X-E1 is a smaller version of X-Pro1

Few more images of rumoured system camera from Fujifilm are available on the web. I will miss White Balance button. While Auto WB on Fuji X10 is good in most situations sometimes I use Custom WB. It should not be a big issue for me. The Fn button will be set to iso. I generally use camera in Aperture priority mode, so the Shutter speed dial is essentially useless for me. I guess it is very handy for Shutter priority mode, so I may change my shooting habit. It seems that the X-E1 is slightly smaller than Fuji X-Pro1.

It looks like another great camera from Fuji. If the price will be below 1000 USD, the camera will be instant hit. In Australia Olympus E-P3 kit is priced at 1000 AUD, and Sony NEX 7 kit costs 1500 AUD.

It is not pocketable camera. It was not designed to be pocketable. It should be very comfortable camera.

Rumoured price of rumoured Fuji X-E1

According to photo rumours the new "Enthusiast" mirrorless camera from Fuji, X-E1, will have the same sensor as X-Pro1, light body, and cost below 1000 USD. If true, the body price will be similar to top models of other manufacturers such as Olympus OM-D E-M5 or Sony NEX7, and here, in Down Under, it might be even cheaper than the top offers from Oly and Sony because cameras from Olympus and Sony cost here more than in the US. Obviously, the main spending will be in glass :), and hopefully Fuji will produce enough 18-55mm lenses. If the rumoured price is correct, the body-lens kit will cost slightly more than Fuji X100, so the company will keep a price niche for the Fuji X200 (if there will be one), and sell a lot of glass.

It seems that even at that price point X-E1 would not kill X100 sales: for less money you get a relatively compact camera with very good viewfinder and amazing image quality. By camera here I mean body/lens combo. It might undercut the X-Pro1 but frankly, some people will pay premium for the hybrid viewfinder, and for others X-Pro1 is just expensive.

At that price point the X-E1 has all chances to repeat the success of Fuji X100, which probably will bring better support/processing of the proprietary RAW format by other converters such as Lightroom and hopefully reduce the colour bleeding issue of the sensor.

Santa might be busy if the camera will be available before Christmas :)

Fuji X-E1

Several images of an anticipated cheaper X system camera from Fuji appeared on the web. Some time ago the company announced plans for development of the affordable version of Fuji X-Pro1, so it is an expected camera. I would say, it is highly anticipated camera: in Brisbane Fuji X-Pro1 is available in essentially all main camera shops while cameras such as Olympus OM-D E-M5 are rather scarce. The images of the second X system model, X-E1, were leaked simultaneously with specs of the first zoom lens for X mount. I am curious to know the numerical definition "affordable" camera :) Top models of mirrorless system cameras with viewfinder cost over one grand with lens (NEX-7, OM-D E-M5), so I would not be surprised to see the price on top of this range, probably over 1500AUD (price of NEX-7 with lens).  

It seems that Fuji X-E1 is slightly smaller than X-Pro1 but it is still a big camera for me. Handling probably will be very comfortable (I tried the X-Pro1, it is just right camera to keep in hands for me). The 18-55mm F2.8-F4.0 lens is relatively bright for kit lens but it is also bigger than standard lens for m43. It is smaller and lighter than  14-54mm F2.8-F3.5 ZUIKO lens for 4/3. Because the new Fuji zoom is above the standard zoom lens, the price will be high but probably below 2,000 AUD for the X-E1 with the zoom lens. 

Nikon P7700

Nikon had announced a new advanced compact camera, Coolpix P7700. The new model has brighter lens, 28-200mm F2.0 - F4.0, than P7100, and can take 40.5mm filters without an adapter - that's great. The sensor specs (1/1.7" 12MP back-illuminated CMOS) are similar to BSI CMOS sensor used in Samsung EX2F, and it can be a Sony sensor. Apparently back-illuminated sensors give about one stop improvement in noise over conventional sensors. Some full-size imaged from Samsung EX2F are posted on flickr.

Nikon P7700 has very attractive lens which goes to 200mm and remains relatively bright (F4.0). According to dpreview it has a new / updated vibration reduction system, and according to imaging resource the camera is more responsible than the predecessor.

 The camera lost optical viewfinder, and this can reduce cost of the assembly. In compact cameras optical viewfinders are very small, and usually suffer from parallax issues. I practically do not use OVF on my Fuji X10 (and Fuji has relatively big viewfinder). Some people claim that shooting with optical viewfinder increases camera stability but I have higher proportion of sharp photos from Fuji X10 used at arm length than from Olympus E-30+14-54mm lens and traditional DSLR shooting style. For long exposure I use a camera strap for additional stability: I push camera forward with the strap around my neck, so the camera does not shake much. So, do not see the absence of the optical viewfinder as a big problem. The camera should be cheaper without a viewfinder :) 

Samsung NX2F and Panasonic DMC-LX7 have brighter lenses but both are below 100mm. Nikon P7700 has build-in neutral density filter (three stops), and I wish my Fuji X10 would have one. The maximal shutter speed of Fuji X10 at F2.0 is about 1/1000 sec, so at bright sun it takes pictures only at closed aperture. Otherwise, Nikon P7700 looks very attractive, mainly because of its lens and size. The lens specs are similar to old Minolta Dimage 7 but the camera is smaller. The only reservation I have is a dynamic range but hopefully reviews of the P7700 will be available in nearby future.

official samples

Some photos from Sigma DP2M

Quite a few images from Sigma DP2 Merrill / DP2M are available on the web. I am very impressed by some incredible pictures from Japan: link 1, link 2. Another amazing image was posted on dpreview forum. The link to the full size image is in the second post, and the link to RAW file is somewhere down in the thread. It seems that overexposure and subsequent highlights recovery from RAW files is the way to go with DP2M in order to get better shadows. Note that the originals are huge. Owners of Sigma cameras tend to post non-cropped images. Generally Sigma people shoot in RAW and process images later, to get most of it.

Not bad for a compact camera that cost below one grand. Kudos to Sigma. It seems that Sigma finally modified their distribution channel in Australia and now it is possible to buy their cameras from big distributors such as  C.R.Kennedy.

Sigma DP2 Merrill in Australia..

Sigma DP2 Merrill is available in Australia for 950AUD. It is cheaper than Fuji X100! The RAW files are 50Mb+, but it seems that the JPEGs are OK.

Sigma DP2 Merrill is a compact camera with the latest 3x layers Foveon sensor, 3x15MP, and fixed 30mm F2.8 lens. Because of multilayer design the sensor captures the color information in every location (~pixel) and does not require anti-aliasing filter, so the resulting images are incredibly sharp at pixel level. Sigma uses the same sensor in their DSLR, Sigma SD1 / SD1 Merrill, with exceptional image quality at low iso.

The camera is slow, eats batteries (~100 shots per charge according to some reports), and has some other issues but it provide relatively non-expensive option to try the latest Sigma/Foveon technology. And as for batteries: apparently DP2M uses the same batteries as Ricoh GRD, so cheap clones are available as a replacement.

UPDATE:
Here is a nice review of DP2 Merrill on flickr that gives an idea what to expect from the camera. In comments someone confirmed/named Ricoh battery compatible with DP2M. 

Panorama shot with Fuji X10

Brisbane river | Fuji X10, in camera panorama

One of my friends persuades me to buy a Nikon DSLR. He has one, a really good camera, plus several lenses. His processing of Nikon RAW files is just amazing. I argue that Fuji X10 produces quite satisfactory images, and it is very light and compact. I do minimal processing of images from Fuji X10, and the JPEGs from the camera look very good for me. For example, the panorama above was taken with Fuji X10 and resized in GIMP with subsequent local sharpening (hint: the camera can take panoramas at different focal lens but in this case it does not cover the whole angle specified in the settings). 

I do agree that now some DSLRs have better value for the money if size and weight do not matter much. However, Fuji X10 satisfies nearly all my photographic needs, and I just don't see any point of getting an additional (heavy) camera.

Going out with Olympus E-30

Kennedia rubicunda | Olympus E-30, fill-in flash

It is nice season in Brisbane now, end of the "winter", so a lot of plants are flowering. The temperature is very comfortable during daytime, and the humidity is low. On weekend I went on short hike in local bush (dry eucalypt forest) near Mt Coot-tha with Olympus E-30 and 14-54mm lens. The camera is not used much since we got Fuji X10, and it seems that forgot how to use it properly. It turned out that many images were blurry or not sharp. I blame wind and mirror slap for that. Generally I use the camera at low iso (200) and for flowers I need big DoF, so the shutter speed is low.

It is so pleasant to take pictures within a couple hours without even thinking about battery. Optical viewfinder gives a good view even in bright sun. It was good and pleasant walk, and I got quite a few pictures of plants for the identification.

My DSLR camera is about four years old. In these days I can buy early models of Olympus mirrorless cameras with similar sensor, such as EP1, for 300AUD in Photo Continental.  The current models are more expensive, for example, in Teds Cameras Olympus PEN E-PL3 is priced for 650AUD, which is a small fraction of the price I paid for the Olympus E-30. So, now I can get a camera with the image quality similar or better than my DSLR for a fraction of the price.

No doubt, Olympus OM-D E-M5 is better camera than early PENs, and I like it more than PENs (I love buttons) but for that money it is possible to buy two E-PL3, and Sony A55 with its marvelous 16MP sensor costs 700AUD for the body only. 

Hardenbergia violacea | Olympus E-30

Why compact cameras with 1' sensor are imminent

Mid-summer sunset in Brisbane. Fuji X10, sunset mode + GIMP

Sometimes the sunset colors are just unbelievable. I had just few minutes to go outside and take some pictures. I wish I would have a better position.

Anyway, lets talk about cameras and sensors. Sony RX100 is now listed as best selling camera on Amazon, and nearly all top threads on Sony Cameras forum on the dpreview are dedicated to this model. In Australia the RX100 is more expensive than Canon G1X (based on prices in Photo Continental, my favorite camera shop in Brisbane). People are ready to pay premium for such innovative products.

 So, who will produce next compact camera with 1' sensor? Who will combine 1' sensor with good optics (bright lens, sharp across the frame). I would bet on Olympus. They can get sensor from Sony.

Nikon probably will not do that because such camera will compete with the Nikon 1. Canon used bigger sensor in G1X, and it is unlikely that the company would design optics for another sensor size instead of new mirrorless lenses. Panasonic can do it but the company just released the latest advanced compact with smaller sensor, so they need to make a new sensor and design the camera. Pentax does not have advanced compact at the moment. Ricoh probably can do it, but probably without zoom. Samsung can do it but not any time soon. Fujifilm is busy with X100 replacement, new mirrorless system camera and the X10 sensor replacement. I wish they would put such big sensor (1') behind X10-like lens.