Fuji X100 Digital SOMETHING from Fujifilm

[semilog]

Originally Posted by narsuitus

It is not a deal breaker for me. I do not care what the material is as long as it feels good in my hands and is durable.

I don't even care if the material feels good or is durable, if the camera meets my other requirements. I can always cover it in something else.

[duckmcf]

Hi Gang,
This is a great thread on a great forum.

Anyway, I've been trying to get the business case approved with my lovely financial controller for a Zeiss Ikon mit 35 f/2 lens for quite some time with no success. Now I find myself thinking that this little Fuji might just succeed where the Zeiss failed.

If the IQ of the X100 is at least as good as my Nikon D90 + 24mmF2D lens I'll be all over it, if my financial controller lets me. Fingers crossed it's not all hype......

Cheers
Noel aka DuckMcF

[Spyro]

Originally Posted by duckmcf

Anyway, I've been trying to get the business case approved with my lovely financial controller...

I found that a pit stop at Tiffany helps my business cases.
Might hurt your camera budget tho

[Matus]

Originally Posted by Spyro

I found that a pit stop at Tiffany helps my business cases.
Might hurt your camera budget tho

And, in some particular cases, for a long time

[iwaki]

Originally Posted by Spyro

I found that a pit stop at Tiffany helps my business cases.
Might hurt your camera budget tho

sadly true
in this world my friend, the bean counter always looks at it this way "if it's no double profit, it's not a profit"

So for an X1 you'll be looking at..... X1 for $1000 + some shinny stuff from Tiffany for $2000, total cost $3000ish

better start saving now, 6 more months to go....

[cam]

i've tried to explain that to my boyfriend -- that Tiffany and the like are far more expensive...

sadly, he isn't lusting after this so i have no leverage

[greyelm]

Originally Posted by semilog

I don't even care if the material feels good or is durable, if the camera meets my other requirements. I can always cover it in something else.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a 'naked' version available, this would then open up to after-market coverings. (It has still got to have a good IQ though)

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by greyelm

Wouldn't it be nice to have a 'naked' version available, this would then open up to after-market coverings. (It has still got to have a good IQ though)

It is naked once you peel off the skin. Believe me, Japanese cameras are easy to strip clean...but also endurable if you leave it alone.

The after-market covering is the problem. I know of no one selling fashion packs of skins for any make anywhere.

[greyelm]

Originally Posted by Frankie

It is naked once you peel off the skin. Believe me, Japanese cameras are easy to strip clean...but also endurable if you leave it alone.

The after-market covering is the problem. I know of no one selling fashion packs of skins for any make anywhere.

I was thinking on these lines

http://www.cameraleather.com/

[Frankie]

Yes, I have used them...re-skined my ZI with black lizard. Time lag in receiving the kit is not conducive to fashion impulses.

I am thinking along the lines of cell phone skins...available in every shopping mall.

[riclib]

But it isn't a rangefinder... contrast af :-(

[NickTrop]

The latest rumor is that the X100 will also be edible! This makes it the first completely edible classic rangefinder-esque fixed lens digital camera. Another first for Fuji.

[tapesonthefloor]

Originally Posted by riclib

But it isn't a rangefinder... contrast af :-(

Hi, Ric! Welcome to the madness of this thread.

We don't know precisely how manual focus will work on the X100 yet, but we do know a few things:

• the hybrid viewfinder will use "peaking", which highlights the in-focus edges with a solid colour (reminds me of Photoshop's gamut warning) so you know precisely what is in focus
• the hybrid viewfinder can potentially act as a rangefinder. We don't know that it will at roll-out, but we do know that all it will take is software. The camera knows where the lens is, it knows where the viewfinder is, and it could definitely provide a virtual rangefinder "patch" superimposed over the optical viewfinder image

Everything is conjecture at this point, of course, but there you go. This seems like a camera designed with manual focus specifically in mind, and I would be very surprised if the software did not include some sort of rangefinder-like behaviour. As long as the focus ring is mechanical and not fly-by-wire, a virtual rangefinder could indeed be good enough.

[semilog]

Originally Posted by tapesonthefloor

As long as the focus ring is mechanical and not fly-by-wire, a virtual rangefinder could indeed be good enough.

So long as I can scale focus and the AF is comparable to, say, a Canon G11, I'm fine with it.

Also: peaking is already used for MF confirmation in the video world. It is effective.

[ebino]

Originally Posted by tapesonthefloor

Hi, Ric! Welcome to the madness of this thread.

We don't know precisely how manual focus will work on the X100 yet, but we do know a few things:

• the hybrid viewfinder will use "peaking", which highlights the in-focus edges with a solid colour (reminds me of Photoshop's gamut warning) so you know precisely what is in focus
• the hybrid viewfinder can potentially act as a rangefinder. We don't know that it will at roll-out, but we do know that all it will take is software. The camera knows where the lens is, it knows where the viewfinder is, and it could definitely provide a virtual rangefinder "patch" superimposed over the optical viewfinder image

Everything is conjecture at this point, of course, but there you go. This seems like a camera designed with manual focus specifically in mind, and I would be very surprised if the software did not include some sort of rangefinder-like behaviour. As long as the focus ring is mechanical and not fly-by-wire, a virtual rangefinder could indeed be good enough.

Do you honestly believe a camera maker would release a camera that is geared towards manual focus in this day-and-age when even P&S cameras can recognize a face(s) and follow it?

Secondly would you rather half press the shutter and lock focus while still looking at the subject or fiddle with focus ring while at the same time trying to look at the subject and the corners (or wherever) in the viewfinder to see if you have focused correctly?



I think the madness over this camera is basically a fight between hopeless optimists who think it will all turn out the best and don't want to hear otherwise and realist/pessimists who feel that with track record of digital cameras and the info on this camera, apart from the looks and the viewfinder X100 is just another digital camera in the middle market between P&S and DSLRs.

[tapesonthefloor]

Originally Posted by semilog

So long as I can scale focus and the AF is comparable to, say, a Canon G11, I'm fine with it.

Fair enough! I'm militant about MF, but I'm a rare sort. I haven't bought any cameras newer than 1984 (the year I turned four, for the record) because I'm so opposed to AF. Not being able to afford an M9 might be part of that, too. SIGH

Originally Posted by semilog

Also: peaking is already used for MF confirmation in the video world. It is effective.

It is indeed! I've never played around with it, though. It seems like a pretty good solution for this camera, though as I've said earlier I will hack around until I get a working RF patch on this thing.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by ebino

apart from the looks and the viewfinder X100 is just another digital camera in the middle market between P&S and DSLRs.

Right, and that is precisely why we are excited.

[tapesonthefloor]

Originally Posted by ebino

Do you honestly believe a camera maker would release a camera that is geared towards manual focus in this day-and-age when even P&S cameras can recognize a face(s) and follow it?

I think the niche market for MFers who can't afford an M9 (I'm using that elsewhere... haha, MFers) is enough to provide a small economy for a manufacturer with creativity and guts, and I think Fujifilm might try to tap it. I think this X100 is their first attempt.

Or it's all marketing. Doesn't bother me either way. If this is all bull****, at least it provided a week or two of excitement.

Originally Posted by ebino

Secondly would you rather half press the shutter and lock focus while still looking at the subject or fiddle with focus ring while at the same time trying to look at the subject and the corners (or wherever) in the viewfinder to see if you have focused correctly?

I hate shutter half-presses, and I like fiddling with cameras. I guess that answers your question.

Originally Posted by ebino

I think the madness over this camera is basically a fight between hopeless optimists who think it will all turn out the best and don't want to hear otherwise and realist/pessimists who feel that with track record of digital cameras and the info on this camera, apart from the looks and the viewfinder X100 is just another digital camera in the middle market between P&S and DSLRs.

That's true. We agree. But it passes the hours, doesn't it?

[tonyjuliano]

Originally Posted by ebino

I think the madness over this camera is basically a fight between hopeless optimists who think it will all turn out the best and don't want to hear otherwise and realist/pessimists who feel that with track record of digital cameras and the info on this camera, apart from the looks and the viewfinder X100 is just another digital camera in the middle market between P&S and DSLRs.

And, from your post, it's very clear which side of the "madness" you fall into.

[Brian Sweeney]

They will not be the first with an edible camera. Done long ago.

[Frankie]

People might fall for a camera's looks, IQ, capability, auto-everything, manual control, new VF technology...even colour.

For me, it is the rare combination of all of the above.

I was firstly hungry for technical specifications, from stock press releases, useless pro-forma hands-on impression, pictures not found in Fuji's web sites, and [informed] opinions in RFF...I formed a quick summation and posted often.

It seems all but two posters did not attended Photokina... I followed early and did "read the whole thread".

The dogma also tells a story...fear of "barbarians at the [Leica] gates". Denials and arguments that Fuji intended, could, would or otherwise add other FL lenses, mount and the preemptive condemnation that it is a P&S all contribute to the furor...

Had Leica introduced this camera, there would have been immediate celebrations. What and why took Leica so long?

[PKR]

Has this preception of "picking sides" come over an "idea" for a camera, or of a camera that doesn't exist yet, or over the non-existant camera's specifications, that could change before production?

Hoping that camera manufactures' reps are reading this thread; I think any discussion of wanted cameras or features is very healthy. If you get on Fujifilm's X100 page you can add your wishes and comments to the pool of requested notes to the camera maker. I for one, think that of all camera makers, Fujifilm listens to it's customer base.

[semilog]

^--- I think that Frankie gets a lot right here. The answer to his closing question...

What and why took Leica so long?

...is simple: Leica does not want to cannibalise sales of its high-end, and likely high-margin, product lines (M8, M9).

[jsrockit]

I guarantee that this camera will not change much once it is introduced in March. The only thing I am scared of is that they never introduce it.

[PKR]

Originally Posted by semilog

^--- I think that Frankie gets a lot right here. The answer to his closing question...



...is simple: Leica does not want to cannibalise sales of its high-end, and likely high-margin, product lines (M8, M9).

Leica, a small company, has held the RF market for a long time. Now a giant, Fuji, is answering a number of questions.. among them $$. I think things would be different if Leica hadn't be come the camera of "kings and sultans".