wide-angle lets you show the tonal differences between foreground and misty background in a gradual way. Look for bold foreground detail and strong lines (rocks, trees, pathways, rivers etc) to make the most of this effect.

The foreground is just as important with [AMUK]telephoto lenses|telephoto+lens+lenses+zoom[/AMUK]. Shoot a misty scene with no foreground and there is no perspective, no sense of depth. This can work fine but most scenes need some foreground interest to give that three-dimensional quality and the tonal transition is much more abrupt.

3. Ultra-Violet Or Skylight Filter?

You probably already have your lenses fitted with an ultra-violet or skylight filter; if you don't it is a worthwhile consideration if you bear in mind that a filter is cheaper to replace than a lens.  On misty days when you can have tiny water droplets settling on your lens this will affect image sharpness, so being able just to wipe them off without being too delicate is a bonus.

 

 

4. Use A Tripod

If you have the room it's a good idea to pack your tripod as exposures can be on the long side as not much sunlight will be able to get through the fog/mist you're photographing. It should also help you keep horizons straight too, although some cameras feature a level or some sort of grid-guide that can help you level your camera for straight horizons. 

 

5. Valleys And Low-Lying Areas

Mists forms in low-lying areas (valleys, for example) and over water so if you fancy the idea of shooting mists, those are the sorts of places to head for. To add a touch of mysticism or eeriness to your work head for thickly wooded areas where fog and mist will weave around the trees.
 

6. Meters Can Be Fooled

Camera meters are often fooled into underexposing misty scenes so they come out looking very grey, rather than light and airy which usually looks better. Setting +0.5EV or +0.7EV will help avoid this. In strongly backlit scenes you might need up to a +1 or +2 exposure value to record the delicacy of the mist.

Shooting in Raw and doing the adjustment later is an option but it makes sense to get it right in the first place.
 

7. Work Quickly

Finally, remember to get there in plenty enough time so if there is a mist, you have time to scout a few good spots and then decide which is best. Conditions can change very rapidly, so shoot quickly, perhaps bracketing exposures, and then move on.

Evoto has attracted a lot of attention in the past 5 years or so. When you consider Adobe’s decades-long domination of the editing and retouching space, that is a major accomplishment. Today, Evoto has announced a major update with a variety of new culling and editing improvements for photographers. It even includes an Asset Hub designed to help photographers make money. I attended the press event in NYC today, and here is my report from the event.

  

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Wilson Alwyn Bentley made the first photograph of a single snow crystal on January 15, 1885, in an unheated shed behind his family's farmhouse in Jericho, Vermont. He was nineteen, a few weeks short of his twentieth birthday, working a bellows camera bolted to a microscope on a frame he had built himself. He held the exposure long enough for the crystal to keep its shape in the cold, and when he developed the plate he had something no one had managed before: a real photograph of a snowflake.

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[Image source: https://www.katebackdrop.com/]

 

You don't need a huge studio to shoot good portraits. A spare room, home office or corner of the living room can work perfectly well, but limited space does mean you need to think a little more carefully about where everything goes.

Before filling the room with stands and lighting kit, work out what the photograph actually needs. These five tips will help you get more from a smaller portrait setup.

 

1. Work Out Your Framing First

Before setting up the background or lights, decide whether you're shooting a headshot, half-length portrait or something wider.

Put your subject roughly in position, pick up the camera and check the frame. This will quickly tell you whether you have enough camera-to-subject distance and whether your chosen focal length makes sense.

It's much easier to move a chair or change a lens at this stage than after you've built the whole setup and discovered you can't step back far enough.

 

2. Make Use Of The Light You Have

Got a decent-sized window? Start there.

Turn your subject towards and away from the light and watch what happens to the shadows across their face. You may find that window light and a reflector are all you need, particularly for a simple head-and-shoulders portrait.

Also keep an eye on ceiling lights. Mixing daylight with warm room lighting can leave you dealing with different colour temperatures later.

In a tight room, another light stand or large modifier also takes away valuable working space, so don't add kit unless it is actually helping the picture.

 

3. Keep The Background Simple

Small rooms have a habit of putting everything into the frame: shelves, door frames, furniture, cables and pictures on the wall.

Look through the viewfinder before reaching for more equipment. Sometimes shifting the camera a little, moving your subject or taking something out of the room is enough to tidy things up.

If the surroundings still feel too busy, a solid colour backdrop gives you a simpler background and lets the subject do the work.

Don't choose the background in isolation, though. Think about the subject's clothing, the lighting and how much of the background will actually appear in the finished shot.

 

[Image source: https://www.katebackdrop.com/]

 

4. Move Your Subject Away From The Background

Space may be tight, but try not to put your subject straight against the background if you can avoid it.

Moving them forward even a little can help with separation and gives you more control over shadows falling behind them. It may also make it easier to soften background detail with your choice of aperture and focal length.

You don't need to chase an extremely blurred background every time. What matters is that whatever sits behind your subject isn't competing for attention.

 

5. Keep Things Easy To Move

A small portrait space often needs to change during a shoot. One minute you're taking a seated headshot and the next you want a looser standing portrait.

Leave yourself somewhere to work. Avoid putting stands across the route you or your subject will need to use, and think twice about any bit of kit that has to be moved every time you change the composition.

If the room isn't a permanent studio, or you regularly shoot at different locations, a collapsible backdrop can also make sense when you need a controlled background that can be packed away afterwards.

The best small-space setups are usually the ones with the least unnecessary equipment. Sort out your framing, light and background first, then add only what the photograph actually needs.

Digitizing film at home has always been a fiddly, annoying, time-consuming process, so discovering a system that makes it simpler has been a breath of fresh air. 

The VALOI easy35 v2 is a system that simplifies the process of digitizing slides and negatives at home using your existing digital camera.

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Jumping from 4x5 to 8x10 film means bigger negatives, longer focal lengths, slower shutters, and a bill that climbs fast with every accessory. Anyone weighing whether the leap is worth it will recognize the mix of excitement and sticker shock that comes with building a fresh large format kit from scratch.

 

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After about 40 years of photography, the biggest change in my work has nothing to do with cameras, lenses, or the transition from film to digital. It’s what I look for when I’m out with my camera.

 

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The Canon R8 Mark II adds in-body stabilization, the single feature its predecessor left out, and packages it into a 24.2-megapixel full frame body aimed at people making their first jump up from crop sensors. That one change reshapes who this camera is for.

 

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Limits can do more for your photography than any spec sheet, and a manual-focus rangefinder forces those limits on you in a way autofocus never will. That tension sits at the heart of one photographer's decision to bring a Leica to a job it had no business being at.

 

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Viltrox has announced four full frame autofocus primes for L-mount, the AF 14mm f/4 Air L, AF 20mm f/2.8 Air L, AF 40mm f/2.5 Air L, and AF 50mm f/2 Air L, all of which go on sale today at prices from $168 to $199. The heaviest of the four weighs 205 g.

 

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Since the inception of the L-Mount Alliance, there has been a gap in the market for affordable ultra-wide angle lenses. With the available options, you could either purchase an affordable lens that completely lacked autofocus or invest in an autofocus lens that was decidedly not cheap. The launch of the Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 for L-Mount drastically changes that landscape. This pocket-sized ultra-wide opens up an incredibly lightweight, budget-friendly autofocus option for Panasonic Lumix, Sigma, and Leica shooters.  

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The long-awaited expansion of the Viltrox Air series lenses has finally arrived for L-Mount users. Marketed on the promise of "Lightweight & Masterful Image Quality," the Air series has already built a solid reputation in the photography community. I know at least a few photographers in my local network who are massive fans of these lenses, primarily because of how exceptionally light and portable they are without compromising on the delivery of solid final images.

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The Ricoh GR IV earns constant recommendations as the everyday-carry camera, small enough to slip into a pocket, with an APS-C sensor packed into a body most compacts can't match. After roughly five months of real use, that pocket promise turned out to be the exact spot where things fell apart.

 

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