32 http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
A FEW years back I purchased a lot of Fujifilm kit
from eBay. Obviously when buying online you
cannot test anything out prior to purchasing, so I
always recommend looking carefully at the seller’s
feedback and do make sure you have some form of
insurance in place for delivery. I also find that
amateur photographers tend to take much more care
of their kit than most professionals, (as a
professional myself, trust me on this one!) and are
selling because they want to upgrade to the latest
model so tend to be used less.
I bought an entire spectrum of Fujifilm X-Pro1
equipment just at the time when the X-Pro2 had
come out so the prices were excellent. I had played
around with a friend of mine’s X-Pro1 and admired
it, and bought the bodies and lenses specifically for
a shoot for a wine magazine. It was a long shootFujinon XF
35mm F1.4 R
This is one of the best
lenses I have ever owned
and I bought it second-
hand from eBayThis portrait of my
neighbour’s
granddaughter,
Adelina, shows the
amazing quality and
sharpness I get with
the XF35mm
Fujifilm X-Pro1, 35mm, 1/550sec
at f/1.4, ISO 200
Tim Clinch
Tim Clinch is an award winning
professional photographer
with over 40 years’
experience. Over the years Tim
has worked in most areas of
the profession, has had his
work published in magazines
worldwide and has had more
than 30 books published
featuring subjects as varied as
interiors, travel, food and
portraits. http://www.
timclinchphotography.com.and I knew I would be spending a lot of time
walking around carrying my equipment and didn’t
fancy humping all my (excellent, but heavy) Canon
kit around.
I am NOT a lover of kit, but a lover of photographs
and having seen the results from my friend’s camera
I decided to go the whole hog. I bought three bodies
(didn’t want to be changing lenses in those dusty
vineyards) and four prime lenses. I find that zoom
lenses can have more problems than primes, so I
tend to buy zoom lenses new. I messaged the sellers
(all keen amateur photographers, not camera stores)
to ask if the lenses were sharp and they all assured
me they were so I bought everything and have been
extremely happy. The XF35mm F1.4 R (equivalent
to a 50mm on a DSLR) is certainly one of the best
lenses I have ever owned.