Episode #314 Kev’s desert island camera and zoom or prime?

In this episode

Neale and I kick off with a proper reminisce about driving tests, sparked by Jack passing first time (well done). It then turns out I failed mine four times, including one of those “this feels a bit unfair” examiner stories that still winds me up now.

From there, we get into listener questions, starting with a Kaizen-style firmware chat: what we’d genuinely like Fujifilm to improve via updates. I bang on (again) about wanting deeper JPEG control in-camera, ideally something like HSL sliders, because it would blow the recipe world wide open. We also cover Neale’s X100V focus failures (spoiler: it might be the filter ring or the way the cap pushes the lens), and we talk about how much camera behaviour can change with tiny physical add-ons.

We also answer a question about loaning cameras to family, specifically whether handing down an older body like an X-T4 makes more sense than buying entry-level new gear. Then we do a classic primes vs zooms debate, but with a slightly different angle: Fuji zooms are so good now, can you even tell? I talk about why I still reach for primes most of the time, but also why a 50-140 (and even the 200mm f/2) becomes non-negotiable for certain trips and subjects.

We finish with two more: printing for longevity (Fuji paper vs Hahnemuhle and what “legacy” means if you actually want prints to outlast you), and we return to the Instagram chestnut, but with a twist on “what not to do” if you don’t want to quietly harm your account. 314

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Key takeaways

• Firmware still matters. Not just bug fixes, but meaningful quality-of-life improvements that make cameras feel refreshed.

• JPEG shooters could be the next big unlock. If Fujifilm gave us deeper colour control in-camera (think HSL-style control), recipe building would go to another level.

• Sometimes your “focus problem” is a physical problem. Filter rings, caps and fitment can cause weird behaviour, especially on compact cameras like the X100 series.

• Hand-me-down cameras can be the best cameras. If the person is genuinely curious and likely to look after it, giving them a capable older body can be a brilliant move.

• Zooms vs primes is still about intent. Zooms are excellent now, but primes still win for weight, low-light flexibility, and that last bit of crispness and character.

• If you care about legacy, print something. Not everything. Just something. Beautiful paper and a few physical prints can outlive a hard drive.

• Instagram punishment is usually self-inflicted. Writing for humans, not the algorithm, still feels like the only sane strategy.

Try this this week

1. If you’re a JPEG shooter, pick one recipe and try to refine it with tiny changes rather than constantly swapping recipes. Treat it like seasoning, not repainting the whole house.

2. If you own a great zoom, do a quick real-world comparison: shoot the same scene at the same focal length and aperture as your prime and look at edges and contrast, not just centre sharpness.

3. Print one photograph you actually care about. Not a test print. One you’d be happy to see on a wall in five years.

4. Look at your last five Instagram captions and ask: would a human enjoy reading this, or does it look like I’m trying to charm a robot? If it’s the second one, tweak the next post.

FAQ

• What firmware improvements did you want from Fujifilm?

  The big one for me is deeper JPEG control in-camera, ideally something like HSL-style adjustments. I’m not saying I’d tweak it every day, but it would massively expand what’s possible with recipes. We also talk about menu improvements and a few focus-related usability tweaks.

• Should you loan an older camera (like an X-T4) to a teenager?

  If you trust them with it, yes. A capable older body can be a much better creative tool than buying something new just because it’s labelled “entry level”. It depends on the kid, though. Some are careful, some are chaos

• Are Fujifilm zoom lenses really as good as primes?

  They’re very, very good. For flexibility, they can be unbeatable. But if I don’t need to zoom, I still reach for primes first: lighter kit, better low light options, and I still think you see differences in rendering and edge performance.

• What paper should you choose for prints you want to last?

  We talk about Fuji photo paper versus fine art papers like Hahnemuhle. For display prints and anything you want to feel special (and potentially last), the fine art papers can be gorgeous. For everyday smaller prints and albums, standard photo paper is still perfectly valid.

• What should you avoid doing on Instagram?

  We circle back to the usual “don’t spam hashtags” advice, but the bigger point is: stop writing for the algorithm. If your caption looks like it was built to game a system rather than connect with people, it’s probably not helping you long term.