The other morning I woke up to a surprise: 20cm of fresh snow had fallen over night. Just a week ago, I had been biking in shorts. That was a clear signal to have a quick coffee and to grab my running shoes.

At 6am I was the only one out there. Not a track, not a voice. Just the soft crunch of untouched snow and the kind of silence that makes you want to move slowly so it lasts longer.

There’s something genuinely awesome about being first out on the trails. No footprints, maybe the tracks of an animal. No one to pass, no one to acknowledge. Just the trees, the fresh air, and that particular grey-blue light that only exists in the first hour of a winter morning.

My trusted GoPro Hero 13 joined me on this run. There was no photographic agenda – I just wanted to capture the beautiful moment and not tinker with any camera gear. Sure, it would have been great to have ‘real’ camera. There were certainly a few scenes that offered themselves for a great photograph. But the outdoor and running experience were more important that morning. I just love the quiet atmosphere after a good snowfall. That’s where the GoPro simply performs. There is no setup, there is no maneuvering – you can just capture some images (or videos). And I have said this many times before: the quality you can get out of this small thing is pretty darn good. All the images here were shot in RAW and processed in Lightroom.

Some runs you do to train and push yourself. Some you do for sanity. This was a special morning.

About a year ago, my son and I took another trip to Iceland. Spring is a great time to go from a photography perspective: you have beautiful morning and evening light, a fairly long blue hour and of course the opportunity to see the Northern Lights with a bit of luck

My son and I drove the full ring road last February, counter-clockwise from Reykjavík. Eight days of glaciers, lava fields, waterfalls and countless amazing views. We were somewhat lucky with the weather. Just one day of hardcore rain that soaked our rain gear and one day of intense snowfall (interesting drive). And let me just say this: when is rains hard in Iceland, it rains really hard. Think: standing in the shower. It’s 360 degree wetness.

Northern Lights

We were also lucky with the northern lights. They sadly don’t perform on schedule. It takes clear skies and a decent solar storm for them to appear. The clear skies thing is a bit difficult in Iceland. I highly recommend downloading one of the common apps and use that to decide when it makes sense to go outside at night.

Equipment on this trip: the Fuji X-T5 for everything that needed reach and detail. The trusted X100VI joined as the always-in-the-jacket companion. Both are great for Iceland travel due to their solid weather proofing.

My wife and I have been back to Tenerife more than once now, and each time we leave feeling like we’ve barely scratched the surface. There is a lot to be discovered and it’s worth the effort.

Santa Cruz: The Capital That Doesn’t Try Too Hard

We started our trip in Santa Cruz. It’s a surprisingly big city that doesn’t really feel big. The old town is a maze of narrow streets that genuinely rewards wandering without a plan. Around any given corner you might find a faded tile facade, a cozy neighborhood bar, a serene park or a funky piece of street art.

The Auditorio de Tenerife is also worth visiting. The architecture is quite unique and it always reminds me of the ubiquitous Sydney opera house. Sweeping white curves against the blue of the sky and the Atlantic. You don’t need to go inside to appreciate it. There is also a nice cafe that is open on most days.

The Anaga Forest: Fog, Green, and Something Ancient

Drive north out of Santa Cruz into the mountains and within just minutes you enter a green and lush area. The Anaga Rural Park is a primeval laurel forest – apparently one of the oldest and best-preserved in the world – and it looks like a scene straight out of Jurassic Park. The canopy is dense and dripping, the paths are narrow and mossy, and on the days when the clouds roll in thick and low, the whole forest takes on an atmosphere that’s somewhere between serene and genuinely eerie.

Those foggy days are actually the best days to go, IMHO. Don’t wait for clear skies. The mist moves through the trees in slow drifts, muffling sound, softening the light. Make sure to stand there in silence to fully absorb the whole atmosphere.

Mount Teide: Spain’s Highest Point, and a World Apart

Then there’s Teide. Spain’s highest mountain at 3,715m, an active volcano, and one of the most dramatic drives you can do on this island.

The road up passes through completely distinct ecological zones in the space of an hour — subtropical forest gives way to pine, pine gives way to high-altitude scrub, and then suddenly you’re in the caldera, a vast moonscape of volcanic rock and red-orange ash that looks like it was lifted straight from another planet. You can drive to around 2,100m into the caldera without a permit. The day we drove up there was snow on the ground and the temperature hovered around 0°C. (I was in shorts & t-shirt down by the ocean for breakfast). The caldera is actually a prime spot for star gazing. I did this a few years ago and it was simply amazing.

Even without summiting, just being inside the caldera is something. The scale is disorienting. The silence is total.

The Northwest Coast: Slow, Colorful, and Mostly Overlooked

Below Teide on the northwestern side, the island softens into something quieter. Towns like Garachico and Buenavista del Norte sit along a coastline that’s wild and rocky. It’s a far cry from the giant resort areas in the south. These are small, unhurried places with colorful facades. You can find a number of quiet restaurants with excellent food and fair prices.

Garachico in particular is beautiful, built around natural rock pools formed by an old Teide lava flow that once destroyed much of the town. While I love this town, it has risen in popularity in recent years. We found the place to be crazy busy with lots of busses dumping tourists all the time. That, however, provides an excellent opportunity to spot some influencers in the wild

On Camera

I had the Fuji GFX 100RF with me again, and it proved once more why it’s earned a permanent spot in my travel kit. Light enough to carry all day and weather resistant to easily handle the moist and conditions in the Anaha forest. As discussed in my review of this camera, image quality is amazing. Exactly what you want from a travel companion.

What Happened Here

On September 19, 2021, the Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma erupted and didn’t stop for 85 days. It was the longest eruption on the island in recorded history. By the time it ended on December 13, lava flows had destroyed over 3,000 buildings and forced around 7,000 residents to evacuate. Nearly 1,200 hectares of land were buried under ash and lava, and the flows eventually reached the sea, literally creating new coastline. The eruption also produced an entirely new volcanic cone — now officially named Tajogaite — rising some 200 meters above the surrounding terrain. What was left behind is an eery and fascinating moon-like landscape.

You Can’t Just Show Up

Let’s start with the logistics, because this isn’t a normal hike that you can do by yourself. The area around the Tajogaite crater is restricted access. You need to be part of a registered guided group, full stop. Gases seem to be still present, the terrain can be unstable in places and the local authorities are apparently giving nature an opportunity to recover. As a matter of fact, you have to stay on the marked trails the entire time.

We went with La Palma Outdoor, based in Paso de Abajo. Highly, highly recommend. Our guide Steven was super fun and provided stories about the volcano and the island here and there.

The Hike Itself

The route covers about 7.5 km with roughly 300m of elevation change. You start at around 1,300m, dip down to approximately 1,000m, and work your way back. Along the way, you notice that the landscape changes constantly. Sometimes within a few dozen meters. One moment you are walking in a small growth of fir trees, the next you are standing next to a number of dead tress.

The one thing that does not change is the color of the ground: black. Deep, dense, grinding volcanic ash and debris underfoot, as far as you can see in every direction. The sound alone is worth the trip. There is a constant crunch and grind beneath every step. If you were to walk barefoot, you would probably have the softest feet after that.

A Landscape in Transition

The opening stretch of the trail threads through green pine trees. A strange splash of life against the dark backdrop. Yellow and white flowers push up through the ash here and there. They almost feel like small detonations of color in an otherwise monochrome world. It’s amazing contrast (depending on the sunlight). Colors and structures can change any minute. Even little changes in sunlight have an impact on the vibrant colors. As a matter of fact, the black ash can seem pitch black one minute and then shimmer in a darkish blue the next.

Then, gradually, you notice the dead trees.

Steven explained it: underground heat. The roots of these trees were essentially cooked from below. Now they stand around the landscape like some skeletal and frozen figures. But not all of them. Some are showing new growth. It’s remarkable to see how nature is able to adapt and to restore itself.

Further along the trail, you get your first real view of the crater complex — the set of cones formed during the 85 days the eruption ran from September to December 2021. It’s a strange thing to stand and look at something so recent. These aren’t ancient geological formations. These are craters younger than many smartphones.

Up close to one of the cones, the color palette shifts entirely. Forget the black. The sulfur and volcanic gases still gently venting from the earth paint the rock in vivid yellows, oranges, and deep reds. Strangely, we did not smell any sulfur that day (my Icelandic friend calls this: ‘salty-farty’).

On Camera

The Fuji GFX 100RF was the perfect photographic companion for this hike. Light, versatile and no need for lens-swaps (volcanic dust & sensors don’t go well together). The digital zoom gave me plenty flexibility. I also experimented with different aspect ratios throughout the hike, which helped match the framing to the drama of the landscape. Some scenes demanded wide. Others — the dead trees, the cone up close — called for something tighter and more intimate.

Summary of the day

Overall, a super hike and experience. If you have never seen a volcano up close, this is a must do when you are on the island. I have been lucky to experience a live volcano before and this is still super cool. Witnessing nature make a return after such a catastrophic event is simply amazing. Also, the colors and sounds are mysterious.

Is it an easy hike. Depends. I am fit and the 8km did not pose any problems for our group. But the volcanic material makes walking a tad more difficult. Also, it can get pretty hot out there. Make sure to bring plenty of water and food. Total walking time was 1:50h and 3hrs respectively with stops.

What will stay with me? Great memories. A few photos that I really like. And plenty of black volcanic dust that collected in my hiking shoes. No matter how frequently I shake them, there is always some dust left over.

If you go:

• Guide service: La Palma Outdoor, Paso de Abajo (verify current contact info before booking)
• Distance: ~7.5 km | Elevation change: ~300m | Start elevation: ~1,300m
• Guided groups only — independent access is not permitted

When Fujifilm announced the GFX100RF, I was immediately intrigued. A 102MP medium format sensor inside a compact, fixed-lens body that you can carry everywhere? That sounded almost too good to be true. But I was skeptical – would medium format provide that much more than APS-C or full-frame? After spending time with it, I can confidently say: this camera really is something special and I LOVE medium format.

Easy to Carry, Easy to Love

One of the biggest surprises is just how portable the GFX100RF is. It’s slightly bigger and heavier than its smaller cousin the Fujifilm X100VI. With its rangefinder-style design and fixed 28mm f/4 lens, it slips into a bag easily and doesn’t feel like a big medium format setup. For me, that’s huge — I actually want to bring it everywhere, whether I’m walking through the city or traveling light. The 28mm angle is something that suits me really well, too. The Fuji X70 was one of my all-time favorite cameras – simply because of the 28mm lens. I find it to be more versatile than the 35mm of the X100VI. Plus you have the digital zoom which I will speak about later.

Image Quality That Stuns

The number one reason you would purchase this camera is the image quality. Simply put, the photo quality is amazing. That 102MP medium format sensor delivers detail, depth, and tonality that honestly feels next-level compared to even Fujifilm’s excellent APS-C cameras. You have got to see it on a large screen to believe it. Yes, it is huge step up from APS-C. Colors are rich, files are super flexible in post, and there’s so much resolution to work with that cropping doesn’t feel like a compromise. The files are so nice that I have actually become a pixel peeper. It’s simply rewarding to drill into photos. Recovering shadows and highlights with the RAW files is very rewarding. In summary: You have got to see, it to feel it.

High ISO

Speaking of image quality, the GFX100RF has amazing high ISO performance. 6400? No problem. You might see some grain but you can easily remove that in Lightroom if it bothers you. In many cases, I actually do not notice and just leave the files as is.

Digital Zoom That Actually Works

Normally I don’t think much of digital zoom, but Fujifilm’s implementation here is different. The GFX100RF gives you a digital teleconverter that simulates multiple focal lengths (35 mm, 45 mm, 63 mm, 80 mm equivalents). It is basically cropping into the image. Yes, I know….this does not replace real glass. But it goes a long way when you are out and about and need some flexibility. One could argue that you can easily crop in post, but I feel that careful framing should happen in camera. Paired with the aspect ratio dial, it’s like carrying a bag of primes inside a single camera. And the image quality holds up beautifully — this isn’t a gimmick, it’s genuinely useful. Photos taken with the 80mm zoom still come out with 20MP. What I like about Fuji’s implementation of the digital zoom is, that you still get the full image when you shoot in RAW. It’s just pre-cropped and you can adjust in Lightroom. That gives further flexibility in post.

Classic Fujifilm Experience

Beyond the specs, the camera just works the way you’d expect from Fuji. The handling is intuitive, the dials are satisfying, and everything feels thoughtfully designed. There are two new dials: aspect ratio & digital zoom. Both work like a charm. No complaints there. It doesn’t take long before it becomes second nature, which makes it a joy to use. Quality is extremely high. The camera is a tank (without the weight). Fuji supplies a filter adapter with an integrated lens hood. It makes the camera a bit bigger but it does look sexy.

The Leaf Shutter & ND Filter

The GFX100RF just like the Fuji X100 series, has a few tricks up its sleeve that many reviewers tend to oversee. First of all, there is a leaf shutter. This has two distinct advantages: there is virtually zero camera shake (and noise) plus you can use your flash at any shutter speed. Plus, you have a built-in 4 stop ND filter. The filter comes in handy when you operate in bright conditions or if you simply want to extend your shutter time. Also, the combination of both give you a ton of flexibility with flash photography. Sadly, I have not had that much time to use my flashes with the GFX100RF, yet. But I know this camera will be a reliable companion when the time is right.

The Downsides: Lack of a Flash

Speaking of flash photography, the GFX100RF does not feature a flash (unlike the X100 series). Bummer. would have been nice. But luckily, Godox recently released the awesome iT30Pro. It’s small, powerful and rechargeable via USB-C. Plus it looks pretty sexy on the GFX and creates surprisingly awesome light. It’s small enough to either carry it on the camera or to just put it in your pocket.

File Size Reality Check

If there’s one tradeoff, it’s the massive file sizes. And I do mean massive. The lossless compressed files are 100-125MB large. That is more than twice of those coming out of the Fujifilm X100VI. And you feel the weight of those files throughout the entire process. My usual workflow used to be that that I transfer RAW files via the xApp to my iPhone. I then load them into Lightroom Mobile and let it sync. When I have time, I download them to my hard drive via Lightroom Classic. No surprises here – this workflow only works for a few files.

• Transferring RAWs to the iPhone takes noticeably longer. No big deal.
• Where it can get problematic is when you start loading them into Lightroom Mobile. This process drains battery like crazy and I can sometimes boil an egg on my iPhone Pro 16. Making quick (like in fast) edits is usually not possible. There is noticeable lag. Especially when uploading multiple files.
• Syncing to Adobe cloud obviously takes a lot longer and you need decent Wifi.
• Cloud storage and phone storage get eaten alive.
• On my MacBook Air M4, the files are perfectly workable, but also noticeably slower than the ones from my Fujifilm X-T5. Some edits are faster than others.
• Things like focus stacking in Photoshop also take longer than I’d like. Not much – maybe a few seconds here and there.
• You need to be careful with exporting photos, too. Resizing is highly recommend for daily use. The regular jpg files are 40MB+, i.e. not usable for sharing.

Cleaning up bad or mediocre photos is a necessity for me now. I do not like my library and SSD discs to fill up too quickly. But they do now. A trip to Switzerland resulted in 88GB. Compare that to 25GB for a photo trip to Iceland with my XT-5 and a similar number of photos. Im summary, you need to be prepared for the file sizes. I can only assume that old hardware would easily be pushed to its limits.

What About No IBIS?

Let’s talk about the big concern we hear about on the Internets: The lack of in-body stabilization (IBIS). This sounds like a dealbreaker for a medium format camera. In practice, though, I’ve been pleasantly surprised.

• The leaf shutter eliminates a lot of vibration, so handholding is easier than expected.
• When I need extra security, I just push the ISO — and the high-ISO performance is fantastic, so image quality doesn’t fall apart.

Would IBIS be nice? Of course. But honestly, I haven’t missed it nearly as much as I thought I would.

And That f/4 Aperture…

The fixed 28mm equivalent lens is capped at f/4, which can feel limiting if you’re used to the fast glass on other systems. It’s a bummer not to have f/2 or wider, especially for low light and subject separation.

That said, I’ve found it’s not actually that far off from what I get with the f/2 lens on the Fujifilm X100VI, thanks to the medium format sensor. You still get plenty of depth and beautiful rendering. Would f/2 be better? Absolutely. But f/4 is not the dealbreaker some might expect. It is what it is.

Worth It? Absolutely.

What is this camera for then and is worth the money? For me, it is a super travel companion and an every day carry camera. You have a ton of flexibility: 28mm wide angle plus a powerful digital zoom. That makes it a lot more powerful than the X100 series. Yes, the workflow can be slower. Yes, it is slightly bigger. Yes, you’ll need to plan for extra storage. And yes, you don’t get IBIS or a fast aperture. But for me, the quality is 100% worth it. As I started writing this, I was on a road trip through Switzerland. 80% of my photos were taken with the GFX100RF. The XT-5 somehow remained behind – despite my lovely arsenal of lenses.

My final verdict: If you value portability, flexibility, and jaw-dropping files, the Fujifilm GFX100RF might just be your dream everyday camera. Below is a collection of images taken in the past six weeks.

It was just a matter of time. Sensor size does matter for passionate photographers like myself. I used to shoot with full frame but had deliberately avoided medium format. The latter never attracted me – camera size and weight seemed to much too handle. But along came Fuji with the GFX100RF and I couldn’t resist. It is a surprisingly small and compact medium format range finder camera. Small enough to act as an every day companion.

Testing the Fuji GFX100RF

Last night I took the new Fuji GFX100RF out for its first spin. The summer sky was covered in fluffy clouds and it looked like we would have some fantastic light for sunset.

The GFX100RF felt instantly familiar in hand — surprisingly light to carry, intuitive to handle, just as I’ve come to expect from Fuji. All the controls and menus are a carbon copy from their other models.

While moving around to find a decent photo spot, I spent time experimenting with the aspect ratio dial and the built-in crop zoom. Both features are a joy to use — especially the aspect ratio dial, which is a real winner. Super fun and it opens up new creative possibilities. Being able to frame the shot exactly as it will appear later is far more satisfying than guessing and cropping in Lightroom afterwards.

File Handling

The files themselves are full of detail, rich, and extremely flexible. No surprises here – that’s why you go with medium format. Lightroom actually performed really well on my M4 MacBook Air. I didn’t notice any lag or such. The only downside I have notice so far is their handling when it comes to moving them. Transferring RAW files to the Fuji app definitely requires a bit more patience; each compressed RAW is well over 100MB and it takes noticeably longer than the files from the X-T5 or X100VI. Still, that’s the price of this much image data, and I’ll keep testing to see how it fits into my workflow.

8mm vs 14mm

The Fuji 8mm lens has easily become one of my favorite lenses. It came in handy once again last night. I tried a few shots with my 14mm lens but the frame feels a bit tight. What do you think?

Basic processing in Lightroom (highlights and shadows) plus focus stacking in Photoshop. All photos taken with my Fuji X-T5.

We recently hiked the iconic loop around Tre Cime di Lavaredo — and while the scenery didn’t disappoint, getting there was half the adventure. Heads up if you’re planning a visit: parking now requires an advance reservation. We booked ours two weeks ahead, and when we arrived at 10am, it was a zoo. Between the stream of cars and a few oversized tour buses, the lot was packed and hectic.

The Tre Cime Trail

The trail itself is about 9km with 500m of elevation gain. It’s relatively easy, with a few steeper climbs but nothing dangerous — unless you count the people. The first 30 minutes were crowded with hikers of all experience levels, and one guy had his fully extended hiking poles strapped to his backpack like antennae. Every time he turned, he accidentally swatted someone. Definitely the most hazardous part of the day.

Once we passed the Tre Cime Refugio, the crowds thinned out and the trail opened up. Low clouds clung to the towers early on, obscuring the famous peaks, but they gradually lifted to reveal the full drama of the landscape.

Equipment

I shot most of the day with my trusty Fuji X-T5 and 8mm lens, switching occasionally to the 18-135mm for some more versatile framing. Near the end of the loop, we were treated to spectacular views of the Cadini di Misurina range. Most people hike out to a well-known viewpoint, but you can catch some equally stunning views right from the main trail — no detour needed.

All in all, a fantastic day out in the Dolomites — beautiful terrain, dramatic skies, and only mildly dangerous fellow hikers.