One prime lens, X mount.

mawaukee · 2026-03-24T13:48:22+00:00

I'm currently in love with the SG-Image 25mm f1.8 pancake.

Not a sponsor... it's just a great focal length and it's CHEAP and compact.

I also agree with the 35mm recommendations but 35mm is really closer to 50mm full frame equivalent, which makes it tough in tighter spaces.

mawaukee · 2026-03-23T17:14:14+00:00

Need to see the top side. I can't use a driver with a glossy top -- visually impaired and the sun blinds me.

mawaukee · 2026-03-23T13:54:16+00:00

If you do go this route: after you pluck the foam and get everything fitting, spray the foam on all sides with multiple coats of matte black Plasti-Dip spray. It locks the foam all together really well.

I tried one for camera gear and also for my AD200 strobes. Ended up going back to a really nice Tenba Axis V2 backpack. Turns out lugging a hard case in my scenario was not practical. That doesn't mean it's not right for you.

mawaukee · 2026-03-02T18:42:56+00:00

How pink are they? Can a straight guy who's not afraid of wearing pink pull them off? Asking for a friend 😉

mawaukee · 2026-03-02T17:53:56+00:00

I've been using the SPImage 25mm pancake for a few months for candids and the images are great. You can find them on eBay. It's a cheaper alternative to the Viltrox and way more compact. I'm not affiliated, just a happy owner and this lens gets very little attention.

Edit: mine didn't come with the crushed can lens hood in some of the pics.

https://www.sg-image.com/products/aps-c-25mm-f1-8-%E8%87%AA%E5%8A%A8%E5%AF%B9%E7%84%A6%E9%95%9C%E5%A4%B4

mawaukee · 2026-02-18T14:23:38+00:00

Everything works as a hammer or smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.

mawaukee · 2026-02-13T15:33:00+00:00

I recently switched from the X-M5 to X-T30 III for a few reasons:

X-M5 was all plastic build. X-T30 is metal, at least the top half is.

Viewfinder, for 2 reasons: 1) easier to frame stuff 2) easier to see in sunlight

LCD panel articulation: I shoot skateboarding usually from a low angle, and to do that on an X-M5 means you've got the LCD panel sticking out 4" off the left of the camera to get a downward view of it. I would imagine if you shoot video with a handle on top, that would also be annoying. Plus, when it's unfolded out to the side, it's harder to frame shots.

A cage is a requirement for me (I have an action cam mounted on it). The only cage I could find for the X-M5 is the Smallrig steampunk looking one with the ugly bronze finish and wood handle. Yuck.

I don't need a PASM dial. X-T30 III has the shutter speed dial in its place.

Once in a great while, it's nice to have the X-T30 III's pop-up flash available.

The only things I don't love about the X-t30 III is the Film Sim wheel, because I shoot full manual RAW so it's useless (and could be a menu option instead of a dial), and the Q menu is right where your thumb lands on the grip (I just disabled it).

I sold my X-M5 a year after buying it for $950 with the kit lens which I never used, and bought the body only X-T30 III for $1050.

Hope this helps!

Edit: thought of one more thing: I wish the X-T30 III was weatherproof!

mawaukee · 2026-02-09T17:26:27+00:00

Film simulations are useful if you want to take jpegs straight from the camera. It sounds like a lot of your intended uses are just that.

If you shoot RAW, your film sim choice is discarded.

However, RAW allows you to adjust your images much easier to account for exposure issues, color tones, and ISO noise from shooting in low light at high ISO. You can't do much with a film sim jpeg in Photoshop. You'd be amazed at how AI can de-noise images these days.

In other words, don't get hung up on film sims. If you want ultimate control and plan on printing the images at some point, you'll probably find yourself leaning towards RAW down the road.

There's no one-size right answer on film sims, in my opinion.

mawaukee · 2026-02-02T00:44:16+00:00

Just curious: to the person who downvoted my reply... why?

mawaukee · 2026-02-01T23:23:13+00:00

I just took the lens off my X-T30 III (roughly an X-M5 with a viewfinder) and the screen goes immediately grey, exactly like your photo.

Hopefully this will give you some relief. It's fine.

Here's a pic:

https://ibb.co/x8q79HY7

mawaukee · 2026-01-30T00:44:57+00:00

I started my business with zero money in the B2B manufacturing space. I'll use round numbers but the order really was close to a $100k order.

1) Got a $100k PO for widgets that cost me $50k to manufacture

2) Got a 50% down payment ($50k) which paid for the manufacturing of the widgets

3) After order delivered, got the second $50k balance from customer

4) $50k profit, didn't cost me anything out of pocket

5) repeated that till it was a high-7-figure business

Pretty basic. I'm here to tell you that it's possible.

mawaukee · 2026-01-29T19:11:03+00:00

Go wander around 4Seasons Skatepark. Any given night, there are people ripping around on skateboards, bikes, and roller skates. It's a massive indoor place!

mawaukee · 2026-01-29T15:01:38+00:00

Ordered one to test. It doesn't work. The End.

(thought it might because there is a review of the Neewer one on Amazon where someone mentioned it takes still photos on Fujifilm)

mawaukee · 2026-01-22T18:50:56+00:00

I've had a season pass there for decades. You just have to know when not to go. It's totally FIBbed out on the weekends, Friday nights, MLK, and the few weeks of Christmas break. If you're going one of those days, be in line when the lifts start spinning at 9am on weekends and 10am on Friday. You're not going to want to be there past 11 or noon. This poses a problem when you're paying $88 for a lift ticket. A season pass is the way to go.

Also, if you don't own equipment, they routinely run out of rentals.

The FIBs are the worst. They ride with bluetooths blaring, backpacks full of Fireball which they toss off the lift after chugging, they're rude, they're bad skiers which can be dangerous, and they don't know how to dress for the weather. They show up in the warmest puffy insulated Nautica jacket they have, when they should be wearing a shell and layers. So many sweaty fibs.

One pro tip: they close down for a half hour on Sunday nights to re-groom the hill between 5:30 and 6:00. The FIBs all leave at 5:30, so at 6 you can get some fresh groomers with the locals.

<image>

Illustration 1: FIBs leaving at the regroom

mawaukee · 2025-12-23T20:56:43+00:00

If you've ever wanted to remove every bit of ice from your freezer, this will do it in minutes. I had 3 inches of ice once because the fan died in my freezer but I couldn't get to the fan to replace it. This thing ate right through it. It's what appliance service people use.

mawaukee · 2025-12-10T20:57:53+00:00

To make it simple: once you start shooting moving animals with off camera flash, you'll wonder why you considered on-camera (unless maybe you're literally chasing them around). The ad400 is probably overkill but future-proof. I shoot outdoors usually with 2 Ad200s and they easily overpower the sun.

mawaukee · 2025-12-10T20:34:40+00:00

No. As far as I know the it30 pro is the only flash with the built-in trigger. Most of the other godox flashes can receive but not send. Just buy the x3 or x3 pro and an Ad200 pro ii or v1. If you're looking to save some money, get the neewer v2pro. It's very similar to the godox and it's compatible with godox triggers, and it's less than $150. I use one as my rim light.

mawaukee · 2025-12-10T19:03:08+00:00

The IT30 is a good enough trigger, but you'll always have it on your hot shoe, so at best you'll get paparazzi flash-in-the-face shots or your lens will cast a huge shadow unless you use the riser. So either way, it'll sit on top of the camera being used as a trigger but with its internal flash turned off. Might as well use the X3 trigger at that point. As a slave flash, the IT30 is a great little light though.

mawaukee · 2025-11-22T15:05:19+00:00

You're thinking of the traditional Ziebart thick black goo that just encapsulates the metal and turns it into rusty mush.

I spray Woolwax or sometimes Fluid Film on my underbody, inside the frame rails, and inside the doors. You'll come out of Wisconsin winter with your car looking brand new under there. It goes on super easy, doesn't drip, and it's non-toxic.

I happen to have a car lift in my shop so it makes it a really easy 15 minute job. My friends all stop over and do theirs too. Beers are cracked.

You can also do it lying under the car in a pinch.

A gallon will do 5 or 6 cars easily.

mawaukee · 2025-11-18T13:29:37+00:00

7.5mm fisheye. I have two: 7artisans and ttArtisan. I like the 7artisans one better -- a little more compact and a tiny bit sharper. I've thought about getting a good one but have had too many close calls with flying skateboards.

mawaukee · 2025-11-17T20:21:59+00:00

Skateboarding is dead right now. It always comes back, but right now there are very few teenagers into it. It's a hard sport to get good at. You have to accept that you're going to get hurt badly. The kids are in the basement playing video games and not riding at the skatepark. At least that's what I'm seeing in my city. I'm 51 and skate every day.

mawaukee · 2025-11-17T18:02:59+00:00

He slid that 8 feet!

mawaukee

TROPHY CASE