The Ultimate Camera For Watch Photography (for me)
I've had a couple people ask what camera I use for my watch shots. While that doesn't seem like enough to warrant a dedicated write up on the topic, it doesn't take much to get me excited to share photos or talk about photography gear.
The Fujifilm X100T is the camera I use for ALL of my wrist shots and the majority of "off the wrist" shots as well. It's an integrated lens camera, meaning that you can't changes lenses. The 23mm f/2 lens happens to be the perfect "all around" lens for me. The lens quality as well as focal length makes it extremely versatile. This camera is my "desert island" camera. I take it and only it on any trips we go on, I use it the majority of the time when taking photos of my kids and it gets used for every single wrist shot I take and many other "off the wrist" shots like I mentioned before.
As a photographer, I've used a lot of cameras from full frame Canon and Nikon to medium format Fujifilm to Fujifilm APS-C (like this X100T) and the Fujifilm APS-C system has been my favorite camera system I've ever used. And the sensor in the X100T is my favorite sensor out of the bunch.
The sensor and lens combo makes this a joy to use. From f/2.8-f/8 you get incredibly sharp images and the sensor renders those details beautifully. The close focusing distance of the lens can even let you get pseudo-macro images.
The X100T is arguable my favorite camera of all time and for many reasons (most of which I won't get into here as it would start to sound like a photography/camera blog), but suffice it to say that it fits the roll of "watch photography camera" perfectly for me.
Now, there are times where I want to get much closer in on a dial OR I simple want a lens with more compression. For that, I turn to my trusty (and beloved) Fujifilm X-T1 and the 60mm f/2.4 macro lens. The X-T1 shares the same sensor as the X100T, but I have the versatility of being able to changes lenses. While the 60mm lens I use isn't a true 1:1 macro lens, it does let me get in much closer than a conventional lens (and I can always crop a bit in post if I want to get even closer).
But using the X-T1 is definitely the vast minority of the time. Still, 100% of wrist shots and about 90% of off the wrist shots are being taken with the X100T. That makes it the perfect watch photography camera for me!
Now, obviously more goes into a watch shot or any genre of photography that the gear used. It's just one element or variable of it all. Lighting, composition, knowledge of how to get the desired exposure from the camera, depth of field desired, editing, etc. all come into play. I spend more time editing than I do taking the actual photos. It's probably the thing I enjoy most when it comes to the photography process. Bringing a "vision" to life by starting with the a raw file and getting the "best" out of it is something I love.
If you're in to photography and especially watch photography, let me know what camera gear you enjoy using! Also, if you're interested in checking out all of my photography (nature, landscapes, portraits, travel, etc) you can check out my website: https://www.kentuckyman30.com/
Feel free to share yours as well if you have one!
Current collection: Seiko SARB033, Seiko SBSA057, Seiko SZSB011
I took this with a Fujifilm GW690 medium format film. The good old days but this few years ago.
As always my dude, fantastic pics! And great camera choice, I am awaiting the release of the new x100.....couldn't ever get a x100v in stock since COVID.
Settled for a Ricoh GrIIIx, since I focus more on portrait-ish street stuff.
Love, love, love Fuji's film simulations. And now that the creator of the FujixWeekly recipes is working on Ricoh ones I'm loving it.
Our main camera is a Fuji X-T5 with an assortment of the Fuji primes and a 16-80.
Said it before, your reviews on the Dresskx, and your pics led me to watch crunch! 👌🏻🤘🏻🤙🏻
Thanks for the info Korey. This nigh one in handy for me.
Great post and as usual your keen eye is apparent in your photos. Interesting camera choice for your watch pics - the results are excellent!
I received my first 35mm camera from my grandfather, a Voigtländer Bessamatic, when I was about 12:
It had an external selenium cell light meter (you can see it above the lens) and needle & circle arrangement for the exposure. Using a totally manual camera really teaches you about DOF and exposure times, etc.
My camera of choice now is an APS-C Canon T7 with a Tamron 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD lens, for an effective 28-620mm range, so I just take that one lens everywhere. I shoot nature and landscapes primarily but have taken some watch pics with it.
For wrist shots that I take every day and pics to post here on WC, I just use my Pixel 3 phone, with an adapter for 12-24x macro shots.
Nice photos. Really like Fuji’s rangefinder-style cameras X-100’s, X-Pro’s, XE’s. Just a nice form factor to use. I’ll tend to use my Fuji for set up shots but for 99% of my wrist shots its my iPhone. Convenience. 3 built-in lenses, shoot, edit and upload in minutes without the need for taking out sd cards or connecting via wifi hotspots
i really want to upgrade my camera, currently using fujifilm x70 35mm lens.
but sometimes im borrowing my wife fujifilm xt3 with 5mm lens and it is so beautiful
but i think lighting is the important part too. if i have enough spare money i would definitely upgrade my camera, 50mm seems good too they dont distort a lot as my 35mm xt70
It's such a nice camera!
I use a Fujifilm X-Pro 3 myself, usually with the XF35mm f2, it's an incredible combo.
I have also been looking at the X100V for quite a while now but I can't really justify buying it when I can have an almost identical experience by getting the XF23mmf2 for my current camera.
There's just something cool about the X100V series that I just can't put my finger on, maybe it's the idea of having to only work with a single lense on such a small and lightweight camera.
But then I remember I can get about 3-4 good lenses for the same price 😅
What a great inspirational write up. I couldn't agree with you more about the Fuji X100 range. If you're into single lens cameras, I don't believe you can do any better. I was lucky enough to get the X100V, I had been on the waiting list with two dealers in London and I checked in several other stores throughout England when I was visiting different cities. It was just by chance that I walked into a camera shop in Lerwick, Shetland and there was one sitting in their display cabinet. I wasted no time in buying it, and I love it.
But, I'm afraid you put me to shame. You see I travel a lot and sometimes it can be several weeks before I'm in one place long enough to sit down and go through the photos I've taken on my Fuji.
This obviously won't do, for my watch pics as I upload them to WRUW daily, so I'm afraid it's a quick snap and upload with my phone 😟.
As I said. Your images are great and put mine to shame. Keep up the good work 👍
Excellent piece here. Very inspirational. Kentucky represents!
Thanks for this post I have been wanting to take better pictures of my watches outside of the typical steering wheel and wrist shots. I use my iPhone and I have been messing around with filters I don’t want to go down another rabbit hole of looking for cameras 😂😂. However I do want to get better at editing photos I’m sure that will come in time. Thanks again for this post oh and the pics you put in this post are 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Nice shots and nice camera! I have the same but all of my batteries are pretty aged. Any recommendations on replacements? I try to keep a camera on me at all times and that goes between this or a Canon P.
Great photos and enjoy seeing the camera love here at the Crunch. I love my X100v as well, though haven’t shot my watches with it - maybe should give that try.
For a time I contemplated getting a Q2/Q3 because I felt it’s the one-lens camera that could possibly replace my Sony and the 90mm macro but realized it fell short of why I loved the X100. Besides price always being a consideration, the x100 was better fit (for me) is ultimately size and film sims.
As an actual pocketable camera it easily comes around with me - which translates to taking more photos. The film sims feel freeing, as I usually shoot raw which results in most shots end up sitting in Lightroom waiting for me to tune. Not that I hate editing but this camera makes me feel less precious about photography, with the film sims allowing me to comfortably embrace jumping straight to jpegs.
Do you dabble in the film sims? Any recipes you like?
Thanks for sharing, bud! Your photos are cool.