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Mest0r posted:Take a look here at these specials starting on Feb. 7th for Fuji X-Mount stuff: There was an interview posted yesterday with Kayce Baker of Fujifilm NA where she said that they were selling more X-Pro 1 bodies than bodies with kits so I guess this is Fuji's response to that. I meant to cherry pick the salient info and post it here. The most interesting part was her claiming April/May for the 55-200. I don't know if that is North America or Japan with America following 3-4 months after.
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Feb 2, 2013 07:47
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Hi, I'm going to admit I'm an absolute cameras novice, however, I'm really very keen to start taking pictures as part of one of my hobbies; beekeeping. I'd like to take macro shots as well as just general family type photos, my wife has an old DSLR which she wants to trade in as well so something smaller that she can fit in a bag. I've done a little research and I'm tend towards the Lumix G5, it appears to meet the criteria. I'd be really interested on peoples opinions here if it's a good buy for that sort of budget or if there other options that I should consider? Cheers
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Feb 2, 2013 12:07
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^^ I'm out of the loop for suggesting contemporary alternatives but wanted to chime in to say MFT is really great for macro on the cheap. A tamron adaptall 90 is under a hundred, sometimes well under, and works great with the 2x crop. Also, bees 
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Feb 2, 2013 13:19
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Would having an X100 and an NEX 5N be redundant? My NEX stuff is enough that I keep it all in a bag, so to have a pocketable camera seems like a plus, but a lot of the time I don't have a problem just bringing the camera bag wherever I'm going and if I need to travel light I can always just put a spare lens in one pocket and the camera + lens in the other. Ever since the X100 came out I had wanted one but I can't help but feel that I should put that money into lenses rather than a fixed lens body that might do too many of the same things as the 5N to justify the purchase. .
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Feb 2, 2013 16:51
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rio posted:Would having an X100 and an NEX 5N be redundant? My NEX stuff is enough that I keep it all in a bag, so to have a pocketable camera seems like a plus, but a lot of the time I don't have a problem just bringing the camera bag wherever I'm going and if I need to travel light I can always just put a spare lens in one pocket and the camera + lens in the other. Ever since the X100 came out I had wanted one but I can't help but feel that I should put that money into lenses rather than a fixed lens body that might do too many of the same things as the 5N to justify the purchase. . Really depends on what your priorities are. Personally I would pick the X100 over any NEX for day-to-day shooting, accepting its limitations but still choosing it for the sake of the viewfinder. Also, camera ownership is rarely entirely rational, unless you are a working pro. There are some pieces of gear you just fall in love with and some you never quite get along with. I have used the E-M5 for nearly a year now but have to admit that I never quite like it; it is a very competent camera in every way but I still have to make myself use it when I have other options at hand. For vacation shots the E-M5 with 12-50 would make a killer setup (maybe the 20/1.7 for low light as well), yet I found myself carrying a 5DII + 40/2.8 on my last trip because I just get along with it so much better.
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Feb 2, 2013 23:08
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My gear for the last year was an X-100 and X-Pro 1. I never felt like the X-100 was redundant. It's fun to shoot with. Please by mine on the Dorkroom buy/sell thread! My X-100 replacement is the RX1. I finally got to shoot some indoors people pics and I am liking the sharpness and colors. Full size and straight out of the camera jpeg at F/4 ISO800. Flickered up but still looking almost as nice as it did in Lightroom. My models complained that the camera was too quiet and they couldn't tell when I had taken a shot. Even with the fake shutter sound turned on (which was one of the first things I disabled on the RX1 and X-100) and the volume all the way up, they could barely hear it. They thought my X-Pro was a Leica. 
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Feb 3, 2013 02:10
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So I am actively looking for an X100 to buy asap now - I've lusted after this camera long enough. I was wondering if anyone had done any research into the sticky aperture issue, as I am seeing varying info. It looks like anything with 21 and later (first two serial digits) is fine; does that mean that I should be asking for receipts of purchase if I am buying earlier cameras so that if the issue does pop up I can send it to Fuji?
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Feb 5, 2013 08:41
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rio posted:So I am actively looking for an X100 to buy asap now - I've lusted after this camera long enough. I was wondering if anyone had done any research into the sticky aperture issue, as I am seeing varying info. It looks like anything with 21 and later (first two serial digits) is fine; does that mean that I should be asking for receipts of purchase if I am buying earlier cameras so that if the issue does pop up I can send it to Fuji? The warranty is non-transferable, buy earlier serials at your own risk. Supposedly Fuji will fix an out of warranty X100 but you have to be the registered owner with original receipt. I would guess that most of the used ones that would fail have done so already, but I would still shoot for a 21 (ask for a photo of the bottom of the camera). If you can't do that, get an exif-intact jpeg, the manufacture date is embedded in the Maker Notes section. Mine looks like: FPX 20854034 592D36323232 2011:04:28 so it was made April 28th, 2011-one month, five days after X100 production resumed.
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Feb 5, 2013 09:34
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rio posted:So I am actively looking for an X100 to buy asap now - I've lusted after this camera long enough. I was wondering if anyone had done any research into the sticky aperture issue, as I am seeing varying info. It looks like anything with 21 and later (first two serial digits) is fine; does that mean that I should be asking for receipts of purchase if I am buying earlier cameras so that if the issue does pop up I can send it to Fuji? Yes, or at least a confirmation that it has been fixed before. You're going to love this camera, it's making me sell my DSLR.
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Feb 5, 2013 12:23
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Thanks to both of you for the info. I actually just ordered one new for 799 since I am impatient and also paranoid - I think the peace of mind having a warranty will be worth the extra bucks. Can't wait to try it. rio fucked around with this message at 00:03 on Feb 6, 2013 |
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Feb 5, 2013 18:24
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Well, just cancelled my order after getting a call from a guy at the store (who was a total douche with aggressive sales tactics), 42nd street photo. Apparently the camera is grey market and they wanted to charge me for a manufacturer's warranty (after trying to sell me new SD cards because "mine weren't good enough"). gently caress that place - it was listed as "New USA warranty" but apparently that meant "30 day store warranty". Back to square one and pretty pissed. I did find one used but it is a "13" serial with a 1200 shots on it for 70. I would love to buy it but am pretty sketched about the aperture.
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Feb 6, 2013 00:04
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rio posted:Well, just cancelled my order after getting a call from a guy at the store (who was a total douche with aggressive sales tactics), 42nd street photo. Apparently the camera is grey market and they wanted to charge me for a manufacturer's warranty (after trying to sell me new SD cards because "mine weren't good enough"). gently caress that place - it was listed as "New USA warranty" but apparently that meant "30 day store warranty". Back to square one and pretty pissed. What store was it?
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Feb 6, 2013 00:07
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42nd Street Photo is legendary for bait & switch, gray market and requiring you to buy lovely accessories. I'll never do business with them and advise anyone to steer clear.
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Feb 6, 2013 00:16
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Thank you, Federal Government, for financing my 30mm and 19mm Sigma lenses! For $100 a pop, I literally could not say no to that deal. I hope they don't suck too bad.
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Feb 6, 2013 00:35
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rio posted:Well, just cancelled my order after getting a call from a guy at the store (who was a total douche with aggressive sales tactics), 42nd street photo. Apparently the camera is grey market and they wanted to charge me for a manufacturer's warranty (after trying to sell me new SD cards because "mine weren't good enough"). gently caress that place - it was listed as "New USA warranty" but apparently that meant "30 day store warranty". Back to square one and pretty pissed. Maybe look into T Dimension and get their MACK warranty? I don't have any experience with them personally but they were who I was eyeballing to buy my X-Pro from because their new X-Pros were within 10 bucks of used Amazon Warehouse ones. Ultimately I went with Amazon because of the Fuji promotion of buying a new X-Pro plus a lens dropped $300 off the price so it came out about even. Anybody here have any experience with T Dimension? It's a grey market camera but it comes with their own warranty service that covers manufacture defects where their courier service comes and picks up your camera and whisks it off to a HK repair facility. I imagine the downside would be the wait. The purchasable MACK warranty is for something like 3 years and the highest level covers dropping and equipment misuse.
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Feb 6, 2013 00:36
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rio posted:after trying to sell me new SD cards because "mine weren't good enough" While I won't defend 42nd St Photo, and would also recommend to everyone to steer clear of them, there's something of a valid point here. All of the Fuji cameras startup and I/O times are kind of slow, and a fast SD card makes a noticeable difference. Spend $20 on a super fast 8GB card and you'll be happy.
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Feb 6, 2013 00:51
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Helicity posted:While I won't defend 42nd St Photo, and would also recommend to everyone to steer clear of them, there's something of a valid point here. All of the Fuji cameras startup and I/O times are kind of slow, and a fast SD card makes a noticeable difference. Spend $20 on a super fast 8GB card and you'll be happy. I told him that I already have some class 10 cards and he responded with some poo poo about how I need more for HD video, to which I responded that for the 720p the x100 records at I should be fine, plus the fact that I will not shoot video with it. For future reference, though, should class 10 be ok? I wasn't about to believe a word from the guy all the bullshit that was spewing out of his mouth. E: I haven't heard of T Dimension, thanks for the link. What is the deal with the lower prices, is this also grey market? Also, the one year warranty is free and one year is fine by me, so if that is for real then cool. I hadn't even heard of "grey market" stuff like this before today, only in drug terms. E2: Nevermind - I see what you mean by MACK warrantee now. rio fucked around with this message at 01:36 on Feb 6, 2013 |
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Feb 6, 2013 01:21
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rio posted:I told him that I already have some class 10 cards and he responded with some poo poo about how I need more for HD video, to which I responded that for the 720p the x100 records at I should be fine, plus the fact that I will not shoot video with it. For future reference, though, should class 10 be ok? I wasn't about to believe a word from the guy all the bullshit that was spewing out of his mouth. You'll want multiple 4 or 8 gig SDXC UHS-1 cards at 45mb/s,that is pretty much the minimum. I recommend sticking with 4 and 8 gig cards on the X100 because the card speed and size have direct correlation on startup times on the X100 due to Fuji's wacky handling of the file system. You'll notice increased startup times as you fill up a 16 gig card. Other things to know is that unlike the X-Pro, the X100 locks you out of camera functions while it is writing so you'll really feel a slower card. Fuji writes uncompressed raw .RAF files at around 19 megs per .RAF for the X100. Also never put your card into an iPad or a Mac without engaging the write-protect tab on the card as they will write invisible files to the card. If it ever takes 30 seconds to a minute for your X series camera to turn on, this is almost always the case because for whatever reason the camera seems to trawl through the files on startup (hence my 4 or 8 gig recommendation above). Grey market would be buying a camera from a foreign country outside your market. You wouldn't be able to register it with Fuji and claim warranty repairs, you'd have to go through T Dimension, which may be good or may be bad, I've never dealt with them.
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Feb 6, 2013 01:55
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I buy 9%% of my camera stuff from Digital Rev. They are grey market (you buy direct from them in Hong Kong) but they offer a local warranty, in that they have you get a local quote for repair, submit it to them and they OK it and reimburse/pay for it. I've never had to call on them because everything so far has worked beautifully, but it seems like a nice system. Plus Kai is awesome. I love their videos 
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Feb 6, 2013 05:40
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Just updated the firmware on my 5N. Exposure bracketing went from a maximum of 0.7EV to 3.0EV! My Canon DSLR doesn't even do 3.
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Feb 6, 2013 19:40
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HPL posted:Just updated the firmware on my 5N. Exposure bracketing went from a maximum of 0.7EV to 3.0EV! My Canon DSLR doesn't even do 3. Mine does, with Magic Lantern.
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Feb 6, 2013 19:43
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ThisQuietReverie posted:You'll want multiple 4 or 8 gig SDXC UHS-1 cards at 45mb/s,that is pretty much the minimum. I recommend sticking with 4 and 8 gig cards on the X100 because the card speed and size have direct correlation on startup times on the X100 due to Fuji's wacky handling of the file system. You'll notice increased startup times as you fill up a 16 gig card. Thanks a lot for the info - I ordered an 8gb 45mb/s card to go with the camera. Got the camera from a cool dude on Amazon - like new, only 3 months old and with a 21A serial. I'm totally psyched to try the camera. HPL posted:Just updated the firmware on my 5N. Exposure bracketing went from a maximum of 0.7EV to 3.0EV! My Canon DSLR doesn't even do 3. Is there a 5N firmware that was recently released?
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Feb 6, 2013 19:50
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rio posted:Thanks a lot for the info - I ordered an 8gb 45mb/s card to go with the camera. Got the camera from a cool dude on Amazon - like new, only 3 months old and with a 21A serial. I'm totally psyched to try the camera. Awesome, congrats. While you're waiting for it to arrive shop for a soft release, once you use one you won't want to use a Fuji without. I like this one: http://www.adorama.com/CZRS.html?gclid=CMjFsaGworUCFdSnPAodphkA6A on my X100 but it is big and toothy so I find a lot of photos of the inside of my bag because it makes the camera easier to turn on. There are a crapload of options out there though, I have a smaller, smooth one on the X-Pro and it has never inadvertently turned on. If you do get a soft release, borrow or buy a bottle of clear nail polish and coat the soft release threads lightly and wait 20 seconds before screwing it into the camera. You'll also probably want a vented hood for the X100 because the front of the lens is pretty exposed and isn't interchangeable if it hits something. I used to have problems with leaving the camera in "Macro" mode when I turned it off. The problem here is that the camera extends the lens out slightly past its extent when you turn it on so if you have the lens cap on when you turn on the X100 in Macro mode it will hit the cap and make a terrible noise and prompt you to turn the camera off and on. That poo poo got old quick so I went with a hood. Another X100 thing to know is that if your OVF lines are super dim, you've got the lens cap on.
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Feb 6, 2013 20:26
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Any words on the C3 getting an update sometime as well or am I hosed? Any more experienced Sony users can tell me how long do they usually support their products?
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Feb 6, 2013 20:50
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rexelation posted:Any words on the C3 getting an update sometime as well or am I hosed? Any more experienced Sony users can tell me how long do they usually support their products?
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Feb 6, 2013 21:17
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FasterThanLight posted:Do you mean firmware updates? I wouldn't expect much more unless a major problem came up, but why would you be hosed? If it ain't broke, etc. I was interested in the 16-50 lens. This round of firmware updates include lens correction profiles for all the NEX models except 3, 5 and C3. I've read some reviews that said there are significant distortions and vignetting going on with the 16-50 lens on the C3.
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Feb 6, 2013 21:30
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X100 came today - what a camera. It is taking a while to get a hang of the menu system and the autofocus. I don't want to make any snap judgements on the af but the NEX seems much friendlier and faster in that regard, at least inside the house (haven't taken it out yet). Any tips from X100 peeps other than just keep shooting to learn the quirks?
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Feb 8, 2013 23:29
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Did you update the firmware?
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Feb 8, 2013 23:47
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rio posted:X100 came today - what a camera. It is taking a while to get a hang of the menu system and the autofocus. I don't want to make any snap judgements on the af but the NEX seems much friendlier and faster in that regard, at least inside the house (haven't taken it out yet). Any tips from X100 peeps other than just keep shooting to learn the quirks? Things you should do: Update the firmware for sure, you can check your firmware version by holding the "BACK" button when you turn on the camera. Practice changing the size of the AF box by pushing the AF button and adjusting the size with the control wheel. A bigger box is faster but you run the risk of it front or back-focusing if you catch a higher contrast object that is closer or further from you than your intended subject. The smallest box size is pinpoint accurate but it is going to be slower and you run the risk of there not being enough contrast for the camera to grab focus. Turn on corrected framelines in the menu to help adjust for parallax error. I don't remember if I ever mentioned it but if you don't already know, you should learn how a contrast detect AF system works versus a phase detect. The crash course is that you want to focus on the surface of things as opposed to the edges (like a DSLR). It isn't going to focus on your solid white wall or black cat, there needs to be something contrasty there to help it along. The X100 also likes vertical lines, if it doesn't want to focus on something and you can see vertical lines in the viewfinder, turn the camera sideways to portrait orientation. I've had to do this like twice ever but it does work. Also, f/2 is a little soft without the wide-angle adapter. Sharp at f/2.8 though.
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Feb 9, 2013 00:38
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Thanks for the tips - yeah, the camera came with 1.30 so I think I am set there. I did not know how to check it though, and also did not know how to change the AF bo size, so that is useful. I am used to contrast detect AF from the NEX but it either seems less accurate or I am just so used to switching to MF on the NEX that I have forgotten how the performance is in lower lights. I am slowly starting to get the feel of what will resister as focused and what will not with the camera. Interesting to know about verticals as well. Also, I am imagining that the manual is out of date but I am seeing 4 flash options there vs. 2 or 3 (?) on the camera. Is this related to A, S or P modes and it just changes to whatever is available?
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Feb 9, 2013 01:04
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rio posted:
I never take my cameras out of silent mode so I'm not a flash user but to my recollection, the modes available are offered based on the camera mode, yes. In unrelated news I had a chance to try out the X-Pro in a concert venue type situation. Pointed at the stage was fine as there was light but near-inky darkness crowd shots and backlit heads confused the autofocus more than half of the time. It did better than I expected but if concert photography is your thing I would look elsewhere.
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Feb 9, 2013 18:31
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ThisQuietReverie posted:In unrelated news I had a chance to try out the X-Pro in a concert venue type situation. Pointed at the stage was fine as there was light but near-inky darkness crowd shots and backlit heads confused the autofocus more than half of the time. It did better than I expected but if concert photography is your thing I would look elsewhere. To be fair, scenarios like that even give DSLRs trouble.
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Feb 9, 2013 19:37
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ThisQuietReverie posted:I never take my cameras out of silent mode so I'm not a flash user but to my recollection, the modes available are offered based on the camera mode, yes. Yeah for concert stuff you often have to zone focus because its hard to lock focus, even at f/1.4 with a prosumer or higher end model.
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Feb 9, 2013 22:32
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rio posted:X100 came today - what a camera. It is taking a while to get a hang of the menu system and the autofocus. I don't want to make any snap judgements on the af but the NEX seems much friendlier and faster in that regard, at least inside the house (haven't taken it out yet). Any tips from X100 peeps other than just keep shooting to learn the quirks? This camera has great auto ISO. In the menu's you can set the auto ISO up to 3200. 3200 on this camera is still very usable. Please note: It will use your regular ISO setting as a minimum. So if you have your camera at ISO 800 and you turn on auto ISO to 3200, the camera will only go between 800 and 3200. So: Turn on auto ISO en set your regular ISO to the lowest available (200). Along with the auto ISO, you can select a minimum shutter speed. I use aperture priority (shutter speed dial on automatic), so basically the camera goes like this: 1. Camera tries to stay below the shutter speed in the auto ISO setting. 2. Camera detects shutter speed is too low, the camera will raise the ISO to the highest available setting in the auto ISO. 3. When the ISO is at its max available setting, and it still isn't enough for a proper exposure, only then will the camera override your selected shutter speed in auto ISO. So, long story short: Set up a fast shutter speed in auto ISO of 1/125 and it will raise the ISO faster but pictures will have a chance to be less blurry. Set it to 1/40 and your ISO will generally be lower but chance of movement is up. Close focusing: This camera's weak spot is focusing at nearby subjects. You can turn on macro mode OR you can switch the camera to manual focus (slider on the side) and press the AF button for the same-ish effect. Still takes some getting used to though ChirreD fucked around with this message at 09:58 on Feb 10, 2013 |
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Feb 10, 2013 09:24
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X/E-1 / X-Pro1 and X100 owners: Since I rarely use my DSLR and use my X100 a ton, I want to swap the DSLR for an X-Pro1 or X-E1. Do you still use the X100 after getting the X-Pro1 or X-E1? Also I can't decide between the X-E1 and X-Pro1. Lots of extra money for the optical and no Flash. I'm afraid the X100 will collect dust after getting the X-E1, size wise they're the same with a pancake lens. the X-Pro1 is a more serious size in that regard, but I don't like big bulk (like the DSLR). Any advice?
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Feb 10, 2013 09:40
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Anyone here use an OM-D + the 60mm macro? Is it as sweet of a combo as it sounds? Also, how well does the built in stabilization work? If I adapte a longer lens (I have a nikon mount vivitar 70-210/3.5 and a k mount 70-300 (plus a 2x teleconverter)) that I could in theory adapt to this, is that a reasonable thing to do in practice? Also how hard would it be to write "pentax" over the logo? e. Also does anyone have any thoughts on the OM-D compared to a nex-7? Dr. Despair fucked around with this message at 10:41 on Feb 10, 2013 |
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Feb 10, 2013 10:30
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K01s are already like $200 with the kit lens on Craigslist around me. You wouldn't even need to cover the badge!
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Feb 10, 2013 13:32
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ChirreD posted:This camera has great auto ISO. Well drat, this is a ridiculously helpful post. Thanks. The focusing can really be frustrating. I wish I could set the function button to make it go to Macro mode in one push.
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Feb 10, 2013 16:09
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ChirreD posted:X/E-1 / X-Pro1 and X100 owners: If you're favorite part of the X100 is the OVF, then definitely get the X-Pro1, however the OVF on the X-Pro1 is noticeably smaller than the X100 but it's still just as bright; I believe the EVF of the X-E1 is much better than the X-Pro1 but I never really looked into it. The X-Pro1 is noticeably larger than the X100 in regards of the body size, but it's not that much larger, the major difference is that the lens juts out way more and is larger (at least with the 35mm), the odd thing is that the weight is still similar. I'd say try to decide if you really like the OVF and get the 35mm f/1.4 with whatever body you choose.
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Feb 10, 2013 16:12
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AndrewP posted:Well drat, this is a ridiculously helpful post. Thanks. You're very welcome. For quick macro: Just tap left on the wheel twice. Done Or flick the switch on the side and press the AF button to auto focus in manual mode. No need to set your camera to macro mode for manual focus. Both of these can be done instantly. As said some posts above me, try to focus on the same "plane" with contrasty colors, don't focus on edges as you would with a DSLR. The camera uses a different kind of focusing mechanic.
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Feb 10, 2013 16:22
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