phillips

<p>It's been a long time ago for me, but if you want to get some surfing shots, the "wedge" by the the jetty on the Balboa peninsula used to be a popular place, and as I remember the pier at Huntington Beach-may have changed. Just give a call to a local surf shop to get their suggestions.</p>

<p>The specs on the Elinchrom indicate that it has 5 f/ stops of variability: 1/16 - 1/1 (31 - 500W/s)-are you saying that on the lowest setting the unit is still putting out too much light ?</p>

<p>I might add that traffic on the 405 freeway in Orange County can be quite heavy, and if you're contemplating using it in the early evening on the way to other locations your late afternoon shoots are likely to be of other cars-for areas close to Newport Beach the Coast Highway is normally a better bet. </p>

<p>The Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach has two piers and a long broad walk along the ocean side. Might be some good possibilities for sunset scenes. Farther down the peninsula on the bay side there is a fun zone, which is very active this time of year, as well as a ferry which crosses the bay to Balboa Island-the ferry crossing the bay might be a nice late afternoon/evening shot. For some pretty beach scenes with rocks look for beach access signs in Corona Del Mar, just south of Newport Beach. Laguna Beach, a few miles south of that also has the Pageant of the Masters which begins July 5- a great venue for people photography, as well as some nice beach opportunities. All of these locations are within a 30 minute drive from Costa Mesa. This is the middle of the tourist season, so you might also want to think of sunrise opportunities as well as twilight/evening views.</p>

<p>I agree with Wouter on the advice to skip the f/2.8 zooms. I have the X-T1; there a number of lens combinations available-although a heavier lens, I really like the 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6- it has excellent image stabilization, is weather resistant and covers a focal length range most used in my travel applications. Beside the weight, my X-T1 and 3 lens outfit (10-24 mm, 23 mm, and 18-135mm) fit under the aircraft seat.</p>

<div></div>

<div></div>

<p>Too nice of a day to stay inside, but tough butterfly hunting. Nikon D750. 200 mm f/4 Micro Nikkor</p><div></div>

<p>Kyle, I; have transitioned to a hybrid Nikon + Fuji user over the last year- a big step for someone who has Nikon lenses going back for 50 years. I had a short experience with the Sony NEX-6 but never really felt comfortable with it. Having purchased the Fuji, I think the X-T1 with its small size and complement of lenses offers a great alternative to my Nikon gear for a number of situations. I too am impressed with its image quality, especially with the Fuji 10-24 mm f/4 lens for landscapes. The Fuji isn't going to replace my Nikon system-but at the same time it replaces the 20+lbs. of Nikon gear for travel. Today I went to a family get together, taking my Fuji X-T1. Tomorrow morning, I'm off to do some architectural shots with my D800, 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens and an inordinately heavy tripod. It still boils down to the best tool for you in the situation. Looking at your portfolio, I think you are really going to enjoy the X-T1</p>