Welcome to the July/August edition of FUJIFILM Focus, your guide to all things Fujifilm! This issue is packed with tips and tricks for summer photography, with advice and techniques covering landscape, street and travel. Get the full lowdown on the new instax mini 13™ and find some top suggestions for travel photography equipment to see you through your next holiday. On top of that, we’ve got a pair of custom Film Simulation recipes, a gallery of reader photos in Life As You See It and much more besides!
Life As You See It
July/August 2026
Also inside… ● Reader gallery ● Guide to the best travel lenses ● Simulation Spotlight
Surf’s up Check out two custom Film Simulation recipes perfect for summer photography Say cheese! We look back on 40 years of the single-use FUJIFILM QuickSnap
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Plus tips, techniques, interviews and images to get you motivated LOOK UP & LEAP IN Uncover your ideal photography kit for a summer of creativity
INSIDE: Advice, inspiration & ideas for everyone who likes picture taking and making
Welcome
This Is FUJIFILM Focus! Welcome to the July/August edition of FUJIFILM Focus – a magazine dedicated solely to the wonderful world of Fujifilm. Available six times a year from the FUJIFILM House of Photography and select retailers, each issue brings you all the key information on our latest releases, alongside a smattering of seasonal tips and tricks to help you get more out of your photography. It’s shaping up to be a long, hot summer, but we’re not letting that get in the way of a good picture. We’ve got tips and tricks for travel, street and landscape photographers in the next few pages, including suggestions on how to use the harsh, flat light of the summer sun to your advantage. Film Simulation aficionados should make sure to catch page 34, where photographers Naoya Takahashi and Dominic Stone have provided a pair of bespoke recipes to suit the heat. Perfect for your next getaway, explore the city streets with Naoya’s Sunburst before cooling off with Dominic’s surf-inspired Pacifica 100. Speaking of holidays, we’ve got some great suggestions for building a travel photography set-up. Head to page 10 for a breakdown of four super X Series travel lenses, before seeing what the FUJIFILM X-T30 III could bring to your next trip on page 28. As always, we’re proud to feature the work of our readers – don’t miss this issue’s community gallery on page 18. Many thanks to everyone who sent their work in; we absolutely love seeing your photos. If you’d like to get your own images into a future issue, find out how to contact us on those pages. All that is just a taster. You can also learn about brand new instax™ products on page 8, take a deep dive into the work of our community contributor on page 24 and discover the history of the first disposable camera to capture the imagination of the masses on page 32. We hope you enjoy this jam-packed summer issue – and look forward to seeing you again in September!
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What’s in This Issue
32 THE 40-YEAR LEGACY OF QUICKSNAP Travel back to 1986 and learn all about the craze sparked by the original FUJIFILM QuickSnap 34 SIMULATION RECIPE BOOK Try out two summery Film Simulation recipes from pro creators 36 SIMULATION SPOTLIGHT Mellow out with ETERNA Bleach Bypass, as we uncover the history behind this unique Film Simulation
14 LOOK UP
03 TRY THIS!
Discover our new campaign and get inspired to look up!
Check out these imaging suggestions to inspire your photographic projects
18 LIFE AS YOU SEE IT
08 WHAT’S NEW
Enjoy a gallery of photos submitted by our readers
Discover new instax™ film, updates to the instax UP!™ app and everything you need to know about the instax mini 13™
24 COMMUNITY FOCUS
Contributor Ana Sêrro showcases her stunning destination lifestyle photos
10 TRAVEL LENSES
28 FUJIFILM X-T30 III – THE
Four fantastic X Series lens options that are worthy of the limited space in your carry-on luggage
PERFECT TRAVEL CAMERA? Everything great about this small but mighty camera
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Ideas
Searching for imaging inspiration? Look no further…
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TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY Your Trip, Your Colours Stock up on Film Simulation recipes to add some flavour to your holiday photography
Once you’ve saved a bank of these settings, you can create stunning photos straight out of camera. Try preparing recipes for a variety of moods and lighting scenarios – perhaps something warm and vivid to make the most of naturally colourful scenes or more muted and stylised for overcast days with flat light. Cameras with a Film Simulation dial – like the FUJIFILM X-E5 and X-M5 – can store user recipes to the custom FS1-FS3 slots, so you can select your favourites even when the camera is off. Other cameras offer quick recipe access via the Q Menu. Head to page 34 for travel-inspired Film Simulation recipes and how to create them.
If you plan to take your camera on holiday this summer, you can add a dose of analogue charm to your travel photos with a bit of extra packing. X Series cameras feature as standard up to 20 Film Simulation modes – retro-inspired colour profiles drawing on Fujifilm’s experience of producing analogue film stocks since 1934. On top of this, our cameras feature a range of image quality settings that allow you to customise these profiles – you can add film grain, adjust your tone curve and set custom white balance settings to refine your look.
After curating your best holiday images, how about creating a photobook of your trip? Customise the size, layout and binding style and come home with a physical record of your trip to leaf through and relive your favourite moments. Scan Relive Your Travels with a Photobook
this QR code to locate the
nearest printing options to you.
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Ideas
If you’re planning on taking in some sweeping views using your camera, consider going wider for a different perspective and a maximalist depiction of your subject. Whether you’re interested in the natural world or a built environment, a wide-angle lens gives you more room to frame it. This field of view is often a challenge to newcomers, as it requires carefully choosing your composition to fill the frame with something compelling. Unfortunately, there’s no magic bullet for mastering the art of composition – it is purely a case of practice makes perfect. We suggest slowing down and taking time to consider the interplay of the different elements of your composition – try to avoid simply pointing and shooting. The hard work does pay off though. There are few things as impressive as a carefully considered view writ large on your sensor through a wide-angle lens. The wide end of a standard zoom is a great place to start exploring perspectives like these. However, if you want to try working with something more specialised, the X Series lens lineup features an extensive range of wide-angle zooms and primes to unleash your creativity. LANDSCAPE & ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY Take a Broad View Go wide for landscapes and architecture this summer
Discover Panoramas
If even your widest lens can’t fully capture the majesty of the view in front of you, try using the panoramic drive mode on your X Series camera. This feature automatically stitches together images as you pan your camera, producing a long,
thin image that can depict a much wider view than you would typically be able to achieve. Scan this QR code for a FUJIFILM Learning Centre article that runs through the whole panoramic drive mode process.
© ANDREI POGREBNYAK
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Ideas
Wide-Angle XF Lenses
Zooms
FUJINON XF8-16mmF2.8 R LM WR
LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Set Up for Success Try these settings for better landscapes
FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR
FUJIFILM X Series cameras have a wealth of settings that can make it easier to achieve better photos. If you are going to dip into some landscape work over the next few months, try out these features.
To use the grid guide on your X Series camera, press MENU/OK and head to SET UP > SCREEN SET-UP > FRAMING GUIDELINE, and choose between a grid of nine or 24 boxes. Also ensure that you navigate to SCREEN SET-UP > DISPLAY CUSTOM SETTINGS and then check the box for FRAMING GUIDELINE – otherwise the grid will not be displayed.
Primes
FUJINON XF14mmF2.8 R
Electronic Level One of the cardinal rules for most landscape photography is to ensure that the horizon is perfectly level. If you want to create impeccably straight frames in-camera, switch on the electronic level setting by pressing MENU/OK and navigating to SET UP > SCREEN SET-UP > ELECTRONIC LEVEL SETTING. Select the 2D setting to display a white line over the EVF and LCD screen that shows you how far the camera is tilted to the left or right. When your composition is perfectly level, the line will change to green. Framing Guideline A grid overlay to help line up your composition is also useful when doing landscape photography.
Improve your compositions with a framing grid and electronic level
FUJINON XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR
For a Learning Centre article on how to frame and expose landscape photographs, scan this QR code.
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Ideas
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY Dial Up the Drama
Photographing summer in the city? Here’s how underexposure can boost shadows
The hot summer months are an ideal time to explore street photography. The atmosphere in our cities varies depending on the temperature and time of day, flitting between restless energy and breathless lethargy. But the harsh summer sun has as much of a striking effect on the quality of light as it does on your subjects. It can be a challenge to handle contrast in flat sunlight, with detail vanishing into your photos’ highlights or shadows. However, the harshness of the shadows in these conditions offers unique imaging opportunities.
Many X Series cameras feature a tactile exposure compensation dial on the top-plate. You can easily explore the effect of reducing your exposure value by turning this dial to a negative value. The brighter portions of your frame will become correctly exposed, while shadowy areas fall away into total darkness. This can boost the drama of your compositions, with human subjects transforming into sharp silhouettes and streaks of overexposed light becoming splashes of rich colour. Even without deep shadows, underexposing slightly in the hard sun can retain the saturation of colourful elements. Bright light washes out colour, so keep your exposure compensation dial in mind when working in natural light to add richness to subjects or accentuate the contrast of your scene.
Lightweight Street Cameras
Classic Controls
FUJIFILM X-T30 III
FUJIFILM X-T50
Rangefinder
FUJIFILM X-E5
FUJIFILM X100VI
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instax™ don’t just take, give.
Ideal instax™ cameras for photo fun during the summer months
instax mini 13™ Packed with helpful features and now sporting a freshly updated design, the new instax mini 13™ picks up exactly where the popular instax mini 12™ left off. Read all about it in more detail on the following page.
instax WIDE 400™ The expansive instax™ WIDE format combines with fully analogue operation for a fun camera that’s perfect for hikes and holidays. Frame up sweeping landscapes and big group photos for lasting memories.
instax mini Evo™ This hybrid camera fuses the creative freedom of digital photography with a built-in instax™ printer for the best of both worlds. Get creative with the camera’s effects or connect up your phone to print your favourite photos.
instax mini Evo Cinema™
The first instax™ video camera, featuring a sixties- inspired vertical handgrip design and an Eras Dial™ that transports you into every decade from the past hundred years.
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What’s New… It’s all instax™ this issue, with a successor to the popular instax mini 12™, fresh instax™ mini film and exciting news for instax UP!™ app users…
instax™
FIVE THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THE instax mini 13™
A playful update to a much-loved instant camera, the instax mini 13™ introduces a fresh design and a host of features to boost self-expression
Bringing a fresh burst of energy to instant photography, the instax mini 13™ builds on the much-loved instax mini 12™ with a playful new look and a load of fresh features. Designed to encourage creativity and self-expression, it’s a camera that makes analogue image making more accessible than ever. New features include the built- in self-timer and camera angle adjustment accessory, alongside “IT CONTINUES THE MISSION OF INSPIRING A NEW GENERATION TO DISCOVER AND EXPLORE INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY”
automatic exposure, flash control and the enhanced Close- Up mode with parallax correction. With these, it’s simple to create beautifully balanced images in a wide range of scenarios. The instax mini 13™ is designed to support each and every creative idea, whether you’re experimenting with composition or creating hands-free group photos. The camera is available now and comes in five vibrant colours. It continues the instax™ mission of inspiring a new generation to discover and explore the endless fun of instant photography.
With a soft, sculpted body, subtle metallic
highlights and five available colours, the instax mini 13™ is ready to match your own unique aesthetic
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New Design The instax mini 13™ is available in Dreamy Purple, Frost Blue, Candy Pink, Lagoon Green and Clay White. It’s designed to stand out while remaining portable. A matching case is available separately for each colour.
instax™
Pastel Galaxy, the new instax™ mini instant film, launches alongside the instax mini 13™. It brings a dreamy, cosmic aesthetic to every print you make, with soft colours and glossy, sparkling accents, perfect for adding something different to any image. The new film adds a creative twist and fun visual edge to your instant photographs, and is available now in packs of ten sheets. New instax™ Deco Film
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Autoexposure With automatic exposure and flash control, the instax mini 13™ intelligently adjusts to your surroundings. This ensures balanced brightness, helping you create well-exposed images without manual adjustments.
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Self-Timer A built-in self-timer offers two- and ten-second options, making it easy to include yourself in group photos or create hands-free selfies – ideal for experimenting with framing and bringing a more personal touch to your images.
instax™
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The free instax UP!™ smartphone app has just received a powerful update, making it easier than ever to digitise and organise your instax™ prints. Using AI-enhanced scanning technology, the app can now more accurately distinguish your prints from their backgrounds, resulting in cleaner, more precise digital copies. Designed to work with your instax™ prints, the instax UP!™ app provides a way to store, manage and share your collection of moments instax UP!™ Photo Scanner App Update
Close-Up Mode The improved Close-Up mode features parallax correction, re- aligning the viewfinder and lens to achieve more accurate framing at 30-50cm. Easily accessed by rotating the lens ring, this helps keep subjects centred.
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Camera Adjustment Accessory Included with the instax mini 13™, this wedge-shaped accessory adjusts the camera angle for stable, hands-free positioning. Combine with the selfie mirror and self-timer for endless fun!
and memories all in one place. Scan the QR code to learn more about the app and install it on your phone.
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Equipment
Go the Distance Four travel lenses that will bring out the best of your journey
G etting away this summer? If so, the last thing you need while tramping through unfamiliar lands is an enormous bag of camera equipment to lug around with you and worry about. If you want to keep your carry weight down and create without distractions, we suggest you bring a maximum of two or three lenses to capture those holiday moments. Of course, your preferred style of photography may dictate the
profile of at least one of those choices if you require something specialist – such as a telephoto lens for wildlife photography or a wide-aperture prime that’s specially tuned for portraiture. For more general use, however, the X Series lens line-up includes an amazing selection of versatile zooms and primes that are ideal travel companions for exploring your destination. Read on for a selection of top travel lens picks.
FUJINON XF16- 80mmF4 R OIS WR A true all-rounder lens that offers an extensive 5x optical zoom range, the FUJINON XF16-80mmF4 R OIS WR is a practical option for a huge range of imaging applications – making it a great choice for the full spectrum of subjects likely to be snapped by a typical travel photographer. With a constant F4 maximum aperture, up to 6.0 stops of Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and a 35cm minimum focusing distance throughout the zoom range, the XF16-80mmF4 offers stunningly versatile performance. What’s more, all of this is housed in a fully weather-resistant build weighing 440g – for handling you can rely on and the ultimate in peace of mind.
Specifications
● Lens construction: 16 elements in 12 groups (includes 3 aspherical and 1 ED aspherical element) ● Focal length: 16-80mm (24- 122mm full-frame equivalent) ● Angle of view: 83.2-20.1° ● Aperture: F4-22 ● Number of blades: 9 ● Focus range: 35cm-∞ ● Max. magnification: 0.25x ● Dimensions (DxL): 78.3x88.9mm (wide)/131.5mm (telephoto) ● Weight: 440g ● Filter size: 72mm
Great for: Travel, landscapes, street, architecture, portraits, details, video
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Equipment
FUJINON XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR
Perfect for taking in the view, the FUJINON XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR is a wide-angle prime that delivers professional performance. If your favourite thing to do while travelling is photograph sweeping landscapes and cityscapes, this lens provides a tasteful 27mm full-frame equivalent focal length, giving ample space to frame up your surroundings while avoiding exaggerated distortion. A linear motor delivers blistering autofocus speeds, while the bright F1.4 aperture and close focusing distance of 20cm combine to offer expressive creations with beautiful bokeh. The low-light performance is also impressive, while the weather- sealed construction offers reliable use even in dusty and damp conditions. All of this weighs in at just 370g.
Great for: Travel, landscapes, architecture, street, interiors, low light
Specifications
● Lens construction: 15 elements in 9 groups (includes 3 aspherical and 1 ED elements) ● Focal length: 18mm (27mm full-frame equivalent) ● Angle of view: 76.5° ● Aperture: F1.4-16 ● Number of blades: 9 ● Focus range: 20cm-∞ ● Max. magnification: 0.15x ● Dimensions (DxL): 68.8x75.6mm ● Weight: 370g ● Filter size: 62mm
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Equipment
FUJINON XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR Sitting between a full-blooded
Great for: Travel, landscapes, architecture, street, interiors, low light
wide angle and a standard prime, the FUJINON XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR delivers a full-frame equivalent focal length of 35mm. This offers the same perspective used by the fixed-lens FUJIFILM X100 series, which has long been favoured by street, travel and everyday photographers due to its broad utility and creative freedom. The lens features an advanced optical design and a rapid, linear- actuated autofocus motor for truly exceptional imaging performance. A fast F1.4 maximum aperture delivers excellent low-light images, while a weather-sealed construction of only 375g makes the XF23mmF1.4 an excellent choice for intrepid travellers who don’t want to get weighed down.
Specifications
● Lens construction: 15 elements in 10 groups (includes 2 aspherical and 3 ED aspherical elements) ● Focal length: 23mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) ● Angle of view: 63.4° ● Aperture: F1.4-16 ● Number of blades: 9 ● Focus range: 19cm-∞ ● Max. magnification: 0.2x ● Dimensions (DxL): 67x77.8mm ● Weight: 375g ● Filter size: 58mm
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Equipment
FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR A more compact option that delivers a full-frame equivalent focal length of 53mm, the FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR could happily live on your camera for an entire trip if you enjoy working with the ‘nifty 50’ focal length. Weighing in at only 170g and measuring less than 5cm from tip to tail, this optic pairs perfectly with portable X Series camera options such as the FUJIFILM X-T30 III, X-E5 and X-T50, while the weather-resistant construction means you can be confident using it even in downpours and dusty conditions. Despite the lightweight design, the XF35mmF2’s optical construction resolves with amazing clarity across the entire frame, while the bright F2 maximum aperture delivers smooth bokeh for natural subject separation when creating portraits and close- ups. All of this combines to make a versatile and reliable standard lens for photographers when on the move.
Specifications
● Lens construction: 9 elements in 6 groups (includes two aspherical elements) ● Focal length: 35mm (53mm full-frame equivalent) ● Angle of view: 44.2° ● Aperture: F2-16 ● Number of blades: 9 ● Focus range: 35cm-∞ ● Max. magnification: 0.135x ● Dimensions (DxL): 60x45.9mm ● Weight: 170g ● Filter size: 43mm
Great for: Travel, landscapes, architecture, street, portraits, details
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Y ou’re here, right now. into was meant to connect you, but it removed you from where you are. It introduced apathy. It trained you to keep looking, but never truly see. Take a breath and look up. What you’ll see won’t give you instant gratification. But it’ll be ever more rewarding. If you just look up, then you’ll see. The world you’re plugged That’s what owning a camera does. It spurs reflection on what you see, how to frame your vision, where to point your lens, when to click the shutter. And when you look through the lens, you don’t see the world as it should look. Instead, you see it for what it is, right in front of you, flaws and all. At Fujifilm, we create for intention. We pull you back into the present, with tactile design and physical controls. Dials you have to turn, decisions you have to make, time you have to give. We’re the only film company who’ve mastered digital. All our cameras ground you in the moment – and make that moment almost tangible. They restore
presence. They give you agency over how you see, how you feel and how you remember. Take It In We’re launching our Look Up campaign to encourage people to tune out the noise and be more mindful of the world around them. Photography allows us to press pause on life and explore its finer details. It’s this ability that helps photographers train their eye to notice the small things – the quality of light, the colour of a wall, a fleeting moment where multiple elements serendipitously align. If you want to begin your own photography journey, we can help you on your way. Until 29 September, we’re offering an extended four-day hire of X Series and GFX System cameras and
lenses free of charge. Simply use the code ‘LookUp’ on our loans system to access this offer. Scan the QR code to learn more.
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Look Up
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Look Up
Putting the intangible quality of film photography into a digital system, these lightweight cameras connect you to your subject and craft in a way few other devices can. FUJIFILM X Series
FUJIFILM X-T30 III
FUJIFILM X100VI
FUJIFILM GFX System
Experience more. Our GFX System cameras have the same tactile design language but use a vast imaging surface in order to furnish every image with incredible depth.
FUJIFILM GFX100S II
FUJIFILM GFX100RF
Get to know your next camera. Use the code ‘ LookUp ’ to access a free four-day loan.
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Look Up
Change How You See the World We want to build a home for people who are excited to go out and share their authentic depictions of the world around them. Not the perfect, social-media-ready version of the world that we’ve all come to expect, but the one that’s actually in front of us. There is beauty in mundanity, and order to be found in chaos; this is the role of a photographer. Want to get started? You’re already in the right place. We originally created this magazine as somewhere for our community to get inspired and share their images. Our gallery of reader submissions is called Life As You See It, because that’s what we want people to show us. Make sure to check out this issue’s collection of photos – starting on the next page – and learn how you can get involved. Welcome to the Community You’re invited to join a community that’s taking back control over what they experience in life and how they remember it. While so much technology today removes you from the moment, the right camera can help you to focus and hold onto it. Photography has always been about more than images. It’s about curiosity and paying attention; stepping outside, looking a little longer and discovering something you might have missed. And when you share that mindset with other people, the experience becomes richer and deeper. Surround yourself with those who are equally driven to explore, create and learn. Walk unfamiliar streets together, seek out new perspectives and share ideas. Celebrate successes and learn from mistakes. The more you engage with the craft, the more rewarding it will become. Every photograph begins with a decision to notice something. Every image is proof that you were present enough to recognise a fleeting detail, a passing expression or a moment worth remembering. Over time, those photographs become something larger – a record of how you saw the world and how it shaped you in return. Photography is also meant to be shared. Put your work out into the world and show people what catches your eye. Inspire others to look differently and allow yourself to be inspired in return. You never know which image will resonate with someone or where a single photograph might lead. The world around you is ready to amaze and captivate more than any current trend or flavour of the month ever could. Look up, and you’ll see.
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Community
Mikhail Kliuev Instagram: @nmjke.photo Made with: FUJIFILM X-S10 and FUJINON XF23mmF2 R WR
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Community
LIFE AS YOU SEE IT Enjoy this summer-themed gallery from our readers. Want your photo in a future issue? Scan the QR!
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Community
Chiara Leoni Instagram: @clairelions Made with: FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF23mmF2 R WR
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Community
Jake Campbell Made with: FUJIFILM X20
Lloyd Hunt Instagram: @lloydy110 Made with: FUJIFILM X-T30 and FUJINON XF23mmF2 R WR
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Community
Federico Famiglietti Instagram: @famigliao Made with: FUJIFILM X100V
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Community
Lewis Jones Instagram: @lewisjones.photo Made with: FUJIFILM X100VI
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Community
Community Focus
T here is some amazing talent in our drives your passion for photography. For that reason, every issue of FUJIFILM Focus features several pages dedicated to deep dives into the work of one of our readers. This issue, we’re talking to travel and lifestyle photographer Ana Sêrro. Ana has always had a fascination with visual art, community, and we love showcasing your images and getting to know what
Come on a sunny honeymoon in
whether it is drawing, painting or graphic design. She currently works as an art director for a major newspaper, although she tells us that she would love to make the transition to devoting herself full time to photography. To that end, Ana has been finding every opportunity to expand her portfolio, even going so far as to bring a camera on her honeymoon to Crete this year, which is where she created the photographs presented on
Crete with the travel images of community photographer and Focus reader Ana Sêrro
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Community
and that I would fall in love and pursue a new creative outlet while in my late 30s. Q. What can you tell us about these photos? A. During our recent honeymoon to Crete, my goal was to capture the memories we created for how they really felt: the golden hour casting a warm light over the resort; the lived-in, quiet corners; the slow moments such as eating breakfast in bed, and warm Ana Sêrro for three months. No commitments, no deadlines and no pressure to perform. So, with my parents’ nostalgic travels in mind, I packed an old camera that I never really used and made a promise to myself that I would document every single memory we created out there so we would never forget those once-in-a-lifetime moments. Little did I then know that photography would rewire my relationship with creativity,
these pages. We talked to Ana about what inspires and challenges her, and where she wants to take her photography in the future. Q. What drew you to photography? A. Two years ago, my boyfriend (now husband) convinced me we should take a break from our corporate careers after I experienced a few burnouts, and drop everything to travel around the world
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Community
lifestyle portraits of my husband reading under the sun. The way I shot and edited this deeply personal travel and hotel stay mirrors how I always want my photographs to feel – not for accuracy but for nostalgic memories that I never want to forget. Q. What are the main challenges you can face in destination lifestyle photography? A. For me, there is always a hint of anxiety around travelling to a place I’ve never been to before. I want to be sure that I’m doing justice to the location, the culture and all of its nuances in a way that feels authentic, while still adding my own creative flair. Every destination lifestyle shoot feels personal and is a fine-tuned balance between the reality I can see through my own eyes and the emotions I want these photos to hold. Q. On a trip like this, how do you balance creating along with enjoying your time? A. Before I go on a trip, I always research the place where I’ll be staying. I create a moodboard along with a list of shots and compositions. That way, I won’t be wasting any precious time when I’m out there. Staying present is something that’s deeply important to me, and balancing the act of taking the shot with enjoying the moment is something I’m still working on. That 5:30 AM breakfast in bed coupled with making photos of the sunrise over the Mediterranean sea led to a precious and cherished memory – but also to some photos I’m immensely proud to have taken. Q. Can you tell us about the equipment you take with you for this type of photography? A. For this trip, I packed my trusted FUJIFILM X-T5 along with two versatile lenses that covered a wide range of shots for effective storytelling. I used my FUJINON XF33mmF1.4 R LM WR for the times I wanted to provide
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location context, such as the architecture of the hotel, the quiet pool, the interior of the room and the beautifully lined palm trees. I reserved the FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR for first-person point-of-view angles and tighter compositions that make my work feel more intimate. The XF50- 140mmF2.8 allows me to create anything from lifestyle portraits to details of small moments tied to our lived-in experiences. Q. What is the next milestone you aim to achieve with your photography? A. I’d love the opportunity to be a full-time photographer, working with tourism boards, hotels and lifestyle brands that value emotion-led visual stories and preserving people, places and moments that matter. Q. What advice do you have for those looking to improve their own travel and lifestyle photography skills? A. For your next trip, observing more instead of shooting randomly can lead to a more mindful experience. Capturing a variety of different shots – portraits, corners, textures, reflections, shadows, objects – to create your own nostalgic time capsule will make your memories feel more complete and meaningful when you revisit them later. “EVERY DESTINATION LIFESTYLE SHOOT IS A BALANCE BETWEEN THE REALITY I CAN SEE WITH MY EYES AND THE EMOTIONS I WANT THE PHOTOS TO HOLD”
See more of Ana’s photography on Instagram at @stills.by.ana
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July/August 2026
Best For...
FUJIFILM X-T30 III – The Perfect Camera for Travelling? If you’ve fallen out of love with phone photography, this entry-level camera could be your ideal travel companion W e travel to experience new places, not to stare at a screen. Yet, for many
while remaining simple to bring wherever your journey takes you. As part of FUJIFILM X Series, the X-T30 III features an APS-C sensor that’s significantly larger than those found in smartphones. This allows it to gather more light and record greater dynamic range, creating images with more impact, natural depth and detail. Combined with Fujifilm’s renowned colour science and an analogue-inspired design, this is a camera that encourages you to engage with the world around you rather than simply point and tap.
of us, the smartphone has become the default tool we use to document our adventures. Phone cameras are certainly convenient, but they can also detach the process of making photos from the experience itself. If you are looking for a more rewarding way to document your travels, the FUJIFILM X-T30 III could be the answer. Compact, lightweight and approachable, it offers all the benefits of a dedicated camera
Built for the Journey
Despite its traditional styling, the X-T30 III remains remarkably compact. Weighing in at only 378g including its battery and memory card, it’s next to no effort to carry around all day, whether you’re exploring in the great outdoors, wandering through a city market or simply relaxing on the beach. The X-T30 III also features a responsive, high-resolution electronic viewfinder. So instead of composing your photograph using a screen, as you would with a smartphone, you can immerse yourself in the scene and focus exclusively on nailing the timing, composition and light.
One of the greatest pleasures of travelling with the FUJIFILM X-T30 III is simply using it. It was inspired by classic film cameras, with key exposure settings placed directly beneath your fingertips via tactile controls, making photography feel more deliberate and rewarding. The camera encourages you to actively engage with the scene, rather than pulling you away from it. When you adjust the shutter speed, exposure compensation or your Film Simulation physically, it becomes part of the creative process. It helps you to think more carefully about what you want from the photograph you’re creating.
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Compact Pairings
Unlike a camera on a smartphone, the FUJIFILM X-T30 III gives access to a range of interchangeable lenses, providing a world of creative opportunities. An ideal starting point is the FUJINON XC13- 33mmF3.5-6.3 OIS, which is available as a kit lens for the X-T30 III. This compact option has a versatile focal range that works for everything from expansive landscapes and architecture to everyday travel moments and casual portraits. Optical Image Stabilisation helps maintain image sharpness while working handheld, and its compact size makes it a friendly companion for life on the move. As your interests develop, the wider X Series lens lineup allows you to tailor your set-up to your own style of travel. Whether you prefer lightweight primes for street photography or versatile zooms for varied adventures, there is a lens to suit. Don’t miss our guide to a selection of the best X Series travel lenses on page 10.
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It’s not only the aesthetics and handling of the X Series that draw inspiration from the analogue era of photography. The FUJIFILM X-T30 III includes 20 Film Simulations, each designed to recreate the look and character of classic film stocks. These can be accessed by a simple twist of the Film Simulation dial – letting you explore a world of colour without thumbing through distracting menus. Whether you prefer the vibrant colours of Velvia, the understated tones of CLASSIC CHROME or the balanced rendering of REALA ACE, Film Simulations give your images a distinctive style straight out of the camera. This can be especially rewarding while travelling, helping you create a visual identity for a particular journey or destination. The X-T30 III also includes certain image quality controls, including grain and Color Chrome, which allow you to further refine the appearance of your photographs. For those who enjoy experimenting, custom Film Simulation recipes offer almost endless creative possibilities. Make sure you check out this issue’s Simulation Recipe Book on page 34 for a pair of travel-ready recipes you can save to your X Series camera. The Look of Film Best For...
You don’t have to wait until you get back home to start enjoying your images. With FUJIFILM XApp – the free-to-download companion app for Fujifilm cameras – the X-T30 III connects directly to your smartphone. This intuitive app allows you to easily transfer and share your images. You can instantly post your favourite photos to social media, quickly send images to friends and family, and effortlessly back up your work while abroad. Whatever you want to do, the process is both fast and straightforward. The XApp also features an interactive timeline view, which brings together your photographs with their location information, creating a visual record of your journey. It’s an enjoyable way for you to revisit a trip long after it has ended. Share on the Go
FUJIFILM X-T30 III ● Sensor: 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 ● Processor: X-Processor 5 ● Film Simulations: 20 ● Shutter speed: 1/32,000 sec to 60 mins ● Video: 6.2K/29.97p, 4K/59.94p, Full HD/240p ● Dimensions: 118.4x82.8x46.8mm ● Weight: 378g (including card and battery)
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Best For...
Ready for Video
FUJIFILM X-T30 III excels at making video as well as stills. With support for filming in up to 6.2K resolution and high-speed 240fps recording at Full HD, it is highly flexible. Whether you’re recording short clips for a quick travel montage or making a full- length vlog, the same colour science and Film Simulations that make Fujifilm photos so distinctive are available for video too. For travellers who are looking to move beyond smartphone photography without compromising on portability, the X-T30 III offers an engaging, creative and highly capable companion for every adventure.
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July/August 2026
Analogue
The 40-Year Legacy of
This year marks a major milestone for the original single-use camera I n 1986, the original FUJIFILM QuickSnap was launched. It was revolutionary – the first single-use camera that
truly captured the imagination of a mass audience, popularising photography in a way few innovations had before. With just one affordable purchase from practically any corner shop, pharmacy or supermarket, people were suddenly able to take photos with the utmost ease – just point and snap! QuickSnap’s design was as accessible as possible, with a fixed focus, shutter speed and aperture. All that was left to the user was to frame up through the viewfinder, wind on the film and release the shutter. When the roll was done, you would take the entire camera to a shop for development. It was an idea that quickly caught on. There was now a cheap and pocketable alternative to bringing your big, expensive camera with you. People who had never owned or used a camera before were now offered a simple way to start taking photos. It was this accessibility that catapulted the concept of the single-use camera to global popularity. By the mid-nineties, they were ubiquitous – hundreds of millions of them were bought and used worldwide. Holidaymakers, wedding guests and anybody else who found themselves wanting to record a memory but didn’t have a dedicated camera to hand now had an easily available and inexpensive solution to their problem. Of course, nothing lasts forever, and the proliferation of phone cameras in the 2000s gave people another way to easily photograph everyday moments. However, even the most advanced phone still can’t replicate the intangibly timeless look that is now associated with film photography.
This enduring desire for the look and feel of film ensured the survival of the single-use camera – and thus the FUJIFILM QuickSnap – throughout digital photography’s biggest boom, and now there’s a striking resurgence, particularly among younger generations. People continue to turn to cameras like QuickSnap to photograph events they don’t want to forget. Far from being a distraction, QuickSnap allows you to focus on remaining present, while the pleasure of rediscovering everything you photographed is still a thrilling moment to anticipate and, ultimately, treasure.
QuickSnap Timeline
1986
1990s
2000s
The original FUJIFILM QuickSnap is released. It proves to be an immediate hit worldwide, sounding the starting gun for a single-use camera race with other manufacturers. Fujifilm then quickly follows up this success with QuickSnap Flash in 1988 – the first single-use camera with a built-in flash unit.
The format’s popularity picks up enormously in the nineties, making this decade the peak period of the single-use camera craze. The promise of a simple, affordable and widely available way to take photographs saw annual sales of single-use cameras reach more than 89 million in Japan by 1997.
The onset of digital photography sees an enormous reduction in the popularity of single-use camera photography. With the mass popularisation of phone cameras, the comparatively slow and expensive process of film photography is rendered practically obsolete in the eyes of many.
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Analogue
FUJIFILM QuickSnap
The modern QuickSnap has stayed true to the original blueprint, even after 40 years. Preloaded with 27 exposures of FUJICOLOR ISO 400 film, a 32mm F10 fixed-focus lens and a flash with an effective distance of 3m, this 90g camera
2010s
2026
People continue to appreciate the look of film for their memories, maintaining the viability of cameras like QuickSnap. Interest gradually increases throughout the 2010s, with annual sales for single-use cameras in Japan steadily increasing from 5 million in 2012 up to 9 million in 2019.
The 40th anniversary of FUJIFILM QuickSnap. Despite the domination of the smartphone, single-use cameras are firmly back in vogue, proving particularly popular among younger people as use continues to rise year on year. The iconic QuickSnap remains a leading option for its simplicity and effectiveness.
provides incredible utility. Pick one up, pass it around and make some lasting memories today.
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Technique
SIMULATION RECIPE BOOK
Settings
n FILM SIMULATION: Velvia n GRAIN EFFECT: Strong, Small n COLOR CHROME EFFECT: Weak n COLOR CHROME FX BLUE: Strong n WHITE BALANCE: Auto; R +2, B -2 n DYNAMIC RANGE: DR100
Pacifica 100 Surf and sport photographer Dominic Stone tempers the punch of Velvia in a recipe perfect for ocean scenes Dominic Stone is a photographer from the West Coast of the US whose work documents running events and surf culture. Dominic’s Film Simulation recipe, Pacifica 100, subtly tames the saturation of Velvia while also improving the latitude of sea and sky tones through use of Color Chrome FX Blue. “I wanted to reduce the clarity to bring a bit of softness to an image that I expected to have stronger contrast,” he explains. “I also lifted the shadows just a touch to lean into that softness, almost working in tension with Velvia’s character.” Instagram: @domwstone
n HIGHLIGHTS: 0 n SHADOWS: +2.5 n COLOR: -1 n SHARPNESS: 0 n HIGH ISO NR: +1 n CLARITY: -2
Do you have your own custom look that you would like to share with the community? Scan the QR and tell us about your Film Simulation recipe for a chance to feature in a future issue. Share Your Recipes
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Technique
Sunburst Naoya Takahashi, a Tokyo-based street photographer, has a Film Simulation recipe for the scorching heat of sun-soaked cities “Sunburst means strong sunlight, but it also refers to a type of finish seen on instruments like guitars,” explains Naoya Takahashi, a street photographer based in Tokyo. “Typically, the centre features a bright colour, warm tones, while the outer edges are processed to appear gradually burnt and darkened. “To bring my photographs closer to a sunburst effect, the white balance of this recipe is shifted slightly towards warmer colours, toning down the cyan elements from CLASSIC Neg. The colour scheme is designed to make reds, yellows and
oranges – I feel that it really shines in sunny settings with good weather.” Instagram: @takahashi_naoya_candid
Scan the QR code for help with programming these recipes into your Fujifilm camera
Settings
n FILM SIMULATION: CLASSIC Neg. n GRAIN EFFECT: Off n COLOR CHROME EFFECT: Weak n COLOR CHROME FX BLUE: Weak n WHITE BALANCE: Auto; R +2, B -3 n DYNAMIC RANGE: DR200 n HIGHLIGHTS: +0.5 n SHADOWS: +1 n COLOR: +1
n SHARPNESS: 0 n HIGH ISO NR: 0 n CLARITY: 0
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Simulation Spotlight Delving into the world of FUJIFILM Film Simulations
Just like FUJIFILM ETERNA, ETERNA Bleach Bypass draws inspiration from Fujifilm’s cinematic heritage. This Film Simulation replicates a film processing technique used widely across the motion picture world. Bleach Bypass – also known as silver retention – refers to a method of colour film processing in which the final bleaching procedure is partially skipped. This prevents the silver crystals in the film from being washed out of the emulsion, which results in an effect that looks as though a black & white image has been superimposed over the original colour photograph. The end result is a highly stylised aesthetic with significantly reduced colour saturation, heightened contrast and deep, rich shadows. ETERNA Bleach Bypass simulates the look of this technique, applying it to the ETERNA Film Simulation. Ideal for both filmmaking and photography, it offers a highly characterful style that’s perfect for your dramatic compositions. As one of the more distinctive Film Simulations, it probably won’t work in all circumstances. But it does provide a great base for dramatic Film Simulation recipes that can lead to some cinematic images.
Use ETERNA Bleach Bypass to create images that combine subtle, muted colours with a harsh contrast between the highlights and shadows
COLOUR
ETERNA Bleach Bypass is based on a range of motion- picture film stocks called FUJIFILM ETERNA – just like the ETERNA Film Simulation. Think of ETERNA Bleach Bypass as being based on the same film, only with another processing method applied.
MUTED
VIVID
HIGHLIGHT TONE
SOFT
HARD
SHADOW TONE
SOFT
HARD
CHARACTERISTICS
STANDARD
UNIQUE
Values based on PROVIA/Standard
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