Fuji X70 The Little Camera That Can

     Sometimes the vagaries of photographic life can  simultaneously cause a tribulation to be a blessing. Such is the case with the Fuji X70. It's a camera that continuously surprises me with its capabilities. Its greatest capability is its power to keep me happy as a photographer. From an equipment standpoint, it is my ace in the hole. It is my little backup street shooter that can do a whole lot more.

   The X70 was my entré into the world of Fuji cameras. I was so delighted with it that I subsequently purchased an X100F and have, for the most part, been happy with both of them. Unfortunately, my X100F developed problems with  sticking aperture blades and some white balance issues for which it had to be sent to Fuji's repair centre. It kind of forced me to renew my appreciation of the little X70.

     I remember reading about the X70 when it was first released. At the time I thought "Fixed 28mm (equivalent) lens. Not for me. I want a camera to do a little more than just shoot landscapes." Truth be told, I actually shoot a lot of landscapes! 

     I initially bought the X70 as a replacement for my Leica D-Lux which was in the shop during the fall colour season a few years ago.  https://refractivereasoning.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-cult-of-brand.html

The pocket sized marvel surprised me. It pleased me then. It pleases me now.

     

     

     Because of it's small size, the camera is also very useful for street photography. In that application, I find that the flip up screen works well as a waist level view finder . Most people don't realize that I'm taking a picture when my head is down and I'm looking at the screen. Think Vivian Maier with her waist level Rollei. The flip up screen is also useful for making photographs at low levels.  
                                      

Ok. I didn't use the screen at waist level for this shot. It's a vertical shot and the screen only flips up in the horizontal format. But you get the general idea.

                                                  

       The wide angle lens on the camera precludes it from being particularly useful for portraiture. If you get too close you get the dreaded "pumpkin head" effect common to all wide angle lenses. However at a respectable distance it can make a decent street portrait. I find that the camera's diminutive built-in flash works well as a fill light. It's not the ideal camera for the job, but it will do in a pinch.

     The depth of field of a wide angle lens is always useful when you want to keep foreground detail in focus when doing landscapes, or, in this case, a townscape.                    

         I like that the camera has old school controls. It features a shutter speed dial, aperture ring and focus ring. That may not mean much to a generation that has grown up with touch screens and electronic menus. But for a guy that started his photo career in 1979 with a Yashica FX-3, it's a nice touch.

     What more can I say about this little wonder? It's a joy to use. It's a camera that  kept me shooting when it's more sophisticated brethren were in the shop. If "the best camera is the one you have with you," it's a camera that I hope to always  have with me.


                        ...more later