IS THAT A LEICA?

My Fujifilm X100S complete with gaffers tape.

As an owner of theFuji X100S for the past five months I've heard that question more than a dozen times. Second only to "Wow, do you still shoot film?"

It's a fair question. The Fuji X100S does somewhat resemble the Leica digital M9 or the M3 film camera and maybe that was what Fuji designers had in mind.

Somehow I think the X100S secretly likes this question. It's like watching a cover band that sounds just like the real thing and knowing that I only had to pay a fraction of the cost and had just as much fun. And just maybe that cover band breaks out and becomes famous on their own one day. Then goes from famous to classic.

Steam Whistle Brewery in Toronto, Canada.

The first time I heard this question was in Toronto, Canada, during my first ten days with an X100S I rented from Borrowlenses.com. My guide during a beer tour (on the record, this was a personal shooting assignment) of the city actually combined the top two questions by commenting how cool that I was both using a Leica and shooting film.

Heron Marsh Trail in the Adirondacks, New York.

A couple of months later on a trail in the Adirondacks as a couple approached I could see the husband eyeing my camera. Just as we came together he commented that it had been a while since he had seen someone using a Leica. What really made this special was that he asked that question with a heavy German accent.

Red scooter and sign in Brussels, Belgium.

In Brussels, Belgium, as I was checking out of the hotel the desk clerk clearly was talking about something other than my bill. I was having a bit of trouble understanding him with his French accent until I heard the word Leica. Then it was clear, he was telling me that he hoped one day to afford one. Once again I took great delight in showing him that it was not a Leica, but in fact, the new Fuji X100S. Score one for international relations.

Randy's Donuts in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles International Airport.

Then just the other day on the shuttle from the rental car agency to LAX I could feel the man across from me looking at the camera in my lap and sure enough, he finally asked which Leica I was carrying. I'm not sure even now he believes me that it was not what he thought it was.

Perhaps the 10mm red metal soft shutter release button I've recently added subliminally makes one think of the Leica emblem. Given that the red shutter button costs 96 cents,* combined with the $1,299 price of the X100S, I have a few more cameras to buy before my Leica 'impostor' equals the cost of an actual Leica M9. But this classic is mine.

*While the button costs $0.96, there is a $4.99 shipping cost. Also, there seems to be an issue losing the button which did happen to me, although I was lucky enough to find it in the bottom of my bag. I have since used super glue.

TAKING THE FUJI X100S TO THE STREET

The Parlamentarium. 1/13 @f2.0, ISO 1600.

The lure of street photography for me is all about the moments, moments that happen hundreds of times a day, happen all around us and happen in an instant. Moments that happen whether you are there with your camera on not.

The goal then is to capture those moments. To do that you must be aware of what is happening around you and be ready with your camera at all times.

I mentioned in the blog post

Ten Days With the Fuji X100S

 that if I wanted to use this camera on the streets I was really going to have to spend some time becoming familiar with it. Along the way I've missed plenty of those moments though. That's natural. With any new camera or piece of gear, you have to use it and use it over and over so that operating it becomes second nature. This is especially true in street photography.

Patience allowed me to capture a clear shot of the Manneken Pis framed by a band and officials during a ceremony. 1/140 @f8.0, ISO 400.

Fortunately, the learning curve is not steep with this camera and after four months of shooting, including these photos from three days in Belgium and one day in Amsterdam, I've come to appreciate the challenges as well as the positives shooting with the Fuji X100S .

What you see.

I use the optical viewfinder (OVF) display instead of the electronic viewfinder (EVF) which means there is no display lag when I bring the camera to my eye and it also gives me a larger field of view than that of the lens. This means I can keep track of what is happening just outside the frame without ever removing my eye from the viewfinder.

However, there is still a second or two lag before you are able to release the shutter, especially when the camera has gone to sleep. One way I overcome this lag is to keep the camera turned off and then turn it on as I bring it to my eye. Using this technique, I have found the camera seems to be ready to shoot as soon as I get it to my eye.

Take time to stop and just wait for things to happen. I was originally photographing the two women window shopping for chocolate in Brussels when a mother and child exited. 1/50 @f5.6, ISO 400.

Again, in street photography you have to be ready for that moment and a second too soon or too late makes all the difference.

Monochrome or color?

One thing that I really like about the X100S is the monochrome film simulation mode and the quality of those black and white images right out of the camera. For me black and white and street photography go together, so one of the first things I did was set one of the custom functions to monochrome, which then made it easy to switch between modes. I soon found that switching between modes throughout the day takes both time and can compromise creativity. That was until I inadvertently found a solution.

This scene at the Brussels airport train station is all about the color. Shooting JPEG plus RAW meant I had the color data available to me even though I had the camera set to monochrome. 1/9 @ f4.0, ISO 800 +0.33EV.

Initially I was only shooting in JPEG FINE mode, however more recently I have been shooting JPEG FINE plus RAW allowing me to keep the camera set to monochrome, stay in that frame of mind creatively, all the while knowing that there is a RAW file containing original data, including color information. If I come across a scene where color plays a part, I can take the photo without having to go into my custom settings.

This scene at Amsterdam's Central Station, like the photo above, works because of color. Again, I knew it was about color  even though the camera was set to monochrome, but not having to switch saved me time before the buses moved and the moment passed. 1/160 @f2.8, ISO 400.

Size matters.

The Fuji X100S' size and feel are perfect for street photography. Not as threatening as a full frame DSLR with lens, the X100S presents itself well and feels right in your hands. When walking the streets I like to wrap the camera strap around my hand and carry the camera at chest level so when I see a scene developing, I'm only seconds away from being ready to shoot. I've also added the Fotodiox Pro Thumb Grip which helps me hold the camera securely. Then once I start shooting, I keep shooting and moving in order to get the best possible picture.

Even when noticed by the subject, I'm not given the same look as if I was pointing a large 'professional looking' DSLR camera at them. The added advantage on this camera of having a preview appear in your viewfinder means you know what you are capturing without having to remove your eye from the viewfinder.

Outside the European Union in Brussels. I liked the shadow and shapes created by this overhead walkway, so I waited until a person walked by. Timing is key and if I waited for the subject to take two more steps this would have been a stronger image. 1/100 @f8.0, ISO 200.

And since the X100S doesn't draw any attention to itself (from non-photographers anyway) I also find that I'm able to shoot in locations that I would previously have had to worry about being stopped and questioned like a mall or store.

I don't think I ever had any real doubt that this camera would be a perfect street camera for me and the more I shoot with it, the more I'm convinced of it. I'm feeling more like a photojournalist then when I actually was a photojournalist. What more can I say.

See you on the street.

Body parts for sale in Amsterdam window. 1/25 @f2.0, ISO 400.

Previous Fuji X series camera posts:

- FUJI 100S AND LANDSCAPES - PERFECT TOGETHER

- TEN DAYS WITH THE FUJI X100S

- TIME FOR AN UPGRADE? FUJI X10 or X100S

- INTRODUCING MY FUJI X10

FUJI X100S AND LANDSCAPES - PERFECT TOGETHER

Even when viewing the results on the back of the camera I knew that the Fuji X100S was capturing the landscape as I was seeing it. 1/1000 @ f8, ISO 400.

Much has been written about the Fuji X100S and its capabilities as a street camera and the look and feel of this camera certainly can evoke thoughts of roaming the streets in search of light and subjects. And I've previously written on this blog  about getting back into street photography and how I too thought this was the perfect camera.

What is overlooked though is that the quality of the images produced by this camera make it ideal for just about any type of photography, and that includes landscapes as I recently found out after spending a week hiking in the high peaks region of the Adirondacks.

This camera excels in black and white mode. I have added a custom setting for black and white so that I can quickly transition when the mood strikes me. 1/550 @ f8, ISO 400.

For this trip, I was prepared to take my DSLR, assorted lenses and tripod. But the more I thought about that, it became clear that this trip was more about getting away and while I enjoy taking photos outside of work, I didn't want to put the pressure on myself that sometimes comes when I bring all my gear. And after all, one of the reasons I decided to purchase the X100S after reviewing it for ten days was because the quality rivaled my DSLRs.

Rocky Falls is a two-mile hike from the Adirondack Loj. Hand holding the X100S was easy even with a slow shutter speed in order to add motion to the waterfalls. 1/25 @ f16, ISO 200.

Because of the size and weight, I was able to carry this camera over my shoulder while hiking and by running the camera strap through a carabiner attached to my backpack harness, I did not have to worry about the camera hitting the ground if it happened to slip off. Another reason it stayed on my shoulder is that I replaced the manufacturers strap with a double-sided non-slip strap from Think Tank Photo.

Panoramic view of Heron Marsh located at the Paul Smith's College Visitor Interpretive Center. I'm sure this would be spectacular with early morning or late afternoon light, but the X100S did just fine at noon. 1/850 @ f8, ISO 400.

This was also the first opportunity I had to really use the panoramic settings on the camera and was impressed with the results. The features are not much different than other cameras, but the setting is easy to get to quickly and understand. You decide camera orientation and direction of the pan, along with how many degrees you want to cover. Once set, you pick the starting point, press the shutter and the camera provides visual cues needed to maintain the correct speed as you complete the pan.

The early evening light highlights swimmers at the public beach on Lake Mirror located in Lake Placid, N.Y. 1/300 @ f8, ISO 200.

Something else that really impressed me was that almost all of these photographs were made between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., normally not the best time to photograph landscapes. So what did I do to make up for the lack of golden hour light? Well not much, but nature did help by providing cool crisp air, nice big clouds and plus I underexposed most shots by a third to one full stop. This helped deepen the colors, eliminate bright spots and add some contrast.

Lake Placid, N.Y.  1/1100 @ f8, ISO 200.

All of these photos did pass through Adobe Lightroom 4, however only minimum corrections were applied. The results straight out of this camera are so close to perfect, post production is a breeze.

So while I don't think the Fuji X100S will replace my DSLR camera for all my landscape photography, it was an attractive alternative knowing I had miles to hike and was looking to shed some pounds. I think the results speak for themselves.

Previous Fuji X series cameras posts:

- TEN DAYS WITH THE FUJI X100S

- TIME FOR AN UPGRADE? FUJI X10 or X100S

- INTRODUCING MY FUJI X10

TEN DAYS WITH THE FUJI X100S

A CF-104 Starfighter on display at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, shot at 1/1200, f8 at ISO 200 with 3-stop ND filter.

My first impression of the Fujifilm X100S was similar to when I first put my hands on the Fujifilm X10, it just felt right. While slightly larger and a tad heavier than the X10, the X100S has a very solid, almost bullet proof feel to it. The old school look and feel that first grabbed my attention when I saw the X10, is present here as well, only more so. In fact twice during the time I spent with this camera I was asked why I was still shooting film.

This blog post is about my impressions after spending 10 days with an X100S I rented from Borrow Lenses, and while ten days is barely enough time to learn all the ins and outs of any camera, already owning the X10 meant that many of the controls and settings were familiar to me. I did my best to shoot  a variety of photographs in different lighting conditions and try as many of the camera's features as possible. The photographs here did pass through Lightroom 4, but very little correction or cropping was done. If a photograph is black and white, it was shot that way.

Toronto, Ontario, skyline shot at 1/220, f16 at ISO 200.

Right up front the feature that really set this camera apart for me was the viewfinder. One thing that I always insisted on when purchasing compact or point and shoot style cameras was a viewfinder, or at least what passed as a viewfinder. It was comforting to know that I could hold the camera to my eye when shooting, but truth be told, most of the time I just ended up using the LCD screen to frame the shot. I also believe using the LCD and holding the camera at arms length doesn't give you the same perspective or provide you the same intimacy with the subject.

The "Bill Burton Fishing Pier" at Fort Smallwood Park in Maryland shot at 1/600, f8 at ISO 400.

All this has changed with the hybrid viewfinder on the X100S. In fact, this is one reason I think many photographers are calling this camera a DSLR replacement. You have two choices, an optical viewfinder or an electronic viewfinder. The optical viewfinder displays all the camera information along with a framing guide that is slightly smaller than your field of view allowing to see what is going on just outside the frame. The electronic viewfinder provides you with a through-the-lens view, that's right, I said a through-the-lens view, including white balance, depth of field and focus. There can be a slight lag in this mode and it will tax your battery, but to see what you are about to capture is an incredible feature.

Storm approaching small marina in Toronto shot at 1/1250, f2.8 at ISO 200.

What is really cool however is after clicking the shutter in either mode you will see the result right in the viewfinder without ever having to remove your eye. No more "chimping" using the LCD screen.

TIP: When using the optical viewfinder set the Corrected AF Frame feature to ON. This setting places a second focus frame in green within the display allowing you to correct for parallax inherent in rangefinders especially when shooting objects near to you.  

Entrance to the Royal Ontario Museum shot at 1/10, f5.6 at ISO 800.

All the dials and switches are minimal and have a solid feel. Aperture is controlled using a ring on the lens and shutter speed is controlled using a dial on top of the camera. Not a whole lot to it, you can set f-stop and shutter speed manually or by selecting "A" on either dial will place you in aperture or shutter priority mode quickly. Set them both to "A" and you are in program mode. Simple.

Gerrard Street East in Toronto, Ontario, shot at 1/40, f4 at ISO 1600.

Three focus options or modes are available using a slider located on the side of the camera. This placement makes it hard to inadvertently change settings, something that has happened to me several times on the X10. AF-S and AF-C are available, nothing new here, but the real upgrade is the manual focus and the fact that it is usable in a way that is very familiar. Imagine using a focus ring on the lens and imagine several ways to assist with focusing while never taking you eye away from the viewfinder. You have it with this camera. I didn't spend a lot of time in manual focus during the 10 days, but I did give a try and found it to be incredible fast and very intuitive. I used the digital split image mode which was familiar, but a new mode called focus peak highlight really allowed me to quickly lock in on focus.

TIP: If Focus Check is set to ON within the setup menu, rotating the focus ring on the lens causes the image in the viewfinder to magnify allowing for precise focus. 

Annapolis wedding party on the Maryland State Capitol steps shot at 1/2500, f5.6 at ISO 400, -1.33 EV.

This camera wants to shoot black and white photographs and the results are absolutely outstanding. I imagine this is what it is like shooting the Leica M Monochrome camera only at $6,500 (minus lens) less. There are actually 10 film simulation modes for both color and monochrome. For color, I stuck with the standard setting which mimics Fuji's Provia film, but for my black and white setting, I chose monochrome plus a yellow filter which I found to give me great results right out of the camera. Very little post production or color correction was needed regardless.

TIP: You have the option to set three custom configurations on this camera, so take one and set it to monochrome, then you can switch from color to B&W in seconds.

1/1250, f2.8 at ISO 800, -1.67 EV.

It's been said in other reviews, but this camera just screams for a lens hood as an included accessory. I found myself frustrated several times unable to take a photograph only to discover the lens cap was still on. I don't know why this seemed to be a problem more so with this camera, but adding a filter and lens hood would eliminate the need for a lens cap altogether and still provide protection.

TIP: Forget about purchasing the expensive lens hood from Fuji and go with the EzFoto 49mm black filter adapter ring and metal lens hood from Amazon for the best deal.

Quick portrait taken in a stairwell of the Marriott shot at 1/70, f5.6 at ISO 200.

I was able to get a full day of moderate shooting on one battery, but you will definitely need a second battery with this camera if you are doing some heavy shooting. After forgetting to charge overnight, my battery died early the next morning and like with my X10, there was little warning provided. I was spending lots of time in the menus and reviewing images which I'm sure contributed to battery drain, plus you can pick up a second NP-95 replacement battery for $10.00.

TIP: The battery will go in both the right way and wrong way with no noticeable resistance, so check that the camera turns on after inserting so that you are ready to shoot. BONUS TIP: Using the electronic viewfinder will cause the battery to drain faster.

My late Grandfather's Snap-on socket set shot at 1/25, f4.5 at ISO 200, macro setting.

You could set this camera up once and almost never need to dig into the menus again. But if you do, then Fuji provides an easy way to do that via a Q button which allows quick access to the most-used menu features. This is something that has been available on the X10 via a firmware update and it remains a great feature to reach the most used features. Plus you can also see this feature in the viewfinder. I'll say it again, you really don't have to remove your eye from the cameras viewfinder.

Charles W. Roesch, better known as Charlie the Butcher, at his restaurant in Williamsville, N.Y., shot at 1/50, f2.8 at ISO 800.

Don't make the mistake and think of this camera as a "point and shoot" or just a camera to throw in your bag in order to get slightly better photos than your phone. This is a serious camera fully capable of taking on most professional jobs. Zack Arias makes this point wonderfully in his Fuji X100S follow up review: life without DSLRs post.

It may take a little getting used to if you want to use the X100S as a street camera in order to quickly grab shots as you go and a couple of times it did take a few seconds too long to lock focus and exposure before I could shoot. Most of this was due to me not being ready along with some operator error. Otherwise, I don't really have any complaints. Spending more time shooting with this camera and less time fiddling with all the features, I'm confident that this would be the only camera I would need to carry 75% of the time. It would definitely be my second camera 100% of the time.

TIP: I think the best way to work with this camera would be to choose an ISO, film type and lock in a few of your other favorite settings, then forget about the camera and just shoot. If that sounds like the film days, you would be right.

It was hard to send this camera back. To say that I enjoyed shooting it would be an understatement so If you are still with me and wondering if the X100S will indeed replace my X10... More to come.

Link to my Flickr set of X100S photographs.

Link to the Fuji X100S manual.

UPDATE: 6/11/2013 - I ordered the Fujifilm X100S, EzFoto metal lens hood, B+W 49mm Clear UV Haze filter and a NP-95 replacement battery from Amazon.

UPDATE: 10/13/2013 - I've been shooting with this camera for two months and still loving it. Check out most recent posts to see how I've been using and incorporating the X100S into my photography.

TIME FOR AN UPGRADE? FUJI X10 OR X100S

I purchased my Fujifilm X10, above at right, in November 2012, and wrote about it in what has become my most viewed blog post, INTRODUCING MY X10. Since then I've carried this camera almost daily and six months later I have no regrets. It has been a wonderful little camera and I still like how it looks and feels and continue to be impressed with the quality of the images.

So why have I been thinking about upgrading to the Fujifilm X100S camera? While I am not looking to replace my DSLR and lenses for work assignments, upgrading to this camera could render a second DSLR on assignment useless.

Fuji X100S. Photo provided by Fujifilm.com

Announced in January, the X100S began shipping in March and so far the hands-on reviews have been very positive. If you just read the blog reviews by Zack Arias and David Hobby, you'll want the camera immediately, however, at the time of this post, there is a one or two-month wait list.

Having such fun and success with my X10, which Fuji recently replaced with the Fujifilm X20, I immediately thought about upgrading. In my original blog post about the X10, I laid out the reasons why I purchased that camera instead of the X100 and cost and focus issues were two of them. Well, it seems focus is no longer a concern, but there is still the question of cost. At around $1,300, that clearly puts the X100S in the realm of a pro camera and not a simple point and shoot. Even though many of today's point and shoots, or sub $600 cameras, are capable of taking incredible images, just look at the X20 or what I paid for my X10, as examples.

So should I upgrade or not? To help answer that question, or maybe just convince myself one way or another, I decided to take my X10 and visit the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center located in Chantilly, Va., in order to take some photos and see if I would be happier if I were carrying the X100S instead.

Fuji X10 at 1/80, f3.6, ISO 400, 40mm equivalent, film simulation set to Velvia.

The lighting in parts of the museum is very dim requiring higher ISOs. Advantage X100S. By all accounts, the X100S does remarkably well at high ISOs, even 3200. I rarely push the X10 past 800. The built-in flash on the X10 is not really usable so being able to get usable photos at ISO 3200 is a real bonus. I shot mostly at ISO 400 at the museum which meant I was shooting at very slow shutter speeds, but since I was photographing static objects it was not an issue.

Fuji X10 at 1/13, f2.8, ISO 400, 112mm equivalent, film simulation set to black and white.

While most of the photos I take with the X10 are at 7.1mm or 28mm equivalent on a 35mm lens, I do sometimes find myself using the zoom, as I did often during this shoot. Advantage X10. Would I have been able to get away with just a 35mm point of view? I suppose I should not have used the zoom in order to really test that theory. Zoom with your feet, isn't that what's said.

Did you notice what I did in the previous paragraphs? I both stated one of the big reasons I am considering the X100S and one of the reasons why I am questioning if it really is the camera for me. But honestly, there is more than just ISO and zoom.

Fuji X10 at 1/25, f2.8, ISO 400, 60mm equivalent, film simulation set to standard.

Ever since I purchased my first digital P&S camera I've always insisted on some sort of a viewfinder. The X10 does have a viewfinder, but the X100S with both an electronic or optical viewfinder takes it to the next level making the viewfinder incredibly usable. Advantage X100S.

Many of the other features are very similar or the same, although the X100S is a 16MP camera versus 12MP and has a nine blade aperture shutter instead of seven, the X10 does shoot 10 fps continuous versus 6 fps. Advantage on these features favors neither X10 nor the X100S. That is to say, they are not part of my decision process.

Finally, after shooting the X10 for seven months, I really don't need to be sold on the look, feel and form of this camera. While I didn't fully appreciate it at the time, I did use a Leica M3 as a second camera for several years in my early Navy career and this does have that same feel. Some of the photos I shot at the museum were taken with the camera set to black and white which made me think I really was transported back 25 years holding that M3 loaded with Tri-X film. Holding these Fuji X cameras does elicit certain emotions. Is it because I'm a little older? Maybe, but I  believe part of making good images is attitude and how you feel about your gear does play a role in that.

Fuji X10 at 1/10, f2.8, ISO 400, 100mm equivalent, film simulation set to black and white.

I could go on and on about the advantages and disadvantages, but I'm clearly not going to answer my question during this blog post and even now as I look forward to a vacation in Toronto and an upcoming assignment, a video shoot in Hawaii, I'm thinking long and hard if I want to take the DSLR with various lenses or just the X10. Or possibly even theX100S?

One question I will answer is that I do think this would make a perfect second body on any assignment.

The rest of the details and more links below:

Specifications X100S:

Number of effective pixels: 16.3 million

Image sensor: 23.6mm x 15.mm (APS-C)

Lens: 35mm equivalent at f2.0

Dimensions: 5.0 (W) x 2.9 (H) x 2.1 (D) in.

Weight:  Approx. 15.7 oz. (including battery and memory card)

Sample images from the Fuji website.

Specifications X10:

Number of effective pixels: 12 million

Image sensor: 2 / 3 inch EXR CMOS

Lens: 28mm to 112mm equivalent at f2.0 and f2.8 respectfully

Dimensions: 4.6(W) x 2.7(H) x 2.2(D) in.

Weight: 12.3 oz. (including battery and memory card)

Sample images from my Flickr X10 set.

David Hobby provides a thorough overview of all the X100S features in a YouTube video. And I even learned something new about my X10 as well by watching this.

And just in case, the leap from X10 to X100S is too much, then check out Dan Bailey's full review on the X20.

Get the full X100S specifications available on Fuji's website.