I tend to shoot mostly JPEGs with the XE-4. There’s something liberating about it. Unless the light conditions demand it, I don’t feel the need to wrestle with RAW files. JPEGs allow me to focus on seeing and composing rather than spending hours in post.

Fujifilm’s film simulations play a subtle but important role. I rarely make heavy edits in-camera, and I don’t treat the simulation as a “finished product.” Instead, I think of it as a gentle nudge — a starting point for my Lightroom workflow. Astia, Classic Chrome, or Pro Neg. Hi give me a tonal baseline that feels right for the scene, but the photo truly becomes mine once I adjust light, color, lens corrections, and sometimes add grain by eye rather than relying on the camera’s built-in feature.

Shooting JPEG speeds up the process tremendously. I can set a white balance that feels right for the time of day, pick a simulation that complements the mood, and move through a scene quickly. It allows me to capture fleeting moments without hesitation, which is especially valuable in crowded spaces like Kadıköy streets or metro carriages.

For me, a photograph feels “finished” not when the colors are perfect or the tones are immaculate — there are endless possibilities in Lightroom for color grading. Instead, it’s about composition and light. If the framing and the atmosphere feel right, the photo works, regardless of minor tonal adjustments. In that sense, JPEGs give me the freedom to make these compositional decisions on the spot, to respond to what’s happening in front of me rather than what I might do later in the editor.

There’s also a kind of rhythm to it. Shooting JPEGs lets me move quickly, take more shots, and experiment within a scene without overthinking. I can trust the XE-4 to produce something close to what I see, and then add the finishing touches in post — subtle adjustments, a bit of crop, a touch of grain. The camera sets the stage, and I get to play with the details.

Ultimately, the joy of JPEGs with the XE-4 isn’t just about speed or simplicity. It’s about staying present. It keeps me in the moment, observing the scene, reacting to light and gesture, and finding those fleeting connections that make street photography so compelling. A photo may not be technically perfect, but if it communicates what I saw and felt in that instant, it’s done. It’s finished.