What's in the camera bag part 1: The Fuji Kit

Hi all, As you might know I currently photograph with a Nikon (D800 and D610) kit, a fuji kit and a Analog kit. In the Up coming weeks I am planning to give you a view in my bags! This week the first Bag is the Think Tank Retrospective 7 with my Fuji camera gear.

Think Tank Retrospective 7 Bag

I must start to say that I love Think Tank bags. I have three off them and use them everyday with out any problems. The way they are layed out is really showing they are not only made for photographers, but also by photographers!

The first thing I like about the bags are that these bags are spacious. I have tried other bags, but the way the Think Tank camera bags are layed out is genius. It is easy for on the go and to get the gear you need fast. Also they are low profile. The retrospective series is also really low profile. The Retrospective series really look like regular "Hey, there is no expensive gear here" messenger bags.

The front flap has also a silent mode. You can flip up the velcro so you can open it up without any sound. Handy during weddings! The only downside is that the flap is lose.

The bags also have a high level of comfort. You can walk around with them for a long time without your shoulder is getting sour.

Now what's in it?

Well it's my Fuji gear bag, so I have all my Fuji gear in it. This is really my everyday with me, reportage/low profile kit.

Fuji Camera:

• Fuji X100: My first Fuji camera, and I love it, especially the leaf shutters which is so silent and great with flash!
• Fuji X-Pro1: This is my workhorse Fuji camera. I really like the whole range finger/Leica style
• Fuji X-E1: This is my back up for the X-pro1 and I use it a lot for the behind the scenes video.

Fuji Lenses:

• Fujinon 35mm 1.4: This is my main lens for the X-pro1. It is a 50mm equiv, and great street en reportage lens
• Fujinon 56mm 1.2: Great lens for portraits!
• Fujinon 18-55mm 2.8-4: This lens I mainly use with the X-E2 for video.

Other:

• YoungNuo YN-560: Great inexpensive flash!
• Cactus V5 Triggers: For remote triggering of the flash
• 2 chargers: For charging the batteries on the road
• Back-up batteries
• Extra SD-Cards
• Business Cards
• Blower: For cleaning the sensor
• iPad Mini (not pictured)
• Back-up charger for my Phone

Well that's what is in it! Next time I will take you through my Think Tank Airport Airstream bag with my Nikon kit!

I Went Fuji

Ok it's official I went Fuji! After years of shooting Canon I have moved over! The reason, the arrogance of the people that represent Canon and I wanted a smaller and lighter kit. I already had the Fuji X100 last year and fell in love with it. Although it can be a pain in the ass camera sometimes, but when it works with you it's a superb camera.

My kit

My Current Fuji kit is:

• X-Pro1
• X-E1
• XF 35mm 1.4
• XF 18-55 2.8-4
• X100

Fuji X100

The X100 was my first Fuji X camera (my first digital compact camera's where also Fuji's like the S5600). I really love this camera. It has a fixed 23mm (35mm eqv.) f2 lens and I really love the small size and focal length. It is ideal for street and reportage photography. Also the leaf shutter gives you a really fast X-sync, and the 3 stops internal ND filter makes it a great camera!

Another downfall are the sticky blades. Luckily Fuji have a great service and after two weeks of missing the camera I got it back completly repaired and checked.

X-Pro1

I have been wanting this camera for a while, After seeing Zack Arias with it, and some work of other photographers  I was like I also want that style. I also been doubting a long time of going to Olympus 4/3 camera's. I love the OM-D EM-5. But the X-pro1 is just a little bit more what I wanted. I wanted a small camera with great sensor and just a few buttons. The only ones I need are Shutter time, Aperture, Iso, Shutter release and a on/of switch. Just like the Analog camera's I like to use .

Also I love to play with a smaller Depth of field. Believe me I still would love to work with the Olympus OM-D EM 5, but for may hands the buttons are just a bit to small and wobbly and there is a little bit to much trickery in it. Also the people at Olympus are great, friendly and helpful and I can recommend the Olympus Camera's to anybody, but for my taste the Fuji Camera's where more fulfilling my needs.

The first real shoot with the Fuji X-Pro1 for me was with Daniel Lanois in the Carre theater in Amsterdam. I only had the 35mm lens for it. I loved how it focused. Also the EVF was nice to have. Being in a theater only being able to shoot availeble light it is a blast to have WYSIWYG fews of your photo's.

During a testshoot for a upcoming commercial shoot it had a few times where it wouldn't trigger my flash. This is something I halve to dig in to. During the day It worked fine in the studio. I don't know if it is the trigger or the camera yet, but it was annoying. Also I really hate i that first all the photo's have to by written to the card before you can really preview them. Notice that you get a 1.5 sec preview after you took the shot in de OVF/EVF.

The OVF is also once to have shooting in low light and on the street. It gives you a more few of also the surrounding. Also it gives you more eye contact with the model.

X-E1

The X-E1 I almost got for free! I wanted the XF-18-55 2.8-4 lens. The lens costs €699,- and as a kit with the X-E1 €749, so for €50,- I got the Fuji X-E1 with it. Firstly I bought it as a back up camera, but as it is almost the same as the X-Pro1 I use it as a co camera, mainly not to have switch lenses or use when I maxed at to buffer and have to keep shooting.

The 18-55 2.8-4 lens became my standard lens. As I am used to  use the Canon 24-70 2.8, it is a great replacement.  Much sharper, cheaper and lighter!

Video

The Fuji X-Pro1 and X-E1 also have video functions, and to be short, the box is checked for video. But actually it sucks, the quality is not that well. So if you want to do also a lot of video get an Olympus or Nikon!

DSLR Killer?

Are the Fuji's DSLR-killers? The be honest not quite yet. I would use the Fuji kit for any kind of job, but I still keep a DSLR on the side. My Canon gear is going out the door, but A Nikon D610 or D800 will come in for video and high-resolution work on which some more post/photoshoping has to be done. Also the teetering functions are nice to have with a client watching over your shoulder and with workshops/training sessions!

Wishlist

On my whilst is the 56 1.2 portrait lens and many trading in the 18-55 for the upcoming 18-135 for allround lens. Further camera-wise:

• Be able to look back pictures while the photo's are being written to the card!!
• Thetering options
• Shooting ISO100 with Raw Files