apparently I have a habit of taking rearview mirror selfies with my fuji daily carry cameras… This dates back to the original X100 in 2011:
so I figured I’d get the entire collection in one post…
Next up is the X70 from 2016:
then my 50r last summer (not the easiest/smallest camera to hand hold and get a shot in a rear view mirror, small for medium format is still chonky!):
Then my X100v:
That brings us to this summer/fall in 2024… I’m currently working on rebuilding an aps-c XF fuji kit again… I had been using “just” the X100v with WCL and TCL and then my GFX as my main camera. I’ve decided to get back into daily carry/documentary photography again this winter. So I’m looking at small pocket options. In that process I’ve bought and sold an X-pro 2:
it was larger than I wanted. I thought I wanted the OVF but in reality EVFs are smaller and work better for me. I’ve also picked up another X70 (I sold my first one last year for and XF10 thinking I’d use it more since it’s smaller and the same lens but I just don’t love that camera, so switched back…). This time in silver which I’m actually liking quite a bit:
Then for a small interchangeable body I’m also quite torn… The XM5 has the newest AF which is amazing with the cats and dogs but it’s also tiny. I don’t love the fully articulated screen (I much prefer the flip up style), but it’s the smallest body fuji makes with interchangeable lenses (the X70 is smaller but with a fixed lens):
then the other option is the X-E series of cameras… but the XE4 is the most recent but discontinued. I prefer the body styling and controls to the XM5 but it’s got the older AF, which is fine for most things, but the XM5 is noticeably better. Basically an X-E5 would be perfect. I did pick up an X-E4 recently:
The other thought I keep coming back to is I don’t love the X100… I love the idea of one, and it’s a great camera, I’m just not in love with that lens and body I think? It’s hard to explain but every time I’ve owned the X100 (X100, X100s, X100t, and now X100v) I end up selling it for either an X70 or an XE/XA/XM and use the 18mm on it.
Right now going into ski season my hope is to do a PAD/photo a day for ski season. I’m going to use the combination of the X70, XM5, XE4 and X100. I have the 7.5mm fisheye (for those ski selfies I’ve done in the past), 15-45mm kit lens (keep the XM5 small) 18mm f/2 and 27mm f/2.8. All small pocketable options. My plan is to see which cameras I use and how I like them and adjust the lineup as I see what works and what doesn’t. I will say the 27mm has impressed me and is nice and small on the XM5. I’ve been using the cameras around the house (I work from home these days) and the 18mm on XM5 with the option for “sportsfinder mode” with a 1.25 crop making it a ~22.5 /f2 sure feels like it covers the same bases as the X100 for me? Then swapping to the 27mm and it being ~33.75mm effective? I’m not selling the X100v (yet) but I’ll see if it gets any use during this season. It’s worth enough I could flesh out the lens lineup I want if I were to sell it…
Short answer is a small pocket camera is always worth it. Since the X70s launch I’ve owned it or the XF10 since 2016. I’m back to an X70 now knowing the tilt screen and “fuji dials” controls suit me better than the XF10’s fixed screen an PASM controls. For those same reasons I know if/when an X-E5 is announced it’ll be my ideal X mount body provided it keeps it’s fuji dials and tilt up screen.
I’m definitely looking forward to shooting more seriously this winter with a “real” camera, something I’ve not done much of since moving to Montana.