XF 23mm: “Damn, another winner” (Patrick La Roque) + “The Trend Continues” (Riley Joseph)

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Fujinon XF 23mm

USA: eBay / AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / DigitalRevEUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR) / eBay / DigitalRevwexcamerasDE / wexphotographicUK / PCHstore

1) “The balance, the size, the weight, the focusing, the build… Everything about this lens feels exactly right to me. Soul mates, baby. […] how does this 35mm compare to the X100s 35mm? Is this worth purchasing if you already own that camera? Is this worth switching to? Truth is there are and always will be compromises to be made. On the one hand you gain on speed (f1.4 vs f2) and you also gain on sharpness: the 23mm is seriously sharp wide open while the X100s is always a tad softer at f2 (although like everything else, this can be used as an advantage) BUT… You lose what the X100s is all about: size, stealth, total silence, sync speed. […] Unless I’m crazy, I think you’ll immediately understand what I mean. There’s something about this combo that quite simply gels. As I said in the first paragraph: damn. Another winner.” Read more about the Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 at laroquephoto here.

2) Riley Joseph shared via FR-twitter his review of the XF 23mm. Read it here: “The quality of Fuji optics are amazing. Especially for the price. Sometimes when I zoom in Lightroom to check focus it is unreal the detail the lens captures even wide open. That is the one big difference with the lens compared to the 23mm on the X100(s).. that it is sharper wide open.”

X-Trans VS Bayer: Round 2! Riflessifotografici, dpreview and Matt’s feedback (vote the polls)

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image courtesy: riflessifotografici

“[X-A1] users, likely coming from compact cameras, are used to vivid Jpegs, with little to no noise (it doesn’t matter if it’s washed out with a noise reduction algorithm) with high contrast and sharpened files.” Max Angeloni

X-A1

USA: AmazonUS (black in stock)/ eBay / BHphoto (blue in stock)/ Adorama (black in stock)/ Pictureline / DigitalRev EUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR) DigitalRev / eBay

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Hey hey,

did you read the X-M1 vs X-A1 shootout of Rico Pfirstinger here? No? Then I recommend you to check it out and come back to this post later. It seems that we are just at the beginning of the X-Trans vs Bayer debate.

1) To compare the sensor performance we have to analyze the RAW images but also consider which RAW converter we use. As only LR5.2 supports the X-A1 until now, a real comparison using the same settings can only be made with the software of Adobe (which is honestly still not doing a great job with the X-Trans files. At the Ultimate Raw Converter Shootout of Rico for example, in both polls Iridient was better than Lightroom). But, what happens if you use for example Photo Ninja to process the X-Trans files?

2) It’s interesting to see also the different IQ of JPEG’s. In this case it’s all about the software and the different default settings Fuji chose to apply to the X-A1 and X-M1.

Now, I’ve found three more feedbacks about the X-Trans vs Bayer debate. The first comes from the well-known Italian review site Riflessifotografici, then there is an interesting forum thread at dpreview and finally Matt‘s Jpeg comparison (so in this case it has nothing to do with the sensor performance, but with the software engine). Read it all and vote the polls at the bottom of this post.

RIFLESSIFOTOGRAFICI

So let’s start with the first impressions of Max Angeloni (riflessifotografici) about the X-A1 here (English version). Max says that both, the X-Trans and the Bayer deliver great results, and that the X-A1 “has all the potential to be a best-seller in its segment“, but:

“I have to admit that I had hard times trying to put together all the impressions I got from the time spent with the camera. It’s always like that, one should use the camera for months, take thousands of shots and prints, to really understand the device and its behaviour. […] at a first glance, I really considered the possibility that this sensor could be even better than the hyped X-Trans from Fujifilm.

Reality is that I was wrong, and I just started to see this as soon as I started to push the camera to its limits, using it in the most difficult situations. […]

[X-A1] users, likely coming from compact cameras, are used to vivid Jpegs, with little to no noise (it doesn’t matter if it’s washed out with a noise reduction algorithm) with high contrast and sharpened files.

[…] People working or just shooting enough with one of the X-Trans cameras will recognize the differences between the sensors. […] Probably the X-A1 users won’t care about dynamic range, color depth, and so on…the camera has to provide sharp, vivid and popping jpeg, and that’s pretty much it…it doesn’t matter what it’s behind the lens, what’s inside the camera.

But hey, you can take awesome shots with both cameras, as Max shows you here (English version). Check it out and read more about the X-A1!

dpreview

Here is the second feedback. Until now only LR supports both, the X-A1 and X-M1 RAF files. But what if you process your images with, for example, Photo Ninja? A forum member at dpreview compared the X-E1 RAW’s (processed with PN) and X-A1 (processed with LR 5.2). Check this forum thread here.

image courtesy: inasir1971 at dpreview

Now, here are the results using only LR 5.2

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And now the results using Photo Ninja for the X-E1 and LR5.2 for the X-A1: “I have a far better result with X-E1 (Photo Ninja Raw converter ) With PN X-Trans have more fine details than Bayer. Finally.”

image courtesy: Fujix at dpreview

Photo Ninja vs Lightroom
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Matt’s JPEG comparison

Matt had the possibility to use the X-A1 in Singapore. Here are his impressions at youtube. He also made a comparison X-M1 vs X-E1 at youtube here… but as we know it’s “just” a jpeg comparison, so he doesn’t really compare the sensor performance. Anyway, Matt prefers by far the output of the X-E1.

You’ve checked it all? Then here are the polls.

enjoy your Sunday

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Should Fuji drop the 2/3 sensor X-series camera line?

View Results

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Which images was taken with the Fujinon XF35mmF1.4?

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X-A1

USA: AmazonUS (black in stock)/ eBay / BHphoto (blue in stock)/ Adorama (black in stock)/ Pictureline / DigitalRev EUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR) DigitalRev / eBay

X-M1

USA: AmazonUS (save $72 silver body + kit lens) / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / [shoplink 17242 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] ($70 price drop) / DigitalRev EUROPE: eBay / DigitalRev / AmazonDE (via DR) / wexcamerasDE / AmazonUK (via DR) / PCHstore

XF 23mm review at thedigitaltrekker: “I gotta tell you this is a great piece of glass!” (in stock at DigitalRev)

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Fujinon XF 23mm

USA: eBay / AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / DigitalRev (IN STOCK)- EUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR) / eBay / DigitalRevwexcamerasDE / wexphotographicUK / PCHstore

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Matt’s XF 23mm review (pre-production sample) is now online at thedigitaltrekker here:

“I gotta tell you this is a great piece of glass.[…] This lens is sharp. Maybe even as sharp of the XF 35mm f/1.4 and that lens is crazy sharp. Without shooting some high tech scale, this lens seems sharp all through the aperture range. And yes, even at f/1.4! […] The value for this quality of a lens at $900 is fair, maybe even good.”

X-E1 + 18-55 deal

It seems that many people doesn’t care about the X-E2, as the X-E1 deal is selling very well at AmazonUS. Check out the ranking here! (X-E1 in 4th and 6th position). Save $200 at AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline

X-A1 in stock check

USA: AmazonUS (black in stock)/ eBay / BHphoto (blue in stock)/ Adorama (black in stock)/ Pictureline / DigitalRev EUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR) DigitalRev / eBay

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X100S price drop: 8 available for 1,179 (save $120) + photographyblog X-A1 review

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X100S deal

Times of short supply seem to be over for the X100S (in stock at AmazonUSBHphoto and Adorama) and finally we can also find some interesting price drops. [shoplink 17179 ebay]Top rated ebay store cameraland[/shoplink] has only 8 X100S available for 1,179.99. You save $120!

found via dealsrunner

Fuji X100S: [shopcountry 12883]

X-A1 in stock check

X-A1 – USA: AmazonUSeBay / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / DigitalRevEUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR) DigitalRev / eBay

XC 50-230USA: AmazonUS  / BHphoto / AdoramaEUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR)

2 days ago they posted the samples, and now the full photographyblog review about the X-A1 is online here:

“Noise is noticeable only by its almost complete absence throughout the ISO range of 100-25,600, while the Dynamic Range function helps to boost contrast and detail. The 16-50mm kit lens is also worthy of mention, as although it has a cheaper build quality, it still offers sharp results throughout the focal range. The X-A1 is certainly right up there with the best APS-C sensor cameras on the market, so if image quality at a very affordable price is paramount, the X-A1 fits the bill.”

Indigo blue X-A1 in stock at BHphoto (XF 23mm postponed to OCT 30) + X100S in stock at BH, Adorama and Amazon

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In stock check

X-A1 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / EUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR)

XC 50-230USA: AmazonUS  / BHphoto / Adorama / EUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR)

Good news first: The indigo blue X-A1 is in stock at BHphoto. Click here to check it out.

Bad news: It seems that BHphoto was too optimistic when they estimated the availablity of the XF 23mm f/1.4 for today. The new date is Octobere 30. Thanks Roger for telling me about it and to LetThereBeLight who said: “Just an fyi… I ordered my 23mm f1.4 through your site link to B&H. I noticed their expected availability was October 3rd and I looked today and it is expected on the 30th instead. I spoke to B&H customer service and they said the 30th is what is expected now and they do not have a shipment currently expected for tomorrow from Fuji. The representative told me I was near the top of the list as my order was placed at the time of pre-order release. I should be expecting shipment to begin on the 30th.. I guess we will be waiting a little longer!!”

Fujinon XF 23mm – USA: eBay / AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / DigitalRevEUROPE: AmazonUK (via DR) / eBay / DigitalRevwexcamerasDE / wexphotographicUK / PCHstore

X100S in stock at AmazonUS, BHphoto and Adorama

Things are definiltely going better on the X100S front. It is still in stock at AmazonUS and now also at BHphoto here and Adorama here!
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