Hitmen + X100VI
These photos were captured with the new Fuji X100VI. I was incredibly fortunate to have the camera in my hands on launch day. The fantastic team at Vistek Calgary assisted me with my pre-order, and yesterday they let me know it would be ready for me on opening day. I recently sold my X100V, so I had some money saved up for this. I'm usually a Canon shooter but used the X100V for trips and daily shooting.
Once I picked up the camera this morning at 9 am, I quickly headed to my gig at the Scotiabank Saddledome to shoot the Calgary Hitmen's Be Brave Anti-Bullying Game. By 10 am, I started shooting with the X100VI. I was a little nervous as I did not have a filter covering the front element, but I made sure to keep it safe. I was also running on 1/2 battery, and at one point, the indicator was flashing red. A few times, I thought I might have to switch to my Canon R5, but the X100VI somehow made it through my two-hour shoot.
As mentioned above, I usually shoot with a Canon R5 at events like this. My main goal is to go around and create a slideshow that plays near the end of the event. The R5 is a beast of a camera, and I'm blown away at how well the VI rivalled it. One of my main gripes with the V was the lacklustre autofocus. It was not bad but left a lot to be desired. I can confidently say the new AF system is as good as, if not better than, the R5. This might also have to do with the fact that I shoot with older Canon glass, and the VI has a baked-in lens optimized for it. Some reviewers were raving about it, and I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I'm extremely impressed. I was able to nail focus on hockey players racing out of the tunnel at full speed and hyperactive kids darting around the Dome. There were a few times where it failed me, but it was more about me not knowing the default controls as I had almost every button on my V as a custom function. I can't wait to put some time into the IV and make it feel like home.
All the photos are RAW and edited in Lightroom with my custom preset. I had shot Reala Ace JPGs, but it was not my favourite. I was also surprised Lightroom was able to load the RAW files. I updated it before my shoot and crossed my fingers, and thankfully it worked. Please note I made normal adjustments in LR and some spot removal.
The 40-megapixel files are beautiful, and I'm looking forward to shooting custom recipes, using the digital zoom, and the IBIS. I'm so lucky to get my hands on this camera, and I have no issues saying it will live up to the hype.
Gear: Fuji X100VI
Programs: Lightroom Classic
