Fuji X100 Blog

[simplify]

Here are some snaps from my new Fuji X100 if anyone is interested.
Being only a Phase One P45+ shooter, it is nice to use a smaller camera again.  However the fuji x100 just makes me miss my Leica.  There are some focusing issues on the x100, and it is overall not that fast of a camera.
I have image setting captions coming soon to the blog.
http://johnpauljespersen.squarespace.com/myfujiblog/

Thanks,
JP

[johnkraus]

Hi John Paul,
Nice stuff. You appear to be a fellow San Franciscan. And driving in my Element!
The X100 isn't an M9, but it is very much its own beast. Takes time to get comfortable with- lots of shortcuts help when you learn them.
I'm just starting to test mine. IQ is very very good to my eye. Better DR than any small camera I've used. And better low light performance than an M9.
Trying to see just how fast it can get a shot off, and if autofocus in Optical Finder mode is really a problem or not. Are there real problems that can't be solved, or are there workarounds? That's the search. So far mine is working flawlessly- I'm wondering if the more recent batch of X100s have unannounced improvement tweaks.

[johnkraus]

Try using Quick Start mode, in the Setup menu. Cold start goes from 2 an 1.2 seconds to .7 seconds. Also a fast SD card helps a lot- I'm using Sandisk Extreme Pro.

[simplify]

Yes, I realized I was using a class 4 sd card,  I upgraded to a class 10 and the x100 is much faster when shooting.
Thanks,
JP
http://www.MyFujiBlog.com

[johnkraus]

The camera is still slow to focus and fire, especially if one is used to a D3s or similar. My only real complaint with it. I'm testing out shooting with multipoint focus where the camera chooses the focus point. Works surprisingly well.
If not trying to grab a passing fast moment, the camera is wonderful.

[darylcheshire]

Hi,
Just got the Finepix X100 yesterday.
I was aware if the firmware issues and I got the camera when the new 1.10 firmware was released. Now it's updated.

it is a lovely camera. I have a Canon 5D and the MarkII and some lenses. My reason for obtaining the X100 was I wanted a camera to carry in my work bag as I'm a rail enthusiast and I often ride the tracks after work. The DSLR is too heavy to carry regularly.

I originally had the Sony DSC WX1 but I'm self conscious of my photography being noticed by the public due to privacy concerns and some reports of photographers being harassed by ill informed people although I have never experienced these things myself.
The little Sony doesn't have a viewfinder and you have to look at the live view monitor on the back to compose the shot. However in the evenings the relatively large bright multi colour screen is obvious. Sometimes I didn't use the camera at all because I don't want to be noticed. The bright screen cannot be dimmed.

On Saturday I used the X100 and I'm impressed by the fact the camera is small and light and nobody paid any attention to me when I walked around Bourke St. photographing the trams. The camera can be completely silenced and there's even a shortcut to Silent Mode by pressing the DISP/BACK button for 3 seconds.
It has a viewfinder and the display has an electronic mode and an optical mode.

I wasn't fussed about the equivalent 35mm focal lens as I use several prime lenses already.
I have never handled a Leica (nor owned one), so I'm not attempting to compare it to one.

it's early days for me and some of the pros-cons of the Finepix X100 are:-
Pros,
Small and light.
good reviews (except for firmware issues)
nice feel to it.

Cons,
no review of the exposed photo unless you select the rear monitor. There is no  eye sensor mode for the exposed photo.
suspect that review prevents a new photo being taken as the no review setting means it's quicker to take the next photo.


No showstoppers

few times tried to take photo with lens cap.

[jing q]

Cons,
no review of the exposed photo unless you select the rear monitor. There is no  eye sensor mode for the exposed photo.
suspect that review prevents a new photo being taken as the no review setting means it's quicker to take the next photo.

daryl, you can review the exposed photo in the rear monitor.
There's an option in the Menu that allows you to choose the Review time of 1.5 seconds, 3 seconds, or more.

[darylcheshire]

I know you can review the photo you have just taken.

However I prefer to use the viewfinder and you can only review it on the rear monitor if you use it in live view mode.

If you select the viewfinder mode the picture is shown in the viewfinder.

What I'd like to see is an option where all reviews are shown on the rear monitor even if you use the viewfinder. Just like on my DSLR.

Probably I'll just get used to reviewing it in the viewfinder. But for the moment I have it switched off as I think it delays the next photo although that might just coincide with the write times. I'm trying it out over the next few days.

Maybe it can be part of the eye mode so you see it on the rear monitor if you take your eye from the viewfinder. At the moment this only happens with the live view mode whilst you compose the shot. (unless I'm too slow)

Daryl.

[dizzyg44]

I just got mine a few days ago, haven't had any issues with speed, writing, focusing, or otherwise....

For focus and shooting quick, i tend to shoot in MF and use the AE/AF button to quickly get it close and adjust from there.

Using a UHS card from sandisk, writing raw+jpeg is plenty fast.

I don't use the quick start, just half press the shutter every few minutes to keep it from going to sleep.

One funny thing, after many stints of street shooting with big bulky DSLR's and even with Medium format, never an issue, I got my first threats of violence the very first day I went with the X100.  Ironically, the guy was wearing a 7D around his neck telling me it's illegal and creepy shooting portraits of people in public, demanding my camera, my memory cards, deleting all my images, etc...He finally left after I agreed to his suggestion that we find a cop and said please do so everyone watching can confirm him stating he's gonna punch me in the face several times.... 

I shot around 500 images yesterday, a little bit of chimping and the battery was still reading full when I got home.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyg44/sets/72157627110014688/