On my journey, I have used cameras from Nikon, Sony, Olympus/OM Systems and Fujifilm, this has taught me one very important lesson, design and ergonomics are just as important in my choice of gear as technical specifications are. I've come to see that if I enjoy using a device, I will use it more. As most cameras, at least at the level that I am looking at have very good image quality, the ease of use becomes even more important.

​My love of photography started during a hike along the Pembrokeshire coastal path in 2011, the landscape was fascinating, and I took a lot of pictures, but I couldn't capture them in the way I wanted with the small 'point and shoot' camera and mobile phone I was using. Not wanting to miss these opportunities on the next hike, I bought my first DSLR, a Nikon D5100.

​I was very happy with this camera and the 2 lenses, an 18-55mm kit lens and a 55-300mm telephoto. I took so many images with these, but I was eventually tempted away by the new Sony A7 full-frame mirrorless system.

​At that time I was far from being restricted by the capabilities of the Nikon 5100, but there was something about the Sony system that worked for me, in hindsight it was the design and ergonomics. It fit the way I wanted to take images at the time and I believe that it helped me to advance a lot quicker than I could have with the Nikon D5100.

​There was a short interlude with the Olympus OMD-EM1 MKII as I was looking for something lighter than the Sony A7. I loved the EM1, the size, the ergonomics and the adaptability of the interface and buttons. Unfortunately, there was something that I couldn't get to work for me. I remained with the Sony A7 system for many years, all the way to the A7 mk3 as well as using an A6000.

​In June 2018 I was invited to an event hosted by Fujifilm Switzerland to show off the new GFX50s. From the very first moment I held this camera, it fit, it felt as if it belonged in my hand and it felt as if it was an extension of me, and the image quality was amazing

Although I didn’t think that I would move away from the Sony system, two months after the Fujifilm event I started to sell my Sony gear, starting with the lenses that I rarely used or used just for landscape images and bought a GFX50s with a 32-64mm lens. I kept one Sony camera and the lens that I used most for wildlife images, but as I favoured the GFX system more, this went eventually too.

There has been another short attempt with the OM System EM-1, as well as a few other cameras but although the weight is an ongoing issue in some situations and to be honest, some of Fujifilm’s design decisions have been annoying, I’m still drawn back to the GFX system.  

​Each system that I have used has been the right one for the time and has taught me something along the way.

For now, at least, I’m still with Fujifilm; I currently have an X-H2 and a GFX50s

I've gone down a similar path with tripods, tripod heads, camera bags, outdoor gear, filters and everything else I use. With this experience, the best advice of any value that I can give is

• Use what feels right to you.

• Remember the costs of lenses when considering a new system. There is no point in putting a cheap lens on an expensive camera.

• Don't go for the cheaper option because it's the cheaper option