Something insidious has been happening over the last few decades. Not in secret, so much, but slow enough to go unnoticed: The Internet has turned into a steaming pile of garbage.
Enshittification is rampant on every platform, degrading the experience of almost every web-app, site, and service.
Twitter has turned into X, and in my view, a platform that was somewhat hostile and crawling with bad behavior is now an utterly toxic (and useless) pile of horse turds.
Additionally, when I signed up for Instagram 15 years ago, it was a place to share photos with real people. It was creative and social. And, dare I say, fun. Now, it is a digital succubus that endeavors not to help me socialize and see the creativity of others, but to capture as much of my attention as humanly possible (so it can serve me ads—while simultaneously rotting my brain and, quite literally, making me dumber). Or stupider. Or more dumb. However you say it. See? It worked.
For the most part, I left social media quite a few years ago. The accounts are still there, but I try to avoid them at all costs.
I wish that was the worst of it. I wish I could say that just leaving social media was sufficient to avoid being constantly harassed or annoyed on the Internet. But, doing almost anything online now goes something like this:
I visit a site because I need to accomplish something. I am halted first by an utterly confusing message about my cookies and my privacy. And, I am left reading through legalese that I don’t understand, to make a selection I don’t care about, regarding a use of data that is utterly opaque to me. This is all presented in a completely non-standard way, and I’m mad about it because this doesn’t seem worth my time to actually parse. So, I just click one of the options… because I was trying to do something.
Then I finally get around to doing the thing I came there to do, making 30
seconds of progress before I am once again blocked. A notification appears to tell me that I need an account. I sign up for the account.
Wait, did I already do this? Did I use my email before? Facebook or Google authentication? Now I have to sign into my password manager to check. I waste 3 minutes figuring that out.
I try to log in.
The account requires 2-factor authentication. Ugh, ok. I deal with that.
I log in. Again.
Pop-up “Sign up for our newsletter?”
F**k this.
And I leave.
I don’t even have to get into AI slop and the destructive move from followers to algorithms. I think you get the point.
I Probably Sound Like an Old Man
I’m in my 40s. So, if you are younger than me, you might not know that it wasn’t always like this. There was a time when the Internet was not completely commoditized, industrialized, and capitalized.
It was a place where actual people, individuals, went to share things. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t completely safe. And it was far from ideal. But it was real, it was authentic, and it was fun.
Actually, it still is. You just have to work at it a little more now.
The “World Wide Web” Was Awesome
Last week, in a moment of extreme irony, YouTube’s algorithm served me this video about the Indie Web. I knew within a minute or two that I had found something special, something I wanted to be a part of. Even a small part.
The Internet used to be more commonly referred to as the “World Wide Web”. It was, at its basic level, an interconnected set of digital locations. What made it usable wasn’t a venture-funded app or a platform where you could become a “partner”. The “web” or connection part came from links.
If you liked something or something was relevant or interesting, you linked to it. And other people linked to things. The whole digital world was a web—of links.
No one was recommending anything to you. No singular powerful entity was steering you toward something or away from something. You were an explorer. You found one door into the web through your favorite blog, page, or forum, and you explored from there. Clicking links.
You might have ended up somewhere completely irrelevant. You might have gotten bored because none of them were interesting. But most of the time, you found something cool, maybe by someone compelling in a corner of the world that you would never have otherwise seen.
It was decentralized. It was creative. And a lot of it was made by people. Not companies and robots. And, it was pretty cool.
And, it’s not gone.
The Indie Web
For the last week, I have been spending my evenings “browsing the Internet”. Not scrolling through TikTok (actually, I have never done that). Not deleting hostile YouTube comments or feeling bad about my life because I’m not married to a beautiful Instagram model.
I am surfing the web. Reading about how an engineer from Iceland made a image to ASCII art rendering program. I’m looking at a unique web design from a college student in Japan—somewhere. I’m learning what it’s like to lose power during a cold winter in Lithuania. I’m going through a series of posts from someone who is dealing with chronic illness. I have no idea what I am going to find or read next.
It’s relaxing. It’s inspiring. It’s interesting. It’s creative. And, I love it.
You can surf the Indie Web too! I will help you get started, right now.
First, go get a cup of tea or a glass of wine or some… lemon-water or whatever.
Neocities - Start here. Kinda the hub of this revival movement. Mostly HTML pages.
Here are a few random web-rings I found with lots of links. I haven’t been
to most of them, but it’s a good place to start.
Melon Land Surf Club
Hotline Webring
There are thousdans of lists like this. I just happen to stumble upon these.
Explore, and I’m sure you will find more.
Doing My Part
Inspired by these experiences, I am changing this blog to be more unique. To be my own voice again, instead of just articles that will get search traffic. I am slowly re-designing it to be fun and less sterile. And, I will, over time, add more and more links to things and people that I think are interesting. I have never had analytics and pop-ups on this site because I hate that crap, so no need to fix that. But I can do more. So, I will.
Finally, I would like to encourage you to opt out of the enshittified Internet. If the platform sucks, the people are annoying, and the experience makes you feel less human, just leave. It’s the strongest voice you have. Take your attention elsewhere. There are hundreds of thousands of wonderful tiny places for you to enjoy on the web.
Go find them.
A first impressions review.
In 2022, the Fujifilm X100V exploded on social media and became almost impossible to buy. This timing was extraordinarily unfortunate for me, as I was about to buy one at that time. I am largely absent from social media, so the TikTok buzz was not a motivator for me (which I am proud of). But I watched Fujifilm’s press event when they released the camera, and it was on my list after I saved some money. Sadly, when the funds became available, the camera was not.
Fast forward four years, and I found myself in Tokyo, Japan during the summer of 2025. A quick Reddit search revealed a shop that MIGHT have some in stock just a one-hour train ride from my hotel. On the off chance I might actually be able to buy one at retail pricing… off I went. I didn’t call first because my Japanese is painful and my loathing of phone calls even more so.
Fujiya Camera in Nakano was my destination, and upon my arrival—don’t you know—they had not only multiple used X100V cameras, but also the new X100VI cameras below retail pricing.
I almost threw my credit card at the nice Japanese gentleman.
But $1,450 USD is no small sum. Was it worth it?
Short version: Good camera. But at this price, it is impractical for anyone who isn’t a professional or avid enthusiast.
All images except for this first one in Japan were taken with the x100vi.
Traveling With The X100VI
This was partially a purchase for a trip to Italy I was going on with my girlfriend a few months later. I hemmed and hawed over what camera and lens to bring to the land of wine and cappuccino. It wasn’t a photo trip, so I didn’t want to burden myself with lots of gear. The XT4 is just a little heavy for all-day carry; I was a little bored with it at that moment anyway. So, the X100 was the perfect selection, and if you’re not doing a photography-focused trip, it truly is a fantastic travel companion.
Slinging the X100VI over your shoulder for a day of sight-seeing is a breeze. Most of the time, I didn’t even notice I had it with me as it floated on the strap at my back or hip. And the amount of photographic quality and technology packed into a camera that small and inconspicuous is truly a tremendous way to travel. I have taken more than one camera to more than one corner of the world, and I have to say this was my favorite way to capture a city. It is perfect in an urban environment. However, it is not without its limitations. I will get to that.
Classic Fujifilm + Build Quality
Honestly, there is not much to comment on regarding the physical camera itself. All classic Fuji X. The dials feel nice. The physical controls are a delight. The lens is nothing I would write home about, but it’s no slouch—just a good performer. The colors look like all the other Fuji colors. Everything is as you would expect, except for the very flimsy-feeling doors, covers, and seals.
This is a disturbing trend I have noticed with their cameras over the last three or so years, and one that deeply concerns me. In truth, the camera feels of decent quality in the hands. But I have had a repair issue with my XH2 and am seeing more and more people on YouTube and forums complaining of a significant drop in quality. For what this camera costs, there is really no good excuse, in my opinion. However, the parts that you actually interact with frequently are metal, feel solid, and are confidence-inspiring. I even bashed the thing against my girlfriend’s camera when I picked her up to put her on a wall. However, there was no damage. So… perhaps it is quite sturdy and my concerns are unwarranted.
It Really Is a Special Camera - Optical Viewfinder - ND filter
And now to the best two parts of the X100 cameras: the optical viewfinder and the built-in ND filter.
Why this is, to my knowledge, the ONLY mass-produced camera with a dual optical/evf viewfinder is beyond my comprehension. It’s just the best way to shoot. I would put this feature in every camera I own if I could. I can’t tell you how many reviewers passed over this aspect in their reviews, noting that it was interesting but not worth using. What on Earth?
First, the EVF kinda sucks. Feels very low-res compared to my XT4 and XH2. It works, but not something I would seek out.
The optical viewfinder puts you back in the moment and place you are. The refresh rate is infinite, because it’s just reality. The view is wider than your capture, so you can see what is outside your frame. It’s crisp. It’s clear. It has just enough information displayed, but not too much.
And, while there were certainly times that I switched to the EVF just to be sure I was getting the right exposure, I would say 60% of my shooting was with the optical viewfinder. It took me right back to my happy DSLR days. When moving quickly to capture important shots, it might not be the best, but for a slow photo walk that benefits from immersion, the optical viewfinder is a dream.
And the second-best part of the camera? The built-in neutral density filter.
I hate filters. And I hate tripods. I just hate hassles, and that’s exactly what filters and tripods create. But with one flip of a switch, I can apply the ND filter and shoot wide open in daylight without sending my shutter speed to the moon. This has tremendous advantages for video, but I used it for photos on occasion too. It’s the kind of thing you probably already know you will appreciate if you indeed… will appreciate it. Otherwise, you can safely ignore this feature.
Other Notable Features
I won’t dwell on the sensor or megapixels for long because, honestly, it’s the absolute least important part of any modern camera. The 40MP is great—not mind-blowing, but good. It resolves a lot of detail in good light. Handy for cropping, but not that much more detailed than the 24MP sensor. The IBIS is a great feature and nice to have in any camera. I appreciate it for video and also for low-light shooting. The images overall look fantastic, and the reason I haven’t spent much time talking about it is that they look exactly like any other Fuji camera with this sensor and processor combo. It’s thoroughly modern with great colors and great rendition. If you like Fuji files, you will like these.
Downsides
It’s not a perfect camera. I mentioned already that the doors covering the battery and audio jacks feel like they belong on a toy.
It comes with a fixed 23mm lens which, while very practical, is too wide for my taste.
And the menus are just, well, Fujifilm menus. So, not amazing. I am used to it now, having owned the cameras for six years. But I think Nikon and Canon shine in this department. Fujifilm really needs to just start over from a UI perspective. I get that it’s a challenge given the inputs and volume of information that has to be displayed. But, yeah, not great.
Also, changing from photo to video mode requires you to go into the drive menu and then scroll through the menu to change it. This is an absurd workflow on any camera in this day and age. If you insist on setting it up that way, please at least allow me to assign a toggle for photo/video to a custom button somewhere. You made a tiny travel camera with an ND filter and 6K, 10-bit recording and then made it a pain to switch to video. I could understand this decision as a first attempt. But the X-E3 was like this too, from years ago. It’s not a good UX choice.
And lastly, the price.
$1,500 is not an outrageous price to ask for what you are getting. It is a one-of-a-kind camera. It is also, however, a lot of money… especailly for a camera that is essentially an enthusiast camera. That amount of money will buy you not only a lot of cameras from other brands like Lumix or Sony, but $1500 will also buy great new and used cameras from Fujifilm that allow for lens changing, various controls, and designs that might suit you better, etc.
Conclusion
The Fujifilm X100VI, while imperfect, is one of my favorite cameras of all time. I hope it serves me for many years to come, and I am sure it will be a faithful coffee shop and casual travel companion for hundreds of trips and outings in the future.
The real question, if you don’t own one, is whether or not the price is justified. If $1500 is a lot of money to you (it is to me) and you are a casual photographer, I would pass.
If you can afford it and photography is an obsession, go for it.
The Fujifilm 27mm f2.8 WR is by far my most used Fujifilm lens. It has lived on my camera for months at a time, traveling across dozens of time zones and almost as many country borders. However, while it is my most used lens, I can’t say it’s my favorite. It is, in fact, a lens of compromise. “In what way?” I can hear you ask. Read on, I shall explain.
Focal Length
Let me begin by touching on one of my most liked and disliked aspects of this lens: the focal length.
On the Fuji X cameras, a 27mm focal length gives a full frame field of view of roughly 40mm. It is a tremendously useful lens in that regard, as any 40mm is. Wide enough to capture street scenes with context and close enough for a portrait or food photograph. I can walk around with this lens all day and know that by simply moving my body around, a wide variety of photographic types will be available to me in any location. It is also a near “normal” field of view, so pressing the camera to your eye shows a scene not dissimilar from what you might have been looking at before, unaided by your lens.
But, therein also lies the problem. It is a field of view that says very little—artistically. I can’t tell you the number of times I saw a photograph in front of me, only to put the camera with this lens to my face and discover the field of view was far too wide. I couldn’t isolate what I was seeing at all. The same has often been true in reverse: faced with a dramatic scene or sweeping landscape that took my breath away, I struggled to capture it and include all the details I wanted.
So, in many ways, the 27mm is a lens of photographic compromise and oftentimes a bit dull feeling.
Size and Weight
This is where the 27mm shines and why it has spent so much time on my camera. This little pancake lens isn’t all that much bigger than my camera body lens cap. Placing it on the camera adds almost no weight, making any Fuji X camera a breeze to carry around all day. In addition, it is unassuming. No one notices or cares that you even exist because you do not look like an official photographer with this little kit.
As the saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you. Well, I suppose that applies to lenses as well. If I’m honest, the size and lightness of this lens have meant that I take my camera out more and use it more. And so, I get more photographs. And that is the kind of benefit that shouldn’t be understated when it comes to any piece of photographic gear.
Image Quality
As far as sharpness, rendering, colors, etc… I wouldn’t say there is much to remark on. The 27mm is neither incredible nor a failure. It is simply a good lens. Sharp enough to render detail, especially stopped down to f4 and after. Good colors and contrast for my taste anyway. The only real complaint I have is that it does feel a little bit soft at 2.8, and I do like to shoot my lenses wide-open a lot. Additionally, this seems particularly noticeable when it comes to subjects that are closely focused.
Oh, on that note, you can’t actually get that close to objects with this lens. The minimum focus distance is a little over 1 foot (13 inches/33cm). And at that distance, it is not the sharpest result. So, I have sometimes found myself disappointed in having to back away from subjects.
Conclusion
In spite of its shortcomings, I feel this is a lens that no Fujifilm X shooter should be without in their arsenal. It’s simply too small, too useful, and too good not to take with you and use on a regular basis, assuming the focal length is one that pleases you. I have shot everything with it. Cities, nights, people, mountains, you name it. And, while imperfect, it has delivered fantastic photographs for me again and again.