FIRST TIME USING THE FUJIFILM X100 VI
Note: This is not a camera review. Also the Urban Cartographer is a website rather than a person.
Location: Henrietta Place and Bolton Street, Dublin 7
The Urban Cartographer secured a Fujifilm X100VI at a great price yesterday during the annual sale at Berminghams Cameras. Today, November 16, 2025, marked my first day taking it out for a spin. Naturally, I dove in without reading the manual, and while the camera's reputation precedes it, I was a bit underwhelmed by the resulting images straight out of the camera. (My immediate error, however, was in the settings—the date stamp reads the 15th instead of the 16th.)
The Testing Ground: Georgian Grandeur Meets Gritty Reality
I chose the area around Bolton Street and Henrietta Place as my initial proving ground. This Dublin Northside district is an ideal test location because it presents a complex mix of architectural lines, textures, and varied lighting.
Architectural Challenges: Henrietta Street (which Henrietta Place runs perpendicular to) is famed for its early Georgian townhouses, which have endured centuries of neglect and recent restoration. These buildings offer powerful visual material: the long, straight lines of the streetscape, the imposing height of the façades, and the contrast between the rough, weathered brick and the sharp, decorative stonework.
The Wide-Angle Test: These straight, vertical lines are perfect for highlighting potential flaws in a wide-angle lens. The close-quarter, high-contrast environment forces the optics to perform under pressure.
The Immediate Issue: Barrel Distortion
My primary concern quickly became the serious lens distortion. The X100 series (V and VI) features a fixed 23mm f/2 lens (a 35mm full-frame equivalent). While this lens is a phenomenal performer—known for its sharpness and character—it exhibits noticeable barrel distortion. This is a common optical characteristic for compact wide-angle designs, where straight lines appear to bow outwards from the centre.
I won't dive into a technical analysis here, but switching from Lightroom to DXO PureRAW for processing significantly reduced this problem, leading to a much more pleasing correction of the geometry and giving me cleaner files to work with.
Despite the initial disappointment with the files, the feel and handling of the X100VI are superb. I look forward to spending more time with it and learning to master its unique characteristics.
Location: Henrietta Place and Bolton Street, Dublin 7
The Urban Cartographer secured a Fujifilm X100VI at a great price yesterday during the annual sale at Berminghams Cameras. Today, November 16, 2025, marked my first day taking it out for a spin. Naturally, I dove in without reading the manual, and while the camera's reputation precedes it, I was a bit underwhelmed by the resulting images straight out of the camera. (My immediate error, however, was in the settings—the date stamp reads the 15th instead of the 16th.)
The Testing Ground: Georgian Grandeur Meets Gritty Reality
I chose the area around Bolton Street and Henrietta Place as my initial proving ground. This Dublin Northside district is an ideal test location because it presents a complex mix of architectural lines, textures, and varied lighting.
Architectural Challenges: Henrietta Street (which Henrietta Place runs perpendicular to) is famed for its early Georgian townhouses, which have endured centuries of neglect and recent restoration. These buildings offer powerful visual material: the long, straight lines of the streetscape, the imposing height of the façades, and the contrast between the rough, weathered brick and the sharp, decorative stonework.
The Wide-Angle Test: These straight, vertical lines are perfect for highlighting potential flaws in a wide-angle lens. The close-quarter, high-contrast environment forces the optics to perform under pressure.
The Immediate Issue: Barrel Distortion
My primary concern quickly became the serious lens distortion. The X100 series (V and VI) features a fixed 23mm f/2 lens (a 35mm full-frame equivalent). While this lens is a phenomenal performer—known for its sharpness and character—it exhibits noticeable barrel distortion. This is a common optical characteristic for compact wide-angle designs, where straight lines appear to bow outwards from the centre.
I won't dive into a technical analysis here, but switching from Lightroom to DXO PureRAW for processing significantly reduced this problem, leading to a much more pleasing correction of the geometry and giving me cleaner files to work with.
Despite the initial disappointment with the files, the feel and handling of the X100VI are superb. I look forward to spending more time with it and learning to master its unique characteristics.
FIRST TIME USING THE FUJIFILM X100VI