This is the long-overdue conclusion to my Charleston, South Carolina, travel series. For our last full day in Charleston, we headed back to Folly Beach. We had visited the night before, but got there later than we had planned, so we thought we’d go back and spend a little more time at the beach. The next day, which was the final day, we returned home to Arizona.
Day 6 — Monday, March 24th
Beach Chairs – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Velvia Film
Folly Beach is great! We had so much fun there. I haven’t been to a lot of beaches on the East Coast, but of all the ones that I have been to so far, this is my favorite. It was mostly overcast, but the sun peaked out now and then. The camera I used was the Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens. This is probably my #1 favorite travel camera-lens combo right now. The Film Simulation Recipe that worked the best for the location and lighting was Pacific Blues, which is one of my top-favorite Recipes.
After walking up and down the sandy beach and through the town a little, we headed to Angel Oak, which is a very large and old tree. For that location, I used a Fujifilm GFX100S II with the Fujinon 30mm f/3.5 lens, which worked out quite well. We spent the last part of the day preparing for our return home.
Vespa – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Film
Coca-Cola – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Under Folly Pier – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Tri-X 400
Three Seagulls – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Beach Berm – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Phoenix Sun, Carolina Sand – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Beach House – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Beach Palms – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Beach Bicycle – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Velvia Film
Americana Stripes – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Spirit of Folly – Folly Beach, SC- Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Angel Oak – Johns Island, SC – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Velvia Film
Our flight left quite early, so we were up well before the sun. With sleep still in our eyes, we made our way to the gate. The Charleston airport is one of the better ones that I’ve been to. We had a layover in Houston (not one of the better airports…), and made it back to Arizona around noon.
It was a really great trip. Charleston was a fun, vibrant, and interesting city, and I’d definitely return. For photographers, this should be added to your “to-visit” list, if you’ve never been there. If you do go, I hope this series gives you some ideas of places to potentially visit, and what gear might be best. Thanks for coming along with me on this journey!
On The Go – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Kodak Tri-X 400
Embraer – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
Express – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Pacific Blues
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I made a mistake in the Week 16 update. The photo listed as “Wednesday, April 9th, 2025” was actually captured on Thursday, April 10th. And the photo purportedly captured on April 10th was actually made on the 11th. And so on. Each photo is off by one day, except for the first, which really was photographed on Tuesday, April 8th. That’s the only one that is correct. I’m sorry for getting that wrong.
The photo that should have been listed as Wednesday, April 9th, is below. It’s the only picture that I made on that day, and I failed to upload it, which is why I overlooked it. I noticed the discrepancy yesterday when I was preparing this article. In order to get back on track, I’ve changed the formatting just a little—I hope you don’t mind.
The reason why I’m doing this 365 Day project is because I noticed some gaps in-between my images last year. I didn’t pick up my cameras daily. On several occasions, four or five days passed by without a single picture created. Twice in 2024, I skipped a whole week. I want to rectify this, and get back into the habit of daily photography. Most days are easy, but some are not. I’ve managed at least a small handful of photographs on most days, but on a few occasions (like April 9th above), it’s been only one picture.
Without further ado, below are the 17th set of pictures from this 52 Weeks of Photography project.
Fujifilm recently teased this silhouette of the upcoming half-frame camera.
Fujifilm is about to change the way we think about cameras—with a twist that’s so obvious, you’ll wonder why no one did it sooner. A vertical half-frame digital camera, inspired by film classics but built for the social-media age. Here’s why this little camera might just be the most brilliant idea Fujifilm has had in years.
When I first heard rumors that Fujifilm was developing a digital half-frame camera with a 1″ sensor that is mounted vertically, plus a vertically-oriented LCD screen, I thought it could be interesting, but I didn’t really grasp the significance of it. The more I sat with the idea, the more I realized that this camera will be a game-changer. It’s a brilliant move that taps deep into both photographic tradition and modern needs. It’s a camera that looks back and forward at the same time, while firmly fitting in with current trends.
First, let’s talk about the sensor orientation. Instead of the typical horizontal orientation, the sensor itself is vertical. In today’s world, vertical is king for short-form video (Instagram Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts). Even websites and blogs are increasingly favoring vertical imagery—whether stills or video—because most people view them on their phones. Our cellphones have been teaching us to see vertically for over a decade. Fujifilm recognized an obvious truth: if a large segment of the population is shooting vertical most of the time, why not design a camera that’s naturally optimized for it? I think it’s just a matter of time before we see longer-form videos in the vertical format, and maybe even televisions and computer monitors orientated tall (or perhaps in a plus shape) in a few years. Vertical is the future, and the future is now; however, the tech industry has been a little slow to embrace this—perhaps because it upends 137 years of motion picture and nearly a hundred years of television norms.
But it goes deeper than just trendy vertical videos. This camera harkens back to the classic half-frame film cameras of the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80’s, such as the Canon Demi, Olympus Pen F, Konica Recorder, and many others. Just within the last couple of years, the Kodak H35N and Pentax 17 have been analog hits. These cameras shoot two vertical frames on a standard 35mm negative (hence the term “half-frame”), allowing photographers to get twice the number of exposures per roll. Diptychs—two frames that work together as a pair—encourage creativity, storytelling, and experimentation. Fujifilm is embracing this with their upcoming X-series camera. Digital diptychs will be an invitation to think differently, to see differently. It’s not just about creating one great shot; it’s about how two moments side-by-side can create greater meaning.
The elephant in the room is the sensor size. A 1″ sensor is not the same size as a half-frame of 35mm film; actually, APS-C is pretty much half of full-frame. A 1″ sensor is basically half the size of APS-C, so it could be thought of as half-frame compared to APS-C. I think the camera will be more the spirit of half-frame than the technical definition, which will drive some people nuts. While there are some current cameras with a 1″ sensor—such as the Sony RX100 VII—it’s not all that common nowadays, and might be thought of as less-than-capable. For diptychs and vertical videos, it will be more than enough, and I don’t think it will be a point of contention for most people. Plus, the smaller sensor size allows for a more compact design. In other words, it might be a camera you’ll actually take everywhere, and not collect dust because it’s inconvenient to carry.
With the sensor orientated vertical, it just makes sense that LCD screen will be vertical, too. No awkward wrist contortions needed when composing tall shots. No fighting against a UI that’s stuck thinking horizontal. Once again, Fujifilm is demonstrating that they understand how people actually shoot—obviously not everyone, but a large segment of the population, for sure. This will be an obvious camera for social media content creators considering an upgrade from their cellphones.
With the rumored ability to lock in a Film Simulation Recipe for a specified number of shots (probably 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72, but I don’t know for sure), this camera will provide an analog-like experience unlike any other. It reminds me of the “wrench” that Peter McKinnon mentioned a couple of years ago. It’s this blending of retro with modern that perhaps seems unnecessary, but might actually be refreshing. And cool.
Some might say this camera will be too niche, but I think it’s visionary. In a world flooded with generic lookalike cameras chasing megapixels and meaningless specs, Fujifilm is daring to make a model that’s fun, soulful, and vintage-yet-forward-thinking, that’s perfectly suited for how we share our lives today. When this camera is officially unveiled, it will become an instant classic, I’m confident in that prediction. It’s a genius move that is perfect for this new era of vertical-first content creation. Aside from that, it’s retro and pocketable, which are quite trendy right now.
Southwind – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 – Kodak Portra do Sol
This new Film Simulation Recipe comes courtesy of Gilson Teixeira. “It started with your Bright Kodak Recipe, which I loved for its energy and vibrancy. But I was looking for something softer—still warm and colorful, but a bit more cinematic and relaxed. I imagined a Recipe that could bring out a golden, mellow vibe even on grey days. That’s how Kodak Portra do Sol came to life: my go-to point-and-shoot simulation for capturing a little warmth wherever I am.”
“As a Brazilian living in London,” Gilson told me, “the long, grey winters can be tough—and this past winter hit particularly hard. I wanted to create something that could bring a bit of Brazil’s tropical spirit into my everyday life. The name is a nod to my mother tongue: do sol means ‘of the sun,’ and I liked the play between Portra and porta—as if it were a ‘Door of the Sun.’ At the same time, something shifted creatively. After years away from photography, I picked up the camera again—not just to escape the grey, but to reconnect with something I thought I’d left behind. Photography has now become part of my self-care. During my 45–60 minute daily walks, I focus on light, angles, composition, and Recipes. That attention clears my mind and helps me recharge—especially through winter, it helped me stay grounded. If anyone reading this is struggling, I truly recommend reaching out to Samaritans—they’re there to listen, wherever you are.”
“Surprisingly, it was AI that brought me back to photography,” he continued. “I work in IT and focus on AI at Microsoft. I noticed how naturally my prompts leaned toward light and composition—photography had quietly stayed with me all along. I studied digital imaging back in 1994 at the New England School of Photography in Boston, so that knowledge was still there, waiting to be revived.”
Back at the Ranch – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 – Kodak Portra do Sol
“Bright Kodak is bolder and more punchy,” Gilson replied when asked what differentiates Kodak Portra do Sol from Bright Kodak. “I wanted something calmer. I removed Grain, reduced Color from +4 to +3, and softened Clarity from -3 to -1. I switched to Auto White Balance, with a gentler Shift (+2R, -6B) for a warm, flexible look, and added Color Chrome Effect Strong to deepen tones without over-saturation.”
“I see recipes as creative tools,” he added, “not shortcuts. They help set the mood in-camera, so I can focus on light and storytelling. With Kodak Portra do Sol, I’m not just capturing images, I’m capturing how those moments feel.”
I want to give a special “thank you” to Gilson Teixeira for sharing this Recipe and the story behind it, and for allowing me to publish some of his photographs. Please check out his Instagram, and leave a kind note for him in the comments. Thank you, Gilson!
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II — Kodak Portra do Sol
This Kodak Portra do Sol Film Simulation Recipe is compatible with the Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3, X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II cameras, as well as the GFX100S. You can use it on newer cameras, too, but blue will render slightly deeper (try it anyway).
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Off Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Off White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & -6 Blue Highlight: -2 Shadow: -2 Color: +3 Sharpness: -2 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -1 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 1/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured by Gilson Teixeira using this Kodak Portra do Sol Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X-T30 II:
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Photo by Gilson Teixeira — Fujifilm X-T30 II
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodak Portra do Sol Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T4 and X-E4:
Easter Egg Hunting – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Easter Swim – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Tractor Back – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4
Feed Silo – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4
Horse Walker – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4
Seabee – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4
Horse, Fence – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4
Ready – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4
Horse Walker Detail – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4
Harkins at Night – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 400 more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
Fujifilm teased a new upcoming camera on their social media accounts. Not much is known about it. The biggest clue is the title: Half the Size, Twice the Story. The camera appears to be quite small, perhaps similar to the Fujifilm X30, but maybe smaller than that—it could be even smaller than the X70. It’s hard to say from the teaser.
Interestingly, there appears to be a small film simulation screen (kind of like the X-Pro3, but shaped differently, and maybe with less information) on the rear. Looks pretty cool, from the little that can be seen.
There’s been talk for awhile now of a “half frame” model that’s essentially a digital version of the Pentax 17 half-frame 35mm film camera. I don’t know if this is that, or even what that means exactly, but it could be. And if it is, it will be a lot of fun. I don’t think anyone will use it as a professional camera (of course it could be, and someone will do so just to prove the point, I’m sure), but as an enjoyable carry-everywhere model, or as a first camera for your kids, it could be quite tempting. This is just speculation, obviously—not much is known, not even when it might be released.
And there’s also the question of availability in the United States. Word on the street is that Fujifilm is pausing shipments into America until the tariff stuff settles—I don’t know if that’s true or not, just something I’ve heard more than once, so it could be true. If it is true, I’m not certain if it will be for all gear or only some, or for how long, or if prices will be raised once resumed. This isn’t a political comment, so please, no political talk in the comments section (they will be removed). Availability of some Fujifilm products has been scarce over the last couple of years (ever since the X100V went viral roughly 30 months ago), and this will likely compound the issue in the USA, but maybe have the opposite effect elsewhere in the world. Whatever the new camera is, I’m highly interested, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will be available in America whenever it is announced.
Mike’s Camera is hosting a Spring Photo and Video Expo in Colorado over Mother’s Day weekend. I’ll be at the Boulder location on Sunday, May 11th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM for a free class and photowalk. If you live in the area, please come out and join me—we’re going to have a great time! If your mom or mother-in-law has an interest in photography, bring her along, too.
The class is called Fujifilm Film Simulation & Fuji X Weekly Recipes. We’re going to learn how Fujifilm’s 20 Film Simulations and Fuji X Weekly Recipes can transform your photography, achieving the results you want quickly and easily while making photography more fun. The class will be about 30-40 minutes long, followed by a photowalk on Pearl Street. You don’t need to register, you just need to show up on May 11th at 11:00 AM. Click here for directions.
A picture of last year’s photowalk in Denver
Last year I co-lead a photowalk in Denver with Mike’s Camera, and it was a huge success. About 60 people came out for it—one as far away as Italy!—and we had a great time. It’s a real honor to be invited out again. I want to express my appreciation to Mike’s Camera and Fujifilm USA for including me in this event—thank you!
If you are in the Denver area, I’d love to meet you. It’s a great opportunity for camaraderie and to just chat cameras. It’s awesome that a local camera store is facilitating this community-building event, so definitely take advantage of it. I hope to see you in Boulder!
This is a one-year photo-a-day project called 52 Weeks of Photography. Even though it is a year-long undertaking, I’m taking it one week at a time, because it’s a little easier to manage many small blocks than one large chunk. This is the 16th week, so the 16th set of seven images.
The reason why I’m doing this 365 Day project is because I noticed some gaps in-between my images last year. I didn’t pick up my cameras daily. On several occasions, four or five days passed by without a single picture created. Twice in 2024, I skipped a whole week. I want to rectify this, and get back into the habit of daily photography. I also want to elevate the quality of my craft in 2025, and am hoping that this will help—as I’m nearing the 1/3 mark, I can see some subtle improvements already, which is a good sign that this working.
The plan is to capture a year’s worth of notable images, either personally or artistically. Ansel Adams famously stated, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” It’s important to keep expectations realistic, but I’m also trying to avoid thoughtless snapshots just to fulfill the day’s requirement. I want to push myself to be better, and hopefully that will happen. Not every photo will be great—in fact, most won’t—but I hope they are all at least decent enough to be shared without embarrassment. And maybe when the whole project is complete, there will be 12 significant pictures (out of the 365) that I’m particularly proud of.
I’m a little late getting this article out, and it’s because I’ve been very busy. The Ricoh Recipes App update took a lot of my time, but I also have a number of other projects in the works, too, which I cannot wait to share with you. There are definitely some exciting things happening!
Without further ado, below are the 16th set of seven pictures from this 52 Weeks of Photography project.
Tuesday, April 8th, 2025
Jack – Avondale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – Pacific Blues
There’s a brand-new Ricoh Recipes App update, and I want to bring your attention to it because it is a foreshadowing of the next Fuji X Weekly App update. Specifically, Custom Recipes—a new feature for Ricoh Recipes, but not a new feature for Fuji X Weekly—is intuitive and integrated into Filtering, Favoriting, Random Recipes, and the Selected Recipe Widget. In other words, it’s much better in the Ricoh Recipes App than how it currently is in the Fuji X Weekly App. This is something I’ve been working on for a long time, and I cannot wait to incorporate the improvements into the Fuji X Weekly App soon. You’re going to love it!
I want to also bring your attention to the new Backup/Restore feature, which allows you to save a backup file of your Custom Recipes, Favorites, and Notes. You can restore that file later, and you can also send the file to another device and restore it there. If you want to ensure your inputs are not lost, if you want to share those with another device, or if you are upgrading to a new device, Backup/Restore is a great new tool. This will be coming to the Fuji X Weekly App soon, too.
While the Ricoh Recipes App update does not directly affect most of you, it indirectly does, because these two significant improvements are coming to the Fuji X Weekly App in the near future. I’m very excited to incorporate these, because I think many of you will greatly appreciate them. I don’t have a specific timeline, but I’m hoping to get it out as soon as I can, perhaps in a month-ish, so definitely stay tuned!
Coastal Arches – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-S20 – Kodacolor VR 200 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Kodak used the Kodacolor brand name for various emulsions going back to the 1940’s and continuing through the 1980’s. This new Film Simulation Recipe mimics a version called Kodacolor VR 200 (not to be confused with Kodacolor VR Plus 200, the predecessor to ColorPlus 200) that was introduced in 1982 and discontinued in 1986. It has a bit of a faded color aesthetic, like old prints from 40 years ago not quite stored correctly in a photo album. It’s not a Recipe for everyday use, but it’s great for specific situations where you want strong contrast, low saturation, and a retro look. In the right settings, this Recipe produces striking results with a distinct analog feel.
The Kodacolor VR 200 Recipe was emailed to me by Thomas Schwab, who has created or co-created a number of Film Simulation Recipes on this website. My Kodacolor 200 Recipe for X-Trans II cameras was his starting point; however, he modified it quite extensively using the newer options to get these results. I want to give a special thank you to Thomas for creating the Kodacolor VR 200 Recipe, and allowing me to share it will you all. Both myself and my son, Jonathan, had a lot of fun using Recipe on our Fujifilm cameras. Thank you, Thomas!
Toyota – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodacolor VR 200
The Kodacolor VR 200 Recipe is compatible with all fifth-generation X-Trans cameras, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, and X-M5. It’s also compatible with the latest GFX models, which (as of this writing) are the Fujifilm GFX100 II, GFX100S II, and GFX100RF. You can use this on some fourth-generation X-Trans cameras, namely the X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II (not the X-T3, X-T30, X-Pro3 and X100V, unfortunately), as well as the GFX100S, by setting Color Chrome FX Blue to Strong.
Film Simulation: Classic Chrome Dynamic Range: DR200 Grain Effect: Weak, Large Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: 3000K, +8 Red & -8 Blue Highlight: +1.5 Shadow: +2.5 Color: -4 Sharpness: +1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: -2 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Kodacolor VR 200 Film Simulation Recipe on a Fujifilm X100VI, X-S20, and GFX100S II:
Shell Gas Station – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Old Yellow Car – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Blue & Rust Chevy – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Old Lady Truck – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Old Truck, Old Town – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Arizona Thunder – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Parked on Erie St – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Water – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II
Old Television – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Mannequin – Bisbee, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Evergreen Under Bridge – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Construction Corner – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Cardinal – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Concrete Pipes – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Cross Here – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Air/Water – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI
Hot Air Balloon at Night – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm X-S20 – Photo by Jonathan Roesch
Find this Film Simulation Recipe and nearly 400 more in the Fuji X Weekly App! Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
For this day, our plans were to visit Fort Sumter National Historic Monument, which is on an island right outside of Charleston, followed by Folly Beach for sunset. Fort Sumter is only accessible by boat (sort of… a sand bar from James Island connects to Fort Sumter at low tide, but accessing it that way is considered trespassing, apparently). There are two locations where boats depart for the island, one being the Fort Sumter Visitors Center near downtown Charleston, which is where we left from.
I had no idea until we visited, but Charleston was the site of battles at the very beginning of both the Revolutionary and Civil wars. There’s a lot of history—both good and bad—in this area. In retrospect, it’s not too difficult to distinguish the two; ideally, we can celebrate the good and learn from the bad. Fort Sumter was a Civil War site, occupied by both the North and the South at different times. Across the water on Sullivan’s Island is Fort Moultrie, which was both a Revolutionary War and Civil War site, and I wish that we had made time to visit it. Oh, well—perhaps next time.
Fort Sumter was interesting, but also surprisingly small. I’ve been to several old military forts in the Pacific Northwest, such as Fort Casey in Washington and Fort Stevens in Oregon, and the scale of those locations are more impressive, and the exploring one can do much greater (both are very worthwhile, should you have the opportunity to see them); however, Fort Sumter, while smaller and more restrictive, is obviously more significant historically. Since we were the last tour of the day (there are only a few each day), we got to witness the flag lowering ceremony, a perk to being last.
After returning, we made our way to Folly Beach, which is apparently one of the best locations near Charleston to see the Atlantic Ocean. We made it for sunset, but were definitely behind schedule, and didn’t have a lot of time to explore before the sun disappeared. Surprisingly, this was probably my favorite beach that we’ve been to on the Atlantic coast (granted, we’ve only been to a few, all in the Northeast). It was a bummer that our visit to Folly Beach was so short.
The only camera that I brought with me on this day was my Fujifilm GFX100S II with the Fujinon 80mm f/1.7 lens. I knew that we were going to have opportunities to sit and take the camera off my neck, which could make it tolerable for a long adventure. My hope was for opportunities to do XPan photography, but those turned out to be fewer than I expected. In retrospect, my Fujifilm X-E4 with the 27mm pancake probably would have been the better choice, although the GFX wasn’t too bad despite its weight because I had several opportunities to set it down and give myself a break.
All-in-all, this was quite a fun day, and I think the kids especially enjoyed it. If you plan to visit Charleston, I can recommend both Fort Sumter and Folly Beach for your travel agenda. Of the two, Folly Beach was our favorite.
Dock Rope – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Kodak Negative
This is a one-year photo-a-day project called 52 Weeks of Photography. Even though it is a year-long undertaking, I’m taking it one week at a time, because it’s a little easier to manage many small blocks than one large chunk. This is the 15th week, so the 15th set of seven images.
The reason why I’m doing this 365 Day project is because I noticed some gaps in-between my images last year. I didn’t pick up my cameras daily. On several occasions, four or five days passed by without a single picture created. Twice in 2024, I skipped a whole week. I want to rectify this, and get back into the habit of daily photography. I also want to elevate the quality of my craft in 2025, and am hoping that this will help.
Yellow Rose – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – Pacific Blues
The plan is to capture a year’s worth of notable images, either personally or artistically. Ansel Adams famously stated, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” It’s important to keep expectations realistic, but I’m also trying to avoid thoughtless snapshots just to fulfill the day’s requirement. I want to push myself to be better, and hopefully that will happen. Not every photo will be great—in fact, most won’t—but I hope they are all at least decent enough to be shared without embarrassment. And maybe when the whole project is complete, there will be 12 significant pictures (out of the 365) that I’m particularly proud of.
Had a great week. Co-lead a photowalk on the 4th, and attended a portrait lighting class on the 5th. Was fairly productive on several other days, too. There are probably a dozen pictures that might have made the cut to be shared in the weekly article if they had occurred in a different week (mostly captured over a four day stretch). Hopefully I can keep this up as the temperatures get hot here in Arizona.
Without further ado, below are the 15th set of seven pictures from this 52 Weeks of Photography project.
Tuesday, April 1st, 2025
Kup Here – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – Fujicolor 100 Gold
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025
Window Light – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – Pacific Blues
Fujifilm recently released the GFX100RF; while the press has been largely positive, there have been a lot of criticisms in the comments section of articles and in forums. The complaints mostly revolve around two things: the lack of IBIS, and a maximum aperture of only f/4. What should Fujifilm do about this?
It’s important to understand that the Fujifilm GFX100RF is the smallest, lightest, and cheapest digital medium-format camera-lens combo ever made. It’s the most affordable (aside from used) and portable option for digital medium-format photography. That was Fujifilm’s goal for this model, and they achieved it quite fantastically. With that in mind, all of the positive press is easily understood. So what accounts for all the negative comments? I believe there are a few possible explanations.
First, the GFX system is niche, and is not for everyone. Most photographers don’t need it, but some do, and some who don’t “need” it enjoy GFX anyway; however, it’s not mainstream, and likely never will be. Because the initial expectations were that the GFX100RF was a medium-format X100VI, people thought this was going to be a camera for the masses. It’s not. It’s a niche camera in a niche system. While it might offer the best way to dip your toes into GFX before deciding whether or not to take the plunge, it is not a camera that most will appreciate. It will never sell nearly as many copies as the X100VI (although it could become the best-selling GFX model). Perhaps the comparisons to the X-series camera created some unrealistic expectations. Even though there are some similarities to the X100VI and even the X70, this camera is definitely divergent from both, and those comparisons should be taken with a grain of salt. If the new camera was literally a medium-format X100VI, it would be a lot different, including bulkier and more expensive. Some might want that, but this camera is not a medium-format X100-series model. It should be appreciated for what it is (smallest, lightest, cheapest), and not criticized for not being what it was never intended to be (a medium-format X100VI).
Second, I think most of the complaints are from those who have little or no experience with medium-format cameras, and have unrealistic understandings of the norms and physics of the format. Literally, there are some who have said they’d never buy the camera unless it had an f/1.7 lens. Yeah, Fujifilm could do that, but it would be so large, heavy, and expensive, I doubt anyone would buy. My guess is that the majority of those criticizing the camera were never going to buy it, but were always going to find an excuse to pass. Interestingly, the closest medium-format camera-lens combo in size and weight is the Hasselblad 907X (plus CFV 100C back) with the 28mm f/4 lens—which also lacks IBIS, has an f/4 maximum aperture, and costs nearly twice as much as the GFX100RF.
Which brings me to third: trolls. The internet is full of them, and the Fujifilm community is no exception. In fact, I’d say that the number of trolls lurking around Fujifilm content has dramatically increased over the last couple of years. It doesn’t help that one troll can have many accounts, and use a variety of personas. You might see a whole thread conversion, and not realize that it’s just one person talking to themselves using multiple names. It makes them appear to hold a popular opinion, but in reality most disagree. If you are an internet troll, you quite literally need professional help, and I urge you to seek out the mental health help you obviously desperately need. Interestingly, when you meet photographers in-person, you realize that trolls don’t exist in real life, they’re only on the internet. I met hundreds and hundreds of photographers over the last year, and can attest that none of them are trolls. But go to the comments section of most photography sites (thankfully, not this one), and probably anywhere from a quarter to a half of the comments are from trolls. I’d encourage content creators to crack down on internet trolls—if you don’t put up with them, they tend to go away, which makes the experience better for the real people who want to enjoy your website.
Now, this is what I propose to Fujifilm: make an actual medium-format X100VI. Call it the GFX100RF-XL. Give it a 45mm f/2 lens, or, if that’s just an impossible maximum aperture (which it probably is), go with f/2.8. Give it IBIS and an optical viewfinder (maybe like what’s in the X-Pro2). Yes, the body might need to be 25% or even 50% bigger. The lens would likely be 150% or 200% larger, maybe more. It might weigh twice as much as the GFX100RF. It’ll probably cost three thousand dollars more. But there are a lot of people who claim to want this, so give it to them. Let them have the opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. If it’s a big success, then they’ll have proven their criticisms both valid and valuable. Win-win. If the camera struggles to sell well, then Fujifilm knows to ignore those people in the future (so you better pony up if Fujifilm does this!).
I do think it’s worth exploring if the demand is actually real—I believe that some of it is real. There are people who would be all over a medium-format X100VI, despite the size, weight, and cost increase. It would be a dream-come-true for them. Why not find out just how many there are? If money was no object to me, I’d happily own both a GFX100RF and a GFX100RF-XL. At the very least, this camera would grab headlines, and bring attention to the brand. Most likely it won’t sell as many copies as the GFX100RF, but it would likely sell well enough to justify its existence, and become a legendary model in time, if not right away.
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Photographing Phoenix – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Nostalgic Film
This last weekend, Nuzira, an up-and-coming camera store in Scottsdale, Arizona, that’s Fujifilm-centric, hosted two awesome events. First, on Friday, I co-lead a photowalk in downtown Arizona with Christopher Berry, Ryan Faer, Darin Watkins, and Lucas White (of Nuzira). Then, on Saturday, Christopher held a portrait lighting class at the camera store. Both were so great! Thank you, Nuzira, for making these happen, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.
The photowalk was awesome! I didn’t count, but my estimated guess is that about 35 people came out, give or take a few. It was a great group, with a lot of interesting conversations. Because of the First Friday Art Walk, it was very busy downtown, and unfortunately—due to the crowds—the group got separated at times; however, I think everyone had a good time, and I’d certainly call it a success. These type of community building events are so important, where face-to-face conversations can be had and friendships can be formed, so I hope to see more of these in the future.
My 11-year-old son, Joshua, came along. This was his first photowalk, and he seemed to enjoy the experience. I let him use my Fujifilm X70. I brought a Fujifilm X100VI, and used a TCL-X100 teleconverter lens for most of the pictures. While I like the 23mm (35mm-equivalent) focal length, I prefer the 50mm-equivalent focal-length just a little more. I want to give a special thanks to everyone who came out—it’s because of you that these events happen.
On Saturday morning, Christopher Berry taught a portrait lighting class at the Nuzira store. He’s a talented photographer from Tucson who is insanely skilled at studio lighting. More than 25 years ago I learned studio lighting in college, but that was ages ago, and I don’t remember much—needless to say, I was very rusty. This refresher was long overdue for me, and I’m so glad that Nuzira brought Chris up to teach it. This is something that I’d pay money for, but it was completely free!
The class was great because everyone got some one-on-one hands-on opportunities. It wasn’t just teaching theories, but putting it to practice. While I don’t have much of an interest in portrait photography personally, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of lighting, which is kind of a critical aspect of photography. Thanks, Chris, for all the great information and advice! I learned a lot.
Besides that, I got to see the new Fujifilm GFX100RF and Instax Wide Evo in-person. And there were donuts, too. It was well worth the drive across town. If Nuzira does something like this again, I certainly hope that I can make it, or be a part of it in some way.
Above: Fujifilm GFX100S II & Fujinon 80mm f/1.7 – Film Dial Recipes (the portraits were with the Reala Ace film simulation)
I’d really like to see more photography events happen—not just in Phoenix, but across the country. We can all learn from each other, and in-person connections are, unfortunately, lacking in our modern society. Camera stores, clubs, and manufacturers can help to facilitate events. This shouldn’t be a one-time thing—it would be great to see more photowalks and classes pop up all over the place. I hope they do. And if there is one in your area, definitely make an effort to attend.
On the fourth day of this trip, which was the third full day in Charleston, we spent the entire afternoon and evening at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. This spot was picked by my wife, Amanda, and I really didn’t know what to expect. Learning my lesson from the prior day, I brought along my Fujifilm X-E4 with the 27mm pancake lens attached, as well as my Fujifilm X-T4 ES infrared camera with the 35mm f/2 lens. The X-T4 ES is currently my favorite model, but it does require the right subjects and light to really do well. Although spring was just beginning to appear, there were still a lot of dormant trees, and a lot of them looked like winter or even late-fall, so I wasn’t sure how well the infrared camera would do.
I was blown away by the beauty of this location—it’s a nature and wildlife photographer’s playground! It seemed like a place you can return to over and over again, and not exhaust the picture opportunities. I can also understand why it is one of the top choices in the area for weddings. From a photographer’s point-of-view, this is a must-see location in Charleston.
The Fujifilm X-E4 with the 27mm pancake lens was perfect. It never got in the way—I kept it in my sweater pocket—and it delivered excellent results. This camera-lens combination is not talked about enough, perhaps because both items have been difficult to find. In my opinion, Fujifilm should prioritize a successor to the discontinued camera, and consider producing another pancake lens or two to go with it. The X-T4 ES was hit-or-miss. I think if we had been there a few weeks later, it would have done better; however, I still got some good photos.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is pretty much all we did on this day, but it was definitely a highlight of the trip. If you ever visit Charleston, make sure that this place is on your agenda. This spot alone made the trip from Arizona worthwhile, and I hope to return someday.
Train, Truck & Cart – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
This is a one-year photo-a-day project called 52 Weeks of Photography. Even though it is a year-long undertaking, I’m taking it one week at a time, because it’s a little easier to manage many small blocks than one large chunk. This is the 14th week, so the 14th set of seven images.
The reason why I’m doing this 365 Day project is because I noticed some gaps in-between my images last year. I didn’t pick up my cameras daily. On several occasions, four or five days passed by without a single picture created. Twice in 2024, I skipped a whole week. I want to rectify this, and get back into the habit of daily photography. I also want to elevate the quality of my craft in 2025, and am hoping that this will help.
On The Go – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – Kodak Tri-X 400
The plan is to capture a year’s worth of notable images, either personally or artistically. Ansel Adams famously stated, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” It’s important to keep expectations realistic, but I’m also trying to avoid thoughtless snapshots just to fulfill the day’s requirement. I want to push myself to be better, and hopefully that will happen. Not every photo will be great—in fact, most won’t—but I hope they are all at least decent enough to be shared without embarrassment. And maybe when the whole project is complete, there will be 12 significant pictures (out of the 365) that I’m particularly proud of.
While the previous week was easy for this project, this week was difficult. It started out with some serious jet-lag. Then some of us got sick. Then my family participated in a 72 hour film challenge. All four of my kids are in a creative arts club, which hosts an annual film challenge. The kids form teams, which could be with their peers (which is what my two oldest did last year) or with their family (what they decided on this year… although the two girls were also on another team). So we had 72 hours to write, record, edit, and submit a five minute short film. Then we had an additional 24 hours to make a trailer and poster. All of the films will play in a local movie theater later this month, and sometime after that I’ll share our video in a post, for anyone who might be interested. Making this short film was in addition to all the “normal” things that go on day-to-day, so finding time for photography was difficult on a few of the days.
Without further ado, below are the 14th set of seven pictures from this 52 Weeks of Photography project.
Makoto told PetaPixel, “[O]ur first priority was how to make it smaller and lighter weight.” That’s pretty much the entirety of the article, as the rest is simply explaining why the camera does not have IBIS or a larger maximum aperture than f/4 and other design choices. It’s worth reading, if you are curious about those things. The main point: Fujifilm set out to make it as small and lightweight as possible. Interestingly, they did create mockups of versions with IBIS and larger apertures, but it required the camera to be significantly larger and heavier, which went against their “first priority” of small size and less weight. IBIS alone, according to this interview, would have doubled the camera’s size, because the lens would have to project to a much larger area.
The lens is pretty remarkable in that it is extremely compact for medium-format, and it barely covers the sensor. That’s why IBIS wasn’t practical, as it would have required a different and much larger lens. That’s why the maximum aperture is “only” f/4, as a larger aperture would not only have required a larger lens, but it would likely begin to show vignetting and corner softness when wide open. All of the design choices make sense when viewed through the prism of Fujifilm’s top priority: size and weight. The engineers succeeded, and did so quite fantastically.
Now you might disagree with the “first priority” that Fujifilm gave the GFX100RF team. You might not appreciate that the GFX100RF is the smallest, lightest, and cheapest digital medium-format camera-lens combo that has ever been made. You might have wished that Fujifilm’s top goal was to make this as premium of a camera as possible, or balanced somewhere in-between premium and size/weight/cost. I think that’s where a lot of the criticisms are found. There are some (quite) vocal critics who disagree with the design ethos, and wished that this camera was different.
This is where the second PetaPixel article comes in. Interestingly, interchangeable-lens camera sales are declining year-over-year, while fixed-lens camera sales are increasing because of a renewed interest in compact cameras. Who is leading the fixed-lens camera market? Kodak. Surprised? It’s JK Imaging selling cheap point-and-shoots on Amazon under the Kodak PixPro name—cameras that are basically 15-year-old tech digicams. Second is Fujifilm, thanks to the massive success of the X100VI, which has already outsold all of the previous X100-series models, and also the Instax Evo line. Canon is third—largely because of their nine-year-old (but still in production) ELPH 360 digicam—but declining (the PowerShot V1 will certainly change that trajectory to some degree). Kenko Tokina is fourth with their tiny toy cameras and digicams. Panasonic is fifth and on the rise, due to the sales success of the DC-ZS99. Ricoh is sixth, thanks to the GR III and GR IIIx, and would probably rank higher if they manufactured those cameras at a higher rate to meet the current demand. Most of the fixed-lens cameras that are selling like hotcakes right now are cheap point-and-shoots; the exceptions are the Fujifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR III/GR IIIx.
If you are trying to understand why Fujifilm chose to make size, weight, and cost the priority for the GFX100RF, that’s why. Simply, it’s market trends. By making the camera as small, lightweight, and affordable as possible, Fujifilm gave it the best chance for market success. The early indicators seem to show that it was the best choice, but only time will tell. That’s not going to make those who wish that Fujifilm had made other aspects—like stabilization and maximum aperture—more important feel any better, but I hope it sheds some light on the why, even if you disagree.
With the massive success of the X100VI, if sales figures for the GFX100RF are good, and if Fujifilm were to release some other fixed-lens option (say, the half-frame camera that’s been rumored), it’s quite possible that Fujifilm will find itself at the very top of the fixed-lens market, which is a growing segment. But, I think it’s also quite possible that, as the months pass by, more and more fixed-lens cameras will be released by other manufacturers, heating up the competition, and making it more difficult to stay on top. Getting quality (and exciting) products out ahead of competitors is going to be a big long-term win for Fujifilm in my opinion; however, predicting the future is impossible, and I’ve certainly been wrong plenty of times before, so who knows? It does seem like smart moves to me, though. Overall, the GFX100RF is likely only going to be a small contributor to Fujifilm’s fixed-lens sales numbers (it’s a $4,900 camera, after all, and GFX models don’t move nearly as quickly as X-series), but it will probably do well for the company’s bottom line, which is good if you’d like to see them continue to make interesting cameras well into the future.
This post contains affiliate links, and if you make a purchase using my links I’ll be compensated a small amount for it.
For the third day of this trip, which was the second full day in Charleston, we planned to explore downtown. So after breakfast, we drove towards the City Market, which was on our to-see list. We didn’t have a detailed plan, and decided to just kind of figure it out once there.
I wasn’t fully sure what to expect photographically, and thought there might be some panoramic opportunities, so I decided to bring my Fujifilm GFX100S II with the Fujinon 30mm f/3.5 lens. Big mistake—and by that I mean the camera is much too bulky and heavy to carry around all day. It’s not a good option for walk-around photography. It captures lovely photos, but I won’t be choosing it for situations like this again, where I’ll have it around my neck for hours and hours. I definitely regretted the camera choice for this day. Still, I came away with a handful of good photos, so it wasn’t for nothing.
When we arrived, we saw all these horse-drawn carriages, and thought it looked fun. There are a lot of different options, and we chose Palmetto Carriage Works. I’m not sure which one is best, but we had a great time on ours. It was an excellent way to see the city and learn some history, much of which we would have missed if we had not done this. Besides that, my two daughters love horses, so they were especially happy about it.
After the carriage ride, we walked around a little, then found some lunch (which was a late lunch… we were still on Arizona time). After that, we finally made it to the historic City Market, which was cool. There were a couple photographers selling prints, and many other artists. We explored downtown a little more, before heading to Rainbow Row (colorfully painted historic homes from the late 1700’s) and The Battery (historic promenade along the Charleston Harbor).
I was disappointed to learn that morning golden hour is better for Rainbow Row than evening golden hour, since the buildings are backlit in the afternoon. Still, I did find some little slices of interesting light, so it was nonetheless worthwhile. We were going to spend sunset at The Battery, but the no-see-ums were out in full force, so we didn’t stick around for very long. The bugs weren’t a problem in the city, but by the water it was definitely an issue.
After spending most of the day in downtown Charleston, we decided it was time to head back to the AirBnB. We took the long way back through Mount Pleasant, and I found a Fujifilm sign in the window of a frame shop (turns out they develop film). We ended Day 3 with waffles for dinner. By this time I had exchanged the GFX for my Fujifilm X-E4 with the 27mm pancake lens, which was a relief; however, the photographic day was pretty much over by then. Oh, well. Lesson learned.
Day, Light – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Fujicolor Film
Horses & Carriages – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Nostalgic Film
