So I was working on some interviews for The Inspired Eye Magazine. I read an email from a woman shooter that has an amazing eye and she is being interviewed now. I was very happy to read that she enjoyed my blog post and especially yesterday’s. Thank you Maria K…that made my day and will for days to come.

So I didn’t sleep last night. The unnamed Fuji X100s was on my mind. (Really it was Doc Shioko but we don’t want bad relations with Russia, things are bad enough already) So I couldn’t wait for the bus and train so I ran the 15 miles and got to the VA long before my appointment. I’m in the waiting  area and there’s a lot of vets here. I mean a lot. Well, the receptionist calls out..Anyone here for Doctor so an so…3 guys raise their hands. She ask again..anyone her for Doctor so an so?…. 9 guys and 4 women raise their hands.

She ask again…is there anyone here for Doc Shioko?   95  guys raised their hands not including me.

The Fuji X100s is an amazing camera. It’s seems like it may be limiting because it sees 35mm ONLY. Well, for decades that’s what I used on my Leica M’s. Well, that is something that each must determine the value of the FOV on your work. For me, it’s still my Natural Field of View. I love it and am in the middle of a very passionate affair with…no…my unnamed camera.

It’s a perfect size for me. On the street I reconfigure myself according to how my central processing unit, brain, wants to work. Neck strap, wrist strap, thumb grip on/off, it depends on what’s going on. The key thing is, the camera is small but not too and also, it’s lite. I can go from horizontal to vertical very easy with no resistance due to weight and size.

So finally it was my turn to be inspected, rejected, infected and detected. Shioko tells me to put the gown on and lay on the table. Did ya ever see Superman change in a phone booth? Well, he lives down the street from and I’ll tell ya this. He’s sloooo compared to me . I was on that table before Shioko blinked twice. so I closed my eyes and let the hands of an angel discover all the pains I had caused my body over the years. She asked me, Mr Springer, have you been taking those hot showers I asked you to do?  (in my mind, I answered…No Doctor Shioko…I was waiting for you)..in reality I said.. Tanya said I can only do 1 a day because I’m too old to do that many hot showers.

Shioko stated ..I will call her and explain why you need to relax the muscles.  (I’m dead meat, caught between a common reality and my dreams.) I said to Shioko.” Doc, not a good idea, Tanya would not agree and regardless of what she would agree with you, I will have to fight with her.” Shioko agreed not to call if I explained the situation. Situation, am I sick..I forgot…geeze…..

The framing accuracy is uncanny with the X100s. I mean it’s very, very accurate at every distance. Beautiful camera.

After Shioko spends 20 minutes checking my muscles and entering the data in my file…I sadly get ready to leave. I put my unnamed X100s in my hand with the Luigi wrist strap. Shioko says…”That’s a beautiful camera, where is it made?” Japan I said. “She says, beautiful”. I said…all things from Japan are beautiful.

She ask to see the camera and for me to show her how it works. So…hmmmm I’m thinking …3 week workshop and I can teach here how to load the battery.

I hand her the Unnamed Fuji X100s and she looks at it very closely, touching it gently. Now get this…I’m watching her inspect my camera. The camera has a 35mm fixed lens on it. We all know that. Well..(XXX Rated Part)…As she is handling the camera, won’t say fondling, I see the 35mm lens start to increase out of the body  to like 90mm. I said, that’s my camera…YAH!

The X100s is very responsive and fast to operate. The interface and layout on the back and top buttons make the camera a joy to use. I have yet to read the manual have yet to be stumped. Due to it’s smaller size and weight, it lends itself to getting close and not bothering anyone.

There’s a sound when the shutter is pressed that I adore. It’s the most amazing sound. Very nice to have.

Shioko says we’re don for the day and asked me if I could be there again on monday. I told her I was sleeping in the waiting area until my appointment. She laughed and thought that was funny. I was being truthful.  So the unnamed Fuji X100s and I left the hospital and headed into Center City so I could walk a few miles. I remember back in September being with my friends Ray and Pete. We walked all around and Pete was using the X100s.  Ray left and pete and I went to the Reading Market to get a beer and a shot.

This beer is dedicated to Ray and Pete….

Youse all have a good weekend and remember…..dunno..forgot what I was gonna say…………