To and fro Yogyakarta in infrared using the X-E1

Some forewords: there’s a lot of a-changin’ happening in my life these days. One big recurring theme after the birth of our daughter back in 2021 is that somehow my little family have been moving around more than a couple of times. Most of the time we relocated within Jakarta, but just to give you a better picture: even for a couple of months in 2022, we did have to relocate to Germany. Currently, after a relatively stationary short period (which I humbly enjoy, especially relating to photography), we are having a partial house renovation, relocating again for a couple of months to another apartment. A fortunate timing, as it is coinciding with professional engagements (both my partner’s and mine) bringing us to different places—mostly inside the country, but Tokyo hopefully is welcoming us for a bit by the end of the month. Having stated that, maybe it is a good opportunity for me to nudge anyone reading regarding any Fujifilm tips in Tokyo (their museum and/or other knowledge sources on Fujifilm X—but not too much for gear acquisitions I’m afraid, as I am out of both space and funds for now). I’m all ears and eyes, thanking you in advance for any tips via comments or Instagram.

Right now (starting from mid-August until at least early October), I’m getting by with two bodies; the ones I have not shared in Fuji X Passion (rounding up the first generations of Fujifilm X’s in my disposal): the X-T1 and a full-spectrum modified X-E1. I returned the X-A1 to my dad for his travels, and dry cabineting the rest. Further, I am training my eyes by sticking to ‘early twenties’ compact lenses: XF 23mm f2 WR, Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f4 M-mount (in need for calibration to reach infinity), and Meike 25mm f1.8—underlining my unmet curiosity for the body-cap Fujinon XM-FL 24mm f8.

The focus of this piece is on my (bastardized) copy of X-E1. I’m planning to do another post on the X-T1 (in 2024!) in a very near future. Both will be backgrounded by their capacities as travel companions, as how I’m currently treating them, so please stay tuned.

On Yogyakarta

This part is a short detour for those interested. For the ones who don’t have the time or patience regarding matters that are not directly related to Fujifilm X, you can skip to the next part.

By living (after being born and raised) in Jakarta, and having spent the majority of my adult life in the arts and culture sector, I can say positively that the city might serve as the country’s capital and center for everything but art. That particular title can be taken by either Bandung or Yogyakarta. While I have not visited the former in ages (despite its geographical proximity to Jakarta), I have visited the latter more and more lately. Train has always been my preferred means of getting there, but we flew in for our last visit, despite the fact that the driving time to-and-fro the respective airports took longer than the time we were on air.

On train rides, I used to prefer the overnight 8-ish hour trips, departing around dinner time to arrive at the right time for an early breakfast. Our daughter’s sleeping pattern disagrees. It’s a photographic blessing, as the scenes (which I took for granted) are rendered visible, of course.

Flights, on the other hand, provide more hit-and-miss encounters. Clouds, as pretty as they are, tend to be insufferable for me. Human traces on landscapes never cease to amaze me, nevertheless. Unpredictable and out-of-control factors reign—from weather conditions, elevations, to seat positions (turning your cameras and shifting your seating positions can only do so much, at the end of the day). Having said that, I’ve found that I took more pictures on air than on land (but keeping significantly less number of images as well).

On the city itself, I can only advise visitors to stay as long as they need. Longer, and you risk being captivated involuntarily to its magic—for better or worse. Here, I’m sparing my readers the alluring images of the touristic city and (as my growing habit) providing lonely corners instead. Consider yourselves as been warned.

On the X-E1
I acquired my copy in 2023 after rejecting the idea of owning an X-E1 out for a while—as I hold my X-Pro1 close to my heart, while I had not been tempted by the redundancies of owning bodies with similar sensors up until then (a battle I lost when I purchased an X-M1). I gave in as a UK seller successfully lured me with a black on black version that come with a conversion job to either infrared or full-spectrum. I chose the latter option, having dreamt about infrared photography after seeing one Jay Subyakto photo exhibition back in my student days. I am finally able to put my old but never-used 49mm R72 filter to use; and this time with an X-Trans flair. How exciting is that for a change?

After purchasing it online, having it shipped to my UK-based brother-in-law, eagerly waiting for several months while feeding myself with articles on IR photography using Fujifilm X online, and finally seizing the item when we were reunited in person for a family wedding in The Dolomites (bringing a set of my 49mm Fujica Fujinon EBC lenses to test the camera with), I knew I made the right decision. IR (and full-spectrum possibilities, of which I still have so much to learn) was, and still is, intended to be a continuous experimentation for me. Obviously, the sensor sees things really differently from my own pair of eyes, rendering OVF not too useful, if not downright useless. The slow EVF of the X-E1 is sufficient, as I’m not using it for anything fast-paced (built-in-flash street photography is the most challenging situation this camera finds itself in, until the time of writing). The lack of new film simulations is a non-problem, as it takes RAW (also in black-and-white rendering through the EVF) exclusively. The best lesson it teaches me, though, is that price is not everything; what’s believed to be nicer lenses don’t always outshine the lesser ones, with hotspot manifestation cases on point: XC 16-50mm (I own the Mark I) beating XF 18-55mm, and TTartisan AF 27mm f2.8 outshining its XF counterparts (both versions, I’ve learned).

Handling-wise, I find that I prefer X-E size to X-Pro one. In general, same case—especially when it’s the first series we are talking about, where weather resistant, fast AF, and EVF with reliable refresh rate are non-existent for both, rendering the X-Pro1 only wins in the OVF department. Buildability department (how it feels in my hand), nevertheless, tells a different story. I just want to pick up X-Pro1 more than X-E1, as the latter feels a bit lighter and plasticky. The X100 combines the best of X-E1 and X-Pro1 in this regard for me.

After owning and (ab)using this camera for a year, the test of time has proven me wrong. While the seller did a great conversion job as far as I can tell, the old camera (age measured in contemporary digital camera standards) suffers from a different fate. I accidentally dropped the camera to a soil/dust surface by the Ciliwung river bank once (Jakarta is objectively a dusty, polluted, humid place), together with the XC 16-50mm. Since then, the sensor has developed visible smudges, impossible to clean, growing in numbers and gaining visibilities through time, while the lens survived with just a few cosmetic scratches. Professionals I’ve talked to so far informed me that older sensors degrade this way because of age, advising me to live and get on with the fact. I can live with this problem either by shooting with large apertures (f4 and bigger), overcoming also hotspot risks, and/or performing tusir (the term Indonesian photography communities use for any picture cleaning and fixing processes from unwanted dirts) in post-processing. For those who have not been in similar shoes, my sincere advice is to avoid them at all costs (unless you like to tinker as much as, or more than, taking pictures, of course).

I learned the fact that Fujifilm officially has sold different X-T bodies with full-spectrum sensors with little-to-none marketing efforts to date. This might be the best option out there for anyone interested in this domain of picture-making. Second best option might be having conversions done by experienced and tested services (preferably with long-term warranties), rather than relying on an individual workmanship—abroad, in my case. Having the camera beforehand and testing its operability before having any conversion job are also advisable.

Closing on a more positive note, I don’t regret having gone through this trajectory at all. I’m speaking from a particular privileged position, as I have the luxury to be fully experimental if and when I want to be in my photographic endeavors, with no burden attached whatsoever. I love being able to produce surprising images using my X-E1 IR setup, and just recently purchased a UV filter to play with further. Hopefully the results of upcoming trials will ensue.

A couple of closing thoughts:

1 – I realized from the moment I returned to photography that I cannot cheat time investments. I’m slow and fully aware of it. I’m taking my time, both to understand what I’m actually after, plus what to make public. This post is no exception.

2 – With cameras/sensors/films or any medium that enlarge or alter how we visualize our world—with IR, it’s simply by having a device that doesn’t see the ways our eyes do—the novelty factor needs to either be overcome, worn out, or both. The effects they produce can be a mechanism, but not the main (or, g*d forbid, the sole) force of the image-making pursuits. The majority of black-and-white results shown here is the puddings I’m serving to prove.