Phew, I managed a new post without waiting a whole year! The truth is, I would like to put my work out into the world, but I’m not quite sure how to go about it. Social media, a blog.. Still working on this.
However, this was not what I wanted to talk about.
Ever since the Fujifilm X-E1 was launched in 2012, and I sold my Canon 5Dii, Fujifilm has been my main camera system. New generations of camera’s have been presented every few years, with the recently the newest of the family, the Fujifilm X-H2(s). Two cameras that are the ultimate in speed (X-H2s) and resolution (X-H2). As I’m mainly shooting with the X-H1, which is ancient in camera terms, being announced in 2018, and is still only a toddler in autofocus speed, I am sometimes tempted to upgrade to a newer, faster camera. The X-H2s, with a stacked sensor, is the speed king, but is way too expensive for me. The X-H2, which is slightly more affordable, is no slouch either. Both have a larger grip, which I have come to prefer over the years for professional use, and have an autofocus system which is more than sufficient for what I use my cameras for (let’s be honest, the X-H1 is already managing quite nicely). What’s keeping me back for now are the costs, and the fact that both cameras have a fully-articulating rear display instead of the excellent flipscreen that the X-H1 had, and which I prefer for photography.
What this mental discussion about autofocus speeds and megapixels is clouding, however, is that for most situations, those things are not necessary. I’ve managed perfectly well for many years with the X-T1, X-T2, and X-H1, with both of the latter cameras still very much in use! To drive this point home to myself, for the past few days I’ve been taking the original Fujifilm X100 with me on my daily walk. This camera was launched in September 2010, and has become something of a classic. Its a tortoise compared to modern hares, it misses many of the handy upgrades Fuji has added to the ergonomics in later cameras, but it is still a solid camera, and, handled well, it is still capable of taking great photographs. If anything, the process of photography is even more enjoyable, because you are not helped by ai-processing and eye-tracking, but have to think for yourself (there are some, as there are for any camera brand, that maintain that the Fujifilm X100, like for instance the original Canon EOS 5D, has some magic sprinkled over its sensor, and that the images from this camera have something special over their successors. This might be a result of the fact that these older sensors usually have a lower resolution, and therefore slightly larger pixels?).
I don’t know if this is the case. I know that in some situations I can enjoy the files that come out of a Fujifilm X100 very much, and that there is a certain feel to these first generation files that later cameras do not give me. Mind you, only in certain (wel lit) situations. Does this mean I’m not tempted by the Fuji X-H2 anymore. Of course not, but I’ve enjoyed this trip down camera lane very much, and my resolve to wait has certainly been strenghtened (at least I should wait until the announcement of the X-T5, which may bring back the flippy screen instead of that fully-articulating monster).
I’ll not bore you further, but will share some of the photos I’ve been taking the past few days.
