Fuji X100 - Is it a keeper?

I really like the camera. I've had mine about a month now. It was a pleasure to use on my trip to Italy especially when I wanted to go light. My heavy kit was 5DMKII and one or two lenses plus the X100, my light kit was EPL2 with 40-150 and 9-18 and X100. Sometimes one just needs a wider or longer lens than a 35 equiv. My ultra light kit was the X100. I really like using it, only thing that drives me absolutely mad is start up time after it goes to sleep 5-10 seconds? What's up with that? I wish M4/3 or some other small format interchangeable lens camera would have the quality and controls of this camera.

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Here is a link to my picks from the X100 in Venice:

X100 Set - a set on Flickr
 
Lisa, I'm so glad you're baaaaaack! This is a beauty - don't you find the ISO speeds amazing? I mean how you can use the camera at such high speeds?

The issue with waking up has been talked about - with regard to how to make it work faster. I know it's setting almost everything to off... I'll see if I can find it, otherwise Ray or someone else with a better memory bank will post.;)
 
Yes, I have sorted through most of my photos, I still need to work on them and as you know they need better captions and more info but I have been looking through the forums here and thinking about what to do next (with my photos and photography). Hopefully cameras like the X100 will push the photo industry to come up with more higher quality large images sensor, small body cameras with good high ISO performance (which is my main complaint about the current limits of M4/3, bad high ISO and Dynamic Range). If you or someone can point me to some info on that wake from sleep issue it would be great as I've been out of the loop for 4 weeks. Thanks!
 
I really like using it, only thing that drives me absolutely mad is start up time after it goes to sleep 5-10 seconds? What's up with that? I wish M4/3 or some other small format interchangeable lens camera would have the quality and controls of this camera.
Lisa, turn off the sleep function - don't let it pass out on you and just turn it on and off - use quick startup mode. The camera's a LOT faster that way. Just carry an extra battery for insurance. I haven't looked through your whole set from your trip yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

-Ray
 
Thanks Ray. Yes that works under normal circumstances but when I was in Venice I was shooting from sometimes as early as 5:30 am until 11:00 PM so even with 3 batteries I had to be careful of battery life but post Venice that should be a solution, but they really need to address that in a firmware update, I know of no other camera that is that bad waking up from sleep.
 
Definitely a keeper for me.

So much so that I may get rid of my 5D2, which I mainly used with a 50 f1.4 anyway. I have only once felt the need for a DSLR since I got the X100 because I needed a telephoto lens to take some pics at a concert. I had both cameras around my neck all day.

But if I had an M9 I don't think I'd want the X100 - I have the X100 because I cannot easily find a way to justify an M9 to myself.
 
Maybe a rude and negative first post but love my "serious Compacts"
Looking at Fuji USA site (What Others Say | FUJIFILM FinePix X100 ) there have been no NEW owner updated since March? I think FUJI must be embarrassed by reviews from owners that have had time to use the X100 and found it is massively flawed in firmware design. I have now owned the X100 for 4 weeks and have owned many digital cameras both Pro and P&S and have never come across a camera that is so unfriendly to the owner. In comparison the GF1 just works plane and simple works 100% of the time. Yes it haves a EVF
This is my second Fuji camera I have owned the first was a Pro 5 beautiful camera but had the advantage of been built by Nikon.
For $1200 (a years saving to one person I know) this camera in my eyes was released far to early and knowing how Japanese manufacturing works I could guarantee heads have rolled .

Conclusion no matter what the next camera Fuji bring to the market I will be sitting on the fence a lot longer and not letting my heart over take my pocket
 
Welcome to Serious Compacts, DiViVa. I don't think too many add their comments over on the Fuji website anymore. Though there are several here who decided that the X100 wasn't for them, there are many of us here who think it's a seriously great camera. I'm sorry it's been a disappointment to you. Personally, I use shoot in RAW in aperture preferred mode almost all the time. I've been choosing my own ISO but many swear by auto ISO - which I"m going to give a try again. Heck the results the camera gave me in color at ISO 6400 were fantastic.

It's a good thing that we have so many great cameras to choose from, eh? Different strokes for different folks, to each his or her own.;) I am glad you're happy with your GF1 and hope that you'll share some of your photographs here on Serious Compacts soon! In the meantime, please stop by the Welcomes and Introductions forum to tell us more about yourself.:)
 
Perfect for me

The attraction of a small camera with fast (enough) response and good image quality is very powerful to me. By fast response, I mean much closer to a DSLR than a compact, which is why I didn't go for the Leica X1, although I liked its direct control via wheels. I also must have an optical viewfinder. The fixed focal length didn't worry me too much, since after checking my EXIFs from the D40 and D7000, I found over half of my photos taken between 18 and 50mm (APS). Of the rest, a fair number taken with my Sigma 10-20mm, mostly in churches and cathedrals. Very few long shots.

I reasoned I could use the panorama feature inside churches as a substitute for the wide lens, and I could crop to get the equivalent of 30-50mm. Or use my feet! So 80% of my shots could be taken with the X100. Can you see me rationalizing an emotional decision here? (The X100 is just so beautiful).

Our local camera shop suddenly had one in stock on their online site, so I went down to see it and was smitten the first time I looked through the viewfinder.

Now my only problem is how to explain to my wife why I needed to spend €1000 on another camera...

Definitely a keeper.
 
I love your reasoning, BigTam.:D Congratulations and I can't wait to see some of those church photographs and more from you! Next time you're on the site, please stop by for a quick (or long) hello over on the Welcomes and Introductions forum. I hope your wife will grow to love the X100 as she sees how beautiful your pictures are.(y)
 
I must admit I am keeping a close eye on this thread. I have tried not to look at this camera because of the price, anything usually for me over £500 is a no no. But..... having that thought I own 3 decent cameras, a Ricoh GRD III, Sigma DP2 and a newly acquired Panasonic GF-2 with 14mm and 14-42mm lens, these are all wonderful cameras in their own right but as I leave my house I take one camera only. This is the problem, a nice bright sunny day hello DP2, going to the City hello GRD, wandering around my home city/local drive my GF-2 come along, I find I love one part from each of these cameras but not all, DP2 = Sensor / GRD = Controls / GF-2 = Functions, so would the Fuji X100 be my one and only camera, should I sell all my other cameras and opt for this? It certainly seems to have all the functions I would ever need, maybe a tad smaller body or the manual focus being better, but having just one camera could be the ticket, I have an option sell all the cameras here and buy one or just wait to see if Fuji lower the price, now what to do?
 
My background in camera ownership is terrible :-( all I really wanted was an old school 35mm that took great lowlight photos and sharp outdoor stuff.

I must have bought and sold well over 50 digital cameras in my time from the first affordable point and shoots to DsLR's. Nothing really made me happy overall even tho some came close.

The X100 is my dream camera, quirks as well. I love it to bits, the look, the photo quality and the ease of use for setting changes.

I have been waiting almost 20 years for this kind of camera and it's finally here!

Oh yeah, this one is a keeper for me!!! Lol
 
My background in camera ownership is terrible :-( all I really wanted was an old school 35mm that took great lowlight photos and sharp outdoor stuff.

I must have bought and sold well over 50 digital cameras in my time from the first affordable point and shoots to DsLR's. Nothing really made me happy overall even tho some came close.

The X100 is my dream camera, quirks as well. I love it to bits, the look, the photo quality and the ease of use for setting changes.

I have been waiting almost 20 years for this kind of camera and it's finally here!

Oh yeah, this one is a keeper for me!!! Lol

ditto....word for word....!
 
Cameras do 2 things.
1- They get out of the way of your vision and thus support it or....
2- They intrude on your vision.

The X100 has been compared to the Leica M. For me this is a very fair comparison.
Why? The M does not intrude on my vision. The X100 does not either.

What makes a camera a keeper is what I wrote above. There are firmware, mechanical & using issues with any camera but they dissipate after a spell. Then your left with just you, your camera and your vision.

That's where the deal is made or broken.
For me, the X100 passes with flying colors.
I don't think about improvements anymore, just my vision.
That makes it a keeper.
 
The camera has to be the whole package in that it is enjoyable out and about and at home, my Sigma DP-2 is amazing to get back home and see the images come alive but out and about I can be seen screaming.
 
Cameras do 2 things.
1- They get out of the way of your vision and thus support it or....
2- They intrude on your vision.

The X100 has been compared to the Leica M. For me this is a very fair comparison.
Why? The M does not intrude on my vision. The X100 does not either.

What makes a camera a keeper is what I wrote above. There are firmware, mechanical & using issues with any camera but they dissipate after a spell. Then your left with just you, your camera and your vision.

That's where the deal is made or broken.
For me, the X100 passes with flying colors.
I don't think about improvements anymore, just my vision.
That makes it a keeper.

Yes, absolutely agree
 
I must have bought and sold well over 50 digital cameras in my timel

Oh yeah! In the time I've known you, I think you've been through at least 10, even more than me, and I never thought I would ever know anyone so camera compelled! I'm really glad you are finding the X100 a keeper, because my dissatisfaction with compacts seems to mirror yours (except I tend to keep mine <g>) and I'm fairly sure the X100 will be a keeper for me, too... when I eventually get it...
 
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