こんばんは。This evening after dinner, we strolled down the promenade from our hotel to the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. The wide walkway is very nice in the daytime, with statues and other cool things to look at, but at night it transforms into a huge party, with music performances, shopping, dancing, beauty shows, etc. It is pretty amazing! The colors and energy are intense.
One thing that I noticed that I like doing is taking photos of people enjoying themselves. I guess it is kind of a street photography style? I don’t know, but taking photos of people taking photos and selfies is so meta. Please take a look at some of the images:
Photo info: OLYMPUS E-PL9, 35mm, f/5.5, 1/125 sec, ISO6400 “Siblings” Cedar Park, 2018OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
こんばんは。How’s it going?
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but I have a big trip coming up (to China!) and since I will be taking a suitcase for this trip, it got me thinking about my travel photography kit. 📷 Specifically, with the extra space, maybe I should bring along the Fujifilm X-T10 and its two lenses. And maybe I can bring the 50mm f/1.4 Minolta lens as well. It’s China after all! We’ll be seeing some amazing sights, so I might as well be prepared to get wide shots, plus some tight shots, so the 18-55mm zoom will be perfect. With this in mind, I figured I should get a couple extra batteries (I only have one for the X-T10), so I put a couple in my Amazon shopping cart.
But before pulling the trigger on the batteries, I thought of my recent trip to New York, last year’s vacation to Morocco and Spain, my work trip to Stockholm, and the reason why I decided to just take my Fujifilm X100T.
And that reason can be summed up in one word: Simplicity.
The Fujifilm X100 series of cameras have a fixed 23mm (35mm equivalent) lens which simplifies the act of shooting photos. I don’t have to think about what lens to put on and what would work best in each situation. And later, I won’t be able to second-guess my decision. With the X100T, I have to use the 35mm field of view for everything. If I can’t get close enough by moving my feet, then so be it. Forget about that shot and move on. If I must have a super-wide shot, then Lightroom can stitch a couple photos together. But taking the lens choice decision out of the equation makes shooting so much more stress-free, and therefore more fun!
Of course, having the single camera and fixed lens also makes for a smaller and lighter kit. (a nice bonus is that I don’t have to worry about getting dust on the sensor). My back and knees appreciate the lightweight setup, I’m sure! 😀
So, I’ve reaffirmed my choice of travel kit (and everyday kit, to be honest). And here it is:
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 18mm, f/3.6, 1/60 sec, ISO1250 “Camera Kit” Cedar Park, 2018
Frankly, the power bank is mainly used for charging my phone, and I can’t remember the last time I used the microfiber cloth, instead opting for the Lens Pen. The USB cable does double-duty since it charges my phone.
This setup is so compact, I don’t even need a dedicated camera bag. And since I am usually wearing the camera across my body using the strap, I just have to put the burrito organizer in whatever bag I happen to have. For instance, in New York I used a small MoMA shopping bag all day. It was a great set up! Burrito, power bank, phone, and umbrella in the bag, camera across my body, and that’s it.
I believe that a simpler, minimalistic life can make you happy, and that a simple, minimalistic camera kit can make photography a lot more enjoyable. In fact, I experience it firsthand every time I walk out the door!
またね～
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 18mm, f/3.6, 1/60 sec, ISO1250 “Camera Kit” Cedar Park, 2018Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 32.9mm, f/3.6, 1/50 sec, ISO1600 “Camera Kit” Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 35mm, f/2.2, 1/160 sec, ISO1000 “Desk Items” Cedar Park, 2018
I’m enjoying making more black and white photos these days. And seeing the world through a viewfinder devoid of color is fascinating and fun. It’s like peeking into a hidden dimension.
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 35mm, f/2, 1/180 sec, ISO800 “Lampshade” Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 135mm, f/1, 1/60 sec, ISO500 “Anko” Cedar Park, 2018
こんばんは。How’s it going?
Today I received a lens adapter in the mail so that I can mount my beloved Minolta MD 50mm f/1.4 lens to my Fujifilm X-T10. The Fotasy Minolta MD to Fujifilm X-Mount Adapter was only about $16 and fits perfectly. The mounted lens is snug and secure, with no play at all.
The 50mm lens is what I used a lot my Minolta X-700, and more recently with my Sony A77 via an adapter, so I thought it would be cool to put it on the Fujifilm. I am happy to report that the quality of the photos that the lens produces with the Fujifilm is much better than the ones produced with the Sony. The edges are sharper and there’s less chromatic aberration. I’m not sure why the Sony images weren’t as good, since the adapter simply acts as a spacer between the lens and sensor. I can only guess that the adapter I used with the Sony was a tiny bit too long or short.
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 135mm, f/1, 1/120 sec, ISO400 “Son” Cedar Park, 2018
At any rate, the 50mm lens produces some lovely bokeh at the wider end, and when stopped down to f/3.6 the sharpness increases quite a bit. Using a manual-focus lens on a mirrorless body is easy because of the focus peaking feature, which overlays color outlines over the parts of the image that are in focus. I love it!
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 50mm, f/1, 1/30 sec, ISO800 “Sketchy Model” Cedar Park, 2018
Now I have another option that I can use with my single body/lens philosophy, which seems to be working out nicely. Just yesterday I used the X-T10 and 35mm lens combination at the Fourth of July party, and I am really happy with the images! And I don’t mind “zooming with my feet” with the prime lens. It’s actually kind of fun!
Photo info: OLYMPUS E-PL9, 35mm, f/5.5, 1/125 sec, ISO6400 “Siblings” Cedar Park, 2018
こんばんは。How’s it going?
So recently I sent my Sony A77 DSLR + 16-50mm lens to my niece in California. She’s going to do some photography for her school next year and wanted to use a more serious camera. Since I rarely use my DSLR, I was happy to let her use it indefinitely.
So now the camera collection has been pared down some and it has simplified my photographic choices a tiny bit. Honestly, I only used the A77 for video and when I needed an ultra-wide angle shot that only the Sigma 10-20mm could handle. But I can now take care of the video with other cameras and how often did I really use the UWA lens?
Currently, my digital camera kit comes down to 3 bodies: the Fujifilm X100T, the Fujifilm X-T10, and the Sony NEX-6. Here’s how I use each:
Fujifilm X100T – The camera I use 90% of the time, and the one that is almost always with me (unless I have X-T10 that day). I love the 23mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) frame of view and the near-silent leaf-shutter.
Also, I find the limitation of the non-interchangeable, fixed-focal-length lens to be liberating. No need to think about what lens to use. Just compose with the 23mm and shoot. No second-guessing, no indecision, and no regrets! It’s a great feeling.
Plus, the camera is so sexy!
Fujifilm X-T10 – I’m starting to enjoy using this camera as a backup to the X100T. It’s got the same sensor, image quality, and the size is also similar to the X100T, so it’s familiar and easy. I mainly use the X-T10 for company events and presentations, where the excellent 18-55mm zoom’s versatility shines – I can get in close, without having to get right in front of the presenter.
I also have the excellent 35mm (48mm equivalent) f/2 lens which makes beautiful images – sharp in-focus, and nicely blurred out-of-focus. Plus, the focusing is lightning-fast, silent, and the lens is physically small.
Sony NEX-6 – This camera stays in the glove compartment of my car, where I use it for quick snapshots of clouds or other interesting things on the road. It powers on quickly with just one hand. The wide-angle (24mm equivalent) of the 16-50mm kit lens is perfect for shooting without composing – I just point in the general direction and shoot away. Here’s an example of a shot from the car, although this one was taken by Koa who was riding shotgun.
I have a way of thinking about how I use my cameras, which might seem strange, but I’ve found it is shared by many other photographers – I prefer a minimalistic setup since it cuts out a layer of decision-making which bothers me. Logically, it would seem that having the flexibility of zooming or changing lenses would contribute to a better photographic experience (you won’t “miss the shot”), but that’s not the case for me. When I have too many choices, I always second-guess myself and that feeling is unsettling.
On the other hand, when there is only one choice of focal length, I see the situation more quickly and that simplicity makes photography much more enjoyable and less stressful. I believe a lot of X100-series photographers experience this same feeling.
With that in mind, when I do take the X-T10 with me, I’ll put on the 35mm prime lens and that is my setup. I don’t take any other camera, nor lenses. I’ve made the choice already before I step out the door, and there’s no going back, so to speak. By setting limits, I can enjoy the simple photography experience even with an interchangeable lens camera.
I mentioned that I also have the 18-55mm zoom lens, which is fantastic and takes great images. But the problem with that (at least for me) is that not only is it too big, but I dislike having to make the decision of what focal length to choose. No, I don’t see the convenience of a zoom as a plus for my personal photography. It takes away much of the joy of snapping photos.
So I’ve decided the 18-55mm lens is only for work, where the images are strictly for documentary purposes. I’m taking those photos simply for the company’s success, not for any kind of artistic expression.
With all that being said, I’ll be taking the X-T10 with 35mm lens out tomorrow night when we visit a friends’ house for a barbecue. I hope to get some nice images!
