Fuji X-E1 w/Leica 35mm Summicron

[Tuna]

I just bought a Fuji X-E1 with the kit zoom lens. I have had some good impressions with the kit aside from some spotty auto-focus, which I believe is common with these cameras. However, not having used much auto-focus up until now, I'm fine with the overall focusing performance.

For a very long time, my main camera was an MP with very little use of any digital cameras. The X-E1 feels much lighter but comfortable in my hand. I can easily hold it with one hand (this seems to be an issue in the reviews I've read). I didn't know how I would like the electronic viewfinder but I've gotten used to it pretty quickly (though the view is very dark when wearing polarized sunglasses - I had not seen this mentioned in any reviews I have read...maybe it's just me). I've gotten used to the controls which seem more intuitive than some DSLR controls that I have worked with in the past - then again, I still accidentally push a button and have to back out of some menu option but I suppose I will eventually learn to stop grabbing the camera like I am used to doing - a nice option would have been to have a button de-activation and re-activation button...

I bought two extra batteries anticipating the worst having to depend on them versus a mechanical camera. The batteries seem to last a pretty good time (half-day of constant "on" and shooting) but the charging of a spent battery takes quite a long time...

Another novelty for me is to have a built-on flash - works well enough in a pinch - maybe I will attempt some Parr-like photos.

The main reason I broke down and bought the camera was to attempt using my existing lenses with it and see what can be achieved. I had read some reviews stating some positive experiences doing this and I have found the same positive experience so far. I have had little problems with focusing and have achieved very good results in image control and quality. I'm not particularly happy with the conversion of my lenses to a higher magnification but until full size sensor cameras become more reasonably priced, I will get used to it...

Here is an example from the garden I took with a 1969 Leica Summicron 35/2 attached. I won't completely give up my film eating MP but I believe the Fuji will surely cut into much of my shooting time from now on...

 

[kknox]

Great shot, I have the same lens from 69. Very tempted to sell one of my film M's to fund the XE-1.

 

[f16sunshine]

Cool yeah?
With the firmware update this month bringing focus peeking.... these X-mount bodies will be great for M mount lenses!
Lovely image btw. Superb exposure.

 

[Tuna]

Great shot, I have the same lens from 69. Very tempted to sell one of my film M's to fund the XE-1.

Love the fast '69 Cron. Just sharp enough. Plenty of "character" without it becoming a quality issue.

 

[Tuna]

Cool yeah?
With the firmware update this month bringing focus peeking.... these X-mount bodies will be great for M mount lenses!
Lovely image btw. Superb exposure.

Thank you Andy. Back to my old slide shooting days - under-exposing and watching those highlights...

 

[coelacanth]

I'm getting weaker and weaker by day against the X-trans GAS...

 

[back alley]

the xe1 is a great camera to put manual focus lenses on...i use minolta lenses when the mood strikes...also great glass.
i recommend getting a thumb thing to stop the rear button pushing and it aids in one hand shooting as well.
and yes, sunglasses are not recommended with the evf...but i think that pertains to most evf...

 

[MiniMoke]

How about a Zuiko.G 50mm 1.4?

 

[back alley]

x-e1 with minolta 35/2.8 md lens

 

[Kwesi]

Thank you Andy. Back to my old slide shooting days - under-exposing and watching those highlights...

Hi Tuna,
glad you are loving the X/M combo. I have been using this set up for about a year now so i thought i would share a tip -
I use the spot meter in hi contrast situations. So in your shot above i would half press the shutter on the flower then focus and recompose. i find that i have metered for the rich color that i want without having to under expose.
with manual lenses its very fast because focus and metering are independent.
I find that the X metering system tends to expose for the shadows when in average/multi mode. making the files seem not as rich as those of us slide film folks would like. Although you get a nice wide tonal range
Unfortunately haven't figured out how to upload images yet.

Great photo by the way!

 

[Tuna]

Hi Tuna,
glad you are loving the X/M combo. I have been using this set up for about a year now so i thought i would share a tip -
I use the spot meter in hi contrast situations. So in your shot above i would half press the shutter on the flower then focus and recompose. i find that i have metered for the rich color that i want without having to under expose.
with manual lenses its very fast because focus and metering are independent.
I find that the X metering system tends to expose for the shadows when in average/multi mode. making the files seem not as rich as those of us slide film folks would like. Although you get a nice wide tonal range
Unfortunately haven't figured out how to upload images yet.

Great photo by the way!

Thank you for the tip - yes, I found out quickly that the spot meter was the way to go. I also often use the histogram in the viewfinder, locking exposure a bit left-heavy when contrast is present and balanced when the scene lighting is more even ending up with good detail in shadows and workable highlights throughout.

 

[daveleo]

x-e1 with minolta 35/2.8 md lens

The versatility of the X-E1 is very attractive. The adapters make it a bit large-ish with SLR lenses,
but then you could always mount a small X lens (or other rangefinder lens) when you needed small. . .
or just use my X100 (as I do now).

One complaint about my Nikon D5100 is that I can't mount a variety of other lenses on it.
It might make sense some day for me to pick up an XE body and Nikon adapter and Minolta adapter
and see what happens. Would give me an excuse to buy back the Minolta lenses that I loved.

 

[GaryLH]

These types of cameras are going to drive back up the cost of lenses again 😛 😀

I c and hear a lot of people talking about trying their old lenses or buying back some of the oldies to try on their mirrorless camera. At the end of the day, I think it is for the better. A lot of the old film bodies are now getting to the point that finding the right parts to repair them is just getting harder. We may eventually have more goodlenses then film bodies for them. Plenty of perfectly good lenses out there that can be used w/ these types of digital bodies.

Gary

 

[Tuna]

These types of cameras are going to drive back up the cost of lenses again 😛 😀

I c and hear a lot of people talking about trying their old lenses or buying back some of the oldies to try on their mirrorless camera. At the end of the day, I think it is for the better. A lot of the old film bodies are now getting to the point that finding the right parts to repair them is just getting harder. We may eventually have more goodlenses then film bodies for them. Plenty of perfectly good lenses out there that can be used w/ these types of digital bodies.

Gary

Hear, hear.

 

[Bingley]

Tuna, you've done such wonderful street photography with your MP and a 35 lens that it will be interesting to see how you adjust to a 35 on the XE1. Isn't the crop factor about the same as that of an M8?

I've used some of my vintage Canon and Leica lenses on m4/3 camera bodies, but when a 35 lens becomes effectively a 70 it loses some appeal for me, since I rarely use longer lenses than a 50.

 

[yossarian123]

Tuna, you've done such wonderful street photography with your MP and a 35 lens that it will be interesting to see how you adjust to a 35 on the XE1. Isn't the crop factor about the same as that of an M8?

I've used some of my vintage Canon and Leica lenses on m4/3 camera bodies, but when a 35 lens becomes effectively a 70 it loses some appeal for me, since I rarely use longer lenses than a 50.

This is pretty much why I gave up shooting NEX after a month. I really wanted that 40 cron to be a real 40mm.

 

[Dirk]

Can somebody more tech-savvy than I am explain if we'd have the same ability to mount our old manual lenses on a potential future full frame Fuji X? In other words, is the ability to mount all of these different lenses a function of the sensor size?

 

[SausalitoDog]

Nice shot, Tuna.

July 23 !!!! That is the day the fuji firmware will be released - it will add focus peaking to the xe1 and the auto zoom while you focus which quickly goes away... Read one of the reviews of the x100s and it will show you just what is coming in this firmware upgrade.

You might want to try one of the ThumbsUp add-ons (one is shown in BackAlley's post) it really makes grabbing the body much easier and allows access to all the buttons. I carry mine with the strap wrapped around my wrist and my thumb on the lever all the time...comfortable and no problem hitting buttons you don't intend.

Great little camera, isn't it?

 

[Tuna]

Tuna, you've done such wonderful street photography with your MP and a 35 lens that it will be interesting to see how you adjust to a 35 on the XE1. Isn't the crop factor about the same as that of an M8?

I've used some of my vintage Canon and Leica lenses on m4/3 camera bodies, but when a 35 lens becomes effectively a 70 it loses some appeal for me, since I rarely use longer lenses than a 50.

It's curious that you mention this aspect. I have recently been pining to get a 50mm to challenge myself and, as you state, the 35mm effectively becomes a 52mm on the Fuji. I, too, am interested in how I adapt. As it is, I also own a 21mm (32mm on the Fuji) in case I turn out to be completely inept at the 50mm format. I can always re-attach the 35 to the MP...

Also, I recently noticed your fine images on that other site...with your 4/3 digital? Great framing and color palette.

 

[GaryLH]

Can somebody more tech-savvy than I am explain if we'd have the same ability to mount our old manual lenses on a potential future full frame Fuji X? In other words, is the ability to mount all of these different lenses a function of the sensor size?

Criteria in order of importance... To mount an old lens to a digital body
- distance from mount flange to sensor plane (smaller the better in terms of all the different old lenses out there
- someone actually made an adapter for that old lens
- sensors micro lenses setup to handle the issues associated w/ light coming in from corners of lens

Sensor size itself has nothing to do w/ it outside of other issues associate to the sensor such as the one mention above. As number of megapixels increases that seems to affect the micro lenses.. As sensor size ff vs APS vs m43 etc difference, again I think it still may get back to the micro lenses and edge issues. I think someone like semilog would have the correct answer, but from what I have read on the web, from a normal user perspective this is what I think I understand.

Right now, in terms of popular csc cameras, the Nex has the shortest mount flange to sensor plane distance and would be the closest to a universal back.

The Ricoh gxr w/ m module and Leica m9 variants are the only ones that their respective companies have publicly stated their micro lenses were designed specifically to handle the corner issues associated w/ old lenses.

In most cases, slr lenses do not tend to have the corner related issues but rf lenses will.

Gary