Went to the outlet shops near our house and found these shoes. They are super comfy and only $30. Should be great for skating too.
New Shoes!
Category: Photo Life
Fujifilm XF1
A new camera for me!! The circumstances of me needing a new camera were unfortunate though – I lost my beloved Panasonic DMC TS-2 camera. One day I took it to the park where we went bike-riding and to the splash pad… but that’s the last time I remember seeing it. I have no idea how I lost it. I did have the Eye-Fi card in it that day, so at least the photos were copied over to my phone automatically, but the camera itself is gone. I still have a tiny bit of hope that it will be found (probably somewhere silly), but since I did give it a couple months to show up and it never appeared, I decided to go ahead and get a new camera to replace it.
My first thought was to just get the same type of camera, which would be the latest Panasonic version in that series. Waterproof cameras are great in that they are worry-free – I can get one of the rugged cameras wet, drop it, and just not have to baby it at all. But…. I have had my eye on the Fujifilm cameras for a while so I went ahead and got one of their compact cameras – the Fujifilm XF1.
The XF1 is an older model (debuting in September 2012), but has a number of features that I wanted:
- Able to shoot RAW
- Compact size
- Full manual controls
- Fast F/1.8 lens (at wide setting)
- Silent operation
- Available at a fraction of its original price
The XF1 also has a unique way of powering up. You twist the lens from it’s retracted position and the camera will turn on. It’s really nice since it also opens the lens cap. This lens ring also manually adjusts the zoom position so you have great control over focal length. The downside to this is that it is truly a two-handed operation, whereas the traditional power button and power zoom can be done with one hand. But, it kind of suits the camera’s retro design.
The other camera I was looking at is the new Fujifilm XQ1. A couple things I like about the XQ1 is that it has wi-fi, uses the newer X-Trans sensor, and comes in all-black. However, it doesn’t have the cool power-up and lens ring. Also, being a new camera, it’s pretty expensive.
After using the XF1 for a month now, I can say that I am really happy with it! It is a solid performer, and with the lens in its fully retracted position, can easily fit in a pants pocket. I like to carry it with me wherever I go! The only option that I wish was available is the ability to turn the LCD display off while still in shooting mode. But it’s not too big of a deal since I’m not really a street or “stealth” shooter.
One final thing: it’s a Fujifilm, so it’s kind of like my namesake! W00t!
Fuchiko and Ohayo! @satencoffee
Our friends opened up a new café! Please visit Sa-Tén sometime!
Nice Model – Fuchiko
My mother-in-law bought me a bunch of these small “Fuchiko” toys, which are meant to adorn the rims of glasses. They are so much fun to take photos of! During our vacation we took a lot of photos of them and enjoyed the silliness of posing them on sodas, beer, dinner plates, inside sushi, on fingertips, etc.
You can find them for sale in the little toy vending machines, but the special “Towel Fuchiko” are found in gift shops and come with a little plastic cup. These are about 500 yen, but the regular ones from the vending machine are 200 each. But, you don’t know which one you will get! Luckily I didn’t get any duplicates. The one above is my favorite, but I like them all.
There’s also a variation called “Fuchio” which is her wearing a scary mask. They are pretty funny as well. If you have a chance, pick one of these up and use as a fun photo subject!
First Day at the Pool
Today was the first day at the pool for us this year. It was just Koa and I who decided to go — Mariko was out at the Farmer’s Market and Bay stayed home to read — so Koa didn’t have anyone to play with in the pool. I swam for a bit, and played with him, but I’m sure it’s a lot more interesting to play with his friends! Still, it was fun and we got some good exercise. We got there at 2pm, and there was a nice crowd of people there. Not too much that we didn’t find chairs, but at around 2:30 it seemed like the rest of the neighborhood decided to drop by. When we left at 3pm, there were cars parked on the street and no empty chairs to be found. I need to remember to arrive before 2:30!
Also, I continue to be enamored with my Panasonic DMC TS2 camera. It’s a waterproof/shockproof camera that captures some good pictures and video, and with the magic of post-processing, you can get some fun images out of it. Plus I love the peace-of-mind knowing that I don’t have to take care of the camera as much as a dSLR. I think it is definitely worth it to have one of these rugged point-and-shoot cameras in the bag at all times!
Homemade 2DS Pouch
I’ve been searching for a cool case for my 2DS that is different from what you can normally find in the store. The official cases from Nintendo are too big and just overkill for what I really need — a small 2DS bag or homemade 2DS pouch so the 2DS doesn’t get scratched while it is in the backpack. I told Mariko about this a while ago and asked if she could make something for me since she is really into sewing and crafts these day.
I was so happy when she presented me with this AWESOME pouch that has K.K. Slider from Animal Crossing (my favorite game) stitched on it. Isn’t it amazingly cool?!?!! I told her that she needs to make more of these. You know, I’d really like a Yoshi version, and a Godzilla one would be cool too. But honestly, my Animal Crossing 2DS case can’t be beat!
The Creature
Lani rarely lets me take a photo of her, but today she was tired and enjoying the nice weather on the deck so I grabbed the opportunity for a few snaps. This one is probably the most entertaining.
