Fuji X100 - New firmware upgrade

I just upgraded the Fuji X100 firmware to 1.21 as mine only had 1.1, about 4 updates old.  I was hoping for an improvement in close focus AF performance and manual focus responsiveness.  I did a quick trial this morning and found that while close focus AF performance is only marginally improved, the manual focus does work a lot better now.  Before turning the focus ring may not actually result in the focus changing, but now it always does and is fairly linear.  It is quite long throw, similar to a telephoto lens, but it does work properly now.

There are a couple of other improvements, like a lightly updated look for the menu and some other upgrades, but this MF focusing is what I have most noticed.

Graffiti Alley, Toronto - Fuji X100

Black and White tonal properties - Fuji X-100 vs Sony NEX-3 w/ Leica 50mm Summicron

A while ago I shot the NEX-3 with the Leica 50mm Summicron M on black and white and I came away deeply impressed.  See here for my review.   

More recently I decided to try out the Fuji X-100 on the same wooden log cabin and was just as impressed.  Take a look to see what you think.  Bear in mind that the lenses being compared are quite different in all but max aperture - a 50mm interchangable vs a 23mm fixed.

NEX5n with Leica 50mm Summicron Type 4

Last week I put my Leica 50mm Summicron M on the NEX 5n, and the results were amazing!  This lens is truly outstanding with lovely colour rendition and incredible sharpness and micro contrast.  Sure it ain't cheap, but for a mirror-less shooter, it's probably THE best lens you can buy for your camera.

When you shoot with a lens like this, it's pretty hard to put it away!

Tulips   Sony NEX 5n w/ Leica 50mm Summicron Type 4

Nikon D3200 and Nikkor 28mm f1.8

It's interesting to see Nikon release a new basic digital SLR with the Sony 24MP sensor, the same as in the NEX-7.  This move surprised me, as it exceeds all but the D800 (and equals the D3X) on megapixel count.  It is interesting than Nikon released their D4 pro camera with 25% LESS resolution than their entry level model!!

Also interesting is the release of Nikon's 28mm f1.8 full frame lens.  At $599, this lens looks really interesting, and I am looking forward to reading the reviews.  I'm betting money that this lens will be at least as good as the legendary Nikkor 28mm f1.4.

Nikon FE2 w/ Nikon 28mm f2.8

DX and FF

I am at a bit of a cross roads with my Nikon DSLRs.  Regular readers would note that I sold my D700 a while back  when the tsunami in Japan wiped out production and significantly inflated used prices.  It's been 10 months since then and I have been relying on a D90, which after a D700 has been quite unsatisfying.

With Summer coming, a decision needs to be made, do I purchase a new D800 at $3,000 plus taxes or find a nearly new D700, for hopefully around $1,500.  I suspect that the D800 is still back ordered, so there would be a wait, and so far D700 prices haven't dropped as much as I would have thought.

Samsung NX - the daft mirror-less

Samsung's NX series of mirror-less cameras have a lot going for them - small size, large APS-C sensor, available viewfinder models, and good quality, well price native lenses.

The big problem is that the sensor to flange distance is longer than Leica M mount, meaning that they will not mount on the Samsung and focus to infinity.  Therefore the world's best lenses can't be shot on Samsung mirror-less.   

What a waste, and in my book, quite daft.