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Fuji FinePix X100
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Very interesting and unexpected development from Fuji…
Comes with a Hybrid Viewfinder that “combines the window-type “bright frame” optical viewfinder found in
high-end film cameras, such as 35mm or medium-format cameras, and the electronic viewfinder system incorporated
in fixed single lens or mirrorless digital cameras“
Number of effective pixels 12.3 million pixels
CCD Sensor APS-C CMOS Sensor
Storage Media SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card
Lens High-performance FUJINON lens with Super EBC Coating
Focal Length 23mm, equivalent to 35mm
Aperture Range F2 to F16
Exposure Mode Programmed auto mode, Aperture priority mode, Shutter priority mode and Manual mode
Exposure Compensation -2.0EV-+2.0EV
Shutter Speed Bulb, 30 sec. to 1/4000 sec.
Focus High-speed contrast AF
Optical Viewfinder 0.5X magnification with approx. 90% frame coverage
Electronic Viewfinder Ultrafine 1,440,000-dot LCD
LCD Monitor 2.8-inch, Colour LCD monitor, approx 460,000 dots
Movie Recording 1280×720 HD with stereo sound
Dimensions 126.5(W) x 74.4(H) x 53.9(D) mm including lensMore information here
I like that aperture and shutter speed are controlled by real dials.
And that it looks kind of like my Olympus 35 RC
There is a video on Engadget
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/19/fujifilm-intros-finepix-x100-12-3mp-aps-c-based-camera-with-hyb/I have to say I almost wet myself when I saw the announcement for the Fuji, and for me personally it has been the most exciting digital camera development. I can easily see one of these keeping company with my film M’s, and if I can’t afford it outright, you’ll probably find me exploring options to sell spare organs to do so :)
A lot of comparisons around the net, and rangefinder forums have almost been washed away in a tsunami of posts about this new Fuji, in addition to sending the Fuji site down through sheer traffic.
To my eye it feels and looks like a Leica M (with quite similar dimensions), although its probably fairest to say this is the digital Konica Hexar AF.
Although a development announcement, I have seen one shrewd online seller begin to take pre-orders, stating the camera will be available in January. If so, this is almost as exciting as the initial product announcement itself.
Fuji got so much right with this camera, that you could be forgiven for thinking they have tapped the collective brains of rangefinder enthusiasts everywhere. In addition to nailing what rangefinder shooters want in a digital rangefinder, they have iced the cake with HD video recording, durable ergonomic body, excellent viewfinder, 10cm macro focussing, and knowing Fuji a lens to rival a 35mm summicron.
I do hope in addition to all of the above, that there is the ability of scale focus with the camera, as many street shooters do with a 35mm lens. Also, I would love to see the sensor of the Fuji S5, with its higher dynamic range, considered by Fuji also.
I can see this camera flooding the Fuji coffers with currency the world over, and would not be surprised to see either a fast 50mm version, or slower wide angle zoom version (Tri-Elmar style hopefully) in the future.
I’ve held it in my hands at Photokina. The viewfinder is a kind of heads up display. Cartier Bresson better watch out although I am told he almost always used 50mm lenses and this one is 23mm. (35mm in 35mm format)
It feels right and looks great………€1000ish I am told
There is an interesting size comparison done on http://enticingthelight.com/2010/09/19/fujifilm-finepix-x100-where-the-hell-did-this-come-from/
The 35mm fixed lens is a surprise. The f/2 is real nice. I wonder will they release different models like Damien says or will they eventually release a interchangeable lens version. I shoot mainly with a 35mm on my Voigtlander Bessa but I just won a 50mm on eBay (cheap Jupiter 8) so maybe in the future I’ll become a 50mm guy. But there is something to be said for being locked into a focal length.
It is funny that the rangefinder forums are on fire with this announcement considering the camera doesn’t have an optical rangefinder and that focus is automatic contrast detection but there is definitely something nostalgic about the styling.
Around $1000 is what I am hearing in the US for the price.
davedunne wrote:
It is funny that the rangefinder forums are on fire with this announcement considering the camera doesn’t have an optical rangefinder and that focus is automatic contrast detection but there is definitely something nostalgic about the styling.
Around $1000 is what I am hearing in the US for the price.
It does have an optical viewfinder, but also has an evf overlay if you wish to turn that on, I believe. Field ov view is apparently 90% with the optical viewfinder, and 100% (with focussing down to 10cm) with the evf activated. Not sure what the story is with manual focussing, but I would be reasonably happy as long as there was scale focussing options, although that (I suspect) very nice lens would be wasted at the wider apertures if scale focussing was the only type of manual focussing available on the cam.
Re: price, I hope there’s not too many shenanigans with the euro price, as the $1000 price is quite nice.
Damien
Damien,
I know it has an optical viewfinder but it doesn’t have an optical rangefinder. The focusing appears to be done electronically.
The $1000 price is quite attractive. It will be interesting once the images start being published. I wonder what the low light capability will be like. ISO up to 6400 (+ expansion) I read on DPReview
Ah Dave, missed your distinction. Yes, you’re quite right, although even so, I guess it is still as much a rangefinder as the Contax G’s :)
Quite interested in the high iso also, as I feel this could be a big impetus for fuji to release a slower zoom/ tri-elmar type model, if the high iso is good.
Re: lens, can’t see Fuji introducing an interchangeable lens though, as reading through Fuji’s press-release it seems things have been quite tailored on the x100 to suit the 35mm lens, although you never know :)
Dynamic range will be one of the main things for me though. Dynamic range closer to that offered by negative film would tip a lot of diehard film shooters towards this camera, although unfortunately I suspect the Fuji S5 sensor would be far too slow to consider including in the x100 for most
It looks good to me, I use usually shot with a Hexar AF (I have 2) which has a focal length of 35mm and is also an f2.
I manually set the focus to around 3.5metres so as long as I could do that and if the high iso and dynamic range (fujifilm are supposed to be good at dr, I believe) are good, I might be very interested.A lens with 50mm equivalent field-of-view would be great, but I suspect it would be more of interest to street shooters than average Joes, so less mass market and not a priority.
It is great to see something like this coming out
Martin
MartinOC wrote:
A lens with 50mm equivalent field-of-view would be great, but I suspect it would be more of interest to street shooters than average Joes, so less mass market and not a priority.
Odd you should say that, as I would have regarded 35mm as more of a street shooters lens, with its wider focal length and greater depth of field facilitating scale focussing more easily, and 50mm being a more useful focal length for more general shooters being neither too wide nor too long.
More curious really, as other peoples use of focal lengths interests me. Myself I’m mainly a 50mm and 35mm shooter, but with the 50 being my general go-to lens, and the 35mm more for on the street or indoor shooting. 40mm is probably perfect :)
My comment was based on indoor shots of a few people, say three people in a living room, being a big requirement.
A 35mm would handle that a lot easier. All fixed focal length cameras I can think of are in the 35-40mm equiv fov range, or wider.I use either 35mm or 50mm for street. I myself find 35mm a bit too wide in some cases, but went I am close enough at the right moment it is my favourite lens fov.
I’m surprised that you would choose such a wide lens given the density of people in the street in Ireland. I find it hard to get close, a 50mm is easier, but I keep at it…
MartinOC wrote:
My comment was based on indoor shots of a few people, say three people in a living room, being a big requirement.
A 35mm would handle that a lot easier. All fixed focal length cameras I can think of are in the 35-40mm equiv fov range, or wider.I use either 35mm or 50mm for street. I myself find 35mm a bit too wide in some cases, but went I am close enough at the right moment it is my favourite lens fov.
I’m surprised that you would choose such a wide lens given the density of people in the street in Ireland. I find it hard to get close, a 50mm is easier, but I keep at it…
Lol, I’m no street shooting genius, and find it is something I always want to shoot more of.
It is really the speed of shooting that pushes me towards a 35. Namely, by presetting exposure by prevailing light conditions, scale setting focus by depth of field, and that with a 35mm lens your distance to subject is equal to what you will capture on the widest side of your film, helps to reduce shooting with a 35 to just having to raise the camera to your eye briefly to confirm framing before you click the shutter.
You can preset exposure with a 50 also, but scale focussing with a 35 is easier with the greater depth of field of the wider lens, and the framing rule is such an intuitive one, pushes speed of use towards a 35 for me. If I used a 50, I would be fiddling a lot more before each shot myself, even though I can almost see 50mm framelines in my head :)
I would like to see one in person. It will certainly be the perfect camera for some, but I usually prefer to work with either wider (20-25mm) or longer (105, 135, 180mm) lenses. Other than that, it still looks like what I have been waiting for for the last few years… a small camera with good controls and build quality… the image quality should be fine, the last question is how fast will it work. Looking forward to seeing the price, too.
Odd to see you around here – how goes the travel..
The X100 seems quite a nice camera. It’s nice to see compact cameras where you don’t have to wrestle with the controls – now if only camera manufacturers can start putting viewfinders back in cameras! :)
I don’t have a darkroom so I’m not making anything, but I am lurking on the forum quietly :) The travel is going good, I’m in Spain right now.
I had to leave my Nikon gear at home, it was so heavy and cumbersome, not to speak about the chance that it would get nicked in Africa. If this X100 is really what it sets out to be and has good battery life, fires fast without delays and gives good images, I might even be tempted. But we will have to wait and see. And hope that Canon or Nikon prepared a similar surprise…
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