Fuji X100, turned out not to be so great, unfortunately

I figured that some people were suffering from some kind of nostalgia
trip, thinking the Fuji would be like a Leica with a fixed lens. All
the Electron Beam Coated lenses of Fuji's past coming back in a modern
form. I for one have used Fuji lenses and found them very good, but
honestly, few of the old lenses (even though made for 35mm film) do
that great a job on digital sensors. The new Fuji lens turns out to
be just so-so, which is a huge disappointment since you can't change
it. Figure on the X100 being available for $500 or less in 5-6
months. If the lens had been stellar, the camera would have been a
huge hit and would have stayed a huge hit. However, I would like it
to be compared directly to some current DSLR's and their better
primes.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1020&message=38026302

 

As usual, your suggestion that a camera costing $1200 should somehow
be able to replicate the optical performance of a Leica Summicron-M
lens that costs $3000 (without a camera body) is ludicrous in the
extreme.

The X100 might ape the style of Leica M bodies of tha past, but that's
where the resemblance ends. No-one buying an X100 believes that $1200
will buy Leica optical quality. It is sad that a fool like you cannot
or will not see that.

As usual, you post not from enlightened personal experience. Instead,
your posting is based on the word of someone you don't know who posts
to one of the most consistently unreliable online photo forums that
the world has seen.

If you want a camera/lens combination that resists flare in the most
difficult contre jour lighting situations, you are going to have to
spend an awful lot more than $1200.

On the other hand, if $1200 is all you are prepared to spend, you are
going to have to learn to work around the limitations of the product
that you can afford.

 

The example looks like the same kind of apparently microlens flare you
mentioned in an Oly m4/3 with a wide angle lens on short mount.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathanaddiephotography/5544257093/
Anyways, it sounds like rarely an issue.

 

It's a complete non-issue, as many respondents on the DPReview forum
have stated.

As usual, the person reporting this non-issue on DPReview has never
seen, touched or used the camera that he is complaining about. He
found the image on Flickr.

So to cap that, we have Rich Anderson, who has never seen, touched or
used the camera quoting someone else who has never seen, touched or
used the camera but claims there is a problem.

It's easy to see where the *real* problem is. ;-)

 

I've seen enough of the sample shots to know that they missed. The X100
is like the S5. Premiering at $2400, dropping fast to the range of the
Nikon D200 ($1700) after less than flattering reviews comparing the two,
finally to end up at around $1000.00 being blown out by retailers.

 

Could be. I couldn't replicate the Olympus E-PL2 problem on the G1 or the
GH2. I agree it shouldn't be too much of an issue, it worsens (defines
itself?) the further you stop the lens down, but you have to be crazy to
stop a lens down below f9 with a micro 4/3rds because of the degrading
effects of diffraction on the images.

 

Rich has posted many sample photos that he has taken inside a Toronto
Henry's store. It is clear that if he is not a Henry's employee, then he
spends far too much time wasting their staff's time. He must try
everything they have on the shelf, but even though he buys some items
his try-to-buy ratio is low. When one factors in the small margins (15%
more or less at Henry's) and the staff person's time. Henry's is losing
money when Rich walks in the door.

 

As usual, Rich, you couldn't be more wrong. Demand for the X100
greatly exceeds supply, and that's before the delays in production
caused by the earthquake/tsunami.

UK supply is already oversubscribed FOUR TIMES OVER. After the review
in this week's edition of "Amateur Photographer" we increased our
order book by a further 50%. Whichever way you look at the X100, it
will be a sales success far beyond Fujifilm's wildest dreams.

So where does that leave you, Rich? Ranting uncontrollably, foaming
at the mouth, lying in the gutter while waving your arms and legs
about. In other words, situation normal. ;-)

 

The D200 has been obsolete for several years. What is your point

 

Obviously the D200 was put out at roughly the same time as the Fuji S5.
Comparing contemporary camera gear from from competing manufacturers
seems to be a mystery to you.

 

Yes it is. Neither has any historical value, nor is either an antique.
Otherwise, start a discussion of the Brownie vs the Argus C3.
But, don't imply that either is a contemporary camera.
Rich is a troll who never answers a straight question about documenting
his conclusions and prejudices. Bruce, who I consider a blowhard, was
spot on in his prior comment about the source for Rich's less than
enlightened, conclusions.

 

It is called a history lesson.
If you don't want to learn from history, it is your own self-imposed
problem.
Against other similar cameras (Samsung NX, Panasonic u4/3, Olympus u4/3)
it is more expensive and less versatile.
The X100 will probably have the same sort of sudden price-drop as the S5.
The next few months will be telling.

 

I have trouble considering the comparison of two obsolete cameras a
"history lesson" of any importance.
If you conclude that I am historically blind from my statement, then
that is a conclusion that doesn't affect me.

EOD

 

As I wrote above: "it is your own self-imposed problem"
If you don't wish to look to history to see what might happen in the
future, then it is truly your own problem.
Have it your way.

 

History teaches us a lot. Like posters with obvious fake
names having usually little of worth to say hereabouts.

So how many dollars are you willing to bet on that?
None?
Thought so.

-Wolfgang

 

You mean Like PerterN?

As many "dollars" as you are.
Why would I need to bet on anything?
All products drop in price after they are released.
Some plummet quite drastically in price as the manufacturer and
distributors don't see the sales they were hoping for.

I will be proved correct by history.

 

Of course. It's obvious that my real email address is hard to demung

 

So what.
My email is real, I have no reason to alter my email address for NG posting.
What are you trying to hide?

 

More like "dj_nme", which doesn't even look like the contraction
of a real name. Isn't even pronounceable. Feels like a mouth
full of sharp edged stones.

Tellingly, you cannot even write other peoples' names correctly.

Because you make a prediction.
People who belive in their own predictions place real money on
their predictions, the rest are rumor mongers, snake oil handlers,
spin doctors and con artists.

"the same sort of sudden price-drop" is something else.

So you basically say that the sales for the X100 are disappointing.
Interesting. You should sell some X100 now for later delivery
at a lower price than current --- you'll surely make a great win
when buying them in a couple of months.

Sure. In about 100 years, the price of the X100 will have dropped
rather suddenly --- as you compare the prices once per decade.

But you won't be remembered by history --- certainly not with
such a lousy name.

-Wolfgang

 

At least I can stay on topic and write about the x100.
You and "Peter N" have to go on a personal witch-hunt because you can't
come up with a decently reasoned response.
Where is your rebuttal of my pointing out the history of camera and
electronics sales patterns?
Where?

I don't need to "belive" anything.
Looking to history for a guide to what the future will hold is a
reasonable thing to do.
Attacking those you don't like (shooting the messenger) just makes your
posts read like those of a child having a tantrum.

No, it will be like every other piece of electronics:
Fairly expensive in the first few months of sales, but as more users get
to use it and compare it against all of it's competition (u4/3, Sony Nex
& Samsung NX cameras and lenses, maybe even against the lower end
compact DSLR cameras as well), the sales will drop off (just like most
other consumer grade, but pro priced gear does) and the price will fall
within half a year of release.
It is a pattern seen over and over again.
If you don't believe me, wait until the end of this year and then get
back to me on it.
I will be proved correct.