Fujifilm X100 12.3 MP APS-C CMOS EXR Digital Camera with 23mm Fujinon Lens and 2.8-Inch LCD
- 12.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
- Newly-developed lens offers a focal length of 23mm (135 equivalent: 35mm) and a widest aperture of F2. Made from molded glass, the lens contains 8 elements in 6 groups
- Hybrid Viewfinder combines the window-type “bright frame” optical viewfinder, and the electronic viewfinder system
- HD Movie Mode; capture 720p video
The Fujifilm FinePix X100 is a high-precision digital compact camera that combines modern technology with a traditional camera design to deliver the ultimate in image quality.Featuring an APS-C CMOS sensor (12.3 megapixel), a Fujinon 23mm Single Focal Length Fixed F2 lens, a 2.8-inch LCD with 460K pixel, and the world’s first Hybrid Viewfinder, the FinePix X100 captures exceptionally high quality images.
List Price: $ 1,199.95
Price: $ 1,249.98
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Flawed Gem 4.5 Stars Excellent IQ but this is not a beginners camera,
I will start right off who this camera is not for. If you are looking for an all-around camera, this is not it (Get a GH1 or GH2). If you try to use it as an all around camera you will hate it. If you don’t have a good fast camera already then this camera is probably not for you. If you are trying to take pictures of moving objects, this camera is probably not for you. This camera takes a fair amount of time to set up a shot so any fast moving subject will be very difficult to capture properly. This camera is in no way a beginners camera. If you are looking to just point and shoot, then you will need to look elsewhere.
If you like to take your time to frame and set the exposure on your camera then this might be the camera for you. If you want a small portable camera, with exceptional picture quality, great noise qualities, and a built in view finder, then this is most likely the camera for you. If you want an exceptionally quite camera, this one is amazing. There really is no other digital camera like it.
This camera reminds me mostly of shooting my Leica M8 and that is a good thing. If you think of the X100 as an automatic manual focus you can get some really nice shots.
I initially bought the X100 to shoot outdoor portraits and it does that very well. Better than any other camera around right now. That was the initial reason I decided to keep the X100. When I first shot with it I really did not like the handling and was thinking of returning it. My big mistake was trying to use this as an all around camera when it is not.
However, I just spent a week shooting the camera in Berlin and I really enjoyed using it. My kit was a GH1, GH2, and X100. I left all of my Nikons at home as they are too big and heavy. With interchangeable lenses and fast handling the GH cameras can cover almost every conceivable shooting situation. With a fixed lens and slow handling the X100 is limited in what it can cover. However, it makes you slow down and really set up the shot the way you want it. The DSLRS and M4/3 are so fast that it is easy to reel off a number of good shots. The X100 makes you savor each shot. Because of that I really enjoyed shooting it. Just as a comparison I shot 750 (2 battery charges) with the X100. And 1300 frames with the GH2. I had 465 – X100 (62%) and 829 – GH2 (64%) shots that I liked. I got 132 – X100 (18%) and 205 – GH2(16%) shots that I really liked. And I got 4 – X100 (.5%) and 9 – GH2 (.7%) that were my favorite of the trip. As you can see the statistics are very comparable. Use a tool in the way it was designed and you should be able to get consistent results.
The X100 fits very nicely in the Lowa Rezo 60 bag that I loop through my belt. It will also fit in a jacket pocket. I don’t like carrying the weight around my I neck so I do not use a neck strap. Instead I purchased a very cheap wrist strap and use that to keep the camera secure.
The way I have the camera setup is as follows:
Quick Startup On
OVF power save Off
Display Option – EVF and Back screen
Fn Button – 3 Stop ND Filter
Auto ISO – 3200 / 1/30
The reason I have the camera setup like this is as follows. I switch the camera off to save power when not in use. The quick startup allows for a .7 start. I use the EVF most of the time so I don’t need the OVF power save on. Also, the OVF power save option does some weird things so I don’t use it. I use the EVF and back display to switch depending on how I want to frame the shot either back screen or EVF. The camera switches between the two based on whether you put your eye up to the viewfinder or not. The 1/1000 max shutter speed is very limiting at f2 so the ND filter gives a 1/8000 equivalent and is built right in but is activated in the menus. I use it very regularly so I have it set to the fn key. I have the ISO set to auto because it is a pain to get to. The camera does a very good job of keeping ISO down until the shutter speed starts to drop below 1/30. The IQ is very good at ISO3200.
Here are a couple of techniques for using the X100. Both utilize EVF.
1) Set your camera to manual focus and spot focusing. Put the focus square on the subject. Press the focus/exposure lock button to focus the camera. Move the center to where you want to meter and press the shutter release half way to set exposure. Now frame for the picture and shoot.
2) Set you camera to auto focus S. Put the focus square on the subject. Press the shutter release half way to set focus and exposure. Frame the picture and press the shutter release the rest of the way to shoot.
On the down side the menus and buttons need some work but they can be fixed with a firmware update. An example of the poor menus deals with ISO. Setting the ISO is on the shooting menu. Setting up the Auto ISO and…
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|A review of the X100 by a Nikon dSLR and m4/3 owner,
I am writing this review from the perspective of someone who owns a Nikon full-frame dSLR (Nikon D700+MB-D10), two Nikon crop dSLR (Nikon D7000+MB-D11 and Nikon D3100) and an m4/3 camera (Panasonic GH2).
I receive the Fujifilm X100 about 5 days ago and since then, I have been slowly learning the features and capabilities of this camera. I will be steadily adding to this review in the coming days but I thought I’d share here my initial impressions of the X100 to help those wondering whether to get this camera make their decision.
Though I tried my hand at using small cameras that can shot RAW and provide full manual controls on aperture, shutter speed, ISO and White Balance (the Panasonic LX-3 and the Canon S90 being among these), I was never happy with the marginal photos that I could take with these cameras. This is mainly due to the small-sized camera sensor. Yet part of my dis-satisfaction with these cameras is also due to the shooting position where one extends one’s arms to view and compose with the rear LCD screen rather than the viewfinder to the eye position when using a dSLR. After trying my hand with these cameras, I sold them but knew that my next small and light camera must have a large sensor and a proper viewfinder.
My initial attempt to finally address this issue on poor image quality and sub-optimal shooting stance yet have a small and compact camera was my purchase of the Nikon D3100 which I paired with a Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX lens. Equipped with a good-sized sensor, a real optical view finder (OVF) and a very capable lens, this setup provided me with a compact, light, inexpensive and very capable camera setup. I was very happy with the setup and it provided me some relief from using the D700+MB-D10 or D7000+MB-D11 combo. Though I did install and use my other Nikkor lenses on the D3100, it was the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX that was mounted on the D3100 easily 50% of the time. For the other times, it was mainly the Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G at 40% of the time and the Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 or the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 for the remaining 10%. I would have used the Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G far more often with the D3100 than the Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX but the large size and heavy weight of the Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G lens does not make for a light and well-balanced combo with the D3100. So as much as I would have preferred matching the D3100 with a 24mm focal length prime lens, the lighter weight and smaller size of the 35mm f/1.8G DX made it the default lens for the D3100.
I also acquired a Panasonic GH2. Though equipped with a smaller m4/3 sensor, the GH2 acquits itself very well for video work and the 14-140mm lens provided good results when shooting outdoors or in good lighting conditions. But for still-photography, the GH2 with the 14-140mm lens is simply awful. For a while, I had the impression that the GH2 was very bad for still photos until I decided to buy an adapter and mounted my Nikkor prime lenses on the GH2. Wow .. what a difference mounting good lenses made on the quality of photos the GH2 can take. I found myself using the GH2 more and more often for still-photos even though I had to manually focus my Nikkor lenses. The GH2 was my first exposure to an electronic viewfinder (EVF) and despite its real limitations when working in sub-optimally lighted conditions, I appreciated the ability of the EVF of the GH2 to display information that an OVF could not display. I decided to add a Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 and 14mm f/2.5 lens and was happy with the resulting setup which was even more compact and lighter than my Nikon D3100 and 35mm f/1.8G DX lens. While the image quality of the Nikon D3100 was still better than the GH2, the smaller lighter size of the GH2 and its excellent video capabilities made it my choice for many situations.
Then came the Fujifilm X100. Combining the small compact size of the GH2 and its compact prime lenses plus incorporating the advantages of both the optical viewfinder of the D3100 and the electronic viewfinder of the GH2, I became seriously interested in the X100. The fact that the lens was not interchangeable was not an issue for me as the X100 lens is a 23mm f/2.0 – the perfect focal length as far as I was concerned. The 35mm equivalent of 35mm would have been my favorite focal length with the D3100 and the GH2 but neither Nikon nor Panasonic makes a compact and light prime lens that has a fast 35mm in 35mm equivalent (Olympus makes a m4/3 17mm but it is just f/2.8). That the X100 lens was also a fast f/2.0 lens was definitely an ace in favor of the X100. While cleaning the sensor of my D700, I realized another reason why the non-interchangeable lens nature of the X100 was a non-issue. With a non-removable lens, the X100 will likely not need any sensor cleaning at all, I happily realized. Yes!
Viewed sideways, the X100 was considerably smaller and thinner than the D3100 with the…
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