Lars Ericsson

  • Review Fujifilm 50mm f2 R WR

    The Fujifilm 50mm f2 is one of the fujicrons. It´s compact, lighweight, sharp and it is affordable.

    Image borrowed from scandinavianphoto.se

    Background

    Fujicron is a popular nickname for Fujifilm’s compact, weather-sealed and fast f2 lenses for the X-mount cameras, the 50mm f2 is one of these. Named after Leica’s Summicron lenses, the Fujicrons are known for their high image quality in a small and lightweight format.

    The Fujifilm 35mm f2 was my first prime and after that came the 23mm f1.4 and the Fujifilm 50mm f2 R WR. When researching, the 50mm f2 seemed like a more reasonable purchase than the 56mm f1.2. The 50mm f2 also had some really positive reviews online, so it felt safe to buy it.

    Facts

    Focal length: 50mm (equals about 75mm on full frame)
    Max aperture: f2
    Step size: 1/3EV (19 steps)
    Focus range: 39cm – infinity
    Diameter: ø60.0mm
    Length: 59.4mm
    Filter size: Ø46mm
    Weight: 200g
    Weather and dust resistant: Yes
    Image stabilization: No

    Positives

    • Well built. Robust and premium feel.
    • Compact and light lens.
    • Aperature ring on the lens and the aperture rings has solid click stops.
    • A small camera with this lens on will hardly be noticed by people.
    • Fits smaller cameras like Fuji X-E4 perfectly.
    • Fantastic image quality, detail and colour rendering
    • Sharp already from f2 and sharpest around f4.
    • Sufficient background blur at f2 for most use cases.
    • Fast and reliable autofocus.
    • Weather and dust resistant.
    • Available in black or silver depending on taste.
    • Affordable.

    Negatives

    Honestly, this is a really good lens and that´s what reviews online will tell you as well. It’s also the lens I´ve used the most it 2025. So I don´t have much negative to say. Well, the lens has no image stabilization, not that I´m missing it. And the lens hood is ugly. Other than that I can´t think of much.

    Summary

    The Fujifilm 50mm f2 R WR is a compact, lightweight, fast and sharp lense, it´s really good! There are numerous reviews on the internet praising the lens and so do I. On top of that it´s affordable. I like!

    Example images

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  • Trysunda chapel

    The Trysunda chapel was probably built in 1654. It has beautiful murals and is well worth a visit.

    Trysunda is a small island located right in the archipelago of the High Coast World Heritage in Sweden. On the island there is a beautifully preserved fishing village and a small chapel. 

    The chapel was built by fishermen from Gävle who frequented the northern coast of Sweden for fishing. The Trysunda chapel is considered to be one of the older fishing chapels along the northern coast and was probably built in 1654.

    The chapel is known for its’ beautiful murals. The murals in the chapel were done by Olof Gåhlin. In 1711, when the paintings were made, Trysunda was used as a naval base by the Swedish king Karl XII and Olof Gåhlin was probably a craftsman on one of the larger warships that stayed in the harbor.

    An interesting curiosity is that in the rafters of the chapel there are hanks that fishermen used to hang their fishing gear during wintertime.

    Everytime we stay at Trysunda I pay a visit to the chapel, it´s well worth a visit. There is a guest harbour at Trysunda or you can arrive by ferry from Köpmanholmen on the mainland.

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  • Review Fujifilm 23mm f1.4 LM WR

    The Fuji 23mm f1.4 LM WR is one of Fuji´s modern f1.4 lenses. It´s weather resistant, fast and renders wonderfully sharp images.

    Fujifilm 23mm f1.4 LM WR
    The Fujifilm 23mm f1,4 pictured using the Fujifilm 35 f2

    Background

    I picked up my Fujifilm 23mm f1.4 LM WR in February 2025. I was a bit hesitant buying the 23mm lens (35mm equivalent on full frame) for my Fujifilm X-E4. Why? Well historically I´ve always had issues taking pictures with 35mm full frame lenses, it´s been a struggle. As it turned out I had nothing to worry about: The Fujifilm 23mm f1.4 LM WR has quickly become my most used lens.

    Build

    I will not go into details about the construction of the lens, you can read all about that on Fujifilms homepage. The lens is a reasonably sized lens to use on a X-E4, it´s not too big but you definitely notice that it´s there. Some dimension:

    Diameter: 67mm
    Length: 77,8mm
    Filter size: Ø58mm
    Weight: 375g

    The lens feels rock solid and it has never caused any problems. The aperture ring is nice with a good click.

    The only thing that annoys me about the lens is the lens hood: I really don´t like the it, not that the lens hood is bad it´s just not as good looking as the lens itself. I have actually lost the lens hood, not that I´m crying about it.

    Autofocus

    The autofocus is really good. It´s fast, smooth and there are no external moving parts. It’s reliable and it get´s the job done really well. I haven´t noticed any focus hunting. It´s worth mentioning that I almost exclusively take pictures of still or slow subjects.

    Image quality

    The image quality is super. The lens is sharp already from f1.4 and I think it´s the sharpest around f4 and it has a nice micro contrast. It’s easy to love the images coming from this lens.

    Summary

    In short: This is a beautiful lens. If I knew what I know now and didn´t own it: I would buy one!

    Some images taken with the lens

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  • Dreaming of summer

    I’m Sitting in the couch. It´s Saturday night. I´m Editing photos in Lightroom, Dreaming of summer.

    It’s seven months until the boat is launched. I find a photo from Ulvöhamn that I haven’t noticed before. The sun is shining, boats are bobbing, people are having a good time and the trees are moving in the wind: The epitome of summer.

  • What if…

    What if someone had told me when I was young in the 80s: In 2025 there will be something called YouTube and the Internet, and on YouTube there will be endless sailing videos to watch. I would never have believed it. Never!

    The whole idea of ​​something called Youtube with endless sailing videos would just have seemed like a crazy vision of the future. But now we’re there, there are infinite amounts of sailing to follow.

    Today I watched a wrap-up video from the 2025 Offshore Double Handed World Championships.

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  • Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT

    I have worked for the same employer for 25 years. I received A 25-years anniversary gift card from the company and I used it to buy a Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT..

    Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT
    Image from Hilleberg.com

    In the nineties I owned a green Hilleberg Nammatj 2 and I used that tent a lot, both in archipelagos and in the mountains. I was very happy with that tent but I sold it to a friend around the turn of the millennium. Since then I have mostly used the Hilleberg Staika and Soulo.

    Back to the anniversary gift from my employer: I chose a gift certificate. The gift certificate I used at Naturkompaniet to buy a red Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT, a tent I´ve dreamed of for a couple of years.

    I now have the pleasure of owning three red Hilleberg tents. This is how I plan to use the different tents:

    • Staika: Sea kayaking with my wife.
    • Soulo: Sea kayaking alone and small local hikes alone.
    • Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT: Winter trips in the mountains alone or summer hikes with my wife.
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  • Where the city doesn´t exist

    There are places where you don’t feel the pulse of the city, even though it’s close by. The eastern side of Brämön is one such place.

    Friday 26th of September

    I´m packing for the weekend. It’s unusual to pack for a paddling adventure, it’s been a long time since the last time. I have to think, rethink and look for the things. In the end it feels like everything is packed, I don’t have the energy to worry about forgetting something.

    Saturday 27th of September

    After a short drive I arrive Lörudden. The air is cool, it feels like autumn has taken a real hold on nature. I pack the kayak and set to sea. Passing the pier arms of Lörudden horbur I see Brämön spread out on the other side of Brämösundet.

    The wind is light and the waves are small, still they push me forward helpfully across Brämösundet to Sanna harbour on Brämön. The Sanna harbour pier has collapsed, it did so a few years ago, and there seems to be no plans to rebuild it. It makes me sad.

    I continues south along the shoreline of Brämön. Soon I pass between Brämön and the island Brämökalven. This is where the magic happens: Once you round the southern tip of Brämön and head north, the mainland and the city pulse disappear.

    Fishing hut at Brämökalven

    Soon I spot a campsite, a new campsite, a place I’ve never visited before. I climb ashore, change clothes, have some food and a beer, then I set up the tent and settle down with a book. I look to the east and wonder how far it is to Finland, it’s just under 200km.

    Early afternoon fog comes creeping in from the sea. The fog was supposed to come only in the evening, but nature seems to have a different plan than the meteorologists. I have coffee in the tent and enjoy doing nothing, it such a pleasure to have nothing to do but let the mind wander.

    Soon it´s time to make dinner. The kitchen serves spagetti Carbonara and a beer, life is simple. I keep the gas lantern running in the vestibule, it warms up the tent and dries out the humid air.

    Before I go to bed, I check on the kayak. The fog is thick, the kayak is wet, the tent is wet and the rocks are wet. Everything is wet. You can almost touch the silence.

    I read Tove Alsterdals Djuphamn in the sleeping bag until eyes start to feel heavy. I fall asleep around nine.

    Sunday 28th of September

    After ten hours of sleep I wake up, it feels so good to stay in the sleeping bag and wake up slowly. I´m wondering what the weather is like outside. To my surprise it’s a really nice morning, the fog has disappeared. I make a large pot of coffee and have breakfast in the tent with some quiet morning music as company: Sade passes by and so does Chris Isaak.

    I pack up camp and launch the kayak. I stear north towards the fishing village on northern tip of Brämön. The sea is completely calm. Brämö lighthouse welcomes me when I round the northern tip and paddle into the fishing village harbor.

    Two men are handling nets on one of the old piers. We start talking. They have been out picking up the nets early this morning, they have caught trout and whitefish but not in the quantities they are used to.

    Most of the fishing huts have shutters covering the windows, the summer guests have closed up and gone home. I’m leaving too. Just a short distance now to the mainland. I cross Brämösundet and get to surf on a motorboat’s waves the last bit back to Lörudden.

    I pack up the kayak and load it on the car, then I head for home: To everyday life and the city pulse.

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  • Friday fun!

    New issue of Yachting World. Extra thick issue and at a reduced price. Happy Friday!

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  • Humörräddning

    En irriterande dag på jobbet.
    Ett besök i båthamnen.
    Sen är man på gott humör igen.