A users story

[jsrockit]

If I had thought this article would cause you to have a ding dong match I'd have kept it to myself. Chill out guys and agree to disagree.

Come on man, we aren't in a ding dong match... just having a internet debate. 😱 gavinlg can handle it... 🙂

 

[doncraig]

you know...the author of that blog is a member here, eh?
fellow canuck!

Hey Macjim and Joe, thanks for the plug, eh!

Folks, I didn't mean to start an argument. Just wanted to point out an alternative means of using the cameras. I also set up my work Nikon D700 this way, separating focus from exposure and, in the case of the X-cameras, giving me a bit more control over focus than I experienced with my rangefinders. Having the opportunity to focus peek is a nice feature, particularly when shooting wide open. I know that I missed focus with RFs when shooting with a shallow depth of field due to slight misalignment between lens and camera. It's nice to have a bit more control and to give my old eyes a hand.

Intheviewfinder, AF or AMF certainly depends upon the conditions under which one shoots, however, I have shot in very low light with good focusing success. The key for me has been to use all of the focusing features available on the cameras. When I started to use the X-100 and XP1, I wanted to use them like a RF and only use the optical viewfinder. The optical viewfinder is great for many things, but a quick switch to the EVF can determine whether you have achieved focus and then switch back to the OVF. When shooting portraits (an upcoming blog post), I use the EVF a lot.

As for the focus points being different, this may be because they can be different from EVF to OVF. Yes, you can move the focus point in one and it does not move in the other. So to work quickly, I just keep them in the centre and recompose once I have focused.

I recommend that you get a diopter to avoid shooting with your glasses on. I'm never happy shooting with my glasses on because of how awkward it is to see through that extra layer. CV diopters fit and Fuji will release their own diopters in August.

It seems like all cameras have trade offs. The key for my personal shooting happiness has been to find the camera(s) that give me the most features I need without being too difficult with which to work. Sometimes that means I lug around the D700 and a couple of monster lenses. Fortunately, most of the time, for work or pleasure, I happily use the X-P1. And as I become more familiar with how it works, the happier I have become. It's not a RF and in some situations, that is a good thing. Yet, if it's not working for you, then it's not working for you.

 

[macjim]

Hey Macjim and Joe, thanks for the plug, eh!

Folks, I didn't mean to start an argument. Just wanted to point out an alternative means of using the cameras. I also set up my work Nikon D700 this way, separating focus from exposure and, in the case of the X-cameras, giving me a bit more control over focus than I experienced with my rangefinders. Having the opportunity to focus peek is a nice feature, particularly when shooting wide open. I know that I missed focus with RFs when shooting with a shallow depth of field due to slight misalignment between lens and camera. It's nice to have a bit more control and to give my old eyes a hand.

Intheviewfinder, AF or AMF certainly depends upon the conditions under which one shoots, however, I have shot in very low light with good focusing success. The key for me has been to use all of the focusing features available on the cameras. When I started to use the X-100 and XP1, I wanted to use them like a RF and only use the optical viewfinder. The optical viewfinder is great for many things, but a quick switch to the EVF can determine whether you have achieved focus and then switch back to the OVF. When shooting portraits (an upcoming blog post), I use the EVF a lot.

As for the focus points being different, this may be because they can be different from EVF to OVF. Yes, you can move the focus point in one and it does not move in the other. So to work quickly, I just keep them in the centre and recompose once I have focused.

I recommend that you get a diopter to avoid shooting with your glasses on. I'm never happy shooting with my glasses on because of how awkward it is to see through that extra layer. CV diopters fit and Fuji will release their own diopters in August.

It seems like all cameras have trade offs. The key for my personal shooting happiness has been to find the camera(s) that give me the most features I need without being too difficult with which to work. Sometimes that means I lug around the D700 and a couple of monster lenses. Fortunately, most of the time, for work or pleasure, I happily use the X-P1. And as I become more familiar with how it works, the happier I have become. It's not a RF and in some situations, that is a good thing. Yet, if it's not working for you, then it's not working for you.

I liked the article 👍

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

doncraig, thanks for the excellent article and comments here.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

I read the story and it seems the writer understands the capabilities of the XP1. Anyone thinking of buying the XP1 needs to know that it has a learning curve... AS DOES ANY CAMERA EVER BUILT!

I've been using the XP1 for several months now. I use both AF and MF modes roughly equally. I don't remember mis-focusing ever, so long as I had it pointed at what I wanted to focus on (read: user needs to pay attention, AS WITH ANY CAMERA).

I wear glasses and I don't experience any more shortcomings than WITH ANY CAMERA I'VE EVER USED.

The only remark I'd add to those made above by people that have used the XP1 for long enough to understand its operational subtleties, is this: The XP1, in my opinion, can serve any photographic purpose except possibly those of a pro sports photographer that needs continuous, instantaneous focus and huge burst capacity. I can say this confidently because I know that photographers for decades have been using gear far less capable than the XP1 to produce fine images.

 

[gavinlg]

I can assure you I know how to use the AF and I do complain about it. It misses and the OVF is still inaccurate at times, regarding focus point, even with the corrected AF. Also, the AF IS slow compared to a DSLR, Nex, or OMD. Sure, we adapt to it and make it work for us... but it has issues worth complaining about. I wouldn't want Fuji to release the AF untouched in the next model. Complaining might make them actually enhance it.

When I said most who complain I didn't mean you :angel: - definitely it's not as fast as a DSLR or an om-d and an improvement in speed would make it an even better camera.

But have a look at some of the forums and some of the complaints/questions on there and it's fairly clear that a large amount of complaints come from not using it correctly - like complaining that the camera focusses on the background when trying to focus on a close-up subject every time. Honestly fuji should have turned that AF correction frame on as default!