Fuji FinePix X100

david lacey wrote in post #12758922
I don't want to think about lighting rigs or which lens just the moment and what is. Sometimes the light will be good sometimes it will be bad. To take pictures with no expectations just for me just for the joy of it.

Now that should be the X100 slogan.

I like 35mm a lot too! If this cost $800 I would very strongly consider buying one. But I just can't see myself dropping $1200 on a camera that I know will only ever have one FL. Though I must say, if it were f/1.4 (something that'd be incredibly difficult to pull off) I might change my mind.

If used prices fall to around $600 someday, I'll be all over one though. But that all depends on what Fuji has in store for the future.

Dof of 3.2 compared to 1.4 all of a sudden doesn't sound as exciting. I'll have to live with my 35 1.4, d700 and retro 5 for now.

If its being compared to the EP-2 which sells for a nicer 700$, its going to have to be cheaper.

I don't see it getting any cheaper with the Out of Stock everywhere though.

Csae wrote in post #12761447
If its being compared to the EP-2 which sells for a nicer 700$, its going to have to be cheaper.

I don't see it getting any cheaper with the Out of Stock everywhere though.

I love my E-P1, but even with the E-P2's electronic viewfinder and the E-P3's amazing AF, the X100 still has it over all of the current m4/3's cameras IMO (and it's in the same price bracket as a kitted out E-P3 or GH2, incidentally).

Why? Large, optional electronic viewfinders look silly and attract attention. Not what you want when you're shooting in the street.

Also, 1.5 crop sensors are superior to half-size sensors. Not that this is a deal-breaker for me; even my E-P1 is capable of decent ISO3200 images, but I'm going to enjoy the additional low light abilities that come with a big sensor, and the shallower DOF will be nice too.

Also, the X100's lens is the fastest 35mm-equivalent lens I'm aware of in cameras this size. Panasonic and Olympus now have faster alternatives that are longer and shorter than 35mm, but I love shooting at 35mm and f/2 is a big improvement over the f/2.8 Olympus are offering.

Finally, the X100 has personality.

But mostly, it's about the viewfinder for me. It's magic.

Frankly, I think it's a bargain ... kinda like a 5D + 35/1.4 that fits in my pocket, at less than half the price! ... and I'm looking forward to selling some fine art work out of it

I agree. As much as I love my E-P1 and the whole m4/3 system, the X100 is also a very attractive proposition on paper. 35mm equivalent is absolutely perfect, and it has some clear image quality benefits over any m4/3 camera. For me personally, if not for the various operational "quirks" I'd probably be frantically liquidating equipment to fund one. As it is, I'm not willing to pay $1200+ for a camera this quirky.

cptrios wrote in post #12759169
I like 35mm a lot too! If this cost $800 I would very strongly consider buying one. But I just can't see myself dropping $1200 on a camera that I know will only ever have one FL. Though I must say, if it were f/1.4 (something that'd be incredibly difficult to pull off) I might change my mind.

If used prices fall to around $600 someday, I'll be all over one though. But that all depends on what Fuji has in store for the future.

I guess I'm still slightly confused on your focal length issue. As you mentioned in a previous post 24mm and 50mm would be nice focal lengths, but if those are the focal lengths your talking about, then why can't you step back a few feet, or forward a few feet?

Price issue, no, as amazing as this camera is, it's not worth $1200, (Or $1400 used, which is what I sold mine for) yet people keep buying them, they're out of stock everywhere you turn.

And what's the big issue between f/1.4 and f/2? You can get some pretty good DOF and Low Light Control at f/2.

For me, I can't wait to own the camera again when it's $600 on the used market, and hey, this camera MADE me money

Yohan Pamudji wrote in post #12764805
I agree. As much as I love my E-P1 and the whole m4/3 system, the X100 is also a very attractive proposition on paper. 35mm equivalent is absolutely perfect, and it has some clear image quality benefits over any m4/3 camera. For me personally, if not for the various operational "quirks" I'd probably be frantically liquidating equipment to fund one. As it is, I'm not willing to pay $1200+ for a camera this quirky.

Quirks = personality. Right?

Plus, they've resolved the worst of them with the latest firmware update, with more to come, no doubt.

I've had mine for a week or two now.
Someone (wisely) told me to assess it again once the honeymoon period is over and see if I still like it as much.
In fact, I like it even MORE now.
I don't walk out the door without this camera...DSLR sometimes stays at home.
Once I set up some basic parameters before taking it out or to an event, I feel the camera seems to make some good decisions about exposure from there.
IQ and low light performance is great.
Operationally the only thing that detracts from the experience is AF, being quite a lot slower than what I'm used to with a DSLR. It is not a sports camera! And battery life could be better

D

jMieser wrote in post #12764983
I guess I'm still slightly confused on your focal length issue. As you mentioned in a previous post 24mm and 50mm would be nice focal lengths, but if those are the focal lengths your talking about, then why can't you step back a few feet, or forward a few feet?

Heh, I don't have a focal length issue! In fact, out of 24, 35, and 50, I'd very strongly prefer 35. 50 is all well and good, but I'm not often in situations where foot-zooming is possible. And it's usually a lot easier to foot zoom (or crop) from 35 to 50 than it is in the other direction. 24 is great, but it's just too wide to have around all the time. Sure it'll inspire you to get up close and personal, but with an often gawky perspective.

My only real issue is that for the price, I would just feel psychologically frustrated knowing I'd never be able to slap a wider or longer lens on it. Ideally, it would have 15mm (24), 23mm (the current 35 it's got), and 55mm (85) pancakes. The 24 wouldn't have to be fast, and the 55 could be f/1.8 or so. That would be one hell of a system, and if Samsung is anything to go by (with their very nice and very affordable 20 and 30 pancakes), the whole thing could go for around $1500 (provided they price the X200 more reasonably than the X100)...and I'd probably buy it.

Csae wrote in post #12761447
If its being compared to the EP-2 which sells for a nicer 700$, its going to have to be cheaper.

I don't see it getting any cheaper with the Out of Stock everywhere though.

No comparison....The image quality on this thing is as good as my 5dMk2...And the color.....Absolutely no comparison with my 5dMk2 or any other camera out there apart from maybe the Foveon chip. . Fuji have done something to the sensor and software that produces the lushest colors I have ever seen on a digital camera.

rgds

clipper_from_oz wrote in post #12767018
No comparison....The image quality on this thing is as good as my 5dMk2...And the color.....Absolutely no comparison with my 5dMk2 or any other camera out there apart from maybe the Foveon chip. . Fuji have done something to the sensor and software that produces the lushest colors I have ever seen on a digital camera.

rgds

WOW. Thanks for your input. I'm one who wants to hear the best and worst honestly. And you were pretty clear.

Stop it! All of these good reviews and I will never be able to find one in stock.

ahhhhh i was waiting for amazon to have it in-stock, but they just removed it from their site.

jayvuu wrote in post #12770113
ahhhhh i was waiting for amazon to have it in-stock, but they just removed it from their site.

I'm telling you, the best thing to do is go to B&H. Fill out the notify when in stock form. Be ready to order as soon as you get the email. I had mine in less than a week by going that route. Got the email, called within a few mins and 2 days later had my x100. I had been waiting for Amazon for over two weeks.