Justin's Notes

Aug. 1, 2024

I didn't find myself shooting a ton of photos in June, aside from our Spain trip. Hence, a few June photos are being combined with my July photos in this post. Also, I upgraded to the Fujifilm X100VI at the end of July!

Quick story time. I backordered a black X100VI back in March, a week or two after it was announced, from B&H Photo. I did that because they didn't charge upfront for backorders. It was obvious, though, that there was no way to know when that camera might come. Fujifilm unfortunately, is known for not making enough units to keep up with demand. So even after four months, there was no estimation or timeline for my backorder. So I decided to see what Pro Photo Supply's, a shop in Portland, timelines were looking like. As I was talking to the online chat, they told me it would probably be a 1-2 month wait for a black model. Then the guy goes "Oh wait, we literally just opened a box and there is a silver unit, and we have no waitlist for silver units right now, do you want it?". So I said yes, went and got the camera, and got the absolute joy of seeing the employees in shock as I told them how I ended up getting it the same day. It is unheard of with these cameras.

Anyway, the X100VI is amazing. The image stabilization is super helpful and noticeable, especially in lower light for a guy with shaky hands. The bigger sensor feels so much sharper, and the freedom to crop more is awesome. I am also in love with the ND filter. Being able to stay at lower f-stops when it's crazy bright without having to take a filter on and off is so versatile and fun. I am loving the camera so far, and it has reinvigorated my joy for taking photos, which was already reinvigorated by my Spain trip.

I can't forget to pay tribute to my X100V, though. It is always fascinating how much of an emotional connection we can make with inanimate objects. This camera has been an important part of my life for the last three years, and I am very grateful for the time I had with it. I bought this camera during a bit of a tough time in life, and it really helped me process by getting me out to take photos. It was the camera that made me truly love photography. It became my mountain camera during ski season. It traveled around with me on vacations, to church camps, on work trips, Syd and I's trip to Spain, and even a trip to Indonesia without me. It caught all the moments, from first dates with Syd to being engaged to our honeymoon, and almost through our first year of marriage. I have loved shooting on this camera.

So, I have split up the photos here according to which camera they were taken on. Towards the bottom, you will see the X100VI photos that I took the last week or so of the month once I got it. Hope you enjoy!