I had one for several months and used it extensively, parking all my other cameras aside. One month of its time with me was on a long vacation trip - it was, quirks and actual problems aside - a great carry everywhere camera and I miss it, a little, for that reason. Then again I carry a GXR with a Zeiss 25mm lens in the very same little bag I carried the X100 in, so I'm no further behind in that regard.
My camera pre-dated all the nice firmware changes so I found many of its quirks quite actively got in my way. The lack of customizability (at the time only 1 user definable button, I hear that has grown to two now) and some of the physical characteristics made switching gears quickly a chore. If there were more user definable buttons probably I would not care about menu diving on the camera.
Autofocus performance was mediocre and manual focus performance was awful.
I originally bought the X100 after waiting *years* for a camera like it to come out - when purchasing it I felt the hybrid optical / electronic finder had been made just for me. In the end... I used the EVF much more than the OVF, as accurate framing generally won out for me as a preference, even though the EVF is so-so (for my use).
Some of the camera issues have improved quite a bit with the latest firmware releases, including autofocus according to many reports, but I've not touched one since I sold mine.
IQ was never my complaint with the camera with one exception - compared to my Zeiss lenses I felt the Fujinon 23mm lens up front was more prone to flare issues. A hood for me was a mandatory accessory.
Still, for some, it was and is a great fit. Provided you expected to use it as an autofocus camera and learned its AF tricks, it could work very well indeed.
Physically, I found the camera worked well except for a few things:
- the top plate exposure dials are prone to being knocked.
- for myself, I found the aperture ring uncomfortable in use. The designers clearly felt the slimmest possible lens was a virtue but myself I'd have rather had a little more depth such that the ring could, like on most lenses I'm used to, stand out farther from the body in order to improve accessibility.
- my camera, like hundreds if not thousands of others, unfortunately suffered from the Sticky Aperture Blade syndrome. Some are still failing to this day.
On SAB... Yes, it was repaired without much drama by Fujifilm, but the issue still soured me on the camera partly because of the impact on resale values and/or second hand owners generally not getting warranty service from Fujifilm. The issue was a clear design and manufacturing flaw - Fujifilm's fault, and should be covered regardless of the owner in my opinion. Fujifilm could play the part of a hero and cover the issue regardless of ownership status and thus engender itself as a heroic maker of cameras to an entire generation of photographers. Instead the cheaped out and probably listened to their legal department for risk containment advice. A lost opportunity for them IMO. Hopefully new cameras (supposedly those with serial numbers >= 21xxxxxx) won't have this problem.
I would be tempted by a new and improved X200 but I know I'd never again buy the X100 - that feeling has nothing to do with the SAB issue. Firmware changes and price drops alone would not be enough to tempt me back.
If they introduced an X200 bringing improvements from all they have learned from the X100 and X-series cameras, with a higher resolution sensor, vastly improved EVF, and maybe even a faster 35mm equivalent lens, I'd certainly have a look at Fujifilm again.
There's certainly room between the current X100 and the Sony RX1 for another 35mm equivalent fixed lens camera.