Camera Labs

Hi,

I thought that perhaps some of you are interested in the Fuji X100. A stroke of luck landed me a copy and I've adopted it as the "take everywhere and use for everything - except paid gigs" camera.

As such it's been with me for a few days and after tweaking the settings just the way I like it, I have a few samples.

My first impressions are:
- The camera lives up to every hope I had for it
- The reviews are correct when they say the firmware/menus are clunky
- It takes damn fine images
- Macro is klutzy and slow
- Looks and feels every bit as grand as the advertising suggests
- This camera was born for street photography. It draws no attention, compared to the bulky and intimidating DSLRs.
- Auto WB is pretty impressive and colors are juicy if you want them to be
- They weren't kidding when they said "quiet"...it's not a euphemism..it has virtually no sound
- Viewfinder is deliciously bright


Here are some snaps right out of the camera - no editing, except resizing. Color settings are "standard" so no Fuji film emulation. The Dynamic Range Optimization is on "Auto". All of the shots are with automatic all-frame metering called "pattern" (as opposed to center or spot metering). All on "medium-hard" sharpening (1 step up from "standard"). Shadow tone set at "medium soft".

ISO200, F8, 1/609sec, -0.33EV The X100 is curiously precise with the exposure - not 1/600, but 1/609sec?)
I like how the X100 renders the sunlight very similar to how it looked to my naked eyes. It wasn't a reddish sun today, due to a thin layer of high altitude clouds. This yellow is just as I remember seeing it.


ISO400, F8, 1/388sec, -0.33EV
Plenty to detail to choose from. Notice how the auto DRO dials up the ISO to not clip the shadows in the harsh light. I like it.


ISO200, F8, 1/776sec, -0.33EV
Also a pleasing amount of detail to my eye. Again a fairly "cold" rendition of the sunlight - very close to how I remember seeing it. Less warm than my Nikons at their standard settings.


ISO800, F5.6, 1.76sec, -0.33EV
Saw this high-contrast scene and decided to see how the X100 would handle it. Notice how the ISO went up to 800, in spite of the plentiful lighting from opening from the direct sunlight? Looking at the edges, I appreciate the details in the shadows.


ISO1000, F8, 1/32sec, -0.33EV
I thought this scene with mixed lighting indoors would be a good test of the auto WB. I've got no complaints - it's pretty clean.


ISO1000, F8, 1/32sec, -0.33EV
Same deal as above - but I was thinking that all the beige color would fool the camera. I don't think it did.


ISO500, F8, 1/32sec, -0.33EV
Again a contrast-test and I'm pleasantly surprised at the retention of details in the shadows.


ISO500, F8, 1/32sec, -0.33EV
Another contrast-test. This time the sunlight hit across the stairs.


ISO200, F8, 1/440sec, 0.00EV
No reason..lol..just liked that dome.


ISO200, F8, 1/292sec, 0.00EV
Contrast test again - this time with the light more directly in front.

You may have noticed that only the last 2 shots were done with no exposure bias - well that was not on purpose. I accidentally knocked the knob where you twist left or right to adjust exposure bias. It's a smallish camera and the external old-school knobs both looks great and makes basic camera control very intuitive. I would perhaps have chose a different purpose for this knob, since there is very little reason to use it.

All in all, I'm VERY pleased with this camera.

My next attempts will be to test out the tiny flash. With the 1/2000 sec synch though, it's a LOT more powerful than it would seem and exceptional at retaining ambient light. I hope to have a brief, but serious portrait session soon with this puppy.

Cheers

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Nikon stuff and other stuff, but not nearly as much stuff as I really want!

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Congratulations on the new camera - the pictures really do the talking for it. And the word is that Fuji will be addressing some of the issues raised with a future firmware update.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Thanks for your photos and impressions! I am still waiting to handle one of these; the local dealer has had them, but they go fast; not that I can afford one soon, anyway, after adding a second 7D and another L lens recently, but it is good to dream.

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Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro

I handled one today, as the local major Fujifilm dealer had one in the display case, instead of the usual empty spot labeled "X100." The viewfinder modes are impressive. I was not impressed by the handling! The right rear of the camera has a control button and a dial located right where I would want to rest my thumb while holding the camera. The comparable Leica X1 wins big for handling and ergonomics, in my hands.

It seems Fuji wanted to put all the controls on the right side of the camera, and perhaps therein lies the problem: I am a lefty. My Canon DSLRs give my left hand plenty of things to do. I wish the X100 success, but I will not be contributing to the frenzied demand.

Edited to add: Well, I did not realize I seemed so negative in the above paragraphs! Well, anyway, I read on another website that the Thumbs Up is going to be made in a model specifically for the X100. This mounts in the hot shoe, and provides a thumb rest, so this gadget might be what my hand needs to make the X100 more ergonomic, by keeping my thumb away from the button and dial that interfered with my grip on the bare camera.

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Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro

I am reading in more and more places that the X100 is doing very well at reproducing colors realistically, as is shown in these images. That factor, plus the X100's good JPEG results, are needed in a camera that I might use to record images to be used as evidence in court. (I cannot process such images out-of-camera; they must be usable as-is.) If the Thumbs Up gadget will make my thumb compatible with the X100's command dial and AE lock button, and firmware upgrades address some of the other issues, there may well be an X100 in my future, after all.

Thanks for posting the images, and for your commentary!

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Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro