SONY DSC-RX100 (10.4mm, f/1.8, 1/30 sec, ISO500)
I put it straightforward. This is nothing but a complaint. If you don’t like such things do not continue to read.
But to put the good things first. A couple of years ago there were two types of cameras. Large, expensive DSLRs with big sensors and tons of lenses and small, cheap compact cameras with very small sensors and integrated lenses. No wonder there was no choice at all for serious photographers. Shooting seriously with everything but a DSLR was out of question. I always had compact cameras but just as “side shooters”.
Then Olympus or Panasonic changed everything by introducing a small camera with a rather big sensor ( m43 ) and interchangeable lenses in 2009. I know that there was an Epson R-D1 in 2004 but it did not make a real impact back then.
My first mirrorless was the Sony NEX 5. I bought it just before I headed to a 3 weeks vacation in the USA. It was a true game changer for me. DSLR quality in a compact camera. Despite having 2 DSLRs with me ( Canon 5D, 500D ) plus a backpack full of lenses more than 60% of all shots I took with the NEX. In the cities and indoors I used nothing but the NEX. Also on most of the beach walks. It was a delight! I carried big heavy camera back bags for almost all my life. Before digital I also carried a large tripod as my favorite film was Fuji’s Velvia. In California I found myself shooting a compact camera and enjoying it. And here is the best thing: I also enjoyed the results. Easily as good as the images of my Canon 500D and almost as good as the images of my Canon 5D! Wow! No wonder I got hooked to mirror less.
At that time I did a lot of business trips to former Eastern Europe because I was responsible for sales in the region. After my return from California I always took my NEX when I went for a trip. The biggest advantage was that I now was able to take images in poor light as well. This was of great help during the winter months. I stopped using compact cameras.
With the Fuji X100 things improved even further. Even better high ISO quality and absolutely silent in operation plus it looks like an old film camera not like an expensive, up to date digital camera. Definitely an advantage in some places that I have visited.
Lately I got the Fuji X-Pro 1. An even better camera with better high ISO and you can change lenses too!
SONY DSC-RX100 (10.4mm, f/1.8, 1/30 sec, ISO400)
All perfect then? Not exactly and here is why:
In theory you can change lenses just like on your DSLR but there aren’t any. OK. Not true but there are not a lot of lenses.
The NEX system got more cameras than lenses. And most of the lenses are not breathtaking either. I still only have the 16mm and the 18-55mm that came with the camera and a rather strange, cheap SLR magic lens. Instead of the Zeiss 1.8/24mm I got the Fuji X100. It is almost the same price!
Fuji X promoted a lens roadmap in the middle of last year with lot’s of attractive lenses. Here are the ones I want most:
- 1.4/23mm
- 1.4/56mm
- 4/10-24 OIS
Guess what? None of them hit the street yet. Even the 2.8/14mm is not available yet. According to the roadmap it should be since last autumn. Probably the most attractive lens, the 1.4/23 should become available early this year but now it might be delayed till 2014!. Where is the sense in that? It seems that Fuji is trying to get people invested but has serious troubles to keep their promises. I bought the X-Pro 1 mainly because of the roadmap. I was not too impressed by the offered focal lengths: 2/18mm, 1.4/35mm and a slow 2.4/60mm Macro. I got the first two and I’m pleased with the results but if the camera came out with the 23, 56 and the 10-24 I would have bought those lenses instead.
Sony’s NEX and Fuji’s X are wonderful cameras but they need to become wonderful systems now. And they better be fast because if Canon and Nikon finally wake up and provide some serious competition it will be much harder for Fuji and Sony to get people buy into their cameras systems. And let’s not forget the sleeping giant: Samsung. They already brought out a lot of nice lenses but their NX cameras somehow lack in comparison. If they finally got the right camera they will have an attractive system.
Of course there is a way to avoid the waiting game once and for all: Just get a Fuji X100s!
SONY DSC-RX100 (10.4mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec, ISO800)