My trip to Japan and South Korea was an unforgettable experience, filled with cultural discoveries, breathtaking landscapes, and memorable encounters.
As usual, I filmed and photographed my daily life throughout the trip, bringing along a versatile lens that allowed me to capture urban scenes, natural landscapes, and portraits, as well as shoot videos documenting my life for my social media.
This travel companion was the Fujifilm XF16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II. It played a crucial role in documenting the trip, allowing me to immortalize each moment from various angles and with details that the human eye alone couldn’t fully appreciate.
Whether using its minimal focus distance for close-up shots or taking advantage of the sharpness of the lenses, this powerful combo with my Fujifilm X-H2S camera was both compact and not too heavy!
Japan: capturing tradition and modernity through my lens.
My adventure began in Japan, a country where ancient traditions harmoniously coexist with the most sophisticated modernity. From the moment I arrived in Tokyo, I quickly realized that my camera would become an essential ally in capturing the diversity and visual richness of the city.
Tokyo’s skyscrapers and urban photography were a real joy, composing my images with the 16mm lens.
Tokyo, with its towering skyscrapers and crowded streets, is a dream for any photographer. I used my wide-angle lens to capture the vast panoramas of the city. The wide angle allowed me to capture the scale of this incredible city while highlighting the symmetry of the modern architecture.
At night, Tokyo transforms into a sea of neon and colorful lights. This is when my lens really shined. With its f2.8 aperture, I could easily film and photograph in low light, keeping ISO levels down. By slightly increasing the exposure time, I had fun in neighborhoods like Shibuya and Harajuku, photographing the world’s busiest intersection from an elevated viewpoint using the 55mm lens.
I then headed to Kyoto.
The moment I arrived at the station, I started filming. The lines and lights of Kyoto Station were a true playground for me. After the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, I went to Kyoto, a true sanctuary of Japanese tradition. Here, my lens (no pun intended) took on a whole new dimension. I traded skyscrapers for temples, where every detail seemed to hold special meaning. Thanks to my XF16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II lens, I captured the engraved details of the stone temples at Fushimi Inari, famous for its thousands of red torii gates.
Photographing in Kyoto required special attention to composition. Usually, I barely need anything back home in Valence, in the Drôme. After photographing every corner of my city for years, here in Kyoto, my lens allowed me to capture diverse, precise shots, highlighting texture, reflections, shadows, and streets full of elements. These moments of calm beautifully contrasted with the bustling energy of large Japanese or French cities. The combination of natural light and the precision of the lens created unforgettable shots.
My journey continues in Seoul, South Korea.
After Japan, I continued my journey in South Korea. This country, often compared to its neighbor for its contrasts between tradition and modernity, offered me new opportunities to test my Fujifilm lens.
The practicality of traveling light while having quality gear.
When traveling, or even in daily life, preparing your gear is a crucial step. Choosing the right equipment can make all the difference. Among the many accessories one might carry, the camera lens plays a central role. Beyond the image quality it offers, the practicality of a light and compact lens quickly becomes a major asset during a trip, especially for those who love to explore without being weighed down like me!
Whether you’re an amateur or professional photographer, here’s why a lightweight and compact lens like the Fujifilm XF16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II is essential for traveling.
The best camera is the one you always have with you!
When packing for a trip, it’s easy to be tempted by the array of equipment, which can quickly become heavy, and I often bring more than I can use. A camera, accompanied by several lenses, quickly becomes cumbersome. Opting for a lightweight zoom lens allows you to significantly reduce the weight of your bag while meeting most of your content creation needs. This lightness is especially appreciated during long days. Carrying heavy gear can become tiring, especially when you need to carry it for several consecutive hours, like I do daily with a camera always on my shoulder.
A light lens allows you to focus fully on the travel experience without being burdened by the weight of the equipment. My main setup was the Fujifilm X-H2S body (already quite the “baby”) and my XF16-55mm lens. And even with a large body, I find that the lens choice determines whether it becomes too heavy or comfortable in terms of weight. It makes the photography experience much more enjoyable, in my opinion.
Compactness is an asset
When traveling, I often need to be mobile and reactive. Whether I’m in a big city, in the countryside, or in remote locations, the compactness of my gear can make a big difference. A compact lens takes up less space and is less intimidating to people around me if I’m doing street photography or bringing it to an event, for example. Because yes, I film everything! Having a compact lens also leaves me more room for other essential accessories or for traveling lighter. Usually, I just stick to my camera, but sometimes I may have just a backpack.
But beyond practicality, compactness also brings a certain level of discretion. When traveling to very touristy places or regions where professional cameras can draw attention (like during my trip to Bali, where I couldn’t enter everywhere with a so-called “professional” camera judged by its imposing appearance), having a compact lens allows me to be more discreet. I find this important if I want to take portraits without people feeling overly watched or intimidated, for example. A smaller, less imposing setup with my XF16-55mm often results in more natural and spontaneous shots, with subjects less aware of my presence.
Increased versatility without compromise
It’s easy to think that a lighter, more compact lens means sacrificing quality or versatility. But nowadays, many modern lenses, even in compact formats, offer excellent image quality while remaining highly versatile. Essentially, it’s a lens of its time, in my view. A lightweight zoom lens allows me to capture a wide variety of scenes, from vast landscapes to close-up portraits, without constantly changing lenses. This allows me to travel light while still having a wide range of creative possibilities.
Another advantage of this lens is its settings. They are quick and satisfying to use. Each little click of the ring (if I choose to activate them) is satisfying. And when traveling, where shooting conditions can change quickly, the ability to respond quickly to a scene is crucial.
In short, less bulk, more freedom!
My conclusion is that the Fujifilm XF16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II is the perfect companion for the traveling or daily-reporting photographer.
It combines practicality, mobility, and discretion while offering remarkable image quality. It is the faithful witness of a unique journey.
Using my lens during this trip to Japan and South Korea was essential in capturing not only images but also atmospheres, moments, and details that would have otherwise escaped my memory. And that’s why I started documenting my life. Each shot reminds me of an emotion felt, a place discovered, or a person met. The versatility of my equipment allowed me to adapt to the diversity of situations, whether urban landscapes, street scenes, details, or portraits. This trip, documented through my lens, will remain etched not only in my memory but also in my images.
It’s a lens that reflects the kind of creator I want to be: versatile and excellent in many areas!
