What We Lost When Cameras Got Better — and How Fujifilm Is Trying to Give It Back

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What We Have Lost

I remember…

I remember when at the age of 16 I bought my first Fujifilm Quicksnap camera.

We were going on a 4-day trip with my classmates to Siena.

And I remember how I cherished those 27 shots — how intentional I tried to make every single one of them. Every frame mattered so much to me.

The photos might have been flawed — soft, overexposed, touched by grain and blur. But the moments were flawless. I waited for them, guarded each frame, and only pressed the shutter when I felt that it truly mattered.

But somehow all of that went lost with the arrival of digital.

That sense of loss — of meaning, of connection — is exactly what YouTuber Gerald explores in his video “What We Lost When Cameras Got Better”. He looks back at what we unknowingly traded away when photography became effortless, and how we might get those things back.

We thought we were upgrading to digital.
But we weren’t — we were trading.
And this is what we lost in the exchange, according to Gerald.

Intentionality –

Film forced us to think before shooting because every frame was limited and costly.
Digital made shooting cheap and endless, which made each photo mean less.

Presence –

With film, you stayed in the moment.
With digital, we’re constantly checking screens, pulled out of the experience.

Anticipation –

Waiting to see developed photos made us value them more.
Instant previews make us forget instantly — memories don’t have time to form.

Imperfection –

Film had character: grain, light leaks, and “happy accidents.”
Digital and AI perfection removed uniqueness; everything looks the same.

Mindfulness –

Shooting film is a tactile, focused ritual.
You set ISO once, advance manually, and truly participate in the process.
Digital gives results; film teaches discipline.

Conclusion

Technology didn’t just upgrade photography — it also caused a trade-off.
We gained convenience but lost meaning.
Unlimited shots led to unlimited forgetting, while limitations gave us value.

How to Get It Back

You don’t need to abandon digital. Instead, adopt the film mindset.

By slowing down and paying attention, you’ll remember your photos — and the moments — again.

So What has Fujifilm to Do with This?

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Fujifilm Film Simulations (+ Dial) Earn Praise from DPReview — Even Tempting a Nikon/Sony Shooter to Switch to Fujifilm

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DPReview had a podcast in which they talk about the Fujifilm X-T30 III and we already shared in our previous article (and you can see it below again).

It’s an overall very positive take on the X-T30 III, with perhaps the only minor complaint being that it’s a small camera packed with lots of dedicated controls — which can sometimes lead to accidentally pressing a button. A fair critique, but on the other hand, if it didn’t have a joystick, a couple of FN buttons, and clickable front and rear dials, people would complain about the lack of them. Personally, I’d rather have more controls, because in my experience you quickly get used to the layout, and accidental presses become much rarer over time.

But that’s not what we want to talk about today.

What I’d actually like to highlight is the last part of the video, in which they talk about the film simulation dial and film simulations in general.

Here is what they say:

  • the film simulation modes are all quite nice and generally quite subtle
  • you can shoot RAW and then use the in-camera converter to preview how your photo would look in another simulation
  • “People who don’t shoot Fujifilm often dismiss them as a gimmick,” says Richard Butler, “but it’s a gimmick I like.”
  • the new dial, he adds, reminds you to experiment: “Every time you take a shot, you think, ‘Oh, let’s see what that would look like in another film simulation.’”
  • Richard Butler says he likes the film simulation dial
  • DPReview’s Abby — who shoots Nikon and Sony and not Fujifilm — was asked if the film simulation dial is something that appeals to her. She said “I have actually debated switching to Fujifilm because of film simulations“.
  • she also pointed out that this feature is especially nice for beginners, since they can get polished, great-looking results without editing
  • having a physical dial instead of menu diving makes it even more approachable
  • many people, Abby said, “don’t want to sit down and edit things on the computer — they just want to take pictures and move on with their lives.”
  • Having the option to do that and still get photos that have nice colors and look like a more final product is a nice concept

So why hasn’t Abby switched yet? Well, adopting a new mount also means investing in new lenses — and that, of course, adds to the overall cost of the system.

That’s why I think cameras like the Fujifilm X100VI are a better fit for many non-Fujifilm shooters. You still get access to what people love about the Fujifilm system — the film simulations, the tactile controls, the colors — without having to invest in a whole new set of lenses. It’s the perfect everyday second camera for non-Fujifilm users.

Fujiflm Cameras with Film Simulation Dial

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The NP-W126S Battery is Here to Stay… and the llano Dual NP-W126S Charger is Now up to 50% Off

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At the time of this post you can save up to 50% on the llano NP-W126S Dual Battery charger at Amazon US.

The amount of rebate depends on which color you chose, with the biggest rebate being on the green color.

There is also a 20% rebate on the llano NP-W235 Dual Battery charger.

Now, I know that many would like to have the NP-W235 battery on every Fujifilm camera. But fact is: the NP-W126S battery is here to stay, because it allowes certain cameras to have the smallest size possible.

Fujifilm 5th generation cameras with NP-W126S battery

Fujifilm 5th generation cameras with NP-W235 battery

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Fujifilm X-T30 III Performs a Miracle: FujiRumors Comment Section Turns Positive!

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It looks like the brand new Fujifilm X-T30 III just did something I thought was almost impossible: it made people happy, even on the comments here on FujiRumors 😊

Because, let’s face it — over the last few months (or even years), there’s been a lot of critiques in the comments on FujiRumors every time Fujifilm launched something new (often I feel rightful critiques, but often I think also not).

In short: Fujifilm has faced its fair share of criticism with almost every recent release.

So, when the X-T30 III dropped, I braced myself before opening the comment section — expecting yet another wave of disappointment.

But much to my surprise… that didn’t happen.

In fact, the more I scrolled, the more positive reactions I found (with some negatives here and there).

Let’s quote a few:

OreganoSpliff: Well, I’m finding it hard to talk s**t given what you get for the money

Marcio K: xactly what I tought to be – the X-M5 in the X-T30 body. For the price, very interesting.

Stefan: £829 in the uk is super cheap. Just £30 more than the XT30ii was at launch

italianbreadman: This is the best thing they’ve done in years

If I were to judge only from the comments, I’d say Fujifilm did a lot of things right with the X-T30 III — mainly by holding the price around that magical 1K mark.

As I said before, the X-T30 III finally closes a huge gap in Fujifilm’s lineup — and it seems that most people appreciate exactly that.

Will it be a best-seller?
Only time will tell.
But honestly — it has all the potential to become a big hit.

I’ll leave you with a bunch of new hands-on reviews and podcasts below.

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What’s the Best Pick? Fujifilm X-T30III vs X-T50 vs X-S20 vs X-E5 and XC13-33 vs XC15-45 vs XF16-50 vs XF10-24

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So what is the best camera right now to get into the Fujifilm X system?

Well, the answer is of course very personal and it depends on your needs and preference.

However, if “compact size” is one of your top criteria (and you want an EVF), then it probably makes no difference if you go for the Fujifilm X-T30 III, X-T50, X-S20 or X-E5, since they are all pretty close in size as you can see below from the comparison taken from Camerasize.

So other factors will be more important in your decision.

For example, for me there is no competition: it must be rangefinder styled. So Fujifilm X-E5 is the way to go.

If you prefer PSAM dial instead, the X-S20 is pretty much your only (and excellent) option: a bit more expensive, sure, but you’ll get also IBIS and a fully articulating screen if that’s important to you.

If on the other hand resolution is a priority, then the X-T50 might be to consider.

If on a budget, though, I’d go for the X-T30III and compensate for the lack of IBIS with a stabilized lens, such as the XC13-33mmF3.5-6.3.

Speaking of XC13-33, I also wanted to compare it with the other wide angle zooms of Fujifilm (XC15-45mm and XF10-24mm) as well as the more higher end kit lens, the XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8.

I love how compact the XC13-33 is and so far from the first looks I have seen it seems to be a fairly priced lens for its performance (it costs $150 only if purchased bundled with the X-T30III).

But I am still kind of amazed by the XF16-50mm, an “ordinary” kit lens that comes with some more premium features like weather sealing, linear autofocus motor and an internal zoom.

So, if you don’t miss too much the range from 13 to 15, then I guess I’d recommend the XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8. Although, that’s not offered bundled with the X-T30III and the XC13-33mm becomes an unbeatable bargain if purchased bundled with X-T30III.

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