Fuji FX55-200mm is available in Australia

According to this post on the DPReview forum, Michaels Camera in Melbourne already got Fuji XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS lens, so it is become available earlier than anticipated. It seems that the lens is excellent optically (read the post), and the optical image stabilisation is also very good. My favourite zoom range, my favourite size, my favourite lens mount... Time to save pennies, cents, pfennigs, centimes, dimes :(

Another person posted some photos taken with XF55-200mm. The first image is taken at 1/40 sec at 200mm, and it does look sharp. Very tempting lens...

Bushwalking in Girraween

Round rocks of Girraween | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm

Girraween national park is one of the most strangest places I've ever visited. The park is located in so called Granite Belt region at the NSW/Queensland border, in about three hours drive from Brisbane. The park is famous for several rocks and granite monoliths: Pyramids,  Sphinx, Turtle, Castle as well as  waterholes and numerous huge round boulders as on the photo above. The mountains are not high enough to cause rains, so the area is covered by the dry rigid bush. It can be very hot during summer and very cold (by Queensland standards) in winter, especially at night.

Some walks in park are easy and suitable for kids, other require certain fitness and climbing skills, e.g. walk to Mt. Norman. The First Pyramid is a very popular destination in dry weather.

The park is also famous for its diverse floral display, especially around a spring time. Eastern grey kangaroos are common in the park and can be seen at very close distance. It is also a home to big red crayfish but I have not seen it so far.

The park has two big campgrounds but early booking is essential during school holidays or long weekends, especially around the spring time. Private accommodation is available is several places near the park for people not interested in camping, and tours might be arranged to the private observatory located in this area.

Australian landscape. Girraween | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm  

More rumors on entry-level mirrorless camera from Fuji

I guess this rumor is all around the web now, but I got it on Mirrorless Rumors. Fuji is expected to release 2 (two) entry-level CSCs / mirrorless cameras, and one might be announced later this month. The rumored names for these models are still a guess, so people can bet on X-A1 or X-M1. I will call it X-x1 :) No build-in viewfinder but non-fixed (tilted?) rear screen. Not big surprise here :) One model might be equipped with X-Trans sensor, the other apparently not. Would it be a Bayer sensor or something else? Fuji engineers do like non-standard sensors, and they definitely know thing or two about sensors. While it is possible that the company would add a standard Bayer mask, I would not exclude something more exotic here  :) Fuji X100 has a standard Bayer sensor, and it was a huge success. Fuji Sx DSLR cameras equipped with non-standard sensors had/have many devoted adepts. It is good to remember that Fuji X100 is the only X-branded camera with a standard Bayer mask… Obviously, it will get all the latest autofocus tech used on Fuji X100S.

I am curious to see what lens will be sold together with X-x1. One of the obvious candidates is the new (unannounced) XF27mm F2.8 pancake. Or Fuji may have something up their sleeve… Some compact zoom… It is just a dreaming, don't take it seriously :-)  

Also, lucky Fuji fans in the US might get rebates on Fujinon lenses. Frankly, here in Down Under, the price difference between kit and separate body and lens purchase is just insane. I do not mind to pay a premium for a new product, but current Fuji pricing policy looks like a rip-off to me. Thankfully, I am not in a rush to buy XF55-200mm, so I plan to snap it later on eBay. BTW, the lens (XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS) is expected to be in Oz around mid-June at about $800, so an instant rebate might be very handy.