Moving on from X100

[marcr1230]

I've listed my X100 on Evil Bay - I like this camera a lot, I'm thinking about getting the X100s or the next gen X-Pro when it comes

I hate to lose half of my original purchase price, but it was a fun camera. nothing wrong with it, just GAS and the ever advancing wave of newer and better.

the only thing I didn't like was the exposure override knob, which I constantly knock from zero when pulling the camera out of the bag, I hear this is fixed in the X100s.

I wish I could say I took wonderful , meaningful, redeeming photos with it - but who are we fooling, it's all about the gear anyway 🙂

 

[marcr1230]

I just love the people on Evil Bay. no sooner than you post something for sale, and someone PM's you - "How about if you sell it to me for XXX and shut down the auction?"

like, right buddy, you will bid me XXX, right now, and because you have my interest at heart, I should just ship it to you for that, and forego the auction thing. Why would I ever do that ? people are really ambitious and lacking in ethics.

 

[FA Limited]

i don't think that's totally nuts if people put a ridiculous price on their auction and you notice that it's a repost. you save on the ebay fees too.

 

[marcr1230]

There's no ridiculous price, it's an auction, the starting price is reasonable.
the whole point of an auction is price discovery, why would anyone sell to a joker who wants to go around the rules, avoid eBay fees and paypal protections. they are basically saying "I'm willing to cheat on eBay, but you can trust me" and beyond that, since the buyers don't pay the fees anyway, they just want a lower price than what the auction would result in. Again, it doesn't make much sense for the seller

i don't think that's totally nuts if people put a ridiculous price on their auction and you notice that it's a repost. you save on the ebay fees too.

 

[mrware]

I just love the people on Evil Bay. no sooner than you post something for sale, and someone PM's you - "How about if you sell it to me for XXX and shut down the auction?"

like, right buddy, you will bid me XXX, right now, and because you have my interest at heart, I should just ship it to you for that, and forego the auction thing. Why would I ever do that ? people are really ambitious and lacking in ethics.

On ebay when folks ask that I usally answer no, that would not be fair to others and check the box to make the reply public. That stops subsequent idiots - sometimes.

Craigslist is worse. You doesn't matter what you list and within 30 minutes you'll have an offer for about a quarter of the price in CASH. As if I've never seen cash before and will dump my goods for the chance to hold it in my hands.

 

[Franz Elmar]

I had the X100s for a half hour before I sent it back to Amazon for a refund. In spite of all the hype, it still focuses in slow motion compared to a six year old Nikon D300. And the buttons are too darn tiny and the user interface is just as clumsy as all the other "modern" cameras that are cluttered up with useless junk.

Just a mini-review to save you the expense of buying another rapid depreciation camera that will be old hat next year.

 

[jsrockit]

I had the X100s for a half hour before I sent it back to Amazon for a refund. In spite of all the hype, it still focuses in slow motion compared to a six year old Nikon D300. And the buttons are too darn tiny and the user interface is just as clumsy as all the other "modern" cameras that are cluttered up with useless junk.

Just a mini-review to save you the expense of buying another rapid depreciation camera that will be old hat next year.

Or just one opinion by a guy who expects too much from a compact camera vs. an SLR. Plenty of people use them and like them too.

 

[bonatto]

I took a loss on the original x100 when I sold it, I found its overall rendering a bit soft for my taste. The x100s hit the spot. It's a fine camera and it's as sharp as I need it to be.

Here are some from a recent shoot for a lampworker (first and third are at iso2500):

 

[jsrockit]

I took a loss on the original x100 when I sold it, I found its overall rendering a bit soft for my taste. The x100s hit the spot. It's a fine camera and it's as sharp as I need it to be.

How was the X100 softer than the X100s? It's the same lens, and in my experience, they seem to give similar results.

 

[bonatto]

How was the X100 softer than the X100s? It's the same lens, and in my experience, they seem to give similar results.

Same lens, but a different sensor, from what I understand no AA filter on the x100s (not sure about the x100). Maybe it was my copy, but my x100 never quite resolved what I expected wide open.

 

[L Collins]

I had the X100s for a half hour before I sent it back to Amazon for a refund. In spite of all the hype, it still focuses in slow motion compared to a six year old Nikon D300. And the buttons are too darn tiny and the user interface is just as clumsy as all the other "modern" cameras that are cluttered up with useless junk.

Just a mini-review to save you the expense of buying another rapid depreciation camera that will be old hat next year.

Pretty much how I feel about the X100. I assumed the hype about the X100s would overblown. Apparently, like all hype, it is. Thanks.

 

[jsrockit]

Same lens, but a different sensor, from what I understand no AA filter on the x100s (not sure about the x100). Maybe it was my copy, but my x100 never quite resolved what I expected wide open.

Well, what matters now is that it does what you want. 🙂

 

[ZlatkoBatistich]

I had the X100s for a half hour before I sent it back to Amazon for a refund. In spite of all the hype, it still focuses in slow motion compared to a six year old Nikon D300. And the buttons are too darn tiny and the user interface is just as clumsy as all the other "modern" cameras that are cluttered up with useless junk.

A half hour is not enough time to evaluate this camera. The autofocus is not as fast as that of a DSLR, but it's fast enough for many uses. It won't be a sports camera, especially with a 23mm lens.

The buttons seem to be about the right size for a camera of this size.

I'm not sure what "useless junk" you see in the user interface. The camera is very customizable. In order to be very customizable, the user interface needs to cover the customization options, which it does.

A new camera has a learning curve. As I use the camera, I've been refining my settings a little each day. I spent quite a bit of time on the settings the first day, but since then it has just been little tweaks. At some point soon, I won't be tweaking the settings anymore because everything will be "dialed in" -- set in a way that makes sense to me. Having many options is an aspect of having a camera that can be user-tailored to one's specific preferences.

 

[GaryLH]

There are a lot of us who like this camera. There are those who don't and I am ok w/ that. However.. Giving a camera only a half hour is pretty much not giving the camera a chance. The focusing speed has be a well know problem w/ this camera... The improvements were documented. Whether they are fast enough for u...is a different issue, but a reference point was provide. If u want dslr af speed not the right camera to start w/.

Gary

 

[Godfrey]

A half hour is not enough time to evaluate this camera.
...
A new camera has a learning curve. ....

I usually know whether I like a camera within the first ten minutes of handling it. That's independent of how long it's going to take me to learn it—which only happens if I like it.

For example, I knew I liked my Olympus E-5 as soon as I picked it up: it simply felt right instantly. It took me a month and some of continuous use to say to myself that I understood it well enough that I didn't have to think about it when shooting.

 

[RealXenuis]

I think there's some confusion here about what you like about the camera. Surely you've picked up a camera (or _____ gizmo), instantly liked the feel of it, maybe the controls, the ergonomics - how it makes you feel while handling it.
Then later, you discover there are some quirks you don't like, the menu, maybe it's not as sharp as you like, maybe the colors are dull, the images are flat, etc etc., then you sell it a bit remorsefully, disappointed that it wasn't a more complete version of what you wanted it to be.
I find it hard to believe anyone can instantly know they like a camera within the first 5 min of handling it. "Liking" a camera is a pretty general thing, and implies you actually had enough experience(s) with it to form a wholistic impression of the thing.
I think you liked the idea of it, you liked what you knew of it at the time. After spending some time with it, getting to know it, did you still like it?
That's the 'like' i think we're all talking about here.

 

[marcr1230]

X100s is due to arrive today! very excited about this. As I always say - it's about the gear 🙂

I enjoyed the X100, and it does have it's quirks, but it brought smiles to my face as I used it. not perfect but what camera is ?
I'm sure the X100s will be a step up

 

[jljohn]

I'll be curious to hear your take on it. I have one in hand now, and I'm thinking about taking it back (I have about 36 more hours to decide).

 

[marcr1230]

The camera arrived yesterday afternoon (props to amazon!)
It was storming yesterday, I will be going out today to use it - although it's pretty gray outside

 

[Franz Elmar]

Good luck with it.

Just saying that the amount of hype these things get is ridiculous.

For example, two years ago Steve Huff was gushing all over the X100, although to his credit he pointed out some quirks inbetween his exuberant, nearly orgasmic outbursts.

Last month when Huff wrote about his new X100s he introduced it by ranting about how lousy the X100 was.

It's pretty funny actually.

We must of made such lousy photos in the past with all those horrible antiquated cameras ;-p

Think if only you could restrain your GAS for two years and then only buy two-year old depreciated equipment at half-price. It would be new to you and an improvement over your older equipment, but you could cut your investment 50%.

As for myself, the X100, X100s were disappointing, I think they are cluttered and sluggish with nice cosmetics, and yes, a six-year old $400 DSLR will run circles around it, albeit with a penalty for bulk and coolness. But neither the X100 or DSLR fit into my pocket so if I am going out to shoot, why not bring something that works really well and actually can hit focus on a kid or moving subject? If I only shoot static or slow subjects it quite a limitation imposed by the camera.