Finepix X100 - Two Years On

A little under two years ago, I sold my Canon DSLR along with the six lenses that I'd accumulated over the preceding ten years, and spent the proceeds on a Fujifilm FinePix X100, a camera with a fixed 35mm (equivalent) lens.  Some time later I wrote a post about it on this blog.  Entitled "Shrinking the Camera Bag", it described the boost in output and creativity that I got from abandoning all that weight.

Two years on, I just wanted to say that there have been no regrets.  I absolutely love this camera.  The only thing that I would change it for is its recently released successor, the FinePix X100S.

Highlights are the physical look and feel, the silent mode, the soft (Astia) film emulation, the built in neutral density filter, and the beautiful sharp lens.

Below is a small slideshow of some of my favourite images that I have captured with my X100.  These and a lot more may also be found on Flickr.

Best.  Camera.  Ever.  In my opinion!

The end of the Culture

Very sad news.  Iain Banks, who is possibly my favourite author, has announced that he has been diagnosed with late stage cancer of the gall bladder, and has only months left in this world.

The Steep Approach to Garbadale. My favourite Iain Banks book.

I met him once, briefly, at Ilkley Literature Festival.  Just long enough to exchange a few words, and for him to sign my copy of "The Steep Approach to Garbadale", my favourite of his non sci-fi books.

I've read his entire sci-fi output, written as Iain M Banks, and the vast majority of his "mainstream" output, written as plain Iain Banks.  I've loved every word and, however erroneously, I feel as though I know him a little.

Use of Weapons - my favourite Iain M Banks book.

So, perhaps my sadness at this news is a little selfish, and perhaps I am just mourning all the Culture novels that will now remain unwritten. But I would still like to say thank you to Iain Banks.

For every one of the many hours of pleasure that his books have brought to me, for every time that I've laughed out loud at the subtle jokes that fill his work, and for the good ship Experiencing A Significant Gravitas Shortfall.  Thank you sir, and thanks again - I'll miss you.

For the rest of you, if you haven't read one or both of the two books whose pictures I've included above, read them!  You won't regret it.

Uncle

Cover of first Uncle book.

I don't know about you, but I was an avid reader as a child. My school reports mention this with a certain amount of asperity due, perhaps, to the difficulties that they encountered when they attempted to get me to do anything else.

I grew up on a diet of The Phantom Tollbooth and Stig of the Dump; and of Jennings (still very grateful to my aunt for getting me into that), Professor Branestawm, the Five Find Outers, Roald Dahl's children's books, and of course the Uncle books, by J.P. Martin.

It's not easy to get hold of copies of all these books now, even in these days of ebooks and Amazon.  It's true that many have been reprinted, and we have amassed a decent amount of second hand Professor Branestawm and Jennings in our house.  However, it seemed as though the Uncle books had disappeared off the face of the earth.

Yesterday, I noticed people (not least the estimable Neil Gaiman) talking about Uncle on Twitter, and I went to Amazon to have a fresh look.  Lo and behold, the first two books - Uncle and Uncle Cleans Up are available to buy, albeit with only a small stock level being kept.  Duly ordered.

However, then I discovered the reason for all the Twittering.

It turns out that a chap called Marcus Gipps has launched a Kickstarter project to republish all six of the Uncle books in a single volume.  Oh frabjous day.  Well, the project quickly met its Kickstarter target for funding, and is going to happen.  So if you're like me, and you want to get back with Uncle, the Old Monkey, Cloutman, the Hatemans, Hitmouse, and the rest, now is your opportunity.  Thank you Marcus!

Visit Kickstarter and back the project!