Why are you so excited?

[videogamemaker]

I think it's clear to anyone who's browsed this new sub-forum that I have a serious case of the wants for the X100. I am addicted to checking the tweets, the youtubes, the rumor sites, and this forum multiple times a day. I can't remember a product in the past that has had me this excited, and I've been trying to think of why.

What has you excited about this particular product (if you are excited, that is)?

1. Obviously the first reason is at some subconscious level I think it will revolutionize my photography and enable me to reach a new level. Bull**** and hogwash, but I can't deny that every new trip, photo shoot, or photo product elicits a little twinkle in this gland, however unreasonable the thought may be.
   
2. The biggest reason is that I just don't carry my camera around enough. I prefer doing lit, planned photo shoots, and in those instances I have no problem schlepping around wheeled cases of lights, stands, tripods, multiple large lenses and a big honking dslr over my shoulder. Lately though, I've been wanting to do more casual walk around shooting. Capturing my home life, my friend's visits, the nights on the town, the little scenes around Reykjavik that I see as I drive and walk around. I've tried to make myself carry my dslr, but at some point it just becomes annoying. Too large to fit easily under the seat, heavy around my shoulder, bumping into things, etc. I tried buying a small ricoh film camera, and I've only shot 24 out of 36 exposures. The non-ability to suck off images as I shoot them is annoying, and film is ludicrously expensive here. (20 bux for a roll of provia 400x, 35 bux for processing to CD). I tried borrowing a friend's digital point/shoot, a canon s90. It was convenient, and I kept it on me, but I didn't like the quality of the files it produced, and I didn't like the everything-in-focus aspect of the tiny sensor. The X100 (and also the leica X1) seems to be the first camera that is both small enough to take with me everywhere, but will still deliver the image quality I am used to with my 5D, and give me shallow enough dof for the look I prefer. (something the Nex with it's slow, too wide for me lens cannot, and the m4/3 have too much dof and the image quality isn't quite what I'm after).
   
3. Less obtrusive. We don't have the scare level of the US or UK with the police and government demonizing Dslrs as tools of terrorists, but they still give off an air of intrusiveness. Someone is trying to take your photo for a serious purpose. A little of it is cowardice on my side, and a little is the extra guardedness on the subjects side, when I bring a large camera and lens up to cover my entire face to snap a photo. I'm sure many here are familiar with the benefits of both the small size of a rangefinder, with the fact it only covers half your face. I feel like it will give me more confidence, and evoke less suspicion from my subjects.
4. The hinted at 1/1,000 or even 1/4,000 sync speed. There are many times I'd like to balance my flash closer to the sun or ambient and with a top sync of 1/160 on the 5D with a skyport as the trigger, that leaves me only with ND filters, which are cumbersome and annoying. Being able to drop out ambient indoors completely, or tame the sun outdoors is going to open up a few creative looks I wasn't able to reach before.

There really isn't anything it will enable I can't do now with my current gear, which is why I know I'm projecting heavily, but I think it's still fun to talk about, to pass the time between website tidbits and the product release. If you think this is a dumb exercise, close the thread, move on, negative comments aren't needed.

[Sparrow]

... trust me not everyone is that excited

[J. Borger]

I am not excited at all myself but witness the hype..
I can only imagine 95% of the hype is based on the cool retro-look of the camera.

[Spyro]

I'm not excited either. Digital technology caught up with 1970's camera design and managed to squeeze a viewfinder in a compact camera, big deal. When they catch up with the '80s it will be full frame, it will have a rangefinder and it will fit in a pocket. Olympus XA. woohoo.

[robert blu]

I think most of people are excited because in this moment the camera is only a project, a good one indeed. But as soon as the camera will be on the market they will start to complain for some (probably minor) issue, as it happened with most of the new cameras on the market (m9 and x1 included). A project, like a dream is always better than reality. But, I admit the x100 concept is a real interesting idea, specially for the RF lovers.
robert

[Keith]

Damn ... I hope this camera lives up to it's expectations or some people around here are going to need councelling!

[videogamemaker]

Originally Posted by Spyro

I'm not excited either. Digital technology caught up with 1970's camera design and managed to squeeze a viewfinder in a compact camera, big deal. When they catch up with the '80s it will be full frame, it will have a rangefinder and it will fit in a pocket. Olympus XA. woohoo.

How long before you think this will happen? I agree, and the thought is exciting, just curious if it's going to be 5 years or 10.

Also what's the viewfinder on the XA like?

[Roger Hicks]

It's a pretty little camera with proper controls, probably the nearest digital you can get to a screw-mount Leica. It's the only camera of its type (except possibly an X1) that I'd consider. But I don't understand the levels of hysteria it has generated, nor the way people call it a 'rangefinder', let alone fantasies about LCD rangefinder patches.

Cheers,

R.

[_larky]

A digital camera which doesn't look like it was made from used Kinder Egg components, which doesn't cost the Earth, which will hopefully have a great lens and sensor combo, which isn't a DSLR and so I wont get dressed in Orange Pyjamas and made to spread my legs for an anal cavity search. What's not to like?

[kevin m]

Because it's a camera for people who sensibly realize that a Canonet will do 80% of what a Leica M will do, and have been waiting for a digital equivalent.

[mwooten]

Well, I was a lot more excited about the x100, but I've just paid the property tax on my house. That has dimmed my desire a bit.

[GSNfan]

My excitement is that of a spectator than a potential buyer, at least initially. There is no doubt X100 would make shooting a real pleasure if it functions as promised. I can see almost all those amateurs who begun with DSLRs and then slowly lost interest coming back and carrying a X100. I also see a lot of film users finally converting. No doubt there is excitement in the air for those interested and those even on the fence.

[stompyq]

I'am excited for the exact reasons you are but specially your second point. I hope the handling will be better than m4/3 cameras which STINK. In any case i'll only be a spectator at least for the first run of these cameras. Hopefully my finances will improve by the end of this year enough to get one. Being unemployed is no fun....

[thmk]

I am not really THAT excited anymore because there is simply too much time for me between the announcement and the real availability. All this heavy marketing stuff is not sufficient to keep me interested in a way that I will gladly open my wallet once the camera arrives. In the last weeks I started to shoot with my M6 more often instead of the M8 and do no longer feel a real need for another digital companion. Nevertheless the technical concept behind the X100 is still interesting.

[Brian Sweeney]

I'm excited because it is the equivalent of a fixed-lens Rangefinder camera brought into the digital age.

Like Kevin stated- A digital Canonet. Still a fun, carry around camera with a decent fast lens.

[bigeye]

Brian, I can go with that. But, I don't understand the wild buzz for it.

(Then again I don't understand something like the Snooky phenomena, either).

It is obviously a quality compact, a niche that is historically likable and practical, but with compromises and a role as a 'second camera.'

(Personally, I believe the Pentax 645D and it's like are the most interesting right now, perhaps not as a configuration to purchase, but as a gauge of digital's ability to fully match film at a cost and function acceptable to demanding amateurs. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...t_review.shtml)

When the new crap can do better than my familiar old crap (at reasonable cost), I'll tune in.

- Charlie

[Ducky]

Originally Posted by Keith

Damn ... I hope this camera lives up to it's expectations or some people around here are going to need councelling!

Kieth, that's a given already.

[wlewisiii]

Originally Posted by Brian Sweeney

I'm excited because it is the equivalent of a fixed-lens Rangefinder camera brought into the digital age.

Like Kevin stated- A digital Canonet. Still a fun, carry around camera with a decent fast lens.

True enough with a decent finder and proper controls. Still, I'll save any excitement for a 50mm equivalent version though or if they can bring the cost down to what I paid for my A590.

[jsrockit]

Ok, well... I'm currently using a Leica M8.2, a Leica X1, and a Ricoh GXR. To me, this camera seems to be a cross between all of the features I love within all 3 of these cameras slapped into one nice, decently priced, camera.

Built in viewfinder? check. AF? check. Fast lens? check. 35mm equiv focal length? check. High ISO quality? (presumably) check. Good aesthetic quality? check. Small size? check. Aperture ring? check. Dedicated shutter speed dial? check.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by bigeye

Brian, I can go with that. But, I don't understand the wild buzz for it.

(Then again I don't understand something like the Snooky phenomena, either).

It is obviously a quality compact, a niche that is historically likable and practical, but with compromises and a role as a 'second camera.'

(Personally, I believe the Pentax 645D and it's like are the most interesting right now, perhaps not as a configuration to purchase, but as a gauge of digital's ability to fully match film at a cost and function acceptable to demanding amateurs. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...t_review.shtml)

When the new crap can do better than my familiar old crap (at reasonable cost), I'll tune in.

- Charlie

So, why are you in this thread again?

[daveisbest]

Originally Posted by kevin m

Because it's a camera for people who sensibly realize that a Canonet will do 80% of what a Leica M will do, and have been waiting for a digital equivalent.

Exactly. A reasonably compact, fully featured camera with a great lens, easy to use controls with dials/rings that aren't in stupid places and a good viewfinder with framelines.

The reason there is so much excitement surrounding this camera? Because it's the first digital camera to have all of these features at a reasonable price. And in terms of fixed lens digital cameras, it's the only one in it's class and the only one which comes close to replicating the fixed lens rangefinders of the past such as the Canonets.

[M4streetshooter]

I used to be really excited. I was in love I tell ya but it's like my ex's...
The longer I don't see it, the less I desire it. My GF1 is doing a heck of a job and with the LX5 as a constant carry around... the X100 is not that exciting to me anymore.

I dreamed like everyone but the price index here in the states...$1200.00, is way out of line. The problem really is that there's this crazy hype and now all this pre-ordering, whatever the heck that is...ya either order it or ya don't.
So, now due to the hype, the price index will be higher than wanted because the 1st responders jumped on it and showed that Fuji and the dealers can get away with a higher price...

So, again to answer the question, no I'm not that excited. I'm curious but not excited.
shooter

[videogamemaker]

Originally Posted by M4streetshooter

I dreamed like everyone but the price index here in the states...$1200.00, is way out of line. The problem really is that there's this crazy hype and now all this pre-ordering, whatever the heck that is...ya either order it or ya don't.
So, now due to the hype, the price index will be higher than wanted because the 1st responders jumped on it and showed that Fuji and the dealers can get away with a higher price...

shooter

It might be out of your budget, but it's objectively not out of line when compared to similar products and it's feature set plus R&D costs.

Pre-ordering simply means you're in line to get the first ones in case there is too much demand. You put your name, and sometimes money, down, and you get yours before someone who saunters in the day of launch. It's neither a new concept, nor a complicated idea.

The price is not affected by people proclaiming interest online. That's now how this kind of thing works. If you're curious about it, you can take a marketing class, but the only thing that we as customers can do to affect it, is to keep buying it at MSRP which will prolong the time before street price drops. Forum posts are not going to "drive up costs".

[Frankie]

I was excited because the X100 "was my idea".

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by M4streetshooter

The longer I don't see it, the less I desire it. My GF1 is doing a heck of a job and with the LX5 as a constant carry around... the X100 is not that exciting to me anymore.

Even though I quoted you, this is directed at you. I just wonder why so many keep saying they aren't excited anymore? It seems just as exciting as it was when it was announced. Nothing they have unveiled about the camera has been something that makes it less desirable. Perhaps many didn't see it as a tool, but were more enamored by its looks?