Digital and Film

"Digital and Film" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 35mm, f/6.4, 1/6 sec, ISO3200
“Digital and Film” Cedar Park, 2018

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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Blue Button

"Blue Button" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 35mm, f/4.5, 1/25 sec, ISO1600
“Blue Button” Cedar Park, 2018

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~

X-T10 Camera

"Fujifilm X-T10" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/6.4, 1/9 sec, ISO640
“Fujifilm X-T10” Cedar Park, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

My wife bought a new camera, an Olympus E-PL9, to replace her Fujifilm X-T10. Her first ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera) was an Olympus E-PL1 so this is a bit of a homecoming for her.

She liked the Fujifilm X-T10, but it was a little too big (even though it’s tiny compared to a DSLR), and perhaps a little too complicated. The E-PL9 is smaller, and the excellent 14-42 EZ kit lens is small enough to be considered by some to be a pancake lens. I think for her style of shooting, the Olympus will be a better camera.

But now we have an extra Fujifilm X-T10, with the excellent 35mm f/2 lens. I really like the camera, so I’ll be using it as my backup, or the camera I use when I need to use a focal length other than the 23mm that my beloved Fujifilm X100T provides. Besides the 35mm (52mm equiv.), we also have the wonderful 18-55mm (27-82mm equiv.) which is probably the lens I’d use most on the X-T10.

While the Fujifilm X-T10 is a great camera and reminds me of my Minolta X-700 both in size and looks, the advantages of the X100T still apply when comparing the two. I prefer the rangefinder-style body, single focal length, the non-detachable lens for zero decision-making, silent leaf-shutter, optical viewfinder, and discreet color/size. If I were to ever replace my X100T, it would be with another X100-series camera.

So, does the X-T10 really fit in with my camera collection? I think it does. But it only makes sense if I use it to replace my DSLR set-up. I guess I’ll put my Sony a77 and lenses on the market and try to get some money. 😄

I hope you have a nice day!

またね~