Today, I’m going to share with you my Fujifilm x100vi accessories.

Now to be honest, I don’t use a lot of accessories.

I’m not the type of photographer to bling out his camera with all the fancy stuff.

I just keep to a very practical setup, and anything that gets in the way, I remove it.

But, I’ll share with you guys not only my current setup, but accessories I have tried and what I think about them.

And then you can see for yourself whether or not you want to use it.

If that sounds good, lets get started.

Soft Shutter Release

Out of the many accessories I’ve used, a soft shutter release is up there in terms of importance.

It’s one of those things that I think makes a real difference when taking photos.

It’s easier and more tactile to press down on and I can feel the half shutter focus press better.

Personally, I like the concave shutter releases.

I like the indentation and feeling of the groove in my finger.

But flatter and convex shutters also exist - it’s just a matter of preference.

Now, this doesn’t happen often, but every now and then I’ll lose one of these guys.

And that’s the only real problem.

Even with screwing it on tight, they can sometimes come loose or I’ll bump into stuff and realize I’ve lost it later.

The good news is that they’re fairly cheap and you can buy them in a pack to replace them if you lose them.

Now, there are more expensive artisanal soft shutter releases with nice designs and all of that.

But those can be quite pricey so I tend to stay away from them.

I’ve bought one in the past for my x100v that I’m happy with, but that was the only one.

It’s wooden and has a neat little bird design.

I was a little remised at the time about spending that much $ on a piece of wood but hey, I still have it, it’s served me well, so maybe that says something.

In general, I do prefer the feel and texture of wood shutter releases but they tend to be more expensive than the plastic ones.

So I’ve just stuck to the cheap ones for now.

So that’s what we have here.

A black plastic soft shutter release for my x100vi.

Moving on.

UV Filter + Adapter

As you guys know for both the V and the VI, the cameras have weather sealing - but only with a uv filter attached.

And to attach a UV filter, you need an adapter for the lens.

So the simple adapter I use to attach a uv filter and other filters to my camera is the haoge one.

Now I don’t think the brand matters in this case, you can buy any and they all work the same.

You should also note that the V and the VI have the same lens so you should be able to use the same adapters interchangeably.

This time I needed a silver one.

Finding a silver adapter for the VI was easy but finding a silver UV filter was much harder.

Most UV filters come in black (understandably) but I didn’t want my silver VI to look like that.

So the closest thing I could find was this B+W filter - which is more of a grey instead.

And I think technically this is just a clear filter, not a UV, but whatever, it works.

As for functionality, a UV filter allows for extra protection and weather sealing.

Their original purpose was to help block UV light and protect your camera’s sensor, but that matters far less for today’s modern digital sensors.

Some people debate the usefulness of a UV filter - I personally like to keep one on all my lenses at all times, mainly for protection.

For the V or VI specifically I’d recommend to do so as well because it’s not weather sealed without it.

And it’s a hassle to take it on and off and worry about splashes if you’re near rain, ocean, or a pool.

For other lenses it’s technically not necessary, but I like having one on.

People will say things like: “Why would you buy expensive glass just to put cheap glass in front of it?”

My response: “You don’t have to put cheap glass in front of it”.

If you’re worried about image quality to that extent, just buy a quality UV filter and you’ll be fine.

And if you’re spending that much money on a lens in the first place, it’s worth taking care of.

For example, take a look at the UV filter on my XF 50mm f2.

I got this lens back in April and put a B+W filter on it immediately.

And not even 2 weeks later I looked at it and there were these big scratches on the front.

So I’m guessing something must have shot out and hit my lens dead on.

Now, it actually doesn’t affect the photos I take, the scratches don’t even show up in the resulting images.

But this one UV filter has saved me a ton of time and money.

Because now, instead of replacing a $250-300 lens, I just have to replace one little filter.

It’s rare, it doesn’t happen often, but for me that makes it worth it.

People will also argue that you could just put a lens hood on the front and it serves as adequate protection.

Now I personally don’t use lens hoods, they take up too much space (more on this later), but I see what they’re saying.

With a lens hood you can bump into stuff and the hood will take the brunt of the damage.

But it still doesn’t prevent stuff from coming directly at the lens, and it still won’t make your VI weather sealed.

Of course, you could always choose to use both.

So the point is, if you’ve got a V or VI, get an adapter and UV filter.

The weather sealing makes it worth it.

For all your other lenses, it’s a personal choice.

I prefer a UV filter for reasons stated above, you do what you want.

Cinebloom Filter

This is a cinebloom filter.

It’s the same one I got and used on my V many years ago.

And thankfully, they share the same lens and filter size so I can use this on my VI.

In essence, it’s Moment’s version of a diffusion or mist filter.

It allows for softer highlights, halation, and whatever.

I’ve been shooting without it to get a sense of what the VI’s images look like standard, but I will start experimenting with it soon.

I think a solid mist filter is nice to mix up the look every now and then.

The one I have is a 10% but I do believe there are stronger ones.

Also, I do plan on getting cpl filters and other fun or practical filters to try out.

It’s just I haven’t really needed any for most of my photography.

Typically I’ll just stack these on top of my uv filter, but I do think you can swap them and your VI will still be weather sealed (if you’re worried about having too much glass in front of your glass).

Alright, next.

Camera Strap

For the Fujifilm x100vi, I have two camera straps I use.

The first is Moment’s leather camera strap.

This is the same one I’ve been using for years on my V and I simply transferred it over.

The reason why I like this strap is not only the color but the attachments.

Too many times I’ve searched over and over for different camera straps that fit these requirements:

looked good
strong and durable enough so that it doesn’t drop my camera
easy to remove attachments that don’t scratch the sides of my camera when used

The last one is pretty big.

Since every camera has a different size and shape, it’s tough to find a universal camera lug.

And many camera straps come with their own lugs that have big metal rings on them.

In terms of durability, these are fine, but I’m always worried about them damaging my camera.

Metal on metal, scratching around as I turn my body with the camera on my waist.

I don’t even like thinking about it.

Now I’m not someone who’s super uptight about protecting my cameras, you guys know my V has accumulated a ton of damage; but if there’s something I can do to prevent damage from occurring, I’ll do it.

More than simply the cameras being expensive, these are the tools we use to create our art with.

So I’m not the type of person to throw my camera around and manhandle it without a care.

I think if we treat our cameras well, they’ll treat us well.

It’s the same reason I try to take good care of the books I own - because books represent more than just the paper they’re printed on.

They are a manifestation of knowledge, creativity, effort, etc.

And for us photographers, our cameras are like our paintbrushes.

So why would we mistreat them?

Anyways I got sidetracked - that’s a whole nother discussion in itself.

The point is, I wanted to find a camera lug + strap combination that didn’t scratch my camera unnecessarily.

For the lugs, I’ve actually found these little fishing rings to work the best.

They’re strong enough to hold the weight of your camera and small enough to not touch the sides and scratch them.

Similarly, the camera straps I like to use are actually phone camera straps.

The Moment camera strap here is held by a small little string that hasn’t ripped on me yet.

Plus I like this one because it’s a quick slip on and off so I can use it for different cameras without those Peak Design things.

I also have this Ringke green camera strap I’ve been using.

I like the color and although the string is smaller it seems to hold quite well.

However, I don’t use it as often because it takes longer to put on and remove if you’re not using other straps with the same attachments.

So those are the camera straps I’m currently using.

I’m still searching for more similar straps of different styles so I don’t have the same look all the time.

But I’ll have to update you guys in the future if I ever find such things.

Miscellaneous Accessories

Lens Hood

I mentioned this earlier but I don’t use lens hoods.

Most lens hoods are fairly light and practical for blocking out lens flares, but I personally don’t feel like I need them.

This is a particular thing of mine because I feel like they make my camera higher profile.

They make my cameras bigger and they’re harder to move around my body.

The extra space can make my VI bump into the driver’s seat and seatbelt if I’m trying to get into the car and it’s just harder.

So I have nothing against lens hoods, I just don’t usually prefer them.

I do however, have this YC Onion lens hood that I’ve been testing out.

Personally, I’ve always liked the look and aesthetics of square lens hoods.

And I think for the x100 line, a square lens hood looks great.

This one in particular is quite light and matches the color of the VI.

I did however find it a bit difficult to get the hood to lineup with the camera.

It seems you have to use their adapter, loosen it a little bit and adjust the hood until it’s straight.

Which means the system isn’t fully tight, but it’s straight.

Otherwise if you tighten it fully, the thing is crooked.

You can also use a UV filter with this system, which is nice.

Meaning you can have this lens hood and still have the weather sealing for your camera.

The only thing is it takes an extra step to remove the hood first if you want to add or change filters.

So that could be a downside.

The hood also comes with a nice little lens cap that fits snug into the camera.

Maybe even too snug…I found it tough to put it on and off.

But anyways, it’s an interesting setup - worth checking out if you like square lens hoods.

I myself will be sticking to my UV filter + adapter combo.

Hand Grip

In addition to the lens hood, YC Onion also has this little half sized hand grip built for the x100vi.

It’s nice, feels pretty solid, and fits well into the camera.

This could be quite useful if you’re someone with big hands and needs a better hold on the camera.

Personally, my hands aren’t that big so I haven’t really found myself needing it.

It does add a bit of size and profile to the camera so I’ve opted not to use it to keep my VI more minimal.

But it’s a good accessory and can come in handy if you have bigger hands and need the extra grip.

Thumb Grip

YC Onion also has this little thumb grip available for the VI.

And out of all 3 accessories, I found this to be the most useful.

I had always questioned why people used thumb grips, because I never felt as if I needed one.

But the thing about the VI, and you’ll hear me talk about it in my full review, is that it’s heavier than the V.

It’s got the whole IBIS mechanism inside which might not be noticeable to some, but I can definitely tell.

And it’s a little harder on my wrist to turn up and quick point and shoot.

The thumb grip actually helps with this.

Because the VI is a sleek camera, it doesn’t have many grooves, and there isn’t much to grab on.

So having something there for your thumb makes it easier to get leverage.

And you can argue that the hand grip does the same thing, it’s your preference for which you want to use.

Personally I like the thumb grip more, it feels better and is smaller.

The only problem would be that it gets in the way of the shutter speed and iso dial.

YC Onion tried to compensate for this with this groove but it still makes it harder to change my settings.

So that’s my only real complaint.

Also the pre-production models have been noted to be a bit loose so take note of that.

That’s the one I have.

This looseness makes the grip slip out of the hot shoe…

Which ironically means, out of all these three accessories, I won’t be using any, even the one I liked.

But that’s okay, hopefully this gave you some insight for if you want to use any of these on your VI.

So to sum it up, my current accessories are:

uv filter + adapter
cinebloom filter
soft shutter release
camera strap

And that’s it.

Oh, and a screen protector.

But that’s it.

I hope you found this article helpful and it maybe gave you some insight on what to get for your camera.

Stay tuned for my full long term review of the VI - I don’t know when it’ll be done but it’s coming.

And if you like photobooks, check out my latest photography zine “The Sinking Sun”.

You can get a free 4x6 print while you’re at it.

Thanks for reading, have a great day.