There it is! The 4 foot by 7 foot piece of 24 gauge, stainless steel.
Just waiting for the ad agency's client to settle on a shooting date.
Watch out for the sharp corners!!!
While it hasn't been my busiest week there's been enough activity to remind me that I'm still making a living as a full time, non-trustfunded, photographer. We've shot portraits this week, done photography for a big event for the Texas State Bar, made photos for a large, regional medical specialty practice (150+ doctor/members and counting...) and taken time out to track down a large hunk of metal for use as a background for a upcoming advertising agency shoot.
The stainless is "just what the doctor ordered." And that's an inside joke because the shoot is for medical surgical devices....
I had a funny exchange with the driver who delivered the steel yesterday. He looked around my office and saw all the cameras and lights and framed photographs and then he asked what I do for a living. I told him that I was a commercial photographer, to which he replied, "You sure don't see many of them anymore." Followed by, "And you do this as a full time job?" He was pretty much convinced that with the introduction of the iPhone that "real" photography had gone the way of telephone operators, rest room attendants, and full service gas stations.
I explained to him that people still seemed to be willing to pay money for photographs that required lighting and some degree of know how to create. In fact, the first thing most new clients ask these days is whether or not we know "how to light stuff...with lights." Maybe these are the clients who have been burned by too many new shooters who profess to be..."experts in available light."
It was an interesting exchange for me because it leads me to believe that most people presume all photography comes either from a stock photography source, or from a phone. I assume that we're actually becoming a rarity as a profession and perhaps someone will start inviting me to dinner parties as a curiosity.
I also reminded myself that some of the remaining professional photographers are just plain crazy. Otherwise I can't explain why I got in the car and headed toward Mopac Expressway with the intention of going to Precision Camera to pick up a used Fuji X30 this morning. Logic and guilt kicked in a few blocks from my neighborhood and I steered the car into the parking lot of the local Starbucks, turned off the motor and reflected on this sudden state of affairs. Had a I reached the point where the unmitigated lust for new cameras was now balanced by rational thinking and the realization that I have absolutely no use for yet another compact camera?
Or do I just need more data points these days before committing to yet another transaction? I'll go with the second choice. And having chosen I am reaching out to my brilliant and kind readers and asking them if they've ever had the experience of using an X30? If they have an X30? And how they like the X30 as a general use camera?
I am seduced by the camera because it looks so pristine in black and seems so well engineered for a camera with a modest sensor size.
This one comes with a beautiful fitted case and doesn't have a scratch on it. I'd mention the price but I know dozens or hundreds of you would rush up to buy it!
Anyway, let me know if I should add an X30 to my drawer of other poorly considered purchases...
23 comments:
Gaffer tape the corners, and the edges if they are sharp. That stuff can really hurt someone.
Kirk, I haven't held the X-T30 yet, but when we switched to the X-T2 we did strongly consider and explore the X-T20. It is a lovely little camera, but in the end the form factor was just a bit too compromised, things are just not quite in the right place for me. I understand the X-T30 suffers a bit of this as well. Otherwise its a bargain by any yardstick.
Pixtorial, I've played with the X-T30 and it's a great camera (everyone should get one) but I was specifically asking about a much older and cheaper camera, the X30 point and shoot. I found a used one in perfect condition and am musing about whether or not to light three more hundred dollar bills and watch them burn through the tiny EVF....
The Ricoh GR II is superb and currently discounted after the recent arrival of the GR III. Worth a look.
I've had an X-30 for three years or so. I find it surprisingly satisfying to use. Images are good -- at low (<400, maybe <800)ISO. I'm one of those old guys who believe a picture isn't a picture until it's printed, and I think the X-30's images don't hold up larger than 5"x7." At least, mine don't. I was considering a Sony rx100 when I bought it, and its viewfinder and ergonomics sealed the deal, even though the Sony proably has better image quality. (If Fuji had made an X-40 with a 1" sensor, I'd probably have bought two.)
By the way, so glad your blogging hiatus was so short.
Maybe an 8x10 (or larger) view camera on a massive tripod, focusing cloth draped over the camera in the corner of the studio would convince some the seriousness of your professional acumen. They make a nice conversation piece. Ask me how I know. I'v had one in my living room for years. Collecting dust now.
I loved my 3cm thin Fuji XF1 which had the same 2/3" sensor as the X10 (especially after adding a folding screen loupe to compensate for the missing viewfinder).
Great JPGs (see Ming Thein's review), and quite some adjustability for the internal RAW conversion, also afterwards.
The manual zoom made precise framing a breeze.
( But within 3 years the shutter broke twice, I guess they had made the lens package too pocketable.)
I then seriously considered the X30, manual zoom, EVF and a faster and probably rather sturdier lens. And a similar sensor still, I believe, with similar internal RAW to JPG flexibility.
But I want my carry-always camera to be more pocketable, so waiting for a pocket zoom I like I make do with the DXO One.
Say, if you’re looking for 12 MP I have an Olympus EPL1 you can have for only two of those flaming bills. You probably still have one of those goofy detachable EVFs rattling around in a drawer.
Re: your “new-to-you” X30.
I’m a retired photo editor who spent a lifetime carrying anywhere from 10-20 pounds of gear on my shoulders most days for more than 40 years… My back hurts. And yes, I’ve owned an X30. I only owned it for a few months but it was a nice camera and the only reason I sold it was because it was too similar to my X-E2s. These days, when I want an “everyday camera,” that is, one that I can comfortably carry all day, while exploring a city or hiking, I reach for either my X20 (you can actually see your subject when it’s very bright out) or my Nikon P7800 (a very underrated camera). You might want to look into a P7800. I think you might find it a better all-around camera that the Canons you recently acquired or the X30.
Rick Plume
Next time you get to that Starbucks ... call me. I'll go with you to Precision and convince you to buy whatever you lust after :)
BTW tried Epoch Coffee on Anderson? Pretty good.
Hey Kirk sorry (I think?) for putting the X30 on your mind a few posts back. I'm watching one on Ebay but will resist.
Hi Kirk, Never used an X30, but my X20 is one of my favourite little carry anywhere cameras. It's basically the same camera as the X30, minus the EVF. I bought the X20 because of its diminutive size, the lovely build quality, the lens range, and because it had a optical finder. However, the optical finder turned out to be fairly primitive, so I mainly use the LCD screen anyway. So an EVF version would be an improvement. The image quality is surprisingly good at low iso's — it turns out really nice A4/A3 prints. It is still my take anywhere camera — it's so small and light. A camera you take — when you're not taking a camera. Now a role, I suppose, mainly supplanted by the smartphone.
a sample: http://www.natural-light-images.com/salamanca-dreaming
Cheers, Keith
Oops, was missing a letter in there. I've always been curious about the X20 and X30, but have never even seen one in real life. For small sensor (< 1") Fuji's the color science has always been there but otherwise they've had too many compromises for me (noise over about ISO 400 being one). The legendary F31fd being the exception (I need to find a new battery for mine).
I think what you have is Leica lust. After reading the reviews I think you will not be happy with an X30 in the long run. Buy an old M8 or M9 and get it out of your system.
Eric
Hi Kirk, I will be the old fuddy duddy here and recommend you not buy another camera. Use the ones you already have. An alternative: get one of your Hasselblads out of the cabinet and do some film work - the look will be unique in this day and age among commercial photographers.
Aloha Kirk, I actually purchased a used X30 last year to take on a Bikepacking trip from Banff to Whitefish. I had a X10 when it first came out, but regrettable sold it. The X30 is a great little camera and a total blast to use. I lot of engineering went in to it's design. Lens is pretty sharp, the EVF is quite useable, battery life is very good, and the files look great (for a small sensor camera). I also have a X-T2 and X-H1, and the functionality is pretty close ...albeit shrunk down quite a bit. I'd say jump on it!
Cheers,
Kevin
I have an X30 and it's a great little camera, though I don't use it much anymore. I carried it for a couple of years as an "always" rig in my messenger bag. I had the dedicated leather case which made it a very bag-friendly and more durable for shoulder carry. I particularly liked the handy zoom range, overall handling, and the EVF.
I never shot video, but normal ISO range stills were excellent, and the Fuji colors were top-notch. My only knock was the smaller sensor -- I tend to shoot in lower light often and that's not really the X30's strength. For any planned shooting I'd always opt for an XT1, or now the Z6. Horses for courses.
Personally, I considered the X30 to be a great value as a compact carry camera. I recently replaced it in my day bag with the XT100/15-45 combo. It's a little bulkier, but much more capable. Still, I really do miss the dedicated case option.
Hi Kirk, Totally agree with Kevin Meechan above. I'm spending the weekend shooting with my X30 at the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival here in south western Australia. Left the XH1 and XT2 at home and have enjoyed the small size and good output of the X30 and, especially, the built-in Fuji film sims and the ability to tune these in camera. While sitting and listening to various writers I have silently marvelled at the sturdy quality and excellent engineering of the camera. I'd say you cannot go wrong by getting one in pristine condition. I've heard that they are becoming rare and, as a sought after camera, used prices are holding steady, which means it should be easy to on-sell if you don't want to keep it. Cheers, John
Kirk, I am curious how you are going to avoid to see reflections in that big stainless steel mirror.
Thanks,
Henk
Didja ever feel like your crew should plug their ears with wax and lash you to the mast whenever you passed a good used equipment store? There are sirens in each of these places with voices that are too damned seductive. And yeah, I know that feeling of desire over utility. As for the X-T30 mirrorless, well I can only pass along hearsay. A good buddy whined about his purchase constantly mumbling about the way the thing got lost in his big hands, the fuzzy/dim viewfinder, the quickly evaporating battery life. Which led him to sell the thing (and its lenses) to go back to his Nikons. Yeah, he bought it for the size as a backup, but then the size was what he moaned about. Recently he bought a used but pristine Canon D10 which he swears by as his backup. I guess he wished that the crew had kept him from even coming near the shoals of his Fuji dealer. At any rate, his bitchin' kept me from the store :-)
The X30 is a really fun camera to use, as others have mentioned. Unfortunately, my copy had a slightly misaligned lens, so one corner suffered a little blur that became quite noticeable in use. The image quality is fine up to ISO 800 or so, but as mentioned, you won't get massive prints. It gets waxy much quicker than a bigger Fuji sensor. The mechanical zoom ring is perfect, as is the viewfinder: probably the best you'll ever see on a compact. I mean, it's really something – a long, long way from the tunnel-view OVFs. It is a beauty to look at and hold as well.
However, while I found the camera rather fun to use, the weight/size of it is significant: it's not really in compact territory anymore. While it is "small", it's not much smaller than say, the XE3 with a prime. When you know you'll carry a small brick either way, I suspect you'll choose the limitations of a prime instead with extra quality. In the end, that is what I did... the X100 was the same weight and I just worked around the limitations of a single focal length. The colours and resolution in shots were discernable between a larger sensor, as much as I hate to admit it.
If the lens was exceptional throughout, it may have changed my usage, but you still know you are carrying the same size/weight when a couple of small primes / smaller body is about the same effort.
I just want to see what you shoot on that stainless! And how you handle any light contamination that might be picked up in the highlights of that what-I-assume-is neutral but shiny material.
Delivery drivers, pilots, rehashed story:
Bike ride, as I don't swim. A favorite ride is up to the county airport because it's a high point, less traveled roads and connects to other ride extending and shortening routes. Pilot wandering around after dropping off several business people out scoping things business people scope. Fiddling with my bike computer, asked him what the altitude was, conversation about how my computer calculates altitude, accuracy etc.
He said I seemed technical and asked what I did for a living. Told him I was a full time pro photographer.
He said: 'That's still a thing? I mean with auto cameras now ...' This was several years ago ...
My retort: 'what do you do?', despite the golden epaulets. He laughed and said "pilot". I said 'with auto pilot, that's still a thing?'
Gave me the touchè smile then we talked about how he has windows with polarizers built in.
Hi Kirk, I nearly bought Precision Camera's black X30 and case recently. The warranty would have expired before it reached me here in England, so I shopped locally. It's a 'real' camera in miniature and goes with me when my X-T2 would be overkill. Swapping between them is pretty seamless and the results are really nice. Track down a good one and enjoy.
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