Fuji X-E1: when a dream comes true

I got a phone call today from a camera shop with a very short message: "you can pick it up". I went to the shop and came back with big brown paper bag. Now I have another black box from Fujifilm with E-X1 and 18-55mm lens. For local folk in Brisbane: it is Digital Camera Warehouse. Probably their Melbourne and Sydney shops also got Fuji X-E1 zoom kits. Bottom line: Fuji X-E1 zoom kit is available in Australia.

I've got the camera at the end of the day, so not much time to play.

First impression. Menu is great. Now at the very left you scroll through screens. This is a big improvement over Fuji X10 where  scroll though options within two big multiscreen menus. Layout is very familiar except that I tried to change the aperture with the dial :) Autofocus. I would not worry about it. At the light required iso 2000, f/4 1/50 sec the focus is nearly instant in silent mode. I am a bit slow person, and I tend to press buttons gently. Once the shutter button half pressed you say "one" and the focus is already locked for some time. This was within a room, so the difference between "shots" was just a few meters. I have not done "the real world" testing yet. The colors under an artificial light are good. It seems that X-E1 uses a standard mini-USB cable. If true than kudos to Fujifilm again: Fuji X10 requires a dedicated USB cable. At the first glance the viewfinder is very comfortable.

The lens. I am really impressed with it. I have ZUIKO 14-54mm F2.8-3.5 MkvI and ZUIKO 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD, and I also used several Olympus kit lenses in the past, so my experience with lenses is limited. The feel and the build quality of Fujinon XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS is just superb. It is very solid. But I need to get used to the aperture ring located close to the camera body, not near the front element. I also replaced the Fuji cap with cheap cap with a thread: the zoom is the only lens I have at the moment.

Handling.  With the XF18-55mm attached the X-E1 requires two hands. The whole combo is small enough to sit comfortable in the left hand. The camera uses 4:3 rear screen, so the whole preview "frame" is visible with the information display enabled (it still has metering thing, but the "info" panel does not overlap the preview). On Fuji X10 the lower part of the preview is obscured with the metering scale. 

Things to be aware of. Sound of shutter. It is _not_ a silent camera in contrast to Fuji X10. The camera also produces some faint noise. I cannot figure out if it comes from the lens or the body. It is not annoying by any means, but it is there. Switching off OIS in lens, or setting up OIS to Shooting only, or disabling horizon level - nothing of this affects the noise.

No Fuji X-E1 zoom kit in Down Under

I was told in local camera shop that the X-E1 kit is expected to arrive in Australia around mid-December. It seems that the kit zoom is very popular, so there might be a supply/demand issue as with Fuji X100. The bodies are available in several Brisbane shops. For me, zoom is just very convenient. I may buy 60mm macro, but in this case the total package will cost me extra A$400+. Price of X-E1 zoom kit + 60mm is ~A$2100, while X-E1 & 60mm kit + 18-55mm is close to A$2500.

The problem is that at the moment I can use only Olympus E-30. The thing is just heavy. I also get used to Fuji colours. 

I don't really like XF1 because UI (not enough buttons) and slow lens. Fuji X100 looks like a very good camera but I am not in street or indoor photography, so it might be not the best camera for me.  The forgotten camera, Fuji X-S1, is just too big for me, and I don't really need a superzoom. I can get another Fuji X10 but in local shops it is still priced at around A$600. In Kogan it is under $400 which is really tempting price. I don't know if these cheap X10 are orb-free or not but the orbs do not bother me. And I do like Fuji X10.

The picture below was taken at 7mm (28mm eqv), f/3.6, 1/85 sec., iso 400, exposure compensation -1. It was windy. The photo was edited in GIMP (levels were changed). The full resolution image  is available on flikr. To get the same depth of field even on (m)4/3 camera the aperture need to be closed and the iso boosted to something like 1600 or more. It is possible on Olympus OM-D E-M5 but I would not do it on my Olympus E-30.

Pavetta australiensis | Fuji X10

Still waiting for the X-E1 zoom kit in Australia

I am still reading posts written by new E-X1 owners from around the globe except for Australia: no sign of the Fuji X-E1 zoom kit in Brisbane yet. Australia got X-E1 body only long time ago but the zoom lens is apparently not here yet.

I am amazed by the fact that the majority of people posted on Fujifilm X forum at the DPReview site are happy with X-E1. Obviously, it would not be the DPReview forum without any complains. First, some people are not happy with slow change of the picture in the viewfinder with rapid change of the lightning (from shade to sunlit area). It seems that the camera has some sort of buffering for the exposure  adopted from the X-Pro1. Similar question posted on the DPReview forum resulted in several dozen comments but without explanation of the problem :~). Then, the autofocus: current mirrorless cameras do not match DSLRs in autofocus speed (but Nikon 1 came close). Also, mirrorless cameras use a different method for autofocus and require slightly different tricks for the best performance (my old post with the links). The same story about short battery life: true for most CSC with very few exceptions such as big Pentax K-01 and Nikon 1 V1. On X-E1 the battery life can be slightly improved by switching off "fast wake up" mode.

Another well written review of Fuji X-E1, by Martin Castein: [the camera] "makes you fall in love with photography all over again". That is exactly how I feel about Fuji X10.

But our Fuji X10 went on long trip, and I left with heave Olympus E-30 which make my eyes sore. I wish it would have a viewfinder of a full frame camera...

At the UQ lakes | Olympus E-30

 

Dead End for Fujifilm X-Trans sensor - 2

The Fujifilm X forum on the DPReview site is very popular and active now due to recent release of Fuji X-E1 and the first zoom lens for X mount, FUJINON XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS.

Then the End of the Fujifilm X-Trans sensor thread came... In brief: people are not happy with limited support of X-Trans RAW files by third party software and blame Fujifilm for not doing enough. Gosh, the thread got over 100 comments! "Fuji does have to work with Adobe" - no doubt, there should be a law obliged every company to work with Adobe or face a jail for life for CEO.

The guy who suggested to push the third part software developers for X-Trans RAW support was nearly annihilated. Frankly, the idea is not that bad, probably both sides should be asked for the RAW support. The thread even went into personal harassment :( 

It reminds me "the orbs" time on DPR's fujifilm forum. I should get a popcorn.

It seems that the positions of both sides are understandable. Fuji spent several years developing the X-Trans sensor, and it would be reasonable to suggest that the company want to capitalize on the results. After all, Fujifilm provides the software for RAW development. Personally, I gave up on SilkyPix and shoot JPEGs on Fuji X10, so I do understand people frustrated with the lack of proper RAW support. But again, I don't mind to shoot JPEGs, so the inability to develop RAW files from the X10 on a computer  is not a big deal for me. In addition, people who bothered to learn SilkyPix, are happy with the results and the software.

On other hand, Fuji X-Pro1 is a fairly new camera and arguably it was not sold in huge numbers, so for the third party software developers the support for X-Trans RAW files was probably not a top priority especially considering complexity of data processing and required developmental resources. To be fair, several companies provide software for X-Trans RAW files (this blog provides insider's view on the X-Trans RAW conversion, read all four parts).

After looking on examples of color bleaching from Thom Hogan or pictures from ChromaSoft blog, or other sites such as SoundImagePlus blog I am not sure if it would be possible to get an ideal interpolation of X-Trans data with the first generation of the sensor. [This is lame opinion from an outsider.] With the Bayer mask we have resolution versus moire tradeoff, but it seems that on X-Trans sensor the best resolution is coupled with the color bleaching or some other color artifacts. It depends on image. In some parts of the test images even 12MP X100 out-resolve X-Pro1.

Hopefully, Fuji X-E1 will be more popular than X-Pro1, and additional resources will be allocated to development of RAW support for X-Trans sensor. But at the moment if the RAW shooting is obligatory, just get Olympus EM-D E-M5 or Sony NEX-6. 

Recommended compact cameras from the DPReview

DPReview published the list of recommended compact cameras (with zoom lens).  Canon PowerShot G15 with 28-140mm (eqv) F1.8-2.8 lens and Olympus XZ-2 are on the top of the list. Surprisingly Nikon P7700 have not made it at all.

Interestingly, it is one of the most commented recent posts on the DPReview site despite the falling sales of compact cameras.  

I was surprised with the image quality and general usability of modern compact cameras after getting the Fuji X10. As many other people I tend to leave a heavy DSLR camera at home, but a compact camera can be in my backpack at any day because size and weight is not an issue anymore. I shoot a lot of macro (flowers and plants in general for identification) and prefer to have a big depth of field. Fortunately, every essential camera maker created at least one advanced compact, so we can choose what we like. Personally I enjoy "snobbish" retro-looking manual-zoom button-driven Fuji X10. I bet the image quality is more or less the same in advanced cameras, such as Canon G15 or Olympus XZ-2, so for me the choice is boiled down to the handling if the specs are more or less similar. For example, I like bright lens, and do not value portability much, so for me Canon S100 or Sony RX100 are not really attractive models. My dream camera would be Nikon-made "Fuji X10"- style compact camera with 1" sensor and two supermacro modes at wide and long ends of the zoom range. Just make a decent lens for it, not f3.5-5.6 kit type thing. As all-in-one solution it will be a dream camera for people like me. No need for a dedicated macro lens, big DoF, reasonable image quality. 

Can any camera maker create a camera for the happy bugs shooters?  

Dead End for Fujifilm X-Trans sensor

If I got it right, according to this post on the dpreview forum, the X-Trans sensor is doomed (to extinction) because Fujifilm does not provide any information about their efforts (if any) to get support for raw data conversion by Photo Ninja software. Frankly, I do sympathise with the author of this statement despite the fact that I never heard about Photo Ninja before. There was a Noise Ninja (if I remember the name correctly), and probably some other Ninjas, too. It is not the point.

Imagine that someone had mastered the art of raw processing, and - ooops - the raw files from a new camera are not supported by the workflow. Technically, the problem can be solved by modification of the workflow or by avoiding a new (non-supported) camera altogether, but obviously both solutions are unacceptable. The third way is a class action to push either software developers or camera makers to have "their work done" (get the files supported).

We live in time when even airplanes were changed to fit the software because it was cheaper to change the plane design. The software can be really complicated.

I don't understand why I am reading such threads :-(((

It was such a relief for me to change back to JPEG shooting with Fuji X10. I hope that OOC JPEGs from Fujifilm X-E1 also will be adequate for my needs. I tend to shoot raw with Olympus E-30 to tweak the white balance / colors but  JPEG engine in Fuji X10 works well in most situations. Probably with more capable cameras such as Nikon D700 I would shoot raw, too, - the amount of recoverable details from D700 raw files is simply amazing. Or maybe JPEG and RAW combination because I am really lazy with the image processing.

From DSLR to CSC

I am a long-time user of digital Olympus cameras, both compact and DSLRs. In some areas Olympus has certain advantage over other camera makers. For example, the dust was never an issue with my E500 and E30, and I do change the lenses. Compare this with the current situation around Nikon D600, "the dust gatherer".  The mid-range ZUIKO 4/3 lenses are also good and reasonably priced. I have two :-)

I thought about changing the system and switching to either Canon (long time ago) or Nikon (current favorite DSLR system after release of D7000). Now I would rather go D600 route, mainly because of the viewfinder. Image-wise I probably would be more than happy with pictures from D5100  or D7000. D5200 can be a better camera but with the current discounts the old models are very attractive. But I do like big viewfinders, so cameras with APC-S sensors are not really attractive to me. But both D600 and D800 are big and quite expensive as a system. Size is one of the factors why I do not use Olympus E-30, and it is not big or have camera compared to let say D800. Why I planned to switch? Olympus DSLRs were slightly behind in term of dynamic range and noise compared to rival APC-S cameras. It is hard to recover highlights or lift the shadows from RAW files in my E-30. Nikon has very good OOC JPEGs on their DSLR while Olympus tend to warm the picture. The lens selection is better with both Canon and Nikon.  

I also use Fujifilm X10 and while I am very happy with close-up pictures, the low contrast area in landscapes are not really great on any compact cameras. Granted, the pictures look fine if downsized but I want to have a better quality. I wish either Canon or Nikon would have mirrorless camera equal to  Fuji X-E1 / Sony NEX6 / Olympus OM-D E-M5 / Samsung NX20. I probably will be happy with images from Canon EOS-M but do not like  controls (user interface) and luck of proprietary lenses for the M mount. The price is high, too. The latest Olympus PEN E-PL5 will give me more for less, with available external viewfinder and good lenses. I don't have Canon or Nikon lenses that can be used on their mirrorless cameras with adapters, and I don't see any point to get a heavy lens for small camera. So, going with one of the two giants is still just a dream for me.

The best bargain: DSLRs and advanced compacts

It probably would not surprise anyone that "previous year" models would cost less than the current cameras. Obviously, the latest models are better. The question is: how much better. Personally I don't see much difference between let say Nikon D5100 and D5200 or between Olympus XZ-1 and XZ-2. Both modern DSLRs and advanced compacts represent a mature technology where most improvements over short time are marginal. Unless the latest gimmicks are compulsory, the previous year model would work just fine. personally I prefer the latest models but hey, it does not improve the quality of my images. The mirrorless system cameras do not fit into this scheme because it is a new technology, and the improvements are generally quite pronounced between old and new models. I would prefer Olympus E-PL5 over the previous models just because of sensor. Still, even the best current mirrorless cameras cannot match DSLR in autofocus speed. It may change in the future but right now mirrorless cameras either offer less than DSLRs or cost more, and advanced compact cameras are just more convenient in use.

Fujifilm X100: discontinued

I just came across this notice on respectable Australian camera shop:

It is somewhat surprised because the limited black edition of Fuji X100 is not marked as discontinued. Maybe just typo...

Even for that price the camera is a bargain considering the quality of the lens and the hybrid viewfinder. As a "grey import" the X100 can be found for about $750 (in Kogan). The lenses for the X mount are priced in this range, and none of the three available primes are compact. On top of it Fuji X100 does not have problems with regular patterns and color bleeding of X-trans sensor. Heck, Fuji X10 is still priced at about $600 in major camera shops in Australia.

If it is true, does it mean that Fujifilm will stop the X100 model line? Hopefully the company will change the sensor, hybrid viewfinder (increase the refresh rate), improve the body, update the electronics and release it as the X200. 

X-Pro1 is cheaper than X-E1 now

The world is really dynamic. Fuji X-Pro1 was announced in January this year, at price ~$1,700. Ten months later, in November, the camera and 35mm lens kit is offered for $1,598 (this price in Australian dollars). The lens alone cost over $600 ($625 in the same shop). The price for the body was halved in less than one year. In the same shop X-E1 kit with the same 35mm lens is listed for $1,698. So, now X-P1 is cheaper than X-E1.

Compare this price drop to Fuji X100: here in Australia we finally got $200 discount for the camera released in 2010. This is equal to about 15% drop in two years. Fuji X10 is now also discounted for ~5% after one year (I am talking about Australian shops here not a grey market import). What is going on with X-Pro1? With the latest firmware the X-P1 is as snappy as X-E1, and the image quality is apparently identical between these two models. It has marvellous hybrid viewfinder. How come that the camera positioned as a Pro model is cheaper than the "enthusiast" sibling released in the same year?

The whole situation looks like a PR(?) debacle for the company. The X cameras are a niche product: you get special things at a premium price. The word "overpriced" is not applicable for a niche product. However, people buying this type of goods generally do not expect to see it on sale for a half price just couple months later unless it is an airplane ticket to Australia during the holiday season :-). While it may help to lure new users, it also punishes the early adopters of the system. Even if Fujifilm will announce X-Pro2 early next year as rumored, the price drop is just huge for such short time. I guess the company over-estimated the demand for X-Pro1 due to the huge success of X100 and now has a big stockpile of the cameras in their warehouses. If indeed X-Pro2 will get "hybrid" autofocus with phase-detection or significantly increase the readout for contrast detection and EVF, it will will be very hard to sell the previous model.

Frankly, I feel that the current price for X-Pro1 is in line with other top level mirrorless system cameras. After all, the world is dynamic.

PS
All companies drop prices for their products. For example, Nikon 1 V1 and J1 also undergone a huge price drop recently but these models were not aimed on a niche market.

PSS
I still prefer X-E1 to X-Pro1. I expect the EVF would be a better match for the zoom lens, and the smaller and lighter body is a plus for me. IMHO Fuji got the camera controls just right, and I don't mind to pay a premium for a camera I would like to use. There are plenty good mirrorless system cameras with different type of controls, such as Olympus E-PL5 or some Sony NEX models, but I do like buttons :) I may change my opinion in the future. The problem is the cameras are very expensive toys. I wish I can find any affordable Australian version of LensRentals, to try new cameras for a week or two. Playing with a camera in a shop is not really informative for me. I need more time. After all, I can change my shooting habits as it happens after acquisition of Fuji X10.

Hail storm in Brisbane

We got just a little bit of hail but some places were hit really hard.
The HD version is about 60Mb.
November 18, 2012.

FUJINON XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS

More reports on Fuji's XF18-55mm lens appeared on the Fujifilm X dpreview forum. It looks like the early adopters are very impressed with the lens. It is sharp and reasonably speedy. It is the first time I see mainly happy posters on this forum. Granted, I do not follow the forum for a long time but it is a huge contrast with periods of Sticky Aperture Blades (SAB on Fuji X100) or White Orbiting Disks (ORBs of X10) discussions. It seems that Fujifilm done it just right that time. Or maybe people are just busy discussing the dust spots on Nikon D600 :-)

Unfortunately, the zoom lens is apparently not yet available here in Down Under. Ted's Cameras still lists Fuji X-E1 zoom kit only as pre-order only. Bodies only (X-E1) are available in Brisbane for some time, in shops such as Digital Camera Warehouse. Unless the company has a stockpile of XF18-55mm lenses, the demand probably outstrip the supply for some time as it was the case with Fuji X100. Our Fuji X10 is going on big trip next week, and might be left with Olympus X-30 only :(. It would not prevent me from taking pictures :-)

Rowing at Brisbane river | Olympus E-30, ZUIKO 50-200mm SWD

Olympus strikes back

Olympus announced another prime lens for m43 mirrorless cameras, M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8. Right now m43 has the biggest selection of the dedicated lenses for mirrorless cameras. "Dedicated" is the key word here because generally lenses from SLR cameras have slow autofocus on mirrorless cameras.

Olympus is known for its lenses. The first DSLR from the company, Olympus E-1, was aimed on enthusiast photographers: professional grade camera coupled with good glass (ZUIKO 50-200 F2.8-3.5, 14-54mm F2.8-3.5, 50mm F2.0 Macro - the first lenses released alongside with the E-1). Unfortunately, the benefits of smaller sensor were not obvious on DSLR cameras. While the ZUIKO lenses were somewhat smaller than these from competitors, the camera bodies were the same. While Olympus DSLRs (4/3 system) got their share of passionate followers (I had two 4/3 DSLR bodies and some lenses :-), the whole system was less popular than Nikon or Canon.

Probably because of that experience with 4/3 camera Olympus had changed the strategy with m43 (mirrorless) cameras and initially targeted mainly "entry level" crowd. Camera bodies had a limited external control, the lenses were mainly of "kit" class. In fact, their PENs became popular with DSLR users who want a smaller capable cameras. Responding to the demand Olympus started to produce dedicated high grade lens and made top spec camera, Olympus OM-D E-M5.

In contrast, with the X system Fujifilm had targeted enthusiast photographers from the start. Granted, the technology was not there at the birth of mirrorless cameras, and Fuji watched the experience of first players in mirrorless cameras.

At the moment Olympus does not have PEN-shaped camera with good external controls. I do like E-PL5 because of it's sensor and IBIS but I don't like the lack of the controls. It may work perfectly for some people. The OM-D E-M5 is fine camera but it feels relatively small in my hands. The size is OK if I use the rear screen for shooting. Frankly, I would rather get an E-PL5 with external viewfinder. It will be truly compact and light camera, and it will probably cost less than the OM-D E-M5. But I would not like the external controls.

It seems that Olympus is in difficult situation. The company still has DSLR line and according to the rumors develops a new DSLR body. Considering that DSLRs are now follow the dinosaurs' path and grow bigger, it would be hard for Olympus to succeed in with E-7 or whatever. No doubt, the body will make quite a few people happy but it probably would not attract new users to the 43 system.

Compulsory reading

Here we go: link. Camera Obsession Disorder, Gear Acquisition Syndrome, quest for the ultimate IQ - you name it. I've thought about writing something similar but these guys put all things together, and they did it right.

I am curious why cameras are so important for men? (it is save to assume that the vast majority of people affected by Camera Obsession Disorder are men). Is it some kind of sublimation of a perfect hunting tool? It is irrational: people spend insane amount of time online reading about cameras instead of doing photography. Well, it is not about photography, it is about the ultimate IQ in the best camera. And it should run on Android :)

Well, at least I do take pictures :) I think it is because of the camera. It is joy to use, it is relatively small and light, and on top of it the camera produces very satisfactory photos. While I expect that X-E1 will be much better for landscapes than Fuji x10, I doubt that X-E1 will much convenience and supermacro mode of Fuji X10. The depth of field at 28mm eqv. on Fuji X10 is just hard to beat with big sensor.

As for picture: Velvia (photo below) produces very punchy and eye catching colors while Provia images appear somewhat  dull but have natural colours.

Tipuana and Tabebuia at St Lucia | Fuji X10

No negative opinion on Fuji X-E1 so far?

I am surprised with lack of negative comments about Fuji X-E1 camera on the dpreview's Fujifilm X forum. The dpreview forums are "enriched" with the "equipment scrutinisers". The Fuji X-E1 body is available for some time now in different places around the globe including Australia. Granted, Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 lens came out for sale (in Europe) just a couple days ago, and many people are waiting for the zoom kits. Most "complains" I've seen so far were either about problems appeared in difficult conditions (inflorescent light) or resulted from sub-optimal camera settings. It seems that nearly all early adopters have very positive impression on the first Fujifilm XF zoom lens, too. From what I've read on the web, the autofocus is fast on both X-E1 and X-Pro1, and the optical image stabilisation works fine, too. People also like the build quality. I mean "real users" not the "professional" reviewers, because the latter are generally very positive with any equipment :-) So, it seems that Fujiifilm finally made "a perfect camera" :-)

With the bright zoom and a competitive price tag, Fuji X-E1 is poised for popularity among many photographers with affection for direct camera control and famous Fuji colors. It probably would not affect X-Pro1 sales much because (I suspect) the sales were pretty low in the first place. The X-Pro1 is a niche camera, and many people who want it already have one. Actually, with the big price drop, some people may even consider X-Pro1 over the X-E1. The X-Pro1 was a big hit after the announcement but relatively high price tag and things like a slow autofocus with the original firmware and lack of a proper third-party support of the RAW format/conversion do not help with the high demand. Now things are changed, the price went down, firmware 2.0 (or current 2.1) transformed X-Pro1 into a speed demon (sort of), and the company works with major players in RAW conversion. With all these changes the X-Pro1 is more attractive camera than it used to be just a few months ago. People who love an optical (hybrid) viewfinder and prefer more substantial body can get it for essentially the same price as X-E1 (at least here, in Australia. I guess it is also possible to add an optical viewfinder to X-E1 if needed but I doubt that many will do it :-)

In meantime Thom Hogan wrote that the next Fujifilm Pro model (X-Pro2 or whatever) may have a better focusing because of implementation of the technology used by Nikon in their Nikon 1 cameras such as V1. I mean "technology" in broad sense, as an approach. Indeed, the focus speed is the major issue poised for improvement in most mirrorless cameras. Some, such as Olympus OM-D E-M5, focuses relatively fast but DSLRs do it even faster. However, the focus speed is also depends on lens, e.g 18-55mm has new/different motor compared to the available prime lens. The second issue is electronic viewfinders but this issue can be resolved through high refresh rate (and faster readout from sensors). There is no word on the release day for X-Pro2 :) It is encouraging that the company works on the system. Frankly, I am not interested in a Pro model but rather in 55-200mm lens scheduled for the release in the first half of the next year :) In meantime I still will carry Olympus E-30 with ZUIKO 50-200mm SWD lens attached.

Bird and dragon | Olympus E-30, ZUIKO 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD

Fuji X-E1 firmware update

It seems  am transforming into Fuji-fan :-) Anyway, Fujifilm had released the firmware update 1.01 for X-E1 that should improve handling of the XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R OIS lens. Fuji X-Pro1 also can be updated to 2.01. Also, according to posts on Fuji X-forum, XF18-55mm zoom lenses were already shipped to customers. I assume that the lens will be shipped with the latest firmware. At the moment XF18-55mm is not even mentioned on the firmware updates page.

In Brisbane the CameraPro shop has silver X-E1 in stock (body or kit with primes), and Digital Camera Warehouse has black camera on display. Ted's also lists the X-E1 as available.

Amazon top 20 cameras

It is always interesting to go through the list of the best selling camera on Amazon. Right now, Olympus XZ-1 at $199 is on the top of the list (until the stocks last). It stays there for some time now. Four DSLR cameras are among top 20 popular cameras including Nikon D5100 kit under $600. DSLRs are affordable cameras now. Granted, the new model, Nikon D5200 is a better camera, but it is not yet available, and many people probably would not see big difference in image quality between two cameras. Also, in top 20 list is Sony NEX-5N zoom kit for less than 500 USD, probably the most popular mirrorless camera right now. Frankly, for someone interested in photography not the latest camera there are quite a few bargains to choose from.

Among these essentially discontinued cameras in top 20 list Sony DSC-RX100 looks somewhat alienated. It is a recent model selling at full price. That what happen when the company create a new interesting product.

I was surprised to see Fuji X-E1 zoom kit in top best selling compact system cameras. I guess these are pre-orders.

Autofocus on Fuji X mirrorless cameras

It seems that the autofocus (AF) speed of prime lenses on Fuji X-Pro1 and X-E1 cameras is one of the most discussed topics on Fujifilm X system forum on the dpreview site (example). Obviously, anyone used to (D)SLR cameras should notice the difference in autofucus speed in most mirrorless cameras. Several factors contributes to slow AF on compact system cameras. First, the focus speed depends on lens and lens' motor and not all lenses are created equal. Out of three available prime lenses, XF60mm F2.4 R Macro is the slowest which is not surprising considering that it is a macro lens. New XF18-55mm F2.8-4 OIS has different motor and apparently focuses fast but independent in-depth reviews on this lens are not yet available. Second, mirrorless cameras use different method for autofocus, so the tricks and skills from DSLR world may not work anymore. This post explains how to improve the AF performance on mirrorless camera (Fuji X-Pro1).

For anyone interested in comparison between Fuji X-E1 and Sony NEX-6: here is a very comprehensive comparison of the two cameras. Later in the thread the author of original post wrote that in some situation with dim light Fuji X10 might be better than the Sony because of the bright lens. Yes, the X10.

Fuji X-E1 zoom kit is in shops

According to this post Fujifilm X-E1 kit with XF18-55mm F2.8-4 OIS lens is already on display in some shops. So the zoom kits are available. I don't know if the same is true for Australia. I hope it will be here in next couple weeks.

More X-E1 / Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 related news. Fujifilm UK posted on flickr Lake District photos taken with Fuji X-E1 and XF18-55mm lens. Unfortunately, the originals are not available but I like the photos. 

Still, activity of Fujifilm on social sites such as flickr does not much that of Samsung that has over 4,000 photos just on flickr, so people interested in say EX2F or NX20 can go and see quite a few pictures from the cameras. 

Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 for 300$

Ted's cameras shops have Fuji X-E1 in stock. I don't know if Ted's got the zoom kit or body only. I know that in other camera shops in Brisbane X-E1 body is available but the zoom kit or Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 lens are not. It looks like a very interesting business model to me: the zoom kit will save ~500$ over the separate purchase (based on prices in Ted's cameras). So, people not interested in zoom lens can make a couple hundred dollars from buying the kit instead of body only. Guess what would happen? Easy: the zoom kit is not yet available but the X-E1 bodies are on the display in Australian camera shops.

In other shops such as Digital Camera Warehouse, the difference is smaller (~350-400$) but still significant to stop me from buying the camera with the 60mm macro lens now and getting the XF 18-55mm OIS zoom later. I would rather save the money for XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 OIS expected to be released in the first half of 2013.

In meantime I am exploiting the Vivid (Velvia) mode on Fuji X10. The images are punchier (obviously), and generally very pleasant. The other thing I enjoy is Panorama option. It is possible to make a better panorame with a dedicated software and full-res images but for the web - the output from the camera is more than sufficient. 

Great Court, the University of Queensland | Fuji X10 (panorama mode), GIMP (levels)

Panorama with Fuji X10

Jacarandas at the UQ lakes | Fuji X10, in camera panorama | October 30, 2012

Not bad for the hand-held camera. The image at the original resolution is available on my flickr page. The levels were changed in GIMP, and the image was saved at a lesser quality.

I am still amazed with features in Fuji X10. Most of these things are new for me. Olympus cameras have auto panorama mode in the supplied software but it did not work well for me. I am talking here about my old compact cameras. Yes, I lived in a cave all that time :-)

Fuji X-E1 vs Olympus OM-D E-M5: link

Lets promote interesting things on the web :)

I came across a very lengthly thread on Micro Four Thirds forum discussing merits of Fujifilm X-E1 and Olympus OM-D E-M5. There are over 20 "pages", and I have not read all comments.

There are posts by users of Olympus and Fuji cameras (but for Fuji it is mainly X-Pro1). There are some very interesting opinions on "gear lust" and some other things. I am really glad to see someone admitting that photographic skills are the limiting factor in getting better picture not the camera capability which is fully applicable for me. As for gear acquisition syndrome: you need to enjoy the thing. My Olympus E-30 is a better camera than my previous Olympus DSLR but I do not enjoy it as much as the E-500, and as a result it generally stays at home. I probably would be happier with a smaller model such as E-620 but it is too late to go 4/3 route. Sensors are better now, mirrorless CSC are getting better, too. Even advanced compact cameras were revived from a nearly complete extinction and flourished in recent years. One of these, Fuji X10, makes me happy. While OM-D E-M5 is one of the best "advanced" CSC, I am not sure that I would enjoy as much as Fuji X10. I do like PENs, and would consider E-PL5 over OM-D E-M5 because of form/size and price. But I don't like the external controls in E-PL cameras. The touch screen may solve the problem of external control, but it is hard to say how it will work for me. I do like the layout of Fuji X-E1 which is similar to that of the X10, but I have not tried the camera with FX 18-55mm F2.8-4 lens yet. Frankly, I was surprised with a relatively small size of the X-E1. On photographs the rectangular body creates an impression of the fairly bulky camera.


Now about serious stuff: The Fuji X-E1 is an interesting camera by Kirk Tuck. I really like his writing style.

Fujifilm X10 for ~400AUD

Kogan now sells Fujifilm cameras. Fuji X10 is offered for 389AUD plus shipping (19 dollars to Brisbane), and the famous Fuji X100 is listed for 779 dollars. It is Kogan, so both are grey import. The lowest X100 Australian price I know is 998 dollars in CameraPro. Kogan also has very low prices for Nikon DSLRs, with D3200 body for 438 dollars (this is  a 24MP DSLR!), and Nikon D5100 with 18-55mm lens for 439 dollars. Granted, D5100 will be replaced with new model very soon but this camera has one of the best APS-C sensors.

Personally I buy cameras in local shops in Brisbane. I know people who bought cameras from the Kogan shop. They were happy with the purchase. Because it is a parallel import, most products have "back to the shop" guaranty. I don't know if Fuji X10 is now shipping with the new sensor or not, and it is unclear if the company will replace the sensor in "grey" cameras. Early production runs of Fuji X100 were prone to SAB (sticky aperture blades). While I never had issues with any digital camera during warranty I do prefer peace of mind.

Unfortunately, both Nikon and Canon cameras and lenses cost more in Australia than in the US, and the difference cannot be explained just by GST (local sales tax). From what I learnt the australian camera retailers are essentially hostages of the prices set up by the companies, and cannot do much. It is probably not just that factor, no doubt high wages and rent also contribute to the final price.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 vs X-Trans sensor

I was in a pixel peeping mood yesterday. Unfortunately, Fuji X-E1 reviews are not available yet on sites such as dpreview. I played with test photos from X-Pro1 and Olympus OM-D posted on imaging resource, because it is assumed that the image quality is identical between Fuji X-E1 and X-Pro1 cameras. .

WARNING: big files
I've looked on iso 200 photo at low noise setting in Fuji X-Pro1
and iso 200 photos from Olympus OM-D E-M5 either with noise filter switched to low or turned off.

From what I can see, Olympus OM-D E-M5 outresolves X-Trans sensor in  Fuji X-Pro1. Scales is the most obvious place to look at. The light brown cloth next to yellow is smooth in the X-P1 photo but in the Olympus image the structure is clearly visible. The same situation is for the black fabric under the mug, at the very bottom. In term of resolution Olympus made a miracle with its OM-D E-M5 camera. However, the photo from X-Pro1 has very clean shadows that can be lifted without obtrusive color noise. Image from Fuji X-Pro1 can be nicely sharpen while applying the same sharpening or unsharpen mask filter to the OM-D images does not look very attractive. The original Olympus images already have some sharpening halos. Sharpening of the X-Pro1 image brings up some details in fabrics.

Even at iso 800 Olympus OM-D E-M5 resolve more details on the scales than Fuji X-Pro1.
WARNING: big files
OM-D E-M5 image at iso 800
X-Pro1 image at iso 800

Interestingly, the  JPEGs are twice bigger in Olympus OM-D E-M5 than in Fuji X-Pro1.

So, 16MP X-Tras sensor does not have anti-aliasing filter but apparently it cannot match 16MP m4/3 sensor in Olympus OM-D E-M5, at least in some areas of the test scene. On tricky regular patters such as the scales in the test scene Fuji X-Pro1 is somewhat similar to Fuji X100 in term of resolution. The X-Pro1 has more artifacts but does resolve slightly more details on the scales.

Low noise in Olympus XZ-2

The dpreview site had published "real world" samples from the latest advanced compact camera from Olympus, XZ-2. While the full review of the camera is not available yet, according to comment from the dpreview member the noise level is significantly lower compared to the previous model, XZ-1, despite of having a slightly smaller sensor and higher pixel count. The camera is now also has better user interface. However, Nikon P7700 with its new bright lens looks like a very strong competitor. It is really handy to have 200mm at f/4.

I am not in the marked for an advanced compact camera. I guess Fuji X10 will hold quite well in term of noise against Oly XZ-2 but frankly I don't care. With bright lens and optical image stabilisation I don't need a very high iso with Fuji X10. I do not shoot action very often.

In some sense, Fujifilm X10 is a unique camera. It is very appealing to some people. It is not just about the image quality. It is very pleasant camera to use. You see the camera, and you want to take it in your hands and go shooting. It small enough to be with you in most situations. It seems that I got hooked on Fujifilm cameras after the X10 :)

Swamp lily, from Amaryllidaceae family | Fuji X10

Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 in Japan

MapCamera shop in Japan posted several images with Fujifilm X-E1, mainly with XF35mm F1.4 but also couple photos taken with Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4. Well, the page looks like a photo news page for the camera shop but I am not sure. So, it seems that camera shops in Japan already got the lens, and the zoom kit probably will be available for sale in the nearest future.

This thread on Fuji X forum is dedicated to photographs taken with Fuji X-E1 and Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4. It is updated daily. You can ask the photographer about the pictures, lens and camera.  These photos are all across the web, but the thread also has some comments from the author. Fujifilm is lucky to have this person as an employee.

My contribution to the pixel peeping community

It turned out that I have two similar photos of the same plant, Swamp lily, taken with two different cameras, Olympus E-30 and Fuji X10. The pictures were taken for the identification of the plant,  so both are my "real world samples". It is not even meant to be a comparative shooting. Photos were taken on different days, at slightly different light (and it is evening light, the trickiest condition for most digital cameras), the images were cropped in GIMP and the levels were changed to add contrast. The focal length is quite different. On top of it, I suspect that my Olympus E-30 is faulty because of excessive amount of noise in black areas.  This explains why I am still very suspicious towards 12MP sensor used in m4/3 camera (yes, it is irrational, I know).

Anyway, both photos are available at the original resolution on flickr and can be viewed at 100%.

Frankly, I do not see much difference between these cameras for my practical use. The other factors are more important for me.

hi-res photos from Fuji X-E1 and XF 18-55mm F2.8-4.0

I am really surprised with absence of photos taken with Fujifilm zoom lens, XF 18-55mm F2.8-4. There are some downsized images available on Flickr but only few official samples from the company are at full resolution. Good topic for another conspiracy theory story :)

However, today I found several "leaked" images at full resolution taken with Fuji X-E1 and Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 lens. This photo was taken at f/4 at 55mm (wide open). It is just amazing. I would be _very_ happy with such photos. Obviously, it is not just camera, it is the photographer plus RAW processing. But it is really impressive.

Another photo at full resolution that give idea how sharp is the zoom lens and what DoF is expected from the XF18-55mm F2.8-4 lens even at f/6.4.

This photo illustrate sharpness at the edge of the frame.

Aperture 3.2.4 was used to process the images.

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One more link: Polish photos taken with X-E1 and XF18-55mm F2.8-4 lens. Some images were mentioned on the dpreview Fujifilm forum but I got the link through 1001 Noisy Cameras.