Fuji X100
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wilswong
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Put it another way bah...
Nikon d300s (2nd hand) + money to ensure everything is ok + money to get a 35mm F1.8 (closes) either new or old > getting everything new with 35mm F2 fixed and no associated 2nd hand problems + build in ND filter + film simulation (Provia, Astia, Velva)...
The intangibles - retro look, more intuitive controls than DSLRs (the focusing maybe another issue), size advantage, little or no dust invasion because of fixed lens, street photography made slightly easier (and lighter), EXR sensor, Fujifilm fantastic high dynamic range (still relatively unknown but from what I see of the samples, at least the skin tone is close to S5 Pro)
Plus the fact that I missed the Fujifilm S5 Pro because I stupidly go for the D200...I ain't gonna miss this boat.
wilswong
Member
Coupled with the fact it also comes with....the FINEPIX X100 will get a world wide BESTSELLER
why:
outstanding IQ
the lens is TOP of the TOP
etc. etc...
The price is very fair!!
you can not compare the X100 with the plastic-toys, plastic-lens NEX or LUMIX, Samsung etc....!!!
- Provia, Velvia and Astia Film simulation (you got to see the velva landscape photos to understand why this is a great addition)
- 3 stop ND built in (that means you can use F2 in super bright sunlight and yet getting that beautiful bokeh without resorting to high shutter speed/low ISO settings + contenting with ND filters)
This camera shouldn't be compared with a DSLR in the first place..it is like driving an F1 car beside my Honda Jazz and then boasting about the car being faster than the Jazz...
Let's find the cameras that actually should be compared to...the Sigma DP1, the Leica X1 (or god forbid the M9...yeah yeah I know...don't flame me)...so if we do sit down and really think it through...the price we pay is actually for the very fact that the people in Fujifilm actually take the time to present an optical view finder for a small form factor camera plus coming out with controls that are practical and fast without much control jogging to be done without looking at any LCD screen or view finder (heck I can even know my settings without switching on the camera!!) ...all these translate into speed and accuracy, very critical for street photography.
For the optical viewfinder alone...I am super willing to support Fujifilm on this...apart from the G12 (which to me is ok but would want info in the viewfinder too). I always contend with my club members or those learning to maximise their compact cameras...the very reason why compact camera cannot take good pictures is the fact that all the new CCs do not have viewfinders. The viewfinder will solve all the vibration issue so much so, OS/VR/IS would not be needed for the simple shooter at all (and there would not be needing any high ISO settings at all, making an already puny sensor less able to produce a likeable result).
Like the iPhone that shakes the smartphone world a couple of years ago...let's celebrate the entrance of another game changer that will lead to better innovation from the more established brands like Canon and Nikon whom I think has been resting on their laurels for a wee bit too long. The x100 will reignite the market for rangefinder niche of photographers.
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Another sample gallery has popped up
6 days and 6 nights with the X100 (in Hong Kong)
Hello Fuji, how about giving a trial unit to someone in Singapore eh??
6 days and 6 nights with the X100 (in Hong Kong)
Hello Fuji, how about giving a trial unit to someone in Singapore eh??
bayusuputra
Senior Member
:thumbsup:
this sums up everything.. to those who still compare it to DSLR, READ THIS!
bayusuputra
Senior Member
on a lighter note, i think i will remember the day when i first see this beauty on the streets! :lovegrin:
I hate to rain on the parade, but these pics look a little soft to me...
But I do concur that the X100 goes head to head against the Leica X1...
More sample pics of the X100 here. The colour looks nice!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramdiboy/5465670936/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramdiboy/5465670936/in/photostream/
bayusuputra
Senior Member
not me.. ;p
Until now neither Sony, Olympus nor Panasonic has been able to sell me a "compact cam with a DSLR" size sensor primarily because they don't feature any optical finder. Cameras with electronic viewfinders or those that force you to hold it at arm's length are not real cameras.
Ps: I would have been able to live with a hotshoe mounted viewfinder if only their cameras offer DOF scales on their lenses OR a simple AF confirmation light that is visible from the shoe mounted viewfinder.
The optical viewfinder on the X100 alone is worth the price of admission!
Ps: I would have been able to live with a hotshoe mounted viewfinder if only their cameras offer DOF scales on their lenses OR a simple AF confirmation light that is visible from the shoe mounted viewfinder.
The optical viewfinder on the X100 alone is worth the price of admission!
soft? They don't look soft to me at all.
airconvent
Senior Member
Bro
That's why they are called EVIL (Electronic view finder, Inter-changeable Lens) systems.
If they had view finder, they will need a SLR mirror box and be called DSLR.
For your info, the Sony NEX does have an optical view finder attachment but that would defeat the purpose of the EVIL system. My take is what you need is a DSLR system, not an EVIL (or sometimes called MILC, Mirrorless Interchangeable lens Camera).
Bro, so you ready to buy yet? $1600 a little steep even if you consider the expected street price of $1499
I don't think I'll be an early adopter. ;-)Bro, so you ready to buy yet? $1600 a little steep even if you consider the expected street price of $1499
wilswong
Member
I feel that putting cameras that has no viewfinders or using EVFs as not 'real' cameras is a bit harsh. I would say that some people I do admire for their photography skills, can use whatever cameras that are in their hands to take great photos out of the box (without much PS as well).
As for the HK sample photos, I think the picture quality is already quite good. Any 'sharper' it would show up as post processed effect. There may also be the high possibility that the downsizing of the photos for internet consumption may contribute to the softness as well. If I take into account all the sample photos I have seen in picasa, blogs and flickr, the x100 generally is sharp and present a very neutral colour so much so it is very close to how film should react to light. Coupled with the fact that some cameras may be pre production samples, the potential of the x100 may be increased after the launch and perhaps updated with firmware later in the year. Very promising indeed.
I also have to correct my comparison. I have to agree with Anthony Lee...to have an equivalent APS-C sized DSLR comparable to the x100, the DSLR has to be matched to a 24mmf2 lens (24 x 1.5/1.6 = 36/38.4mm). Imagine the cost of that 24mm f2...and if we get the 35mm FF lens and then match it with FF DSLR bodies...then the cost will be very high indeed and make the x100 a bargain
Still, as in real life, in every circumstances and in every endeavours, we all aim to match the necessary tools to achieve what is needed to be done. The x100 is primarily a tool used for the street photography...it may not do all types of photography work but if it does one thing good all the time, every time, then I would say that the tool has done its job. In human terms, we call such people professionals.
The DSLR is another tool that allows multiple accessories to do multiple types of jobs...so in essence, it will still be the workhorse of a serious photographer who like to take all sorts of photography so it can be professional in all types of fields, much like a person who has dual degrees in medicine and law for example.
In the end, to each its own because a x100 user do have the need to be discreet and yet able to capture the image whatever the circumstances. That's why the rangefinder of ole is the paramount tool for the photo journalist as it can be hidden and quickly used as the moment struck.
For all the good things the DSLR can provide, sometimes being too flexible or huge can also be a dilemma. What type of lens do I bring? Will I be able to enter a premises with so many tools/accessories? Will my subject feel uncomfortable when aimed by a huge machine in my face?
And I also would like to add: Is doing old school another way to market this camera? I would say it is both a yes and a no.
Why yes? For those who are not familiar with the old camera systems, it is easy to conclude that to have an old design is to attract those who are established in their careers and thus the resources to own the camera.
But for those who have used old camera systems before (I have an old Canon rangefinder belonging to my father and a Canon A1 that belongs to my sister in law) would instantly understand the need to have those dials on the top. A quick comparison would be the Abacus and calculator. For the old merchants who used the abacus, they find that it is faster than keying in the numbers and in real practical tests, it is confirmed to be so (there are kids who are trained in abacus, have faster mental calculations when compared to those who don't).
I would be quite sure that if an x100 is given to those who are used to the old system of changing photography settings, they would be faster than those who has to rely on the LCD screen and jog track the settings into the camera. Hence the joy of photography is to simplify photography.
So let's face it...the x100, like the designers have shared, is aimed at the professionals and serious amateurs that would want a DSLR performance in small packages and become the tool for street photography. To bring the joy of photography back to photography.
Judging by the reaction of so many people and focusing on those comments that talks about the technical capabilities of the x100, I can safely conclude that it has matched the aspirations of many photographers out there and Fujifilm has hit the proverbial nail on the head.
wilswong
Member
@airconvent....i think what Red means is that a photography tool should enable a user to adopt good photography habits that in turn, helps with their photography. The fact that these EVIL cameras do not have an optical viewfinder would only increase the likelihood of camera shake/vibration. This is worse for those who are long-sighted (that's why some of my senior members have to resort to tripods more to capture better shots). That's why he concluded these are not 'real' cameras.Bro
That's why they are called EVIL (Electronic view finder, Inter-changeable Lens) systems.
If they had view finder, they will need a SLR mirror box and be called DSLR.
For your info, the Sony NEX does have an optical view finder attachment but that would defeat the purpose of the EVIL system. My take is what you need is a DSLR system, not an EVIL (or sometimes called MILC, Mirrorless Interchangeable lens Camera).
Bro, so you ready to buy yet? $1600 a little steep even if you consider the expected street price of $1499
The thing is that a system, such as the NEX and PEN, don't help with good basic photography habit despite the fact that it has being recognised by the public to be 'good' cameras. This leads me to wonder why people would still recognise DSLRs as the best photographic tool around if viewfinders are not necessary. And with that said, Fujifilm, Canon and Nikon would be fools to add that viewfinder to their professional cameras if it ain't that useful. So in short: Good cameras will have at least a resemblence of a good optical viewfinder even if it is just a basic hole in the box like the canon g12.
As such, any camera without a optical view finder, is a camera that gets people to make avoidable mistakes; hence an "evil" camera. The purpose of a good camera, is to help a user get good results without the need of any technical wizardry. If introducing a VF defeats the purpose of an EVIL camera, then why the EVIL camera exists is a mystery indeed since it can't provide the true basics of what a camera supposed to be. That's why Red Dawn discounted the EVIL cameras by labelling them as 'Fake' Camera...I would say they are 'bad' cameras instead.
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wilswong
Member
Hi Futsal123,
This is a good question.
GXR is interchangeable lens system. The system dictates that it has one sensor for one lens. So if you have two lens, you basically have two sensors unlike the normal DSLRs that has one sensor to one camera body and the body matches the lens.
x100 is a one lens only to one sensor camera. I would not espouse anymore of the advantages/disadvantages of this camera.
Now who would ponder between these two.
x100: Most likely going to be a one trick pony: Street Photography/Casual Photography for the serious photographer. It won't be for sports photography because it can't zoom far nor it would be for the super macro crowd (yes it can go 10 cm but...the camera is too close to the subject). What I can use it for is walk about camera, casual portraiture and landscape photography...the later is my main photography genre.
GXR: Wanted a small camera but would be able to change the lens for different purposes like a DSLR. The only thing is that once a lens is spoiled, the whole unit can't be used even if the sensor is still working. Compare this to DSLR...if the lens is spoiled, I can borrow another lens to do the job.
And I personally won't want to pay for a body and then a lens with a sensor..and when the lens is spoiled, I have to get a new unit with both lens and sensor...under this system I would pray that my lens won't get spoiled or my replacement would be very expensive indeed.
Add that to the fact that taking in and out of the camera body with a connector that is less robust than a typical bayonet lens systems of a DSLR would mean a higher chance of it being spoiled.
Now you understand why GXR is not that well received.
The Ricoh GRD III/II are another matter altogether...the performance matches closely what the x100 can do but the feature set is not as great. I would compare the GRD with the x100 in terms of performance/value/size.
Hope the above helps.
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