I’ve never been a staunch advocate of In Body Image Stabilization (IBIS). For the 25+ years that I’ve been creating photographs, only in the last four or five years have I even owned a camera with IBIS, and it has had only a minimal effect on my photography. So I’ve had a take it or leave it attitude towards it—nice to have sometimes, but far from essential. Nowadays, most of my cameras have built-in stabilization, including my X-E5, X-T5, X100VI, GFX100S II, X-T4 ES, Ricoh GR IV, and more. I still have many without IBIS, including an X-E4, X-T30, X100V, and some others. Yes, I own way too many cameras.
For the most part, the inclusion or exclusion of stabilization hasn’t had any significant impact on my photography. I’m not much of a videographer; if I were, I’d want IBIS—in fact, my wife is a videographer, and IBIS is essential for her. With that said, I know of several people who have done amazing video work on non-stabilized cameras. If I used long telephoto lenses, I’d want IBIS. I used to own the Fujinon 100-400mm, but I rarely used it, so I sold it—for that lens, IBIS can be helpful. The longer the lens, the more camera shake is exaggerated, and the more important IBIS is for handheld photography; the wider the lens, the less you need the camera to be stabilized.
Fujifilm X100V at 1/3 second exposure handheld
The picture above is nothing special, but, at 1/3 second, I do believe it is the longest I’ve successfully handheld a non-IBIS camera. The leaf shutter in the X100V certainly helped, but mostly I just utilized good techniques, including bracing myself and slowly exhaling as I lightly pressed the shutter release button, which was set on a two-second self-timer. It took several tries to get one sharp result. It was more work than that particular picture was worth, but it does demonstrate that the lack of IBIS isn’t necessarily a major deal.
Aside from that, I could always carry a tripod with me. Even a monopod will potentially offer the stabilization necessary for slow shutter speeds, but a tripod ensures the camera is perfectly still and I’ll get a sharp picture. Before I had cameras with IBIS, I would usually use a tripod for any shutter speed as long as or longer than half the reciprocal focal length of the lens. For example, with a 50mm lens, I can, with good techniques, get a sharp photo as slow as 1/30; anything slower than that needs a tripod. Even in that example, using 1/30th shutter speed with the 50mm lens is definitely pushing the envelope of what I can do, and it might depend on how much coffee I’ve had that day. If the lens is wider, the shutter speed can be slower. For a 12mm lens, 1/8 might not need a tripod, but 1/6 probably does.
I hate carrying tripods. Especially when traveling, or if I have to hike somewhere, the last thing I want is a tripod. When I was younger, carrying a tripod was less of a big deal (and I’m sure they were heavier back then, too), but now that I’m in my mid-40’s, it’s annoying, and I’d rather avoid it. That’s where IBIS comes in handy. I can go slower and not think twice about it. I don’t have to utilize crazy techniques. I can leave the tripod at home, and just enjoy photography—the camera will take care of my shakiness.
So even though I’m not a big IBIS advocate, and it’s still a feature that 99% of the time I see as nonessential for me, it can certainly be quite handy. It was definitely nice to have on my recent trip to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where I utilized it a number of times for flowing streams and waterfall pictures. I don’t think that every camera needs to have IBIS; however, when I’m packing my camera bag for an adventure, if I think I might be shooting in low-light situations or want a slow shutter speed for effect, you better believe that at least one of my bodies will be stabilized. Having at least one camera with IBIS is good to have.
One item on my “bucket list” was to visit the Great Smoky Mountains in the fall. Two weeks ago I was able to check that one off; however, I was a little early for the peak autumn show. The trees were only just starting to show fall colors, with little pops here and there. I’ll have to try again sometime in the future, and hopefully time it just a little better. Even though I was a week or two early, it was still an amazing place to visit, and I’m so glad that I was able to go.
I created the Vivid Velvia Film Simulation Recipe in preparation for the trip, intending to use it on this adventure. My two favorite Velvia-based Recipes are The Rockwell and Velvia Film. The Rockwell Recipe, named after Ken Rockwell and designed to be similar to his aesthetic (he actually used it!), is very bold and a bit over-the-top, sometimes a smidge too much. The Velvia Film Recipe, which is a part of the Film Dial universal Recipe set, is very nice, but occasionally not bold enough. This Recipe is intended to bridge the gap between the two, sitting right in-between both of them. It’s a slightly less over-the-top alternative to The Rockwell, and a slightly more bold version of Velvia Film; overall, it’s similar to both.
After using this Vivid Velvia Recipe quite extensively on the trip, I’m very happy with the results. It does well in a variety of situations, including nighttime photography. Obviously, this is not a good choice for portraits, but it’s one of the best options for colorful landscape pictures. This Recipe is compatible with “newer” X-Trans IV cameras (Fujifilm X-T4, X-S10, X-E4, and X-T30 II), all fifth-generation X-Trans models (X-H2s, X-H2, X-T5, X-S20, X100VI, X-T50, X-M5, X-E5, and X-T30 III), and “newer” GFX cameras (GFX100S, GFX100S II, GFX100 II, and GFX100RF).
Film Simulation: Velvia Dynamic Range: DR400 Grain Effect: Weak, Small Color Chrome Effect: Strong Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak White Balance: Auto Ambience Priority, +1 Red & -3 Blue Highlight: -1 Shadow: -1 Color: +4 Sharpness: +1 High ISO NR: -4 Clarity: +3 ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400 Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +1 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured using this Vivid Velvia Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-E5:
Rotary Club – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Lights Left On – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Cold Drinks – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
White House – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5
Abandoned Garage – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Sky Tram – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Compass Tower – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Fall Colors – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Fall Bridge – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Fall Trees – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-E5
Pine Trees – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5
Sunlight through Tree Branches – Canton, GA – Fujifilm X-E5
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While at Create With Us in Minneapolis last weekend, I struck up a conversation with a photographer who had a Fujifilm X half (also called X-HF1). My wife, Amanda, was there, and she made an interesting point about the camera. “With the X half, you get pictures that no other camera can make,” she said, “and you get them instantly.”
Now, technically speaking, you can achieve similar aesthetics without the Fujifilm X-HF1, whether it’s a 110 film camera, a half-frame film camera, or editing digital files to resemble X half images. On other X-series models, you can get pretty close because you have access to the various Film Simulations and some of the Filters (an Instax Evo is necessary for the Filters you don’t have—I hope Fujifilm brings these to the other X-series cameras in the future). The larger point is: these looks are easily and instantaneously achieved on the X half, and they’re at least a little more difficult to get—if not much more difficult—with other gear.
Now you might not like the look of X half images. While the colors are often quite similar to other X-series models, there’s an obvious quality difference. Photos from the X-HF1 are more lofi—more lomography-like—than those from (say) the Fujifilm X-E5. You might consider Fujifilm’s APS-C line to have a 35mm film quality, while the X half is more like 110 film. If you wince at X half pictures, that’s a big sign that you won’t like the camera, and it’s not for you—no single model is for everyone. Personally, I really like the photos.
The problem in my house is that we only have one X half; however, both my wife and I like it and use it. All four of my kids have been eyeing it, too. I think we’re going to need at least one more. It’s such a fun camera, especially for vacation snapshots and things like that. It won’t replace our other models, like the X-T5 or X-S20 (what Amanda is using now), and it certainly won’t replace my X100VI, but it is a pocketable tagalong that’s quite enjoyable and gives instant results that you just can’t get (at least not as easily) with anything else.
Above: Various pictures captured with the Fujifilm X half
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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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I’m hesitant to write this review, because the Fujifilm X half is paradoxical. There’s a lot about it that’s conflicting. You can say this aspect of it is great for a certain group of people, but this aspect of it is not. This might be the most unique digital camera ever made, so it’s going to get a lot of attention, but also a lot of criticism. Trying to figure out who will most appreciate the X half (also called X-HF1) has been an intriguing endeavor.
To be completely transparent, it’s important for me to tell you upfront that Fujifilm sent me an X half to keep. Yea! Thank you, Fujifilm. I didn’t pay a dime for the camera. But I did have an X half preordered, so I was planning to spend money on one. I’m doing my best to not let my impressions be colored by Fujifilm’s kind generosity.
There are a few things that are unique about X-HF1. The headline is the vertically-mounted 1″ sensor. As far as I know, this is the very first camera to have a vertical sensor, all others are horizontal—that is, aside from cellphones. A lot of people—younger people especially—tend to photograph vertically on their cellphones, so it was just a matter of time before a camera would have a tall sensor. The X half is revolutionary because it’s the very first. I suspect there will be more in the future, and Fujifilm won’t be the only brand. Speaking of 1″ sensors, the name is a bit misleading. The surface area of a so-called 1″ sensor is the same as old 1″ Vidicon vacuum tube television cameras. So the name (“one inch”) has to do with the tube size of TV cameras from the ’50’s, ’60’s and ’70’s, and not the dimensions of the sensor.
The inspiration for the X half—and where the name comes from—are half-frame film cameras, like the Fujica Half, Olympus Pen, Kodak H35N, and Pentax 17. These cameras use half of a 35mm frame for each picture, orientated tall. Some medium-format cameras also are natively portrait orientated. Cameras that capture vertical photos are not new, but they are new in the digital age. Of course it has to be said that the X-HF1’s sensor isn’t half the size of a full-frame sensor, or even half the size of APS-C; no, the X half‘s “half” is not a mathematical term, but simply a nod to analog half-frame cameras. The 3:4 aspect ratio is also the same as half-frame cameras.
Like a half-frame film camera, the X half is capable of creating diptychs, which are two frames side-by-side combined into one image. You can do this easily in-camera using the Frame Advance Lever, or after-the-fact using the new X half app. It’s a heck-of-a-lot of fun, but I imagine that the novelty will wear off after awhile. While it will put a (customizable) bar in-between the two frames, I wish it had the option for a boarder around the whole image like in the examples above, which was done using a third-party app. Maybe Fujifilm will add this feature to the X half app in the future.
The X-HF1 is as minimalistic as it gets in the X-series. The menu has been simplified and streamlined, and a lot of settings have been left out. You cannot use Film Simulation Recipes with this camera, only the stock Film Simulations and Filters. Not all of the Film Sims made the cut, but most of them are there: Provia, Velvia, Astia, Classic Chrome, Reala Ace, Classic Negative, Nostalgic Negative, Eterna, Acros (include +Ye, +R & +G), and Sepia. I would rather have Eterna Bleach Bypass over Sepia, but it’s a good group overall. There are a whole bunch of Filters (called Advanced Filters on other X-series cameras), some of which are borrowed from the Instax Evo cameras. My favorites are Pop Color, Light Leak, Expired Film, and Retro. These cannot be used in addition to Film Simulations—it’s one or the other, and not both. The list of Filters is quite long, and I don’t have an interest in most of them, so I wish that you could customize which ones are available, to make it easier to find and select the ones you actually want to use.
Above: Pop Color Filter
Above: Light Leak Filter
Above: Expired Film Filter
Above: Retro Filter
Pop Color is reminiscent of Fujichrome Fortia. I’d actually like to see it graduate to Film Simulation status. Light Leak, as well as filters like Halation and Vignette, should become JPEG options on other X-series cameras, that can be added to any Film Simulation. Expired Film and Retro should be added as Advanced Filters. Of the three Expired Film options, Green and Neutral are my favorites.
The only customizations that are available are Grain, Portrait Enhancer (which I believe is just Smooth Skin Effect renamed), White Balance (but no WB Shift), and Long Exposure NR. One cool thing is that these are also applied to the Filters, and not just the Film Simulations—I’d love for that to make its way to other X-series cameras. Beyond that, the Film Simulations and Filters cannot be customized to achieve various looks, which is a real bummer for someone like me who uses Recipes extensively.
Top left: Weak / Small Grain. Top right: Strong / Large Grain. Bottom: Actual Ilford Delta P3200 film
I enjoy a little grain in my photos. It adds texture that’s been common in photography for much of its existence. The X-HF1 has faux grain, with four options: Weak/Small, Weak/Large, Strong/Small, and Strong/Large. Grain set to Weak/Small on the X half is a little more pronounced than Strong/Large is on (for example) the X100VI. I wish that there was a less strong option than Weak/Small, because it’s borderline too much; however, since there’s not, I used it almost exclusively. Strong/Large is a bit ridiculous, and is reminiscent of the grain of ultra-high ISO films like Ilford Delta P3200. If you want to achieve an Ilford Delta P3200 look, the X half isn’t far off at all when Grain is set to its maximum parameters.
Another word about Grain is that it slows the camera down, much like Clarity on other X-series cameras. I found this to be odd, and my theory is that when Grain is applied, so is Clarity (maybe -2). I tried to prove this, but couldn’t, so I might be completely wrong. I have another theory that—for Film Simulations, at least, and maybe for Filters—Color is increased as exposure is increased, and is reduced as the exposure is reduced. I also tried to prove this, but got mixed results, so I’m not certain if this is how the camera is programmed, or just a natural effect of over and under exposure.
Above: Classic Negative
The camera seems to apply a heavy-handed noise reduction, and then a heavy-handed sharpening to compensate. I would love to have some control over this, as it’s not my favorite approach. It might be necessary, though, since the X-HF1 has a Bayer sensor instead of X-Trans. One benefit of X-Trans that doesn’t get discussed enough is that it allows noise to be more easily identified and controlled; Fujifilm uses this to make it more film-grain-like, and less of a nuisance. Since this is a Bayer camera, it might require a little stronger noise reduction.
Another benefit of X-Trans is that it has more green pixels (55%, compared to 50% on Bayer), which allows for more luminosity information. This provides a little more dynamic range and high-ISO capabilities. On the X half, dynamic range is quite limited. I would say it’s roughly comparable to DR100 with Highlight and Shadow set to +0.5 on other X-series cameras. It’s fairly easy to clip highlights and/or block up shadows, and is a little like slide film in this regard. Since this camera is JPEG-only (no RAW), you have to be very careful about the exposure.
Above left: ISO 1600. Above right: ISO 4000
I found that I prefer ISO 400 and below on the X half, reminiscent of Sigma Merrill cameras, which has a similar limitation. In a pinch you can go higher, especially if the picture will only be shared to social media, but I tried my best to keep the ISO at or below ISO 400 whenever possible. Because the maximum aperture of the lens is “only” f/2.8, when the sun goes down it can be very challenging to use the camera.
The X-HF1 does have a built-in flash, albeit not a great one. It doesn’t have a hotshoe, only a coldshoe. Flash photography is, unfortunately, not ideal on this camera, which is too bad, since it has a leaf shutter. If Fujifilm someday makes a second version, I hope that it either has a proper flash or a hotshoe (or both), as this current setup is mediocre at best. I kept the flash off most of the time.
Above: Flash photography on the X half
One really cool feature is called Film Camera Mode. You select either 36, 54, or 72 shots, and you are dedicated to that mode until you’ve completed your “roll of film”—which is whatever Film Simulation you chose. I do wish that 24 was an option, as it takes awhile to finish a roll. You cannot review the photos until they’ve been “developed” in the X half app. In this mode, the X-HF1 functions similarly to point-and-shoot film cameras from the 1990’s. You have to use the Frame Advance Lever in-between shots. It’s a ton of fun, but also challenging, because you have no idea if you correctly exposed, focused, or even if you framed it well. I kept forgetting to take the lens cap off, too. My daughter coined the 72 shot roll as the 72 exposure challenge. I’d love for that to become a community-driven trend, where people post their best frames from their 72 exposure “roll” on social media, with the hashtag #72exposurechallenge.
It would be nice if you could use the various Filters in this mode, and not just the Film Simulations. ***Edit: I was on a pre-production firmware; however, after updating to the latest version, I can now use Filters in the Film Camera Mode. Yea! Sorry for the confusion.*** Another thing I’d appreciate is that whatever ISO you have selected is carried over to the Film Camera Mode. Unfortunately, you only get Auto ISO up to ISO 12800, which is totally unusable whenever it goes that high. Fortunately, your Grain and White Balance settings are carried over, so be sure to set those before starting.
Above: X half contact sheet and various frames
Once you develop your “roll” in the app, you get a contact sheet. It would be great if you could long-press on a frame, and it would give you the option of saving that frame with the sprockets, or that frame plus the one next to it (on either side, unless it’s the end of the strip), or the whole strip. Instead, you have to crop the contact sheet in order to accomplish that. But I’m a huge fan of the contact sheet in-general, it’s a really cool idea.
Overall, I enjoyed using the Film Camera Mode, but I found myself not using it as much as the regular shooting mode because you have to be in the mood for it. One of the challenges that I appreciate about the X-HF1 is finding the “right” Film Simulation or Filter, combined with the “best” White Balance, to convey the mood of the scene most appropriately. The X half is so simple that a three-year-old could use it, but to get the most out of it requires thinking a little more deeply about things that are easily taken for granted. It’s been one of the most simple yet most challenging cameras I’ve ever used—the paradox I mentioned in the opening sentence.
Fujifilm X half – Acros Film Simulation
The X half is capable of recording video, but it’s very mediocre. Someone will use it creatively just to prove the point that it can be done, but I think Fujifilm probably should have just left off video, which would have made an interesting statement. Or else, maybe do a faux 8mm thing with sprockets and light leaks and such—that would have been really cool. Food for thought for the next iteration, if there is one someday.
Who should consider buying this camera? I think there are a few obvious answers. First, the X-HF1 has a foot in both the X-series and the Instax world. For those unaware, Instax is bigger than X and GFX combined. I talked to a bunch of people—probably close to ten—who own an Instax camera yet don’t own any X-series model, and they were all highly interested in the X half. Six different people told me that it’s the only Fujifilm camera they want, aside from Instax. The X half is an obvious bridge into the X-series for these folks. Also, some people who shoot point-and-shoot film cameras but are tired of the cost of film will find this to be an intriguing option. At $25 to $50+ per roll (including development and scanning), it won’t take long for the X half to pay for itself. The X-HF1 is sort of like a digital 110 camera, and almost lomography-esque, so it’s not difficult to see the appeal. Third, digicams are all the rage right now among younger people, and this camera can be considered in that category, too.
Above: Various pictures captured with the Fujifilm X half
What about current X-series photographers? What about someone like me? The camera is a blast. It’s so much fun. But it’s a toy. It’s not a serious camera for serious photography (I’m sure someone will use it in a serious way just to prove the point that it can be). It’s great for casual snapshots. I used it extensively during nearly three weeks of travel, and it was my most-used camera during that time, even more than my Fujifilm X100VI. I have so many more pictures that I could share, this is only a small sampling. It’s so easy to always have on you, and I would rather use the X half than my iPhone, if only for the tactile experience and Fujifilm colors. If you think you’d enjoy it, it’s probably worthwhile to get. If you wonder why anyone would buy it, it’s probably not for you, and it’s easy to move on.
The biggest criticism is going to be the price. In America, the X half is a steep $850. Across the rest of the world, it’s roughly equivalent to $700 USD. Unfortunately, this was the first camera to include the new tariffs in the price (although Canon and Nikon have just implemented some price increases, and Sony will soon, too), so it’s a bit shocking. Some people will say it should be $200 or $300, and that’s highly unrealistic—just absurd and not even close to any level of reality. Some will say it should be $500, and I’d agree with that if it were pre-Covid; however, there’s been a lot of inflation since then. I believe that $650 to $700 is a fair price. $850 is a little much, but that’s largely not Fujifilm’s fault; hopefully the tariff situation will get resolved soon, and Fujifilm can drop the price to where it should be. I don’t know if that will happen, though, and if the camera sells really well at its current price, there may not be a reason to reduce it.
Above: Various diptych pictures captured with the Fujifilm X half
The last thing that I want to address is the inability to use Film Simulation Recipes with this camera. Recipes are a pretty big thing in the Fujifilm world—the brand-new X-E5 actually uses the word “Recipe” in the camera menu. I appreciate excellent straight-out-of-camera results. While I would love to be able to customize the looks more in the X half, you can still get good picture aesthetics with the limited tools available in the camera. The photography continuum has been leaning towards less editing for a few years now, and this camera is just a natural and seemingly inevitable expression of that.
There’s a lot to like about the Fujifilm X half, and a lot that can be questioned. You have to accept the camera for what it is and forgive it for not being what it’s not; otherwise, it might grind on your nerves. But, for certain, the camera is very enjoyable, and it offers a unique shooting experience not found anywhere else. If you want the X half experience, you have to have an X half. But that unique experience will not appeal to everyone, and maybe not even to most X-series photographers. I do believe this camera will be quite successful, and will bring many people into the X-series fold, mainly from groups that the camera industry has largely ignored. This will be the first X-series camera for a number of people, and someday some of those people will upgrade to a more premium model, perhaps an X-M5, X-E5, or X100VI. I think all of that is very good. It’s quite obvious to me that the Fujifilm X-HF1 will be a trendy camera, especially among younger photographers, and you’re soon going to see X half pictures all over TikTok and Instagram.
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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.
Across the Grand Expanse – Grand Canyon, AZ – Fujifilm X-T5 – Kodachrome 64
When it comes to travel photography, nothing quite matches Fujifilm’s Classic Chrome film simulation. Inspired by Kodak’s color slide films—such as Kodachrome and Ektachrome—that were commonly used for documentary photography, Classic Chrome delivers muted tones, rich contrast, and a subtle warmth that evoke the look of classic photojournalism. Whether you’re exploring bustling cities, vast landscapes, or quiet villages, this film simulation brings a distinct analog feel reminiscent of past eras to your images.
The magic of Classic Chrome for travel photography is that it adapts well to various lighting environments, from golden-hour sunsets to harsh midday light to dreary overcast scenes to neon nightscapes. The balance of true-to-life yet expressive colors and rich contrast make it perfect for unpredictable travel conditions, enhancing the mood of a scene, and producing images with a timeless and immersive feel. Classic Chrome doesn’t exaggerate colors—it enhances them in a way that lets the subject take center stage.
Whether you’re capturing a quaint coastal town, the details of a historic city, the vastness of a dusty desert, the vibrancy of a street market, or the bustle of an urban sidewalk, Classic Chrome adapts beautifully. It provides a vintage, editorial look that is just as effective for street photography as it is for landscapes. This film simulation enhances the story within the image, where emotion and authenticity matter more than exaggerated aesthetics.
Classic Chrome is the most popular film simulation among those who use Film Simulation Recipes, and it’s easy to understand why. With 90 Classic Chrome Recipes in the Fuji X Weekly App, there’s bound to be a few that match your style. If you’re unsure which ones to try, below are 10 Recipes that are quite excellent for travel photography.
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
This article pits the Fujifilm X-T50 and Fujifilm X-T30 head-to-head on an autumn photowalk in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Just to warn you, this will likely be the most unfair camera comparison anywhere on the internet. Nonetheless, I hope that you find it worthwhile, or at least enjoyable.
Fujifilm introduced the X-T30 in February of 2019. It features a 26mp X-Trans IV sensor, and was Fujifilm’s mid-tier SLR-styled camera until it was replaced by the nearly identical X-T30 II in November of 2021. Fujifilm announced the X-T50 in May of this year. It features a 40mp X-Trans V sensor and IBIS, as well as the contentious Film Dial. While it is not the X-T30 II’s successor (I assume that means an X-T30 III is a possibility in the future), the two models are clearly in the same family. They are similar in size and design, but the X-T50 is slightly larger and heavier (to accommodate IBIS), with rounded corners and is more expensive. According to the spec sheets, the X-T50 is better in pretty much every aspect, but not necessarily by leaps and bounds. Overall, these two cameras are pretty similar for stills photography; however, for video, the X-T50 is the winner.
This last Saturday, Bryan Minear and I cohosted a photowalk in Ann Arbor in conjunction with PROCAM and Fujifilm. We had an excellent turnout: I counted 48 people, including myself and Bryan. The weather was nice—a nearly perfect crisp autumn morning—and the scenery beautiful. It was a massive success, and just a ton of fun. It was so great to meet those who came out!
One especially great aspect of this photowalk for me is that my seven-year-old daughter, Johanna, was able to join us. I gave her my Fujifilm X-T30 to photograph with, set with the Kodak Portra 400 v2 Film Simulation Recipe. I’ve let her use some of my old digicams before, but not a “nice” camera like the X-T30. I wasn’t sure how well she would do with it, but gave her a quick tutorial and let her have at it. Honestly, she stole the show.
Above left: Johanna with an X-T30, captured by me with an X-T50 using the Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm Recipe; Above right: me with an X-T50, captured by Bryan Minear with a GFX100S II.
I bet you can already see where this article is going. Yes, this totally unfair camera shootout is between myself with a Fujifilm X-T50 and Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 lens and my seven-year-old daughter with a Fujifilm X-T30 and TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 lens. Even though I had the better gear, I had absolutely no chance of winning. Johanna—with an X-T30—won in a landslide. We’ll get to the pictures in just a moment.
The Fujifilm X-T30 has a few fewer film simulations and JPEG options than the X-T50, but it is still a very, very capable camera. Even in the hands of a child, it can capture excellent images. Between the two, I’ll grab the X-T50 every time; however, if I were trying to decide to buy an X-T50 or X-T30 II, that would be a much tougher decision—the X-T30 II is a better value, while the X-T50 is a little more capable. I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Between a used X-T30 and brand-new X-T30 II, I would lean towards the X-T30 II due to Classic Negative and other firmware upgrades.
Above, top-left: by Rickey White. Above, bottom-right: by Bryan Minear. Above, all others: by my wife, Amanda Roesch. Amanda used a Fujifilm X-T5 + Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 lens + Fujicolor Negative Recipe.
The reason why I declared Johanna the winner is because I’m her dad (she was always going to win… I never had a chance—all the dads out there understand), and also because young children are oftentimes good photographers. They are naturally curious and creative. They don’t think about all the “rules” and what they “shouldn’t” do; instead, they’re just having fun. Also, their perspective is so much different—quite literally, because they are smaller, but also figuratively—so it’s a completely different take from what most adults see—they notice things that others completely overlook. If you have a child, I definitely recommend allowing them to photograph with you sometimes. Don’t be afraid to let them borrow one of your cameras (I know, it’s a risk… my oldest son dropped and broke one of mine when he was little). Those experiences might be pivotal for them, and at the least it’s something you both will remember and cherish for many years.
Below are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured during the Ann Arbor photowalk by Johanna using a Fujifilm X-T30 and the Kodak Portra 400 v2 Recipe and by me using a Fujifilm X-T50 and the Film Dial Recipes.
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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