Questions about Xpan II / TX-2

[Parchiao]

A few questions I will need some help with. Been toying with the idea of buying the TX-2. However, will need some help from anyone with more information.

1. Where to buy? I will be dropping by in Hong Kong maybe next month. The TX-2 seems to be much cheaper than the Xpan II. Might consider getting a grey version. Any one knows of any shop that I can definitely procure a grey TX-2? Any idea how much would the kit cost?

2. Flash photography. Anybody tried this before? What flash did you use?

3. Centre filter. In your opinion, is this necessary? I have seen some shots with severe light fall off. I have read that you can overcome this by stopping down to f8.

4. Developing negatives. Where do you develop your negatives and how much will each roll cost? How much would each print cost and what options in terms of sizes do we have?

5. Scanning. Where do you scan the negatives, how much and where do you do this? If I were to purchase a scanner, which scanner would suffice for the purpose?

 

[sabahan]

I don't know what is TX2,only know something about the xpan II

1)hasssel in HK is no cheaper than singapore.
2)Xpan II have no TTL flash photography,only to use manual mode for flash photography.
3)The centre filter question,yes,by stopping down to f8,the problem can be overcome,but not for the 30mm lens,only the 45 mm lens can use this method.

 

[Parchiao]

The TX-2 is basically the same camera as the Xpan II, except that it is badged with the Fuji brand. Are you sure that the prices of the Xpan II here is the same as in Hong Kong? Seems that the prices listed on the internet is slightly cheaper, the difference of about the price of a return airticket for the warrantied bodies.

 

[marios_pittas]

I don't know what is TX2,only know something about the xpan II

1)hasssel in HK is no cheaper than singapore.

I am not so sure about this one.

I was checking for some Hassy items and found that the prices quoted in HK matched e-bay prices, way way lower than Sing. When the right time comes I will be visiting HK :what:

 

[chgoh]

A few questions I will need some help with. Been toying with the idea of buying the TX-2. However, will need some help from anyone with more information.

1. Where to buy? I will be dropping by in Hong Kong maybe next month. The TX-2 seems to be much cheaper than the Xpan II. Might consider getting a grey version. Any one knows of any shop that I can definitely procure a grey TX-2? Any idea how much would the kit cost?

2. Flash photography. Anybody tried this before? What flash did you use?

3. Centre filter. In your opinion, is this necessary? I have seen some shots with severe light fall off. I have read that you can overcome this by stopping down to f8.

4. Developing negatives. Where do you develop your negatives and how much will each roll cost? How much would each print cost and what options in terms of sizes do we have?

5. Scanning. Where do you scan the negatives, how much and where do you do this? If I were to purchase a scanner, which scanner would suffice for the purpose?

2. Used a SB-80DX. Seems to be okay to cover pano 45mm (which is about 24mm in 35mm horizontally).

3. Shot slides without centre filter all the time. I think the fall off is acceptable, even nice IMHO, but YMMV. Mostly shoot above 5.6, by circumstances rather than by choice, so not sure about the lower 2 stops.

4. Development no diff from standard 35mm roll. Usually go to either Ruby (Spectra) or FotoHub (Beach Road). Got to ask them to be careful about cutting the film though.

 

[Parchiao]

4. Development no diff from standard 35mm roll. Usually go to either Ruby (Spectra) or FotoHub (Beach Road). Got to ask them to be careful about cutting the film though.

What about the cost of each print? Any options to the size? Many thanks!

 

[Parchiao]

2. Used a SB-80DX. Seems to be okay to cover pano 45mm (which is about 24mm in 35mm horizontally).

In what mode do you use the flash?

 

[Macky]

I use the Xpan II, and all my other rangefinder cameras for that matter, as available light cameras. So no flash. The light fall off can be quite a bit especially if you're shooting positives. This can be corrected digitally with Photoshop. Developing the film is not an issue, just tell the shop to be careful when they cut it. Never tried printing from the film before using the shop services. For scanning, I used to use the Minolta 5400 and scanned the film twice and stitch it together in Photoshop but I couldn't get a perfect stitch. So now I'm using a Epson 4990 scanner. Results are good and I can scan the whole picture at one go. Not to mention that it is also a heck of a lot faster!!!

 

[chgoh]

In what mode do you use the flash?

Used in flash auto (A) mode, so will have to do compensation if any is required, "manually"? From my experience so far, the Xpan is "not" a flash camera.

As for the prints, I shoot mostly slides, so I don't do prints. But once you have scanned, printing should be straight forward and at the "usual" prices. Not sure about this be I do have good experiences with a shop called Hot Print at China Sqaure area. Maybe you want to call them.

 

[canturn]

2. Flash photography. Anybody tried this before? What flash did you use?

5. Scanning. Where do you scan the negatives, how much and where do you do this? If I were to purchase a scanner, which scanner would suffice for the purpose?

Flash photography. Get a Metz flash that supports Auto thyristor mode. People do use a 60CT-4 with xpan 1, and flash coverage is big enough to cover the 45mm.

Scanning. Depends on what you want to use the scanned images for. Are you going to print it to 24x12"? Or it is just for web purposes? For serious work, you can send them to RGB. If I didn't remember wrongly Rueyloon told me it costed him about $70 per pano neg for drum scanning and printing. Alternatively, you can either get an Epson 4870 or use that money to pay for drum scanning. Would recommend Kex as he charges a very decent price for scanning negatives of this size.

 

[Parchiao]

Managed to dig up some information on the differences between the Xpan 2 and the TX-2.

I think FotoHub has some special offer on the development of Xpan prints till the end of March this year.

 

[Keltzar]

.... am I reading wrongly..? It looks like comparing the difference b/n Xpan and Xpan II.

One of the new scanners (canoscan 9950F?) has masks for Xpan too, I think.

 

[hongsien]

Managed to dig up some information on the differences between the Xpan 2 and the TX-2.

I think FotoHub has some special offer on the development of Xpan prints till the end of March this year.

Thought theTX-2 and XpanII were exactly the same apart from the brand and type name? All made by Fuji anyway, so which one is the original

 

[Parchiao]

.... am I reading wrongly..? It looks like comparing the difference b/n Xpan and Xpan II.

One of the new scanners (canoscan 9950F?) has masks for Xpan too, I think.

BWWAAGGHHHHAAAHHHAAAAHHHAAHHHHH :bsmilie: :bsmilie: Silly me, it is comparing the differences between the Xpan and Xpan 2. Now I am interested in the TX-2 again.

BTW, are flatbed scanners such as those from Canon any good for scanning negatives or are film dedicated scanners better?

 

[wormz777]

How much is a TX-2?

 

[sabahan]

Try this site and find yourself,in japanese

www.yodobashi.com.

 

[Parchiao]

How about here?

 

[SniperD]

Xpan-sive II :bsmilie:

 

[marios_pittas]

Thought theTX-2 and XpanII were exactly the same apart from the brand and type name? All made by Fuji anyway, so which one is the original

The one made by Fuji :embrass:

 

[why]

how much an Xpan II in SG right now? any one knows?
I heard in HK, Xpan II 's price has increased dramatically recentlly.