Fuji FinePix X100

right.. I've pretty much made up my mind about getting one of these.. darn you all!

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #11910005
These photos and videos have actually left me underwhelmed to be honest. I dont see anything in terms of amazing photo quality, but maybe thats just me.

I've been pretty satisfied with what I've seen, personally. But no, there's nothing amazing going on here. I don't think that anyone expected this to match a 5DII+35L combo. But The pictures are pretty sharp across the frame and the bokeh looks to be fine (unlike the Canon 35/2). And to me this camera is more about the ergonomics and style than it is about picture quality. Which is why I won't be paying $1200 for one, but definitely want one all the same!

cptrios wrote in post #11912366
I've been pretty satisfied with what I've seen, personally. But no, there's nothing amazing going on here. I don't think that anyone expected this to match a 5DII+35L combo. But The pictures are pretty sharp across the frame and the bokeh looks to be fine (unlike the Canon 35/2). And to me this camera is more about the ergonomics and style than it is about picture quality. Which is why I won't be paying $1200 for one, but definitely want one all the same!

Yeah its still an APS-C with a mid-range f2 prime. It's not going to give M9 + summilux results.

Speaking only for myself: while I know it's the photographer and not the tools, I think this camera is going to enable alot of photographers to create truly exceptional pictures. I think alot of gifted photographers are burnt out on endless bells and whistles and just want to capture great images. I love my DSLR and all it's options, but there are times when I'm tired of tunneling through endless menu choices, tired of zooming and zooming and zooming..tired of topdeck LCD's that read like the command center of the USS Enterprise. I want to set the camera quickly, and I want to quietly take beautiful images that are as sharp or as bokeh as I want them. (I know. Bokeh isn't an adjective. Forgive me)

The Leica purists are going to snort at this camera. That's okay. Leica has a cachet that this camera doesn't have. I'm okay with that. While the Leica folks are busy laughing at me, I'm going to be at the frame store, carefully selecting quality frames and mats that will complement my stunning images.

Or just use film like me.

Rainyday wrote in post #11913981
Speaking only for myself: while I know it's the photographer and not the tools, I think this camera is going to enable alot of photographers to create truly exceptional pictures. I think alot of gifted photographers are burnt out on endless bells and whistles and just want to capture great images. I love my DSLR and all it's options, but there are times when I'm tired of tunneling through endless menu choices, tired of zooming and zooming and zooming..tired of topdeck LCD's that read like the command center of the USS Enterprise. I want to set the camera quickly, and I want to quietly take beautiful images that are as sharp or as bokeh as I want them. (I know. Bokeh isn't an adjective. Forgive me)

Now I am definitely in favor of the x100. Looks like a wonderful tool!

But for what you describe, why not slap on your 50mm prime and shoot away?

For what I do the only time I use my menu is for the following:
AEB
Deleting images from the card
Setting LCD brightness

Otherwise I can adjust my shutter, aperture, ISO, and shooting mode on my 40D very fast.

Your 7D might have endless bells and whistles and menu options, but you don't have to use them all. Do you?

The one complaint I didn't see you mention was the size and weight of your DSLR. The one major advantage I can think of that the X100 offers is it's small size and weight. So because you didn't mention that is why I am suggesting you could try using your DSLR with less complexity and focus more on taking pictures.

rjx wrote in post #11914679
Now I am definitely in favor of the x100. Looks like a wonderful tool!

But for what you describe, why not slap on your 50mm prime and shoot away?

For what I do the only time I use my menu is for the following:
AEB
Deleting images from the card
Setting LCD brightness

Otherwise I can adjust my shutter, aperture, ISO, and shooting mode on my 40D very fast.

Your 7D might have endless bells and whistles and menu options, but you don't have to use them all. Do you?

The one complaint I didn't see you mention was the size and weight of your DSLR. The one major advantage I can think of that the X100 offers is it's small size and weight. So because you didn't mention that is why I am suggesting you could try using your DSLR with less complexity and focus more on taking pictures.

I should have mentioned size and weight-they are important factors. As for the bells and whistles, they serve a purpose. Sometimes they are distracting though e.g. "gee, if I changed the focusing settings, maybe I could..maybe I should set my bracketing just a little differently...hey, I should slap on a flash and set it for"... It's a little like being in Starbucks, staring at all the choices and feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities, when all I really want is a cup of hot coffee that is simple but tastes really good. When I visited London, I only took my point and shoot. I knew perfectly well if I brought my DSLR, I would spend all my energies trying for an awesome picture and fail to enjoy London as a tourist. I dunno, I'm probably explaining it badly. Sometimes I just want to enjoy the craft of photography and stop trying to be the next Ansel Adams. And unfortunately for me, if the bells and whistles are there, I just gotta fiddle with 'em and see what they do. Silly, I know. And btw, congrats on the 40D, brilliant camera.

Rainyday wrote in post #11917554
I knew perfectly well if I brought my DSLR, I would spend all my energies trying for an awesome picture and fail to enjoy London as a tourist.

THIS is why I want this camera. a P&S won't do it for me because I hate them I cant stand using live view all the time, and in general, I find the ones that do offer a viewfinder ugly, and they don't have an large enough sensor.

Sirrith wrote in post #11917735
THIS is why I want this camera. a P&S won't do it for me because I hate them I cant stand using live view all the time, and in general, I find the ones that do offer a viewfinder ugly, and they don't have an large enough sensor.

There's always the option of a Sigma DP1/2 with optical viewfinder. Nowhere near as cool as the X100, or as nice, but a hell of a lot less expensive.

Yes I looked at the sigmas, and the sensors in them are a bit smaller (which isn't too much of a problem I suppose, but I'd rather have the larger sensor of the x100), and having to buy a viewfinder separately brings the cost up to ~$650. IMO, the $350 difference is easily justifiable when taking into account the overall looks, build, lens specifications and controls of the fuji Plus knowing me I'd probably lose the viewfinder if I got the sigma.

Leicaphiles will poo-poo any camera like theirs because they are very insecure about their equipment. They *know* that they overpay about 10x for what they get. My brother owned an M8, and had both Leica and Voightlander lenses. The Voightlanders provided 98% of the image quality of the Leica lenses at 1/10th the price. You can only imagine the response he got when he asked Leica owners to reliably choose an image made with a Leica lens vs. a Voightlander lens. No one could do it, and almost all declined to even try and called him names. Ahhh, blind brand devotion is a wonderous thing...

I like the x100 - it's image quality appears fantastic, and it has a hybrid finder that fixes the problem with non-DSLRs - outdoor use of an LCD screen.

Rainyday wrote in post #11913981
Speaking only for myself: while I know it's the photographer and not the tools, I think this camera is going to enable alot of photographers to create truly exceptional pictures. I think alot of gifted photographers are burnt out on endless bells and whistles and just want to capture great images. I love my DSLR and all it's options, but there are times when I'm tired of tunneling through endless menu choices, tired of zooming and zooming and zooming..tired of topdeck LCD's that read like the command center of the USS Enterprise. I want to set the camera quickly, and I want to quietly take beautiful images that are as sharp or as bokeh as I want them. (I know. Bokeh isn't an adjective. Forgive me)

The Leica purists are going to snort at this camera. That's okay. Leica has a cachet that this camera doesn't have. I'm okay with that. While the Leica folks are busy laughing at me, I'm going to be at the frame store, carefully selecting quality frames and mats that will complement my stunning images.

UMM... actually alot of leica purists are liking this camera lol.

cptrios wrote in post #11918003
There's always the option of a Sigma DP1/2 with optical viewfinder. Nowhere near as cool as the X100, or as nice, but a hell of a lot less expensive.

f2.8 or f4 prime on a sensor that gets too noisy at Iso 800? No thanks. Samsung NX or M4/3 with a fast pancake is a better option and they both have accessory viewfinders available.

BestVisuals wrote in post #11918060
Leicaphiles will poo-poo any camera like theirs because they are very insecure about their equipment. They *know* that they overpay about 10x for what they get. My brother owned an M8, and had both Leica and Voightlander lenses. The Voightlanders provided 98% of the image quality of the Leica lenses at 1/10th the price. You can only imagine the response he got when he asked Leica owners to reliably choose an image made with a Leica lens vs. a Voightlander lens. No one could do it, and almost all declined to even try and called him names. Ahhh, blind brand devotion is a wonderous thing...

I like the x100 - it's image quality appears fantastic, and it has a hybrid finder that fixes the problem with non-DSLRs - outdoor use of an LCD screen.

It really depends on which voigtlander lens compared to which leica lens. For instance a leica 35 1.4 asph will be insanely sharp at 1.4 compared to a voigt 35 1.4 classic. Same goes for a leica 50 .95 and a voigt 50 1.1. But there are other lenses that do stand out.

tkbslc wrote in post #11918114
f2.8 or f4 prime on a sensor that gets too noisy at Iso 800? No thanks. Samsung NX or M4/3 with a fast pancake is a better option and they both have accessory viewfinders available.

Totally agree, though the NX doesn't impress me much on the noise front, especially considering its comparatively large sensor size. I'm inching ever closer toward an E-P/L2 myself.