Kodak E100SW film recipe for the X100

It's Christmas on the West Coast, and the weather has been very up and down. But I've finally had a chance to get out with the Fujifilm X100 to start getting used to using it.

My son and his girlfriend stayed with us over Christmas, and although the weather was a bit up and down, we did have a few opportunities to get outside and explore some of the coast. My go-to place for trying out new camera gear is Lake Brunner at Moana, and so that's where we headed.

Joanna, Josh, Millie and Sabine at Moana. X100

First observation - I find using the optical viewfinder with information overlay to be a better experience that using the evf. The electronic viewfinder is quite dark compared to the optical system - and with the information overlay (even the histogram) available with the optical finder, this is the best of both worlds. A 'real' view of the scene but with helpful shooting information. I am still training myself to use the frame lines for 35mm and not take into account the whole view in the optical finder, but I'm sure that will come with time.

Second observation has to do with the lack of image stabilisation. Yes, the camera only has a 35mm lens, so should be able to be hand-held down to about 1/30th sec, but in reality the camera is also so lightweight that any movement when taking the image induces some softness and/or image blur. I am so used to image stabilisation handling all that for me that I suspect my correct shooting form has suffered. This resulted in several images that were very blurry when viewed on my monitor, especially in low-light conditions. The image opposite, of my family on the swing-bridge, was also taken horizontally and was the shot I preferred. But on closer inspection it was very soft and unusable. Doh! Note to self - slow down with the X100. Take your time setting up the shot. Soft release on the shutter. Breath slowly and naturally. No jerky movements. All that good picture taking advice from back in the old days of film photography. The original X100 is, after all, a system that begs (and actually almost requires) to be used like a traditional film camera. So slow down!

R&R Sally. Fujifilm X100. f4 @ 1/2000th, ISO 200. Kodak E100SW film recipe

When you do take you time, the results are fantastic. I have programmed three film recipes into the X100 - in the three available custom slots, and have programmed the RAW button on the back of the camera to bring these options up so I can switch between them easily. All of the images in this post were taken in the C1 slot - using my Kodak Ektachrome E100SW film recipe.

The X100 has limited scope for tweaking film styles, but it can be done. The same was true with my X-E1 which was also fairly limiting, so the film recipes I have programmed into the X100 have been directly ported across from the X-E1.

SeaDoo. X100. f8 @ 1/450th, ISO 200. E100SW Recipe

Kodak Ektachrome E100SW Recipe

Film base: Velvia

Dynamic range: 100

Colour: M-Low

Sharpness: M-Hard

Highlight: M-Hard

Shadow: M-Hard

Noise reduction: Low

White Balance: Auto 

White Balance Shift: +1R, -1B

ISO: Auto up to 3200  

As seen above, the recipe is based on the Velvia film simulation with some of the colour reduced and the contrast/sharpness increased. It gives a punchy result without being too in-your-face colour-wise, which is ideal for landscape and general photography. These images are SOOC, on a bright and sunny afternoon, so I needed to pay close attention to the histogram to make sure that the highlights weren't too blown-out - especially with the increased contrast. 

Deadliest Snatch. Fujifilm X100. f/8 @ 1/1400th sec, ISO 800. Kodak E100SW film recipe

For my first genuine outing with the Fujifuilm X100, I really enjoyed using the camera. It is certainly lightweight and easy to carry around, and I didn't find the fixed 35mm lens to be too limiting. Yes, there were times when I would have liked to have been able to compose a slightly different field of view, but this will always be a limitation (unless you carry a bag full of lenses with you everywhere). On the whole I was able to get the photos that I wanted without feeling constrained by 'only' having the 35mm fov. 

The Pub on the Lake. Fujifilm X100. f8 @ 1/750th, ISO 400. Kodak E100SW film recipe

My first outing with the X100 has been (mostly) a success. If I was on holiday and had been visiting Moana for the first time, then I would be very happy with the photos that I came away with. 

In the prime 'C1' setting, the Kodak Ektachrome E100SW film recipe is a perfect SOOC jpeg profile - nice and punchy colours without being oversaturated, with excellent detail and sharpness. It even works well for portraits, so will probably remain my go-to everyday colour recipe.

My next outing with the camera will concentrate on the C2 setting - my black and white recipe for my Fujifilm Acros look. I'll try to remember to slow down for my next shoot and make sure that I'm using proper technique to reduce the risk of taking blurry images - especially in low light. And I am also going to have to investigate a way of adding grain to my final images. The X100 can't do this in-camera, so I will need to investigate some post-processing solutions.

Lake Brunner, Moana. Fujifilm X100. Kodak Ektachrome E100SW film recipe

Over the Christmas period my son 'upgraded' my old computer to an Intel i5 10th gen chip that can now run Windows 11. Unfortunately to do this I lost some software that I had been using to add grain to images - namely the Nik Collection that I had downloaded when it was being offered for free by Google. I am also not subscribed to Adobe anymore, so no longer have access to Lightroom or Photoshop. I'm using RawTherapee instead. Since I'm trying to use jpeg images SOOC, I don't really need RAW editing software at the moment, but will do in the future. So I am in the investigation phase of looking at post-processing going forward. I'll let you know my solution once I've finalised it, but at the moment RawTherapee is filling the gap nicely.....

One camera, one lens, in 2026.

In my last post I discussed my recent purchase; the Fujifilm X100. I had hoped it would have turned up in time for my birthday, but alas that was not meant to be. It’s actually due to arrive on December 23rd (this Tuesday at the time of writing this). To say that I’m looking forward to it arriving would be something of an understatement. I’m pumped.

For those of you who may have been following along at home (and if you have been then ‘thank you’), you will know that this is not my first foray into the Fujifilm ecosystem. In 2019 I invested heavily in the XE1 and XE2, taking a deep dive down the film recipe rabbit hole. I enjoyed every minute of it back then, and I have a feeling that I’m going to be doing the same soon. I’ve already started re-reading some of my old posts to familiarise myself with some of the film recipes that I created for the XE1, and I think that these will port over to the X100 quite nicely.

I’m also hoping that the X100 will help rekindle my love affair with photography. I had been recently mulling over what I might be able to do in 2026 to get me back into photography again, and the X100 might just be the answer. In a few ways.

Firstly, the move back to a rangefinder-like shooting experience is something that I am really looking forward to. I loved the handling of the XE cameras I owned, which from someone who was brought up on SLR bodies was very surprising. In a good way. I’m also looking forward to experiencing the hybrid viewfinder on the X100. I have become used to using evf’s (electronic view finders) and the myriad benefits that they bring. I don’t even mind a lower resolution evf like those on the XE1 or Olympus EM5. But an optical viewfinder, with an electronic overlay that gives some shooting information,may be the perfect blend between digital convenience and optical clarity? Using the optical viewfinder option also helps with battery life, which on the original X100 isn’t all that impressive (apparently).

Secondly, 2026 may see me embrace the ‘one camera, one lens’ philosophy with the Fujifilm X100. It will be fascinating to see what using just the X100, with its fixed 35mm focal length lens, will do for my photography. Especially since I’m a self-confessed zoom guy. In preparation I’ve been watching a few youtube videos extolling the virtues of the fixed 35mm focal length. Some even refer to it as the ‘goldilocks’ focal length. It had better be if I’m going to shoot it exclusively for my images in 2026. We have a North Island holiday planned for the start of 2026, and we also may go to Australia towards the end of 2026 - so I had better fall in love with the 35mm focal length and the images it produces, or the one camera, one lens philosophy may be somewhat short lived? But I’m certainly keen to give it a go…

Speaking of giving it a go, the third and final decision with using the X100 is around file types. Given that I really loved Fuji’s film recipes last time I used the system, and given that I’m already thinking of what recipes I can programme into the X100, I’m also thinking that in 2026 I will concentrate on shooting jpegs only!? If there is any system that warrants shooting only jpegs, it’s Fujifilm. With its retro styling, film-like handling, and basic (2010) technology, the camera is as close as it gets to a film-shooting experience in a digital camera body. Right up my alley.

If I go through with all of the above (one camera, with one fixed 35mm lens, shooting jpegs only), then 2026 could be a very interesting year for me - photographically and artistically speaking. Bring it on…..

Happy Birthday to me!

Shhhhhh - don’t tell anyone, but I’m turning 58 in five days time!

I can’t quite believe it really, and it seems quite surreal. My Dad only made it to 36 before he passed away (as the result of a bad accident at his place of work). And while I didn’t therefore assume that I would also go young, 58 (only 2yrs away from the big 60) has kinda snuck up on me. 

I’ve also been struggling a bit health-wise this year as well. I have a family history of high blood pressure, of which I take daily medication to keep it under control. But this year I’ve also been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, as well as having had surgery for ankle issues. I am taking action to deal with the diabetes and am hoping to get this under control through diet and exercise in the new year.

But this isn’t a health and fitness blog (you’ll be pleased to know), so what has this all got to do with photography? Excellent question. I’m glad you asked.

My wife and I travel quite a lot back and forth to Christchurch, to spend time with family. And on these trips, it’s a good opportunity to take some family photos. The grandkids are growing up fast (as grandkids are wont to do), and we like to document this. Or at least we like to ‘occasionally’. More often than not, I find myself leaving my full-frame Lumix S5 behind and not bringing a camera at all. I end up taking photos on my phone instead. And as a ‘serious’ photographer, this simply will not do.

This, of course, got me thinking. Maybe I need a more compact travel camera? Something that I don’t mind lugging around for those photo opportunities with family and on the road. Something like a Fujifilm X100 maybe?

To be fair, I didn’t have a specific camera in mind when I started looking on TradeMe (NZ’s answer to ebay). I actually bid on a few cameras (including a Canon M10 and Lumix GX85), before putting in a rather cheeky bid on a Fujifilm X100 (original). I made an offer of $400.00 on the camera with an asking price of $500.00 - and was surprised when the seller accepted my offer! But I ain’t complaining.

For those of you who may have read some of my previous posts, you will be aware that I have taken a deep dive into the Fujifilm rangefinder-esque style of camera in the past. I owned both the XE1 and XE2, and loved the aesthetics, handling and functionality of the Fuji system. Especially the film simulations. And I have used an X100 in the deep dark past (briefly) when they first came out in 2011. Ironically, I can recall not being overly enamoured with it. But this was also when I was deeply embedded in the digital SLR system.

With the original X100, I’m getting 15 year old technology, with a fixed 35mm equivalent lens and 12 megapixels. It’s slow focusing, inaccurate, has slow write speeds and has very limited film simulations. On paper it’s a bit of a dog to be honest. So what's the appeal?

Well, for a start, just look at it! It’s flippin’ gorgeous. And yes, as vain as it may seem, looks do matter (to me at least). If I’m looking for a ‘fun’ travel camera that makes me want to pick it up and take pictures with it, then look no further than the X100.

And I also don’t need (or want) another camera crammed with technology and all the modern bells and whistles. I’ve already got one of those. With the X100 I’ll look forward to slowing down and experience the process of taking a photo. And yes, the experience is very much like shooting film. Which I love. But with digital, which I also love.

So while the Fujifilm X100 might be old, and slow, and lack most of the newer film simulations, I think it will more than make up for this with the experience of picture taking. Will I miss some shots occasionally? Undoubtedly. Will I find the fixed 35mm equivalent field of view limiting from time to time? Most certainly. But will I enjoy using the X100 and taking photos with it? Absolutely!

It should arrive on my birthday (happy birthday to me), and I can’t think of a better present to give myself for my 58th birthday.

Fujifilm upgrade - finally?

In my last post I talked about loosing my landscape photography 'mojo'. With my interest in macro photography 'sparked' recently, I can kinda see a way out of my photography funk. But there is another way...

It's no secret that I change camera systems - a lot. I've been writing this blog for 16 years now (yeah, I know...), and in that time, I've owned almost any system you could care to mention. Except Leica. Oddly, I've never even ever touched a Leica camera. Might need to change that one day? But I digress...

And yes - changing camera systems does tend to invigorate my creativity. It get's me excited again. Out taking photos again. Reviewing bodies and lenses again. Looking to be creative again. You get the idea.

Previous to owning my current Olympus E-M1 (a camera I've owned at least twice before...), I was heavily involved in the Fujifilm eco system - and loving it! Honestly. I even made a vlog for my YouTube channel where I gushed over Fujifilm cameras and said I'd be using them forever! (embarrassing much?) Well, we all know how that went. But it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone - least of all me. Part of what I LOVE about photography is using different gear. Always have. It's what made me want to be a camera reviewer for a national publication.

So yes - my genius solution to my current disinterest in all things photography... change systems.

There are two in the running this time around, although one is out in the lead by a decent margin. Currently the heart is winning over the head. I'll briefly outline the 'head' decision first - before completely ignoring it for the heart 😁

Sony is a system that has fascinated me for a long time. Especially the SLT (single lens translucent) technology that allows for a mirrorless EVF combined with a DSLR shooting experience. The best of both worlds.

I am also a huge Minolta fan - especially of their A mount autofocus lenses. I owned an a200 briefly, with a sweet Minolta 35-70mm f4 that I paid peanuts for, and am 'borrowing' an a99 from a friend at the moment. But I've never really gone deep into the system myself. Now might be a great time to do it? Especially since I do have the a99 (great camera) with several great Minolta lenses - including a 50mm macro and 16mm fisheye! My 'local' Christchurch camera store just happens to have an a57 for an excellent price in the 2nd hand section, and it's very tempting... 

And that's what my 'head' is telling me to do. "You've got a full frame body (on loan), and you've got a bunch of sweet lenses for it. What are you waiting for? Get the Sony!"

But what does my 'heart' want?

17 months ago, in September 2020, I wrote about the camera I would probably upgrade my Fujifilm X-E2 to here. It was a great idea, and I would have done it too - if I hadn't had a brain explosion and switched to Olympus in the meantime! But now.... now I can.

Yes folks. I'm moving back to Fujifilm! (I think). And getting the Fujifilm X-T20! (I hope).

Why Fujifilm? And why the X-T20 (and not the X-E3, X-T2 or X-Pro1)? The second part is easy to answer - why the X-T20? Because said Christchurch camera store also has a great deal on a 2nd hand X-T20 at the moment. AND because I've had my eye on it since I wrote that blog post about the upgrade 17 months ago.

Why Fujifilm then? Especially since I left the system in something of a 'huff' a year and a half ago. The answer to that has to do with the creation of this blog, and my 'archiving' of it. Every couple of years I go back and grab all the previous articles, compile them into a book, and print them out. This gives me a hard copy of what I've written. It means that if Google ever decides to abandon blogger (wasn't that a concern a couple of years back?) and dump all my posts, at least I've got a copy of them. It also means I go back and read what I've written. This can be quite nostalgic. And also very illuminating.

Looking through my 2019/2020 posts, I realised that I absolutely loved all the images I had taken with my Fuji cameras. They just had 'something' special. They were filmic, sumptuous, different and epic! Why was I not still shooting with Fuji's!?

Yeah, ok - there was that whole 'mushy detail' thing. But honestly, when I just 'looked' at the images I took on my Fuji's, they were all just brilliant! And I got all inspired to shoot with Fuji again. And to explore their film recipes again. And go down that whole SOOC Jpeg shooting rabbit hole again!

So I think that's what will be happening - soon. I've contacted the camera store in Christchurch, sent them photos of my Olympus gear as a trade, and asked them to price it against the purchase of the Fujifilm X-T20 body they have for sale.

I should come out of it with the X-T20 and enough money to get a 16-50mm XC kit lens for it. Yes, I realise that was the very lens that caused all my 'mushyness' concerns in the first place, but it is also the lens I used to create all those 'epic' images I've just been banging on about. So it can't have been that bad - can it!? (Told you this was what the 'heart' wanted and not the 'head' 😆).

Nothing has been finalised with the trade yet, but now that I've said it out loud, I'll be gutted if it doesn't actually happen.

I will, of course, blog about it again soon. Updates to follow...

Using Fujifilm's PC AutoSave function

There's not a lot I don't like about my Fujifilm X-E2. The size, weight, form factor, ergonomics and IQ are all fantastic, and I adore the range-finderesque style of shooting (which is a complete surprise to me).

There are, however, a couple of features (or lack of in one case) that I am not all that crazy about. First, which I wrote about last post, is the X-E2's inability to set individual white balance shifts for each custom film setting. To be fair, this isn't just an X-E2 issue, and was only recently fixed with the X-Pro 3 and X100V. Still, I wish the X-E2 had this ability.

Second, due to its X-Trans II sensor, the X-E2 doesn't have the Acros film simulation, and nor does it have any Grain setting for the film recipes. If I am going to stick to shooting in Jpeg-only going forwards (which remains to be seen), these are two settings I would dearly love to have. As much as I adore the X-E2 in most other respects, these omissions have me seriously considering upgrading to the X-E3.

And third, I'm not a huge fan of the positioning of the SD card underneath the camera right next to the battery. For a couple of reasons. Primarily, it's fiddly to get the card out with the battery in place, and even worse if the extra grip is attached. Fuji's own accessory grip for the X-E2 covers the battery compartment completely and so needs to be removed every time you need to change battery or SD card. I also have a third party grip which is better, in that it does have a cut-out so the door can be opened without complete removal of the grip. However, it makes the hole quite a bit deeper and therefore even more difficult to get you fingers in to eject the card. Sigh...

While not much can be done to fix my first two gripes (other than an upgrade to the X-E3 or X-Pro 3... yes please), my final issue does actually have a work-around - especially if you're shooting jpeg-only. It's a brilliant solution called PC AutoSave, and basically uses your home wi-fi connection to transfer all the images from the card to your computer wirelessly.

I recall a couple of years ago investigating whether this could be done on my Olympus OM-D EM5 MkII. I think that I had seen on some promotional material at the time that this feature was available on the Fuji's - so I presumed that since the E-M5 MkII had wi-fi connectivity, that it could do it as well. But alas, it couldn't. I actually wrote about my frustration with this at the time here.

In the ensuing couple of years, I'd obviously forgotten about this feature on the Fuji system (I'm getting old), and haven't been utilising it at all. Something (don't ask me what) jogged my memory the other day when I had returned from a quick shoot with the X-E2 at the Cobden Lagoon (see last post). As I was preparing to fight yet again with the camera to give up its SD card I suddenly thought "Hang on a minute. Can't you download these images over wi-fi?" And the answer is 'yes', you can.

It's pretty strtaight-forward as well (thanks Fujifilm). Just download the Fujifilm PC AutoSave App on your PC or laptop, open the software on the computer, and follow the prompts. You will first have to set your camera up to 'Save to PC' in its wi-fi settings, and then connect the camera to your home wi-fi network. But once you've achieved these simple tasks (the software walks you through the process) the rest is plain sailing. Point the software to the folder you want to use as the 'download' folder, hit enter when the camera asks you if you want to transfer the files to your PC, and bingo - away it goes. Brilliant!

Honestly, this is the answer to all my prayers (in-so-far as the SD card issues are concerned). With wireless transfer of images to my computer, I need never take the 64GB SD card out of the camera ever again! And you only have to go through the (relatively painless) rigmarole of setting it up once. Next time you come back from shooting, set the camera to 'Image Preview' mode, press the wi-fi button, and the camera should pair up to the computer automatically.

It's a great system for someone shooting Jpeg-only, with 'relatively' small file sizes. I'd imagine that if you were shooting RAW + Jpeg and came back from a wedding with a full 64GB card (or two), then it might take quite some time to transfer them all over wi-fi. In that scnario, perhaps the old-fashion card reader might still be the better option? But for one or two hundred Jpegs transferred over wi-fi, the wait time isn't too horrendous.

Fortunately, after file transfer is complete, the camera disables the wi-fi connection automatically. You should, however, make sure that you have a reasonably full battery in the camera during image downloading, since the camera - not surprisingly - needs to be 'on' during the process.

This all may be old-hat to many of you who have been using Fuji cameras fro a while. But for me, it's been almost revolutionary! I've never been able to do this with any other camera that I've owned - although I wanted to with the Olympus's and couldn't understand why they didn't.

If, like me, you've been fiddling about getting the SD cards out of the slot next to the battery chamber, then fiddle no more! Download Fujifilm's PC AutoSave app and enjoy the liberating experience of wireless image transfer! What a relief.

WB settings for film simulations in my Fujifilm X-E2

In my last post I discussed 'going 100% Jpeg'. This may sound scary to some photographers for who shooting Raw is almost a religion (and yes, that was me too). It's really only been made possible - for me at least - by shooting with the Fuji custom film simulations (or recipes).

Fujifilm expects you to play around with film simulations and create your own - that's what their X-Raw Studio software is all about. Unfortunately, my X-E2 is not compatible with X-Raw Studio (I presume it only works for X-Trans III sensors and above?). Fortunately, others have done the hard work for me already, and there are a plethora of film simulations on-line to choose from (check out the amazing Fuji X Weekly blog).

All sorts of parameters can be tweaked to create a 'look' you're after; from highlight and shadow tone, to sharpness and colour - and even grain and clarity on the latest Fuji camera models (alas, again, not my X-E2!) To get the very best out of these film simulations, you also need to tweak the white balance R & B (red and blue) channels to truly dial-in the colour shifts that some 'films' give. It's well known among film shooters that Kodak has warmer tones than Fuji, whose films are generally slightly cooler (bluer). To achieve these colour variables, the R and B channels can be changed to mimic these tonal variances. So far so good.

Unfortunately, on most of the Fuji cameras, these changes to white balance in the R & B channels are a 'global' change. So, for example, if you have Auto WB set, with a +3R and -2B colour shift, all film recipes that use Auto WB will have the same shift applied. Annoyingly! This has, fortunately, been fixed with the X-Pro 3 (and X100F I think?) - but I don't have an X-Pro 3, do I...😞

Fear not, fellow Fuji user - for there is a work-around for this... kind of. Since the white balance shift is global, what you need to do is set different white balances for each film simulation, applying the correct red and blue channel shift to each white balance. You can also, of course, choose film simulations that use the same r&b channel colour shifts. I've set my X-E2 up with a combination of the two. Let me explain...

The seven film recipes I have currently programmed into my Fujifilm X-E2

Currently, in the seven allowable custom setting slots on the X-E2, I have Ektachrome 100SW, Acros mono, Kodachrome II, Kodak Tri-X, Fujichrome Sensia 100, Kodak Ektar 100 and Kodak Portra 400 film 'simulations' programmed in. Of those, five use the same Auto white balance shift (Auto +3R, -4B) while two have different WB settings applied with their own R&B channel shifts.

Remember how I said earlier that Kodak is known for being a 'warmer' toned film. Look at the list above. Five of them happen to be Kodak film recipes - four of which (Ektachrome, Kodachrome, Ektar and Portra) use the same Auto WB as mentioned above. The fifth is actually the black and white Fuji 'Acros' simulation. Since mono is less crucial with colour shifts (obviously), having my Acros film simulation share the Kodak films WB setting isn't an issue.

Having said that, of the two film recipes that have other WB settings applied, one of those just happens to be a Kodak mono film - Kodak Tri-X. This recipe actually uses a Daylight WB, with +9R and -9B. The final, odd one out is, not surprisingly, the Fujichrome Sensia recipe. The slightly 'blue' cast associated with many Fuji films is actually achieved by using the Fluorescent 2 WB with a -1R and -3B channel shift. As can be seen in the thumbnails above, it certainly gives it a blue tone over the other Kodak film recipes. 

It's early days using these film recipes, and the above images were taken on a very overcast and gloomy day - not my normal shooting conditions. Initial indications, however, are good, with the film simulations rendering the Jpegs as expected. Ektachrome and Ektar are exhibiting the punchier colours, while Kodachrome has a more vintage look. Sensia, as mentioned, has the cooler Fujifilm tones, whereas Portra colours are more subtle and muted (ideal for portraits). The Acros and Tri-X mono recipes are fairly similar in overcast conditions. I expect more variance will become apparent in brighter light?

I won't go into each individual recipe in this post - it's far too long already 😆 Look for future blog posts where I will discuss each individual recipe I'm using in greater detail. If anything I've written in this post doesn't quite make sense, or you want further clarification, don't hesitate to comment down below and ask me questions. I'm just feeling my way through using channel shifts as well, so maybe we can work all this out together?

I do encourage you, if you're not already, to set some film 'recipes' up in your custom settings on your camera and start using them. They are a lot of fun, especially if you're an ex-film shooter who had some favourite film stocks back-in-the-day. Yes, I know it's still digital. But you can at least pretend you're shooting film - can't you?

Shooting Jpeg Only for 6 months!

Yeah, I know - the Jpeg vs Raw debate is about as old as Canon vs Nikon - and about as interesting (not). Any photographer worth their salt will tell you that you should only ever shoot in Raw, and if you absolutely HAVE to have a Jpeg (for some bizarre reason), then shoot in Raw + Jpeg (and then throw the Jpeg away).

I'm one of those photographers, to be honest. I've pretty much only ever shot in Raw since picking up my Nikon D70 sixteen years ago, and have never really understood the Raw + Jpeg argument. If you've shot Raw, what on earth would you need the (inferior) Jpeg for? Ok - maybe sports photographers had a case for shooting jpeg once upon a time (when cards were measured in Megabytes and not Gigs). But for 99.99% of the rest of us, just shoot Raw. Job done.

But... (isn't there always a but)... more recently - and I mean only in the last few years - the allure of shooting Jpeg-only has been brewing. More and more 'serious' photographers have been extolling the virtues of using Jpegs SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera) because the manufacturer's Jpeg processing engines inside their cameras are just so good! The rise of mirrorless cameras, where you can actually see your exposure (and tweak the highlight and shadow areas) before taking the shot, has helped hugely to light a fire under the 'shoot Jpeg only' brigade. Expose carefully, use a creative filter, and have the camera process it for you. Job done.

Shipwreck, Cobden Beach. Fuji X-E2 Jpeg (edited)

About a year ago, I moved over to using the Fujifilm system - namely the X-E1 and X-E2. I've absolutely fallen in love with the ergonomics, handling, and IQ from these range-finder style APS-C cameras. But if I'm honest, the main reason I wanted to try out the Fuji system - and the main reason I'll probably stay in the Fuji ecosystem for a very long time - are their film simulations.

I grew up using film, and still shoot with film cameras from time to time (see my recent posts on choosing a 35mm film system). So moving to a digital camera, from Fujifilm, that shoots with film simulations like Velvia, Provia and Astia, was almost a no-brainer! In fact, I'm not quite sure what's taken me so long to be honest?

But... (there's that but again)... the film simulations are only applied to Jpegs. Not surprisingly, the Raw files are left untouched. No problem - I hear you say. Just shoot Raw + Jpeg and have the best of both worlds. A Jpeg with the film simulations applied, and a Raw file that you can tweak and torture to your hearts content in Lightroom or Photoshop. And yes - thank you - that's exactly what I've been doing. Job done.

Or is it? Because a very large part of me isn't really very happy with this solution. I've always thought, as mentioned earlier, that shooting Raw + Jpeg was rather redundant. And I still do think that. I hate coming back from a shoot with 100 photos - only that's now 200 because I shot in two file formats, one of which I know I'm probably never going to use! In the past, that 'redundant' file was the jpeg. Now that I'm shooting with the Fujifilm, and utilising film simulations, the redundant file is - well - the Raw file!

Proud grandparents. Fujifilm X-E2 Mono (no editing)

I've toyed (briefly) in the past with shooting Jpeg-only when I was using Olympus gear. The Olympus Jpegs are known for being excellent SOOC, so I tried to go Jpeg-only with them for a while. Didn't last long through, since I wasn't really excited about their existing creative filters.

With Fujifilm, however, their film simulations are 'next-level'. On their own they are fantastic. But there's more! You can actually build your own 'custom' film recipes and programme them into seven slots to recall and use them instantly. There are many custom recipes on-line - most famously on Fuji X Weekly, a blog run by film recipe expert Ritchie Roesch. This means that you can pre-programme film 'simulations' like Kodachrome 64, Kodak Tri-X and Agfa Optima into you camera and switch between these 'looks' as the mood (or scene) dictates. For a die-hard film shooter like me, this is absolute photography heaven!

For example, at the moment in my X-E2 I have; Ektachrome 100SW, Fuji Acros, Kodachrome II, Kodak Tri-X, Fujichrome Sensia 100, Kodak Ektar 100 and Kodak Portra 400 all programmed into my custom film simulation settings. I can flick between them almost instantly, get seven different 'film' looks SOOC, and have minimal editing to do once I get the image home.

So I've decided to 'bite the bullet' and shoot Jpeg-only for the next 6 months at least. Seriously. No cheating. No Raw + jpeg 'just in case'. It will be film simulation Jpegs only for the next six months. Sounds a bit scary. And for a die-hard Raw shooter, it is a bit scary. But modern Jpegs - well exposed modern Jpegs - are surprisingly editable. And If I'm happy with the film simulations, there shouldn't be much - if any - editing required anyway?

As someone who is more than happy shooting film - I think I'll handle Jpeg-only digital capture for six months. Who knows, I may even go longer?

Golden Bay Holiday - Wainui Falls

Greetings fellow photographers, and welcome to 2020!

Over the next few blog posts I'm going to be chronicling my recent holiday to the Golden Bay region at the top of the South Island.

My wife and I spent 9 nights (10 days) in mid January, with friends (Tim and Nicki) staying at a batch at Puponga - the northern most settlement in the South Island. Nestled at the base of Farewell Spit, Puponga is an idyllic spot to stay over the summer, and we were blessed with amazing weather (hot and sunny with no wind) for the whole 10 days!

Golden Bay is a beautiful region that incorporates Nelson's Kahurangi National Park, The Abel Tasman National Park, and some iconic landscape locations such as Cape Farewell and Wharariki Beach (more on them in future posts).

Cair Paravel - The batch at Puponga

Neither my wife Joanna or I had ever been to the Golden Bay region before, so we were very excited to be visiting for 10 days, and to have Tim and Nicki as our guides. They have holidayed at Golden Bay several times, and knew exactly how to get to all the beautiful locations. All my wife and I had to do was sit back and relax - and find out from Tim every morning what we would be doing and where we would be going for that day!

As well as posting these blogs, I am also putting together some 'vlogs' on my Youtube Channel. The first of these here: https://youtu.be/kcZ4POkUAFk is a 'What's in my Bag' video that shows all the photography gear I took on holiday. If you have read any of my previous blog posts (and of course you have 😉), then you will know that I changed all my photography gear over to Fuji towards the end of 2019.

What's cooking? Fuji X-E2 with 16-50mm XC lens

My Fuji cameras - the X-E1 and X-E2 - are ideal travel cameras. Small, mirrorless, lightweight, range-finder style bodies with superb image quality from the 16MP X-Trans sensor. I used the X-E2 as my 'main' camera, paired with the 16-50mm and 50-230mm XC 'kit' lenses, and the X-E1 with the 27mm f2.8 pancake lens for an even smaller and lighter combo. This worked very well, and I never felt that I lacked for anything on the holiday - even on the days when I was just carrying the 27mm pancake.

I  also took 6 (yes, six!) camera batteries with me so that I wouldn't run out of battery power during the day. Turns out that six is a bit overkill, even if you're shooting all day. With some pretty heavy use as we traveled around, I only ever needed two batteries to make it through a full day of shooting. And of course, staying at the batch meant that I could charge batteries every evening. So really, three or four batteries would have still been more than enough. Better safe than sorry with these mirrorless cameras though, I guess.

The first day of the holiday was a travel day. With stop-offs along the way (and plenty of them), it took us about 8 hours to get from Greymouth to the batch at Puponga. We did go out on the first night to recce a spot for sunrise the following day, but the light was fading and so no good photos were had on day one. Unfortunately, sunrise on day two didn't really happen either. See the vlog on my Youtube channel about that here: https://youtu.be/9wjQTTuDXWk

It wasn't until the afternoon of day two that the photography began in earnest, with a trip to Wainui Falls.

Wainui Falls is a waterfall (surprise, surprise) about 20km east of Takaka. It's quite a tourist destination and even has a cafe and family play area at the start of the track. You know a waterfall is a popular destination when it has its own cafe!

It's just a short walk through native bush to the waterfall - about half an hour there - and is a very well maintained and easy walk. Mostly flat and only rising gradually to the waterfall itself. I guess its easy accessibility is what makes it so popular. It was a lovely walk, although we were there at the hottest and brightest time of the day - not ideal for great waterfall images. And I also wouldn't call it the most impressive or photogenic waterfall I've ever seen? In my humble opinion, the Coal Creek Falls at Runanga on the West Coast is a much more impressive waterfall, just as easy to walk to - but would only get a fraction of the visitors. Just saying...

Wainui Falls, Abel Tasman National Park, Takaka. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f/5.6 @ 1/500th, ISO 200

On a hot summer day, it's inevitable that you will also get people who want to go for a swim at the falls. This adds yet another possible obstacle for us landscape photographers looking for a good image of the falls. In this instance, however, I actually like the inclusion of the two figures in the bottom right of the image. They add some interest, indicate that it was a hot day, and give a clue to the scale of the falls themselves (which aren't massive). Given that most of the elements for a good image were conspiring against me on this occasion, I'm very happy with the photo I managed to capture. Shooting in RAW allowed me to pull extra detail out of the blown highlights and deep shadows you get mid afternoon in summer, and even though there were probably another 20 or so tourists milling about trying to take their own photos (mostly selfies), I was able to isolate just these two swimmers in one frame.

Wainui Falls Swingbridge Selfie.

And speaking of the dreaded selfie... yeah, ok. It had to be done. We were on holiday after all! This was taken on the swingbridge leading up to the falls. It's only about another five minutes from the bridge to the falls themselves, and is a natural place to stop and grab a quick selfie. I took this on my wife's iPhone 5s, since I was using my iPhone to vlog the falls for my Youtube Channel. The video isn't 'live' yet, but soon will be. Just follow the other links above to my channel and make sure you check out Vlog #15 when it becomes available...

I've been vlogging on Youtube for almost a year now, and I'm still not sure what I think about it? It's a lot - and I mean a LOT - more work to create coherent video as well as stills, and there were many time on this holiday where I just couldn't be bothered carrying around all the extra gear.

I've been a 'stills' photographer for over 30 years, and old habits die hard. I still don't really 'think' in terms of video, so it takes a lot of extra time, thought, and effort to shoot video for the channel. But, the flip side of this is that when I do take the time and effort, the resulting video can be a much stronger visual experience. Especially if I've taken the time to shoot a lot of B-roll (I don't always remember). Now that we are back from holiday, and I'm working through the photos and putting together the videos that I could be bothered to shoot, I find myself wishing that I'd actually shot more video than I did. Might have to reflect on that for the future?

Wainui Falls Cafe. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC.

Anyway, enough with the video talk - this is a photography blog after all. Having photographed the Falls, we headed back for a coffee (I actually had an ice cream) at the Cafe.

Since the video was only going to be about our trip to the Falls, I felt that I could now relax and get back to what I do best - take photos. The Cafe and family play area was the perfect place to relax, enjoy an ice cream, and people-watch for a while. We spent a very enjoyable afternoon sitting in the shade, watching the ever-present,  very tame Weka's (flightless native birds who always hunt out free food) pick through leftovers and drink coffee from tables! They are very used to people (obviously) and will come right up to you expecting to be fed whatever it is you're eating. Probably not recommended food for native birds, but the Weka's won't take no for an answer!

Help yourself! Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 50-230mm XC. f/6.4 @ 1/60th, ISO 200

Your move. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC

Tim and his son Tim Jnr. ended the day with a game of Garden Chess. I'm not going to say who came away victorious - except to say that the wiser (or should that be older?) head prevailed 😂

We picked up Tim Jnr. in Nelson and he joined us for the first few days of the holiday. It was great to catch up with him, since we've known him as a young lad, but haven't seen him since he moved to Nelson a few years ago.

The trip to Wainui Falls was a great way to start our Golden Bay adventure. I wouldn't say that the Falls themselves were anything spectacular, and the photos aren't anything above travel snaps, but in terms of relaxing, enjoying ourselves, and settling into 'holiday mode', it couldn't have started any better. There was going to be many more opportunities to take some 'serious' landscape photography on the trip. And trust me, the best was yet to come...

Film Simulation Recipe C4: Kodak Tri-X

If you've been following along recently (thanks if you have - shame on you if you haven't), you will have been introduced to the first two of my custom film recipes for my Fujifilm X-E1. If you want to catch up on these posts, go here for my version of Classic Chrome, and here for my version of Acros.

Hansen Park, Christchurch. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f/16 @ 1/100th, ISO 400
C4 film simulation recipe - Kodak Tri-X jpeg

To mix things up a bit (and to keep those who are following along on their toes), I'm going to jump from C2 to C4, missing out C3 - my Kodak Portra 400 simulation - for another time. Couple of reasons for this. First, I haven't used the C3 Portra 400 simulation yet, since I haven't been taking many portraits (which is mainly what I would use this film simulation recipe for). But mainly it's because I recently had the opportunity to shoot in a park early in the morning and decided to use the more 'grittier' C4 film simulation. So I actually have some images to show that use this film simulation.

C4: Kodak Tr-X Film Recipe
ISO 400 (will increase if appropriate)
Dynamic Range: 200
White Balance: Auto
Noise Reduction: 0
Image Size: Large 3:2
Image Quality: RAW + Jpeg fine
Film simulation base: Monochrome + R
Highlight Tone: +1
Shadow Tone: +2
Sharpness: +1

As you can see, my Kodak film simulation is based on the Monochrome + Red filter, for a bit more contrast in the black and white tones. This is further enhanced by boosting both the highlights and shadows much more than with my 'standard' Acros simulation. Base ISO begins at ISO 400 to mimic the classic Kodak Tri-X rating, with +1 sharpness to emulate Tri-X's outstanding edge-to-edge sharpness.

Casting Shadows. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/750th, ISO 400. C4 film simulation: Kodak Tri-X

Of my film simulation recipes for the X-E2 (and X-E1), four are black and white and three are colour. When shooting with actual film, I tend to be more of a black and white user, so it's not surprising that me preferences for 'film stock' in the X-E2 is going to be slightly skewed towards B&W.

Of course all my 'titles' for these film recipes are completely arbitrary. The C4 simulation is simply my attempt at replicating a more grittier, high contrast black and white look. The kind of look I associate more with Kodak Tri-X. And calling it Kodak Tri-X is just more cooler (and more descriptive) than always referring to it as 'C4'.

Creeping shadows. Fuji X-E2. f/5.6 @ 1/320th, ISO 400. C4: Kodak Tri-X

I think I mentioned this in my previous post about the Acros recipe, but it's worth mentioning again. The reason I love shooting in the black and white film simulations, is that it offers me the best of both worlds. Setting the camera to shoot in RAW + Jpeg, I get to 'see' in black and white through the evf and subsequent image on the lcd screen, but I also capture a colour RAW file if I change my mind and want the image in colour.

Actually 'seeing' in monochrome is by far the biggest benefit. Eliminating the colour reduces the image to purely shapes, lines and tones. This was a huge help when visualizing an image like the one above - Creeping shadows. Yes, I could see that the shadows were making interesting shapes on the grass when I was there taking the photo. But by setting the camera to my C4 film recipe I was able to  remove all the distracting elements and nail the image in-camera. I could have shot in colour only, knowing that I was going to convert it to monochrome later on and boost the contrast in Lightroom. But if I knew that already, why not just do it at the time? Fuji's outstanding film simulation recipes allow me to do this.

A shadow of my former self. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/550th, ISO 400

I have visited Hansen Park in Christchurch every month for the last six months, and photographed there at the same time each visit. My wife and I have been going over to a medical centre near there, and I have been taking the opportunity to go for a walk in the park and take photos while my wife has her appointment. It's been the winter months mostly, with very cold mornings. But now it's spring, and at 9.30 in the morning the sun was casting very strong side light through the park. The shadows looked fantastic in b&w through the evf, so this is what I decided to concentrate on capturing this morning.

Treescape. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/8 @ 1/240th, ISO 400. C4: Kodak Tri-X jpeg

The X-E2 with lensmate thumb grip and leather case makes for a surprisingly comfortable grip for such a small compact camera. As I talked about in my last post, this is also helped by using the ultra-light Fujinon 16-50mm XC lens. My 'new' secondhand silver mark II version arrived before the weekend, just in time to take it away with me. It's just as sharp and impressive as my last black, mark I, version of the lens - and looks great in silver on the silver/black X-E2 body.

Handling, ergonomics and shooting experience with the Fujifilm X-E2 is sheer joy. I haven't had this much pleasure using a camera in a very long time. Sure, I 'enjoy' using cameras - full stop. The Nikon D300 was/is a 'great' camera, as are the Canons. But there's just something else about the Fujifilm X-E2 (and X-E1) that captivates me and makes me want to shoot. Something almost undefinable. It's all getting a bit 'zen' (sorry), but the connection I feel to the Fuji's is quite special.

Dappled light. Fujifilm X-E2 & Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/8 @ 1/450th, ISO 400. C4: Kodak Tri-X - jpeg 

Anyone who has followed my posts on this blog for any length of time will understand that I've been searching for my 'ideal' camera system for years. I've oohed and aahed over many systems through the years - from big pro DLSR's like the Canon EOS 1D, to small micro four thirds Olympus E-M1's. And as I said earlier, I've 'enjoyed' them all. But none have given me the almost 'spiritual' connection (here he goes again) that I feel with the Fujifilm X-E's. Am I reading too much into enjoying using a new (for me) camera system? Maybe. But I've also written about how I wasn't that enamored with the X-T1. So I do feel I have at least some perspective still in tact!?

I'm loving the images, I'm loving the cameras and I'm loving the whole user experience. I can't really say much more than that. I've recently sold off all my other gear and moved entirely to the Fujifilm X-E2. But such is the lure of the original X-E1, I've purchased another (back up) body, having just sold my first X-E1 recently. I had presumed the X-T1 / X-E2 would be my camera combination, but once I'd decided to sell the X-T1, I started looking for another X-E1. I found one almost straight away - a black body in mint condition. So now I have an X-E2 / X-E1 combination. And although I'm not a prime lens kinda guy, I've also snapped up a Fujinon 27mm f2.8 pancake lens, which I will pair with the black X-E1 for a super small, super light combo. Looking forward to trying this out and comparing the IQ with the 16-50mm XC. I will post about this soon.

And then there was one - the X-E2!

Well, it is indeed official. I am now a complete Fujifilm X shooter! And the winner once the dust had all settled? Ok, it's no surprise if you've been following along (or if you've read the title). I've kept the X-E2.

Lone Tree, West Coast. Fujifilm X-T1 and Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/320th, ISO 200 

In my last post I talked about using the X-T1, and the things I didn't like about its ergonomics. After picking it up for the first time I knew I probably wasn't going to keep it - which was something of a surprise to me. It's positives didn't outweigh its negatives (for me at least), and the fact that it has exactly the same sensor as in the X-E2 didn't help its chances of me keeping it. So it's gone.

Lake Mahinapua reeds. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 17-80mm. f/11 @ 1/6th sec, ISO 200

In another recent post, I took my other recent purchase, the Nikon D300, out for a trip to Lake Mahinapua. I enjoyed the experience of shooting with the DSLR (see the post here), and got some decent images on the morning despite the overcast conditions. I finished that post by saying that I might keep the D300 around to scratch my DLSR itch - but that the Fujifilm X-E2 would be my main system. Well, I didn't - keep it, that is. Upon reflection, I couldn't really justify having the gear just sitting around for when I might want to use it one day. So it's also gone.

Motukeikei Beach, Low tide. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/11 @ 1/5th sec, ISO 800

This left me with the Fujifilm X-E1 - the body that kicked of this whole love affair to begin with - and the X-E2, the 'upgraded' model with a few extra bells and whistles. I outlined this dilemma in this post, concluding that the X-E2 was the 'practical' choice over the X-E1, since it does offer a few helpful software related tweaks over the X-E1. I've since followed through with this decision, and now the X-E1 is also gone (along with the Fujinon 16-50mm XC lens).

So as it stands today, as I write this, I literally just have the X-E2 body left. Nothing else. Not even a lens! Although a lens is coming. With all this selling, I've got a tidy sum together to blow on a lens - right!? So what am I getting? The Fujinon XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 maybe? Or, what about really splurging on the Fujinon XF16-55mm f2.8! I could probably afford one. Oh, I know. Let's really make use of the X-E2's small form factor and get a couple of primes. The 23mm f2 and 35mm f2 maybe?

Nope. Haven't gone for any of those. What I've done, instead, is get another Fujinon 16-50mm XC f3.5-5.6 - plastic fantastic kit lens! I kid you not. Am I crazy? Maybe. Maybe not. I'm actually going to write a post about this lens soon, so stay tuned for my reasoning's to stick with the 'inferior' XC lens lineup.

The lens should arrive soon, along with a grip attachment for the X-E2, and then my 'kit' will be complete (for a while). It will feel a little strange just having one camera body though. I've had the 'back-up' body mentality for such a long time, I may have to relent and get another X-E2? Maybe an all black one to go along with the black and silver I have at the moment? And then again, there is a black X-E1 body going very cheaply online at the moment...

Landscape photos with the Fujifilm X-E2

I've fallen in love with the Fujifilm X cameras! Having recently purchased a used X-E1 to get a 'taste' of the system (to replace my Pen E-P3 as my mirrorless travel camera), I'm now gorging myself on all the x-trans Fujifilm goodness I can handle!

Motukeikei Beach, West Coast. Fujifilm X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f8 @ 1/140th, ISO 800.
(RAF file processed in Lightroom)

I'm definitely in the 'honeymoon' phase, willing to overlook any faults that the system may have (surely not), to focus instead on all the amazing positives. Of which, I believe, there are many.

As I said earlier, and wrote about recently here, the Fujifilm X-E1 is my 'toe in the water'. I've used it on a couple of landscape outings so far, and have been so amazed and impressed by the images it produces, that I've gone and got an X-E2! They are so cheap (relatively speaking) body-only, that I just couldn't say no - and to be honest, I was also curious to see how the E2 improved on the E1.

Motukeikei Beach low tide. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f5.6 @ 1/20th, ISO 800

So is the X-E2 an improvement on the X-E1? Yes - and No. What's that supposed to mean? Let me try to explain...

In terms of technology upgrades, the X-E2 is an improvement over the X-E1 - as to be expected. It has a bigger, clearer (higher resolution) rear lcd screen, much faster write-times (much faster), a 'better' autofocus system, more exposure compensation latitude (+/-3 compared to the X-E1's +/-2), a less laggy evf, wifi capability, and a few more customisable function dials than the X-E1. So all-in-all, it feels like a newer, more responsive, camera. And as I've said already, so it should.

Motukeikei Beach Sunset. X-E2 with 16-50mm. f/11 @ 1/2sec, ISO 200

BUT - (here it comes), in terms of IQ (image quality), the two cameras are as close to identical as to make the differences irrelevant. Yes, the X-E2 is 14bit RAW where the X-E1 is 12bit. But the difference in real-world terms is negligible. The sensor is exactly the same in terms of megapixels (16MP), although as mentioned, processing speed has been greatly improved with the x-trans II sensor on the X-E2. It would have been nice to get a resolution bump from the 1 to the 2, but it was not to be. Not that I'm complaining about the 16MP x-trans sensor in either camera - far from it. Both are outstanding.

I have read that the x-trans II sensor has an 'issue' with waxy looking skin tones shooting at high ISO's (1600+), whereas the original x-trans sensor doesn't. But I could count the times on one hand where I've shot portraits above ISO 1600, so I don't see it as being an issue for me.

Motukeikei Sunset 2. Fujifilm X-E2 with 16-50mm. f/11 @ 2 secs, ISO 200

One thing that does bug me about the X-E2, is the movement of the 'Q' button away from the thumb area and up to the middle-back of the camera. Aaarrgghhh!!! The X-E1 placement makes way better sense to me, and obviously to others as well - since Fuji reverted back to the original position of the 'Q' button on the X-E3! It's not a deal breaker, and something that I'm sure I'll get used to. But it's annoying nonetheless. All the other buttons are identical - if not a little smaller to accommodate the larger lcd screen - and as mentioned previously, more programmable. The only function button I've actually changed on the X-E2, again so that it's more in-line with the X-E1, is the wifi button. I've programmed this to be the ISO selector instead. If I want to engage wifi, I'm quite happy to go into the menu system to do it.

Motukeikei Beach tow tide 2. Fujifilm X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f/11 @ 1/8th sec, ISO 800.

So apart from a few software upgrades and an annoying button switch, the X-E2 is alarmingly similar to the X-E1. It's a year older, faster and more 'refined' maybe, but the image output from the two cameras is so similar as to be basically identical. I can't justifying keeping both (I don't think), so which one will go?

Surprisingly, it's not been an easy decision. My heart says keep the X-E1 and embrace its beautiful first gen x-trans sensor - while my head says keep the newer X-E2 to enjoy its hardware and software refinements. IQ is, as I've said, a non-issue for me.

I 'think' I've decided to keep the X-E2. For a couple of reasons. First - for its wifi capability. It might not be a feature I'll use a lot, but it is handy to have, and I can see it being useful in certain scenarios. It sucks battery juice like there's no tomorrow, but I have a heap of spare batteries, so should be fine.

Second - for its intervalometer capabilities - which is really only a software upgrade, but something they haven't added to the X-E1. Time lapse photography wasn't on my radar until relatively recently, but I've been doing a few of late and really enjoying it. So having a camera with a built in intervalometer is a bonus for me.

And that's ultimately what it boils down to. Some software/processing upgrades that makes the X-E2 a 'newer' feeling camera - surprise, surprise. I will be sad to see the X-E1 go, but I really don't need two X-E bodies.

My sexy X-E2 pimped out with thumb grip and leather case

As you can see from the photos above, image quality with the X-E2 isn't an issue (certainly not for landscapes). Its 16MP x-trans II sensor produces gorgeous files, with plenty of dynamic range, and a lot of flexibility in post from the RAF (Fuji's RAW) file. And surprisingly (for me at least), even though it's a smallish camera, the ergonomics are actually pretty good. With the Fujinon XC 16-50mm 'kit' lens attached (more on that in a future post), a Lensmate thumb grip attached, and leather case adding a little bulk, the XE-2 is very comfortable in the hand. And hey, let's not deny it, it looks damn sexy!

I said right at the start of this post that I've fallen in love with the Fuji X system - and I have. So much so, that what began as a 'trial' to find an occasional use travel camera, has turned into a serious contender for becoming the only camera that I own!

I have also very recently invested in the Nikon system again (a D300), but I am already trying to sell this on. When I do, the Fuji X-E2, and a Fuji XT-1 that is also a recent purchase (more on that soon as well), will be my only digital cameras. And whereas having something small like the Olympus Pen E-P3 as my only camera would have freaked me out, contemplating an X-E2 being my only digital camera for everything has me actually very excited! Bring it on!