Disappointing Encounter With The X100F

I know very well how to work with curves in Photoshop, been using Photoshop in my work for about 14 years now 😀. So, the problem is the sensor, or how the software interprets the raw files.. I have a full frame D600 as well and that 24mp sensor is even worse, but with the D600 it is the highlights that so extremely flat - its like there is no way to make the highlights "pop" without blowing them out - also the blacks are weirdly compressed so it is impossible to lift them without making it look weird. It seems to me that the older the sensor, with around 11-12 steps of DR (dxomark), the better they work for BW. My favorite sensor ever for BW was the 12mp sensor in Nikon D300, D5000 asf. Sadly my D5000 broke down a few years ago 🙁 I should add that the sensor in X100F is nowhere near the worst out there, but it is difficult to work with when natural film-like look in BW is what you are after.
 
TheBrightline said:
I discovered a photographer's site whose B&W shots I thought were quite good. He generously lists the settings used in his X100F.

Fuji X100F: My Go-To ACROS Settings:
http://www.thebroketographers.com/blog/2017/5/8/fuji-x100f-my-go-to-acros-settings?rq=x100f

Fuji X100F: More ACROS Settings for Street Photography:
http://www.thebroketographers.com/b...cros-settings-for-street-photography?rq=x100f
Click to expand...

Sorry, but those shots look horribly "digital flat"! That is not a look that I like.
 
Danlo said:
Sorry, but those shots look horribly "digital flat"! That is not a look that I like.
Click to expand...


"Digital flat"? I don't like them either but they're definitely not flat. They are overly contrasty with inky shadows and no detail. This appears to be SOP today with many B&W photographers who have apparently just discovered the Clarity slider in Lightroom.

Just as every B&W photo does not need to have a full range of grey tones to be successful, not every B&W photo needs to be soot and whitewash either. It becomes fatiguing to the eye, just like oversaturated colors.
 
Danlo said:
Sorry, but those shots look horribly "digital flat"! That is not a look that I like.
Click to expand...

I would characterize it as "digital clean" and I am not a fan either. The high ISO shots look marginally better. It is what it is. Apples and oranges.

If you want digital B&W to look like neg film on screen, it won't because it can't, despite Fuji's cynical marketing. I imagine prints would look better.
 
Keith said:
It was recommended highly by several people here when I asked for a quality fixed lens daily carry camera on behalf of a friend and justifiably so ... it has a great reputation for excellent IQ and performance.

My friend went ahead and bought one a week or two ago and visited me today and bought the little Fuji with her so I had a chance to play with it. I had an original X100 and was impressed with it's simplicity but I see a lot has happened to the X100 since then. Nothing simple about this camera and also very little about it that seemed intuitive to me. Congratulations Fuji because based on popularity the camera is a winner but I think you have given it a lot of DSLR style complication that it really didn't need.

Apologies in advance to happy X100F owners but this was my overpowering impression.
Click to expand...
Yes, Fuji packed all the buttons and switches into the complicated menu structure. Now the most annoying new feature of the F is the flimsy dedicated front wheel/dial that controls the ISO setting.
And: Why would you want to fiddle with the ISO settings before each single shot?
 
bushwick1234 said:
I don't mean the top combination Shutter speed dial /sensitivity dial that needs to be pulled up to change the ISO setting, but the flimsy Front command dial, jsrockit.
Click to expand...

Although it’s not annoying since I just disabled it, it is too flimsy (easily changed unknowingly) to be useful. IMO it really needs to be conntona button, hold the button down to change the wheel setting to avoid being unwittingly moved.
 
I just picked up a X100F as a second digital camera for a trip around the world and I like it so much I am thinking of selling the Leica MP240. God, what is there not to like?
 
Whenever I buy a new digital camera, I try to set it up to operate like my old Nikon F3. I only use aperture, shutter speed, and iso adjustments. And the occasional shift of ‘film type’. I rarely need to look at a manual. Simplicity.
 
Manual system is fine, I can set most of the stuffs by physical dial and buttons, you can get use to the rest after a few hours of use.Image quality is good, even the original x100 produced nice files for me.
I just don't enjoy the lens, not a bad lens optically but I wish it was better. AF speed is OK but not amazing, which is fine if Fuji offers good manual focus experience, Unfortunately it's focusing by wire....
 
Resurrecting this thread because I'm considering picking up an X100F to replace my XPro1. I shoot 80% film but like to have a digital camera for family pics, product shots, and sometimes for travel. Also part of me hopes digital will grow on me as film takes up so much time/money.

I've had the Xpro1 for several years along with the 35/1.4 and 18/2--I think it remains a great camera and I don't really mind the slow AF. Plus fun to adapt some old lenses.

I keep seeing lovely pictures from X100F users, plus the Wifi connection would be really really handy. Moving around an SD card seems silly in 2020.

I suppose X100F is just newer and more capable in general, but I'm wondering what limitations users have experienced. Anything you can't do with the fixed lens? Any reason it couldn't be your only digital camera?
 
I bought the X100F as a backup travel camera for my MP240. Well, I left the Leica at home. I look on the F as the equivalent of the Leica M2 with 35mm. And it does everything as long as you can live with the 35 FOV.
 
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