Bite the bullet

The best camera is the one you have with you is a cliché we’ve all heard before. As much as it states the obvious, it does have relevance in today’s society where there can be big rewards for being the first person to record a crisis, extraordinary event or unexpected moment. Most of the time these situations to which I refer are recorded on smartphones, which can be pulled from pockets to snap stills or snippets of video in seconds. I have nothing against people using phones to document world events and daily life, but there’s part of me that feels like I’m not taking photography seriously when I do it. Smartphones will, in my opinion, always lack the same creative and inspiring feeling you get when you lift a viewfinder to your eye and operate a camera with tactile controls at your fingertips.

Ever since reviewing the Fujifilm X100V last year I’ve had an itch I’ve needed to scratch. A practical pocket compact seemed like it could be the perfect answer to get away from using my smartphone when I don’t have my DSLR, or small mirrorless camera to hand. If I needed another reason, my increased interest in cycling since lockdown regularly presents opportunities to get some great shots at first light and I often pass subjects and other points of interest that justify a brief stop for a quick shot. Neither my DSLR nor mirrorless camera really cut it for this purpose unless I carry a backpack, which I’m not fond of on long rides or when heading out for a brisk walk. But