London with the Fujifilm X100V

Hope you all are enjoying the holidays! This will be my first blog post related to Europe, since it was my first time - earlier in November - traveling to this side of the world. First stop - for just a brief 24 hours - London!

I recently sold my Sony A7RIII, which was my main photography camera, for the Fujifilm X100V. The two cameras are definitely not comparable to each other. One is a do-it-all high resolution beast with a snappy autofocus system, while the other is one that you can take with you everyday for casual shooting. I decided to make the switch mainly for convenience and curiosity. I was no longer getting much from the A7RIII and I frankly did not feel at ease carrying two Sony mirrorless bodies and a bunch of lenses around 4 cities.

I am fortunate to say nothing really happened and I felt fine most of the trip, except for the last couple of days before flying back to Singapore, from London. I fell really sick and it was on a whole new level!

I’ll probably make another video about my impressions on the Fuji, after getting a bit more out of it in different scenarios, but here are a few points to highlight that made me purchase one:

1. Form factor, design and ease of use

It’s light, small and can easily fit in the pockets of your winter jacket. This may sound like I'm exaggerating (a lot), but in a sense it can feel like a disposable film camera. When was the last time you used one? Pair it up with a comfortable wrist strap and you’re good to go! The biggest bonus with the X100V is that if you are shy (like me), no one will really care or even notice you, if you’re into street photography or taking candid photos of people.

The Fuji X100V is sexy. Not like a Ferrari F150 Italia, but more like a 1980 Porsche 911. Aside from its menu system, the button layout is simple and quite intuitive. Certain buttons can also be customised to your liking. In fact, I only pay attention to a few buttons: the shutter button, and the joystick. It’s so easy that it makes you want to keep documenting just about everything that passes your way. I haven’t found myself taking so many images since picking up a Nikon D90, my first DSLR. The return on investment (not that I have made any money with this) is incredible.

2. Fixed focal length (35mm full-frame equivalent)

Now this might sound like a limitation to the camera, but trust me it’s a blessing in disguise. The 35mm is nearly perfect. I say nearly because everyone has their own preference and personal taste when it comes to their favourite focal length to shoot with. Some days I prefer the 24mm and other days the 35mm. 24mm to 28mm can be a little too wide for general portraiture and street photography. It can also be a little intimidating since you would have to get really close to get a decent candid photo of strangers on the streets. Shooting from afar doesn’t the image that “umami” taste you get in great food. It just doesn’t feel like you’re in the action, which can make the image look dull and lifeless. 

A 35mm F2 prime equivalent on an APS-C crop sensor won’t give you much of a background blur either, and that’s the beauty of it! A whole new perspective of photographing subjects and experiences, away from the modern F1.4 full-frame look. I’m not sure if there’s a way Lightroom can filter images by the f-stop images were taken in. However, if I were to get the average aperture that was used throughout my 2 weeks in Europe, it would probably be at around F3.2. I didn’t shoot wide open too often, since I was mainly trying to capture the travel experience and details.

3. Curiosity (…or boredom?)

I’m not sure if it was mostly curiosity that made me pull the trigger on getting one. For all I know, it could all have been out of boredom. Bored of the typical Canon, Sony and Nikon high res digital look. Bored of having a camera that can effortlessly do-it-all. Bored of getting the perfect shot.

As you have already read from above, the Fuji X100V is far from perfect. However, for me at least, it’s reignited the passion I have for documenting life’s experiences and moments. And that is enough to make it a great camera.

Well, as always, I hope this inspires all of you to go out there and capture life’s moments! I’ll be sharing more of my travels in Europe in November as soon as I get to editing the photos. Yes, I do prefer editing the RAWs even though most people prefer SOOC JPEGs on the X100 series with all the film simulators and Fuji recipes.

Until then, I wish you all a happy and loving 2023 ahead!

Location

London, England, United Kingdom (around multiple touristy places)

 

Camera Stuff (Guys, do me a favour and show your support by clicking on the links below. If you purchase anything on Amazon in the next couple of days I will be getting a kickback from the sale. Thank you! 😃)

Sony A7Siii: https://amzn.to/3CH7YYG

Sony 24mm f1.4: https://amzn.to/3RND9Xx

Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 G2: https://amzn.to/3YuuhcM

Fujifilm X100V: https://amzn.to/3PTZLFt

Editing

Film-like, with a touch of grain for a vintage vibe.

If you enjoy these photos, you can get the Lightroom preset I created here for a small fee. Every download and contribution supports my work and allows me to keep going 😃: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/timsochill/e/106744