Finally found my camera! ....... well, I hope so

[MiniMoke]

After much buying and selling different cameras, the last of them being my Fuji X20 which is a phenomenal camera, but somehow I didn't grow too fond of it, I have arrived at something that really clicks into place.

I always longed for a camera I can focus manually, with which I have full control over my exposures, in short, a camera I can shoot like an old film camera with all the benefits of a digital one.

I thought about an M8 for a long time, but becauso of the high price for a years old camera with severe shortcomings such as poor ISO performance and some reliability issues as I heard, it didn't appeal to me.

I finally acquired a (slightly) used Fuji X-E1, and I an happy!

This camera just feels right in my hands. My fingers find the controls automatically, just as with the X100 I had. And of course, I can use those wonderful old lenses..... and they look so good on this camera.

I have got no Fuji lenses for the moment, but I shot the X-E1 with an Olympus OM 50mm 1.4, a Jupiter 8 and even an old FED collapsible 50 F:3.5. The results are stunning! Focusing is easy a pie even without peaking or some split image helpers. The 3x or 10x magnification worky flawlessly and suits my leisurely shooting style.

I am just longing for a nice wide angle lens, but I don't have the means to get a new Fujinon 18mm right now. Well, selling my Leica CL and lenses right now, so perhaps I'll have enough to get an 18mm or even 14mm lens....

Anyone can suggest an alternative???? Legacy lens, with M-mount or Oly OM??

Meanwhile, I love this camera and the things it does with my fine lenses!

 

[tbhv55]

Congratulations on getting your X-E1. I'm afraid that I don't have any suggestions for lenses, beyond those which you already own.

However, the way that you're using it is more-or-less how I would intend to use it... if (ahem...) I were to get one, that is! 😉

I already have a J-8 and a Canon 50mm f/1.8 (both in LTM mount) which I would intend to use on an X-E1, so I'd be very interested in any examples (taken with rangefinder lenses) that you could post. It would especially helpful if you could you post some really poor quality shots😉, so that I can then decide against the X-E1, and save myself some money...😀

TIA.

 

[MiniMoke]

Just some test pictures of my (ugly) garden shed.

Easy to focus as it didn't move too much.

The pics were taken with:
FED 50mm f:3,5
Olympus 50mm f:1,4
Minolta Rokkor 40mm f:2
respectively

I must say that the FED had too much Vodka the night before and was quite uncomfortable with the harsh morning sun....

Hope this can dissuade you from buying this horrible camera ;-)

 

[MiniMoke]

Some more.... with the OM 1.4

 

[SausalitoDog]

Glad you like your xe1

If you ONLY manual focus, and you seem to have some leica M lenses, then you are set - It also sounds like you already have the fuji M adapter?

Of the fuji native lenses, almost everyone agrees that the 35mm is the king - hard to find anything you will like better on the xe1 for sharpness, bokah, low light photography. If you can get one to play around with, be sure to try out the auto focus - it could be slightly quicker but it is really really sharp.

Another lens (if one of the reasons you like the xe1 is size) for you to look out for - due sometime this summer - will be the 27mm pancake. This should be relatively inexpensive, very small and compact and just right for a "walkaround street" lens.

Start posting your pix !!!

Cheers,

Tom

 

[tbhv55]

Thanks for the examples, MiniMoke... the Olympus, and the Minolta look pretty good (although it's difficult to be sure at small sizes, on the web), but the FED 50mm seems to be somewhat low-contrast (flare perhaps?).

Do you have any examples taken with your Jupiter? Even better if they were larger, but please don't think that I'm ungrateful...!! 🙂