Reality and Tranquility

Echo falls. Fuji X-E1 & XF10-24mm

The car behaves wrongly and needs an extra service, share market crashed, consultant service does bring any money. And all this happen in time when I need 72 mm polarizing filter. The future for the next year is bleak: the rent is going up, the salary is going down.

Wake up at 4 am, grab toasted bread with cheese and bottle of water, jump into car, drive for two and half hours to rainforest, walk 10 km, and watch sun glares on rocks  accompanying by sound of the waterfall. 

Yin and yang of sociophobic life.

Fuji X100T in Brisbane

Fuji X100T is now available in Brisbane for about $1,600 (AUD).

After carrying X-E1 with couple lenses and tripod on a family trip to a national park the idea of relatively compact high quality camera such as X100/S/T looks very interesting. I probably will take more pictures with X100-style camera. I probably will enjoy a lot, without worrying of missed shots, lens swapping. Just taking family pictures, with occasional close-up pictures of flowers. It will cover most my needs on day like this.

What GAS and flu have in common?

Gear Acquisition Syndrome, or GAS, is common among amateur photographers, camera geeks and people obsessed with fancy lenses such as zooms with constant f2.8 aperture. Flu usually happens during cold weather, GAS peaks shortly before and around Christmas time. New flu strains come from South East Asia. Source for world-wide waves of GAS is also located in South East Asia. Flu transmitted through people contacts. GAS propagates through people communications, so it spreads faster than a forest fire. Flu epidemies are caused by new virus strains, the GAS peaks are caused by rumors or announcements of new lenses or cameras. People with acute form of GAS have red watery eyes from reading too much camera news on the internet. The flu virus causes similar symptoms.
 

X-T1 or not?

What is the point of having weather-proof lens without weather-sealed camera? In fact, the weather-sealed Fujinon XF18-135mm lens is sold out in my favorite camera shop. In other shops I have to add $100+, about 15% premium. I guess Fuji X-T1 & XF18-135mm kits are available. In fact buying the kid will save about $200 over separate purchases. I can get X-T1 & XF18-135mm combo for $2k (Australian dollars). It is a good price for the camera and lens, but it is still $2k... Reviewers are very positive about X-T1.

The text below is just a personal runt written in order to sort out "things".

Significant advantages of Fijifilm X-T1 over X-E1:
- weather-sealing
- better external control (more dials, it is possible to set up camera for shooting with external controls)

Minor advantages:
- better battery life / more shots per charge (mentioned by some reviewers, but the difference is negligible in official specification)
-  tilting screen

Features I am curious about
- wireless connectivity
- external flash

Irrelevant improvements:
- viewfunder (I usually use the screen because it is more comfortable to my eyes)
- autofocus (I am satisfied with autofocus on X-E1)
- screen resolution

Negative:
- price (the camera priced fairly, considering all the features, but it is a big chunk of money to me)
- weight (it is 100 grams heavier than X-E1)

Potentially negative:
- not sure about the hump in the middle. It can be good because the flash sits higher.

To sum up: on one side we have the excellent external control layout and weather-sealing, on other side the camera costs a little fortune and adds extra weight.  And what to do with the existing X-E1?

Leopard tree. Fuji X-E1 & XF55-200mm

such is life

No spare time. None. Last time I walked with a camera more than one month ago.

Addiction to rumors

In the past I used to read DPReview articles and followed some forums on the site. Now I check mainly photorumors sites. The change is puzzling. While I like to have the latest cameras and lenses such as a recently announced Fuji X-T1 or Fujinon XF10-24mm lens, it would not happen any time soon. Santa had brought a present for this year, and his budget is limited :-) I do not earn money by camera or lens testing, and capabilities of modern cameras exceed my needs, so there is no urgent need to get the latest model. While I do like the external controls of Fuji X-T1, the image quality probably would be similar to that of X-E1. It would focus faster, maybe a bit faster than even X-E2, but I am happy with the autofocus speed and accuracy of X-E1 (except for XF60mm Macro). So, why are rumors  so addictive?

Some people follow life of celebrities. This is a big business, with glassy magazines, news channels, press. I suspect this activity is similar to my interest in latest cameras. The pity is that the usefulness of both activities is very similar...

(provoked by Thom Hogan's post on cameras' buzz)

Thom Hogan on Fuji X-T1

Thom Hogan's comments on Fuji X-T1, X system, and mirrorless cameras in general.

For me main reasons of going mirrorless were following:
- small weight and ability to shoot using a rear screen
- price advantage over full frame DSLRs

My eyes became unhappy with small viewfinders on Olympus DSLRs. I tried full frame Nikon D700, and loved it. There were / are two problems with full frame DSLRs: weight and price. This is true for camera and lenses.

Fuji aren't particular cheap, but it got layout I like. The lenses aren't small either but of high quality. With no mirror slap, the camera can be used at low shutter speed with OIS lenses. It also turned out that X-E1 EVF is quite comfortable for my eyes. Keep in mind that photography is my recreational hobby.

For me the biggest minus of mirrorless cameras is a short battery life. I've got a spare battery, but probably need at least two more for a long weekend camping. I rarely shoot moving subjects, so poor continuous autofocus on X-E1 is not an issue for me. Single autofocus is fast and dead on even at close distance. I don't bother with RAW anymore: JPEGs are very good, and offer greater compatibility over RAW format. 

Fuji X-E1 for $100

Amazon and B&H offer Fuji X-E1 with XF18-55mm lens for $799 (plus some free stuff at B&H). In B&H Fujinon XF18-55mm lens is available for $695. The difference is ~$100. While X-E1 does not have a hybrid autofocus, it is still a very good camera. Price for Fuji X-M1 with XC16-50mm lens is $599, just $200 less than the X-E1 kit.

The lowest (known to me) price in Brisbane for X-E1 & XF18-55mm is $990 (Aussie) and $639 for XF18-55mm lens. These are not regular prices. With current exchange rate, cost of shipment and currency conversion fee the local price for the X-E1 kit is similar to that in the US.

I guess Fuji will cease production of X-E1 soon, which is not surprising considering that X-E2 has more to offer. Discounts on X-E1 are not surprising, but I am curious about  XF18-55mm lens. Fuji will release the weather-sealed XF18-135mm in the middle of the year, and probably will sell it together with X-T1. Still, I am puzzled why XF18-55mm is included in heavily discounted kits.  

Fuji cameras are on sale in the US

In B&H Fuji X-A1 with XC16-50mm lens and 16GB SDHC card is available for roughly $500. Here in Brisbane the price is over $750 (AUD). The Aussie is trading below parity now, about 0.9 USD, and we have 10% GST on goods. This would add $100 to the price, but it is still about $150, or 20%, cheaper in the US.

In the same shop the XC16-55mm lens is available for pre-order for $399.

Pain of RAW

One piece of the Olympus software on my computer does not work anymore. Unfortunately, this software is required for RAW files from Olympus E-30. While I don't use the DSLR very often I still have quite a few RAW files. The ORF files can be open by UFORaw (GIMP plugin) and edited, but UFORaw is not very good for preview. Obviously, the issue is fixable, but it would take time. I shoot mainly JPEG with Fuji cameras now, so my motivation for fixing old stuff is not very strong. Sort of nice to have but not critical. Having JPEGs would be a more convenient option.

Any alternative to flickr?

I don't like the latest flickr layout. It just killed my social interactions. The latest layout is designed for touch screens and tablets but does not work for me on laptop or desktop. I am very flexible with computers: I work under both OS and Windows, and use Unix shell. Maybe I should embrace the new touch world and get a tablet, just to see how it would handle the current flickr layout.

The alternative solution would be migration to another photo hosting site. The major obstacle to such migration is the established communities on flickr. I don't know any other photo hosting site with groups interested in (Australian) vegetation. There are several such groups on flickr, and this is the main reason why I still keep my flickr account.

My problems: I  cannot figure out if it is possible to get the old style view for other photostreams, the same as "Edit" view on my photostream. The same for individual photographs. 

I may go back to RedBubble, but it is artistic. Photobucket has too much  ads.

Death of compact cameras

It seems that I am completely out of the touch with the current trends in photography. By photography I mean "taking pictures", casual snapshots, not a professional photography or hobby. It seems that camera phones took over digital cameras. In previous week I've attended a big meeting, with several hundreds participants. It turned out that nobody use digital cameras to take pictures during presentation. Everyone use smartphones. Once I've heard a sound of shutter, but it turned out to be a smartphone, too: these things can simulate any sounds including that of shutter. I felt myself as a caveman. Actually, it is not just smartphones, the tablets are also very popular choice.

Smartphones also change the way people share / promote / show their pictures. Smartphone is your personal photo album, and it is always with you. No problem with sudden changes in layout as on flickr.

Fuji and the rest of the world

Panasonic GX1 + 14-42mm OIS lens $639
Canon EOS M + 18-55mm EFM Lens $698
Olympus PEN Lite E-PL5 Single Kit $718
Sony NEX-5R + 16-50mm PZ OSS $744
Samsung NX300 + 18-55mm lens $849

Here is a list of current mirrorless cameras without a viewfinder from a local camera shop. I used upper models in this category. Olympus E-P5 is not available yet, so I used E-PL5. Some of these models come with extra, for example Canon is bundled with 90EX Speedlite flash. All prices are in Australian dollars. Sometimes it is possible to get a better deal, but Digital Cameras Warehouse is one of my favourite camera shops in Brisbane.

In the US (B&H) Olympus E-Pl5 is priced at $600, Samsung NX300 - $700, Canon - $550, Sony NEX-5R - $600 (including bag and 16Gb card).

Here in Australia Fujifilm X-E1 + XF 18-55mm Lens is available for $1249. In B&H X-E1 is listed for $1200.

So, Fuji X-M1 with XC 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS lens is expected to be priced here in Oz at around $800, close to the most expensive cameras in this category, Sony NEX-5R and Samsung NX300. It might look a bit expensive in the US but here in Downunder, the same price looks very reasonable for what you get.

Fuji pricing policy

Lucky US customers just got discounts on Fujifilm products, e.g. $300 off the XF18-55mm or XF60mm Macro price when purchased with a camera. This sound like a reasonable deal. I am not a big fan of the Fuji pricing policy on lenses and cameras. Here in Australia X-E1 & XF18-55mm kit saves you about 30% over the separate purchase. The difference is just huge compared to other manufacturers of mirrorless cameras.

I don't mind to pay a higher price for a better product assuming it is a fair price. But by such huge difference between kit and separate purchase indicates on the opposite...

Olympus pricing

The latest Olympus PEN E-P5 with 17mm f/1.8 lens and external viewfinder is available for pre-orders in B&H for $1550 (USD of course), and the body only for $999. Curiously, Olympus OM-D E-M5 body is offered for the same price. Smart move to boost OM-D sales :)

mirrorless vs DSLR

Another interesting post from Thom Hogan on mirrorless cameras and DSLRs. He also posted the results of his poll.

Obviously, people lurking on photoforums do not represent the whole population but still the result of the poll is quite telling. In some sense, Fuji is doing a good job with their niche X cameras. Olympus went minute, and PENs are very popular.

Still, some niches are not filled. I bet many nature-loving photographers would be happy to have a compact camera with a medium-sized sensor, either 1" or m4/3. It is all about size, supermacro and image quality. Hopefully, the rumored Sony RX200 looks like a step in right direction. I wish it will have Fuji X controls and lens.

To sum up

It just occurred to me that in total I spent about 10,000 dollars on my digital cameras and lenses, spare batteries, memory cards, filters, tripods etc. Probably slightly more than that. In other words,  slightly less than $1000 per year. I might get a few bucks back from selling off my 4/3 gear but not much.

I lost Olympus C2020, and C770 and E500 went into good hands long time ago. I still have Olympus E30 but rarely use it since acquisition of Fuji X10 and X-E1.

Past and present

Bird of Paradise | Fuji X-E1 & XF60mm Macro

Olympus C2020 > Olympus C770 > Olympus E500 > Olympus E30 > Fuji X10 > Fuji X-E1

I used to read DPReview but some time ago switched to rumors sites. It is slightly worrying development. Frankly, in these days I don't see any reason for me to follow progress of the camera world, let alone its potential development. Fuji X-E1 offers more than I need except for macro, but X10 is quite good for flowers shots. I'll get XF55-200mm, and may replace XF18-55mm with XF10-24mm next year. I might be interested in a compact with 1" sensor, bright lens with 4-5x zoom and good macro capability but nobody want to make such camera. So, I plan to talk less about cameras and take more pictures.

Entry-level mirrorless camera from Fuji, again

It seems that an entry-level mirrorless camera from Fujifilm is real, and it might be announced soon (before summer in Northern hemisphere). The rumors about the "X-M1" circulate around the for quite a while.It is expected that the camera will be in class of Olympus E-PL5 or Sony NEX-5, somewhat above the entry level. Note that the cameras in this segment generally do not have fixed screens :) Expect to see tiltable screen...

The current X cameras are very popular. It is reasonable for the company to add product in extremely popular segment of the mirrorless market to compete with cameras such as Olympus E-PL5 or Sony NEX-5. However, Fuji does not have a cheap compact zoom lens for a mid-range market. The available XF18-55mm F2.8-4 lens adds a lot in price, size and weight to the kit, so it wouldn't be cheap, compact or light. In Australia the price of the Olympus E-PL5 single lens kit is essentially identical to price of Fujinon XF18-55mm lens. The same true for Sony NEX-5R. Obviously, Fuji can heavily discount the kit and price it at around $900. Or it might combine it with the new XF55-200mm lens. While it sound odd, it would make an attractive package for me: I am interested in the zoom lens and don't mind to have a spare body. Obviously, I can buy just the lens, but in Australia Fuji has a strange(?) price policy: the X-E1 zoom kit costs ~$150 more than the body, while the lens itself is priced at $730. In other words, buying the kit ($1250) saves over $550, or close to 80% of the lens price. While I am interested in the zoom lens, the current price policy is a very strong demotivator for buying the lens. I'd rather wait or grab it on eBay.

BTW, here is a link to the official samples from XF55-200mm F55-200 F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS lens

Current prices on Fuji X-system

In Brisbane Fuji X-E1 with XF18-55mm lens is available for ~1,250$, while the lens alone is priced at ~730$. The body only in the same shop is listed for ~1090$. I don't know if it os the lowest price, but Digital Camera Warehouse is a very competitive shop.

The good thing is that Fuji X-E1 is priced identical to the competitors such as Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Sony NEX-6. The bad thing is the price difference between the kit and separate items. Buying the body and lens separately requires extra 570$. Similar difference for Olympus is "just" 250$, for both E-PL5 and E-M5.