X100 Do I have a problem?

[Bike Tourist]

I noticed this morning something a little weird. Using the OVF, after snapping the picture the OVF dims, the image freezes and the camera seems to be writing to the SD card for about 2 - 3 seconds. I have never noticed this before, even after upgrading firmware to 1.20.

It just started happening out of the blue. I removed and replaced the battery. No difference. I read in the manual that the VF dims until the flash recharges, but I was not using flash. I also reformatted the card to no effect.

I can live with this, but it does seem mysterious.

 

[paulfish4570]

i do not know enough to tell you if you have a problem, Dick.
by the way, what are the symptoms of the dreaded sticky aperture? the number of overexposed frames i've been getting has been rising, even when i used -ev to keep highlights down.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Not a problem!

Not a problem!

Dick, its not a problem. Mine did the same after loading 1.20. I reacted the same as you (Oh, no... its broken!!). All that's happened is that your camera has been reset to default settings. The pause in the image you see in the viewfinder is a 1.5 second review of the image you just took. To get rid of it, just go into the menu and find where you set the picture review time and set it to zero. I think you first have to set the camera to playback mode before you can find the appropriate menu item.

And while you're at it, you might want to go through the entire menu list and make sure everything is set up how you like it. For example my camera reset to using the auto-focus assist light. I hate those things and so turned mine off. In this regard, Steve Anchell just put up a post on the Photo Technique Magazine website that discusses how he likes to set the X100 up so that it becomes a very basic manual-type camera.

I love how this camera is enticing me to learn about what I really want a camera to do. Have fun! 🙂

 

[OlliL]

Paul, AFAIK it sounds exactly like it.
Mine, first series limited edition works still perfect (fingers crossed).

 

[keytarjunkie]

If you're using the optical viewfinder, how can it freeze?

😀

It sounds like you have image review on.

 

[Bike Tourist]

Aha! Thank you Jamie and everybody.

 

[paulfish4570]

should i use the original box to send the cam to fuji? and do i send it to fuji in japan or a fuji shop in the usa?

 

[OlliL]

Best is to give them a call, or use the contact form on their website.
I'm thinking of sending mine in, for letting the VF cleaned and they offered to pick it up at my place. They just wanted the camera, without accessories, but that might vary from country, to country.

 

[Bike Tourist]

Turned image review off and all is now well. These Fuji firmware updates seem to set everything back to default including the frame counter, unlike Nikon, which usually leaves your local settings intact. I think.

 

[greyelm]

The picture review time is a likely reason for the problem but in general the SD card does affect the X100.

In order to reduce write times to a minimum you should get the fastest SD cards, I use a UHS card and this is noticeably faster. Also if you download your pictures to a mac using a card reader always format the card in the camera as soon as you return it, mac writes hidden files to the SD that upsets the camera, causing write delays & long starup times.

 

[Bike Tourist]

Thanks, greyelm, I'm OK with write times now that I've eliminated the picture review. I have a PC which doesn't require me to reformat.

 

[DtheG]

Turned image review off and all is now well. These Fuji firmware updates seem to set everything back to default including the frame counter, unlike Nikon, which usually leaves your local settings intact. I think.

To prevent the frame count being lost, use a different card for updating. The update file is only 32MB and speed does not matter for the update so any old card too small for regular use will do. Take the regular card out; format the update card; take the update card out and put in PC to transfer file; put update card in camera and update; remoce card and return original card: the fram count will continue.

 

[Bike Tourist]

Excellent suggestion, DtheG.