Cameras for better landscapes
What’s better than a phone, but lighter than a DSLR? With Fuji.
HILLWALKING TAKES YOU to all sorts of amazing photogenic places, but how do you capture the beautiful landscapes and memories of your walks when you’re out and about? Many of us use a smartphone because they’re conveniently light and portable, but this means image quality can be left looking a little lacklustre. So we’ve teamed up with Fujifilm to provide Country Walking readers with the knowledge to get better landscape images, how to get to amazing locations and what settings you need to know to get them. We kick off our three-part guide looking at the gear you’ll need to get better photos. Fujifilm’s X-Series cameras are considerably lighter and smaller than conventional Digital SLR cameras, so they won’t weigh you down when you’re out on a long hike. Use the jargon buster below to get to grips with the terminology and then turn over the page to discover which camera is your perfect travelling companion.
IF YOU’RE TORN between DSLR image quality and the portability of a compact camera, then the X100F is the perfect choice for you. Its 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III sensor is the same size as those you’d find in a much larger DSLR, but has been wrapped up in a portable, retro-styled package. Tipping the scales at 419g (body only), the X100F is ideal for photographers that like to pack light. There’s also no need to carry around extra lenses as it sports a fixed 23mm f/2 Fujinon lens, perfect for landscapes.
Sure to be a hit with fans of vintage film camera chic, the X100F fuses old retro styling with new technology for a truly special user experience. It provides some remarkable features, including an Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder, which gives users the choice of a traditional low-power optical viewfinder, or an electronic display, to show you what the exact image is that you’ll capture. This even works if one of Fujifilm’s Film Simulation filters is active, such as Sepia or Acros. The retro-styling continues with its faux leatherette grip and an ISO dial which has been integrated into the Shutter Speed Dial to save space.
Lighting is key to all genres of photography, but is particularly important to landscapes because the range of tones is vast. Bright highlights in the sky can burn out to pure white, while deep shadows in the foreground can come out black. Neutral Density (ND) filters act like sunglasses for your camera, and are what professional photographers use to tame bright highlights and balance the exposure. While these are bulky and often require filter adapters to affix them to the camera lens, the X100F comes with a three-stop ND filter built in. This is a great feature, as if the highlights come out too bright you can activate the built-in ND filter to fix it. What’s more, if you shoot in the 14-bit RAW format you’ll be able to capture even more tones, unlocking the full potential of your shots.
“Sure to be a hit with fans of vintage film camera chic, the X100F fuses old retro styling with new technology for a truly special user experience”