Fuji It all happened at CP+

Grigoris

New Member
I shoot Pentax. Even when I went to photography school back in 1988, while everybody was drooling over the new Nikon F4, I was lusting for the simplicity of a K1000. Never got one BTW, but I did get to get an MX, a Km, a K10, a K20 and a K5. And I wanted to get their new "enthusiast" MX1 too since on paper it looked as if it combined the best of several worlds: Pentax, small, vintage look and good IQ.

So I went to the CP+ in Yokohama to check it out; of course I would have gone anyway since it's great to be able to spend a few hours at a place where everything is all about photography (not to mention there was this great Robert Cappa/Gerda Taro exhibition in the nearby Yokohama Museum of Art). And two things happened; actually more but two stood out: I found out the MX1 is not sold in Japan -and that was bad. And that the Fujifilm X20 and X100S were out -and that was, potentially, even worse.

You see, I've been thinking about adding a serious compact in my kit because, frankly, after years of schlepping around a bag with two DSLRs with battery packs and three lenses I have come to that very ugly point where you start looking for excuses not to get the camera/s with when you go out (I only shoot professionally in extremely rare occasions so taking pictures is 99.99% a personal thing). And because I do like Pentax (and generally don't care much for the two big ones) even though I had seen some of the Xs (two friends pro photographers in Greece always carry an X10 and an X-Pro1 respectively with them -and these are people who shoot Hasselblads for a living), I hadn't really thought about jumping ship. But the literature about the X series and the huge queues in CP+ where enough to make me wonder. And since this was a photo expo, what better place to see what it's all about?

It took 40 minutes of waiting although Fuji had a desk with six (IIRC) people showing just these two cameras under a HUGE banner with their logos, and the words "2.23 debut" on it. While waiting, I rechecked the raving previews on the various sites and went through the specs on the flyers but I'm not much of a tech guy; it's always the pictures that get me, as well as the feeling of the camera in the hands. And boy was I impressed! I mean, of course, the pictures chosen by a company to demo their new camera in an event are always the best shot by the best (and in Japan this is saying something!) but those were exceptional. Not compact camera exceptiona: Leica exceptional.

The feeling when we managed to get to the desk was the coup de grâce: probably because of having grown in the 70s, there's some deep sense in me that a real camera feels not like a DSLR but more, well, small and square and compact. And this exact feeling was what I got from these two. These are cameras to carry around everywhere, with all the manual controls needed to customize your shot at the right spots and with a response (to the extent I could judge that from the few test shots I took right there and then) that matched my DSLRs. It was a blessing that the demo guy was overwhelmed with joy that he could do his sales pitch bit to my wife in Japanese so I could have some more time with this great pair.

You can say I'm preaching to the choir; and you'd be right. Or that this is a pathetic attempt to earn the X20; and you'd probably be also right. But to my defense, this was honestly the first time in almost three decades that I was seriously motivated to bypass my brand loyalty and think towards a new direction. And it wasn’t because the MX1 isn’t for sale in Japan either: I could easily get one in my next trip to Greece in a few months. But after the two Fujis, the MX1 (which I did get the chance to check in the Pentax/Ricoh booth) even though an interesting little box, just didn’t feel that right.

Grigoris
 
Nice post. You don't have to bypass brand loyalty to go X... I shoot Pentax (K5)... and Fuji (X100)... I keep thinking about selling the Pentax but when it gets down to it... I can't. So just get an X and enjoy it :) and keep shooting Pentax too :)

Thanks for the comment! Well, to be honest this is what I'm thinking of doing <g>. I've gotten used to the quirks of my K's and there are times that I need what a good DSLR + tele combo can do so the Pentax aren't going away any time soon. It just feels a little... weird. I mean, I always thought that if I switched brands it would be because (a) I wouldn't be able to resist the huge lens arrays of Canikon anymore or (b) for a Leica (illusions of Magnum etc.) -not for a little box selling for less than $1,000! But as you probably have already found out, these aren't ordinary little boxes!
 
Thanks for the comment! Well, to be honest this is what I'm thinking of doing <g>. I've gotten used to the quirks of my K's and there are times that I need what a good DSLR + tele combo can do so the Pentax aren't going away any time soon. It just feels a little... weird. I mean, I always thought that if I switched brands it would be because (a) I wouldn't be able to resist the huge lens arrays of Canikon anymore or (b) for a Leica (illusions of Magnum etc.) -not for a little box selling for less than $1,000! But as you probably have already found out, these aren't ordinary little boxes!

Absolutely definitely nothing ordinary about them. I have never been able to get the same excellent IQ from my K5 (I did from the K200D, but not the K5, interestingly) as I can from the X100. If I didn't already have one, the price has dropped so far, I would get one now. I'm not convinced that the "S" model would give me a better camera than I already have. I love being able to shoot manually, with physical dials and a button for ISO, but here's what I don't do... I don't use that utterly woeful manual focus :) It really is bad, no matter what anyone says. AF though, is just fine, if not a speed demon. I *will* be getting an interchangeable lens Fuji, but it will depend largely on how prices go in the future. After that, if I find I dont use my K... I might sell... but its not worth much anymore so... nah...
 
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