ANOTHER new camera appeared at my door this month, and oh my lord has it shook things up big time. After last months trip to Poland, I knew my digital workflow needed a shake up. I had wanted to ‘travel light’ for the trip, but with the sheer size and weight of my gear, I was left with a real dilemma of what to leave, and what to take with me. Ultimately what I really needed was a camera that I could chuck in a bag or pocket that can produce great images without the fuss when I travel. The hunt began for a new, more manageable set up that could go with me everywhere and not weigh a tonne.

The search ended when I heard about this….

Introducing the gorgeous FujiFilm X100V, a diminutive mirrorless compact camera with the timeless stylings of an old rangefinder like my new Canon 7, but with all the bells and whistles of my DSLR digital cameras and a whole lot more.

After having it in my hands for only a short time now, I can already say I am in love with it. It was exactly the shot in the arm my everyday photography needed, and opens up a whole new world of possibilities for me to enjoy. So much so, I seem to have accidently dedicated a whole blog post to images I have taken with it alone…whoops

BRISTOL

Right off the bat…LOOK AT THOSE COLOURS! The X100V gives amazing colour rendition right out of the gate, with hardly any post production needed to create the look I wanted. In fact the bluetooth transfer option the camera has, meant all of these images were processed on my phone right after transfering them quickly across…..insane!

One area of the camera I am a particular fan of is the film simulations, which I have used throughout my time with it so far. I found that the inbuilt options work amazingly well, but I also found some ‘film recipes’ online, that give the images the look of my favorite film stocks like Kodak Portra 400 or FujiFilm Pro 400H. This will come in particular use when pairing the X100V with my film cameras like the Pentax 6x7.

I will be able to test how the image will come out using the same film type, before turning to the film camera for the shot. This will hopefully minimise wasted images, and save me money on film in the process.

After a while of working out the camera’s operating system, I was able to add these ‘recipes’, and use them out in the real world to great effect. Some create a vintage film look, while others really make certain colours stand out such as reds or greens.

The camera also has an inbuilt Black and white film simulation (ACROS), which allows you to view a scene in black and white before you take your shot. This is a fantastic option which I hope will elevate my black and white street work in the future.

As well as the film simulations and black and white options, the X100V is also incredibly compact and discreet, which is perfect for street photography. This is an area I have always been interested in, but always felt it was not for me as I don’t like to be noticed when taking photos. This has all changed with this camera due to its compact and unobtrusive size. As well as is size, a built in tilt screen also allows me to shoot from the hip or not look through the lens at all, getting images like the one (below), without anyone even noticing.

Its small, unobtrusive size extends to general walk around photography as well. People tend to notice when you have a large DSLR with interchangeable lenses when you are out normally so their behaviour changes when you lift it up to take a photo. With the X100V this isn’t the case which allows me to capture way more interesting images of people in their environment with the subjects acting way more naturally.

I have also been pleasantly surprised at how sharp and compact the 23mm pancake lens is on this camera, which was an area I was in a real quandary over when deciding which camera to get. As it is a fixed lens, I am not able to switch it out like my other cameras, so I am ‘Suck’ with this prime 23mm (35mm equivalent on full frame) lens. This will simply mean I have to work harder for the composition I want, which I am used to doing anyway due to mainly shooting with prime lenses in the past.

Another nice touch is being able to shoot in black and white but still retain the original image in colour. Below is an example of when I shot the image using the ACROS film simulation in camera, but then being able to check the colour option as well after the fact.

The minimum focusing distance of the camera also makes getting really close images easy to do, with some great results.

OXFORD

After playing around with the camera in Bristol and figuring out what settings I liked to use, it was off to Oxford for a few days to really put the camera through its paces.

After a while, I started to use the flip up screen to walk and take photos. This gave me a unique perspective of people going about their lives without noticing me taking photos of them. The leaf shutter helps with this too, as it makes the camera silent while shooting.

I then employed a technique called ‘fishing’, where I would select a place of good light or an interesting background and wait to see who passed by. I employed this technique a couple of times and will look to use it again more in the future.

OXFORD BOTANICAL GARDENS

After exploring the historical centre of the city, it was onto the Botanical gardens.

Overall I am more than satisfied with how the X100V performed and how it is able to process useable images right out of the camera.

In terms of experience it is a real joy to use with its compact, unobtrusive look, it has helped me massively in getting more street images than ever before, and as someone who hates to be seen when taking them, it’s perfect for me. I try to take it out with me everywhere I go, and don’t have to worry about my back aching from carrying gear, or missing a shot while changing lenses.

The real star of the show for me however are the Fuji film simulations which are a joy to play, recreating actual film stocks of old. I am constantly amazed by just how good they make the images look as soon as I check them on the screen.

So is this the perfect everyday camera for me?………. I think it might just be!

FIN