In this video I review an inexpensive, yet sharp and effective budget zoom lens that works great for general photography with the Fuji X-T1. This mid-level budget system is all you need for everything from personal/family photography to paid photo sessions.

While this prime lens lacks the high-quality glass of some of it's big brothers, it's still worth every bit of it's price (under $150 used), and I see no reason to upgrade unless I need a longer zoom.

This video shows not only my unboxing of the Fujifilm X-T3 APS-C sensor digital camera, but also the instructions on how to charge the internal battery (not just the usual external battery) so that the settings can be stored in your new camera.

This may sound simple, but it was something that took me a while to figure out, and required a search on Youtube. It's not an easy-to-find explanation, so I hope this video will shed some light on the process so others don't spend time looking it up as I had to. I assume it's in the manual, but come one, who's reading the manual right away before you start playing with the camera!?

The issue is when you pull the Fuji X-T3 out of the box, you'll need to insert a charged battery (mine came over 3/4 charged) and leave it in the camera for an hour or so before the memory will hold any settings you create setting your camera up. So you really need to make sure you have a charged battery, put it in the camera, then let it sit for at least an hour - THEN you can can start saving your custom settings, date, etc.

I found this out the way - as I'm sure many did - by setting the date and a few other incidentals, only to turn the camera off, then back on to find none of the settings I changed were there. It was back to factory. After doing this over and over a couple times, I checked some online forums and found out that you have to leave the battery in the camera for a while when new, so that the internal battery can charge up in order to hold your settings when the regular battery has been removed. While this makes sense, seems like a sticker warning would be nice for us ignorant folks - since this is not the case with most cameras out there.

Let me know if this video is of help by commenting on the youtube channel under this video. More to come!

How does the Fujifilm EX-F8 on-camera flash work with the Fujifilm X-T1 and Fujifilm 16-50mm lens for portrait work in extreme sunlight? Watch my video and find out! Most portrait photographer will tell you on-camera flash pointed directly at the subject is the worst light you can use. And that's true. However, sometimes that's just going to have to do! It's better than no photos at all, or photos with raccoon eyes' (resulting from harsh shadown in the eye socket due to the sun).

So if you just want to have some fun and take some portraits, and aren't on a top model, high-finance exotic shoot, it's ok to use your convenient little on-camera flash. The Fujifilm EX-F8 comes wiht most X-series models, and is very compact and discreet. Give it a shot, you might like it!

Purchase the flash here if you have lost yours, or it did not come with your camera: Fujifilm EX-F8 Hotshoe Flash (for X-series cameras) - https://amzn.to/3IuODtv