G.A.S. stands for Gear Acquisition Syndrome. It’s something that affects a lot of photographers. The compulsive buying of cameras and lenses to satisfy this urge, fuelled by manufacturers who are constantly churning out new models to tempt us. It has to be said that new cameras are very often better than older ones if you look at the raw specifications. More megapixels, better low-light performance, image stabilisation…
For the past few weeks, I’ve suspected I’ve got G.A.S. I can’t stop fantasising about certain cameras, particularly the Fuji X-E5, which came out last year and which I find absolutely gorgeous. So what, am I going to buy a camera just because it’s ‘gorgeous’? I own an old predecessor to the X-E5. I bought the X-E2 in 2016, which was 10 years ago. To put this camera into context, let me tell you that it has 16 MP, no touchscreen and no tilting screen, but it has one brilliant feature: a pop-up flash. Pfff, I can already hear some of you grumbling about how weak this flash is – though it’s not really a flash at all. Well, in my opinion, it’s super useful and helps brighten up the foreground when the light’s running low. You’re not going to cover a wedding or a major event with this pop-up flash, but it’s more than just a gimmick. I regret that manufacturers are increasingly abandoning the pop-up flash. Since the X-E3, Fuji has removed it from subsequent models. Ricoh has done the same, moving from the Ricoh GR II to the GR III…
A few weeks ago, we were in the west of the island and we had a drink on the beach a couple of times to watch the sunset, and I only had my Ricoh GR III with me. Well, I can tell you I really regretted not having that flash! I took a few photos of friends against the sunset and they were rubbish… Whereas with the flash, those photos would have been brilliant! A stunning sunset with a flash to bring out the people in the foreground. When I use the Ricoh GR III on the street, I rarely need the flash, but if I had it, I’m sure I’d use it on certain occasions to do more creative work using that artificial light. Not necessarily right in people’s faces! That’s not really my thing, the Gilden-style aggression…
So there I was, browsing for Fuji X-E5s on something like Gumtree, wondering how much this little treat would set me back. The worst part is that this week, at work, a colleague who’d gone to see the lava flow from the volcano – which is very active at the moment – had brought his camera in to edit his photos. And I immediately saw that it was a Fujifilm X-E5 with the 23mm f/2.8 pancake lens (which is equivalent to a 35mm lens as the Fuji is an APS-C camera)! Yep, that body is dead sexy, and with the pancake lens on it, it’s got a bit of an X100 VI vibe. Anyway, I had a go with it and found it feels nice to hold. It’s slightly thicker than the X-E2 I own. On the other hand, you can tell the camera is heavier than the X-E2! I had a look online and sure enough, the X-E2 weighs 300g body-only and the X-E5 is 450g! Wow, that’s quite a weight gain! It’s like me after the Christmas holidays!
So what’s the story? Did Jeff give in and upset his bank manager by buying this little gem? Well, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer… No, I don’t intend to buy it. Quite simply because I wouldn’t know what to do with it! I hardly ever use the Fuji X-E2. It’s more of a fun camera that I’ve fitted with a 23mm f/1.4 and a 35mm f/0.95 (35mm and 50mm full-frame). Two fully manual lenses just for my own enjoyment. I did some street photography with the TT Artisan 23mm in Thailand because I wanted to try out the 35mm and I didn’t have anything else. You can see the results here. Mind you, that was before I realised I could use the Ricoh GR III’s 35mm crop… Since then, the GR III has become the only camera I use. I don’t like to complicate things for myself on the street, and I can’t see myself taking photos with any other camera.
Another point in the X-E2’s favour is that, despite its modest 16 MP, it’s still a camera that produces some truly stunning photos. Of course, the X-E5 outperforms it when light is scarce, and its 40 MP allow for plenty of cropping. But I avoid using the X-E2 when the light is rubbish, and I’m not a fan of cropping (apart from the 35 mm crop on the Ricoh GR III, but that’s a different story…). So no, no X-E5. My X-E2 is sexy too, even if it’s 10 years old, and what’s more, it has a pop-up flash! Which, of course, the X-E5 doesn’t have!
I don’t really understand people who rush out to buy the latest version of their favourite camera as soon as it’s released. Whether it’s the Leica Q3, the Ricoh GR IV or the Fujifilm X-E5. I’m only mentioning these cameras, but it’s the same for all brands. It’s as if, the moment the latest version of their camera comes out, the old one becomes obsolete… In fact, the same thing happens with smartphones. We live in a consumer society that can’t seem to be satisfied with what it has. I’d only consider buying a Ricoh GR IV if mine were faulty and I had to replace it. And even then, I’d look into it to see whether upgrading to the IV is worth it or not. If not, I could always fall back on a second-hand Ricoh GR III…
Basically, I’m not ready to swap my Ricoh GR III / Fujifilm X-E2 combo just yet. Fuck the G.A.S!
PS: I actually wrote this blog post a good month ago, but as I’m not exactly the most diligent person, it took reading John Harper’s latest blog post to finally kick myself into gear and publish it… All this to say that this whole X-E5 business is well and truly dead and buried! 😉
If I was a betting man, and I am, I’d have put money on you buying an EX-5. This time though I think the odds are against. I’m fairly certain that you already have the world’s largest collection of Ricoh and Fuji in private hands. It’s that need and want thing again. I started to consider changing my 10 year old camera a while ago, decided it was pointless. It works, just me that needs fixing.
I have never had a GR that last so long. Do you believe that I’m using the same camera for more than one year?? I kept this camera on the shelf for more than 5 years before using it. I had it brand new back in 2019, but in the end, it was some kind of second hand one when I decided to use it at my primary gear.
I have very little usable cameras. Just a Ricoh GRD IV with some flaws. All the other ones are broken. And of course just the living dead x-e2…
I’m heading to Cape Town in September. A week of English courses and a week of holidays by myself overthere. Join me and we can fix your motivation_vision on street photography! 😋
I spend more time than I’m prepared to admit scrolling through MPB or RCE Foto websites … just window shopping, of course! Although, my beloved Ricoh GR II is misbehaving and I can’t find anybody local to service this discontinued beauty, so I might have to actually make a purchase soon…
Wonderful shots here Jeff … Why would you even need another camera?!
I don’t need a new camera, but I can easily be distracted by the call for a fancy new one. Well as I’m slow to decide that I usually give up considering that I don’t really need a new one !
If my Ricoh GR III was malfunctionning, I would have to look for a camera to replace it and definitely it would be a similar camera. I mean another GR III or the new GR IV. I’m 52 years old, and I like to keep it simple and I shoot for so long with the Ricoh that it would be a natural acquisition.
The GR III is cool if you need to buy a new one. Don’t know about the GR IV, but as it’s a minor evolution of the GR III, it should be ok as well, but way more expensive
Hi Jeff,
Great blog and images you got going here!
Having now shot extensively with both 28mm and 35mm, which do you prefer overall and find most versatile?
I shoot reportage/documentary of my family life all in b/w and have until recently been shooting 24mm as primary focal length with a 50mm as secondary. But I have come to the realisation, I prefer shooting with one focal length only and the 24mm to 35mm range being my fave. I don’t really like 50mm after all.
So, I have now set out to “relearn” the 35mm (having shoot both 28mm and 35mm a lot in the past) as I guess, it’s the most versatile for what I shoot. And the classic reportage focal length for a reason.
I’m still learning standing further back than when I shot 24mm, and trying to give an immersive feel to my images, which is slightly harder with the tighter 35mm FOV. But looking at your images, you really give the feel of being in the scene even with 35mm. Well done!
Would love to hear your thoughts.
Best,
Mads
Hello Mads, thanks for dropping by.
I started to shoot 35 mm during a trip to Thailand in early 2024. Before that I was only a 28 mm shooter. So 8 years of 28 mm and only shooting 35 mm for the past two years. I could have stayed with the 28 mm but I felt at a time that I was repeating myself relying on the same gimmicks beiing close to the subjects. It was my way of photographying for a long time. Personal space invasion to get what I wanted. But I got tired of this and wanted to try something different by stepping back from the subject. But I still wanted something wide enough and I decided to try the 35mm. It was intimidating as I knew perfectly my 28 mm FOV and I needed to learn the 35 mm FOV. What focal do I prefer ?
Well I like it wide. I even tried for a time the 21mm with my Ricoh GRD IV. I had to get even closer than when I used a 28 mm ! A bit too much but I did it for fun.I think that the 35 mm is my fav now. It’s wide enough and it’s perfect for composing.
Sometimes, depending on the situation, I switch to the 28mm. It’s not because I think that the 28 mm will be better than the 35 mm, but just because I need a wider focal at this time.
I like to stay consistant and keeping only one focal for my street work.
Concerning the immersive feeling, I think that for having shot exclusively with the 28 mm, I kept the habbit to fill the frame, by getting close or adding elements in the composition.
I do use the 50 mm but only on my Fuji X-E2. No street work, but only for family stuff. It’s just for the pleasure to manuel focus with a super bright lens : 50 mm f0.95. I love this lens and it gives me the Noctilux effect of the Leica lenses. Just for fun. But as you mentionned, 50mm is too narrow. I can’t get enough context …
If you have a link to your work, I would be delighted to see it !
Cheers Jeff
Thank you for your thoughtful reply, Jeff. Makes a lot of sense.
I just came back from a family trip to Norway and the 35mm is really growing on me.
As you say, it’s great for composing. I feel, I can be more precise in my images and more selective compared to the 24mm. This seems like a good thing to the resulting images. And shooting Leica M10 Monochrom, the 35mm is the ideal focal length for the built-in framelines too. So it’s very quick and intuitive to work with.
I don’t have any images online, but I’ll be happy to share some, if you shoot me an email.
Best,
Mads