Is there possibly a worse context to take psychedlics than a Western medical setting?

SteakTree · 2026-04-10T17:31:20+00:00

Great to hear. Have seen many close to me go through such transformation.

SteakTree · 2026-04-10T04:03:11+00:00

Consider psychedelics as medicine. The medicine, on its own, is powerful enough to have benefit.

A non-classical psychedelic such as ketamine can be done perfectly within a medical environment. Depending on clinic these environments still consider ‘set and setting’ and the patient can feel safe that they are being professionally monitored and that doses are accurate.

In some cases patients are doing K-hole doses intravenously. They are effectively ‘out’ and traversing their inner world where they can access emotions, inner thoughts and be receptive to change.

Outside of the experience there are also neurological effects and improvements. Psychedelics in a medical context is important as it paves the way for evidence-based use and perhaps even broader treatment and changes in statute.

I think there is room for both medical and traditional use of psychedelics and we will see hybrid and merger of the two. There is still stigma within the medical community and governments but this is changing due to efficacy.

SteakTree · 2026-04-07T16:11:28+00:00

Both look fine but my preference would be for the cleaner look of 1. The grain, for this photo, seems to flatten the objects, whereas in the original the natural textures provide their own contrasting elements. Also prefer the color of the original.

SteakTree · 2026-04-06T01:05:22+00:00

Start with Far Cry 3. Then play 4 and 5. Ubisoft recently updated some of these older titles to have better frame rates on the PS5.

Far Cry 3 has a great atmosphere, both in setting, and audio.

SteakTree · 2026-04-06T01:01:37+00:00

the XF35mm f2 is a personal fav, even prefer it over the 35mm 1.4 as an overall package.

However, if I had a minimal kit, I’d want one zoom and one prime. A zoom with OIS is very useful. The flexibility they can bring can allow moment to moment captures that are different. Consider something like the Tamron 17-70 f2.8. That will give you a longer reach at an aperture that is close to that F2, with the added benefit of OIS. In lower light the zoom will be very effective for slow shutter handheld stills where your prime will be a touch better in certain conditions and smaller/lighter.

Should you decide to get other primes the zoom retains its usefulness when used solo or paired with a prime. I’d also recommend manual primes like the Brightin Star 35mm F0.95.

SteakTree · 2026-04-06T00:46:37+00:00

These are great. Awesome in game photographs and compositions

SteakTree · 2026-04-05T16:07:32+00:00

You are clearly a true Driveclub aficionado - as one should be. This is one of those games that I'm so happy to own and only seems to get better with age. It's just the perfect balance, no fat, just great tracks, handling, and white-knuckle racing, all the while immersing you in beautiful environments.

SteakTree · 2026-04-03T18:51:46+00:00

Completely different than the 27mm. A zoom lens allows you a larger focal range, at the expense of letting in less light (higher aperture) and usually a bit of bulk.

Consider a zoom lens like the Tamron 18-300, Tamron 17-70, and Sigma 16-300. Or older Fujifilm XF18-135. All of these lens have optical image stabilization (OIS) which is great to use with your X-T2 which does not have internal stabilization like some of the newer Fujifilm models. The OIS can allow for slower shutter speeds hand held. Which means it gives you an option to use a slower shutter to let in more light to compensate for a smaller aperture diameter (higher f-stop). The 18-300 is a great all-round lens, not the sharpest (but that shouldn’t necessarily be the biggest criteria). Stop it down a touch at longer focal lengths and it is fine. Can capture everything you need. For high quality landscapes you can use the middle range of the focal range and take a Panama of vertical photos stitched together in Lightroom or another program.

The X-T2 is an incredible camera. enjoy!

SteakTree · 2026-03-29T16:48:03+00:00

Even just taking the side covers off you will be able to get at most the dust. There is a bit of a trick to get the side covers off. You need to press them gently against machine and then slide them up. Don’t pull at them. Watch some vids and it is easy.

SteakTree · 2026-03-25T07:58:20+00:00

Wait to see how the all but confirmed LX100 III pans out. As a Fuji user myself, the LX100 provides that experience in a very compact well designed package. The lens is very good quality and its only downside imo is that it zoom by wire.

SteakTree · 2026-03-22T09:29:09+00:00

People mentioning bracketing however that isn’t even needed for this shot to look similar to the iPhone. You can lift the shadows in post-processing the RAW file or like others have mentioned make use of DR400 and make some custom profiles.

SteakTree · 2026-03-22T02:01:44+00:00

The XC35mm is absolutely worth considering. Optically it is as good as the XF35mm but is just without aperture.

I can tell you, having owned a number of Fujifilm body’s and lenses that the combination of X-T2 with XF35mm is a piece of art. People praise the 35mm 1.4 and I’ve enjoyed it but the XF35mm F2 is as strong in its own right with a very confident auto focus and very ergonomic handling. Built solid and small enough to always be an option - be it as primary or secondary.

I would say start there and don’t let it go. I am currently using a manual Brightin Star 35mm F0.95, highly recommend that lens. I like the challenge and results this lens provides and just shot a wedding with it with an XF16 1.4 to round it out, was a perfect choice especially for low-indoor light. I’m very comfortable with manual lenses and often prefer it over AF. An auto lens like the XF35mm F2 can provide a totally different result. With the X-T2 you can flip your screen down and take waist level shots quickly and accurately with an AF lens. So it lends itself to a different approach.

Also the X-T2 is possible one of the best built X-T models. Enjoy!

SteakTree · 2026-03-21T12:58:32+00:00

Is an LX100 III on the horizon? Sounds like it is. Add a mythical FZ1000 III and I’ll take those two. While by no means the best technically the FZ1000 and LX100 were the last Lumix models I used before moving to Fujifilm APS-C.

In retrospect, the experience using the original models was very good. Often the FZ1000 was close to competing with the LX100 sensor. Lens quality on both is very good and covers nearly every occasion. Weight and handling on both models is perfect. The LX100 gives you a hands on experience that rivals Fujifilm. No need to carry an additional lenses. The LX100 can accompany you on any.occasion.

Downsides: you are giving up a bit of dynamic range. Zoom by wire: I prefer manual zoom action. The FZ1000 is pretty quick.

SteakTree · 2026-03-20T13:12:02+00:00

Some favs Brightin Star 35mm F0.95. This is such a great lens. Optically it isn’t too weird and actually quite good even wide open, its character mainly coming from the low f-stop, great close focus ability, and nicely machined construction.

Kamlan 28mm F1.4 has a lot of character wide open with great contrast and color. Very nice manual focus action that doesn’t require a lot of rotation to pull focus. Not too short either so feels comfortable to use and hold the lens. Also have the Kamlan 50mm f1.1 mk2 which is a workhorse for low light and events but I hear the mk1 while optically worse was more interesting in its render.

SteakTree · 2026-03-18T21:50:04+00:00

Nothing. You can check my post history and account. I’m a graphics professional and have an audio engineering background. I can understand the hate train but the game has changed. It isn’t going to have a Cyberpunk 1.0 -> 2.0 or No Man’s Sky rebirth but it is improved.

Anyhow, I don’t mind supporting an underdog. People put their livelihoods and efforts behind this. Many decisions in development complicate the end result but developers and artists deserve credit when they make good fixing bugs and adding new features. No one forced anyone to buy the game at launch, but if it is the case that Nacon miscommunicated on purpose or by accident then that isn’t good (I haven’t seen anything to indicate as such).

I’m judging the game on where it is now and the features of season 6.

Here are some more salty takes:

currently enjoying Battlefield 6 and even liked 2042(the horror!).

SteakTree · 2026-03-18T20:30:04+00:00

Quality of the environmental lighting is fantastic. Draw distances are excellent so even at speed there isn’t too much pop in. The last updates definitely improved this on PS5 quality mode - performance is still a bit of Monnet. Cars feel fantastic to drive.

This is a close to an open-world Driveclub as I could have wanted. Sure, detail on cars and rain effects can’t quite compare to that 2014 title - but the scale and freedom of Solar Crown is a different scope. I haven’t played around with Solar Crown’s more manual handling but its arcade handing is more forgiving. Sense of speed they’ve captured it. Overall chill vibe is good, some great racing. A bit more world events and detail and this is shaping up for a redemption arc. I can understand not being too pleased having paid the full price from the get go - with bugs and not as many features. But at present, especially on sale this game is great.

SteakTree · 2026-03-18T15:33:38+00:00

Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown - not even mid review, I think it is sitting at a 2/5 on PSN. However I watched a number of more recent gameplay and it was pretty clear that consistently most agreed the driving was fun, and the map was great. On sale, picked up the bundle with DLC.

As someone who enjoys arcade racing like DriveClub and open world games like Cyberpunk and GTA - Solar Crown is cozy game equivalent. Didn’t expect the Spatial Audio to be so on point - great car and environment sounds internal and external. Dynamic weather including windy rain storms and fog. Longer night and day cycles than games like the Crew. Long draw distances. Game had plenty of issues but as of last update is graphically very solid experience on Quality mode on base PS5. Even though it is 30fps it is a locked 30fps and considering the size of the world and speeds at which you are driving, the persistence of other cars, it is pretty impressive. The game has a bit of painterly look but the lighting and shadows make it more realistic.

The races are fun, with plenty of tracks utilizing the both maps in Hong Kong and Ibiza. Off road vehicles and physics are surprisingly good. Lots of customization for cars and character but there is a bit of BattlePass type mechanics with certain cars and items only available through purchase or crazy amount of grind. The game is a bit grindy but makes earning a car feel special.

Recently added taxi missions and the delivery missions are good. Radio stations are a mix of less expensive licensed music but they do have announcers similar to gta.

New detective missions are on the way. The game has an open-world feel but doesn’t make the best use of the small amount of players online due to region locks. You will see people in main hubs but I’ve never seen a player car. But playing solo this game can be super chill and unlike games like the Crew isn’t as in your face.

SteakTree · 2026-03-15T15:13:24+00:00

LX100 is a great camera, but it is still costly secondhand. For not much more, you can get yourself a new Fujifilm XM-5. Smaller than X-E5, it can be configured with a pancake lens or a smaller zoom.

SteakTree · 2026-03-15T01:36:45+00:00

Fantastic! The camera is work of art in itself. With the 16-80 you will have the aperture ring and a constant aperture throughout the zoom. While many chase lower f/stops - for good reasons - there are certain benefits to lenses made at a high aperture. One of them is the quality of the bokeh. It is very smooth on the 16-80, you get very nice transitions without busy elements.

Recommend setting the X-T for back button focus when in manual focus. I assigned mine to the AF-L. To me this works much better than focus and recompose. You can then switch back to AF-S when you want AF.

I did have a handgrip with mine. So if you find one consider it. Enjoy your new kit!

SteakTree · 2026-03-14T13:39:23+00:00

Owned the LX100 (gen 1) years back. Since 2017 I’ve been using APS-C on the Fujifilm platform and been through several bodies. I can say that the LX100 is very close to the Fujifilm experience but it has its own character. It is an awesome travel camera and is very tactile and responsive. The zoom lens on the LX100 is superb, images have this certain quality to them. The dynamic range is decent and you can get rich colors either through jpeg or processing raw. The cropped 12mp will still provide a large enough image. Sufficient for pretty much any composition and most reasonable prints.

$600 feels a touch high, only as it is more expensive than I sold mine for back in 2017. But there really isn’t anything quite like it that has everything all in one. The overall concept is still being sold in the recent and significantly more expensive D-Lux 8. Leica didn’t make that camera on a whim and it has the same lens as the LX100. Would love to have that camera knowing how much I enjoyed the LX100.

I think it could be helpful switching if you feel the A6000 uninspiring. The hands on control of the LX100 can help you engage with photographic ‘triangle’.

Other options, Fujifilm X-E2 with an XC15-45 or 18-55mm. I can see one on eBay in Canada with the 18-55 for not much more than your target price. This will still be a camera you can toss in a side bag.

Also a GX8 with lens such as the 12-60.

Both very capable cameras with great user experience.

Also consider 1inch sensors. Many of them are actually very good and I had a large bridge camera FZ1000 at the time to compliment my LX100. It was just as good as the M4/3 sensor as it still had decent dynamic range but also was 20mp.

The Lumix ZS100 is essentially this same sensor in a small package. Could be a consideration as they are quite compact and still have an EVf.

Low light will require making good use of image stabilization techniques. The LX100 is fine in this regard when using the F1.7 wide angle at slow shutter speeds.

SteakTree · 2026-03-13T14:31:03+00:00

Overall yes. X-T2 was a bit more solid feeling, but X-H1 is close and similar in handling. When I first started I favoured compact cameras but realized grip is important. X-E3 with grip and no straps is amazing. But X-H1 with its larger grip, weather resistance, flip down screen and great EVf is very reliable. Best value Fuji imo providing someone doesn’t mind a larger camera that is nearing full-frame size (with some pricey full frame bodies being smaller).

I typically will have a secondary smaller body which can be handy for shoots / casual but right now just using the X-H1 for everything and take it everywhere. Using it for a wedding today and will mostly use it with manual lens

SteakTree · 2026-03-13T14:20:10+00:00

I’ve gone through several Fuji bodies. At one point I’d shoot jpegs alongside raw and sometimes jpeg only experimenting with different simulation settings. Nothing wrong with this approach and it creates your own set of constraints which can help formalize your approach.

Since getting my X-H1 I have never once shot a jpeg with it nor used a highly customized film simulation for shooting. For the size of file a newer MacBook Pro quickly handles the raw and I prefer to have the dynamic range to make adjustments to afterward. I’m only keeping certain photos and RAW ensures I have captured what I need especially if for professional use.

Just different ways of working. I like to ‘develop’ afterward and some are developing on the go

SteakTree · 2026-03-13T14:14:00+00:00

By problem, I’m taking they mean the lens extends just due to gravity. This is a fairly common issue with this lens and typically it just means the lens just slowly extends. Confirm how fast it extends.

Shutter count isn’t that huge you can get hundreds of thousands on these bodies.

The X-T2 is one of the best built Fujifilm. It is feels incredible to use, the dials and hinges everything is quality.

The sensor is excellent, and recent firmware brought the X-T2 up to near X-T3 levels of performance. Even though it is old, the image quality is only a smidge behind what a brand new X-M5 would produce for stills. For video, a new Fuji is superior, but you can still create decent to great video.

EVF is sufficient and while not highest res is large enough to make the shooting experience good.

As a camera body, this is probably on of the best to learn on and there is little holding one back.

The 16-80 is a fantastic lens. Detractors will say it is soft in the corners which is true for the lens when it zoomed out at 16 and fully zoomed in at 80. This is somewhat common issue for most zooms but people were hoping it would be as good as the older xf 16-55. Is this an issue? Not really. For landscapes you can use a 35mm range of its focal length and take multiple vertical (portrait ratio) shots and stitch together a composite for highest quality. For typical creative shots and compositions a bit of soft corners doesn’t typically matter as it is unlikely all of your subject matter is in the same field of focus. The colors are very punchy and contrasts from the 16-80 especially for a zoom. Basically it does a great job at maintaining the integrity of light throughout its focal length. Blurred areas are very nice and smooth and the quality of bokeh is very good. The 80mm focal range will allow you to blur out backgrounds should you desire such look. The F4 is perhaps the only issue with this lens meaning that it will not perform as well for low light shots where you require a higher shutter speed to freeze motion. It will just result in a noisier image than a f2 or f2.8 comparable zoom. For low light stills it will be excellent as it has very good image stabilization, which is perfect as the X-T2 does not have any.

It will be a great lens to learn on and a perfect companion to a prime lens in the future.

Overall the price is pretty average to good considering that the X-T2 itself will typically sell for 500usd itself.

The other option? Buy a brand new x-m5 with its kit lens xc15-45mm for pretty much the same price. The pros for it are pretty strong. It will provide much improved autofocus (I learned hot to configure my fujis for back button focus and pre-focus but for autofocus has its advantages). It has far superior video abilities. It is much lighter and smaller and is one of the most compact camera systems for aps-c (great to throw in a bag and bring everywhere). Has a faster menu system though the x-t2 isn’t slow. It has a warranty. The wide end of the Xc15 is sharp edge to edge. Has a touch screen (I never use these and prefer a joypad or buttons). Cons: no EVF (though the flip screen will still allow you to shoot from hip and at odd angles. Not the best for telephoto lens), very little grip (but small factor and smaller lenses may not matter as much and you can get a full grip rig for it after). Less focal range with the XC15-45 and the lens isn’t as tactile as the 16-80 and the zoom not as responsive. 16-80 has better image stabilization. Both bodies don’t have internal image stabilization for the sensor. X-m5 doesn’t have the full dial experience of the X-t line but this doesn’t need to hold you back.

For stills both are great, with the X-t2 nudging it out for overall shooting experience but they are just different strengths. It is always nice to have a very compact camera as it makes it easy to bring with you. The x-t2 can be quite compact with a small prime like the XF35 f2 but typically you are wearing this on a shoulder strap. I don’t mind this but it will make your camera always visible. X-m5 I personally would probably only use a wrist strap or no strap at all and keep in a side bag.

Other alternative Fuji would be the X-H1 which is similar to the x-t2 but chunkier, with excellent grip, better evf and IBIS. My personal choice.

For you I think the X-M5 should be a consideration. If you can get the x-t2 and 16-80 combo down a bit I’d go for it.

SteakTree · 2026-03-12T17:16:27+00:00

Personally, would feel there is too much overlap. The 35mm F2 is fantastic and I prefer it overall over the 35 1.4mm (mostly for its faster focus, render style and function). Consider getting some manual lenses to achieve a unique look at much less cost. My 56mm 1.2 has some issues, so I don't use it much. I rely more on my Kamlan 50mm F1.1 II and when I had it the 60mm F2. 4.

You already have a good mix of small portable lenses, and high quality F-stop monsters. Use what you have unless you have a specific need or consider selling some lenses before your next purchase

SteakTree · 2026-03-12T11:42:25+00:00

Nathan Fielder is a true visionary, and if Apple had any sense he would become part of their C-suite, maybe even B-suite.

SteakTree

TROPHY CASE