Why do we do photography?
There are many reasons why people do photography. For some, it is a way to capture memories and document important events in their lives. For others, it is a form of artistic expression, a way to create images that convey a message or tell a story.
Still, others may use photography as a tool for communication, to share their perspective with others through images. Whatever the reason, photography allows us to freeze a moment in time and view the world in a way that can be both fascinating and beautiful.
Is it worth buying the newest cameras?
It depends on what you are looking for in a camera and how you plan to use it. If you are a professional photographer or very serious about photography, a new camera with the latest technology may be worth the investment.
However, if you are a casual photographer or someone who is just starting out, a newer but more affordable camera may be a better option. Ultimately, the best camera for you is one that fits your needs and budget. It’s important to do your research and compare different cameras before making a purchase.
Is it OK to be emotionally attached to camera gear?
It is completely normal to be emotionally attached to camera gear, especially if you have invested a lot of time and money into it. Your camera and other equipment are tools that you use to create images, and it’s natural to form an emotional connection to them.
However, it’s important to remember that your gear is just a means to an end, and it’s the photographs that you create that are truly important. Ultimately, your emotional attachment to your gear should not prevent you from trying new things and experimenting with different techniques to improve your photography.
Don’t worry, from here we are going to talk about Fujifilm.
You may now wonder what the heck I am writing about and why is there nothing about Fujifilm X100V in this post (for now). Well, I just wanted to briefly go through some points and offer an easy start before we dive in.
I have used every single version of the X100 series and I still remember when the first version was released. Everyone wanted it. I wanted it, and as you can guess, eventually I got one.
My preferred color is silver. Black just doesn’t click with me. It never had. Let’s say it’s not enough “retro” for my taste.
See in full resolution on Flickr
A really sad thing about the X100 series is that is immediately compared with Leica cameras. I mean, look at it. You can’t tell me Fujifilm did not borrow some design aspects from Leica. Honestly, who cares. The X100 series is indeed beautiful.
See in full resolution on Flickr
Let’s fast forward to 2020. Apart from being a very strange year (not really better in 2022 either), I got my X100V. As you can imagine, it was silver and shiny. A beautiful piece of gear.
I took it out of the box, placed a battery inside, tried to find a memory card (I have like 50 of them but not a single one when I really need it), and turned the camera on…
The screen is awesome, it finally tilts and the tilting mechanism is beautifully implemented. The screen is completely flashed into the body and is easy to operate. EVF is better on this model as well. OVF still sucks. I stand behind my words. OVF ON EVERY SINGLE X100 SUCKS.
It is small, very, very small, you have a bunch of information in it that it’s just easier to use EVF instead, and while you can customize it a bunch, the whole process is painful and not intuitive. So my choice is not to use it (except when I am taking selfies in a mirror - I mean, it just looks cool).
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
Being a modern camera, it has tons of functionality. Let me tell you right away - it has so many options inside the menu that the menu itself is so complicated and boring to navigate around, it is just painful. I don’t like it.
With this version, they have added the ISO dial underneath shutter dial. It looks awesome, but it is very unpractical. You kind of have to lift the dial, rotate it and finally push the dial back after you have selected an ISO. Sounds nice but it doesn’t feel nice. I never use it.
See in full resolution on Flickr
The number one thing which annoys me the most about every single X100 is the shutter. The camera has a leaf shutter mechanism, which means the shutter is built into the lens. It has various advantages but the sound of it combined with occasional focus hunting is a very bad combination.
Do you see the picture above? I think I took around 20 photos and neither of them was in focus. Yes, it was dark in the room, but the camera just did not want to lock the focus. While the shot was usable for a family photo, I was not satisfied as this kind of moment usually doesn’t last long enough and I need a camera that can focus reliably.
Yes, the camera can hunt to focus. I hate that. Especially being the newest model with a new sensor, lens, and other stuff. The noise lens makes while focusing is just annoying. This is not specific to the V model, but all the previous ones as well. It’s like that by design I guess.
Somebody reading this is probably thinking why don’t just focus manually? I did try that. Manual focus on X100 sucks hard. Don’t use it. Focusing by wire lenses is not intended to be used with manual focus. It is not easy to nail it.
While the lens has the aperture ring, which I really, really like, I don’t like how it’s hard to change the aperture with you are looking through the viewfinder. The nice thing is that it has the focus tab, but it is just too narrow and I could not grab it easily when I needed to change the aperture quickly.
See in full resolution on Flickr
Let’s take a look at some images taken with the X100V
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
See in full resolution on Flickr
Yep, this camera can take photos. I mean, it’s just a camera. Maybe you are wondering what this post is about by now.
I have tried to explain my experience with the X100V camera. It is a sleek piece of gear, enthusiastic, and good-looking, and it takes good pictures.
So what’s the issue here?
My issue with this camera in 2022 is that it is not worth the money and hype. Seriously. I paid around $1500 for it on the launch date, and still thought it was overpriced even then. Now you can order it, but nobody knows when it will be available as it is sold out everywhere in the world. To make things even worse, used prices have gone up tremendously to absurd levels.
Looking at the prices here in Norway, I saw a few of them selling for around $2000. What???
The camera has an APS-C sensor, not so great ergonomics, it is not fully waterproof without an additional filter on the lens. It does not have image stabilization, mediocre video capabilities, unusable OVF, and average battery life, and it’s easily prone to scratches. Believe me, you would not want it to fall on the ground.
So, what should you do if you really want it? Well, if you really want it, I guess you will get it anyway. It is a good camera. That is not the point here. One of the things where this camera shines is taking JPEGs with it. I think Fujifilm has the best SOOC pictures out of all cameras. They nailed it with color science and possibilities to use custom Fujifilm recipes.
The point I am trying to make is that it is currently way overpriced and you should not buy it unless you have some money for throwing around.
Here is another reason: If you take most of your pictures at f5.6 or f8, just buy the previous version, the X100F. The newer lens on the V is better wide open and the newer sensor has 2mpx more than the previous version, but you could snatch an X100F for less than $900 right now. Here in Norway, I am seeing them going around between 700-900 US dollars. That’s not too bad.
But hear me out, there is another camera that is my personal favorite in the APS-C world. It’s the Ricoh GR IIIx. I took it with me on vacation this year and I was blown away by the results. Check out my blog post about it: Vacation in Crete with Ricoh GR IIIx
Until the next blog post, see ya. 👋🏻
