North Island Holiday - Part Two

In my last post I introduced some images from a holiday my wife and I took recently to the North Island. Our destination for the first three days of our trip was Matarawa, just north of Greytown, in the Wairarapa. We had been invited to stay by my wife's Uncle Bill in the family homestead, where Uncle Bill (88yrs young) lives on land that has been in the family for generations. It's an idyllic, peaceful spot and a great place to unwind and relax.

Matarawa Sunrise. Panasonic Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. F/8 @ 1/100th, ISO 800

The first morning of what felt like the 'real' start to our holiday started bright and early with a magnificent sunrise. My wife woke me around 6.00am and suggested we might like to get outside with our cameras - right now! It was a beautiful sunrise, and an amazing way to start the photography aspect of the holiday. 

What I love about using the Panasonic S5 is its incredible ibis (in-body-image-stabilisation) and its fantastic low-light capabilities. With the full frame 24MP sensor I will happily crank the ISO up to 6400 if I have to without incurring any noise issues. Hand-holding shots at sunrise gives perfectly sharp results. I'm also amazed at the IQ I get from the 20-60mm 'kit' lens. Some say that it isn't the sharpest lens around, and while this may be true, my copy is plenty sharp for me!

Matarawa Morning. Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/400th, ISO 800

This is my favorite shot of that first morning. The light is just gorgeous! It was a beautiful location, with beautiful light, so we were spoilt for choice. Great images presented themselves wherever we looked. It really was a perfect way to start the holiday, and I was a bit worried that we had peaked before we'd even begun! (Spoiler alert, we hadn't).

Before going away my wife and I created an itinerary, so we could make the most of our time away and get to the places that interested us the most. With only two weeks away, and at a different place almost every day, we needed to be a bit targeted so we weren't spending time sitting around making decisions.

With this in mind, for our first day with Uncle Bill he had suggested taking us to Castle Point to see the lighthouse there. I'm a sucker for a good lighthouse, so was very keen. And even better, Uncle Bill insisted that he chauffer us so we could just sit back and relax. Sounded good to me.

Castle Point Lighthouse. Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/1250th, ISO 400

To say that we had a perfect day at Castle Point would be an understatement. The weather was simply amazing - the clouds were incredible - and the lighthouse was stunning. It's a short (but somewhat steep) walk up to the lighthouse, and there are several caution signs along the way that warn of dangerous high winds. As exposed as the lighthouse is, I can imagine it could get pretty fierce up there. We, however, had nothing but the very gentlest of breezes. Amazing.

I loved pretty much all the photos I took at Castle Point, but the above photo captures the place perfectly. Standing at 52 meters above sea level, it is the North Island's tallest lighthouse, and one of only two in New Zealand that is still lit by the original rotating fresnel lens. It's a truly impressive sight, and is super easy to get to, and to photograph.

The Shop - Castlepoint Store. Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/1600th, ISO 400

After spending an amazing couple of hours exploring and photographing the lighthouse, we drove back into Castlepoint village to have lunch. I noticed this sign on the side of the Castlepoint dairy and couldn't resist taking a photo. It's such a typical image of 'kiwiana' it could have been taken 50 years ago in the 1970s.

I love taking 'retro' images of old stuff (cars, buildings etc), and this would become a reoccurring theme throughout our holiday. We had our itinerary sorted out, but had given ourselves plenty of time for random stops along the way for photographic opportunities. Something I was very keen to make the most of.

Old barn, Tinui. Panasonic Lumix S5 with S 20-60mm. f/8 @ 1/200th, ISO 200.

On the way back to Matarawa, we passed through the little town of Tinui. The name comes from the Maori words 'ti' (cabbage tree) and 'nui' (many). It also claims (apparently falsely) to be the first locality to have had an ANZAC ceremony.

What it did have, was this very old barn that I simply had to take a photo of. As I said, this is my kind of photo. I love the rustic feel of these photos - the colours, the history, the sense of time, and also something of the sadness of these buildings that speak of a bygone era. I also just think they look cool...

Over the last couple of years (maybe even longer) I've been struggling with my photography - or more precisely my photography motivation. I haven't really been that bothered to get out and make images, and I felt that maybe a large part of this was familiarity breeding contempt?

After only one day on holiday in the Wairarapa, I had been pulled out of this 'funk' and felt completely re-energised photographically. In the space of about 10 hours I'd taken maybe some of the best photos I think I've ever taken. Matarawa Morning in particular is right up there with my favorite photos of all time! And some of the Castlepoint Lighthouse aren't too far behind!

Yes, I was 'lucky' with the light and the weather conditions, but it was also about being out with the camera, exploring new locations, and getting inspired by these fresh subjects. And this was just day one in the North Island...

North Island Holiday - Part One.

I don't get out much.

Seriously - it seems the older I get, the less I want to leave the comfort of home. Twenty years ago I would have been out most weekends, up at the crack of dawn, chasing the good light - and the good images. But not anymore.

And I certainly don't go away on many holidays. I could practically count them on one hand.

To some extent, this comes down to the fact that holidays are so damn expensive - and getting expensiverer (yes, I know that's not a word) every year. And I'm not even talking overseas. Travelling in your own country, paying for accommodation, and eating out, can be eye-wateringly costly.

But then again, what price do you put on experiences? Or relaxation (not that travelling is all that relaxing necessarily - but I digress). Yes, it costs too much. But I do know that when my wife and I have bitten the bullet and gone away together for any extended period, 'on holiday', we have thoroughly enjoyed it.

So maybe I should. You know. Get out more...

Mawheraiti Rail Shed, West Coast. Fujifilm X100. f/5.6 @ 1/750th, ISO 400

So I did. 

My wife and I finally took a trip we had been talking about for at least a couple of years. We'd never quite managed it for all sorts of reasons - and almost didn't go at the last minute this time either (but that's another story that I'm not going to tell). But in the end, the Ferry was booked, accommodation sorted, the dog was kenneled, and off we went - to explore the central North Island. First stop - a night in Blenheim (so we could catch the Bluebridge Ferry and cross to the North Island early the next morning).

I didn't get far - about 30 minutes into the trip - before I wanted to stop and take a photo of the above shed (see, it's working already). Shot on the Fujifilm X100, it's just the kind of image I love taking. Little did I know at this stage in the journey that there would be a lot more images like this over the next two weeks!

Lake Rotoiti - Nelson Lakes National Park. Fujifilm X100. f/5.6 @ 1/1250th, ISO 400 

The trip to Blenheim takes you past the Nelson Lakes area, and in particular Lake Rotoiti - which is just a five minute diversion off the main highway. It's a beautiful lake, with stunning scenery in all seasons and in all weather. Although if you are there on a beautiful hot day in summer the mosquitoes will eat you alive! I was outside for all of about two minutes before I headed for the relative safety of the car. They really know how to ruin a good day....

The above photo, taken on the X100, has been cropped to square - simply because I didn't stay out with the mosquitoes long enough to compose perfectly, and also because in the original 3:2 image there was nothing happening on the left hand side. So I cropped it later in post. Ironically, when I had a Bronica film camera that used the square format I found it a real struggle composing 1:1. But now I tend to 'see' images in this format quite a lot. Go figure.

Wairau Valley Garage. Fujifilm X100. f/5.6 @ 1/1250th, ISO 400

Eventually we drove through the Wairau Valley - wine growing country - only 30 minutes outside of Blenheim. Again, I had to stop and take a photo of this abandoned garage, even though the light was dreadful! This would be amazing with soft light, or early morning light streaming into the front of the building. 

But I didn't have that kind of light, did I. I had very bright, mid afternoon, harsh light and shadows that were a nightmare to get detail from. Despite this, the X100 has done extremely well. It also helps that I shot it in RAW so I could push and pull detail out later on.

No, it's not great (or even good) light, but it is a great subject. I certainly wasn't going to hang around for a few hours for the light to get good. And that's another thing about being on holiday. Sometimes it will be the only time you will ever be at a particular location in your life, so golden light be damned! Just get shooting. And when light gives you lemons.... (or something like that).

Etrich Taube (Dove) - Aviation Heritage Centre. Lumix S5 with 20-60mm. f/5.6 @ 1/30th, ISO 3200

Our ultimate destination on day one of the trip - apart from our accommodation in Blenheim - was to visit the Aviation Heritage Centre. It houses the personal collection of WWI and WWII memorabilia of Sir Peter Jackson (of Lord of the Rings fame), as well as several full-scale diorama's built by Weta Workshop (more on them later).

We had somewhat limited time, so decided to concentrate this visit on seeing the WWI exhibition. We will definitely go back at some stage and see the WWII exhibit as well.

Since this is a photography blog and not the history channel, I won't go into great detail about what planes are which, where the were made, what battles they were in etc. But I will say that the exhibitions are a lot of fun (and a challenge) to photograph. Although I had been using the Fujifilm X100 up to this point on the trip, for the exhibition I switched to my Lumix S5 with 20-60mm - for a couple of probably obvious reasons.

Siemens-Shuckert D.IV. Panasonic Lumix S5 with 20-60mm. f/5.6 @ 1/200th, ISO 3200

Firstly, I was going to be dealing with a lot of low-light. So I wanted two settings to help me get sharp images; a high yet clean ISO setting, and image stabilisation. This the S5 has. The X100 - not so much.

Second, I wanted a bit more 'reach' at both ends - wide and telephoto. The fixed 35mm of the X100 was going to be too limiting in confined spaces. The Lumix S 20-60mm was perfect. The above images at ISO 3200 are fantastic - sharp and with very little noise. An excellent result.

Not a lot of people know this, but my 'other' hobby is building military scale models and putting them in dioramas. So getting to see these full-size dioramas from Weta Workshop up close was truly amazing. If you are in New Zealand, and find yourself anywhere near Blenheim, I highly recommend spending a day at the Aviation Heritage Centre.

Aviation Heritage Centre, Blenheim. Lumix S5 with 20-60mm. f/5.6 @ 1/800th, ISO 100. 65:24 ratio

For our first day on holiday, I'd say it was a great success, and an excellent way to start the trip. It wasn't a 'photography' holiday as such, but my wife is well aware of who she married - and we had scheduled our time to include creative stops along the way. As a matter of fact, she just happens to be a very good photographer herself, with an excellent eye for an image. And although she used her iphone the whole time, at least half of her photos are practically identical to mine! I would often get to a scene and start to get ready, only to find that my wife would already be standing in the exact spot I wanted to stand in! And now she's even talking about getting a 'real' camera! I approve....😊

So that's day one. We were away for 12 days. More posts will follow....

Fujicolor Superia recipe for the X100

My exploration into film recipe's with the Fujifilm X100 OG continues - this time with a punchy, vivid green and blue recipe that I'm calling Fujicolor Superia. Superia X-Tra 400 is (was) a fine grained film from Fuji - which boosted the greens and blues in an image. Something like all the images in this post...

Hill House V2. Fujifilm X100. f5.6 @ 1/680th, ISO 200. Fujicolor Superior film recipe + grain

I like the results, but if I'm being honest, they are a little OTT (over-the-top) for my tastes. I like vibrant colours as much as the next guy, but maybe this is a little 'too much'? I actually prefer my Agfa Optima film recipe for it's more 'natural', slightly de-saturated colours, and I've been thinking that this is probably where I will settle for my three custom recipes. Kodak E100SW, Fuji Acros and Agfa Optima. Sounds like a good mix to me.

Railway Signal Box.
f5.6 @ 1/160th, ISO 200 + grain added

But I digress (slightly), because this is about my Fujicolor Superia film recipe. I may not go for it, but your mileage may vary. So here's the recipe for use with the X100 original.

Fujicolor Superia X-Tra 400

ISO: Auto

Dynamic Range: 100

Film Simulation: S (Provia)

White balance: Auto

White balance shift: +3, -4

Color: High

Sharpness: M-Soft

Highlight Tone: M-Hard

Shadow Tone: M-Hard

Noise reduction: Low

The photo opposite, of the Greymouth Railway Signal Box, was taken on an overcast evening with fairly dull flat lighting. The greens still pop, as do the reds in the image, but nowhere near as much as in the first image - Hill House V2 - taken on a very sunny morning. This recipe likes a lot of light, and if I were to shoot it regularly I would only use it on sunny days.

Whether I like the recipe or not, I'm having a lot of fun getting out with the camera again after a good few years of being in a photographic slump. The Fujifilm cameras are certainly a lot of fun to use - especially the compact range-finder style cameras. Would it be great if the X100 original had more film modes? Maybe? I would like a dedicated Acros mode. But then again, sometimes limitation can foster creativity - as with the one camera, one lens limitation.

Framed. Fujifilm X100. f5.6 @ 1/45th, ISO 200. Fujicolor Superia film recipe + grain

I'm also not feeling too constrained with the fixed 35mm lens. Using it as a 'walkabout' lens, I've been more than happy with the compositions I'm getting. I am a 'little' nervous about taking it away on an upcoming holiday - hence I've also decided to include my Lumix S5 with the 20-60mm lens. I started the New Year with a lot of bravado about the whole fixed lens, one camera idea, and currently that still holds true. But will it for the rest of the year? Apparently not, if I'm taking two cameras away on holiday with me. But if the exercise has got me shooting again - and excited about photography again - then maybe that's enough for the idea to have been of benefit?

Shawn the Sheep. X100. f8 @ 1/60th, ISO 200. Fujicolor Superia film recipe + grain

All of the images in this post (and the last few) have been just me wandering around my neighborhood of an evening. They are photos that I have passed by literally hundreds of time and never taken. And they are photos that I really like. I 'could' have taken them with my S5, it's not a stupidly heavy camera (I've owned a Canon 1Ds so I know what heavy is like). But the X100 is just such a pleasure to walk around with that I want to take it with me when I go out. Its 12MP sensor is more than enough for this blog - or A4 sized prints, even with a little cropping. And I honestly can't remember the last time I printed any of my photos (unfortunately). I actually think I should do something about that - but that's another post for another day.

Heritage Park silhouette. X100. f5.6 @ 1/250th, ISO 200. Fujicolor Superia film recipe + grain

Will I use this Fujicolor Superia film recipe in the future? Probably not if I'm honest. Not because I don't like the photos it produces - as I said, I'm very happy with these. It just comes down to liking my Agfa Optima recipe better, and I've only really got one slot left.

I've also recently read somebody talking about the X100 film modes, saying that they love the Provia colors from the Bayer sensor (as opposed to the X-trans introduced in the 100S). So I may play around with that next - shooting the film modes as standard.

With only about three weeks until I go on holiday, that's probably enough time to test out the standard film modes. If I like some of the standard film modes, then that will give me four or five different 'looks' out of the camera. And there's also RAW... Just saying.

Kodak Tri-X recipe for the Fuji X100

All good things come to those who wait (or so they reckon?). Having changed my mind last post and programmed an Ultramax 400 recipe instead of Tri-X, I thought tonight I would rectify the situation. So I did.

Cobden Lagoon. X100. f5.6 @ 1/1000th, ISO 400. Tri-X recipe with grain added in Color Efex Pro 4

For my Kodak Tri-X recipe I was going for contrasty and gritty. Well I certainly achieved that, and then some.... I actually think that the blacks have blocked in too much, so I may actually drop them back just a tad. Otherwise yeah - mission accomplished.

Cabbage Trees. X100 Tri-X recipe

Kodak Tri-X recipe

Film Base: Mono + R

ISO: 400

Dynamic Range: 200

White Balance: Auto

Highlight: Med Hard

Shadows: Hard (Med Hard?)

Sharpness: Med Hard

Noise Reduction: Low

The final results were what I was after from the recipe (but I'll change to Med Hard Shadows if I shoot with it again). I don't hate the results, but I also don't 'love' them, and will continue to use my Acros simulation for my black and white jpegs going forward.

What I am liking is adding the grain in Color Efex Pro 4. I have a couple of custom profiles set up so it's super simple to import a jpeg, add medium or hard grain to an image, and export it out.

Previously I also mentioned that I haven't forgotten my Lumix S5, and that I will also be taking this with me when I go on holiday. I watched a video on Youtube recently that compared all the recent major camera manufacturers standard mono outputs, one of which was Lumix (of course). Out of all the camera manufacturers, Lumix have the most mono profiles (4 in all), and the standard 'mono' setting produces beautiful black and white images without any 'tweaking'. It was very comparable to Leica's mono setting - not surprisingly - since Panasonic and Leica work together on camera technology. In fact, the other 4 mono settings on the Lumix all reference Leica profiles.

Flax. Fujifilm X100. f5.6 @ 1/640th, ISO 200. Tri-X recipe + grain

The recipe certainly creates moody black and white images, if that's what you are going for. It reminds me quite a bit of the 'grainy b&w' art filter on the Olympus cameras. Although the Olympus look was even more contrasty and grainy. It was my favorite art filter on the Olympus Pen EP-3 when I used that camera - but I did not use to the art filters very often.

With a lot of light on your subject, the Tri-X recipe gives a reasonably nice tonality - as can be seen above in the Flax image. I recall liking the Tri-X recipe I had on my Fujifilm X-E2 a little more than this one, so as discussed a little more 'fiddling' might be needed if I was going to persevere with this on my X100.

Gated Community. X100. f5.6 @ 1/640th, ISO 200. Tri-X recipe + grain added

In the end though, I don't think I'll bother. As mentioned in a previous post, the X100 only has 3 custom slots for film recipe's, and my C2 is already taken up with Acros. So for the C3 slot, I think that I will play around with some more colour recipes. And I still do really like the look of my Agfa Optima recipe here. Two very different colour recipe's, and one mono, should give me enough options when out shooting. 

And finally, the image above - Gated Community - was my last, and favorite, of the evenings shoot. I've been watching a lot of James Popsys on Youtube recently and I think his shooting style is beginning to rub off on me. I wasn't a big fan of his images initially, but the more I've watched him, the more I've started to relate to his vision. I'd like to think that James would approve of the photo, although he would want it in colour. I may do a colour version as well. We'll see.

Kodak Ultramax 400 film recipe for the X100

Ok, I lied.

Not on purpose mind you. I just changed my mind at the last minute.

In my last post, I ended it by saying that the next recipe I would program into the C3 position on the X100 and try out would be Kodak Tri-X. But then when I went to go out last evening to take some more photos (and walk the dog), the light so was nice that I changed my mind and went for a colour recipe instead... my attempt at Kodak Ultramax 400.

The path less travelled.
Fujifilm X100. f8 @ 1/300th, ISO 400. Kodak Ultramax 400 film recipe + Color Efex Pro 4 Grain

It's still a Kodak film recipe, and it still uses 400 as a base ISO, but that's where the similarities with Tri-X end. My Ultramax recipe is more punchy than the previous Agfa Optima recipe, but also uses Provia as a base. It uses 'Daylight' as the White Balance setting though, giving a slightly warmer tone to its images in certain lighting conditions.

Cabbage Tree
X100. f5.6 @ 1/50th, ISO 400 + grain

Kodak Ultramax 400 Recipe

Film base: Provia

Dynamic Range: 200

Colour: High

Sharpness: Soft

Highlight: Soft

Shadow: Standard

Noise reduction: Low

White Balance: Daylight

White Balance Shift: +1R, -1B

ISO: 400

The slightly warmer tones of the daylight white balance can be seen in the photo of the Cabbage Tree. Although the sun was fairly low in the sky during golden hour.

I have to say I'm really enjoying taking the X100 out with me in the evening on these photo walks. It's just so easy to carry around and use. It's also reinvigorating my picture taking, and I'm looking forward to getting out with a camera again.

So while I'm confessing my lies and changes of mind, I may as well 'fess up' and say that I am now considering 'tweaking' my one-camera, one-lens new year's resolution - maybe just for the month of February. Explanation incoming....

My wife and I are planning a North Island road trip for February this year - we've already booked the time off, the ferry to get us from the South to the North Island, and half of our accommodation. And in so much as I am loving the X100 (and I am), do I really want that to be the 'only' option I take away on holiday with me?

Cobden lagoon. X100. f8 @ 1/450th, ISO 400. Grain added in Nik Color Efex Pro 4

I'm not really suffering from analysis paralysis (honestly, I'm not) - but my wife and I don't get out much (this will only be our second holiday on our own in 27 years of marriage). I want to make sure that I'm well covered for most shooting opportunities - of which I hope there will be quite a few on this trip.

So I have decided to do one camera, one lens x2, and take the Fujifilm X100 and my Lumix S5 with the S20-60mm lens. When we are walking around cities and urban settings, just travelling from place-to-place and not necessarily concentrating on photography, then I will use the Fujifilm X100. Then, when I am going out to specifically take landscape photos, I will use the Lumix S5. Still one camera, one lens (kind of).

Overgrown. Fujifilm X100. f5.6 @ 1/30th, ISO 400. Kodak Ultramax 400 recipe + grain

Yeah, ok. Maybe it's 'cheating'? So what - sue me 😊 But I'd be crazy to leave the S5 behind. I still love the camera and the images it produces. It's the 'superior' landscape camera with its higher dynamic range full-frame 24MP sensor - even though the X100 is no slouch in the image department. But it can't really compete with the S5, and it's not really supposed to. They are two different systems designed for two different styles of shooting experience. And I plan on using them both as they were intended to be used on this trip away.

I'm also intending to continue playing around with the photo styles on the S5 - which does have a grain effect you can add in-camera. But I will shoot RAW + Jpeg on the S5, and only jpeg on the X100.

The path less travelled.
Kodak Ultramax 400 film recipe + Color Efex Pro 4 Grain/Tone

I thought I would end this post with a different edit of the first photo - just to show what is still possible with a Jpeg.

Yes, the processing is 'baked in' to the image when the photo is taken, but even jpegs have some latitude for post-processing. 

The editing was done very simply and easily with the photo editing app that comes standard with Microsoft Windows 11 and then finished off in the 'free' Nik Collections Color Efex Pro 4 (you can still find the download from Google for this on the interwebs).

To some extent it is about getting it right 'in-camera' when you take the photo (check the histogram to make sure you aren't blowing out the highlights). In extreme lighting conditions this often means letting the shadows go black. This isn't the end of the world, as some of this information is still recoverable - even in a jpeg. But as humans, we prefer to see details in the highlights and don't mind if the shadow detail remains fairly dark. This makes sense to us visually. 

My experimentation with the X100 continues, and I'm really enjoying it. I may also start to intersperse this with some more experimentation with the Lumix S5 picture styles, before going on my North Island trip in February. I'm very blessed to have two amazing cameras to use. And that's just what I intend to do.

Agfa Optima film recipe for the X100

My last two posts have outlined the film recipes that I have programmed into the C1 and C2 slots of the Fujifilm X100. These will be the two styles I will probably use most often. So my C3 slot will be there as a more 'playful' option - something that I will probably play around with and swap out reasonably frequently? 

But to start with, at least, I have programmed in my Agfa Optima film recipe - a style that I really liked a lot when shooting on the X-E1 and X-E2.

Powerbox. Fujifilm X100. f8 @ 1/30th, ISO 250 - Agfa Optima film recipe

I love the colour palette of this recipe - it has a slightly more muted, pastel palette than my punchier E100SW recipe, and comes SOOC already looking quite 'filmic' (is that a word?). The colours aren't washed out or 'bleached' like some film looks try to be (is that really what most film looks like?), but have just the right amount of 'creaminess' to them. At least that's the feeling I get from this recipe - smooth, creamy colours.

Flax bloom. X100. f8 @ 1/50th, ISO 200

Agfa Optima 200 film recipe

Film base: Provia

Dynamic Range: 100

White Balance: Auto

White Balance Shift: +1R, -1B

Color: Low

Sharpness: Std

Highlight Tone: Soft

Shadow Tone: Hard

Noise Reduction: Low

ISO: Auto

Because of the vibe of this recipe, I usually use it with softer lighting, and it works well for landscapes or architecture. It's not so good for portraits as it does something a little 'funky' with skin colour. It's not unusable for portraits, but I would opt for the E100SW recipe if I was concentrating on taking photos with people in them (or better still Acros). But for landscapes and architecture, I love the look of this film recipe.

The photos in this post were all taken this evening (as I write this) as I wandered around my neighborhood. Nothing earth-shattering image wise, but I'm still getting used to using the X100 and figuring out how I want to shoot with it (and what film recipes I want to keep). And even though this was my fourth outing with the X100, the battery is still showing full power in the display (although I know it must be getting depleted by now?). As I said in my last post, I think this is helped by the way I'm shooting with the X100 - using the optical viewfinder and occasionally the lcd screen to compose rather than the evf. I've also decided to turn image review off as well, as it only annoys me when it pops up in the viewfinder, and isn't particularly accurate anyway.

Hill House. Fujifilm X100. f8 @ 1/50th, ISO 200 - Agfa Optima film recipe

Am I digging the fixed 35mm fov? I have to say that I am 'getting used to it', and must admit that the few times that I have taken the X100 on an outing I haven't felt frustrated or constrained. I've come back with images that tell the story of the trip, and that are distinctly different enough so as not to feel that they were all shot from the same position. I guess I'm 'zooming with my feet' like a 'real' photographer... (Yes, that was a joke. Kind of).

Treehouse. X100. f8 @ 1/90th, ISO 200

I really like the above shot - Treehouse. I've walked past this house a hundred times and always marveled at the massive lone tree on the front lawn. But I've never taken a photo of it. This is the sort of image you decide to take when you always have a camera with you. The X100 is so light and easy to carry, you hardly feel like you have it with you. There's no user-fatigue with this camera. And the lens is nice and sharp, especially since I'm using it mostly around f4 to f8.

Purple Explosion. Fujifilm X100. f8 @ 1/30th, ISO 200. Agfa Optima film recipe SOOC

As mentioned earlier, I really loved the look of the images from the X-E1 using my Agfa Optima film recipe. I love them just as much out of the X100. It's a 'keeper' for a different colour look, and I can see me using it quite a lot when travelling. But I also said at the beginning of this post that my C3 slot was going to be my 'fun' or experimental slot - so it may not always be programmed with this recipe. 

With my X-E1 and X-E2, I actually had more black and white recipes than colour programmed into the cameras, so next I will try my Kodak Tri-X film recipe for a more dramatic black and white look. Stay tuned.... 

Fuji Acros film recipe for the X100

We are now three days in to 2026 - my year of one camera, one lens, with the Fujifilm X100. Yesterday was my first 'official' 2026 shoot with the camera - and a chance to use the film recipe in my C2 slot - Fujifilm Acros.

Coal Creek Falls Track. Fujifilm X100. f5.6 @ 1/38th, ISO 200. Acros film recipe + grain

Acros is my favourite black and white film, and I used the Acros film simulation provided with the Fujifilm X-E2 all the time when I was shooting with that camera. Alas, the X100 does not have the Acros film simulation as standard - simply providing a 'mono' setting instead. But, with the ability to 'tweak' the settings in the X100 and program in your own recipes into custom settings, all is not lost. I have therefore used the C2 slot to program my version of an Acros film recipe.

Tiny waterfall. X100. f5.6 @ 1/30, ISO 200
Acros film recipe + gain added in
Nik Collections Color Efex Pro 4

Fujifilm Acros Film Recipe

Film base: Mono +Y

ISO: Auto

Dynamic Range: 100

White Balance: Auto

Color: Mid

Sharpness: M-Hard

Highlight Tone: Standard

Shadow Tone: M-Hard

Noise reduction: M-Low

Mono + Y gives me a nice contrasty base image to work from, and this is increased with a little extra sharpness and a little more richness in the blacks/shadows. With a black and white image I am never concerned with letting the blacks go completely black. I was told very early on in my photography career by one of my mentors to let the blacks go black and the whites go white for a good monochrome image, and I have taken this advice to heart. There's nothing worse than an insipid, flat monochrome image (imho).

In my last post I talked about using the optical viewfinder in preference to the evf, and this is still the case. I am also finding that I am composing and shooting with the lcd on the back of the camera - especially when shooting in monochrome as this gives me a preview of what it will look like in black and white before taking the photo. I think that using the optical viewfinder is also helping with the battery life of the X100. Most reviews of the camera take great pains to single the battery life of the X100 out as being truly horrible. I haven't found this to be the case at all. I'm on my third outing with this camera and the battery is still showing a full charge! Granted I don't usually take hundreds of images a day, and I turn the camera off between extended periods of not shooting. So for my shooting style, battery life is perfectly fine.

Forest Interior. Fujifilm X100. f5.6 @ 1/30, ISO 200. Acros film recipe + grain 

Also in my last post, I mentioned at the end that I recently had a computer upgrade and lost the Nik Collection in the process. Well, good news... the internet came to the rescue and I was able to find the software that Google offered as a free download again. So I can still use Color Efex Pro 4 to add grain to the final images I want to in post. Yay!

I don't go heavy on the grain - it is subtle. But it is there. And it just completes the 'look' that I'm going for. OK, it's not therefore strictly using images SOOC (straight out of camera) - but that's not what it's about. I don't mind adding an extra step to some of my jpegs to just give them that finishing touch. It's still a long way from shooting and processing RAW images. And to be fair, if the X100 had the ability, then I would be adding grain to the jpeg at the point of capture...

Coal Creek Falls. X100. f/8 @ 1/110th, ISO 200. Acros film recipe + grain with Color Efex Pro 4

I love shooting black and white with film, and this hasn't changed with digital. I adore the 'timeless' quality of monochrome - be it with landscape, portrait, or general photography. Which is why I have the Acros film recipe in my C2 slot, and don't feel the need to cover my bases by shooting RAW + Jpeg so I can get a colour image as well. Shooting monochrome is an intentional act that I am more than happy to commit to on a regular basis. And if I come across a scene that I feel would benefit more with a colour image, then I simply switch to my C1 slot for that photo and then move back to C2 for the Acros film recipe.

Is the final result exactly like Acros film? Probably not. But does it get me in the same mindset, whereby when I switch to the C2 slot on the X100 my brain also switches into monochrome mode? Yes it does. And that's more than good enough for me.

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.....

Adding Grain to Jpegs

Yes it's arrived. And yes, it's gorgeous!

Ok, slight context.... I've recently purchased a Fujifilm X100 (original) as my lightweight 'travel' camera (see last two posts) instead of carrying around my full-frame S5 with numerous lenses. And it arrived yesterday. And it IS gorgeous. 😁

In my previous post, I also discussed how I would use the X100 to challenge my photography in 2026. To use it:

Okarito Schoolhouse. Fuji X-E2. Grain added

• as a one camera, one lens set up
• with a fixed 35mm focal length lens
• shooting in jpeg only

Call it a New Years resolution if you will. And, like all New Years resolutions, we'll see how long it lasts?

I haven't used the X100 for any serious photography yet (it only arrived yesterday), but I have set the camera up for how I like to shoot, and I'm sure I will tweak this once I get a few excursions under my belt.

Initially I have it in aperture priority (choosing the aperture on the lens), single shot, central AF point, beep turned off, fine jpeg and auto ISO. I will play around with the optical vs electronic viewfinder, but initial thoughts are that I quite like the optical viewfinder with the information overlay. No, you don't get to see the changes you make to the image in real-time, but you do still get to see a histogram so you can nail exposure and can see what your current settings are. As with all range-finder setups with the viewfinder off to the left, the camera lens does protrude a bit into the bottom right corner, but not excessively. And it will be even less apparent without the lens hood attached.

With all that out of the way, my thoughts turned to how I was going to 'process' the images from the X100. Yes, I realise that if I am going to commit to shooting jpegs all year, then the camera does all the work for me. I should just be able to use the images SOOC (straight out of camera). After all, isn't that the point?

Donovan's Store, Okarito. Fujifilm X-E2 with gain added in Nik Color Efex Pro 4 (before & after)

Well, yes, I suppose it is. Shooting jpeg - especially when applying a film recipe - means that you are getting the 'look' you are after without having to go through the RAW editing process later. And the 'look' that I am after, is a 'representation' of film. 

I added italics to my last statement because I know that shooting digital is not, and never will be, the same as actually shooting film. But I'm happy with that - because I don't actually want to shoot film. But I do want to use the X100 to photograph in a similar way to shooting film, and achieve a similar look. And with the Fuji film recipes, I'm 90% there. What's the other 10% that's missing? Grain.

Lake Mapourika, South Westland. Fujifilm X-E2 with grain added in Nik Color Efex Pro 4

I recently ended my subscription to Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, and since then I've been using Affinity Photo (which I paid full price for a few months before they made it free for everyone! Don't get me started...). While I don't for-see a lot of post-processing required to the jpegs from the X100, I do want to add some grain to the final images. In later camera models (the X-E3, X100V etc) grain can be added in-camera as part of the film recipe. Unfortunately not so in the X100.

I looked around at possible software solutions (of which there are many), and as amazing as some of them looked, they all needed an ongoing subscription to use them. Not happening.

Then I realised that I still had the Nik software suite from when Google owned it and they offered it for free. Nik's Analog Efex Pro 2 seemed just the ticket, so I fired it up and played around with making my own 'camera' grain settings. After playing around for a while, I couldn't seem to achieve the look I was after. The software really tries to overplay the old camera effect - it doesn't do subtle. All I really wanted was just some simple grain added. In the end I gave up on Analog Efex and opened Color Efex Pro 4 instead. And bingo - there it was. A simple 'grain effect' filter.

I have created my own custom effect that I can apply to all the images I want to add some grain to from the X100. Yes, it adds another step, and yes, it counts as post-processing on a workflow that is supposed to be SOOC - but I won't do it to every image - just the ones I want to post/share on the blog. The effect can be seen on the images above - all shot with the Fujifilm X-E2. The middle image of Donavan's Store shows some of the 'before and after', where prior to the red line in the image is the 'before'.

I like the look of the grain in the image (and yes, I know it's not grain as such, but simple added texture /noise) which completes the illusion of creating a film-look from a digital camera. And that's good enough for me. It's the closest thing to shooting film, without actually shooting film.

I'm looking forward to taking the X100 out for it's first official shoot. I've already programmed three film recipes into the camera, and will try them out with the film grain added in Color Efex Pro 4 and post these next time. Then it's bring on 2026!

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.