#321: Buying third-party stuff, good idea? Swap to DxO?

Kev's worrying if there's going to be enough tractor fuel to get him to Spain this Summer, 'cos at this rate he's definitely not going to be flying! Today, we talk about removing bits of the wild to make a better shot, Godox triggers and Bluetooth remotes which starts a micro thread of thoughts about buying proprietary camera accessories only, masking and swapping to DxO, setting up your Fujifilm camera, and camera straps - what do the boys use? Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

Kev reveals how life could have been so different. Apparently, the priesthood was calling, until he found fags, swearing, and you know what. On the show today, lens choices for a man with serious GAS, top tips for photographers hiring or about to hire a second shooter, and a one-off, clear-as-a-bell summary of dynamic range at last. Neale shares thoughts about using Substack and Kev gives advice to an ME/CFS sufferer who is looking to find the perfect remote wireless triggering system. Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

Kev chooses to shovel s*&t rather than shoot a wedding... perhaps he has a cunning plan to start a fertiliser company? Meanwhile, Neale is considering continuing his drumming career and covering himself in tattoos, as Kev's Book of the Week is an inspiring photography volume that goes behind the scenes with drummers. Also on the show, with so many Fujifilm cameras to choose from, which one is right for you, or are they all pretty much the same, really? In particular, we look for the perfect Fujifilm in the range to lug up a mountain, keeping the weight to a minimum. Why is a leaf shutter such a big deal? Who decides which third-party lenses can be released for Fujifilm cameras? What the f-stop is vibe coding, and is it about to change the landscape of web and app design? Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

Neale has connecting flight blues, and Kev's trying to remember his anniversary date, but shhh, don't tell Gemma that! Meanwhile, on the show today, will the concave sensor catch on, and what does that actually mean? We talk about Fujifilm's incredible promotional videos and who we'd like to see promote the brand in the future, the best Fujifilm street camera, street technique, the next FujiCast meet-up, finding your photographic voice and post-processing style. Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

Neale returns from skiing with legs intact, and now he's off to Bangladesh for his next expedition. Meanwhile, Kev is building his moat ever deeper around Castle Malmesbury, and plugins that will change your creative life have become his adventure: clever stuff, as he explains on the show. Also on the show, questions about presets and recipes for Fujifilm camera systems, a nod to Bob (ChatGPT) and how it can help you build your own recipes and film simulations. We try to work out why Aftershoot culling doesn't always perform as well as we might wish/expect for some genres and shoots, is the X Half worth the RRP, the best way or kit to record audio on your creative travels, street photography dos and don'ts, and what kit do the boys use for shooting video; Fujifilm or other? Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

Kev and Neale are lamenting the weather: all hail weather-resistant lenses! Kev's also watching Mr Mercedes from behind the sofa - don't tell him the ending! On the show today, is Fujifilm mirrorless the perfect kit for newborn photography, when is the next FujiCast away day, and will Andreas like Kev's Valentine card enough that he invites The Mullins back into the inner fold? Kev shares why he released presets and Lightroom plugins and how they have changed his business, and why he still can't bear Apple kit! We also talk about third-party lenses and Neale sends Kev to sleep with some tech thoughts about podcasting. Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

Kev is becoming a lean, mean loving machine! Never mind giving camera advice; we're thinking of launching a new weight-loss cast! You'll understand why when you hear the start of the show. On the show, for the love of megapixels, when is the X-Pro4 going to become a thing? We wonder about other roadmap arrivals and talk about research and development, plus inspiration and age verification. We discuss how that will work and the social media channels where verification could have made the platforms far more child-friendly, pivoting into a new genre with excellent advice for tickling the search engines, and the best lens to take on a wonderful hike across New Zealand. Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

Neale and Kev reminisce about driving tests; turns out Kev failed his a gazillion times! Also, firmware updates, what would the boys like to see improved in the near future on Fujifilm cameras, Kev sorts Neale's focus failures on the X100V, loaning out your cameras to family, and we ask whether the great Fujifilm zoom lenses can stand up to the quality offered by primes? We choose between particular cameras in the range, and we return to an ole' chestnut conversation; what NOT to do on Instagram, so a slight twist on the theme. Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

Neale and Kev consider naturist wedding photography in their ageing rock'n'roll years. Unofficially, this becomes a new year's 'spring clean' week for those wishing to drive business through websites and social media, driven by Alex Mealin, who is relaunching his photography business after a six-year hiatus.  Talking of new, Neale launches a new podcast in 2026 called Reflections, which is about this creative life we lead. At the end of today's show, he gives you a preview featuring thoughts on our social media guru, KEV! Also today, Kev's new business plans for the year, why you need to stop playing the algorithm, the advantage of posting carousels, worrying about likes and follow numbers, trust and authority in your online presence and the super-importance of blogging and fresh content. Is shooting in a genre scattergun fashion focused enough and why do we run twilight events at a time of year when it's just plain dark!?! Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/

A few audio gremlins in the works, but Kev's on the case and normal service will be resumed in 2026, whatever normal is. It's the last show of the year, with our regular break on the way for the holidays. Today, a special edition as we revisit an interview Kevin recorded with Martin Parr who sadly passed last weekend. Also on the show: shooting in black-and-white mode, though editing in colour; lossless compression; rear-screen focus distance accuracy; custom mode shooting; plus we have a book of the week called Layers of India by Mark Seymour. Email the show with your questions: [email protected]  For links go to the showpage. If you'd like to travel to far-off places with a camera: https://www.thejourneybeyond.uk/