Everybody Fujifilm
What feels like the majority of film shooters have one thing in common - they are all highly susceptible to being influenced. The latest example is the hype around Fujifilm`s X100V. Since people are looking for an alternative to analog photography Fujifilm came in handy with their retro-styled cameras and their options to create a film-esque looking photo without any external editing required. In theory.
While I totally agree with the above I also see a problem. There’s a common opinion that you can only achieve that look with one camera out of Fujifilm` s line up and that narrative became so independent, that prices for this specific model skyrocketed lately. While that is a normal reaction of the market when demand is larger than supply, I am wondering how this could happen to a digital camera. I am not an expert by any means but to me it seems like a novice. Even if you take the most prestige brand Leica, you are going to loose a lot of money if you buy a brand new camera body and sell it after a while. But the X100V that I bought for 1399€ a few years back, sells right now for 1800 to 2000€ as beaten up as it is.
Let me say one thing right away. #staybrokeshootfilm is just a hashtag. There`s lots of money in the film community. I am not saying that it’s rich kids but I can definitely say that all of them are willing to spend a lot of money for their passion - I was one of them for sure! Leica did not reissue their iconic M6 in 2022 because Film prices were so low. Portra400 is so hyped that people will be soon spending over 20 bucks for a roll while they put a peanut butter sandwich without jelly into their kids lunch box.
So before you jump the gun and buy an overpriced X100V try to define your expectations and lower them by at least a third because that’s what you should always do when buying new gear and also generally in life (thank me later).
If you come from film you are probably not looking for the latest animal and bird’s eye tracking and continuous autofocus stacking algorithm software accompanied by a back lit cmos sensor that is automatically carried away by the moonlight shadow (and yes I have the same catchy tune in mind).
If you agree with the above you can start looking for previous models like the X100F. Though you will probably be not the first one with this idea but an Xpro3 or 2 or an X-T3 or 4 or an X-T30 are in the market waiting for you. I personally like the X-E4 but I’ve heard people saying they miss the ISO dial. Seriously guys, I don’t know ‘bout you but I use the ISO dial at a maximum of one time per roll of film and that is the exact number. Anyways all of the above cameras are interchangeable lens systems that means that you can use vintage glass that is wonderful and cheaper than a night in front of a Späti in Berlin.
Another thing that you need to look at are the different film simulations. These offer you the possibility to create a certain look inside your camera without spending ages on an editing software. The amount of film simulations varies depending on the sensor generation. The most iconic in my opinion are classic chrome, classic negative and acros. Acros is so close to film that one can barely see the difference. Check out this video to see yourself. Each film simulation can be tweaked separately to create your own unique look or mimic a certain film stock. Check out fujixweekly or my buddy‘s site Immanuel for inspiration. Be careful. If you dig the look of classic negative make sure to check before your purchase if your camera holds that simulation.
I go into further detail in a separate post about vintage glass and film simulation
I shoot film and clearly I am a Fuji Fanboy. For me the X100V was the gateway drug into film photography and unfortunately also into the greedy pits of the Leica universe. But if I look in my archive while preparing this post I realise how much the X100V helped me to document my life. That is what photography is about.
If you have any questions please reach out to me or comment right below the gallery.
