Nikon J1? sell the Fuji X100?

[Hamish Gill]

Right ... tough one this, but am hoping that talking about it here I can gather my thoughts a bit on it all

Ive not been using the x100 so much recently, since the d700 landed its taken a back seat.
Ive realised that the thing I use the x100 for the most is taking photos of Connie...

She is getting more and more mobile, and frankly the x100 is not keeping up when it comes to speed of focus ...
I have also found that Hannah is more and more interested in taking snaps of Connie and whilst I can make the x100 work for me fairly well when it comes to af she is useless with it!

Ive been thinking about getting a j1 anyway, i like the idea of an ft1 with my 70-200 (imagin a 540mm equiv 2.8 lens!!!)
I also like the idea of making a little video rig and the j1 video is supposed to be rather good ...

so, sell the x100?

I cant believe im even thinking of it to be honest ...
Your thoughts please

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Lynch him!

Only kidding Hamish - no idea about the J1, but they do have them in my local CostCo in pink... nice!

 

[Hamish Gill]

I thought I would sleep on this and know the answer ...
i don't ...
i really want Hannah to have a better camera for takin photos of Connie but I don't have the cash for the Nikon ...
Maybe I'll have to see what else I can sell!

 

[Dave Green]

If you decide to sell the X100 I may be interested

 

[Ben Jennings]

That is a tricky one, the X100 is a lovely camera, I would love one, but wouldn't we all, the J1 is also a lovely one and has the ability to take a lot more lenses, so comes the difficult choice really.

I ended up not going for an x10 in the end, not because it was a bad camera, but it had certain disadvantages over a 550d. Being that 1. it only had one lens 2. The wife understands a canon SLR (well uses without caring about the details).

That's what decided it for me, I wanted something I could use as a filming rig and something that I could hand to Alice and she would enjoy using. Much as I love the x10, and still want one, convincing a non camera literate wife to use one was a little difficult compared to what she already knew.

Not sure if that will help you but that's the conclusion I came too. (Plus now I have an excuse to buy the 40mm pancake lens, well maybe!!).

 

[Andy Boardman]

J1

Don't do it, we have had reports back from one dealer who sold 2 outfits on a Saturday refunded in full Monday AM, the sensor size is very very small, we have not even been asked about 1 yet, says something I think.If after a great quality quicker camera go X-10 instead.
Just my thoughts.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Its a bigger sensor than the x10!, and from what i have experienced the IQ is better too ... I find that a lot of the shots from the x10 lack depth, they have that compact camera look to them ... not so with the nikon ime
It focuses faster than the x10 too, and takes photos in quicker succession (60fps at a fixed focus point, 10fps with af)
Hybrid af that in good light would shock you how good it is... FAR superior to the x10!!
and from what i know it has the image processor out of the d4... And playing with it, seeing how quick it is you would believe that too
It also has much better video than the x10 (it is the smallest interchangeable lens 1080/60i camera there is)
It certainly focuses in video mode better than the x10
(I could mount my bolex c lenes on it which would be fun)

DXO rate it higher than the x10 and some cameras with m34 sensors
http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Ca...Fujifilm/(appareil3)/632|0/(brand3)/Panasonic

Its only a little bit smaller the the m43 sensor
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/SensorSizes.svg/300px-SensorSizes.svg.png
more Image sensor format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dont be fooled by the "its a crap camera" hype you read Andy ... its actually very good ... its just not designed for photographers, more for, as Larry would say, "soccer moms"

My missis is a mom

 

[Andy Boardman]

Dont be fooled by the "its a crap camera" hype you read Andy ... its actually very good ... its just not designed for photographers, more for, as Larry would say, "soccer moms"

Hi Hamish I have not read anything about the camera being crap it was just what we were told by Harrisons in Sheffield who did the refunds & it was PRO photographers that bought them to use as good pocket cameras, I did try out the Fuji EX 770 & that was brilliant to, has a big optical zoom range & GPS built into it.I do not have an opinion on the J1/V1 other than I would not be interested in them myself as far to small a sensor for my liking at 8.8mm x 13.2mm 4/3rds being 13mm x 17.3mm

 

[Hamish Gill]

This is goona turn into camera know wars here ...
the ex770 is a casio
the fuji is the f770 exr

hehe ...

Well dont listen to Harrisons in Sheffield then ... just try one in jessops and think about it as if you were not a photographer ...

I dont know why a pro would buy it as a pocket camera ... the panasonic gx1 would be a vastly better choice

my reasons are for as outlined ... for me to use with the lens adapter (fun)
I would also use it as a point and poke ...
but most importantly for my missis to get more consistent photos of our daughter where she is currently failing with the x100

 

[Beth Carter]

why not give her the iphone with snapseed or instagram?

 

[Hamish Gill]

thats what she uses ... the quality just isnt good enough for records of our daughter :/

 

[Andy Boardman]

Well corrected on the Fuji camera, tried it out & it is good.Regards cameras,each to there own & I still would not buy one of the Nikons LOL.
Save some cash & get a nice point & shoot compact or is it realy just for you with the better half having use of it now & again ??
Last post on this subject from me LOL.

 

[Hamish Gill]

I just don't see the point in a compact when see has an iPhone ... Most campact cameras don't offer that much better iq than a iPhone 4s does

Im still stuck on all this ... Don't think I'm going to sell the Fuji now though, I might wait and see what happens in the autumn before doing anything rash

 

[Simon Harrison]

Well, I've had a 'new to me' X100 for a few months now and it is spectacular for the most part, but my 30 month old boy is too quick sometimes and I was missing shots - particularly when he was charging about on holiday. I don't want to take the D90 with the big glass, and the S95 might go in my pocket, but it is worse than the X100 at catching him with a big smile on his face, in focus.

So I took a punt on ebay and got a lovely V1 with 2 lenses for less than £400 - and figured I could move it on if I didn't like it. It's got a few quirks that I'm still working out, but nothing that will make me end up hating it, and for what I want, it never misses. Never - the focus is perfect in the normal mode - this 'smart shot' stuff is clearly gibberish, but the thing is devilishly quick and the 'chasing' focus is really really clever once you've locked it onto the face you want to be in focus. And for what I'm shooting for, web and family photobooks, the IQ is fine - the colours are great. It's not a low light shooter, but I'm happy to go horses for courses and I like to own many cameras rather than stick to one...

I know the V1 is the 'posh' one, but I don't know what you lose by going with the J1, but I do know that I'm putting the V1 and the X100 in the bag now when we go out with the family.

It looks like the prices for this Nikon 1 range are getting much more realistic now too, so you might be able to do what I've done, and go with both!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Hi Simon
welcome to the forum!
Sounds like you got a bargain there!

Both... Yeah, I'm erring toward that really!
Ive bought the d700 home from work this weekend and I'm going to see how lugging that around where ever we go with Connie is...
It struck me the other day that although I can get the shots with the x100, it's by no means consistent ... Maybe the Nikon would be better for me too?

Id like to see some shots from the v1 if you have any to share?

Also, check out our meet and greet section

 

[Larry Bolch]

Anticipate and pre-focus, is the key to the Fuji cameras. Place the focus rectangle on the subject and do a half-press of the shutter to force and lock focus so you can recompose if needed. In a moment the rectangle turns green, and a full press gets the shot without noticeable lag. Good practice to use the same technique with the D700—or any auto-focus camera. Realize that the auto-focus rectangle can be placed most anywhere in the image area, and can also be resized.

In winter, the X100 goes in my jacket pocket and at this time of year, into a small pouch at my waist. Thus it is with me whenever I step out my door. If I see something, I have a camera with me. If not, it weighs so little that it does not matter.

 

[Hamish Gill]

This is an erratic chid I'm talking about here ... With the best will in the world anticipation is not always practicle
i have many shots taken of Connie with the x100... Of you look on Facebook of my Flickr you will see many
the issue is often missing the desisive moment ...
the x100 is just not ideal for decisive moment head and shoulder shots wide open .. With the d700 my hit rate is near 100% and Hannah has a similar experience
There are pplenty of other ways the x100 excels, this is not one... My hit rate is lower, Hannah's is very low ...
I want something to increase Hannah's hit rate primarily ... But when I think about it, if we were going out with Connie specifically it would be good to have something that would increase my hit rate ...
so yeah, I suppose I'm looking for a "family camera" ...

 

[Ahmad Bhai]

Hi Hamish
I dont know if my reply is too late.

Paralympics 2012 Out n about in London Aug 27 - Sept 9
My blog of Paralympics with J1 10-30mm (27-81) & 30-110mm (81-300)
It is unfinished as i have 100GB of images & movies to sift through.

J1 for me was the ideal stills for Paralympics.
Murderball i posted on the Sport forum here is on J1 (i also took wheel chair basketball, wheelchair fencing, sitting volleyball).

I was using Sony Nex5 + legacy glass which were hopeless ... I had many blurry shots
Night time J1 iso1600 iso3200 were just as good to me as Nex5 and with VR was steady as a rock.
The lenses being so small i could hold steady easily fully extened 300mm.

However
1. I couldn't afford 10-100 (27-270) changing lenses i did miss moments.
2. LCD framing lag every now and then LCD lags.
3. Movies very jerky zoomin even when slowly zoomin.


Movies Nikon P510 x42 (24-1000) was so smooth when i tested in John Lewis Stratford Olympic Mall.
Zoomin all the way out & in was just wow for steadiness in movies.
Stills also fully extended 1000mm was wow steadiness & sharp with focus quick enough.
P510 feels quality light yet well built, EVF decent, flips out screen handy. Manual controls logical and allows a photographer to grow.
Aaaaand that maaaad zoom.
I will be recommending it to my Sis.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Hi Ahmad
thanks for that!
in the end though, I went for the Sony RX100. A decision that I am yet to be anything other than very happy about!
the photos are very impressive for such a tiny camera and the video is quite exceptional!

Its interesting what you say about the 510 ... Once in a while I do mull over the idea of a mega-zoom type compact hybrid (whatever-ya-wanna-call-em) but every time I am eventually put off by the "feel" of them; cheap, plastic any toy like always comes to mind ... I just can't get past it!

- - - Updated - - -

I've never had a camera with a flip out screen ... It's a feture I have always thought I would use

 

[Ahmad Bhai]

You welcome Hamish.

After testing the p510 i really could have done with its video for Paralympics.
Swivel tilt screens make low angle so much easier, i used to get back strain one some low angles

John Lewis on Oxford Street London had on adjoining shelves X10, X100, RX100.
I think X100 will become one of the classics of digital cameras. Just holding X100 makes me feel creative.
Yet the zoom on RX100 is more useful for me. Whilst the build, handling of X10 i really like, if only it wasn't 2/3"
Maybe Fuji release X20 with 1inch sensor.