Ditch my X100 for an X100S? - Fujifilm X100 Discussions on Fuji X Series Camera Forum - Fujifilm X-Pro1 X-E1 X100S X100 X20 X10 XF1 X-S1

Texan

Two weeks ago, I got a sweet deal on a barely used X100 from one of the major US NY-based camera dealers. They have a very good 30-day return policy, and I am considering using it. I think the X100 is fantastic-- much better than I expected it to be. After nearly 100 test shots, I could not be happier.

Like many photographers, I am enticed by the prospect of something even better. However, my issue is cost. There will be about a $500 difference between what I paid for my X100 and a new X100S. I bought an X100 to be my fun/travel/street camera. I'm an enthusiast, not a professional. My main camera is my Canon 7D-- and I have several great L lenses.

So this my question for all of you who have owned an X100 for much of the year it's been available: Are you considering upgrading to the X100S? Would you rather have your current X100 and $500 in your pocket or the latest?

Put slightly differently... is the current X100 limiting your photography enough to part with serious money to upgrade?

biscuit

It's my plan to get 50K shots out of the one I have before considering it's replacement.

p3t3or

If you can afford it, I would grab the x100s, and I'm a loyal x100 fan. If money is a concern, stick with the x100.

K1W1

So you purchased a cheap X100 AFTER the X100s was announced and widely previewed and now you have buyers remorse?
You will not feel happy until you get a x100s so go ahead and do it.
As far as the question will it take better photos for you or turn you into a better photographer is concerned the answer is probably no but you will be a happier photographer and that in itself is important.

elithrar

I don't think the X100 could realistically "limit" anyone's photography, unless you bought it with the intention to shoot sports ;)

pominpocket

He does not have buyers remorse. He is using the 30 day user policy to try out the camera. He likes it so much that he thinks the 100S would be same but so much better. But does not want to dish up $500 extra if people think it is not worth it.

I would bite the bullet and go for the state of the art 100S myself .

davidpulchra

Get a good flash instead. The bulb mode is awesome. Why waste money one something that isn't going to make a difference to you?

Texan

He does not have buyers remorse. He is using the 30 day user policy to try out the camera. He likes it so much that he thinks the 100S would be same but so much better.

Exactly! The X100 turned out to be even better than I expected. If the S were not about to be released, I could certainly enjoy the X100 indefinitely. I posted because I wanted to hear from X100 owners who would bite the bullet and go for the state of the art 100S and those who would not. I'm interested in why.

pominpocket

Faster focusing, a better sensor, split prism manual focusing, and faster, to name but a few reasons.

jac

If the X100S sensor has the same soul as the X100 then, yeah it's gonna be a cracker

steve1401

To answer your question with a question - what do you do, or want to do, with the camera?

I'll assume that you aren't using it for sports and such like; the X100/s would both be misplaced for that. However, do you print large? do you sell professionally? I'd only opt for the X100s if you say yes to both of those (or if you have a bag load of spare cash), but for simple enthusiast stuff I think the X100s is better gear for better gears' sake.

It does look like a nice camera though!

Texan

To answer your question with a question - what do you do, or want to do, with the camera?

I'm an enthusiast. The closest I've come to being paid for photography was winning a restaurant gift card in a photo contest. My favorite type of photography is nature/landscapes and occasional environmental portraiture. I have thousands sunk into my Canon glass & DSLR. Bought the X100 after lugging my DSLR on a 10 mile hike.

I have no doubt that the S will be awesome and that I will covet one. But I also want to upgrade my DSLR to full frame-- and $500 would help me get there sooner. So I guess that I'm weighing which one would give me more joy and more utility. A personal question, I know. But hearing what other X100 owners say will help.

ean10775

If you're planning on also upgrading your DSLR then I would put the extra money you saved in getting the X100 over the X100S toward that. There is little doubt in my mind that the X100S will be the better of the two Fuji cameras, but by how much really depends on what you intend to do with it. If it were to be your primary camera I'd say go with the X100S, but if you're just going to use it in scenarios outdoors where you are able to slow down and do more considered shooting like landscapes, neither the faster AF or better high ISO performance may mean much to you.

artuk

pominpocket said:
Faster focusing, a better sensor, split prism manual focusing, and faster, to name but a few reasons.

I handled an X100s last weekend, just out of curiosity rather than any interest in buying one.

Faster AF? The one I tried was quite snappy to focus in retail-like bright interior light, but so is the X100 is some/similar circumstances. I didn't directly compare the two.

Better sensor? Slightly lower noise, but more problems with raw development, slightly higher resolution so maybe you can make 15% bigger prints?

Manual focusing? If you don't want to manual focus, it's no benefit.

Here in the UK the X100s pre order price is almost double some deals on the current X100. I don't think the new camera is worth twice the price. If I really wanted one, I would wait a few months to see where the price ends up. I am certainly in no hurry to upgrade my X100.

I think it is also an intersting question whether an X-E1 is actually better value, since current deals on a body and lens put the price very close to the current X100s pricing.

Texan

These comments are very helpful. Please keep them coming! I'm definitely leaning toward sticking with the X100. I'm new to it and love it, but cannot see it replacing the DSLR as my primary camera. Consequently, putting my photo gear dollars into upgrading my DSLR to full frame is probably smarter. At least for now.

After using the X100 for only two weeks, I can easily see why some people would opt to get rid of a DSLR completely and go with an X100/XE-1 combination. If I didn't love shooting landscapes where full frame can make all the difference, I'd probably be one of them!

Colin_Nicholls

I had a play with the X100s at 'focus on imaging' and must say its a vast improvement over the x100, its a hard call to make, i think I'll wait for a few month to shave a couple of hundred of the price then upgrade, i don't see the x100 value dropping much because this is out so taking time wont waste money,

my verdict,; if you have the cash get the x100s, you will only upgrade in a year or so anyway!

pominpocket

I have lost a few shots with the X-E1 due to focusing issues. I was a bit miffed when Fuji said they had upgraded the sensor and processor on the X100s as felt it should have been on X-E1.

If people love the new X100s as much as the older x100 then the shop life of the X100s surely will be about another 2 years. By this time the X100 will be four years old and surely outdated? I mean the Leica M9 is outdated now.

So if your gut feeling is the X100 why not go for the best model? You are catching it right at the beginning.

As for full frame . I upgraded form Nikon D7000 to full frame D600 then went back to D7000 and purchased the X-E1.

I would keep the Cannon as is and get the X100s or x100$ and I am sure you will be using it far more than the SLR anyway.

Texan

I am sure you will be using it far more than the SLR anyway.

pominpocket, you're making good points and making this decision harder! I'm not sure I share your confidence that I'll be using an X100S more than a full frame DSLR. I love shooting landscapes and portraiture, and that's where a full frame DSLR with good glass makes a big difference.

I'm a Canon shooter, but have borrowed my father's D7000 quite a bit. The full frame jump I am considering is more comparable to the D800 than the D600. (I'm going from a 7D to a 5D Mark III).

I'm not so worried about the X100 being "outdated." I shot with my outdated Nikon N90 for years after everyone was using DSLRs-- then shot with my D70 happily for years after the D80s rendered it obsolete. I still have both, so resale value is also a non-issue.

The real question for me is whether the upgrades in the X100S will improve my shots enough to warrant a $500 difference. Put another way, am I likely to find myself in situations where I say "if only I had that S sensor or feature?"

ean10775

I have a 5DII and I'm currently in the market for an X100/X100S. I definitely see the Fuji getting more use than my full frame camera as I'll be more likely to take it with me. I also have a modest micro four thirds kit that I use as an outdoor/travel camera, but I can see that setup seeing even less use with the addition of an X100. All in all, I can't imagine an X100 being my only camera, but I can certainly see it being my most used camera. For that reason, I'm leaning towards the newer model.

pominpocket

The $500 dollar question then.

Yes to me it is worth the extra as ..

It has a better higher resolution sensor .
It has a none anti aliasing filter (is that a double negative)?
They have dramatically improved the auto- focusing so you will not miss shots
Manual focusing is better
They say they have improved on 70 counts over the x100
And a 500 investment in the camera will stay in the camera as they have a good resale value.

Texan

Thanks for the excellent points. I'm packing up the X100 and looking forward to getting my new S. The longer I think about it, the X100S is likely to be the camera I end up using most.

yamaha83

Im really thinking that i might sell my X100 for the X100S...

pominpocket

I think I have talked myself into buying one as well!

LindsayD

Texan said:

I posted because I wanted to hear from X100 owners who would bite the bullet and go for the state of the art 100S and those who would not. I'm interested in why.

I own an X100 and I will not consider trading it for an X100S. Why? Because the IQ of the X100 is magical, the traditional Bayer sensor design permits me to process RAW files accurately, and I greatly prefer the rendering of my X100 images to those from the X Trans sensor (I used to own the XE1 and sold it, I believe the sensor in the X100s is the same or thereabouts). This is of course largely personal, I do not see the X Trans output as 'better' in any way, nor do I see any particular beauty in it. But you must buy what YOU like and prefer, not what other people have.

pominpocket

He is asking other peoples opinions before he makes a choice.

The X Trans sensor won an award today.

Texan

you must buy what YOU like and prefer

And this is why it's so hard to choose between something that's been out in the world a good long time and something that has yet to be released. It's a mistake I will try to avoid in the future. I bought my X100 used two weeks ago because I have an upcoming trip (this month) with photo opportunities I don't want to miss. The price of it slightly used from a dealer I trust was irresistible.

As it turns out, two things happened that I did not count on: The trip was postponed and I fell in LOVE with the X100. Then came the dilemma.

The X100 owners and Xtrans owners have provided valuable insights. Sometimes "upgraded" models warrant the extra money and sometimes I think not. There's just no substitute for shooting with each contender and forming my own impressions. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible in this situation.

My solution: I explained the dilemma to the dealer (one of the major online NYC-based companies). I asked if they would be willing to extend the trial period by 2 weeks on condition that I keep the shot count below their limit of 200 and return it in perfect condition if needed. They agreed, and I placed a pre-order for the X100S with them immediately.

There's just no substitute for hands-on experience. I look forward to sharing mine on this great forum.

robk47

I purchased an X100 on eBay within a week of the 100s being announced. I got one that was manufactured in September of 2012, so it was probably one of the last ones to roll off the assembly line. I own an X-Pro 1 with three lenses and had an opportunity to play with an XE1 thanks to Fuji's generosity in loaning me one. As a professional shooter, I use mostly Canon equipment, but of late have been using the Fujis a bit more. Last weekend, I shot a college basketball game and my BEST images; sharpest and best color, came from the X100. I camped under the basket and was able to get a wide variety of action shots from there, shooting at 1/500 at 1600 ISO and 5/fps. I was also able to get good and very usable images of action at the top of the key (jump shots or defensive plays) and due to the file quality, easily crop them for newspaper use (which by the way were featured in the paper the next day).

In my experience, the X100 has fewer AF issues, when compared to the X-Pro 1, which constantly back focuses on me. It is a rare occasion when I get out of focus images with the X100. It is my go-to camera and I have no regrets about not waiting for the X100s, not to mention that the price was very right. My biggest complaint is that after shooting a burst, I have to wait until the buffer is free to take my next shot. I would love to see a firmware fix for that.

Given the attention that Fuji has taken to trying to get it right, I am sure that the X100s will be a great camera, but for me, I am very pleased with the X100.

alohashirt

Care to post any of your hoops shots? I, for one, would be very curious to see how an X100 handles sports/action.

ean10775

Texan said:

The X100 owners and Xtrans owners have provided valuable insights. Sometimes "upgraded" models warrant the extra money and sometimes I think not.

Having decided to not keep my X-E1 since with the 35mm + hood it just isn't different enough in size from my DSLR to justify keeping it and being invested in 3 disparate camera systems, but instead go with a fixed lens X-Series camera, I've been torn between picking up the venerable X100 and the untested and more expensive X100S. For me, the decision and extra cost to go with the X100S is warranted by the following three upgrades:

1. the AF selection button being moved to the right side of the rear of the X100S, as the placement on the X-E1 really frustrated me.

2. the ability of the X100S to continue to use the OVF when focusing closer than what is possible with the X100, as I wasn't crazy about the EVF on the X-E1 and would prefer to use the OVF as much as possible, even when getting relatively close to my subject.

3. the ability of the X100S to show a representative histogram in manual exposure mode as this is how I primarily use my other cameras.

There are other upgrades that I value, but just these three are worth the extra cost of the X100S based on how I shoot.

robk47

For alohashirt: http://www.pbase.com/robk47/x100

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