Why I am fascinated by Fujifilm
When I take photos, I use only Fujifilm X cameras and lenses. Not because I think everything else is bad, not at all. There are now so many great manufacturers and cameras on the market that everyone can find the right one for them.
My gear: X-H1 with XF16-55mm F2.8 / XF90mm F2 / XF16-80mm F4 / X-T2 with XF18-135mm F3.5-5.6 / X-T1 with XF27mm F2.8 / XF16mm F1.4 / X-T4 with XF50mm F2 / X-Pro2 with XF27mm F2.8 R / XF23mm F2.8 / X70 / X-E5 with XF35mm F2
I came across Fujifilm through a recommendation from my trusted dealer. I wanted a camera where I could access the key settings directly – such as shutter speed, aperture and, if possible, ISO – without having to navigate through menus. In other words, just as I had loved and practised back in the days of analogue photography.
My dealer showed me the X-T1 and I fell in love with it straight away. Great tactile controls, high-quality build, compact, not too heavy, and all settings are visible and adjustable even when the camera isn’t powered on.
On top of that, there were the film simulations and an ever-growing range of really high-quality lenses.
What really appeals to me about Fujifilm X cameras is simply the fact that I love picking them up, heading out with them, and that they inspire me.
There may well be technically better, even superior cameras out there, with faster autofocus, for example.
For me, however, and for my style of photography, that is of secondary importance.
I can only say it again: these cameras inspire me and make me want to take photos.
I remember very clearly, for example, the first time I took my X-T2 with me on a trip to Scotland. One morning, out on my own, I photographed an old, dilapidated church – of which there are quite a few there – in the morning light using the ‘ACROS’ film simulation.
Even if it may sound completely over the top and melodramatic: when I showed the pictures to my girlfriend afterwards, I had tears in my eyes; I was so moved by what I had captured and was now seeing.
It looked – given my rather modest skills at the time – so damn close to ‘the real thing’, to the pictures I had always admired.
Shot with: X-T2 / XF18-135mm F3.5-5.6
Since then, I’ve added a couple more cameras and lenses to my collection, and a number of combinations have proven themselves as my go-to choices, as they work really well for me:
- X-Pro2 with XF27mm F2.8 R – compact and, for a long time, my ‘go-to camera’
- X-E5 with XF35mm F2 – powerful, unobtrusive, with my preferred focal length
- X-T4 with XF50mm F2 – great handling, and a lense with a more intimate visual effect
In all the years I’ve been using Fujifilm, I haven’t actually had any problems, let alone any breakdowns. The only time I had to send a camera in for servicing was with the X-T1, to have a pixel mapping carried out.
It’s naturally nice to know that these cameras not only bring me joy, but also work reliably.
Disclaimer
I am not paid by Fujifilm, nor do I receive any benefits from them. I write here out of personal enthusiasm and because of my fascination with black-and-white photography, which my Fujifilm cameras allow me to practise.
Volker Schoemig 