Fujifilm
“The camera is a beauty. It feels perfect in the handand looks cool”
every shot. It was like the good old days again – take the photo and move on to the next one, without the distraction of ‘chimping’. I was forced into trusting my experience. After a few shots, I pretty much stopped thinking about it and concentrated on the shooting. I only had a look at the results once I got home. It was mindfulness in action. The XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LMWR I used is a bigger and heavier lens than the lens I’m used to, so I noticed it a bit more in walking around, but it’s still smaller and more portable than the equivalent on a DSLR. The XF16-55mm seemed to focus quicker than my XF18-55mm and didn’t hunt much, which is vital for quick reactions, and the constant f/2.8 aperture helps with that I’m sure. I tended not to use wider apertures on this test, but for my family work, this lens would be perfect. It could be the one that
all over England. I did that with a Fujifilm X-Pro1. I loved the freedom of having minimal gear, after being used to heavy backpacks loaded with equipment for my day job. The minute I saw the X-Pro1, I loved it. There’s just something special about the retro design. I bought one and fell in love with it. When the X-Pro2 was released, I upgraded. When the X-Pro3 was released, I was tempted, but I was disappointed that the rear LCD screen was hidden. So, Make the Switch was the perfect opportunity to see if it could finally replace Canon as my work camera, too. I tried it with the XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LMWR zoom. I own the XF18-55mm f/2.8-4, so I also wanted to see if the pro version was worth switching to. I wanted to shoot what I normally do, wandering and seeing what catches my eye, so one compact camera and one lens was perfect.
and lighter, and though it’s more of a rangefinder design, the X-Pro3 takes me back to that feeling. Just as with the X-Pro and X-Pro2, I love the dials for changing shutter speed and exposure compensation (which I use a lot). They click! They feel mechanical and analogue, and just much more tactile than my DSLR. It makes me feel that it’s me making the adjustments, rather than a chip. Out shooting, the X-Pro3 felt similar to my X-Pro 2 in size and handling, the main difference being the hidden LCD screen. My fear about that was completely unfounded. In fact, the opposite turned out to be true. I loved not having the image in my face after
As soon as I received the X-Pro3, I went out to shoot. No wasting time with instructions and settings – I just wanted to get going! I wandered around Lincoln for hours – I think I covered something like 20 miles in the time I had this camera. No clients to please, just myself. The camera is a beauty. The design really suits everything I love about photography, and I honestly think I got better photos with it than I do with my Canons. It feels perfect in the hand and it just looks so cool! It makes me feel like a more artistic photographer. Digital SLRs are big and heavy, and their design has always left me a bit cold. Film SLRs were a lot smaller
28 Photography News | Issue 74
photographynews.co.uk
Powered by FlippingBook