Fuji Hype, AI Wins & Indie Gems: Our Photography Show 2026 Experience.

On March 17th, Dan from MelonWave and I headed to NEC Birmingham for The Photography Show—and there was plenty to get excited about.

First, Fuji. We finally got to see the elusive X100VI in person. It’s got that classic 35mm-equivalent fixed lens, a hybrid viewfinder (optical or electronic), and that signature Fuji styling. Since I’ve had a few X100 models, it was great to finally see what the hype was about. On top of that, we picked up the 23mm f/2.8 pancake lens. It’s tiny, weather-sealed, and perfect for everyday shooting—definitely a handy addition to the kit.

Next, we got stuck into Narrative Select. This AI culling software is a real time-saver: it automatically spots sharp faces, flags closed eyes, groups similar shots, and makes it easy to pick winners. Summer, their ambassador (and a wedding photographer and podcaster), gave us insight into how it speeds up her workflow. For us, that means less time sorting, more time creating.

We swung by Ricoh too. Their new GR compact caught our eye—a sturdy upgrade with a 35mm digital lens, perfect for street photography. Over at Canon, they had a martial arts demo—not just a show, but a chance for us to test our own gear in action. And throughout the show, we got to shoot models and test lighting setups—hands-on at its best.

And we can’t forget Alfie Cameras. These half-frame film cameras mean you get twice as many shots on a roll, plus creative framing options. It was a nice indie discovery that brought a bit of old-school charm.

All in all, from the cutting-edge AI to the hard-to-find Fuji, the show was a brilliant reminder of why we love this. Now, we’re bringing all that energy back to Pixel Affiliate!

Images by Dan Grannum & Dan Short.