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XE1 or not?

woodworth

New member
I'd be interested to find out your experience with the 56mm when you get one. Looks like an ideal lens for low light work. Size wise it'll be something of a contrast to the 27mm ...!

My XE-1 and 35/1.4 arrive tomorrow and I too am feeling quite excited. Will post my first picture in the next few days. Great stuff!
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Now you're just being provocatively happy!

:)

An aside: I plan to use a number of my Leica-M mount lenses, and I found out last night that the Hawk's helicoid is available for the Fuji X mount too, so have ordered one. I have used these as my standard mount on the NEX 6, and they work very well. These allow focus up to around 20cm with a lens like the CV 35/2.5, whose closest focussing distance is around 1m. In practical use, this additional focussing reach is invaluable.

Just a thought if you are planning on using any M-mount lenses on your new toy.
 

David Schneider

New member
I have both the XE1 and XE2 (and Canon 5Dmk3 and Hasselblad H3D2-39).

A used XE1 is a huge bargain right now. They are going for $350-450 used. But it's also a great back-up which is why I haven't sold mine.

My XE1 and XE2 are probably the only cameras that I've owned that actually got significanlty better with age. Fuji keeps making upgrades and my XE1 especially is way better than when I first got it.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Ah, David: that's so good to hear (as I wait for the sound of the delivery guy...). I had one too, when they first came out, and this was after handling an X-Pro1 in Torino, when I was on location there. The X-Pro1 did not 'grab' me then, and probably would't now, even at the second hand prices I have seen, which are also crazy. For me, this is because the X-E1 has the same sensor, is 100g less, and has all the same manual controls; I like the boxy little body better.

HERE's a comparison

And (after Jim's gentle prompting, over at FM) I looked again at the X-E1s, I saw that the two biggest drawbacks for me when I owned it had been addressed: focus speed and the release of the fantastic pancake 27/2.8. I really admire Fuji for continuing to upgrade these cameras, even in the face of new models.

David, what, if any, are the advantages of the X-E2 over the '1? And is the '2's focussing MUCH faster?
 

woodworth

New member
Well, work commitments and foul weather have so far prevented me from venturing out with the XE-1, so no pictures to post - yet.

I discovered that the camera is on the first firmware version - and despite all the criticism I have read about it's early firmware, I was still delighted with it. Yes, I could see what people meant, but I was content with it as it was.

So far I like the white-balance which on auto seems better than Nikon, Canon and Sony. The custom white balance is easy to operate and gives pleasing results.

I also like Fuji Provia like colours. I notice that Ken Rockwell didn't like them as they weren't vibrant enough for him, but I have no complaints.

My only criticism is about the menu. Things are hidden away and it takes a while to find some things. If there was an easy way to switch meter modes, for example, that would be a great improvement. That said, there is always the fn button which is currently assigned to iso and as such not something I feel the need to get to quickly. Looks like a quick change is in order after the firmware upgrade.

The camera itself was described as "Mint-", and I have to say that it's pretty much as new in my opinion - I can't see why it's not "Mint". Feels like I got a brand new XE-1!

As someone else said (can't remember where) the XE-1 is very much like the Leica CL/Minolta CLE and I have to agree. It just feels "right". A bonus is that I am able to hand - hold at slower speeds than I could with my NEX and that's without IBIS!

The 35/1.4 is a fine optic but sadly I'm going to part with it in favour of the 23mm/1.4. I was offered one at a very good price and I'm afraid I'm a sucker for the 35mm EFOV (all of my previous Olympus, Nikon, Sony and Canon gear have had one). My only reservation about getting this lens previously was the price, this is no longer an issue.

Kit - apart from being "provocatively happy" - which I am (should be too old to feel this way, but ...), thanks for the comments on the Leica lenses. I plan to get some when funds permit and if Fuji don't bring out something like it, I intent to get a 90mm Summicron.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Kevin, you wrote:
I notice that Ken Rockwell didn't like them as they weren't vibrant enough for him
Well, hardly any are, though I like many of his art images where colour does play a major role. Personally, I shoot raw and jpeg together, so can get any look I want.

Re. menus: once you have the camera set up how you want, you won't need to go there much, I would say. Let's compare settings once mine arrives.

I was not enamoured of the 35 either (even though a truly excellent piece of glass) because of the FL; and the existence of the 27/2.8 pancake was what tipped me to returning to the Fuji fold, as I mentioned. And the lens you are getting has a very similar FL.

And be provocatively happy; one is never too old for that (and one might even say that the loss of this quality is actually what makes one old).

BTW, all of my Leica M mount lenses are Cosina Voigtländer; Leica lenses are better, very probably, but too expensive for me. I have considered the 35/2.5 Summarit though, but the CV lenses are really good for me. One aspect that I have not seen anyone comment on is that the tabs that many of these lenses feature tell you straight away where you are in the focus range—and a ring focus mechanism can't do that. With the GX-7, I can have the camera turned on, FL confirmed, up to my eye and hand on the lens all ready to focus and all that in a few seconds. Knowing which end of the focus range I am at is part of that.
 

woodworth

New member
Yes, Ken does some very nice work - no criticism implied (just in case you're reading Ken!), it's just a matter of what any one person likes in ones work. I remember liking very dark moody pictures once - perhaps a reflection of my state of mind at the time, now I look back at them and wonder why I printed so very dark...

I wouldn't say that I'm not enamoured with the 35mm per say, it's just that I like the 23mm and 27mm fov more. At the time the 23mm was just too expensive and the 27mm was maybe a bit too slow aperture wise. The 35mm was a (happy enough) compromise which I no longer need to make.

The 23mm is superb! It's as sharp wide open (in the center) as the 35mm and is such a very nice bit of kit. Criticisms are the hood (prefer the style of the 35mm hood) and the bulk. I don't think anything can be done about the bulk and in any case it pales into insignificance when the qualities of the lens are considered.

The next lens purchases in the not too distant future will be either the 14mm (the one I was going to get had to be sacrificed in favour of the 23mm as my pockets just weren't deep enough) and the 60mm (or if by any chance Fuji surprise us with a 90mm...).

Now I'm planning to take a provocatively happy walk and do some contemplative photography!
 

benroy

Subscriber Member
You should look into the 55-200 zoom...very sharp, compact, easy to handle...there are examples of the lens' output in some of the back pages of the XE-1 file.

Roy Benson
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Well, the $350 X-E1 arrived this morning. And the 27/2.8 arrived yesterday... This is a TOTALLY different camera now, due to the firmware updates. Quick testing with a slew of MF lenses confirms that the new magnification plus peaking is foolproof. Yes, the magnified image in the EVF is not super hight rez, but completely accurate. I have been able to focus the CV 50/1.5 wide open and quickly.

I am amazed what Fuji's updates have done for this camera. And the 27/2.8 is perfect on this body. The ergonomics and UI are just lovely. Being able to set a minimum shutter speed via the ISO menu... why don't all cameras work this way?

A true newbie's question now (no one laugh please!): how does one select the exposure modes? I see Aperture priority (by choosing A on the Shutter speed dial) but where is M and P?

Update: I can't see how to get the other modes because the 27/2.8 does not have an aperture ring. Mounting an MF lens via the adapter automatically brings up M if any shutter speed is selected (and the AUTO ISO settings are respected if A is selected on the SS dial). A brilliant implementation.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
I will take an image of the body and all the lenses that can mount on it later; I am amazed at how much I like this body. I will get a grip and an extra battery, but after trying the CV 12/5.6, 35/2.5, and 50/1.5 lenses and finding them ridiculously easy to focus (peaking high, magnification enabled) I am not sure I will need too many native lenses.

A question: does anyone know offhand whether the "forced flash" setting uses pre flashes (in which case can't be used to trigger studio strobes). And what do you all think of the X-T1?????
 

woodworth

New member
Glad you're pleased with your XE-1. As you've noticed there are some things that seem a bit enigmatic such as the exposure modes, the metering modes and no doubt one or two others. True to form, I haven't read the instructions!

As far as I can discover, there is aperture priority, shutter priority and program modes all selectable by turning the aperture and shutter speed dials either to a preset value or "A" - unless your lens doesn't have an aperture ring that is!

I haven't used any non-native lenses yet as I don't have any any more, so your comments are encouraging me to explore that avenue.

Don't know anything about the "forced flash" setting - so far I've been in (almost) "silent" mode where the flash does not function.

The XE-1 does have a tendency to over-expose slightly - which seems to be a common experience. Doesn't bother me as I was born into a generation where we didn't expect cameras to necessarily give an exposure that was absolutely "right" until the camera/film/developer combination had been tested and tweaked to give the desired result.

Just need to get some more lenses ...
 

Dale Allyn

New member
The Fuji menus and UI are sufficiently different from other systems I've owned, so I found watching the videos on the specific models offered by "The Fuji Guys" on YouTube to be very helpful. The manuals are typical of most camera systems (i.e. poorly written), so once I saw the operations on the videos, the manual became much more useful to me.

The X-E1 firmware has seen several updates since the original videos for that model were produced, so one may benefit from watching both series (X-E1 and X-E2) to get a blend of info. Here's their channel on YouTube.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
One aspect of this site I find occasionally immensely irritating is that when you post, sometimes, the system has logged you off—yet the top bar shows me as logged in. The post is lost as a result. Grrr.

Anyhow, I have not had time to test whether the on-camera flash will trigger stones, but if it has pre-flashes, it will not. There is an accessory Fuji flash that will, but I am sure my tiny Nikon B-30 will, so not a problem.

XE1_and_friends.jpg

I will look at the Fuji guy's videos too, some time. I am really enjoying how this camera works.

What do folks think of the X-T1?
 
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Dale Allyn

New member
what do filks think of the X-T1?
I'm intrigued by it, Kit. I do very much like the X-E2, but the X-T1 is reported to be weather sealed which appeals to me. Dual SD card slots = nice. Tilt screen can be handy for shooting in awkward positions (e.g. very low to the ground). I think it could make a really nice partner to the X-E1/2.

I'm looking forward to seeing it, but I tend to let the kinks get worked out rather than jumping on the "rev. A" versions of most gear.
 

Dale Allyn

New member
Right, Kit. I can list several attributes I intend to watch, e.g. while I find the EVF of the X-E2 quite good, I'll be interested in seeing any rumored improvement there => "EVF: 2.36 million OLED, 0.005s lag". We'll see. :)
 
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