If you’re looking for a solid film point and shoot camera, you should look no further than the Fujifilm Natura S.
I don’t think it’s possible for Fujifilm to have created a better camera. The Fujifilm Natura S embodies everything with keeping photography fun. And to keep it extra fun, you should get the pink version. As the perfect party camera, there is a lot to love about it. And even if Fujifilm created a digital version of this camera, I still don’t believe it would be anywhere as fun as the Fujifilm Natura S. But if Fujifilm were to bring back any film camera from the dead, the Fujifilm Natura S would be the best one, even over all their more serious cameras. Why? Well, why the hell not?
Let me tell you why I adore this camera so much. In a nutshell, it’s because you can’t take it seriously. It’s pretty affordable. And the less serious you take it, the better the photos are. You just have to put your trust in it. You’re not going to sit there fiddling with the shutter speeds or apertures, or even choosing a focus point. Instead, you’re just going to point and shoot. The images are going to be sharp thanks to its 24mm f1.9 lens. It’s not going to take up too much room in your bag or jacket, and it’s going to always get the metering right. That will mean that sometimes it will use a flash. And so what? When it uses the flash, it’s illuminating your subject perfectly fine.
I think that was a the cause of lot of my own frustration with film cameras, especially point and shoots. They have such an emphasis on putting the technical parameters in the way of you actually taking a picture. But the Fujifilm Natura S doesn’t do that. It removes the obstacles so you can just capture or create a scene. Will it be the scene you want? Maybe. But either way, it will give you a nice photo that you’ll enjoy later on. I’ve had the most keeper shots from rolls that have gone through the Fujifilm Natura S. And these point and shoots are great overall. Why hate on them? Because they’re not serious? But, aren’t I being the serious one taking the serious photo with this not serious tool?
I’d like to specifically talk about the Fujifilm Natura S over my other favorite film point and shoot: the Hexar AF. That camera is also great, but it got complicated and put things in the way of actually taking a solid picture. You can put it in program mode and then just fire and shoot: that’s for sure. But it needed a flash really badly. I’m not talking about a hot shoe flash, but one on the camera body. If that were a thing, it would be a pretty perfect camera overall, but it’s still big. It’s designed to be stealthy, for a photographer who doesn’t want to be seen. I guess you could say it’s more introverted. But the Fujifilm Natura S is more of the life of the party. It’s a fun camera that wants to interact with you. It takes the complications away. It begs you to go around and start conversations. And when you interact with your subjects and get everyone having fun, you can’t go wrong. It’s about a feeling. And most cameras don’t give you that.
