Tag: Fujifilm

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My First X100

Alwin Kok

X100 was announced back in Photokina 2010. Lots of praise from the media and online reviewers. Fujifilm nailed the design of the retro-style enthusiast rangefinder camera with traditional analogue control dials. It was a great hit and instantly built up a large pool of fans base. I am one of them but…  Here’s the “but”… As a student, the price tag scared me off. 

One year later, they announced the X10, a younger brother of X100, and it fulfilled my dream of having my first Fujifilm camera. Like I mentioned in my earlier post, it was a fun camera and I love the film simulations. Despite that, it did not spark much joy for me. 

Occasionally, I went to the retailer stores to play with the X100. I love the build quality, it was good to hold it in my hands and I was blown away by the hybrid viewfinder. On the other hand, the focusing system was not snappy enough, the shooting menu was not as good as what it is today and the images seem to be soft at F2. For the price tag, I have to give it a miss. 

Almost 3 years later, X100S had arrived at the shore and I still had not made the purchase. In fact, I wasn’t shooting a lot during those years and I still can count how much time I had actually brought my camera out for a click. It was my low point, it had become a hassle to bring the camera out and slowly I lost my passion for shooting.I still read up the reviews, tested it with a few clicks at the retail stores and nothing more beyond these two points.    

Another 3 years later, X-T2 caught my attention unknowingly. I knew there was a X-T1 but it was X-T2 that captured my interest. It sounds crazy but it really ignited my passion towards photography again. I even placed a pre-order for it and I got my first Fuji prime lens, XF 23mm F2, to go with it. From that day forward, I had been using the 23mm on most occasions. The versatility of 23mm is just great for street, travel and documentary, isn’t it?

In 2019, when I got my XF 35mm F1.4, things had changed a little in my path. I became obsessed with this lens as it gave me some sort of characteristic feel in my images. It boosted my passion for shooting even more. To be honest, I have left out the XF 23mm since then. The 35mm lens made me keen to bring my camera even on my working days. However, due to my working environment, I have to carry my heavy loaded bag for meetings almost everywhere in Singapore. The overall size of the camera and lens may be compact but it is not that small when I want to put it inside the office bag. This is where I started to miss the Fujifilm compact camera series. the X100, X70 and XF10.

So, what compact camera does Fujifilm have to offer? 

XF10, X70 and X100.

First of all, X70 had stopped production without a successor, not many retailers were selling it and even those retailers that were still selling it, would not recommend me to get it. XF10 was a “cut-down” version of X70, I tried and I was disappointed with the poor autofocusing and laggy interface, so I skipped. With this elimination method, that’s left with X100F. But it was 2019 already and X100F was in its third year cycle, which also meant that it may have a new successor in the pipeline. No one but Fujifilm knows when it will be announced. Since I am not an impatient person, I waited. 

After two months of waiting, the successor had finally said hello to the world. I happened to have the opportunity to try out the successor and I must say I love it. It’s that kind of first love. Beauteous, aesthetic, elegant, ravishing…. This is what I am waiting for. This is not two months of waiting but a good 10 years. This is the sexy camera that I have been waiting for since 2010! 

To tell everyone how much I love this X100V, I immediately brought it out to shoot with the packaging hand carried along. The photos presented over here are my virgin shots with it.

Sidetrack 1: This successor, which is the fifth X100 series, is also my fifth Fujifilm camera. Not sure it is coincidently or fate. Since there are lots of reviews on the web, I will not discuss the technical term or review this X100V in this blog.

Sidetrack 2: This X100V is initially planned to be my weekday camera, I was happy to have it with me and snap some interesting shots while I commute to my destinations.  But now it has become more than just a weekday camera, it’s my everyday camera. 

Disclaimer:
1. All the shots taken here were shot by me.
2. I reserve ownerships to these images, if you wish to use my images for whatever reasons, please notify me and we can see how to works thing out.

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travel

Travelling Oversea with One Lens

Alwin Kok
The most popular stall owner with the tourists.

When travelling overseas, regardless on work assignments or personal trips, I will bring at least 4 lenses with me. Three primes lenses and one zoom lens. Of which, one is an ultra wide lens (9mm – When travelling overseas, regardless on work assignments or personal trips, I will bring at least 4 lenses with me. Three primes lenses and one zoom lens. Of which, one is an ultra wide lens (9mm – 13.5mm equivalent), one is a wide angle lens (23mm – 35mm equivalent) and one mid-telephoto lens (50mm – 75mm equivalent) or  long telephone lens (80mm – 120mm equivalent). As for the zoom lens, I have one and only one zoom lens in my arsenal and it is the XF18-55mm “kit” lens. This kit lens is my backup lens, I shoot with prime lenses most of the time.

Grill pork on a stick.
Barbecue prawns.
Night market visitors.
Cool hairstyle stall owner.

Last year, I had a short trip of 4 days and 3 nights at BangKok, Thailand. Travel light is the first thought that comes into my mind and I instantly decided to bring which camera body with me. Obviously, the lightweight, low profile and the underestimated X-E3 was the choice. As for choosing one lens out of the three choices that I have, 16mm F/1.4, 23mm  F/2 and 35mm F/1.4, I had a hard time deciding.

Chatuchak nearby.
Sharing his six-packed abs in the making.
Preparation in progress.

23mm was the obvious choice since it is a 35mm equivalent focal length. It is a safe bet, it won’t go wrong to choose this focal length. But while I picked up the 23mm, I saw the new 35mm which I just bought during my Hong Kong trip. Then I thought for a while and decided to pick it for my Bangkok trip. It should be challenging and open up my perspective of shooting at 50mm equivalent point of view. 

The 35mm lens fitted nicely on the X-E3. The lens suits the frame of the camera body very well. Aesthetic look. 

DJ in the house.
What a candid pose.
The promoter.

Pairing up these two combinations comes with some drawbacks. 

First, it is not the best focusing system in the X-world but this will only surface under very dim environments but I have no issue with places like night markets. There is no issue with day time at all. 

Second, it has a small EVF (Electronic Viewfinder). If you are used to the EVF screen on the X-T series, you will probably take some time to get used to the small EVF (or maybe you will never get used to it).

Third, I missed the articulating screen whenever I wanted to shoot at a low angle. 

Prayers at Wat Pho.
Wah Pho Temple.
Wah Pho Temple.

Shooting with a 35mm lens alone was indeed challenging one but it gave me fruitful results. As compared to the 23mm, this lens really gave me a lot of thinking because I am too used to 23mm. Of course I can’t deny that I missed a lot of ultra-wide and wide angle shots. But for a short trip and a city that is accessible and convenient to go, I think this lens helped me a lot to change my perspective with this familiar city.  

If you ask me if I ever regret bringing one lens only, “no regret” would be my answer.   

Pond in Wah Pho.
Chefs in discussion.
Bookshelf.

Disclaimer:
1. All the shots taken here were shot by me.
2. I reserve ownerships to these images, if you wish to use my images for whatever reasons, please notify me and we can see how to works thing out.

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X-E3 and Me

Alwin Kok

Before I shared about my encounter with X-E3, X-E2 was the first that caught my attention in the X-E lineup. From the official images, it was a very sleek, beautifully designed retro style rangefinder camera. I thought it was as big as X-Pro series and without an OVF. Until I saw the online reviews, then I started to realise how compact it was. The compactness of the camera made me get more and more interested in it and eventually I did a few hands-on sessions with the product at the retail outlets. My conclusion every single time: I love the design but it was a “good to have” camera and I have a X10 as my secondary fun camera. I was still a canon user and never thought of getting a Fuji camera as a secondary system back then.

Fast forward to 2019, it was a family trip to Hong Kong in April. We visited a shopping mall where most shops sell pre-owned cameras of all brands. I was roaming around without any intention in mind. Spotted some Fuji cameras on the shelves but I did not ask for the price. 

The first click.
More clicks.

But before leaving the mall, I spotted a shop at the corner of the second floor and went in. A quick glance on the display window and I spotted a pre-owned X-E3. Out of curiosity, I asked the shop owner the price. As per normal, I did some currency conversion and was shocked with the price. Asked the shop owner again to confirm the numbers. I did not hear it wrongly. The next thing the shop owner did was he grabbed the camera out and showed it to me. 

As a pre-owned unit, some scratches around the body were expected but not terrible. However, I hesitated. At this point of time, I had 2 interchangeable X-mount cameras on my hands. I keep asking myself, do I need another one? While I am struggling with the decision in my mind, my wife stepped into the shop. She asked me a few non-technical questions until she asked the golden question: “how much does it cost”, I answered and then she said: “Maybe you should stop considering, just get it.” 

Mobile Softee.
Waiting at traffic light.

That evening, I was thrilled holding it on my hands. Paired it with XF 35mm F1.4 for some night street shots. Along the way, I experienced some hiccups but quickly got over it, thanks to Fujifilm for the simplified menu!

I love the combination of X-E3 with XF 35mm F1.4. It is probably the best combo that I have, lightweight and easy to carry around. I do not own an XF 27mm pancake lens, XF 14mm nor the XM-FL. I mounted the XF23mm F2 and tried a few times on different occasions before. It did not have that magical feel in me when I shot with this combination… Strange, isn’t it?

Asking for direction.
Outside supermarket.
Traffic in Mong Kok.
Coffee beans.

Disclaimer:
1. All the shots taken here were shot by me.
2. I reserve ownerships to these images, if you wish to use my images for whatever reasons, please notify me and we can see how to works thing out.

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