Fujifilm for Conservation Content : Fujifilm X NZCS

In May, NZCS embarked on our first ever Conservation Road Trip, a journey across the Waikato telling the stories of community groups doing incredible work on the whenua.

The goal of the trip was simple: use our platform to shine a light on everyday New Zealanders making a meaningful difference for conservation. Over the course of the journey, we visited projects in Raglan, Waikato, and the Kaimai Ranges, capturing stories that deserve far more attention than they often receive.

To help make that possible, Fujifilm provided some of their top cameras and lenses for us to use in the field. Our kit included the Fujifilm X-H2S, X-T50, and X-M5, alongside the MKX18-55mm T2.9 and MKX50-135mm T2.9 cine lenses, the XF150-600mm, the XF56mm f1.2, and the XF60mm Macro. Fujifilm also made it possible to bring cinematographer Dylan Jones along for the journey. Known for his work with TVNZ and For Good Media, Dylan played a key role in capturing the stories we encountered along the way on camera.

We recently sat down with Dylan to hear his thoughts on shooting with Fujifilm for the first time. While he has extensive experience working across several camera systems, this was his first time picking up a Fujifilm camera.

The First Few Hours With Fujifilm

Whenever you move to a new camera system, the simple reality is that there is going to be a knowledge gap you're trying to bridge.

It can be difficult to know how long that process will take. Will it be an afternoon, a week, or longer? Will the transition be straightforward? Have you allocated enough time to become familiar with the system?

In my case, that learning curve happened suprisingly quickly. We picked up the equipment in Auckland, and I spent much of the drive south in the passenger seat learning the camera layouts, exploring menus, and understanding Fujifilm's approach to camera design.

By the time we reached Waikato, I had the cameras configured and ready to film our first interview. What pleased me most was how quickly I settled into a rhythm with them, allowing us to focus on the stories themselves rather than worrying about the equipment. Occasionally, old muscle memory would still kick in, and I'd press the button I was used to on previous systems, only to end up in the wrong menu. But moments like this were the exception, not the norm.

Shooting with Fujifilm pushed me outside my comfort zone in a positive way. It encouraged me to experiment with new approaches and think differently about how I captured content.

Discovering Fujifim's Film Simulations

One feature I initially expected not to use much was Fujifilm's film simulations. That was because my original plan was to shoot with more neutral colour profiles and handle all colour work in post production. Instead, I found myself pleasantly surprised by what I discovered.

Some of the film simulations provided an excellent starting point for colour grading, fitting well with the vision I had in mind for the final pieces. More importantly, some of them introduced a character and feel that would have been difficult to recreate from scratch.

As someone who generally prefers to build a look from the ground up, I did not expect to use them nearly as much as I did. What started as a tool I'd largely written off became an appreciation for Fujifilm's focus on colour science, which is beyond my own skill and understanding.

As much as I like to think I'm a progressive creative who is willing to experiment and try new things, it's easy to become entrenched in one way of doing things. Getting to use the film simulations in a real world environment was the opportunity I needed to try something new and expand my horizons.

Why Portability Matters

One of the strengths of the Fujifilm kit was its portability. This was not a typical project, and it certainly didn't afford me the luxury, space, or comfort of a studio shoot. We had set ourselves an ambitious shooting schedule that spanned a huge variety of environments, subjects, and filming conditions.

The first day saw us hiking coastal cliffs near Raglan to film the nests of Grey Faced Petrels. The next day, we were documenting a kiwi transfer at Ōtorohanga Kiwi House and recording the critically endangered Mahoenui Giant Wētā just a few hours later. From there, we filmed pest plant control work in the Kaimai Ranges before descending steep and rugged terrain to witness a gigantic protected kauri above a hanging waterfall.

To cap it all off, we found ourselves filming in challenging low light conditions in the Kaimai Ranges before turning our attention to wildlife in the Hunua Ranges.

Like I said, this was not my usual sort of project, so it demanded a camera kit capable of high quality recording while remaining portable enough to take almost anywhere. Not every setup is designed for that, but the Fujifilm equipment felt suited to the task. Compact enough to bring into all of these different environments without compromising on the filming standard expected for professional production.

It's important to remember that there can be a real tension between technical specifications on paper and how they translate to real world conditions. You might have the perfect equipment to capture a shot, but can you carry it comfortably for days at a time? Can you get it into difficult terrain when the opportunity presents itself?

This became particularly apparent while climbing down a steep ridge in the Kaimai Ranges. The team we were working with informed us that the normal track was out of action due to a tree falling across it. We couldn't go over it, and we couldn't go under it. We'd have to go around it, and that was going to be a much harder route than usual.

I was very happy to have cameras with smaller form factors in that moment. Given how physically demanding the terrain was, that felt like a real advantage.

It's not every day that you're able to film while traversing some of the most challenging terrain in the upper North Island. I was really pleased to capture some rare and incredible shots of our landscapes, made possible in large part by the relatively lightweight Fujifilm kit we were carrying.

My First Real Experience with Cine Lenses

One of the highlights of the trip was spending extended time working with the MKX18-55mm T2.9 and MKX50-135mm T2.9 cine lenses.

While I had worked with a wide range of video equipment before, this was my first real opportunity to spend an extended period shooting with dedicated cine lenses in the outdoors.

What stood out immediately was how intuitive the lenses felt to operate. Once you're familiar with the lens, having aperture, zoom, and focus laid out physically on the barrel allows you to make precise adjustments quickly and confidently.

There was something really satisfying about spotting a shot in the distance and being able to quickly make the adjustments needed to capture it. After a few days of shooting, it became second nature. I think that reflects my overall experience with Fujifilm as well. The systems delivered image quality while also being easy to become accustomed to.

Over the past few weeks, as I've begun editing the footage from the trip, I've found myself really pleased with the results. I tend to be a harsh critic of my own work, so finding myself excited by the shots weeks later is rewarding. It's usually a sign that I've been shooting with good equipment.

A New Appreciation for Wildlife Photography

The lens that perhaps surprised me the most was the XF150-600mm. If those numbers don't mean much to you, it could also be called "extremely intense zoom."

This lens opened up opportunities that simply would not have been possible otherwise. It's helpful to understand that I am not a wildlife producer. I got involved with New Zealand Conservation Stories because I love exactly that: a good story. So when given the opportunity to tell an interesting story, you know I'll take it.

On our final morning in the Hunua Ranges, we spent time filming native wildlife. Birds were actively feeding and calling around us, but because of the reach of the lens, we could remain a considerable distance away.

The birds weren't reacting to our presence or changing their behaviour because a man with a camera was getting too close. We were able to document them feeding, singing, and flitting about from afar.

For conservation storytelling, that is incredibly valuable. It's really hard to tell a good visual story about a bird if you never capture it on camera. Even better, what I captured was authentic: birds unbothered and simply being themselves in their home.

As someone relatively new to filming wildlife in this way, it was one of those experiences where you suddenly understand why people dedicate entire careers to nature photography. There is something incredibly rewarding about capturing intimate moments without intruding on them.

The XF150-600mm made that process approachable, even for someone who would not consider themselves a specialist wildlife photographer. I walked away quietly wondering whether I was slowly being converted into one. 

So, What Did I Think?

The Conservation Road Trip was about telling conservation stories that may have otherwise remained untold in this visual format. We captured content that will go on to be viewed by potentially millions of people. That was simultaneously a humbling experience and a pinch myself moment. But it also came with some internal anxiety about doing all of that while adapting to a brand new camera system.

By the end of the journey, I was happily surprised by how quickly I had adapted to filming with Fujifilm and excited with the content we captured. We were able to document three conservation stories for organisations doing incredible work worth talking about, along with a huge amount of b roll footage that will appear across the NZCS channels in the months ahead.

The compact camera bodies made it easier to work in the field. The film simulations expanded my creative options. The cine lenses delivered a smooth and intuitive shooting experience, while the XF150-600mm opened the door to wildlife footage that would have been almost impossible to capture otherwise.

Most importantly, the equipment allowed us to focus on the stories themselves. That is the critical thing. These stories will educate and inspire millions of people, and Fujifilm invested in a couple of creatives with an ambitious vision to help make that happen. For that, we are grateful and excited to do it all again in the future.

If you have not already read Dave's review of his experience shooting with Fujifilm X-M5, you can read it here