ricardovaste wrote:
I think many echo your feelings here, the X100 certainly tugged at many of our hearts, rather than our heads, when first released. Then, when all was said and done, the negatives seemed to out weight the 'purity' of the thing. After a couple of firmware updates, it seems to be a little more refined, and then the price continued to slip, it became more attractive again (at least in my mind). I always felt from the beginning it offered good value for what it was, but what it was wasn't for everyone... So yeah, it is quite a unique experience for the price you can get them for now.
Do you find yourself using the OVF or EVF most often?
The problem you mention with the aperture being erratic during bright conditions seems weird. I don't know how Fuji fair in this area, but I wonder what the likely hood of them continuing to refine it with further firmware updates are? They appear to still be making it, but it's a while since it was released now so I wonder if they'll just rule a line under it, and focus on other/future X-series products......Show more →
Agreed. The AF of this camera seems just acceptable enough, at this point. I'm not sure I would have been too thrilled with earlier firmware versions.
p.s. I use the OVF all of the time, except for some occasional focus checking. The EVF is pretty awful compared to Nex, and I hate the way the screen pauses every time focus is acquired. It's all very clunky and a big step back from the EVF of the Nex-7. I do really like the live histogram in the OVF, which, to me, is the main thrust of this X100.
I agree, integration of live histogram and other features typical of EVF's overlaid with a true OVF is quite amazing really. That's the way I used the X100 most of the time.
Like many here, I am in danger of being seduced by the RF likeness of the X-100. (My first cam was a Leica IIIc). I have waited watching the firmware updates, listening to the praises (does feel like the RF experience, excellent IQ, etc.) but also the horror stories of Fuji trying to refuse repair on the shutter blade issue, slow or no response to firmware issue, etc.
I have no delusion that this camera would (or could) have the performance of a pro body Nikon or Canon with L or equivalent glass. My issues are will it take pix well and can it be relied on to perform over time?
I'm being offered (by a reputable FM member) this camera at an attractive price. No sales receipt or warranty card included. Seller notes that he has updated to firmware v. 1.3 and that he has had no problem with it. Yet he also notes he bought it used and hasn't had it all that long.
Look, I'm no dummy (well some claim I am . I know this isn't a Leica. Can't afford one and truthfully they have so far not really figured digital out. (That'll get the fanboi going ) I really want a digital range finder as a walk around and just enjoy camera. Does the X-100 do this? Would buying new actually get around the bugs/problems? Should I give this dream up and pick up say a nice MFT add an EVF and consider myself lucky. Truthfully I really can't get use to shooting without some sort of view finder.
I'd really appreciate someone talking me off the ledge here (or conversely convincing me to jump cause the water is fine!)
Used with no receipt, I personally would stay away simply due to the possibility of the sticky aperture issue, unless it's something like $500. Mint used ones on ebay with receipts can be had in the $700 range and new for just under $1000 via ebay.
Other than that, I think you will love the camera.
If you have no original receipt, or if your camera was not originally sold in US, Fuji will ask for $700 for SAB repair (check out the current threads on dpr), better take that into account when you buy one used.
Thanks, price is attractive ~$650 USD and it was purchased originally in states, but if I have a reasonable chance of needing to kick in $700 for SAB repair then it's no deal at all. I'll pass.
Robert, a very possible reason for some people selling a camera cheap, especially on somewhere like Ebay, is that it very well may have started to show signs of SAB and that is why they want to get rid of it.
I'm not accusing anyone of course, and honest people also do sell things for low prices, but at the same time, there are those who turn to Ebay to sell off lenses that have soft corners, cameras that maybe have a focus issue etc.
I sold mine, with some extra accessories for $950 and while it did have a new lens assembly just installed, and receipt, I had quite a few people offering $900 for it.
Selling one for $650, unless you really need the money that same day just seems a bit too low to me, and when something is too good of deal, you've got to ask why.
Why would someone sell a still very in demand camera for such a low price if it worked perfectly ?
millsart wrote:
Robert, a very possible reason for some people selling a camera cheap, especially on somewhere like Ebay, is that it very well may have started to show signs of SAB and that is why they want to get rid of it.
I'm not accusing anyone of course, and honest people also do sell things for low prices, but at the same time, there are those who turn to Ebay to sell off lenses that have soft corners, cameras that maybe have a focus issue etc.
I sold mine, with some extra accessories for $950 and while it did have a new lens assembly just installed, and receipt, I had quite a few people offering $900 for it.
Selling one for $650, unless you really need the money that same day just seems a bit too low to me, and when something is too good of deal, you've got to ask why.
Why would someone sell a still very in demand camera for such a low price if it worked perfectly ?...Show more →
Millsart,
I continue to go thru life thinking most folks are basically honest and tend to do the right thing. In general I've had few disappointments with this approach. Still, I agree. I was incorrect on the price - it's actually $750 but that is well below what one would expect for this new of a camera and I have to agree with you - not only is there no free lunch (or more importantly, no free beer ) there are very few truly amazing good deals. The few I've encountered came when someone was selling something and didn't know its worth. Depending on the situation, I will sometimes suggest that the buyer do a little more research. Example: I once encountered a widow selling her recently deceased husband's shop tools well below reasonable. I pointed out to her this fact and her response was that she figured she could get more if she spent a lot of time on it and sold them one at a time. For her the pain of dealing with the memory made selling it all quick and cheap important. I still use a few of those tools.
Anyway, the main question here for me turns on the X-100. Is this camera ready for prime time? I keep reading conflicting and ambiguous reports on it. I've checked the X-100 pix thread and there is no doubt it can take great pix. Question is how reliably can it do so and do we know that new versions have been "fixed" particularly in reference to the SAB problem? Yeah, if I buy new I can force them to repair, but who wants to put up with the hassle? Is there a collective wisdom here that suggests that now is a good time to buy or are we waiting for version 2?
Robert, if you buy new, and do have a problem, which in itself is pretty unlikely as I haven't heard much if any issues with the newest production models, Fuji will fix it for you.
Mine was done in under 24 hours turn around time with no cost to me, and they even paid to FedEx it back to me overnight so I think there is no real hassle at all, at least for the USA. Other countries I've heard of people having to send cameras out for several months for a repair as they may not have a repair facility in their own country, and then customs red tape etc etc no doubt.
I don't know exactly how many Fuji has sold, but I'd guess easily several hundred thousand. The camera has been a huge hit for Fuji and all but a small minority of users seem to rather love them. Not just like the camera mind you, but actually really love using it. Its a camera that makes people want to go out and shoot.
No its not for everyone, but it is a fun and unique camera. If you've got the means to afford one, you should go for it. Don't let the risk of something happening keep you on the sidelines. Life is always full of risk, be it crossing the street or buying a new camera.
Simply look both ways before you cross, and make sure you know who your buying from and enjoy it lol
I took a middling approach and bought mine new from DigitalRev for $999. There have been varying reports about those that purchased the camera new in other countries having warranty service paid for by Fuji, so, I figured, between that possibility, the fact that mine is a newer model with potentially less of a chance for SAB, and the DigitalRev one year warranty that pays for repairs, it was enough to risk saving a couple of hundred bucks over places in the states, but we'll see!
To me, the SAB is not a warranty issue where some random part fail due to manufacturing tolerance, it is a design/manufacturing defect and should be fixed regardless of warranty status/origin of purchase. Fuji is not standing firmly behind their product and to me, it is a no go.
Very, very intrigued by this camera. Looks like the perfect "carry everywhere" for me. I love the focal length, love the IQ and the AF seems adequate. Now I just need to wait for the X200 to come out so I can afford a used copy of the X100!
I fully respect your choice to not buy one Aleksander and that is really all it come down to, one person.
Reports of one person with a black x100 who's reporting SAB. Matters the world to that one person yet how many are out there that don't have the problem ?
One person with a report of having international repair issues, which again would be awful for that one person, but again, how many tens of thousands of units have been fixed quickly and for free ?
I would be wiling to be that you could find reports of failure for any given camera model, from any given brand if you looked long enough.
Is there any one product line thats every been 100% free of problems ? Be it a computer or a car or a camera etc ? I highly doubt it.
Every purchase has some risk involved and its up to each person what they want to risk.
It could be riding a motorcycle. Dangerous, but if you ride aware, ride sober and wear protective gear, you reduce your risk greatly. Still many may choose not to ride. Perhaps they have a new baby at home and at this point in their life its just too dangerous. Maybe the motorcycle will come later when their kids are grown.
Same with buying a camera like the X100. It may get SAB, there is no assurance it won't. One can try to reduce risk by buying a USA product etc, but for some its still too much of a gamble.
For others if worse comes to worse and they are stuck with a camera they could maybe sell for parts at best, well then, they are out hundreds of dollars. Some can risk that, others can't.
There is no one best choice for everyone.
There is certainly plenty of knowledge out there on the issue and each person merely has to choose at what price point they feel comfortable buying, or in the case of others, not buying.
To me, the SAB is not a warranty issue where some random part fail due to manufacturing tolerance, it is a design/manufacturing defect and should be fixed regardless of warranty status/origin of purchase. Fuji is not standing firmly behind their product and to me, it is a no go.
To me, the SAB is not a warranty issue where some random part fail due to manufacturing tolerance, it is a design/manufacturing defect and should be fixed regardless of warranty status/origin of purchase. Fuji is not standing firmly behind their product and to me, it is a no go.
I've seen that link with the black X100 failure before, and it's the only one I've seen of any X100 made in 2012, so it very well could be an anomaly. Of course, there have been several accounts of users talking to Fuji repair shop guys, who claim that there was a small redesign in December, and the return rate of the camera has dropped dramatically since, but I've no way of confirming their stories. I'm not too worried about it...knock on wood.
douglasf13 wrote:
I've seen that link with the black X100 failure before, and it's the only one I've seen of any X100 made in 2012, so it very well could be an anomaly. Of course, there have been several accounts of users talking to Fuji repair shop guys, who claim that there was a small redesign in December, and the return rate of the camera has dropped dramatically since, but I've no way of confirming their stories. I'm not too worried about it...knock on wood.
2012 is still relatively young. The X100 sticky blade issue develops over time. We still might see the problem start to arise from the 2012 vintage.
Now if Fuji would own up to the design issue and come out and say there was a problem with the original version of the camera, which by the way we will fix for no cost no matter how you got the camera, and this problem was corrected with production models starting in 2012.... Then we could all purchase with ease. Unfortunately, Fuji does not even admit to a design flaw. They still claim it a few cameras with a manufacture defect, not a design defect. BS...
chez wrote:
2012 is still relatively young. The X100 sticky blade issue develops over time. We still might see the problem start to arise from the 2012 vintage.
Now if Fuji would own up to the design issue and come out and say there was a problem with the original version of the camera, which by the way we will fix for no cost no matter how you got the camera, and this problem was corrected with production models starting in 2012.... Then we could all purchase with ease. Unfortunately, Fuji does not even admit to a design flaw. They still claim it a few cameras with a manufacture defect, not a design defect. BS......Show more →
I agree that Fuji has mishandled things, but, being the middle of June, I think there has been enough time for the SAB to pop up in newer cameras that have now been used for several months. The SAB was being widely reported in May-June of 2011 with owners that had only had the camera a month or less. We've really only seen that one black X100 with an issue in March, which I think is a good sign. Several members have reported that Fuji repair guys are telling them that the lens module was slightly redesigned, and I'd say there's a good chance of it.
I've looked several times in both places, and that one black limited edition failure is the only 21xxx serial SAB issue that I've seen, so I'd love specific links, because I can't seem to find others.
rattymouse wrote:
DPR has a few as well as www.fujixseries.com. I can't recall the location of the threads but a few minutes at each should turn them up pretty quickly.
You've got to question how good of sample a place like DPR is though as it often can be populated with either total fanboys, or whatever the opposite of a fanboy would be called.
Case in point, there are people there who feel it is their life's purpose to "warn" others not to buy a X100 simply because their wives sister's friend knows a guy who couldn't get a grey market camera with no receipt serviced. You get people posting the same stuff under different names, posting bad reviews on Amazon multiple times etc all with the the same sentence context and structure.
Its not to say things don't happen, but I hardly think it really matches the overall reality for all users and all cameras sold.
Its merely a small microcosm that is either going to attract the fanatic or typically those with an issue.
For most consumers, the only reason to frequent such a place is if there is a problem. Most photographers simply shoot, they don't feel the need to spend equal, if not greater time, discussing their gear, as we do here and on other forums. We are a very small minority.
My Mitsubishi Eclipse was having a/c issue and I looked for threads on a Eclipse forum. I liked the car but I hardly had any interest hanging out on a forum talking about them day after day. I only went to one because I had question.
That is why most normal, sane people post on DPR. To ask a specific question. As such, the reports of issues are going to be higher because when everything works fine, most people would rather shoot with their cameras than sit at a PC talking about them.
Most people don't buy a new camera and think "boy, I can't wait to get home and start defending the virtues of this camera on the internet", rather they just go take some pictures
. I know this isn't a Leica. Can't afford one and truthfully they have so far not really figured digital out. (That'll get the fanboi going 
) I really want a digital range finder as a walk around and just enjoy camera. Does the X-100 do this? Would buying new actually get around the bugs/problems? Should I give this dream up and pick up say a nice MFT add an EVF and consider myself lucky. Truthfully I really can't get use to shooting without some sort of view finder.
