I just returned from a 10-day trip to Italy where I used both the X100 and the XPRO1. Both were a joy to use, though I used them differently. Many days, I would have both. I would use the X100 for B&Ws and the XPro1 for color. I shot architecture, street, people, scenics. Both proved very responsive and a joy to use. And I did not miss the weight of a DSLR. I was with a bunch of photographers at a media festival, and I think several will be buying X100s. It was passed around a lot! I should be a Fuji rep. At one point a picked up a Nikon with a big wide-angle chunk of glass and couldn't believe the weight. I had both Fuji cameras, the 3 XPro lenses and some batteries with me for many long HOT days, and never felt tired. I did have to replace batteries, sometimes using 2-3 a day, but I always have plenty with me so it was not a problem.

We ended our trip in Venice, where I have been dozens of times and shot extensively. So for those days, I just used the X100. I was shooting B&W and loved the images I was getting. And if I wanted color, which I did on occasion, it was just a button push away. I loved looking through the EVF and SEEING the scene in color. I used spot metering and got the EXACT image I wanted, and saw.

At the festival I was at in Gemona, I presented a rough draft of a show / exhibit / book I am working on based on the X100 B&Ws. I will post a link to this preliminary film when I post it on YouTube soon. I am shooting a mile stretch of coast near my house for 1 year with 1 camera (the X100) and 1 lens. I open the show with the quote: "To really see, you must limit your vision." That is the point of this project. Many photographers I have met recently and told about this project are planning to do the same. It is a great way to hone one's eye and shooting. It will be a featured show / exhibit at a festival NEXT year in Italy when it is done.

I shot in low-light and bright light and found the Fuji 100 and Pro were great. I do have a missing pixel white spot on my X100 that for some reason only shows up in the movies, not the stills. Strange. But I don't shoot movies much so I don't really care. I can always use the XPro1.

I found that the two cameras complimented each other. And when I used just the X100, it was perfect. I am sure I would feel the same if I had only taken the XPro1 out for the day. I have a lot of editing to do, and I will see what my agents think of what I shot. I didn't miss my DSLRs, and I probably won't shoot much with them unless I need blazing speed, long telephotos, or an excuse to take Tylenol at night.

By the way, a few strangers stopped to ask what the X100 was and smiled when I flipped it to show them the back and that it was digital.

I have had some challenges with these cameras, but in the end, I have been rewarded by a very pleasurable shooting experience and wonderful images. And that's what it's all about!