My Fujifilm X-E4 is back in my hands! The repair facility wanted around $750 to fix it, which felt like too much, so I passed on the service. So far though, it’s powering on and working just fine. Fingers crossed I can get many more shots out of it before it gives up on me again. And at least I still have my trusty old X-T10 as a backup.

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While on Maui, my mom asked if I wanted this camera that she found at the house. It’s my grandpa’s old Fujifilm TW-300 point & shoot camera, dating back to ~1986. I said sure! The camera is in pristine condition, and is the Japanese version, with hiragana printed on the back. I actually don’t know if I will ever run a roll of film thru it, but the possibility is there. The challenge might be finding some lithium batteries that fit into it.

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Here’s a snapshot of our small oven baking area using my new Fujifilm X-E4 camera. I really like the look of the “Classic Negative” film simulation!

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こんばんは。How’s it going?

Many of you know, but I have been doing a 365 project for a while now, and it kind of connects to this blog in that my daily photo becomes the subject matter. Sometimes, it’s the reverse, where I make a daily blog post and then take a photo. But usually the photos will just be the literal snapshot of something that happened that day, and I’ll add a few words.

Because of this process, my posts tend to follow whatever hobbies I am into at the time and right now, going out for bicycle rides around the neighborhood is something I have more of an interest now since we all are staying at home almost all the time.

It got me thinking of a bicycle ride I went on in 1982 with a group from the YMCA. Two friends and I joined a 9-day bicycle tour that started in San Francisco, and ended at the YMCA in our hometown of Torrance. It was really fun, but surprisingly I hadn’t thought about it too much since then. Maybe I’ll write about my memories of that in another post, as I managed to find some old photos of the trip when I visited my parents last Christmas.

But for now, I’ll just continue with some photos I took on tonight’s ride.

I hope you had a nice day! またね～

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こんばんは。How’s it going?

This evening the skies in my neighborhood were relatively clear so I set up my Fujifilm X100T in the backyard to do a little astrophotography time-lapse. I got started a bit late, and it was very cold, so I only let it run for about an hour. Still, I am pleased with how it turned out. Please take a look:

Speaking of cameras, the Fujifilm X100V was announced recently, and I am almost positive that I will be upgrading from my X100T. The new model will be a huge step up for me since I will be skipping a generation (X100F). As far as time-lapse capabilities go, the X100T’s longest shutter speed while using the electronic shutter was only 1 second, thus forcing me to use the mechanical shutter which causes a bit of flickering. The X100F fixed this by maximizing it to 30 seconds. Also, the maximum number of exposures using the interval timer has changed from 999 on the X100T to “infinity” on the X100F. This will be key for creating longer time-lapses without having to babysit the camera. Exciting!

The only thing I still wish for is the ability to lock down the aperture during the time-lapse. The way it works with the T is that the aperture re-adjusts every photo, so there is a slight difference in each exposure which causes flickering in the time-lapse. This forces me to shoot wide-open, which isn’t always the best… However, the X100V has a new lens design which makes shooting at f/2 much sharper. All-in-all, the X100V will be better for time-lapse photography, and I am looking forward to it!

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It’s been a while since I’ve bought a camera or lens, but here’s my newest acquisition: the Fujifilm WCL-X100 wide-angle adapter. It’s basically a lens that screws onto the front of the X100 lens and changes the 35 mm (equivalent) focal length into a 28 mm, with no significant loss in quality. 35 to 28 may not seem like much, but it actually makes a big difference.

28 mm used to be my favorite focal length and I’ve had a 28 mm lens since the 80s when I used my Minolta X-700, so it’s nice to pair that focal length with my favorite camera of all time, my Fujifilm X100T.

The first thing I did after receiving the WCL-X100 (which I bought used for $179), was to take this time-lapse. The sun was going down and I just missed an awesome cloudburst (see photo at the bottom of this post), but I think the sky still looked amazing. FYI, I set the camera to auto-shutter speed so it could adjust to the darkening sky. I think it did pretty good, with only slight flickering.

At 28 mm:

And for comparison, here’s a time-lapse looking towards the same direction at 35mm.

Can’t wait to put the WCL-X100 to more use!

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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.

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!

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!

I hope you had a nice day!

またね～

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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!

またね～

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こんばんは。

Today’s photo is of my favorite digital camera and my favorite film camera. I’ve seen quite a few videos about shooting film, and there’s a general revival of film photography happening. It’s pretty cool! I guess all the younger photographers who grew up with digital are discovering film. I think it’s great.

I love my old film cameras and had so much fun shooting with them. Because I learned photography by shooting film, they hold a special place for me, and each of my film cameras has certain sentimental value. Actually, that’s not true. I have a few that I acquired later on that I don’t have any real attachment too, and I should probably donate those. But my Minolta X-700, α507si, Nikon F, Holga 120, and Olympus XA are keepers!

That said, I don’t see myself shooting film in the future. I just think the advantages of digital are so great that the charm of film cannot overcome them. The combination of digital and Lightroom allows me to create the photographic style I like, plus the speed of processing that I require to post to my blog every day requires a digital camera. As much as I enjoyed shooting film, it’s simply a hassle to develop the film.

I guess for me it’s also a case of “been there, done that”. But for the younger photo-enthusiasts, it’s a whole new world to explore, and that is wonderful. I get excited thinking that they might be experiencing that same magic of discovery that I experienced when I learned how to develop film and make prints in the dark room. It was a great time. I honestly feel that film is something you have to try out at some point as a photographer because it is an important part of photography that still exists and it’ll be an itch that you’ll have to scratch, or it will stay at the back of your mind and drive you crazy.

Anyways, I will hold on to my precious film cameras and maybe someday my sons or even grandkids might want to use them to shoot some film.

I hope you had a nice Friday!

またね～

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こんばんは。How’s it going?

Today I took a photo of my beloved Fujifilm X100T’s latest goodie. It’s the blue anodized soft-shutter release button that used to be on my wife’s Fujifilm X-T10. I swapped the buttons on the two cameras, so now my black X100T has a bit more color.

I’ve kept my camera in “stealth” mode, with black gaffers tape covering the white logos and the soft-shutter release was a plain black version. But I took the tape off and am enjoying having the cool logo exposed. The blue soft-shutter release button looks pretty sharp, against the black body. It’s a millimeter smaller in diameter than the black button and sits a little higher as well. I would prefer if it was lower, but I like the smaller size.

I think the soft-shutter release button makes the camera better. For me, it helps reduce camera shake when I press it as compared to the regular button. Definitely a must-have for me!

I hope you had a nice day!

またね～

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