Fuji New to the Fuji Experience

tonyturley

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Location
Scott Depot, WV, USA
Name
Tony
It's been quite a while since I've posted on PL. Have mostly been camped out on mu-43.com, but have also joined fujixspot. I recently rented an X100S to check it out. Over the course of 5 days I grew to like the camera a lot, but decided to get a gently used X-E1 instead. It arrived today. I intend to use it mainly with adapted Konica lenses to supplement my E-M5 with the Olympus 17/1.8. However, I was impressed with the IQ of the X100s; it let me get some of the best photos I've captured with any camera and any mount that I have done. That lens/sensor combination, to me, is special, and I'll be watching closely to see if Fuji releases a 23mm f/2 X-mount. Any thoughts on whether the 18mm f/2 gives a similar rendering? In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite images taken over the past week with the X100S.

TT

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However, I was impressed with the IQ of the X100s; it let me get some of the best photos I've captured with any camera and any mount that I have done. That lens/sensor combination, to me, is special, and I'll be watching closely to see if Fuji releases a 23mm f/2 X-mount. Any thoughts on whether the 18mm f/2 gives a similar rendering?
I'd say the 18mm f2 has a very nice rendering. It's really soft in the corners wide open (and even stopped down), which never bothered me but if you're a stickler for that sort of thing, you should be aware of it. But it's got nice contrast and colors and worked really well with that first group of X-Trans sensors (prior to the XE2 and XT1, when the NR or something got really aggressive and the "waxy skin" came to the fore. The X-Pro and the 18mm f2 was my main rig for a couple of years and I took a lot of images with that combination that I still really like. Small and inexpensive too...

-Ray
 
I'd say the 18mm f2 has a very nice rendering. It's really soft in the corners wide open (and even stopped down), which never bothered me but if you're a stickler for that sort of thing, you should be aware of it. But it's got nice contrast and colors and worked really well with that first group of X-Trans sensors (prior to the XE2 and XT1, when the NR or something got really aggressive and the "waxy skin" came to the fore. The X-Pro and the 18mm f2 was my main rig for a couple of years and I took a lot of images with that combination that I still really like. Small and inexpensive too...

-Ray
Thanks for the feedback, Ray. I'm not a pixel peeper - clarity and great colors are more important to me than corner - corner sharpness. My "new" X-E1 is sitting here in front of me, having just opened the box. It looks mint, and is one nice looking camera. Eager to get out and use it, but it has been overcast and gloomy all day.

TT
 
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I second Ray, a nice compact lens, pretty sharp in the center, even wide open, with good colors, contrast and microcontrast but some distortion and field curvature issues as well as relatively soft borders and corners that never get really sharp - nothing for landscapes or architecture, but pretty nice for documentation, people and some low light stuff (f2). At 18mm the 1855 gives you better sharpness, even into the very corners but it's only f2.8 max. at that FL and of course a bit larger but it's one heck of a standard zoom lens throughout the range IMO.

Regarding the 23mm/f2 I'm also waiting for that lens and while I understand Fuji that they want to sell us that 23mm with an attached body - the X100... - they can't be serious about offering 2 cameras with optical/hybrid viewfinders and withholding a smaller 23mm lens- one that doesn't block a significant part of the OVF like the larger 23mm/f1.4.

clarity and great colors are more important to me than corner - corner sharpness
Better have a look at some sample shots on flickr or elsewhere before you take the plunge, Tony. Depending on the individual copy, I've tried 3 different samples, the corners can be really mushy - no joy.
 
Here's one from the X-E1 and Konica 40mm/1.8. To me, it doesn't have quite the pop that the X100S examples had. I did extract this from the RAW file, instead of the Fuji JPEG engine, so that might explain it. I did decide to spring for the XF 14mm f/2.8 instead of the 18mm f/2. Although a physically larger lens, the 14mm was very highly regarded in the reviews I read. The wider perspective will come in handy, too.

The 35mm f/2 may very well be a future purchase. I bought the X-E1 because I liked the Fuji rendering, and if the Konica lenses don't come close to that, well, you know. I'll find out over the next few days as I experiment with camera settings.

TT
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Which raw developer did you use, Tony? The Fuji raw files are notoriously poorly catered for by the big boys. I use the built-in raw developer occasionally and find it very usable.
 
I used RawTherapee, Bill. The image isn't bad; it just looks a bit flat to me compared to the in-camera JPEGs from the X100S and 23mm f/2.

TT
I'm a big fan of rawtherapee but not so much for X Trans files. You might want to check out PhotoNinja. It's one of the better RAW converters for X Trans RAFs out there, especially when it comes to critical details and their highlight recovery keeps getting better and better with every new version they roll out. You can download a free evaluation copy from their website - everything works, except saving your results but you can send them an email to get that working as well for two weeks. I've tried the new version of Capture One too, it works really well with Fuji files but I didn't like the workflow and extra hassle too much. YMMV.
PictureCode home page: Photo Ninja
 
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Last night I tried the X-E1's in-camera RAW processor. It worked nicely, without being cumbersome. I'm going to work with that for a while. I also took the plunge and added a black X100S to my lineup. My X-E1 is in excellent shape, and it will give me a nice, lightweight 1-2 punch. I'll probably get the 35mm f/2 WR, and that will be it.

It wasn't long ago that I thought my future was in m4/3. Sony no longer fit my preferences, and I was enjoying my m4/3 cameras. Ad may remember a long thread I started on talkemount discussing my camera choices. Then I took my E-M1 on several hikes where I was in ravines with low light levels. To my eyes, there was a significant loss of detail in shadow areas. Then I decided to rent the X100S, and after a couple of days of getting used to its quirks, I began to really like it. I chose the X-E1 first because I wanted the flexibility of an ILC, but the X100S is a great camera. Its 23mm f/2 has excellent colors and clarity, as does the 14mm f/2.8 on the X-E1.

I'm no longer in the m4/3 camp; the last camera and lens shipped out this morning. I've also been selling a lot of my old film gear. My hope is to reduce my camera gear to the bare minimum I think is necessary to pursue this passion we all share.

TT
 
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