There is a lot of good in the world. And there is a lot of good online. And then there is a lot of stuff that makes me question the survival of our species. People camping in tarps in -40 temperatures. People building bug-out shelters in blizzards while eating moss and hunting with sharpened chopsticks. And let us not forget the sellers of “Zen” who always seem to be wearing thongs while wading in mountain rivers? Please explain. Watch this camera review from Flemming Bo Jensen and see the kind of information that actually makes sense to someone like me.
Camera reviews, most of them, fall into the bewildering category. Harmless, for sure, but not quite usable or relevant for someone like me. Randon street images or pictures from the park do nothing for someone who needs to know if a camera ACTUALLY works in a real-life, real-world, assignment-type situation.
Thankfully, from time to time, the camera companies halt their shameless pandering to those squeaky wheels and end up loaning a camera to someone who actually knows how to use it. In turn, this person does a review that actually means something. Enter Flemming. This review is about imagery, story, and assignment, not to mention making shot lists, working with a team, working for a major brand, and a one-chance assignment. THIS is a lot different from a menu walk-through and then a random street image that doesn’t really illustrate how capable the camera really is.
I guess I’m in the minority because the view count on these “normal” reviews is astounding. I’m not sure who is watching these but apparently A LOT of people are. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Films about imagery receive almost no love while some new filter gets millions of people watching and watching and watching. All I can say is “Well done Fujifilm,” and let’s see more of these. (And congrats to Flemming and Denmark and the band for that matter.)
Comments 11
I watched. It was really well done.
Author
Scott
Agreed.
Your link to Bo’s video didn’t work for me but found it on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi0eCq1Degc
Author
Jim,
I think he fixed it. But thanks for sending.
Did the camera review cleanse almost a year ago by simply staying away from youtube. The same for this one even if it is different. Don’t care.
They aren’t harmless reviews. People are often switching systems and wasting lots of money based on the whim of YouTubers. I follow the official channels of the brands I own (‘only’ two), and one more for balance that I hardly ever watch.
Author
Sean,
In part it’s what is keeping the industry afloat. Consumers willing to spend money. Pros are hurting.
Well done. Nice to see how Fleming’s work has progressed! What a gig!
Author
Hey Nancy,
Yes, he’s doing well. And still a Jedi.
Great video!
I used to love camera reviews when they were actually about cameras but drifted away from them, your observation I think, is what I had subconsciously noticed myself.
I also got stung in a situation like this before going on tour with a band, I am a stills guy but they needed a video diary of the tour, I agreed but to make sure I did the best job I turned to youtube to make sure I was up on all of the cool kid tech for video. I went down a massive rabbit hole of reviews and all the things you need to know to make good videos.
I spent a lot of money on a new body, a cage for it, an external monitor so I could record externally for higher bit rates to an SSD, LUT packs for colour grading my clips, a gimbal for better stability and a drone (which I crashed into a castle) and, and, and…..in the end the raw footage I was producing was too much for the editing side of the production, the edits were basically throwaway social media marketing or the tour. I ended up going back to shooting 1080p in camera with my 2 favourite lenses that I knew inside out, no-one noticed or cared as long as the actual imagery was interesting. I destroyed by back for 6 weeks carrying it all and wasted time and money by not trusting my own knowledge.
I now shoot on a 14 year old Fuji x-pro1 because I like the pictures it makes!
Funny how that happens. You are not alone. “Just shoot it with the phone,” is pretty common now. And for what it’s being used for, it works.