So good they named it twice! It’s definitely one of my favourite cities in the world and I’ve been fortunate enough to visit it on several occasions.  In 2012 I was there with my family as part of our annual holiday. I had with me my Canon 7D, battery grip, four lenses ranging from 10mm to 200mm and a selection of accessories all carried in a Kata backpack. This was undoubtedly a mistake and after the first day I was a tired, sweaty mess with sore feet and shoulders. The rest of the trip saw me ditch most of the gear for just the body and a the lightest lens I had, a Sigma 10-20mm, but it was still a big bulky combination to carry about all day and on some days I even left it all in the hotel and resorted to my iPhone.

Last year I was back again, but this time it was different. I had recently purchased the Fuji X-Pro1 with the XF 18mm and 35mm lenses and a Billingham Hadley Small bag. Even with an iPad and a few other accessories this setup was much lighter and easier to carry. It was a joy to use and I found that most of the time I could carry the camera in one hand with the strap wrapped around my wrist. I took the camera everywhere, took lots more photos than previously and the whole process was much quicker and more spontaneous. For me the shots I took with the X-Pro1 (below) are the best I have ever taken in New York and this trip was definitely instrumental in my complete move away from DSLRs. I still have the X-Pro1 but I have also added the X100s and three more lenses. The Hadley Small has been replaced by the Hadley Pro but its still light and pleasant to use. I hope to be back in New York soon with my ideal kit of the X-Pro1 with 16mm, 35mm and 56mm lenses. I suppose I should start saving now!