I’ve used the description “travel camera” for my Fujifilm X-T1, but I am actually not a fan of that term. It somehow implies that the camera is inferior to my DSLR, and that it is only good for travel. It also suggests that travel pictures are less important than any other image I would take closer to home. In fact, to me, travel pictures are the most important images I make. My goal, at the end of a trip, is to have a collection of images that tell a story and convey the feel of the city or the region I visited.
Like many people I have been traveling with my DSLR for years. I know my DSLR by heart, it feels like an extension of me, and it has been a joy taking it on my travels. It has allowed me to capture wonderful images and I have rarely missed a shot.
Recently though, I have felt that somehow my DSLR has been holding me back while traveling.
I can really feel the weight of it at the end of each day. Actually, about lunch time, after 4 or 5 hours of walking, my back, my shoulders, my neck, and my arms are tired. Returning to the hotel and simply putting the camera away for the rest of the day sounds tempting, walking another few hours does not.
Bringing a camera (and with that a camera bag) that is big and bulky has also been an issue for me on crowded public transportation and busy markets. Imagine being squeezed into a subway by professional people pushers to fit more people the subway car. That in itself is uncomfortable enough, but add a large and heavy bag and it becomes close to unbearable for me. In markets bustling with people I worry about bumping my camera into people, and when it comes time to stop for a snack, I stress about what to do with my camera while I eat. Sitting at a market stall trying to enjoy my sizzling hot dumplings is a lot more enjoyable without worrying about people kicking my camera bag that sticks out from underneath my stool on the filthy floor.
Lately I noticed that I started planning my day around how much I would have to carry my camera, rather than all the places I would like to visit.
Mirrorless cameras have become very popular, but for a long time I just simply couldn’t imagine going anywhere without my DSLR. While I knew in theory that a mirrorless camera would still allow me to capture the kind of images I create while traveling, there was a little voice nagging in the back of my head that I could possibly end up missing shots. Once I realized that my travel images don’t usually include children running at full speed at the camera, nor do I wander around at night with little existing light sources, I knew that I don’t use my DSLR to its full capacity when I am traveling.
With another trip on the horizon, a few weeks ago I finally started doing more serious research and eventually decided to give the Fujifilm X-T1 a try. I loved the image quality I had seen from others, and equally as important, it felt good in my hand when I tried it. Despite its small (but not too small) size, it gave me all the control I wanted using convenient dials. While I did not want to lug a big camera, I still wanted to be a photographer who creates images, instead of just taking snapshots. Before my trip, I allowed myself some time to learn this camera and become more familiar with how it works, as well as the two lenses I purchased with it.
Despite the practice I had with the X-T1, I admit that I was a little nervous taking it on my next trip to Beijing and leaving my trusted Nikon DSLR at home. In the end, I am glad I did. I was able to carry around a small bag and barely felt the weight while walking around town for hours, getting lost in its historic neighborhoods. I rode a crowded boat across a lake and was happy I did not have to find extra space for a large bag. I made my way through a narrow market street, along with hundreds of other people, and found a nook to eat the pancake I bought from a street vendor. This time, I could simply appreciate the experience without worrying about my equipment.
While I had expected to enjoy carrying a lighter weight, an unexpected benefit of the smaller camera was that locals seemed to be more at ease with me taking pictures around them. Or maybe it was me who was more at ease with taking pictures of people with a less intrusive looking camera.
I am already looking forward to my next trip with my Fuji X-T1! In the meantime, it will accompany me on work assignments, alongside my Nikon DSLR.
