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Leica X1 has new competition

barjohn

New member
Note that it support MF, AF-C and AF-S.

See the hands on photos below from Photogrophyblog where details not visible in other shots are visible. Notice all of the manual controls, focus ring on lens, aperture control on lens, shutter speed on dial plus A, exposure comp on own dial, WB on 4 way, control lever on front to switch VF mode, and the following is a guess but it appears that the black thumb knob on the upper right back may be used for ISO. Ergonomically that beats just about every other camera out there and shows they really did listen.

If it uses a leaf shutter (probably) and one can actually set the aperture and not have the camera change it like it does on the X1 and the GXR-A12, then a magnified view MF should work well using the VF, especially if focus confirmation is shown in the VF. It appears to have AF illuminator and flash.

For more images go to http://www.photographyblog.com/news/fujfilm_x100_hands-on_photos/
 

biglouis

Well-known member
Note that it support MF, AF-C and AF-S.

See the hands on photos below from Photogrophyblog where details not visible in other shots are visible. Notice all of the manual controls, focus ring on lens, aperture control on lens, shutter speed on dial plus A, exposure comp on own dial, WB on 4 way, control lever on front to switch VF mode, and the following is a guess but it appears that the black thumb knob on the upper right back may be used for ISO. Ergonomically that beats just about every other camera out there and shows they really did listen.

If it uses a leaf shutter (probably) and one can actually set the aperture and not have the camera change it like it does on the X1 and the GXR-A12, then a magnified view MF should work well using the VF, especially if focus confirmation is shown in the VF. It appears to have AF illuminator and flash.

For more images go to http://www.photographyblog.com/news/fujfilm_x100_hands-on_photos/
Wow! Can't fault the ergonomics, especially if there really are working manual lens controls. Why, oh, why can't Leica come up with this type of package?

LouisB
 

jonoslack

Active member
What a gorgeous thing.
Not sure that it's really designed as competition for the X1 though - it seems to be nearer to the size of an M8/M9 looking at the dimensions. So I'd have thought it was more directed at a potential M buyer who doesn't need interchangeable (or very fast) lenses.

If it really performs in low light and the AF is fast it'll be very tempting though!
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I've been weighing up getting another M9/35 cron combo for travel. However, depending on image quality (to be seen) I could seriously consider picking up one of these instead, in the short term at least.

Again, so long as IQ is good enough, I'd buy one of these instead of an X1 in an instant. I tried the X1 a few times and ultimately it left me cold. This looks to be very well thought out and the viewfinder looks like the kind of thing I'd expect in a digital M to be honest. It wouldn't matter to me if the price were even the same as the X1 - the Fujinon glass has the potential to be every bit as good as the Leica glass in the X1. (remember also that not just the Fuji MF cameras and Hasselblad lenses used Fujinon glass but also the Xpan was a Fuji camera and glass too).

Fuji - please please don't let us down with the image quality. It would such a shame and I can see that I'm not the only one prepared to take a punt with this camera if it lives up to expectations.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
looks like this is what the digilux 2 tried to be: manual controls and traditional layout, but more compact and a better viewfinder, no zoom. now if the lens could be as nice
 

barjohn

New member
Jono, this is no where close to an M9 in size. It is only 3mm or about 1/8" longer than an X1, it is 5 mm lower in height than an M9 (0.2") and almost 1/2" shorter than an M9. Looking at the photos, especially the photos of it in hand suggests that the thickness given must include the lens & eyepiece protrusion as it just doesn't appear to be 2" thick in the body. At 127 x 75 x 54 it is very close to the CL at 121 x 76 x32. The difference in height between the X1 and the X100 is mostly due to the addition of the built in viewfinder. At $1,000 and March delivery they will fly off the shelves unless Canon or Nikon get in the game with something better.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
... looks like it might be less expensive than I expected. from another mailing list:

On Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 8:38 AM, Miserere wrote ...
Fuji just announce the price: US$1,000.
I'll say that again: One Thousand US Dollars.
Expected to start shipping in March 2011.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/21/fujifilms-finepix-x100-ships-march-2011-for-1-000-we-go-hands/

I'm excited, and for the first time ever a camera has made me wet my pants.
Responsiveness becomes the bottom line.
 

mathomas

Active member
... looks like it might be less expensive than I expected. from another mailing list:

... $1000 ...

Responsiveness becomes the bottom line.
Boy, I hope that number is right. If IQ and handling is there, this thing will win huge.
 
I also read that the Fuji rep is claiming the dynamic range will be greater than the Finepix S5. I believe forum member Uwe reviewed that camera and at the time found it to best the dynamic range of Canon and Nikon DSLRs.
 

Mike M

New member
I also read that the Fuji rep is claiming the dynamic range will be greater than the Finepix S5. I believe forum member Uwe reviewed that camera and at the time found it to best the dynamic range of Canon and Nikon DSLRs.

I'm not familiar with Uwe, but I can fully back up his claim with my own experience.

The S5 has always had a special place for me because I always felt that it had great potential for deliving high IQ at a low price for people that didn't want to spend the money on a Leica or a DMF. It was the kind of camera that I could feel pretty good about recommending to a student or somebody on a budget that didn't need too many features but just wanted good DR and colors. The dynamic range from the S5 was very filmlike in the way that it handled light. The colors were really brilliant, especially the skintones. I had access to the entire lineup of Zeiss F mount lenses and the S5 body was a perfect match for the glass.

My only real complaints about the camera were the low 6mp resolution and what I considered to be a heavy-handed AA filtration. Those are just my pesonal thoughts and others are free to disagree. But my final analysis on the S5 was that Fuji could have had a winner on it's hands if it were able to release a future version with a 12+ MP resolution and a weaker/non-existant AA filter.

I'm pretty confident that Fuji can deliver some high IQ if they really want to...and this recent move suggests to me that they are on the way to doing just that...
 

barjohn

New member
I wish someone would have asked them about the AA filter and image stabilization. Do away with the first and add the second and a few more of us will wet our pants. :)
 

cam

Active member
i took a pic of it to show the relative size in the hands of a user.

i put it up on my flickr page (for some reason the image isn't loading here) so you can have a look if interested.

it is not compact (like the Ricoh GRD or other P&S) but neither is the X1 in my opinion. and the X100 is far more solidly built.

i also go a kick out of the fact that the big mucky-mucks at the booth seemed to look at my M with a chrome 35 with true appreciation.
 

Chris C

Member
Hang on a minute there, jaapv. I've used Fujinon lenses on large format, and was very impressed...
Fuji lenses are legendary..... rangefinders, the current MF670, the 690 and 645 lines (some of the sharpest glass ever made)........
Before the M8 I worked exclusively with roll-film, shooting with various rangefinder cameras [all with good lenses], and view-camera with Linhof/Sneider and Rodenstock lenses. Amongst stiff competition, the 65mm Fujinon on the Fuji 6x9 rangefinder camera may well have been the best lens of them all. Fuji are superb lens makers, any list of doubts I might have about this new camera would not begin with it's lens.

............ Chris
 
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57guy

Guest
I want one!!!!. I signed up at Amazon to be alerted when I could pre-order an X-100.
I have the X1 and love it, but there are some improvements Leica could make.
I like the grip, side card slot and viewfinder.
 
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