MY TRAVEL KIT(S) 2025

February 05, 2025 by Ryan Jenkins in Gear, Travel

I try to keep my travel kit fairly small and lightweight, but every year I fail miserably. So for 2025, I’m embracing my lack of ability to pack light when it comes to cameras and gear. Last year, I picked up a Pelican carry on case and Peter McKinnon Nomadic Backpack, so this year, we’re going to load them up with everything I might need on a trip.

I will preface by saying my travel kit and my everyday carry kit on the road is very different. I like taking more stuff with me than I need, but when I’m wandering a city or exploring a new place, I take a very minimal kit depending on the needs of the day. I spend a lot of time on flights and in new places, so having a kit that I can minimize down to essentials only is key as well.

MY READY TO SHOOT KITS

- Kit #1: Fuji XH2 with battery grip and the Fuji 18-135mm. This one is my do everything, photo/video setup. Perfect for the day trips where I might be doing some hiking, exploring a city, etc. The lens is a little bulky, along with the camera body, but it’s easy to carry with the battery grip on it, and the balance between body and lens is pretty solid. It’s also weather resistant, so I don’t have to worry about any weather conditions. I can hand carry this setup most of the day and not get too tired.

- Kit #2: Fuji X-T50 with Fuji 27mm pancake lens. This is my absolute go to, everyday carry setup. It easily fits in my hoodie or jacket pocket, weighs next to nothing, and can handle anything I need with the new 40mp sensor. The only downside is no weather sealing, but I have shot with this in the light rain a few times and had no issues.

- Kit #3: Fuji GFX50Sii with Fuji 35-70mm lens. This kit is #3 mainly because of it’s size and weight, but may be getting bumped up to #1 here shortly. After spending a weekend shooting in London, I’m strongly considering a change in the kit priority. The images I can get out of this combo far outweigh the cons, which are the weight and just general bulk of the camera / lens combo.

LENSES

- Viltrox 23mm: Viltrox is making some of the absolute best 3rd party autofocus lenses for Fuji right now. They also make lenses for the other brands too, so not Fuji exclusive. This 23mm is fantastic for everyday carry type photography. It’s small, coming in at just 260 grams, it’s super easy to carry. Build quality is exceptional, comes in a nice metal casing that feels durable. It’s also super sharp, even at night.

- Viltrox 75mm 1.2 Pro: This lens is a bit on the bulky side coming in at 670 grams. It fits very comfortably on the XH2 but it’s a bit much for the XT50 for a daily carry around combo. It’s sharp as a tack though, and has some really interesting character. Only downside i’ve found is some minor flaring when shooting at sundown, as seen below. I personally like it for a shot like this one, but if I was doing a portrait session, I might feel differently.

Shot on Viltrox 75mm 1.2 | San Diego, California

-Sigma 16mm 1.4: This lens, for the price, is incredible. Bang for your buck, this might be the best lens you can buy for the Fuji X system. It’s fast, great build quality that’d you’d expect from a high end Sigma lens, and fairly easy to carry despite its 405 gram weight. The images can be a little bit soft when shooting wide open, but I personally like that look, so this lens works well for me. If you’re a sharp as a tack type shooter, this lens might aggravate you from time to time.

- Zeiss Touit Planar 32mm 2.8: This lens, simply rules. If i’m not carrying the Fuji 27mm pancake on my X-T50, this is the lens that’s on in it’s place. It’s 210 grams, so it’s lightweight and small. It’s built well, with a combo of metal framing and has a kind of rubber-esque grippy-ness to it that is really nice. As for image quality, it’s sharpest when it’s wide open, and the colors producted are nice and warm. This is the only lens I’ve used in the Fuji X mount line that can even come close to replicating that medium format subject separation. It’s got a specific character that feels like an older, vintage medium format lens. If you can find one of these, buy it, thank me later.

Shot on Zeiss Touit Planar 32mm 2.8 | Fuji X-H2

- Sirui 24mm Nightwalker T1.2: The Sirui 24mm Nightwalker is one of my favorite lenses I own, but probably gets the least amount of use. It’s a pretty niche lens, designed for video and low light but it does really excel at photography as well. It’s a manual focus lens, so it takes some more time and process than the autofocus alternatives, but I really enjoy shooting with it. I need to work that one into the rotation more often.

BAGS

- The Pelican 1510 case with dividers is my main carry on for travel. I can fit my work laptop and iPad into the laptop sleeve in the top of the case, along with all my gear listed above minus the X-T50 and 27mm.

- The Peter McKinnon 25L backpack is my other carry on. It houses my battery packs, backup headphones for long flights, chargers, etc. In the top portion, there’s a small area where I fit my Bellroy 6L sling. In the sling is my X-T50 and 27mm, gum, Bose Ultra Earbuds, usb-c cable, and chapstick, a travel staple. It’s super handy when boarding, I can just throw my pelican case in the overhead, take the sling out of the top part of the backpack, throw the backpack up top as well, and I’ve got everything I’ll need for the flight with me so I don’t have to get up during the flight if I don’t want to. The Bellroy 6L Sling is my preferred bag for cities as well. It’s a very small, light weight over the shoulder sling that can comfortably house the things I’ll need while exploring. It draws far less attention than a backpack as well, which is a major factor.

- Bellroy 6L Sling is my favorite of the collection. As mentioned above, I can fit all my necessary items in this for any day trip or wander around a city. Cannot recommend this sling enough.

3 Months with the Fuji GFX50sii...

January 29, 2025 by Ryan Jenkins in Gear

I officially made the jump to the Fujifilm GFX50Sii 3 months ago, so I felt like it was a good time to reflect on the choice, share my thoughts on the camera and lens I’ve been using, and discuss whether I’m really happy with my decision.

Why?

I had always looked at the GFX system as the endgame system for me, but also not one that I could justify spending the money to jump into. If you know anything about the GFX system, it’s probably that it’s very expensive. So, when I was presented an opportunity to trade up/into the system, I didn’t hesitate, sort of.

I had been trying to sell my Fuji X-H1 body for awhile, but hadn’t really gotten any bites or much interest. Granted, I didn’t do a whole lot of work to facilitate selling, I had just listed it on Facebook marketplace and figured I’d see if I got any bites. So, browsing marketplace one da, I stumbled upon someone local selling a GFX50sii body for a fairly reasonable price, but not reasonable enough to justify actually buying it. I ended up sending a message asking if there was any interest in a trade, and we ended up agreeing on a swap of the GFX50sii for my Fuji X-H1, viltron 75mm, and Fuji 100-400mm lenses.

Shooting Experience

So far, the biggest difference I’ve found in shooting between the Fuji X Series (X-H2 & X-T50) is the speed. The X-H2 for example, can rattle off 20 frames per second when shooting in Continuous High. The GFX50Sii, however, can only do 2.2 frames per second in Continuous High. This doesn’t mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, but what it does mean, is that I have to slow down, and take my time when shooting. The X-H2 is great on CH, because I can fire off up to 20fps and know I’m going to get the shot that I want/need. That isn’t an option on the GFX, and that’s ok. It’s part of what makes shooting with the GFX such a fun experience. I’m forced to slow down, compose, and think about the shot more. I’d be lying if I said this hasn’t been a challenge, but it’s a welcome one. I get very comfortable in routines, so anytime I can mix those up, I’m better for it.

Image Quality / Editing

The image quality from this camera is just fantastic. If you don’t already know, the GFX line has a 44 x 33mm medium format sensor, which is a much larger sensor than the 35mm full frame, and even larger than Fuji’s X series sensor, a 24x16mm APS-C sensor. The subject separation is really what sets medium format apart from everything else. Editing the files is a new experience as well, there’s a ton more data to work with, so I’m learning as I go how to apply my personal look to these massive files. That’s a potential downside for some, the file sizes from the GFX come in around 120mb. Doesn’t sound like much, but when you start dumping the day’s photos into Lightroom, it can quickly become GB’s worth of files, so something to consider if you’re in the market.

Setup / Build Quality

Camera setup is very similar to the X series cameras. Menus are, mostly, the same and the buttons and dials all feel familiar. If you’re comfortable with a Fuji X Series camera, you’ll be comfortable with a GFX as well. The build quality is great, nothing on the camera feels cheap or shortsighted. The weight (900g) without a lens is pretty significant, so carrying it around all day can feel like a bit of a chore, compared to the X-H2 (660g). Add the 390g 35-70mm lens and it’s a big system, but a worthy one.

Regrets

The only regret I have from the trade, and the only thing that made me hesitate for a second, was the 100-400mm lens. That lens was a staple for my X series cameras, and used a lot. It’s super sharp, and having a long zoom provided a lot of flexibility that I definitely miss, but I’d do the deal again in a heartbeat. Pros far outweigh the cons.

Final Thoughts

The GFX50Sii has definitely earned it’s way into my regular rotation. It is just too much fun to shoot with, and has become the first camera I want to grab when going out to shoot/explore. The hunt has already begun for more lenses, so this will definitely be a long term system for me.

WHY I CHOSE FUJI

January 15, 2025 by Ryan Jenkins in Gear, Photography

When I was shopping for my first camera back in 2016, I had just taken a job working overseas, and I knew that I’d be doing a lot of traveling. So when it came time to shop for “the perfect travel camera” I had a few major “needs,” or so I thought. I had my checklist that included high megapixel count, lightweight so I could hand carry while traveling, photo and video capabilities, needed to be able to shoot in low light, etc. You get the picture.

Before I dive into how I made my choice, we need to go back to 2006. This is the “how we got here” portion of the story. My senior class was taking a trip to London post graduation, and that was going to be my first time across the Atlantic. I’d been to the Bahamas, Mexico, and a few cruises but this was the first proper overseas adventure, and as a newly 18 year old, I was stoked and knew I needed a camera to document me and my friends’s excursions. We were leaving for London the day after Christmas, so sure enough, I got a Fujifilm FinePix E900 for Christmas from my parents. Took so many photos on that trip, and it’s still one of my favorite trips I’ve been on, but I learned very quickly that I wanted more from taking photos than, well, just taking photos. There are a lot of photos from that trip that I cherish, and nearly all of those are not what I’d call “quality photos.” They’re memories, moments, scenes that meant something, and still do. Ironically, I’m writing this blog in a cafe, in London. Life is cool like that sometimes.

House of Parliament - London, UK | Fujifilm E900

Soon after, I went away to college to pursue what they called their Digital Media program, which was photography, video, and graphic design all in one. In short, I failed my first photography class. My professor actually told me my work was so bad, I needed to change my major, so I did. I didn’t touch a proper camera again until 2015, when the parents came in clutch, yet again.

I was prepping to take said overseas job, and was researching good entry level cameras. I wanted something that checked all the aforementioned boxes, but wouldn’t be too overwhelming to use for someone that hadn’t touched a camera in a while. I found the Canon Rebel SL1 and 50mm 1.8 or nifty fifty, as it’s commonly called. I shot with that for almost 2 years, took it with me to Dubai, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France, etc, and got some pictures that I really like, but there was something missing. I didn’t “love” the process. Taking photos with it just felt like that, taking photos. Which probably sounds pretty stupid when you read that, but there was a piece of the puzzle that wasn’t there for me, and I wanted to figure out what that was.

Ardennes American Cemetery - Neupre, Belgium | Canon SL1 & 50mm 1.8

Now we’re back, shopping for “first camera” with my handy checklist of “needs.” I thought the things that were “missing” were the megapixels and the tech. I *needed* better video quality capabilities, a faster, bigger sensor, etc. I was down the YouTube rabbit hole, I felt like I had seen every camera review, buy this camera, etc video that existed. What I kept finding though was Fuji kept popping up in most of these videos/conversations, as the “fun” cameras. That kind of turned me off initially because I didn’t want a fun camera, I wanted a powerhouse, a do it all camera, and was ready to spend the money to get that. The more I read/researched, I found that pretty much every camera on the market at the time, and still today, didn’t vary too much in the specs/tech side of things. The biggest differences were always weight, design, and the fun factor.

I kept going back to this “fun factor.” What does that even mean? I stumbled upon a video from Evan Ranft about the Fuji X100f and simplifying the process (as seen below). Evan was one of the first photo/video guys that I found on Instagram and YouTube that felt truly informative. He always felt relatable and honest with his reviews or opinions, so I put quite a bit of weight into things he would post about. If you don’t want to watch the entire video, the video talks about scaling back on gear, finding a camera that was simple to use, could fit in your pocket, and was fun to use. This kinda sounded like what I was looking for maybe? But still didn’t quite understand what could make any camera more fun to use than another. I mean, they all do the same things right?

So, I started looking into Fuji’s cameras. I obviously started with the x100f thanks to the video above, but I knew I wanted an interchangeable lens system as opposed to the x100 series fixed 23mm lens. So that led me to the XT3 and the newly announced XH1. The XT series was more of a compact body, easier to carry on the daily. The XH series was new, Fuji had just announced the XH1, as a hybrid body camera that was a little bulkier than the XT series, but was better at video. It had the same 26mp sensor as the XT line, but had internal image stabilization known as IBIS in the camera world. This sounded promising. There were a few initial reviews out, and they all seemed promising, and all kept referencing the “fun factor.”

I pulled the trigger. I put in my pre-order for the XH1, battery grip, 35mm, and 55-200mm lenses. Delivery day was March 1, 2018. That was the day everything changed. I literally got my delivery, got everything setup, and the next day I was flying to Bahrain for the F1 Grand Prix with my new camera and no idea how to use it.

Spent the weekend at the race figuring out how everything worked, setup the dials and knobs, shooting in hopes of getting some good shots. I did get a handful that I like still, but the majority of shots from the weekend were junk. But, despite all that, I had a blast just using the camera. The tangible dials, knobs, and buttons made for a much better experience, and it felt like using an old film camera. Fuji has what they call “Film Simulations” that are basically built in filters to emulate old film styles. So you can apply the one you want to shoot with, and you get ready to post, straight out of camera JPEG files that look incredible.

Daniel Ricciardo @ Bahrain Grand Prix | Fuji X-H1 & 55-200mm

The process was fun, for the first time. I was thinking about every shot, what I wanted from each, and for the first time, the image in my head started to look more like the finished product. A lot of that is a simple mindset change, but I was looking for that “missing thing” and Fuji provided it for me. The door to creativity had been opened, in a sense. I wasn’t on autopilot anymore, just taking photos of things that looked cool. I was now capturing real moments that meant something to me again. Which was ironic, because the last time I’d felt that was using my first Fuji camera on that London trip in 2008.

I’m not here to tell you that Fuji cameras are the best. They’re simply not. There’s a lot of really good tech in the camera world, and every brand makes some absolute powerhouse cameras that out-spec Fuji in most ways. However, I can tell you, there’s nothing like shooting with a Fuji. And I’ve always said, the best camera is the one you have on you, and the one you love shooting with. For me, it’s Fuji. That doesn’t mean there isn’t other gear that I want, because there definitely is, and I’m sure there will be blogs about that as well. But to wrap this up, I chose Fuji because I wanted that fun factor, the feeling of creating something, and Fuji gave that to me.

“I have no interest in taking photos. I want to make photos” - Matt Barnes