This last Saturday I had a quick adventure to Los Angeles, and it was my first time using my brand-new Fujifilm X-E5. In fact, the picture below, Sky Harbor Tower, was frame 0001. I had plenty of experience with the X-E5 already because Fujifilm had loaned me one shortly after it was announced, but I had to give it back after a couple of weeks. While I’ve had my X-E5 for a week, I didn’t have an opportunity to use it until this trip.
I charged the battery the day before, and set the camera up, programming 11 Recipes into it. The ones I chose for C1-C7 are Kodak Portra 400 v2, Kodak Pro 400, Kodachrome 64, Kodak Tri-X 400, Superia Negative (Film Dial Recipe), Reala Ace, and 1970’s Summer. I set Xpro ’62 as the “Nothing Selected” Recipe in the IQ Menu. On the Film Dial, I programmed Pacific Blues into FS1, Kodak Vericolor VPS into FS2, and 1960 Chrome into FS3. I don’t know if I’ll keep those 11 for awhile or switch some of them out—I’m still deciding—but those are the ones I had available in the camera on this trip. I didn’t use all of them this time around, only five.
The purpose of this trip was to lead a Fujifilm X half photowalk with Samy’s Camera and Fujifilm. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen the X half pictures. I flew in that morning from Phoenix and flew out of LA that night. It was a quick adventure. I had a lot of fun, and it was great to meet some of you in person and photograph with you.
A lot of times when I travel I take way too much gear with me. I go back-and-forth, actually. I’ll take a ton of gear and feel overwhelmed and burdened by it, so I’ll slim it back to a real minimal kit, but it will slowly get larger and larger and larger over time as I think I might need this or that, then the cycle repeats. I’m at the minimal kit spot right now. The only gear I brought along was the X half and the X-E5 with the 23mm f/2.8 pancake lens, plus one spare battery. Everything else stayed home. This seemed to work out quite well, but I’m sure pretty soon I’ll pack more gear into the bag before heading off on an outing somewhere, and it will once again begin to get bulkier and heavier. I have to remind myself: oftentimes, less is more.
Can – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer
Marshaller – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 – 1970’s Summer
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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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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
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
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
Storage Sunset – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – The Rockwell – Day 1
My kids had their spring break last week, and Amanda and I had decided to travel somewhere with the family while they were off from school. Although we had wanted to do a trip, we hadn’t made a decision regarding where we were going to go until a few weeks ago. The destination was a last minute decision. We had a few different places in mind, but something was holding us back from choosing one of them.
We didn’t throw darts at a map to decide, but a month ago we were not thinking South Carolina at all. Charleston just kind of came up out of nowhere in our consciousness near the beginning of March. Amanda had wanted to visit South Carolina ever since she did a report on the state in elementary school many years ago, but we never talked about going except for “maybe someday” types of comments. I didn’t know much at all about Charleston or South Carolina personally, but as I looked into it a couple of weeks before spring break, I was really intrigued by what I saw—we all were intrigued, I think, not just me. So we purchased some airline tickets, and less than two weeks later we were at 35,000 feet over El Paso en route to Charleston.
Even though spring break was from March 15th through the 23rd, we had some prior plans, so we couldn’t go exactly over the kids’ time off, and had to modify it a little. Thankfully, the schooling is flexible, and there were no issues with that aspect. As a bonus, flights were cheaper leaving Wednesday and returning Tuesday. It all just seemed to work out really well.
I wasn’t intending to write a travel series for this trip. Even when I got back home, my mind was on other things (such as completing and publishing the Universal Negative Recipe set). Now that nearly a week has gone by since returning back to Arizona, and I’ve had some time to sit on it, I decided that I should share our journey, in case some of you are also considering a trip to Charleston. Or maybe—like me—this city is not on your radar; however, you might just become intrigued as you learn more.
Day 1 — Wednesday, March 19th
Playing at the Playground – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Cinematic Film
We were very busy the days before the trip. All four kids were in The Sound of Music stage performance for the City of Goodyear. Johanna was Gretl von Trapp, while Joshua was Kurt. Joy was a nun and Jonathan was an Austrian. Some family had traveled from out-of-state to see it, and we were hosting until the day before our departure. We hurriedly completed last-minute errands and packed our bags. We got to bed around midnight. Then the alarm sounded at 2:45 am. It was time to get up so we could make our 6 am flight. Yikes!
This day is kind of a blur. We made it to the airport and through security without any issues, but we were definitely dragging. Once on the plane, we all tried to sleep, and I think we all did. We landed in Houston a few hours later, and changed planes. The connecting flight was in a different terminal, but aside from a lot of walking, it was pretty easy. We were still dragging, though. The flight from Houston to Charleston was fine, and we all tried to sleep a little more. This was a lot easier when I was in my 20’s.
We arrived in South Carolina, got our bags and rental car, and headed to our AirBnB, which was in North Charleston. The house was nice, but it’s proximity to Park Circle (a trendy neighborhood) was overstated on the listing, and maybe that’s why it was more affordable than the others in the area. Anyway, we made ourselves at home, maybe even took a short nap, and then it was dinnertime. At this point, the only thing we had eaten all day were the airplane snacks and some trail mix and granola bars we had brought with us.
After dinner, it was nearing sunset, so we found the park that is at the center of Park Circle, and let the kids run around and play for 30 minutes or so. There was a very nice and extensive playground for them to explore, and I can understand why it’s desirable for those with children to be near this location. I had grabbed my Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 pancake before leaving the house. It’s such an easy camera to carry around, which makes it perfect for travel. I didn’t do much photography on this day, though. As the sun was disappearing, we were getting bit up by no-see-ums, so we called it good, and headed back to our AirBnB for the night.
Red Pole – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – RedScale
Palm & Oak – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 – Redscale
Day 2 — Thursday, March 20th
Above the Fence – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Due to the lack of sleep the day before, we decided to not set any alarms and just get rest—have an easy morning. So we slept in. And we were not yet used to the three-hour time difference, so by the time we got going for the day, the day was nearly half over. I suppose this was a recovery day of sorts.
While it was partly sunny in the late-morning and early-afternoon, it soon turned thick overcast and then poured rain for several hours, clearing out just after sunset. We explored Summerville a little, but the rain kept us mostly indoors. We had seen the forecast, so we didn’t make many plans for this day, figuring it best to wait until the weather was better to accomplish our agenda.
I got in a little photography, but not much. I used my Fujifilm GFX100S II with a Fujinon 80mm f/1.7 lens and my Fujifilm X-T4 ES (infrared) with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens around the house before the sun disappeared behind the clouds. After dinner, I grabbed a couple of snaps with my Fujifilm X-E4 and 27mm. Two days in, and the number of photographs I had created thus far could be counted on my fingers. I was a bit disappointed by that, but we were still early into the trip, and hadn’t really seen anything yet—the fun stuff was still upcoming.
Dried Plant Decor – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm GFX100S II – Fujicolor Film
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 13th week, so the 13th set of seven images, which means that I’m 25% finished. Wow, time flies!
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.
Sailer on Sumter – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – 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.
Because it was my kids’ spring break, I spent the majority of this week in Charleston, South Carolina, which is an incredible city! I had no idea. It wasn’t on my radar, but I’m so glad that we visited. I’ll probably publish a series of articles that better details the trip, for those who might be interested. Anyway, when you travel, photographing every day is easy, so I had no problems completing this week’s assignment.
Without further ado, below are the 13th set of seven pictures from this 52 Weeks of Photography project.
Tuesday, March 18th, 2025
Sunshine on Bougainvillea – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X70 – Pro Film
Wednesday, March 19th, 2025
Storage Sunset – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – The Rockwell
Thursday, March 20th, 2025
Above the Fence – North Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-T4 ES & 35mm f/2 – Aerochrome v2
White Bridge across Pond – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Pacific Blues
It’s better to invest your money in photographic experiences rather than new camera gear. Consider where you could go with the money that the new camera or lens will cost, and how much fun you might have wherever “there” is. I’m not saying never buy new gear, only that there’s no need to get every new thing that comes out, or right away when it is announced. While I have on occasion regretted a certain gear purchase, I’ve never once regretted traveling somewhere for photography.
A few days ago Fujifilm announced the GFX100RF, which I would love to own. Because it is so small and lightweight, I think it’s actually an ideal camera for a photographic project I started late last year, which will take place over a long period of time. This entails large panoramic prints of (hopefully) amazing landscapes, so you can probably understand how this particular camera might seem ideal. In anticipation of the announcement, and the excitement of announcement day, I had a lot of G.A.S. (“Gear Acquisition Syndrome”) and F.O.M.O. (“Fear of Missing Out”). After all, this is something that I really want, and arguably need.
Three Beach Umbrellas – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 & Fujinon 27mm – Pacific Blues
Knowing that this camera was on the horizon, and knowing that I would have G.A.S. and F.O.M.O., I could have stretched the budget and put in my preorder purchase last week. Technically, I had the money. You see, my wife and I had been planning to take a trip over the kids’ spring break, and we wanted to take the family to someplace we’d never been. When things were becoming a bit more clear what the upcoming camera was going to be, we had a discussion about making the trip shorter and more local so that I could buy the new GFX. We hadn’t purchased any airline tickets yet or made hotel reservations, so it would have been easy. Instead, we decided to hold off on the gear, and use the money to fly to Charleston, South Carolina instead. We just arrived back in Arizona yesterday.
I had no idea just how cool and photogenic Charleston is. It was not a city on my radar. My wife had wanted to visit for quite awhile (since she did a research project on South Carolina in school many years ago), so we purchased airline tickets and found accommodations. We spent the money that we could have used to buy a new camera on an epic cross-country trip. It was amazing! I have zero regrets. It is quite obviously better to invest in experiences than new gear, and I’m quite happy that we chose to travel.
With that said, I feel even more strongly that the Fujifilm GFX100RF is a camera that I will eventually buy. It was such a pain to haul my GFX100S II, plus 80mm f/1.7 and 30mm f/3.5 lenses, through airport terminals and across town as we explored the city. My Fujifilm X-E4 with the 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens was a much better option for travel photography because it is so compact and lightweight. Unfortunately, that camera isn’t going to cut it for my panoramic project, but for general travel photography, it is quite excellent. I only wish there were a couple more pancake lenses available for it. My Fujifilm X100VI would have been great, too; however, I left it at home this time because I had just used it extensively over the last couple of months for a different project, so I wanted to give it a little rest.
Of course, I also brought along my Fujifilm X-T4 ES full-spectrum infrared camera. Of all the cameras I currently own, this is the one I’m having the most fun with right now. I’ve been considering making a book someday with the photos created using the Aerochrome v2 Recipe, but I have a long ways to go before I have a sufficient number of good images worthy of being published in a book. Without taking this camera on various travel experiences, such a book would be unlikely, or at least much less interesting.
Speaking of photographic experiences, I will be co-leading a photowalk with Ryan Faer and Lucas White in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday, April 4th, in partnership with Nuzira. The exact time and meetup location is TBD, but we will be photographing at the First Friday Art Walk, so that should give you an idea of the location and time (we will probably meet about 6 PM). If you live in the Phoenix area and want an excuse to get out with your camera, be sure to join us! Don’t forget to sign up (click here).
While you are signing up for that photowalk, consider joining Nuzira and my friend Christopher Berry on Saturday, April 5th, for a portrait lighting class at the Nuzira store in Scottsdale. If you have an interest in studio lighting or portrait photography, this is a class you’ll want to attend. The sign up form is on the same page as the photowalk.
Red Yucca in the White Sand – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
A few weeks back, in-between Christmas and New Years, I briefly stopped in White Sands National Park in southern New Mexico for a couple of hours. Since it was the holiday season, the park was very crowded. There were so many cars, and people were everywhere! It was difficult to capture images without someone somewhere in the frame, and it was nearly impossible to find scenes without footprints.
The 10 frames in this article were made during about a two hour window in White Sands National Park using my Fujifilm X-T4 ES camera with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens and the Aerochrome v2 Recipe. It was partly overcast. Winter probably isn’t the best time to do infrared photography at this location, since much of the vegetation is dormant. Still, I came away with a couple good pictures, so I’m happy. But I know that I need to revisit the White Sands—hopefully next time I can dedicate a little more time to it. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy these pictures.
Pink Brush – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Yucca on a Sand Hill – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Yucca & Brush – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Yucca at the Top of a Hill – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Yucca Hanging Over – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Bush in the Sand – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Desert Yucca – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Yucca & Brush – White Sands NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
Infrared Yucca – White Sand NP, NM – Fujifilm X-T4 ES – Aerochrome v2
For those who live in Ann Arbor—as well as the surrounding areas—be sure to join us. Detroit is right there. Toledo and Lansing aren’t too far. Grand Rapids, Cleveland, and Fort Wayne are a pretty far drive, but some people have traveled longer distances than that for the other photowalks—if it’s not too far for you, I’d love to meet you in person. If you think that you can join us, you will need to sign up (click here to register), but it’s quick and easy to do, and best of all FREE!
Afterwards, we will head over to PROCAM—about a 10-minute drive away—for some refreshments. It’s going to be a great time! If you are in the area, this is a don’t-miss opportunity—I hope to see you on Saturday morning!
The Fujifilm X100VI—the most in-demand camera of 2024—has a fixed 23mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) f/2 lens. It’s not an interchangeable-lens camera, which limits its versatility; however, Fujifilm has provided a couple of options to increase its flexibility. First is the built-in Digital Teleconverter, which is a zoom-by-cropping. Second, Fujifilm offers two conversion lenses—a wide-angle and telephoto—that screw onto the end of the fixed-lens. We’ll talk a bit about both of these solutions in this article, but mostly we’ll focus on the two conversion lenses. Specifically, I will answer this question: is the Fujifilm X100VI combined with the WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II conversion lenses a practical small kit for travel photography?
MPB is the sponsor of this article. They loaned me a Fujinon WCL-X100 II Wide Conversion Lens and Fujinon TCL-X100 II Tele Conversion Lens to try out for a couple of weeks. For those who don’t know, MPB is an online platform where you can buy, sell, or trade used photo and video gear. “At MPB, there’s something for everyone who wants to try something new, hone their skills, or pursue their passion—and it won’t cost the earth.” If you’re in the market for used camera gear, be sure to check out their platform—you can learn more about MPB here. Thank you, MPB, for making this article possible!
One thing that I love about the Fujifilm X100VI is its compactness. The camera is small enough to fit into a large pocket, and its lightweight enough to carry around all day without being burdensome. The photographs that the X100VI produces straight-out-of-camera are incredible, and can be very film-like. I’ve said many times that this is my desert-island camera—if I could only ever have one for the rest of my life, it would be the X100VI. But, the fixed-focal-length lens is somewhat limiting, so I often suggest that it pairs well with an interchangeable-lens body. I will always bring the X100VI along with me when I travel, but I will almost always have another camera, too.
The Digital Teleconverter helps to make the X100VI more versatile. The 50mm (full-frame equivalent) Digital Teleconverter produces a very usable 20mp image, while the 70mm (full-frame equivalent) Digital Teleconverter produces a much less usable (but still usable for social media) 10mp image. I use the 50mm option somewhat regularly and don’t think twice about it, but I rarely use the 70mm Digital Teleconverter because it is more for emergency-use-only. This does add some versatility, but only a little.
By screwing one of the two conversion lenses—WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II—onto the end of the fixed-lens (where the filter adapter attaches), you essentially turn the X100VI (and the older X100 series models, too) into an interchangeable-lens camera. The WCL-X100 II has 0.8x magnification, turning the 23mm lens into 18mm (28mm full-frame equivalent). The TCL-X100 II has 1.4x magnification, turning the 23mm lens into 50mm (full-frame equivalent). Interestingly, there is actually a small focal-length difference between the TCL-X100 II and the Digital Teleconverter, despite that they are both supposedly 50mm equivalent—the TCL-X100 II is actually slightly more telephoto than using the 50mm Digital Teleconverter. I didn’t notice any reduction in image quality when using either conversion lens (amazing!); however, the distortion can do some weird things, which you are likely to only notice when photographing brick or tile walls.
Probably the largest drawback to the two conversion lenses is that they add noticeable size and weight to the camera. The WCL-X100 II is 1.5″ (long) x 2.2″ (diameter), and weighs 0.33 pounds, which isn’t terrible. The TCL-X100 II is a little larger and heavier: 1.8″ (long) x 2.8″ (diameter), and weighs 0.39 pounds. While the WCL-X100 II is a little less inconvenient to have attached, I personally liked the TCL-X100 II a little more. I feel like the conversion lenses contradict the camera’s philosophy (one-camera-one-lens; small/lightweight) to a degree, but at the same time, they do make for an extremely small and lightweight kit. I carried both conversion lenses and the X100VI in a Peak Design Sling, which was an amazingly compact kit for travel!
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II (28mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI (35mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-X100 II + Digital Teleconverter (40mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI + Digital Teleconverter (50mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II (50mm full-frame equivalent)
Fujifilm X100VI + TCL-X100 II + Digital Teleconverter (70mm full-frame equivalent)
You can combine the Digital Teleconverter with the conversion lenses to increase the versatility even further, achieving 28mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, and 70mm (full-frame equivalent) focal-lengths without resorting to the 10mp crop. I didn’t find the Digital Teleconverter combined with the WCL-X100 II lens particularly useful, personally; however, I did utilize the Digital Teleconverter a handful of times with the TCL-X100 II lens. I think it would be interesting if Fujifilm offered a 0.7x magnification (24mm full-frame equivalent) WCL option and a 2x magnification (70mm full-frame equivalent) TCL option in addition to the two they already have—I think this four lens (plus the 23mm fixed lens) kit would be extremely compelling for travel photography, if it were available.
I was invited to be a part of Fujifilm’s Create With Us event in Austin, Texas, last month. It was such a great time, and it was wonderful to meet many of you in-person. The only camera that I brought along with me was my Fujifilm X100VI, plus I had the WCL-X100 II and TCL-X100 II conversion lenses. I left the interchangeable-lens models at home. It was so nice to have a compact three lens kit—which stretched into a faux four lens kit utilizing the Digital Teleconverter—that all fit into a small sling bag. When you travel, oftentimes less is more, as space is a premium.
It was good to have three lens options available: the fixed lens (23mm), WCL-X100 II (18mm), and TCL-X100 II (32mm). There were definitely times when each came in handy. While the WCL-X100 II was a little less detrimental to the X100VI experience than the TCL-X100 II, I found myself using the TCL-X100 II more. I don’t know that either of the two are essential. For the most part, one can take a couple steps backwards instead of using WCL-X100 II, and one can take a few steps forward (or utilize the Digital Teleconverter) instead of using the TCL-X100 II. Obviously that’s not always practical (or the same result), so having the conversion lenses available was appreciated.
I think the conversion lenses are an interesting concept. Having used them on this one trip, I was left both impressed and confused simultaneously. I utilized them a lot more than I think I would have if I had not been testing them out for this article. If someday I did buy them, they’d likely only get occasional use; however, for those occasions when they do come in handy, it’s great to have them available, as they’re pretty darn good. More than anything, I think if you’re a bit nervous to pack light for fear that you’ll miss out due to not having the “right” lenses available, the two conversion lenses will give you a bit more confidence. Even if they’re largely left unused in your sling, it’s probably still better than lugging around a bigger and heavier bag with a larger body and a couple lenses to go with it. In that sense, the two conversion lenses are completely worthwhile accessories to go along with your X100VI camera.
I’ve been on the road almost all of August. I’ve traveled from the west coast to the east coast, and stopped at a few places in-between. It’s been an epic three weeks of travel, and I’m not home yet.
Because I’ve been so busy, I haven’t been able to publish anything on Fuji X Weekly (until today …briefly, anyway), answer your comments, or respond to your emails. I will get to them as soon as I have the opportunity—I apologize for the delay, and appreciate your patience.
I have so much content to share! I have many various articles and photographs to post, and I hate that I can’t just type it all out right now. Once I’m back home, I will busily get it all ready for publication. Expect most of it to be published throughout September.
Today, while I have a quick opportunity, I wanted to briefly shoutout both the Nashville and Philadelphia photowalks. These were the last two on the tour. It was so great to meet you all in your hometowns, and it was an honor to photograph with you. Those two photowalks, which were just two days apart, were such a great way to conclude the series.
41 people showed up for the Nashville photowalk. It was in the middle of the week, which I think made it a little more difficult for people attend. I’m so thankful to everyone who did make it out. There was a bit of a mixup in the meetup location, which delayed the start. Once we began… Broadway is such a busy road! I had never been to Nashville, and I had no clue that the there would be gobs and gobs of people on the sidewalks. Because of this, there were a ton of photo opportunities everywhere (literally every spot you looked), but also it was impossible to stay together as a group, and difficult to have conversations. Still, it seemed like everyone had a great time. A special thanks to Gabe Wasylko for co-leading the photowalk, to Fujifilm for all the behind-the-scenes work to make it happen, and The Pixel Connection for all your help and support!
Here are a few photos that I captured on the Nashville photowalk:
The Philadelphia photowalk was great… but we also got soaked. I counted 49 people, who came out despite the forecasted rain (apparently it’s not always sunny in Philadelphia…). I gave a short presentation on film simulations and Film Simulation Recipes, then we headed out with our cameras to tour the historic Old City district. As we were making our way back the sky broke open and it just poured. It didn’t last long, but those without weather-sealed gear (myself included) got to test out if the rain would really ruin our cameras. The X-T50 I had made it through unscathed. Anyway, thank you to all those who braved the weather to come along—it was so great to meet you! Also, a special thanks to Allan Ali for co-leading the photwalk, to Fujifilm for all the behind-the-scenes work, and Unique Photo for hosting!
Here are a few photos that I captured at the Philadelphia photowalk:
The Film Simulation Summer Photowalk in San Diego was epic… even if it got off to a rocky start. You see, the photowalk was at Balboa Park, which is typically a popular place, and parking can normally be somewhat challenging; however, the San Diego Zoo, which is also in Balboa Park, just so happened to get some Giant Pandas from China the day before, creating a panda-monium. Needless to say, parking was a nightmare!
Even so, somewhere around 60 photographers came out to the event, which is a very large group. A number of people showed up late (due to the parking situation), so it was impossible to get an accurate head count. I bet more would have been there had the parking situation been better, so I apologize to everyone who tried to come but just couldn’t find parking. Once we got going, it was a lot of fun, and I think everyone had a good time. It was great to meet everyone and talk cameras and photograph with you all. Thanks so much to everyone who braved the parking situation and came out for the photowalk—you made it epic!
Tom – San Diego, CA – Fujifilm X-T50 – Pacific Blues Recipe
This was a collaborative effort. It took a lot of people to pull it off. I want to shout-out Tom Baumgaertel (bewaremyfuji) who co-lead the photowalk. Tom is amazing! It was great to hang with him for the day. Thanks to Fujifilm for all the behind-the-scenes work, and also helping out during the walk. Thank you to Nelson’s Photo & Video for being a big part of it. I don’t know how many individuals it took to make this photowalk happen, but it was a lot!
Next up is Nashville on August 15th, which is this coming Thursday. There are only a few slots left, so be sure to register (click here) if you haven’t done so yet. Philadelphia is two days later on August 17th, and it is completely booked. If you are attending one of those photowalks, I will see you very soon!
Below are some photos from the San Diego photowalk that I captured on a Fujifilm X-T50:
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Pacific Blues Recipe
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Pacific Blues Recipe
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Pacific Blues Recipe
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Pacific Blues Recipe
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Pacific Blues Recipe
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Pacific Blues Recipe
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 + Pacific Blues Recipe
Below are some photos from the San Diego photowalk that Amanda captured on a Fujifilm X-T5:
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 + Pacific Blues Recipe – by Amanda Roesch
The Film Simulation Summer Photowalk this past Saturday in Denver was a huge success! We had a ton of fun. The weather was perfect and the vibe was great. It was so wonderful to meet everyone!
The turnout was just incredible—almost everyone who signed up showed up, which is nearly unheard of for free photowalks (a 50%-60% turnout is more typical). Despite the lead time being so short—it was officially announced just days before the event—there were between 60 and 65 photographers that came out. The furthest away someone traveled for this photowalk was Italy(!!). I was blown away by the turnout, but I was even more impressed with the kindness and spirit of those who came—you all are awesome people!
It wasn’t without a hitch. A police officer approached us before we even began, and with an aggressive voice wanted to know what we were doing. I told him that we were just there for photography, and he was satisfied with that answer. Apparently someone (not from our group) had set off an alarm, and he was investigating that. He moved along and all was good, but for a moment I wondered if the photowalk was going to end before even beginning. There were a couple of other small issues that we had to work through. Overall, though, it just went really well. If the next three photowalks are only half as good as this one was, they will all be great!
Speaking of the next three photowalks:
San Diego is only four days way! We’re meeting on August 9th at 2 PM at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. It’s 70% full, but there’s still some space available for anyone who wishes to join us.
Nashville is on August 15th. Pixel Connection is having a popup event from 4-7 PM, and our photowalk follows that at 7:15 PM at the Cumberland Park Amphitheater. There’s still plenty of space available. If you know anyone in Tennessee or the surrounding area who might be interested in attending, please help spread the word.
Philadelphia is on August 17th at Unique Photo at 4:15 PM. This photowalk is 100% fully booked!!!
I didn’t get to do a whole lot of photography at the Denver photowalk (I was too busy chatting, which was great!), but below are some of my pictures, all camera-made JPEGs captured on a Fujifilm X-T50 & Fujinon 16-50mm lens:
All of the double-digit X-T series models are especially good for travel, thanks to their compactness. What I like about the X-T50 in particular is the slightly larger grip (compared to the X-T30), which helps when using bulkier lenses, the new Film Dial, which adds some SOOC versatility, and IBIS, which is great for low-light situations. While any of the double-digital X-T cameras are good options, including the original X-T10, the X-T50 is my personal favorite.
Fujifilm sent me a preproduction X-T50 to try out for a few weeks, and during that time I was able to take it on a couple of trips. There are a number of excellent travel cameras in the Fujifilm lineup, and you can’t go wrong with any of them—for example, the X100VI is also a personal favorite, and I like my X-E4 for travel, too. If you are in the market for an interchangeable-lens model that is really good for a roadtrip or cross-country adventure, the Fujifilm X-T50 is one to strongly consider. It worked really well for me, anyway.
Below are some photographs that I captured on a Fujifilm X-T50 while traveling. They’re all camera-made JPEGs that are unedited (aside from minor cropping/straightening).
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Dumbo Crowd – Brooklyn, New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T50 – Reala Ace Recipe
2024 has been a wild ride so far, but in the best way possible.
I have so much to share with all of you. I’m sure it will take weeks to get it all out via various articles, videos, and social media content. This post is simply to lay out the backstory, and serve as a foundation to build on. There’s so much that I’ve been wanting to tell you but couldn’t; however, now I can!
In January I got a call from Fujifilm North America. They told me that they like what I’m doing and that they want to work with me in the coming year, but they weren’t yet sure what that might look like. This call was more to get the conversation started, and to make sure that I would be willing to work with them. It was a very positive experience, but I took a wait-and-see approach.
I didn’t have to wait very long, as Fujifilm sent an email in March inviting me to be a part of a global film simulation project. Specifically, they wanted me to create some pictures using Nostalgic Neg., Classic Chrome, and Astia that illustrate how those film simulations can look. They encouraged those involved in the project to use Film Simulation Recipes. Of course, for me, that was a good excuse to invent some brand-new Recipes! Nostalgic Americana, Classic Color, and Astia Azure are the three that I created and used for my photographs. Just recently, Fujifilm published a Film Simulation page on their global website, which is the first fruits of the project—you can find two of my Nostalgic Neg. pictures there. I’m sure there is more to come.
Just as soon as that project wrapped up, I received another email from Fujifilm. They wanted to send me an unreleased camera to try out. Whoa! It was such an honor, just to even be asked. Of course I said “yes” and a week later a Fujifilm X-T50 arrived at my door. I had to wait until after the X-Summit announcement before I could talk about the camera.
Film Dial on the Fujifilm X-T50
It took me a few days to warm up to the X-T50, and a few more days to really figure out how to use it. But, once I did, it quickly became a personal favorite camera. I love the Film Dial! Is it the perfect implementation of it? No. Is it a lot of fun and useful? Absolutely! I still have the camera in my possession, but it’s due to be returned. It’s a preproduction loaner, so I can’t keep it. I just hope, if there is a wait list, that it’s not very long.
This isn’t the end of the story in the slightest. Well before the launch, Fujifilm invited me to join them on a creator’s retreat—Camp Fujifilm, as they affectionately nicknamed it—in the Catskill Mountains of New York, followed by a rooftop X-Summit Experience event in New York City. The retreat was a new thing that Fujifilm was trying out. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew to say yes, no matter what else I may or may not have had going on at that time. It was a drop-everything-and-be-there type of thing.
So my wife, Amanda, and I flew out of Phoenix to Newark one week ago today. We stayed a night in Brooklyn, and the next day met up with everyone. Fujifilm chartered a bus; we loaded up, and were quickly off. This was our first time in New York City, so we were incredibly excited and just in awe of everything, trying to soak it all in. But as quickly as we got there, we were out of the city and in the rural greenery of the Catskills.
I don’t want to tell anyone else’s story. But, just real briefly, there were 13 creators (including myself and Amanda), plus three Fujifilm employees, at this retreat. It was a very diverse group. There were X-Photographers, cinematographers, YouTubers, hobbyists, etc.—just a wide range of talents and experiences. There were no real expectations. It was like Fujifilm wanted to know what would happen if they just had us all meet and hang out for a few days.
I was nervous because I didn’t know anyone there. I was unsure if I was going to fit in. Even though I have a popular Fujifilm blog (and some apps), I still often feel like an outsider in the general photographic community. But I had nothing to worry about. Everyone was great and welcoming, and we had such an incredible time. I made some new friends, which alone made the whole trip worthwhile.
I won’t soon forget the early morning hike in the pouring rain with Bryan Minear plus Matt Matkin and Lotta Milde of B&H (you may have seen them on YouTube or B&H’s social channels). Tom Baumgaertel (a.k.a. bewaremyfuji) was super helpful when discussing multiple exposure photography. I feel like everyone brought something to the table, and we all learned things from each other. Amanda was surprised how many questions she was asked about social media video trends, and in turn she was able to ask questions related to recording and editing videos. It was an invaluable experience—I’m sure for everyone there, but definitely for myself and Amanda. I hope that Fujifilm does this regularly moving forward.
Tunnel Traffic – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X-T50 – Pacific Blues Recipe – Double Exposure
We returned to New York City from the Catskills on Thursday. The bus dropped us off at our Manhattan hotel, and an hour later Amanda and I strolled over to Foto Care for the X-Summit Experience. The rooftop event was super cool. I got to shake hands with some of you and briefly chat cameras, which was amazing. I met some more talented content creators—photographers and cinematographers—and made some connections.
One highlight was meeting Omar Gonzalez. He was at the event, and we got to talk a little. He had his Fujifilm X-T20 Noir camera with him. I’m a big fan, personally, so it was like meeting a favorite musician or actor or something like that. I kept telling myself to play it cool, just play it cool. Anyway, it was so great to meet him!
Afterwards, I met up with more Fujifilm people, and hung out for awhile. We ate a mustard/sauerkraut pizza at Lions & Tigers & Squares at the suggestion of Shotti—I know it sounds gross (and it’s not something I would normally even try), but it was easily an all-time top-five favorite for me. The whole trip was so surreal, but especially this day. It was like a dream, except that it actually happened. It was so great to meet everyone and make a lot of new connections.
I have a lot more to share, but this is enough for today. I want to give a big “thank you” to Fujifilm North America for loaning me the camera, inviting me out for the retreat and event, and the first-class treatment. I’m so glad that I could meet the team, and I hope that we can work together more in the future.
I’ve received a ton of feedback following the “Kodak Retina” video that I published two days ago. It was controversial, just as I thought it would be. While it was a joke, it was also inherently dishonest (up to the point where I came clean, which was early on). Most people seemed to understand that it was comedy. The vast majority of the feedback I received was positive, with a lot of “lol” comments and laughing emojis. Some people didn’t like it, though, and didn’t “get” the humor. A few people said some really unnecessarily mean things. A little bit of the negative feedback was constructive criticism, and so that’s actually positive, and much appreciated.
There were a few different ideas behind the video, and various things that I wanted to accomplish with it. I think it would be worthwhile to explain them to you, so that maybe they’re better understood. If you haven’t yet seen the video, I’ve included it below. You can also find it on the Fuji X Weekly YouTube channel.
First, the video was a gag. It was supposed to be funny. If you follow me on social media, you already know that I have a sense of humor—typically a dry one. If you’ve ever seen videos with two guys sitting down sipping coffee, telling each other “dad jokes” while trying not to laugh… that’s my type of humor. Some people suggested that my video would have been a great April Fools prank, and I agree. It definitely would have been. I didn’t want to wait for April 1st because I figured I wasn’t the only one with this idea (using the TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 limited edition yellow/orange lens to make a Kodak-looking camera), so I wanted to beat anyone else doing something similar to the punch(line). Also, Kodak’s new Super 8 camera has people thinking Kodak right now. The timing was right for this video, despite the date; however, it would have been more obviously comedic had it been released on April 1st (I will have to come up with another idea for that date).
Second, I wanted this video to attract people who would not normally click on content about Fujifilm gear. This is something I’ve been thinking about for a few months now. I’ve known for awhile now that Film Simulation Recipes which mimic Kodak emulsions are the most popular, but I never really thought of the deeper implications of this. It makes perfect sense: Kodak was a more popular film manufacturer than Fuji. However, I think some people overlook Fujifilm cameras simply because it is Fujifilm. It’s not that they have anything against Fuji, it’s just that it’s not [insert brand name here]. The point of the gag was more than just for a good laugh, but to perhaps get a few people who would otherwise ignore Fujifilm to take a closer look, and to discover what they’ve been missing.
Third, I wanted to provide to you a sampling of photographs that demonstrate how well various Kodak-like Film Simulation Recipes perform for southwest-America travel photography. I tested out eight Recipes, and shared the results. You can see if any of them might work well for you, should you find yourself in a similar photographic situation. The video serves as a micro-review of the Fujifilm X-T5 and TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 for travel, as well.
Fourth, I wanted to give a glimpse of what it’s like to ride the Grand Canyon Railway to the National Park, stay a night at the rim, and return back on the railroad the next day. This video would serve as a mini travel-vlog of the adventure. Perhaps it will be helpful to someone else considering the same thing. While this was a goal of the video, it was not the main point.
Fifth… my family and I love looking back at videos we’ve made over the years of our adventures. This is one that we’ll definitely watch (especially beginning at the 3:07 mark) many times over the coming years as we remember the great time that we had. This is a huge bonus for me.
I hope that this explanation helps to shed some light on the exact purpose—why I made this video.
Was it successful? Did the video accomplish what I hoped it would? I think so. Most people seemed to find the humor in the hoax. I did’t expect that everyone would find it funny, and some didn’t. Several folks stated that they didn’t appreciate the gag. A few people told me that I need to be more serious with my content. But a couple of people said that they’re going to look into Fujifilm cameras and Film Simulation Recipes. Many of you mentioned that you appreciated the pictures and enjoyed the adventure. And a lot of you laughed. Perhaps it wasn’t a home run, but I do think the video is doing just what I wanted it to.
Introducing the brand-new Kodak Retina digital mirrorless camera! Inside this retro-styled body is a 40-megapixel APS-C BSI CMOS sensor. It has eight built-in presets that mimic classic Kodak film stocks. The pictures from the Kodak Retina look great straight-out-of-camera, no editing needed! This new camera is bold yet beautiful; classic yet modern; digital yet analog.
I was given a pre-production copy of the Kodak Retina camera to try out, and used that as an excuse to visit the majestic Grand Canyon in northern Arizona! I recorded the experience, which I just published to my YouTube channel. The video is my review of the new camera, plus an epic adventure by train to one of the natural wonders of the world. I’ve included it below—you don’t want to miss this one!
The Kodak Retina
Top view of the Kodak Retina
Below are example pictures that I captured on this trip using the eight built-in presets included in the Kodak Retina:
Kodachrome 64
Kodak Retina + Kodachrome 64
Portra 160
Kodak Retina + Portra 160
Portra 400
Kodak Retina + Portra 400
Gold 200
Kodak Retina + Gold 200
Ultramax 400
Kodak Retina + Ultramax 400
Ektachrome E100VS
Kodak Retina + Ektachrome E100VS
Vision3 250D
Kodak Retina + Vision3 250D
Tri-X 400
Kodak Retina + Tri-X 400
At this point, I’m sure you’re already aware that there’s no such thing as a Kodak Retina digital camera. Kodak made Retina film cameras from the 1930’s up to 1970. While Kodak pretty much invented the digital camera, and were an important early innovator of the technology, they never made an interchangeable lens APS-C model. They did produce some full-frame DSLRs in the very early 2000’s, and made an APS-C back for a Nikon SLR in the late 1990’s, and even sold a Micro-Four-Thirds interchangeable-lens mirrorless in 2014 (manufactured by JK Imagining under the Kodak brand name); however, nothing remotely like my faux digital Retina was ever produced by Kodak. This was all just for fun—sorry if I got your hopes up.
The camera is actually a Fujifilm X-T5. That might have been obvious to you. I put some silver tape over the Fujifilm logo, and added a Kodak decal. If you look closely, you can tell that I did that. The lens is a TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 in their limited edition yellow/orange color scheme, which is very Kodak-like; the lens is actually what inspired me to do this project. The camera strap is something I’ve owned for years now, and a red soft-shutter-release completed the look.
I chose those particular Recipes because they mimic popular Kodak emulsions, which seemed appropriate since the X-T5 was disguised as a Kodak camera. You can find them—and over 300 more—in the Fuji X Weekly App, available for Android and Apple. Consider becoming a Patron subscriber to unlock the best App experience and to support Fuji X Weekly.
My thoughts with this camera were: what if, 15 years ago, Kodak had pivoted, and began making retro-styled mirrorless cameras with built-in film emulation presets? How much different would the industry look like today if they had? While Kodak didn’t pivot, Fujifilm did. Instead of a digital Retina, we have the X-T5. You don’t need Kodak to make this camera, because it already exists. The X-T5 (or any other Fujifilm model), combined with my Film Simulation Recipes, will do what I proposed a digital Kodak Retina would do. Fujifilm is doing what Kodak should have done but didn’t.
Now it’s your turn! What do you think of this project? How much different would the camera industry look today if a digital Kodak Retina actually existed? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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We’re just two days away from the next SOOC Livebroadcast! Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will finish our discussion on Travel Photography, share your pictures (better upload your pictures quick if you haven’t yet), and answer any questions that you might have. It will be a great time, and I hope to see you there!
Join Nathalie and I on Thursday, July 27th, at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, 1:00 PM Eastern. Your participation makes these episodes great, so I hope that you can be there. See you in two days!
If you missed Part 1 of Travel Photography, be sure to watch it. I’ve included it below:
This was the final day of my trip to California’s Central Coast. Only the morning was spent at the ocean—my wife and I took the kids tide pooling, which was a lot of fun. Afterwards we hit the road back home, waving goodbye the Pacific coast.
I love the ocean, and find myself often drawn to it. The central coast of California is probably my favorite stretch of shoreline—such a magical place! I enjoyed time with my family, and the lasting memories we made together. The two days spent with Ken Rockwell and Dave Wyman were great—I captured a bunch of photographs and learned some things. Hopefully I can join in on one of their other tours in the future. This was a good week, and it was sad that it seemed to end so soon. I guess that means I’ll have to return, perhaps for a bit longer next time.
Rocky Water – Pismo Beach, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
The photographs below are in order of when they were captured. The picture at the top of this article, Yellow Kayaks, White Trucks, fits in-between Seaside Home and Blue & Yellow. The second photo, Rocky Water, fits in-between Yellow Kayaks in the Big Blue and Jon & Crab Claw. I hope that you enjoy these pictures, and have appreciated the photographs throughout this series!
Two Seagulls – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Wave on Rocky Coastline – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
Beach Joy – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Crab Grass – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Seaweed Wood – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Yellow Kayaks in the Big Blue – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Jon & Crab Claw – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Urban Dreams
Seaside Home – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Fujicolor 100 Gold
Blue & Yellow – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
One In, One Out – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Superia Premium 400
Sandbag – Pismo Beach, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
White Bike – Santa Barbara, CA – Fujifilm X-E4 & Meike 35mm – Xpro ’62
Montecito Bus – Santa Barbara, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Searching for Something – Santa Barbara, CA – Ricoh GR III – Monochrome Film
Sent by Large Marge – Cabazon, CA – Fujifilm X100V – Kodak Tri-X 400
That’s it! You’ve reached the end of the Central Coast of California tour. I had so much fun, and I hope you did, too!
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