The XE1: Or How I Managed to Like Using a Digital Camera for Once.

Whew, today has been a productive Sunday..

"In the Can" (crappy filter care of Camera+)

4 rolls of Kodak Tri-X were developed, dried and cut. Plus, I finally sifted through the few hundred images I shot with the FujiFilm XE1 kit I rented from the fine folks over at www.borrowlenses.com a couple weeks ago. Borrowlenses even went so far as to send me a nice thank you note for returning the XE1 kit in top notch condition, which is ironic since it went through

two or three snow storms

























Mosh pits

Daily Metro rides during my commit to/from work

Ketchup Attacks

And a myriad of DC streets

All told, I was very impressed with the XE1 kit. The FujiFilm focus peaking system is really effective and fun to use. The Fujinon 23mm f/1.4 lens is a light-seeking tank and the fact that it has a distance scale makes it capable of manual focus work. I rented a X100 back in December and I found its joke of a manual focus system to be a real disappointment. Total deal breaker.

I kept the XE1 in manual focus throughout my entire rental period in an effort to see if I could live with the X-system as my daily all-around camera, and I think I could if I had to.

Problem is, I don't have to live with it as a everyday all-around camera so I won't be pulling the purchase trigger anytime soon. My BessaR 35mm rangefinder is still my beloved 'bring anywhere' camera set up, and working extensively with both digital and film workflows today only solidified my preference for film.

When shooting/editing/reviewing/managing personal work, I so much prefer film. I love the simplicity of a 35mm rangefinder, the "limit" of 36 frames per roll, the mixing of development chemicals and the overall at-home film development process. I stand around listening to music and get my hands a bit dirty. It's so much more engaging/rewarding/interesting than sitting around at my computer to dabble with digital files all day. I already sit at a computer for 40+ hrs a week during my day job, so why would I want to spend my nights and weekends drilled to another computer screen while making the same basic "S Curve" motion with my mouse? I wouldn't and I never really have. There are years of digital files floating around on hard drives that I couldn't even be bothered with.

I never look at my personal work that is shot digitally. At least with film I'm invested in some activities before I even get to see what I have shot. It feels like I'm actually doing something interesting or productive with my time so I will be more willing to look at the damn photos.

This entire theory is flipped on it's head as soon as I'm shooting something that needs to be shot (with a comfortable amount of predictability) and quickly turned over. For those occasions, the D700 gets a workout.

Bessa R rangefinder with Kodak Tri-X

Some favorites from my week with the XE1 can be found on my Flickr Stream.