First Week with Fuji Film x100v
Well I did it. After trying for nearly two months, I finally bought a Fuji Film x100v. I've been shooting on Sony Alpha cameras since 2015 and before that I shot on Canon. I don't think I've had a fixed lens point and shoot style camera since my Fuji Film Finepix 1200 with a whooping 1.3mp sensor. Like most people, cellphones just replaced the need for a point and shoot camera, which had people looking at DSLR and later mirrorless cameras. At least this was my path.
I love my A7IV. I love my 16-35 f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.4 lenses, but I don't enjoy lugging them around. I don't enjoy swapping lenses. Like many photographers, when you bring out the big guns, it feels more like work and less of a hobby. And this is where the x100v steps in. A really nice point and shoot camera with a crisp 28mm f/2 lens, incredible color science and the amazing film simulations to get that analog look.
So after trying for two months on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and eBay, I finally just said enough is enough and found a silver x100v with only 100 shots and made my bid on eBay and ended up winning. Given how they are impossible to find new at this point and I've seen some used x100v sell for over $2,000 with more shots on them, I feel I paid a respectable price for mine. It arrived and I happened to have a Padres game that night, so I swapped the strap with my Peak Design strap and got on the train to Petco Park for the game. The Padres ended being down early in the game, so I figured I'd walk around and it being Bark in the Park to take some shots of some dogs.
I'm still not totally comfortable with the whole street photography thing, so I did my best to shoot what I could while getting used to the camera and its settings. The first thing I noticed is just how dreamy photos end up being with the x100v and you can go even more by using one of the many built in film simulations to give every shot a very distinct look that I could never replicate with my A7IV.
I'm really excited to just have a daily carry camera with the x100v and I hope to shoot and share more often. What type of things should I shoot? Any suggestions in San Diego or southern California I should put on my list.
