Fujifilm
THE KIT LOWIEOWNS
FUJIFILM X-T3 The X-T3 combines Fujifilm’s unique back-side illuminated, 26-megapixel, X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor with the powerful X-Processor 4 image processing engine to produce richly detailed images with striking, true-to-life colour. It has an ISO range of 160-12,800, extendable to 80-51,200, lightning-fast AF and a blistering 20fps burst mode.
XF50-140MM F/2.8 R LM OIS WR
This fast telephoto zoom is smaller and lighter than comparable full-frame options, and its wide maximum aperture of f/2.8 means easier shooting in low light, as well as giving great subject separation. It’s weather-sealed for shooting in the elements, too.
ABOVE Uttakleiv beach, Lofoten Islands. Fujifilm X-T3 with XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR at 27mm. Exposure 4secs at f/8 and ISO 80 ABOVE RIGHT The old boat of Caol, Corpach, Scotland. Fujifilm X-T3 with XF50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR. Exposure 1/350sec at f/5.6, ISO 500
Fujifilm’s X Series. The X100S is small and light, so I can easily move around with it, but it still has all the manual controls on the body that I need, and it’s the same with the other cameras. When I’m shooting, I don’t want to mess around with menus too much. I want to work instinctively, and change settings without even looking at the camera. I don’t want to be looking at a screen. I want to be looking at the amazing places I’ve travelled to, or concentrating on the drama of a street scene. So, now I own several other Fujifilm X Series bodies, including an X-Pro1 and, most recently, an X-T10 and an X-T3. For my type of photography,
which is mostly travel and street, they’re perfect, and a lot of that appeal is down to the sheer lightness of the system. I did buy a couple of DSLRs over the years, but they now remain in the cupboard. When I first started shooting, I used to meet up with groups of photographers. It was all these guys with big DSLRs and big lenses and massive rucksacks… the sort of bags you could go on holiday for a week with! They used to laugh at me with my little X-Pro1, but it didn’t bother me. Now, so many of them have traded in their DSLRs for mirrorless, because it just gives you a bit more freedom. For travelling, that’s so important to me, because I want to enjoy myself, be in the moment, and not struggle with a stiff neck and sore shoulders from lugging stuff around. I mean, if you’re tired, you don’t want to go out and be creative, do you? I think by weighing yourself down, you’re compromising the very reason you travelled. It’s just crazy! Also, I never want to put my kit in the hold on a plane, and I can easily get a couple of X Series bodies, and several lenses, into my hand luggage. I always want to take two bodies on trips, so I have a backup. But my second body is an X-T10, which you can fit in your pocket if it’s fitted with a pancake lens like the XF18mm f/2 R. And if there’s the prospect of some street photography where I’m going, I can also fit my X100S. Of course, there’s also that commonality in the handling of the bodies and
the menus, so swapping from one to another is instinctive, and by investing in a single system, you can swap lenses around, too. I’ll take a variety of lenses on my trips, but I’m not a conformist at all. I just don't care what any rules are. For instance, I know most people associate landscapes with wide-angles, but I love to use my XF50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR for scenics. It’s a beautiful lens, fast and versatile, and lets me fill the frame. It’s also rugged, so I’m not worried by the weather when shooting in places like Norway or Scotland. I’ll often take a XF80mm f/2.8 LM OIS WR Macro with me, too. I look for little details to help me tell the story of a place, or textures like frost or ice. It’s one of the things that helps to build variety to images from a trip. Now, I’m so looking forward to being out in the world again. With the pandemic, I haven't even seen the sea for a year! I have a lot of travel and street projects in mind, and many of them are inspired by my late start in photography and the things I have missed out on. I’ve travelled to some amazing places over the years, sometimes with work, sometimes with family. But because I wasn’t a photographer then, I regret the pictures I could have taken. This year has been wasted, and the biggest lesson I’ve taken from that is not to waste any more time. Don’t waste your time and do what you love. There’s a lot of it left to see, and my X Series gear is coming with me to see it.
XF80MM F/2.8 LM OIS WR MACRO
This weather-sealed macro lens brings small subject and textures to life with its 1:1 reproduction ratio, while the Optical Image Stabilisation keeps details crisp and clear.
“The X100S really shaped what I like in the other cameras I have bought”
FUJIFILM X100S It may have launched back in 2013, but the X100S is still a mainstay for street shooters today, with its X-Trans CMOS II 16-megapixel sensor and superb Fujinon 23mm f/2 lens, ISO 200-6400 range and high-quality 14-bit Raws.
FREE 48-HOUR FUJIFILMLOANS
The Fujifilm Connect loan service means you can try specific Fujifilm cameras and lenses in your own home, free of charge for up to two days (including delivery). Loans can be extended, and if you decide to purchase it, Fujifilm will refund your loan fee. For full details of this special loan scheme, go to: fujifilm-connect.hireacamera.com/en-gb
Issue 86 | Photography News 37
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