Fuji Fuji XM-1

Well, this thread was helpful.

I have a co worker who likes the images from my X100 VERY much, and who wants a camera. But he's not an enthusiast, and I suspect he has little apetite for a lot of less-than-automatic learning curve kinda stuff. But he's been somewhat fixated on a camera "like mine."

I asked him to describe what it is about particular images that he likes, and everything he said really indicated that only a large-ish sensor would do -- either M4/3 or APS-C. I dug into the XM-1 and XA-1, and recommended the XA-1. He's going to pick one up today. I told him to bring it by ASAP so I can help him set it up the way he'll like it. Then he's going to Paris for work a week from now, so he'll have a chance to really get to know it.
 
Good advice Kyle! I had the XA1 for a weekend, and it delivers great image quality. Ended up returning it, because of some technical issue on my camera related to exposure compensation.
 
He brought it in this morning - came rushing over to my desk. He hadn't even unpacked it beyond the cardboard box, everything was still bagged. Then he had to rush off all day, so I haven't really gotten to play with it yet but my initial thoughts upon putting it all together and turning it on:

- It's small. Not tiny, a really good size actually for my smallish hands, but more compact than the X100 and shorter too.

- It's light. That plastic body may not scream "indestructable" but it also doesn't weigh much. That would help offset what (to me) would be additional weight from those long lenses as it hangs around my neck, if I had one.

- It focuses nice and quick. It locked on nicely in here, an interior office space. Totally usable for a newby, not frustrating. Good for them.

- The zoom ring on the lens felt stiff. Not offensively stiff, but more firm than I would've guessed. I guess I'd get used to that. And I missed the aperture ring... THAT I wouldn't ever really embrace.

It got me thinking of how I'd configure the option buttons if I owned one. I might have to give up on fixing ISO like I do now instead of using Auto, since you have to adjust it often in non-auto. That would leave 2 dials, right? One for Ap and one for Shutter. Nothing for EV comp... -frown-. I guess at some point I would give in to the way it was designed, and use it the way they intended: A mostly-auto badass snapshot machine. Just worry about zoom and framing, let the camera do most of the thinking, and tweak maybe aperture.
 
I just went outside with coworker and his XA-1 and ran him through some basics. I found the limited controls and setup options to be frustrating. I couldn't figure out how to assign the dials... must have to have it on Program Mode to do that, I guess? Lots of greyed-out menu steps, which I'm now guessing are because it was in one of the auto modes. I've gotten spoiled by the X100.
 
Dials are not assignable (as far as I know). Exposure compensation on the top dial and aperture/shutter speed on the back dial on the A and S modes.
 
In manual mode the exposure compensation dial is shutter speed, and the other dial is aperture. Shot a bit of manual on a recent urbex shoot using the X-M1 with a wireless remote and it was quite easy to get used to.
 
John, there's a wireless remote for the XM1? Where did you get it?

I have the Aputure wireless remotes (Trigmaster 2.4G and Trigmaster Plus) and got a cable to use with the X-M1 by buying a wired remote with detachable cable. The cable works with Aputure and Vello FreeWave systems for sure and probably works with others. I buy Vello cables for my Aputure from B&H sometimes so I know those two work the same.

Here's what I bought: JJC Shutter Release Remote Fr Fujifilm X-A3 X-T2 T1 X-Pro2 X-E2S X70 X-T10 X100T 6950291501530 | eBay

But they also have the cable available separately: http://www.ebay.com/itm/JJC-Cable-R...00?pt=Camera_Cables_Cords&hash=item2a310fe898

It has a little bump in the cable with the resistors in it like Panasonic cables that work in the Panny microphone jacks do.
 
I just went outside with coworker and his XA-1 and ran him through some basics. I found the limited controls and setup options to be frustrating. I couldn't figure out how to assign the dials... must have to have it on Program Mode to do that, I guess? Lots of greyed-out menu steps, which I'm now guessing are because it was in one of the auto modes. I've gotten spoiled by the X100.

Being in Auto mode is likely to be the cause of the limited menus. A lot of cameras reallllllllly dumb down the customisation options when the mode dial is not set in the PASM range.
 
At the time, I was sorta in a hurry (standing in front of the plant's front door, people I know walking by, two of us discussing and using these cameras, only had a few minutes to talk) and my brain just didn't offer up that semi-obvious answer. "Why won't it do what I want it to?" was all I got. This makes sense.
 
My report on the X-M1 after shooting it for awhile is this:

  • Much tougher than its looks suggest: I've banged it around on urbex trips, gotten it very cold, and gotten it almost too hot to touch shooting in a steel mill and it just worked. It has been a solid little beast.
  • Image quality just like the other X-Trans cameras so you give up nothing there
  • Tilting screen great for low-angle shooting and tripod work -- even just to tilt it to remove reflections from the screen
  • I mainly use mine as a tripod queen, or with a pancake lens as a surrogate "compact camera" -- works great in both roles
  • I could wish for the controls to be like the other cameras (without a mode dial) but it is what it is and still dang useful and cheap.

Here's the most recent work from it. The first shot is handheld and the second is tripod mounted. Both are with the Zeiss 12mm f/2.8.

11698499025_be37f4a17f_b.jpg

Disappointment: Haunting Presence by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

11717595163_9bd75628a1_b.jpg

Disappointment: Ice on the Rooftop by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr
 
Nice, John. I keep wondering about a $499 X-A1. But I have all those Pentax primes for the K-01. The problem is, the K-01's rear LCD ain't great in daylight.

Thanks!

What LCD is, really? The X-A1 apparently is very, very good -- but if you're happy with what you have there's no reason to change is there?

I love my Fuji's but I'm still not, and never will be, a "brand partisan", lol.
 
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