[stormtech]

I thought that might be on lake Grapevine. I spent many hours on and around that lake in the early 70s.

That was a quick one click conversion, it could have been better with a few more minutes of attention. I like to play with processing, I'm sure not the best at it, but it is a lot of fun and often can give you just what you are looking for.

For those that hate processing, I do believe that it is widely recognized that Fuji has the best Jpeg engines in their X cameras of any cameras out there. Keep that in mind as you consider the X30 in your future. Look at those from Mr Bassie....those are Fuji Jpeg shots!

Best Regards!

That's half my hesitation with the x30 is shooting jpeg only. I'm just so used to shooting raw and processing it would be an adjustment for me. However, Fuji seems to just nail the white balance, exposure, and colors for sure. I've never had any luck working with Fuji raw's from my x10 and x-s1 except with my trial of Photo Ninja. I just need to get over that processing thing in my mind. I guess I need to download a few full size Fuji jpegs and work with them a little to see what adjustments are possible.

While it would be a real long shot for me to be able to afford the new Panny LX100, the fact of the tilting screen and 2/3 the price for the Fuji x30 has really got me thinking.

[AldaCZ]

G12 still clicks(LX100 is nice but if G12 still works )

[Rupert]

G12 still clicks(LX100 is nice but if G12 still works

It sure works there! "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is always good advice! Nice shot!

However, Fuji seems to just nail the white balance, exposure, and colors for sure.

There is always a lot of processing you can do with Jpegs......but you are so right, Fuji does get the WB, exposure, and colors right more often than not, so RAW is seldom needed. I can work a long time with my K5 to get the right WB for a scene, yet the X10/X20 will nail it almost every time.
The exposure meter on the LCD of the X cameras is also very handy, and seldom gets it wrong...you can make adjustments before you ever snap away!

I like the Classic Chrome on the X30...I do think I would miss the OVF and the grip of my X20, but maybe not? Otherwise, IQ should be very similar in the X30/X20....with great Jpegs in both.

Regards!

[AldaCZ]

It sure works there! "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is always good advice! Nice shot!



There is always a lot of processing you can do with Jpegs......but you are so right, Fuji does get the WB, exposure, and colors right more often than not, so RAW is seldom needed. I can work a long time with my K5 to get the right WB for a scene, yet the X10/X20 will nail it almost every time.
The exposure meter on the LCD of the X cameras is also very handy, and seldom gets it wrong...you can make adjustments before you ever snap away!

I like the Classic Chrome on the X30...I do think I would miss the OVF and the grip of my X20, but maybe not? Otherwise, IQ should be very similar in the X30/X20....with great Jpegs in both.

Regards!

Great jpegs..that may the point!

[stormtech]

Some thoughts from my rambling mind this morning. Sometimes writing out my thoughts helps me with my decision making process.

I'm on the edge of getting a new "toy" camera. Since the introduction of the Panny LX100 I thought I was pretty much set on that one. All the great manual controls, seemingly great lens, and at the forefront of the compact camera with a m4/3 sensor. But the $900 price tag was really bothering me.

Then enter the Fuji x30. This camera trips a lot of triggers for me. Those great Fuji colors and white balance and their great refinement of their X-Trans sensor. But in my mind the Fuji would be a jpeg shooter when I am now primarily a raw shooter with my Pentax gear. This was addressed a couple posts above in this thread.

And the one thing I told myself my next camera would have - an articulating screen. Being I can't bend, squat, or get on the ground anymore an articulating screen is a must. While the x30 isn't a full articulating screen, the tilting screen would work well for me. I like to shoot a lot of close-up/macro type shots and now have to sit on a chair outside to get myself to the proper level. I've pretty much given up on my wildlife shooting because of having RA.

Yesterday was one of those bad RA days where I was chair bound. I have a great recliner in a room with a huge glass door that faces the mountains and river in my back yard. I have everything setup within arms reach to keep myself as busy as possible on days like this. One great thing is my new iPad Air which I got a couple months ago. I've only used it a little so far but got to dig into it yesterday. When we were talking about how good the jpegs are from the x30/x20/x10, I went and downloaded a few full size images from the web. Once I had them on my iPad I opened the photo app for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the editing function worked on it.

So after playing around with a few images, the thought came to me on how I would get the images from my camera to the iPad. My old Android tablet had an SD card slot - the iPad only has on proprietary port. Reeftool had suggested in the past of getting a card reader which would be fine. Then I went to take a close look at the 2 camera specs. I centered then on the WiFi capability of these cameras. I had thought that the WiFi simply meant I could transfer images to my computer over my home network. But then I saw the apps that both Panasonic and Fuji have available for their cameras and was happily surprised. Not only could I transfer pics directly from the camera to my iPad, I could remotely control the camera - how neat is that! Really showing my age and how lagged behind I am with the new technology I guess. At any rate, this was a huge positive step in my decision for a new camera.

Also to note here - I've been shooting raw for years with my Pentax cameras with fantastic results. I've been maintaining 3 pieces of software as I went along - Lightroom, Acdsee Pro, and DxO Optics Pro. But at an annual upgrade rate of around $70 each it was getting too expensive. I did not upgrade Lightroom last year, and opted not to upgrade Acdsee Pro this year. All this comes into play with thinking about the Fuji and the great jpegs. I just proved to myself yesterday that I can take a good image and tweak it like I want on my iPad at no extra cost to me. Another big plus in the decision. Also I know if I bought the LX100 I would want to shoot raw but that would force me to upgrade one of those software applications at another $70.

And one other thing when comparing the two cameras I noticed. Since I have to use a tripod almost all the time now with my Pentax gear as I just can't hold it anymore, I can see myself also using a tripod quite a bit with a compact camera. One striking difference I found is the LX100 has the tripod mount centered under the body which is good, but it blocks the battery/SD card door. The Fuji tripod mount is offset where you can access the door.

So with all that rambling, it looks like I am leaning toward the x30. Another thought that came to mind is I can see Panny upgrading the LX100 within a year or so and then having the articulating screen which I really must have. That would really upset me.

[Rupert]

Stan.....I've been shooting my X20 for the past week in the range of the LX100 to see how I might adjust to the shorter range. Not well, not well at all. I am a zoom shooter and the more the better....the X20 is too short , but still way better than the LX100.

That's one factor, for me anyhow, maybe not for others. Most of the other X30 features do not attract me, like WIFI, tilting screen, and the EVF. Still, knowing the X10/X20 as I do...... having both for the past couple years, if I was buying a new small camera it would be the X30. The IQ is going to be at least as good as my X20...or better, and the build quality is better than any other small camera out there. The better it feels in your hands the more you will use it....it does make a difference.

There are lots of new choices out there, which gives us all a chance to get the features we desire the most. Can't help but be happy about that!
As for my own personal needs, I have to be realistic. Other than shooting handsome squirrels (My K5 & Bigma does fine for me!) most of my shots are keepsakes and memory shots. Lots of Toy Cameras excel in this arena, so it is just a matter of finding the one that is right for you. I am definitely biased toward the Fuji X cameras, but here on the Toy Camera Thread I see lots of great results from many different brands, so there is no bias in the results, they all look good to me! One reason is because I can see them.....they were actually shot because a Toy Camera can almost always be with you, unlike a big bulky DSLR and a 50# bag of lenses!

Regards!

BTW I have to believe that my constant plugging for Fuji X cameras has resulted in some converts, but it has done me no good with Fuji. When I wrote and told them that you might buy an X30, they offered to send me a bowling ball and 20 free bowling lessons if I would stop posting my Fuji shots!

How could they not like this old X10 shot?


One more thing you addressed...comparison cost of the products when choosing a camera.

I shot these in my little studio in 2013.

This was with my K5 and DA* 50-135....a combined cost of around $2500.


At the same session I shot this one with my $500 Fuji X10.


For my eyes I'll take the Fuji shot and save $2K!
Ava's Granny wanted the Fuji shot 8X10....how did it print? Every bit as good as the K5 shot! Granny apparently isn't a pixel peeper and didn't demand to see both photos at 400% resolution....I bet most Grannies are like her!

Regards again, and happy shooting with the X30, you're going to love it!

Long live Toy Cameras...ALL Brands...Gotta love them!

[Clarkey]

Some thoughts from my rambling mind this morning.... snip

Some good thoughts in there.
I do believe that the cost of some of the "toy" cameras is getting rather ridiculous, and frankly, I think the Pentax Q was one of the instigators of the $500+ "toy" camera.

While I love viewfinders (and these days I'm happy to use either an OVF or EVF type), my now departed NEX-5n taught me that the view camera approach offered by a good tilting (and preferably touch sensitive) screen on a tripod was the way to go for static or studio work. Add the connection through WiFi either inside, or outside the camera, and you have a lot of power over how the image will appear before you load your card up with images. Especially when you are using polarizers, or grad filter setups. It's also a boon for video work (not that I personally have a history with that).

Your other comments around taking SD cards and batteries out are also valid. I have a non-standard Benro plate, and having to unscrew the base of that is rather annoying.
Finally, i'm of two minds with respect to raw processing. I have found that in the last couple of years, that all of the brands have gotten much better with WB performance and the appearance of the image in Jpg. The difference in RAW still (for me) resides in the DR (ISO 80 on the K-5IIs is wonderful, and the Fuji at DR 200 @ ISO 200 is not that far behind) and the sharpening algorithms look coarse in comparison to the rest of the image.

There is no bad decision here, there are simple, or more complex ones. If you are happy with the Jpg approach, you can buy an X30, connect and control with wireless, and get a very simple workflow (with more time for pictures!). If you enjoy the raw processing element (also valid), you might be looking at two or three pieces to the puzzle. Personally, I am always looking at printing selected images, and find that LR provides me some excellent output controls. LR also lets me link my Flickr account.

[stormtech]

Thank you for your comments Rupert and Clarkey!

[AldaCZ]

I wanted the X10 but I was scared off by the infamous orb issue and get a Canon G12...but I was't scarred off by Pentax

Is this the future of the photography? I feel as a Dinosaur.. But a Mirrorless which would show you the name of the mountain in it's finder..would help you to locate the best place during the golden hour...I just wonder what the future brings, but the trend is here.

[paulh]

Taken with the Canon p&s while walking the dogs in the woods yesterday -

[Clarkey]

I wanted the X10 but I was scared off by the infamous orb issue and get a Canon G12...but I was't scarred off by Pentax

Is this the future of the photography? I feel as a Dinosaur.. But a Mirrorless which would show you the name of the mountain in it's finder..would help you to locate the best place during the golden hour...I just wonder what the future brings, but the trend is here.

Not quite - although personally, I think phones will become their own standard, and be perfectly pleasant things to shoot with. I use mine for evidence recording for work fairly often (although my F600 is still faster and gives better results). I suspect that connected devices (e.g., the glass thingy) already offer the identification feature.

Dinosaurs - no. And based on the resurgence of film interest, maybe even "hip".

[Rupert]

I have no problem with phone shots, some of them are really good! However, I am not a phone person so a camera is a better device for my use. I almost always carry my X20, but seldom carry my phone. Maybe that is "Dinosaurish" ?

Looking back on my relatively brief history with cameras, starting with an Oly C720, there have been enormous changes and improvements. The small cameras have advanced as well as the bigger ones. Looks like the future is bright all the way around!

Regards!


Shot this down at the local Convenience Store a couple of years ago...the kid was interested in my new X10 at the time. He said he was his schools "class photographer" I asked him what camera he used and he pulled out his cell phone. It's a different world out there nowadays!

[skankin_giant]

and the grip of my X20, but maybe not?
Regards!

Rupert, I found the X30 quite nice to hold, found the new grip and extra bult made it sit better in my hand.

Cheers, Steve

---------- Post added 10-26-14 at 05:26 PM ----------

I wanted the X10 but I was scared off by the infamous orb issue and get a Canon G12...but I was't scarred off by Pentax

Is this the future of the photography? I feel as a Dinosaur.. But a Mirrorless which would show you the name of the mountain in it's finder..would help you to locate the best place during the golden hour...I just wonder what the future brings, but the trend is here.

I've hand a 2nd hand X10 now for about 2 years and never had this issue crop up, TBH I was that tempted by the X10 that I thought it was worth the risk 2nd hand.

Cheers, Steve

[Rupert]

I've hand a 2nd hand X10 now for about 2 years and never had this issue crop up, TBH I was that tempted by the X10 that I thought it was worth the risk 2nd hand.

I never had the orb issue on my X10 either, though did find I could force it if I tried hard enough, but then only in very limited circumstances. I always wondered if this was only in some X10 cameras or if it was only with some X10 users that did force it??

Regards!

[paulh]

My phone has some of the worst IQ ever, but it works in a pinch...