Photographer Michael Carpentier compared the Fuji X100 and the Panasonic GF1 camera. The original article has been written in french but click here to read the google english translation. You might be surprised to read that he considers the GF1 a better choice than the X100. Image quality difference is minimal, and he is particularly disappointed with the Fuji’s lens performance at f/2.0. There is also a huge problem with focusing at short distance. There are also other quirks with the X100 but also some positive notes. Anyway the small image quality difference in favour of the X100 doesn’t justify the huge price difference. And if you really need that bit more of IQ you can still go for the Sony NEX-5!
Check the Fuji X100 price and availability at [shopcountry 100018].
Check the Panasonic GF1 price and availability at .
Check the Sony NEX-5 price and availability at .
And also Thom Hogan cannot recommend the Fuji X100: “the camera has some near fatal flaws: for example, if it powers down due to inactivity, pressing the shutter release doesn’t bring it back to life. So you cycle the On/Off button and the power-on sequence is not fast to begin with. So much to like. So much to dislike. Oh, and a proprietary US$130 lens hood? Stinkaroo on that. Shame on Fujifilm for playing that game.“
One last news: Dpreview added the studio sample pictures of the X100.
13 Responses
EPIC +1. Save your money. Use it to buy cigarettes. They look almost as cool. I’m interested in seeing future X100 iterations, but X100 at current price level IMO is a gimmick. Kudos to Fuji for trying something novel but like Happy Gilmore the price is wrong female dog.
Hi,
Thank you for the link. Just to be clear : the X100 is a fantastic camera. Many reviewers already agree on that point.
But it’s just not right for everybody. I’m interested in small cameras, i shoot a little bit of film with ’60-’80 rangefinders (Leica CL for one) and really like the viewfinder on the X100. I just think that for people who want to use macro mode on a regular basis, want a sharp rendering even at full aperture or a fast camera (as in fast to use, fast to manipulate and fast to just awake from sleep mode), maybe that’s not the best choice.
After 2 weeks using it, i just don’t feel i would be able to love this slooow camera with the design and usability quirks that plague it. For some, it will be a matter of hours before to be able to shoot with comfort. For me it was not. I’ve tried really hard, at no avail.
So i just sold it on eBay for a really good price to a gentleman that will for sure use it better than me.
I’ll be on the ranks for a X200 or X300. But not an early adopter. 🙂
I own both camera
I couldn’t disagree more
X100 is way better than GF1 in regards of image quality
And @f2.0 is absolutely sharp
I’m very happy with it (and I usually shot with a D3 and some top notch lenses as the Zeiss 100 f2.0 Makro…)
The x100’s flaws are minor flaw it’s a great camera , if properly used
> if properly used
Majority of users are weary of the “if properly used.”
Why the hell we have to understand peculiarities of camera design to be able to use effectively? How many technical quirks we have to keep in mind, how long the check lists we have to go through – before we can press the shutter button to capture the moment??
X100, as it is now, is good for pros – who are used to keep in mind all the quirks (and yes, pro tools are rarely without kludges and misfits). But for the rest of the potential users, the users who see X100 on the same level as the GF1 – a tool to make photos – the current X100 is quite underwhelming.
I personally do not consider the X100 a failure, for Fuji was open from the beginning that the camera is targeted at pros, as a second/travel camera. But I was quite startled just how many quirks the luxury camera has.
I am with Frederico here, I also own both cameras, and the X100 image quality is streets ahead of the GF1, and from f/2.8 the X100 is really sharp. I do prefer the GF1 for video (have it hacked, so I get full 1080p), and I wouldn’t use the X100 for macro anyway. MK, for the price, the X100 is nearly a bargin, build is superb, image quality is up there with the best APS-C DSLR’s (look at DPreviews comparison tool with the X100, D5100, 7D and K-5, RAW or j-peg). The X100 is not perfect, but most of the flaws can, and hopefully will, be fixed with a firmware fix, and in the meantime, there are easy ways to get around them.
Hey Julian,
Thanks for the comment. How did you have the GF1 hacked? If I could make it a 1080p, this would be my best option by far. Tips?
Please reply to my e-mail address! thx
Judy
I own an Olympus Pen 2 and the Fuji X100. The images from the Fuji are far superior.
I love the Pen but am very happy with the X100 also. Great cameras.
I am not a Pro by any means, just an enthusiastic amateur.
There is no point in comparing Apples with Pears.
Really ‘if you have to ask’ the x100 is not for you, that’s all there is to it.
Dummy 00001 , every tool must be understood , to use it as it should be
I’m not saying that X100 is a perfect camera , no way
It’s a great camera , no doubt about it, but it’s not an easy one
Anyway , how could you think otherwise?
Do you know how sophisticated is the Hybrid Viewfinder?
It’s an unique camera
You won’t find an optical (or hybrid) viewfinder in such small package, and no, you won’t find another camera so silent and discrete….and it’s image quality is great, absolutely great!
I could write more and more X100’s unique features , but it would be boring….I’m going to write a review , if you’re interested
I’m a pro, and I’m working very well with it , I’m using it taking backstage and scene pictures while recording and actors are playing…I couldn’t do that with my fantastic D3….
Couldn’t be happier (well a firmware to correct some minor flaw wold be greatly appreciated , but I’m living happily right now….)
i agree with both sides,
yes this is a professional camera for pro users that want a smaller package, but its those pro users that wonder what for example a dedicated raw button and a menu with seven different color options fits in a camera where you have to choose if you want an dedicated ISO button or switch the NDfilter on/off without 30clicks in the menu
also the hybrid viewfinder, it does parallax correction for the frame, but not for the focus point?
iso and auto iso are in complete different menus?
you have x-different jpeg modes but no custom user setting?
you need 30 turns in manual focus to get from near to farfocus?
come on, no one can sell me this as “pro level” its not like “you cant say its singlefocus lens, so stop complaining about not be able to zoom”
its FAR more than that
its a consumer camera in a very nice shape, thats it
but UI wise its the cheapest piece of gear i ever used
i have one, i love the looks, the feel, the non existing shutternoise and kind of the viewfinder, but as the focus point has no parallax correction, i wonder why they didnt just take a glass viewfinder and simply show the user aperture and shutter settings.
a few flaws i found so far:
http://inevitablecrafts.wordpress.com/fujifilm-x100/
@judy suh: google for gh13 and you will find everythi g you need, also google “gf1hack” a russian guy hacked it years ago …
i kinda worked around the flaws of the x100 by just leaving everything in manual and jpg
still the not existing nd filter button is not a nice thing, but at least its a nice looking camera thats small and does what i want it to hehe
settings worked best for me so far are:
high quality jpeg
provia filmmode
shadows softest
highlights softest
sharpening highest
wb allways on sunny
wb shift to:
cyan +4
yellow -4
dr highest, which means
iso 800
allways manual focus
never autoiso
never let the cam set the shutterspeed or aperturevalue
allways ovf
fast startup setting
auto evf level
that produces nice results for me, never had the feel to use postprocessing at all
what i really really miss now is that you can at least lock everything during filming.
i can work around the fact that there is no manual focus in movie mode or shutterspeed/aperture etc but once i press record, i want the camera to lock its settings till i stop recording
i made a documentary about a friend of mine going to a streetball contest, sad fact is, that i didnt had this in mind when we started, so i missed many shots that would be neccessary for a real documentary, so its more likee a homemovie for us two, its online at : http://vimeo.com/28354615
there is also a commercial on my vimeo, i did for a basketball camp, that has “3rd persons view” game footage during a basketball game, thats also filmed with the x100
i think X100 cannot be compared with Gf1 ,i will definately got for x100