CES: Please Report X100 News

Hey,

There are a few videos from CES floating around now, but here's a nice expositional four-parter that runs through a number of camera's features that we knew about but that I haven't seen quite so clearly. My favourite bits are part 2's very clear demonstration of switching from OVF to EVF from the perspective of the photographer, and in part 4 we see that there's some decent shutter release travel, which probably matters more to me than it really should.

Anyway, I'm a nerd. If you are too, enjoy.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

 
So the demo camera was in the same state as on Photokina - without a functioning image acquisition logic. The EVF image is still only a simulation. Hm ...

Also, I do hope that there will be alternatives to those ugly beep tones. I can imagine vividly how annoying these sounds would be in street shooting situations. Lets hope those sounds are programmable, and that there will be some kind of a muted mode that only provides optical feedback on AF and any operator activity (hopefully, the Fuji engineers have analyzed the Hexar AF's silent mode).
 
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At least:

Video 1 shows a rotating lens focusing ring; Video 2 shows a functional OVF [displaying a moving person] and EVF shutter; Video 4 shows a functional firmware displaying f7.1 and M 800 [Manual 1/800s?].

I am sure the beep tones can be muted. The shutter sound might only be simulated [as is common] and could be turned down.
 
GSNfan said:
$1200 might seem like mid level DSLR prices, and not that much; however, is it really worth $1200? As I'm concerned the answer is no. For one the retro body and its unique viewfinder does not justify such a price. Fixed lens, outdated sensor etc... Not to mention, despite the retro pretension its still just a digital camera.

I just posted this because I had raised this issue in the other thread, but having said that I don't want to argue over it, and I encourage people to try X100. I'm going through a digital satiated phase anyway, so X100 would have to wait for sometime.
Click to expand...


The Leica X1 is doing fairly well, without the luxury of a newer 'outdated sensor', a viewfinder (unique or otherwise), slower fixed lens, etc.

I don't understand why on RFF of all places people would complain about 'outdated sensors', considering how old the sensor on the RD1 is, the M8, and even the M9, none of them are anywhere near the best available now, or even at their time of release, yet that's not affected anything. To be fair, my Canon Rebel XTi still produces amazing results despite having a sensor that is nearly 5 years old.
 
Was I witnessing a very long shutter lag in video 3? It looked like he pushed down, it made a weird beep, pause, then simulated shutter release. I hope I am interpreting this wrong, because if I'm not, this camera would be a joke for spontaneous shots.

Also, does this camera look a little short and stumpy? It's like it isn't long enough, making it appear stumpy. Oh well, this is simply nitpicking.
 
GSNfan said:
Nikon did not get into fixed lens RF market, but Canon did and ended up dominating the field with Canonets... Canon also has a lot at stake, high-end P&S cameras are pretty much history, so the canon flagship G series p&s could get a makeover, but so far no one knows whats happening. Its as if the two big players are watching the smaller ones play all their cards and then they'll make their move.

Since form factor is the new trend, I could see Nikon changing the design body of their DSLRs. For instance a Nikon DSLR that has the same shape as classic Nikon SLRs i. e. FM2n would sell like crazy.
Click to expand...

Agreed. And likewise, I'm still waiting for my Nikon SP-D rangefinder with a full-frame sensor...😛 that would wipe the Fuji's butt (and the M9's) but I suspect such a camera will never see the light of day.
 
Those videos were irritating. Marketing this as a prosumer level camera that chirps like my kids camera... The shutter sounded like a simulation. What is that designed to do? It sounds crude. Ehhh Gads.. Someone shake the marketing staff at Fujifilm.
 
anitasanger said:
Was I witnessing a very long shutter lag in video 3? It looked like he pushed down, it made a weird beep, pause, then simulated shutter release. I hope I am interpreting this wrong, because if I'm not, this camera would be a joke for spontaneous shots.
Click to expand...

This is what Fuji said in their own web site:

How long is the shutter lag?

The exact lag time between the shutter release being pressed and the picture actually being taken is still to be finalised, but it is expected to be around 0.01 seconds. This is extremely quick, making the X100 comparable with DSLRs and ensures that those photographers looking to capture instantaneous images with the camera won't be disappointed. The X100 will bring out the Cartier-Bresson in you!

0.01s is 10ms. A Leica M is said to have a shutter lag 8~15ms.

Also, be aware that the X100 is capable of 5 F/s; and the live-view shutter must do a C/O/C/O in every shot. So the total shutter action cannot be too bad.

It is early yet to jump to any conclusion.
 
Frankie said:
Also, be aware that the X100 is capable of 5 F/s; and the live-view shutter must do a C/O/C/O in every shot. So the total shutter action cannot be too bad.

It is early yet to jump to any conclusion.
Click to expand...

Did we read anywhere that the OVF shutter must perform a full close/open cycle for every shot? If I held down the shutter to get the full 5 FPS, I would expect my camera to keep the OVF open and unobstructed until I let go of the shutter release.

But, it's definitely too early to guess at that one. That's just what I would expect the camera to do.
 
Frankie said:
This is what Fuji said in their own web site:

How long is the shutter lag?

The exact lag time between the shutter release being pressed and the picture actually being taken is still to be finalised, but it is expected to be around 0.01 seconds. This is extremely quick, making the X100 comparable with DSLRs and ensures that those photographers looking to capture instantaneous images with the camera won't be disappointed. The X100 will bring out the Cartier-Bresson in you!

0.01s is 10ms. A Leica M is said to have a shutter lag 8~15ms.

Also, be aware that the X100 is capable of 5 F/s; and the live-view shutter must do a C/O/C/O in every shot. So the total shutter action cannot be too bad.

It is early yet to jump to any conclusion.
Click to expand...

Nikon D3 has a shutter lag of 0.085 second, and we to believe X100 actually has ~the same shutter lag as Nikon D3 at 0.01?

Watching one of the videos it was quite clear that shutter lag was very much present, at least in this demo model, it appeared even slower than most high-end P&S cameras.
 
keytarjunkie said:
Agreed. And likewise, I'm still waiting for my Nikon SP-D rangefinder with a full-frame sensor...😛 that would wipe the Fuji's butt (and the M9's) but I suspect such a camera will never see the light of day.
Click to expand...

While you wait, you could always buy film with your money.

I'm beginning to have second thoughts about digital DRFs. It will be RF with digital convenience, but I wonder if that convenience also equals creative dissatisfaction. In my case, its very much clear to me that at least when it comes to taking pictures of people, digital just doesn't do it for me. And more importantly I photograph people best with an RF, so I might have to wait for now.


Sorry, back to the topic.
 
GSNfan said:
Nikon D3 has a shutter lag of 0.085 second, and we to believe X100 actually has ~the same shutter lag as Nikon D3 at 0.01?

Watching one of the videos it was quite clear that shutter lag was very much present, at least in this demo model, it appeared even slower than most high-end P&S cameras.
Click to expand...

I didn't say anything other than quoting what Fuji says ver batum.

I think we are confusing the shutter lag from the time needed in getting out of the stock test scene to just triggering the shutter for a new scene.

There were plenty of occasions where the shutter was triggered for the scene alone...and it was very fast.
 
tapesonthefloor said:
Did we read anywhere that the OVF shutter must perform a full close/open cycle for every shot? If I held down the shutter to get the full 5 FPS, I would expect my camera to keep the OVF open and unobstructed until I let go of the shutter release.

But, it's definitely too early to guess at that one. That's just what I would expect the camera to do.
Click to expand...

What else could the camera know?

I can imagine if the user informed the camera that continuous shooting does not require the C/O/C/O actions...thus none taken. But, the camera must close the shutter and drain the data onto the buffer first. The default action had to be C/O/C/O...no?
 
So, hypothetically; you can have a X100 for about $1200.00 or you have a chance to buy say a Leica M2 with a nice 50mm Summicron for about the same price or maybe a bit more.

On the one hand you have an usable heirloom, in the other you have a future garage sale item. Whattaya gonna do?
 
I noticed in video 2 that the optical VF with framelines appears to have extra image area outside of the framelines, as in a film rangefinder camera. Then when the lever was switched over to EVF mode the EVF image was the same size as the frameline optical view. This is a promising indication that Fuji were thinking of the RFF demographic when designing this camera; which is also obvious when viewing their marketing hype on their website about the making of the camera.

I told myself I wasn't in the market for another digital camera, I'm quite happy with my Lumix G1; but darn if the Ex Hundred doesn't look interesting!

~Joe
 
JoeV said:
I noticed in video 2 that the optical VF with framelines appears to have extra image area outside of the framelines, as in a film rangefinder camera. Then when the lever was switched over to EVF mode the EVF image was the same size as the frameline optical view. This is a promising indication that Fuji were thinking of the RFF demographic when designing this camera; which is also obvious when viewing their marketing hype on their website about the making of the camera.

I told myself I wasn't in the market for another digital camera, I'm quite happy with my Lumix G1; but darn if the Ex Hundred doesn't look interesting!

~Joe
Click to expand...

That was obvious in the earliest iteration in the Fuji web site.
 
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