Thread: I would like to hear from photographers who purchased the X100 and then got rid of it

With the price drop, I've been tempted, but I fear it may be too idiosyncratic for me to tolerate.

I'd like to hear from those who gave up on this camera and why.

I gave up on it because I got the X-Pro and after keeping both for a while, I wasn't using the X-100, so I couldn't justify keeping it. But I loved it. On some level I'd like to have another, but it had a couple of quirks I didn't like, so I'd probably like an X200 more. But with the X-Pro line continuing to develop, I doubt I'll ever get another of whichever generation.

Its not so much that its quirky that tends to bug people I don't think. But its a slower and more deliberate camera than a lot of modern cameras. And there are a number of features that you really have to think about how to best use to get the most out of the camera. The menus were initially pretty confusing but they've boiled most of that out of them with firmware updates. Its mostly that the shooting experience is more like an old film camera - its slower and more deliberate and it doesn't do a lot of fancy tricks like a lot of today's cameras will do. And working with the OVF is an acquired skill and preference that's inherently less precise than EVF's or a DSLR OVF and some people just couldn't abide that. Others of us LOVE that. I think it would be very hard to know whether you'd be one of the people who would love it or one who would hate it without trying one for a while. For every reaction of "I wanted to love this camera but I just couldn't get there", I've read at LEAST as many from folks who finally tried it and said something like "quirks?!?!? WHAT quirks??? - I LOVE this camera!". There's just no way to predict.

-Ray

Ray is right on the money. I bought it and was initially exasperated by it and sold it quite quickly. a few weeks later I had some sellers remorse looking back at some of the files I had sitting around. My other cameras couldn't do that. I re-bought and has Ray has pointed out, a lot of the "quirks" have been solved. I have never thought it was really slow, but I came to it from m43 cameras which weren't blazing fast at the time either.

If you are a more methodical photographer, it MAY be a good match. But it's so different in use from others modern digital cameras that I'd hate to recommend it to anyone. It does seem very much like a love it or leave it camera. Not too many people are ambivalent about it. Is it possible for you to handle one locally? Better yet would be to rent one for a weekend so you can start to get used to it before you decide.

I've also been considering one because of the silent shutter.

How's shooting from the LCD? I would use this with family and kids, and would be doing quite a bit of LCD shooting indoors.

I loved mine and the image quality it produced for such a small camera are outstanding. I got rid of mine ONLY because I wanted more flexibility with focal lengths and I'm trying to keep just one camera(otherwise I would have kept it). When the x-pro came out the x-100 when up for sale. Sure, it's a little quirky, but nothing that ever got in the way or made me regret owning one. As Ray said, it's a more deliberate style of shooting as is the x-pro, but this is how I grew up with photography, taking a little more time to think things through before pressing the shutter. The x-100 got me interested in taking photos again as I felt more involved with the process, the only thing that made me switch was the lack of flexibility, otherwise I love the x-100. Maybe try renting one for a couple of days?

Originally Posted by wt21

I've also been considering one because of the silent shutter.

How's shooting from the LCD? I would use this with family and kids, and would be doing quite a bit of LCD shooting indoors.

IMHO, this would be like driving a Porsche with an automatic transmission. The LCD works fine, but I can't see why I would ever use it instead of the OVF/EVF, but YMMV.

For those who moved to the xPro series, do you find them "less quirky" than the x100 (understanding this is a subjective assessment).

Originally Posted by Luke

IMHO, this would be like driving a Porsche with an automatic transmission. The LCD works fine, but I can't see why I would ever use it instead of the OVF/EVF, but YMMV.

Think floor level shots without getting on your belly.

gotcha....it's fine for that.

I shoot with the LCD when I do the occasional movie, or when I need my arms extended (floor, up over a fence, etc.) It's big and bright, and you can configure it with as much / little info as you want, including none. LCD shooting isn't gonna be a problem.