It’s that time of year, when you get all reflective and look back – fortunately with Instagram you can be lazy and use 3rd party websites to check back and report how your images were received during the past year. For a few years I’ve simply posted the result, but this year as I’ve gone a bit Instax mad I thought I’d get creative…….
Instagram – Kebablog – Best Nine
There you go, 9 Instax prints, a Fuji X-E3 with external flash and a bit of Photoshop later the result I think is quite pleasing. If you think it’s awful, let me know. I’ve posted it on my Instagram feed to drop me a note there 🙂
Whilst i’m in the mood for danc updates, here’s another one.
Film, once thought of a past media has recently had an upturn in interest, I personally think I’m responsible for that upturn – or at least a very small localised Yardley based upturn.
For most of 2017 I switched back to film, getting bored of my Eos system – and to be honest I didn’t miss it. I was mainly using my Medium Format FujiFilm GA645zi.
Fujifilm GA645zi Medium Format Film Camera
Used with a mixture of Colour and mainly Black and White film I’ve had an enjoyable year. I also dug out my old Eos 50E which used on a couple of holidays. Strange thing using the 50E worth about £20 with a £1700 EF24-70 f/2.8 mkII L lens. It’s been a good thing to go back to film, thinking about the image before shooting and having to wait for the result. It’s good to step back from time to time I think.
Anyway it’s not all anti digital, I still scan and digitally manipulate the images as online is usually my area to share. If you want to check out my Brum_Film instagram account, check the links on the side bar.
Water Taxi, Paignton Devon – Fujifilm GA645zi
So what to do with a collection of:
Eos 1D MkII, Eos 6D (Mk1)
15mm Fisheye
100mm Macro
24-70mm, 70-200mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm Zooms
3 flash guns
Well, I sold them (except the ancient 1D)- all traded/sold for a figure of around £3,500.
O.k. if you price it all up I’ve lost money – but have I? Most of the kit is over 5 years old and had plenty of use. I’m not going to get precious about camera kit values – none of it is a rare old Leica so why bother. (Although I’m sad to see the 15mm Fisheye go – it’s a marmite lens I know, but I loved it. but I’ll check out some of the SamYang 3rd party Fisheye lenses at the Photography Show (NEC) in March.)
Besides I have a new toy….
Fujifilm X Pro 2 and Instax Share SP-2
Why mirrorless? why not to be honest – I tried the Fuji XT2/X Pro 2 out at the photography show (NEC) last year as was impressed. I was looking at getting one last year, but Mom and my bike crash kept me busy for a while.
So it is any better than the Eos system? Well probably not, but the advantages are the smaller size so I can take both the film and digital system out together. Carrying less is one thing my film Fuji has taught me.
Under Spaghetti Junction, Birmingham – Fujifilm X Pro 2 – in body Black and White ConversionStairs, Solihull – Fujifilm X Pro 2, B&W conversion via Lightroom
The EVF is different, but it works. The hybrid Optical/EVF is a bit of a gimmick, but it works well until you get a long lens on it.
Currently I have just the kit lens, but the quality is superb – possibly not the L series quality of my EF24-70, but at £600 it’s a bargain.
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L Mk II – Vs – Fujifilm XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS – Size Matters? (possibly, but weight and £1000 cheaper helps a lot!)
The camera plays nice with the Install Share SP2 printer (prints Instax Mini instant prints) so that’s another bonus. I’m still getting used to the quirks of the system, 20 years of Eos use makes my figure memory go to the wrong places. Just need a few more outings to reprogram the digitals.
