Schneider Optik FujiFilm X30 Lens Cover Solution
If, like me, you’re a tad anal about your cameras (especially the lens!), you’ll undoubtedly have been looking for a decent lens cap solution for your X30. The first thing you’ll probably have done is purchase the LHF-X20 hood and filter kit. As well as shading the lens, both the filter and the hood provide adequate protection for the lens when out and about but I also worry about loose bits and pieces in my bag scraping against the filter and rendering it useless. I’d also prefer the filter to not be covered with dust and particles every time I go to shoot with it so a lens cover would seem like a sensible solution. Unfortunately, FujiFilm don’t provide a cap for their hood so once again you’re left to your own devices to find one.
If you’re into photography you’re probably a fairly ‘visual’ person and like me, you’ll prefer your camera to look ‘right’, so just chucking any old 60mm cap on the front isn’t going to suffice. When I ordered the Gariz half case I also ordered the leather Capfix. My idea was to find an old cap and cover the front with it. I dredged eBay and finally found a nice looking lens cap in near mint condition, made by Schneider Optik. When it arrived I placed the Capfix over the front but it didn’t look at all right. The leather circle simply didn’t cover enough of the cap’s face and trying to line up the logo inside the little Capfix window was nigh on impossible. My solution was to use the Capfix inside the cap.. I pierced a hole in the side of the cap at 2 O’ Clock using a large heated needle. I then threaded the save cord through the hole and attached it to the split ring of the shoulder strap. The Capfix was then permanently attached to the inside of the cap and lo and behold I had my push on hood cap solution! Looks good, works well, job done!
As a quick update on this one: I found that when using the camera with the lens cap in place it sometimes slightly slipped on the one side. To solve this, glue two tiny strips of rubber (inner tube type) to the inside of the cap edge at 3 and 9 O’ Clock. They should be about 4x4mm and no more than 0.5mm thick. That does the trick nicely and the cap stays exactly where you seat it with no movement at all.
FujiFilm X30 & The Zippo Case Strap Pouch!
There are few things I find more enjoyable than pimping a new camera! BUT.. I do like to up-cycle when possible and I do like to be original when the mood takes. My previous X100 sported a stunning LeicaTime half case which came with a small bespoke battery and card case that very handily sat proudly on the strap. I desperately wanted a similar pouch for my X30 setup but didn’t want to spend $100 nor wait a month to get it. After much head scratching it suddenly occurred to me that I’d bought an old vintage Zippo case a few years ago for about $5 on eBay UK. Made from black bridle leather it’s a lovely little case so I immediately fetched it and tried it for size. It was the perfect fit for an NP95 battery and an SD card!!! Bullseye! Not only that, it had the perfect horizontal slit on the back side to allow it to slide neatly on to my Footprint strap and it was tight enough to hold it firmly in place whilst I walked. I was totally stunned. I hadn’t dared believe it would work quite that well! So if you want the perfect strap pouch for an X series FujiFilm that uses NP95 batteries, go find an old Zippo case on the ‘Bay!
L-Bracket For FujiFilm X30 – No ‘Really Right Stuff’? Really No Problem!
FujiFilm X100 series users wanting a solid L-Bracket and grip have, since it’s inception, had the luxury of Really Right Stuff’s (rather expensive) BX100 system. So when I recently purchased an X30 I fully expected RRS to have produced a similar bracket, even if it did cost more than the camera.. Like many X30 owners before me I was dismayed to find that none was available. The lack of grip was fairly inconsequential, given that the X30 already has decent grip built into the body but I really did want a good L-bracket.
After a great deal of searching and ploughing through various Chinese sites, none of which I understood a word of, I quite by accident stumbled upon the MPU105 L Bracket Quick Release Plate, a Chinese made universal. It looked like it should do the job and for $8 shipped I took a punt.
I have to say, it’s absolutely superb. Apart from the lack of grip, as mentioned above, this is a quality L-Bracket of the exact same ilk as the $190 X100 RRS bracket. The upright can be detached, providing you with just a very stable base plate. If you’re using a Gariz half case, as I am, the height of the upright is spot on, allowing the upright to sit tight up against the case side, the tip of the upright just meeting the strap grommets. Without the case you’d simply adjust it a little further out from the camera side and the upright tip should sit fairly flush with the top of the X30. For $8 shipped I can’t recommend this bracket more. So much so, that if RRS ever produced a bracket/grip for the X30, I would have absolutely no need for it.
Ganzo G7211-BK (FujiFilm X30 Macro)
Just received this little gem that I ordered a couple of weeks ago. I have to say, for a $20 knife it’s seriously impressive. I only had a few online reviews to go by but I’m glad I listened to them! I’m now considering replacing the scales using some bog oak that I have left over from the Slim Wallet project.
FORTIUS ARMS INC KEYBINER Carabiner Key Organiser Mod
The KeyBiner by Fortius Arms Inc began as a KickStarter project and quickly gained both funding and an enthusiastic following. I decided to purchase one a week ago and received it yesterday. Whilst I was impressed with the quality and execution, I soon discovered that the design missed one thing: the ability to house my car key.. Modern car keys tend to have an electronic housing containing the alarm buttons etc.. making them too large and bulky to be accommodated inside the KeyBiner itself. Now, I really didn’t want to have one key organiser and another standard key chain for the car key; that really seemed to defeat the minimalist purpose of the KeyBiner, so I set about scratching my head and activating my remaining brain cells. Eventually, after some toil, I came up with this:
Using a small bolt, some nuts and washers (3 tiny nuts and washers as spacers and a further nut to lock it all together) I managed to attach the car ket to one of the pre-cut holes close to the pry tool at the bottom of the KeyBiner. This system allows the key to be swung in and out, just like the other keys and means I now have ALL my keys together on the same organiser.
Having tightened the locking nut to the exact pressure I wanted, I then applied a couple of small drops of super glue to prevent the nut from slipping when the key was in use. I’m now very satisfied with the KeyBiner and I no longer have a bunch of keys jangling from my belt as I walk down the hight street!
23-59.NET – New Store Site
If you’re single and have a passion for watches, the only thing that can hold you back is your bank account. You see a watch, fall in love with it and buy it! Simples! If, however, like me, you have a wife and children, you’ll have learnt early on the Oxford dictionary meaning of the word “compromise”..
Now, I’ve never really been the collecting type. I’ve tried it but it doesn’t really do it for me. I enjoy the research and the chase but once the watch has arrived with me the novelty wears off fairly quickly. Part of the reason for this is if I own say ten watches, I’ll have one clear favourite and that one will be worn 99.9% of the time. The other nine will just sit in a box in my drawer until one day I decide to sell them. So, a while back I bit the bullet and went down to a single watch and that suited me perfectly except for one area.. photography. My favourite genre is macro photography and my favourite subject is watches. That becomes difficult if you only own one watch. Sooo, what to do, I pondered? Then an idea hit me and I chatted it over with my wife. We’ve agreed that I can purchase as many watches as I like as long as I simply photograph them, play with them for a couple of weeks, maybe do a write-up or two and then put them straight back up for sale. Result!
This plan suits me down to the ground as I’d like to make THIRTYFIVEMILL into a real haven for those who are searching for half-decent images of various watches and now I can buy and photograph watches that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise owned. I’d like to bring in some unusual watches, brands you don’t often hear much about. I’m particularly looking for watches from the 60s and 70s with a leaning towards divers, pilots and world timers and chronographs.
If you’re a regular reader of this blog you’ll also know I prefer my watches to be in as close to mint or NOS condition as possible, not just because I’m a fussy so and so but also because I want to try to show what these watches would have looked like back in the day if you walked into a shop and asked to peruse their latest and greatest.
Up until now my For Sale section has always been fairly sparse. I’ve sold the odd watch in there but they’ve been few and far between. This new project will change that quite dramatically, I suspect. There should be a fairly steady flow of interesting watches being put up for sale there. My philosophy will be to cover costs. I’m not looking to open a shop or make a business from watches, simply to cover the costs of buying, shipping, servicing (when needed) etc..
The big change is that I’ve decided to list all watches for sale at a new site that I’ve built. The main reason for this is that none of the available “store” software worked very well with all the other plugins I have running on 35mm. I also thought it would be keep things tidy and simple and not cause 35mm to become sluggish and slow. The new site can be accessed by clicking the “23-59 STORE” link in the main navigation menu above. I hope it proves popular with the readers and that it sometimes provides a few bargains and some very interesting watches.
NOS 1970s PRECIMAX Chronograph – Valjoux 7733
This has to be one of the prettiest chronographs I’ve ever seen. I’m not normally a fan of gold coloured watches but this one is actually more like bronze. In fact, I’m not sure if it is bronze or brass. It doesn’t appear to be plated so I’m guessing it’s one of these. Gonna need to research this one a bit more. What I do know is it has the legendary Valjoux 7733 movement, as used by Breitling in many of their high end chronos during the 70s.
It’s completely unused, new old stock, complete with the original tag for the strap! On the case back below you can still see parts of the original, clear sticker!
NERI Chronograph Diver
Further images and write-up pending.
BENRUS AUTOMATIC
Write-up and further images pending.
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