Cameras
Jem Hayward – photo by Alison Rodwell
I’ve been trained in optics, I have lectured in optics, camera basics, exposure and classic lenses and would be described by many as technically competent, I have realised over the years that I’m not a camera collector and view the camera as just a tool for the job.
That doesn’t mean that any old camera will do, and my background in optics makes me intolerant of poor quality lenses.
In my film days I used Contax bodies, so I could use the excellent Carl Zeiss lenses, and still have two Zeiss lenses and use them regularly. The move into digital took me to Canon, as the EOS body is easy to adapt other lenses to.
Bulky SLR cameras and lots of lenses can be a pain to carry around and can be intrusive in many circumstances, so I bought the “legendary” Fuji X100 which I carried around with me most of the time… Then I realised that about 60% of my exhibition quality images were taken with the Fuji, and not with my Canon SLRs.
I currently use a Fuji X-E3 as my main camera and a Fuji X-E2 for backup. I have a collection of the excellent Fuji lenses and I have an adapter to fit my Zeiss lenses. So, my carry around camera, is now my main camera. The X-Series works well with a Hoya 720nm infra red filter, and I’m enjoying the excellent Fuji film simulation modes. I usually use one camera in monochrome mode.