The emotional and the special ones: How (on earth) I’m still using the X-Pro1 and X100 in 2024

Back at the end of 2011/early 2012, while living as a student in the US, I made a purchase that (in retrospect) was formative. Having a relatively significant financial surplus in my bank account as a result of a government scholarship, I decided to invest in the Fujifilm X system by ordering the newly launched X-Pro1, together with the original lens threesome.

This was quite a gamble, since I had been in the market to purchase my first dedicated digital photo gears to support (mainly documenting) my artistic projects in school, but had not been convinced by the existing systems at that point (I ruled out the option to buy into Micro Four Thirds which was very promising by this very act) and decided to follow my guts (or maybe letting myself taken by Fujifilm’s marketing schemes is more like it), diving into a mirrorless system which was in its infancy. I didn’t think about it much back then, but by 2024, I can say that I have no regret making that decision.

Like many in my generation (the early millennials), I got introduced to photography by the early noughties, or the end of the era of 35mm films’ reign. Nikon or Canon SLRs were the road to go, with Lomography providing the alternative route that seemed fun and hip. I dabbled through rangefinders a bit (and medium format TLR once or twice), through Russian copies such as Kiev, FED, and Lubitel. I remember only knowing three older photographers at that moment who were convinced (and could afford) to invest in Leicas. Exhausted and broke, I fell out of having a dedicated photo camera daily. I skipped the era of DSLRs (only having been forced to use them twice or thrice in my life, recalling how much I hated the experience without being able to pin the reasons why), survived intense young traveling days only with a point-and-shoot (Nikon Coolpix 2500, courtesy of my dad), and of course, moving on to phone cameras completely afterwards, forcing myself to post at least one picture a day in the very early days of filter-ridden Instagram.

I bought and used my X-Pro1 without knowing its full history, including the FinePix X100 that preceded it, which I will get to in a bit. I (ab)used it without comparing it to anything else. My X-Pro1 lived in a vacuum. The slow and noisy AF, ability to switch between VFs plus LCD, APS-C-sized sensor, X-Trans anti-anti-aliasing approach, kaizen firmware updates, kooky video recording capabilities — all of these I took for granted, for better or worse. It worked for my documentation purposes, and that’s all I cared about. Only shooting JPGs and depending on SOOCs with limited changes in camera settings or post-editing (if any) was my way then. Shortly after, deciding to stop dabbling with architecture professionally, and returning home to join an art collective in Jakarta provided me with sufficient creative outlets. The only digital interchangeable camera body I had, together with the dedicated first three lenses it was designed for, spent their time mostly in storage, only seeing the light of day during occasional trips I made when I was not too lazy to put them in a separate bag to travel.

Fast forward to 2021, which was a vital year for me. Too many changes to count, let alone share. I’ll spare you the rest, but photographically, it was a comeback year. A dear friend from the art collective picked up a used X-Pro1 after deciding to sell his X100T (which was the first X100 series I’ve ever held in my hands). I lent him my XF 35mm F1.4 (whose IQ I took for granted, remember?), causing him to purchase one himself, trading it with his previous 35mm F2 WR. I picked up my X-Pro1 again following his steps, dusted it off, put firmware updates for the body and lenses, visiting the Fujifilm website for the first time in years in the process. I was surprised by how much the system has grown, how many (native) lenses were there to choose from for specific uses (my biggest shock was the XF 200mm f2), and the different experiences offered by the grown-up system (X-T5 was at the height of its marketing then, with the X100V craze started rippling to my awareness).

I also got introduced to my then girlfriend (now wife) and her family’s love for surfing. I found my own way to enjoy surfing by trying to make photos out of the experience (as I’m still nowhere to be good in this genre of picture-making by the time of writing). This fact provided a window to expand my Fuji X family with the arrival of my second body, the X-T1, and first zoom lens, the XF 55-200 (both used). I then recalled that my dad had also invested in a cheap Fuji X body after I told him about my X-Pro1 in the mid-2010’s. I found out about a collecting dust X-A1 with the XC16-50mm kit for my perusal shortly after. Stay tuned for more details on these stories, as I’m intending to elaborate on these cameras as well in Fuji X Passion.

Another photography-related story: my grandma passed away, reminding me the possibility of using vintage M42 Fujinon EBC lenses and filters I inherited from my grandpa, who passed away in 2005. This was not a possibility when I first got into the system, but now the possibilities are (almost) endless! I bought an adapter and put on the moldy, rings-stuck, hazy 35mm f2.8 as it was (adding multiple softening filters to the insult) to document her funeral with the X-Pro1. I was getting hooked again. I’ve now CLA’d my copies of these lenses, and the EBC 35mm (exchanging it with XF 35mm f1.4 from time to time) provided me with a great experience using the OVF. Articles on adapted lenses coming here also hopefully soon. Again, stay tuned.

Last but not least, my daughter was also born in 2021. Long story short, I decided to become a stay-at-home dad. Here, photography has served as my creative saving grace. From her being the subject (together with my beautiful wife who’s experienced in modelling and posing for cameras), to places that just opened up to me exactly because I’m a parent, to everyday details that can be caught because things are slower in general — walking her to sleep in the neighbourhood, staying home with her, etc. At least I’m not losing my mind with so many changes happening. As long as a camera and a possibility to capture something by a click of a shutter is present, a focus can always be found.

I have a confession: online shopping addiction bug, looking for used gear, caught me. Fortunately, I’m frugal by nature and no longer with a steady income stream, so it’s not too out of control (or so I say to myself). Nevertheless, I found an opportunity when I saw a listing for an unopened Limited Edition black X100 as a complete set (it came with zero shutter count, and everything but the mentioned certificate — please don’t rain on my parade saying I got duped because I didn’t know better), for a reasonable price. I decided to part with ±IDR8million (±USD500) and figure out firsthandedly the reasons why many swore by the X100 series. Let me jump to conclusion: I didn’t know I needed an X100 before, but now I cannot think of life without one. The sensor (pre-X-trans), grain, experience, and most importantly, the SOOC look (despite the fact I love post-processing the way I do) are things I repeatedly return to. For my use, it’s nearly perfect (the battery life is something I’m constantly moaning about) I’m almost afraid of trying out the younger X100’s.

I’ll close this piece by stating the (might be) obvious: I feel like I’m blessed. By the fact that the Fujifilm X Series exist, utilisable and affordable by someone like me — a non-professional (liberated from the burden of creating income from the images I took, rendering investment to be understood differently), making things up as I go, and grow with the system. I am taking images the way I want, started sharing them with the public more via Instagram (a channel that is losing its way to being useful for sharing photos) and contributions to communities such as Fuji X Passion, hoping that others can learn from them, too. Learning by sharing is where I’m at right now. I feel that I’m lucky to have invested in this system while it was in its nascency, as I could be taken by surprise how big and (most of the time) generous the communities this system has given birth to blossom.

On my images, I try to pay attention to everyday scenes, to capture and represent silent humorous moments on the streets (mainly of Jakarta), of my family (of whom I’m putting extra care to share), and to practice slowness, to enjoy banality. I am not chasing pictures. My default setting is MF, and back-button focusing with peak focus assistance mode on if AF is available. I carry a camera everywhere, but rarely uncovered. I am attracted to flashes of loneliness in contrast with a bustling context of cities in ex-colonised countries. When I’m taking pictures, I try my best to disappear. With these two original X-series bodies (all stereotypically black as much as possible), and most of the time in the OVF mode (switching to EVF when subjects are closer, and/or composition is paramount), I feel I’m closer to where I’m going. My X-Pro1 (exclusively shooting RAW these days, with only two different black-and-white recipes set as custom settings to review produced images on camera) is still the body I feel I’m most comfortable with so far and that produces images closest to how I envision things before I press the shutter. My OG X100 (only shooting JPGs with the capacity of three custom settings fully used), on the other hand, is the one that keeps on surprising me with the instant results it gives. OVF, slowness, post-processing, surprises, errors, silent lessons, fun, and smiles. In my world, what’s not to love with these two cameras around?

Next up: the aforementioned X-A1, together with the one and only X-M1.