a different beast
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 2:32 PM 
A few months ago I wrote a post about the now famous Fujifilm X100 camera. And although I was well aware of the GearRot/ShinyNewThing effect having its way with me, it nonetheless slowly became a bit of an obsession — compounded by the scarcity of the camera itself and the increasing number of glowing reviews and stunning photos popping up online. I’m not going to go into the same details here as others have done a terrific job covering all aspects of this camera. Here’s a few if you’re not up to speed: JonathanJK, David Charlwood, Luminous Landscape.
For my part, long story short: I got one last week. Not from the shop where I had placed an order mind you (which I won’t name because they pissed me off) but from Lord Photo, a local camera store I’d never heard of that’s very likely to get all my business from now on.
I picked it up on the eve of leaving for Boston to catch the Flash Bus tour. So between the battery needing to be charged, preparations for the trip, the kids, the 6 hour drive and being held at US customs for an hour (they couldn’t believe I didn’t have a criminal record and went looking for one) I basically got to the show with an untested X100.
And it kicked my butt.
THIS IS NOT AN SLR
Obviously. I knew that. In fact I knew everything there was to know about the X100 before purchasing it. Negative and positive. I’d read the manual front to back. I’d read the reviews. I knew about every issues.
What I didn’t realize was just how much I’ve become used to my DSLR, how much it’s an extension of my hand and my eyes. On my D300 my fingers just know where to go, usually glued to the front and back knobs, constantly controlling shutter speed and aperture, my left eye looking at focus and metering in the viewfinder, my right eye scoping the rest of the scene. I work manually 99% of the time and I’m pretty darn fast at it. I don’t miss a lot of shots — technically at least. I look at the meter and know how it’s reading the scene. And I know how to get the results I’m after.
But this.
Man… I suddenly felt like a tourist: Not. A great. Feeling.
A WHOLE OTHER BEAST
Any new piece of gear has its learning curve. But once in a while I’ll get this dreaded moment where I go: “whoa, I just spent a boatload of money and this thing pretty much sucks”. Usually at that point I get a bit nauseous. Then the room spins a little.
So here I was in a roomful of photographers, watching Joe frickin’ McNally and David Hobby for god’s sake - and sporting a camera that made me feel like my mother at the computer. And no she’s isn’t much of a power user.
The X100 is a quirky object. Because of its design you expect something that it’s actually not: you expect a hands on, manually operated camera. And even though I knew from previous reviews that it wasn’t, the disconnect was strong enough to completely throw me off. For instance, my first instinct to switch to manual and grab the focus ring was a very serious reality check: it just doesn’t work. Period. In fact it’s so far removed from any focus ring I’ve ever used that I wouldn’t even call it that — it’s a distance selector, and a slow one at that. Hopefully a firmware update will boost its usability.
I was also thrown off by the light meter in the viewfinder... Until I realized that in Aperture Priority mode it wasn’t a light meter at all but an exposure compensation indicator that doesn’t give any feedback on the scene itself. I know. I told you I looked dumb didn’t I?
BUT... BUT... THIS IS THE JESUS CAMERA!
After months of lurking, and lusting and watching videos and then reading all there was about this camera, I honestly had a few moments of doubt. The skies didn’t part when I slipped the strap around my neck, no angels choir as I clicked the oh! so silent shutter.
But then I started getting it. I discarded my old habits, sat down and began testing various scenarios. I realized I could hold this thing pretty darn steady all the way down to 1/4; ISO performance was as impressive as anyone had said; It could nail exposure pretty effectively and I could quickly learn to anticipate issues with the easily accessible compensation dial; In manual mode I could prefocus from about 5 feet to infinity, put the camera on auto ISO in Aperture Priority mode and pretty much forget about it. In essence I began understanding how to use it properly. I’m not there yet, but it IS coming along.
AWAKENINGS
And then I got home... and I saw the images.
Image quality is stunning. It just is. Noise is virtually invisible all the way up to 1600 and barely begins registering at 3200. What’s more, the little noise there is looks more like grain than digital artifacts and in black and white (which is how I’ll be processing most of my pics with this camera) becomes a plus more than a negative. In fact I’ll be testing lower NR settings to see what I can get away with. I’ve been shooting JPEG for now which is a bit strange to come back to. Hopefully the Aperture team will consider supporting it before 2020 (!!). I’d hate to buy LR because of this (although support isn’t available there yet either).
Is it worth the money? To me it absolutely is and I suspect my fondness is only going to increase as I learn to better use it. This is not a camera I bought for work. I bought this to do street and travel, to have in my jacket anywhere I go as my Best Camera. We’re planning a trip to France in June and I couldn’t imagine myself whipping out a DSLR and zoom lens on the TGV. Would a point and shoot have done the job? Not without a viewfinder. Not for me. Framing with a camera at arms length is about as foreign to me as trying to take a picture with a donut — forget about it. Add the APS-C sensor to the mix and there’s no contest as far as I’m concerned. Physical buttons are icing on the cake.
I just wish they would’ve included the lens hood. $99? Seriously?
Later.
P.S
One of the perks of having one of these around your neck: it’s a great way to meet photographers :)
As soon as I sat down for lunch at the pier in Boston Harbour I got noticed by Michael Potiker who immediately recognized the X100. He’s a Leica and Nikon shooter from California currently studying photography in Boston. Cool guy. Check him out here.
And the Flash Bus event was a blast. Although I met Joe McNally in the conference lobby (I was late) and ended up talking about the weather. Geez. Not my most shining moment, although he was gracious as hell. They call it starstruck kids. Oh well. I also met a very nice Massachusetts portrait photographer named Caycee Lee. Her site is here.
Alright, I’m out for real this time. More pics below (Michael cameo in the first one).
Boston, Popular, black and white, camera, fuji, monochrome, street in Shoots, X100, feature, fujifilm, fujifilm X100, gear, photography, x100 | Tweet
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Reader Comments (27)
Great and very realistic first impressions review Patrick.. certainly a good read. Photos are great also. JPEG look awesome and RAW images will just be a bonus later on.
[...] A Different Beast – How the X100 kicked my butt by Patrick La Roque [...]
[...] A Different Beast – How the X100 kicked my butt by Patrick La Roque [...]
Reading your review makes me feel better. I had many of the same feelings... I love the "angels choir" part of your piece. I've been obsessed with everything x100 since I got wind of it. Even have a super shot of the camera in its sexy brown leather case as wallpaper on my computer. Now, with camera in hand, I can't say it feels like an extension of my photographic instincts yet. At this moment it still frustrates me a bit.
Thanks for the comments guys.
Hey Patrick, hopefully Fuji is reading some of these reviews and has a new firmware in the making to tackle the smaller issues, but it sounds like most people like yourself are enjoying owning the camera.
Probably the single biggest thing for is I'm finally back carrying a camera with me everywhere I go, that in itself makes the X100 easily worth it costs price.
Here's to enjoying our photography !!
Ian Wilkinson
[...] is a list of new reviews: Laroquephoto Streetreverbmagazine Samhurdphotography Photoreview The rolling review by Sean [...]
[...] Ian Wilkinson mentioned in the comments on my last post, the most important thing with this camera is that I have it with me all the time. Which means [...]
What a wonderful article! It really makes me want to buy this camera to keep with me at all times. It was great to meet you and thanks for mentioning me in your post :) Have a wonderful trip in France and I look forward to seeing the photos from it!
Thanks Caycee - I'll make sure to give you a shout when I get back :)
My goodness! This is the most delightful writeup I've yet read (and I've read a boatload) on the X100! I have had one on order for so long I'm beginning to wonder whether my teenager will be the one to first use it when it gets delivered one of these years. Thanks so much for posting!
I think it's called synchronicity (!)
Here's hoping you won't have to wait THAT long ;)
I hear a second shipment is finally due...
Glad you found this helpful. Thanks.
I think this is like 'Never buy a new model of a car when it 1st comes out... wait for the second or third year so that all the kinks can be corrected'. I do not like paying for a collection of photographic 'remedies' when [like Luminous Landscapes has stated] all these design issues should have been solved on the design table.... not with our wallets.
I really respect Fuji and their excellent corporate values. But, presently I feel I must wait for the second edition of this camera.
My eyes are older, my hands a bit big, I'm not as smart and no way as quick mentally for the issues many ppl have brought up. I really needed a simple way of taking pictures ... like my 1st Spotmatic decades ago that I use to this day. I'll snap more film and see what the future brings.
Michael Reichmann of Luminous Landscape still bought one though ;)
There are certainly flaws in this camera, some of which will be fixed in a firmware update while others will probably come in a second or third edition as you stated.
But this "review" was really about first impressions and how very different the X100 is to what I was used to.
While I totally respect your point of view I have to say: you might be missing out. Right now — a few weeks in — I couldn't possibly imagine being without it. It's a very cool photographic tool, quirks be damned.
It's forcing me to change the way I shoot and look at everything another way. And it delivers. In my book that's the best thing a tool can do for me.
Best
Patrick,
I was going to attend the Flash Bus Debacle in Boston, but my father-in-law's birthday celebration was that weekend...and it was out of state. It's a shame we didn't get to meet.
I visited Montreal last year and really liked it. I have to get back someday with the purpose of street shooting for a few days.
Let me know if you do, I'd love to tag along. Flash Bus was very cool… and jam packed.
Thanks for the picpac tip btw, I didn't know about them. I'll probably use my 32gb iPad for offloading and backup, along with a couple more cards. After all I'll be with my girlfriend on the trip so I'll have to take SOME breaks from shooting…!
Best
Hi Patrick,
Thanks for the generous words in response to my review of the X100: http://thepictorial.com/photography/fuji-x100-review/
There is an uncanny parallel in our thoughts on this camera... you're right! I took mine to the Flashbus tour in Buffalo instead of my DSLR (although I took my SB-900 and wireless flash triggers in case I decided to get flash creative with the combo), and was happy with the choice due to it's compact dimensions whilst traveling there on the Greyhound from Toronto. I was also glad to test it out on the street (during lunch break and on the way home), in a city I'd never really stopped in before.
It was funny being amongst all those people with their pro DSLR bodies, and large lenses, but it made me wonder which direction I was heading in, and whether I should even be there at all at the conference.
I've used my D700 plus flash since, and now am happy to be using both types of camera. The D700 still suits me best, but the X100 is a treat each time I use it.
I enjoyed your words here, it's great to share thoughts and pictures, and yours are definitely worth looking at.
Keep up the good work on the blog.
Cheers,
Kevin.
You're way more courageous than I was Kevin: I brought the X100 AND my usual gear! To be fair I did have a shoot scheduled while I was there so not much choice in the matter, but I know I still would've chickened out and brought along my DSLR…
Happy to have discovered your blog as well. Great stuff.
Best
Patrick
Ah, yes, trips with ladies; for some reason these trips seem to produce far fewer pics than when travelling alone :-)
:)
These are fantastic B&W Pics! I just got my X100 and will be taking it on a vacation trip to Italy at the end of June. Can't wait to see how this camera performs in my hands!
Gus Matsos
Thanks Gus - I'm leaving for France tomorrow… X100 in hand :)
Have a great trip!
Stumbled across this post while checking your workflow post out. I've been on the fence about this camera, tech. reviews all say it's awesome, but none have really captured the honest spirit of using it like your post. Many thanks and look forward to following your work.
AJ
Thanks AJ,
It's a great camera but it does take some getting used to. Especially when coming from a DSLR...