Fuji Fate of the X10

demiro

Serious Compacts For Life
With the X20 announcement still very fresh on the inter-webs it's easy to think that the X10 will slide out of relevance rather quickly and quietly, ending up relegated to a back up to a back up camera, as the re-sale value is hardly worth the effort required to make a sale.

Or, is it possible that the X10 might gain something of of "quirky classic" badge and maintain some sort of place in our photographic consciousness? The X20 is really a different camera (sans EXR mode), and I don't imagine Fuji will go back to it in the X line. So, could the X10 maybe even be preferred by some people? Any chance the X20 doesn't represent a noticeable step up in IQ?
 
The only thing that I don't like about the X10 is the EXR Sensor so I'm really pleased to see it go but even I have to admit that 6mps shots at DR400 can be impressive.
Will the X20 offer the same Dynamic Range? Maybe not.....perhaps a lifeline for the X10.
 
I think the ability of the new sensor to match or beat the EXR sensor in low light and for DR is the big question with this camera. It'll clearly out-resolve the X10 and if the DR and SN are there without pixel binning, the X10 will likely be quickly forgotten. But if the DR and SN fall visibly, obviously short of the X10, the X10 could live on for a while as a small cult favorite. But really, I don't see it - even if this camera doesn't beat it, I doubt Fuji would release it if it didn't match it or come close enough not to matter. And if THIS one doesn't do it, the NEXT one from Fuji or Panasonic or Ricoh (???) or Olympus or Canon or someone will. That 1" RX100 sensor seems like its gotta find its way into some other cameras fairly soon and once it does, the X10 will fall right off the radar I'd guess...

-Ray
 
I've only had mine a month, bought used, so it's going to remain on my radar for a while. I like it, and the technical image quality is quite good in itself, however it may compare to the X20 or the RX100. The main attraction of the X20 as announced, for me at least, is the information in the viewfinder. The lack of it was not a deal killer for me, but it's a definite improvement. As to IQ, I guess we'll have to wait for image samples. I'm not dissatisfied with what I'm getting out of the X-10.

People are still shooting the E-P2 after the release of the award winning E-M5, the XZ-1, the LX3, etc. The later models may do more, and do it better, but it does not mean the earlier cameras become unusably obsolete. I see the X-10 being my take anywhere point and shoot camera for some time, with any money going toward m4/3 lenses or the XE-1.
 
I didn't think the X10's EXR processing offered much advantage from a noise reduction standpoint. If we take a 12 megs photo at ISO 1600 from a Canon G12 and down sample it to 6 megs, it'll seem to have less noise as well. However, the dynamic range did seem considerably improved via the EXR. My favorite modes on the X10 are the pro-low-light and pro-focus.
 
I too liked the pro low light mode, and use is a lot in really dim, in the house stuff. With a little more chroma noise removal in LR, the shots at 3200 are indistinquishable from those at much lower iso. Pretty nifty trick. I haven't used the Pro-focus yet.

Typically I shoot 200 iso and 200 DR, changing settings only if the situation warrants it. If the DR is within its reach, I'll shoot iso100.

If the Sony RX100 came out with a version with a viewfinder, I might have to think about a switch, but I just do not like to have to depend fully on an LCD -- A personal preference, though holding a camera out in front of you that way is less stable at slower shutter speeds and, well, feels unnatural to this old fogey.
 
For me the Olympus C-5050Z is a classic, a kind of E-1 of compacts. Frustratingly slow to anyone who has operated later generation cameras, it still produces some pretty nice files, and had an f1.8-f2.6 maximum aperture and a really fine 35 -115 EFL lens, even if it was carried over from earlier models. Why mess with good glass?
 
As long as Fuji hasn't built in some sort of mechanism where X10's cease working the moment the first X20 is delivered I think I'll be fine. I think if folks continue to make images with them they'll stay relevant. You could also look at it this way, once the X20 ships you'll likely see a bunch of X10's hit the used market and if they're cheap enough they'll have a new life as a "bargain" camera.
 
As long as Fuji hasn't built in some sort of mechanism where X10's cease working the moment the first X20 is delivered I think I'll be fine. I think if folks continue to make images with them they'll stay relevant. You could also look at it this way, once the X20 ships you'll likely see a bunch of X10's hit the used market and if they're cheap enough they'll have a new life as a "bargain" camera.

Yes, I'm sure it will do very well in the used market. I wonder how quickly the new stock will go? I bought the Nikon V1 once the prices dropped considerably and I believe the J1/V1 was a really good seller after the price drop. In the current climate I don't think so many people are riding the crest of the wave and instead wait it out and pick up the flotsam.
 
Now that the X20 is out, it's clear that many of us don't like it's jpegs nearly as much as those from the X10. Don't get me wrong; the X20 is a great little camera, and since I shoot raw, the jpeg engine is not my primary concern, but the X10 had its own special magic that the X20 does not replcate. It's a very different camera, despite the identical good looks.

If you love the X10, you might love the X20, but there is no guarantee; I'd keep my X10 until you know if you are going to like the new model.

I do think the X10 will have a special place in X history, as the successor ditches the EXR sensor for an X-trans. Nice, but not the same at all.
 
I was so disappointed with the X20 having come to love my X10.
The X10 remains my nearly perfect compact from a handling viewpoint and can still take unique shots with the EXR sensor and Fuji colour.
Happily my new acquisition , Sony RX100 , is sufficiently different for me to still enjoy both and has amazing IQ that blows the X10/X20 away.
 
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