NEW DELHI: Let's start with a few questions. Do you value clear and sharp photographs? Will you pay top dollars for images that truly stand out? Do you love your kids in portrait pictures, which have the subject in clear focus and a background that is smooth and blurred? Do you like to take pictures of your friends while you are partying in a dimly-lit bar?
If your answer to these questions is no, Fujifilm X100S is not a camera for you.
If the answer is yes, the X100S may turn out to be the perfect gadget for you. But don't take out your wallet yet. Despite its brilliance, the camera has issues.
We will talk about deal-breakers but first let's take a look at what makes the X100S a really good camera.
Excellent build qualityThe X100S has a retro design and it looks exquisite. The grey magnesium alloy and black plastic give the camera rigidity and premium finish that is clearly superior to what most of other shooters offer. The device feels good in hand and the grip, when you are taking an image with it, feels natural and comfortable. It is not big but at the same time won't fit in the pocket of your jeans.
Easy to useThe best part about the X100S handling is the way controls have been positioned. A dial near the shutter-release button can be used to change shutter speed on the fly. The aperture ring on the lens can be used to make necessary adjustment with ease.
Other features can be accessed through buttons placed around the 2.8-inch LCD screen. Of particular note is the Q button, which gives a quick access to more common options and settings like white balance and filters.
Decent viewfinderOne of the problems with any camera that is not a DSLR is the viewfinder. Most cameras don't have it. And while many enthusiast-oriented models have a viewfinder, they use an electronic viewfinder, which is dim and blurry, instead of optical one. The X100S has an hybrid viewfinder, which can switch between optical and electronic mode. The optical viewfinder in X100S doesn't compare well to what you will find on most DSLR cameras but it is good enough. It is bright and clear. And it provides 100% frame coverage.
Fast focusThe X100S has an almost DSLR-like speed in acquiring accurate focus. Though in extremely low light it hunts for a second or two before it can lock on to the subject, it is not something unexpected. In other conditions, X100S is blazing fast. There is a dedicated focus button near the rear screen that allows users to change the focus point with ease. More advanced users can also use the focus ring on the lens and compose the image manually.
Very good image quality
All cameras die or live by the kind of pictures and videos they can shoot. The X100S performs admirably in all conditions. This is largely due to the fact that it houses an APS-C sized image sensor inside its body despite the compact size. Image quality depends a lot on the sensor size and lens. Compared to most point and shoot cameras, the image sensor in the X100S is almost 15 times bigger. This helps the X100S capture and process details and lights in a better way. X100S can shoot 16 mega-pixel images.
We shot hundreds of images with the camera and found that it produced detailed and sharp photos. The camera is particularly good in handling noise, even at high ISO level. In good lighting conditions, the camera had no issue producing images that were detailed and had nice punchy colours. In low light, it benefited from the large sensor and the F2 (big aperture) lens, capturing a lot of light and producing images that had acceptable amount of noise.
X100S shoots fantastic portraits and macro pictures, with the big aperture creating a shallow and smooth background that photography enthusiasts know as bokeh.
If you want, you can shoot in RAW with the X100S.
With videos, the story is same. The X100S can record some quality videos in FullHD resolution irrespective of the lighting conditions.
But there are two big problems with X100S
Fixed focal lengthYes, that's right. The lens in the X100S has a fixed focal length. You can't zoom in or zoom out in a scene. You want your subject bigger? Walk towards it. You want to cover more area? Move back to frame your image. Also, the lens is fixed. The X100S is not a camera where you can change the lens. The X100S lens has a focal length of 23mm (effective around 35mm because the sensor has a crop factor of 1.5). This means it is good enough for most of the scenes. But lack of zoom takes away the fun from the photography. It also means that X100S is not an all-purpose camera.
Very expensiveAnother problem with the X100S is the price. Yes, it is an exquisitely designed camera that is capable of taking great pictures. But with an MRP of Rs 74,999, it is too pricey.
Should you buy it?Probably not. If you are looking to buy a all-purpose camera that can take great pictures, shooters from Sony's NEX series or Samsung's NX series are better deals compared to the X100S. And they cost significantly less. These cameras may not have the elegant and comfortable design that the X100S has but they offer similar image quality as well as an option to change lens depending on the situation. Also, if you are not averse to the bulk of a DSLR camera, for less than Rs 75,000 you can get a great shooter like Nikon D7000.
That said the X100S does have its merits. It is more elegant than a DSLR or a mirrorless camera. It is also much easier to use and tend to produce fantastic images with minimum effort. If you are a photography enthusiast who already has another camera, preferably a DSLR or an ultrazoom camera, and wants something that is smaller and fun to use, the X100S totally makes sense. For others, it is too expensive for what it does.
Source:- The Times of India
