Fuji What is the future of the OVF?

[Armanius]

Don't forget the coffee maker and a camping burner.

Coffee maker?? I expect that from Canon. From Fuji, I want an espresso maker!

 

[Armanius]

Why bring back a feature that was never gone?

I've only played with the X20 at the local shop. But I didn't see the pro low light feature (multi-shot noise reduction copycat). That's in the X20??

 

[flysurfer]

I've only played with the X20 at the local shop. But I didn't see the pro low light feature (multi-shot noise reduction copycat). That's in the X20??

Of course.

 

[Luckypenguin]

I suspect that a lot of owners of the Canon G-series camera would love a decent EVF to replace the zooming OVF.

 

[Lawrence A.]

Well, no one has posted on this thread for two years, but since the optical viewfinders in the X20 and the X-Pro 1(now that I finally have the latter) are the reason I'm shooting with the Fuji system, I thought I'd weigh in. I don't use OVF for "sentimental" reasons, either, but rather because it is my preferred way of framing a shot. I don't hate a good EVF. It's certainly better than nothing, but it is still a video image between me and the thing I want to shoot and it is slightly alienating. To me. Best of all in the X-Pro, are those wonderful rangefinder frame lines in shorter focal lengths. That's fine: I never liked using anything longer than a 90mm with my Bessa or old Leica.

I'm curious why people who are thoroughly satisfied with an EVF so frequently want to dismiss those who love the X-Pro hybrid finder as reactionary dumb-bells. Wearing glasses when I shoot, I can almost never see an entire frame at once in SLRs (even with optical VF) or EVF mirrorless cameras. So the frame lines, even at 85% give me a more secure sense of what I am shooting. I see it at a glance without having to move my eye around. That the same is not true for others is of no concern to me when I raise my camera to my eye, though I wish them success in finding a framing solution to their liking. As for the financial part of the equation, if building a whole fleet of cameras with EVF allows Fuji to earn enough to support an X-Pro 2, 3, 4, and so forth, I'm content. A bit like like sales of rock and country, and pop LP's supporting the classical section of record companies. As long as I could get the old Juillard doing the Bartok String Quartets, or the Budapest Quartet doing Beethoven, I didn't care how Columbia Records (at the time) made their money.

At shorter focal lengths I could happily shoot a manual focus rangefinder. Dealing with rangefinder patch has always seemed the easiest way of manually focusing to me, so no problem there. But since Leica is the only show in town for that and is way beyond my means, the X-pro with auto focus -- and the occasional legacy lens using the EVF -- is simply lovely. And my E-M5 for ibis stabilized shooting with long, legacy glass.

 

[rbelyell]

lawrence i echo everything you said, except that leica is the only digi rf game in town. for all the reasons you state, i shoot a non leica digital rf, the epson rd1. also, for every reason you state, i shoot the original x100, which i use when i want af or in very low light. but if you want the rf patch experience, try the rd1 with its BIG beautiful and unique 1:1 vf, at a cost not much more than the xp1. i chose the rd1 over many previous cameras, including the state of the art sony rx1 (and the xp1 as well), not because i'm a luddite or a sentimentalist, but because i prefer on the basis of personal comparison both its user experience and the image results.

 

[Lawrence A.]

lawrence i echo everything you said, except that leica is the only digi rf game in town. for all the reasons you state, i shoot a non leica digital rf, the epson rd1. also, for every reason you state, i shoot the original x100, which i use when i want af or in very low light. but if you want the rf patch experience, try the rd1 with its BIG beautiful and unique 1:1 vf, at a cost not much more than the xp1. i chose the rd1 over many previous cameras, including the state of the art sony rx1 (and the xp1 as well), not because i'm a luddite or a sentimentalist, but because i prefer on the basis of personal comparison both its user experience and the image results.

How are the 6 MP files? Everything I've seen has been gorgeous, and I rarely print big. Even when I was shooting large format film, I usually printed on 11x14 inch paper with at least 1 inch borders. I've been looking at the RD1 on Ebay and rangefinder forums. It's very attractive to me, and I should have known better than not to have mentioned it. That it has a CCD sensor is all to the good. I'm off on a trip in 5 weeks, so I won't be getting one before that -- you know, so I can eat while I'm out of the country -- but next year I'll see about acquiring one. I guess Cosina made it, and I love the Bessa's, so I'm disappointed they haven't jumped in with a late model digital RF. But for 90% of what I shoot, the RD sounds like it would work well. I don't print big, and blazing fast operation isn't my primary concern in a camera. I do love rangefinder frame lines, though.

 

[rbelyell]

i absolutely love the files, frankly i am constantly amazed by them. sharp, gorgeous color, always a wow. and the 1:1 vf means you see as your eye sees, no diminution. the framelines are user controlled for 28, 35 and 50, translating just as they would on your xp1. the full vf screen is about equal to a 21mm, which is what i use as my street lens as it translates to about 32mm. the cam goes to iso 1600 and unlike the m8, the RAW files are very filmlike at 1600, extremely useable. and as opposed to leica cams you can use just about any rf lens without worry about color or focus shift.

tbh, i was using the 24mp sony rx1 side by side with the 6mp rd1. the resolution of the sony was stunning, and without equal, as was its lowlight ability at the time. but the overall look compared to the rd1 left me cold and i sold it.

i havent been this happy with my equipment in years. i use the leica 21/2.8, 50/1.5 and 75/2.5 and i smile every time i pick up the camera and again when i look at my files. if you can swing it, i think youll love it. if you could start out with leica glass at your favorite fl, thatd be the way to go. have fun on your trip. if theres any way i can help with more info, please dont hesitate to pm me.