I actually joined this forum as
A) The hysterical, unbelievably rude treatment of both the X10 and its 'orb' issue and their treatment of Armin over at DPR was just too much for me, and
B) I just love my X10, 'warts and all', if you will.
This is actually my first digital camera. I could never find a compact that approached my favorite Canonets or Konica Autos or Yashicas, or later cameras like the Yashica T4, etc. I could never 'warm up' to all these little flat plastic, no viewfinder P&S's. I appreciated the Powershot G cameras, etc., but nothing felt right in my hands. The few that almost felt right were usually saddled with a very slow lens, no viewfinder, no way to use filters, no hot shoe.
I bought the X10 sight unseen, hoping it would be the right thing, and for me it's a revelation. I suppose the combo viewfinder from the X100 would be great, but I did not want to forego this zoom: Imagine what a 28-105, f2-f2.8 would cost as an SLR lens. And it let me work at apertures I'm used to, in low light if I want. Perfect. And I find myself just holding this thing or often just wearing it around my neck: It FEELS like a camera. The zoom ring off/on is ingenius for me, and I don't have to use an idiot button to electrically zoom the lens, it's a real zoom ring, just like a 'real' camera.
There's lots of good cameras out there. But this just fit me to a 'T', almost as if Fuji had asked me what I wanted. The orbs thing? I get 'em occasionally, but sheesh, it's not the End of Western Civilisation or AntiChrist Walking Among Us. I won't be sending mine back, and good on 'ya Fuji for stepping up to the plate. Did they take too long to address it? I couldn't say, but then, how long does it take BIG companies to do their research, talk to the lawyers, buy the parts, set up the internal process, etc., especially if they're doing this from halfway around the world in a different language/culture?
My only real complaint? I'd like the Fuji 'Never Ready' case, but over a hundred bucks makes the $50 lenshade/filter holder seem like the deal of the century. On the other hand, my camera is already black, saving me shelling out for the black SpecialEd X100 !
I'm building a little kit for it, bought my Hoya filters, the lens shade, a Fuji bag, and wanting to round up the EF42 flash PDQ. And Oh Yes, a plain, old-school cable release works fine on this gem, but what surprised me? I could press the cable release halfway, and the autofocus would pre-stage (just like pressing the shutter release halfway with your finger) !
All the Best to All of You,
Joey Wilson