The Fuji X100s in Hong Kong by Jose Tan

March 14, 2013 First Looks, Fuji, Guest Post 92

The Fuji X100s in Hong Kong by Jose Tan

Hi Steve,

José here from Hong Kong again. Hope all is well and herewith is my first experience with the X100s on the streets of Hong Kong. A friend went to Tokyo recently and it dawned on me that the X100s had been launched there already. Thanks to his efforts, I am one proud owner of probably Fuji’s best camera to date IMHO. Shops here in Hong Kong are only taking pre-orders right now so I’m probably one of lucky few to shoot with the X100s here first 🙂

Anyway, going to the cam, I cannot believe how fast the AF is even in low light. Probably as fast as my OMD and it is just a joy to shoot, especially street. The colors coming out of it are very pleasing to my eye and when looking at the files in Lightroom, they feel very “full-framish” with great micro detail and pop. Was not too happy before with the X100 or the X-Pro1 due to their sluggish performance and lag but Fuji really has hit a home run with the X100s and I guess I am third time lucky!

Attached are a few shots done in a couple of days, both in daylight and night-time. The color shots were shot in standard mode, in jpeg and tweaked a little bit in Lightroom, while the black and white ones were color jpegs converted in Silver Efex Pro.

Have a good day and thanks! 🙂

Best

José

https://www.facebook.com/joseetan.streetphotographer?sk=wall

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92 Comments

  1. Somebody know if is possible to get the fuji x100s in hong kong, is already on sale there? and where i can get it?

    I’m going to be there for 2 days ( friday and saturday) , it would help me a lot

    thanks

  3. I’ve had the X100s for 4 days and will be selling my RX1. IQ is equal if not better, the only advantage with the RX1 is a shallower DOF can be attained due to it being FF… This Fuji is the most complete camera I’ve ever used, only way to improve it would be a larger sensor, faster lens to attain that ‘POP”… if they follow this up with the XPRO-2, larger sensor, doesn’t need to be 35mm, the flange can output 32mm, Leica is in trouble.

    • X100s and RX1…I have been shooting both side by side. The X100s is faster and with great IQ but loses to the Sony in a few areas. One is the full frame sensor on the Sony is a better sensor, no question. Offers richer IQ in any lighting situation. The X100s is a little flatter in output but still very very good. At $2799 vs $1299 it will be hard for many to justify the RX1 but to those who want that shallower DOF and a richer file the RX1 will give you more than the X100s.The lens on the RX1 is also better when it comes to sharpness across the frame. At f/2 the RX1 beats the X100s easily in that regard, by f/4 the RX1 still beats the X100s.

      Still, that is not everything as critical sharpness is not needed to make a great photo.

      I think Fuji did a great job with the follow up to the X100 and have improved in substantially. Also, Fuji will not release an X-Pro 2 with a larger sensor..will still be APS-C as that is what all of their X lenses are designed for. If they ever do a FF sensor camera, they will need all new lenses to go with it. May be a while especially since they seem to be promoting that their APS-C equals full frame.

      • Hmmm… Lens is sharper, but the Fuji is good, not as good as the Zeiss. Sony sensor, more resolution and that’s all, not better… I prefer the color and tonal properties but that’s a personal thing (I only use RAW).

        As far as the larger sensor, they have said that they can not produce a FF sensor for the X-mount, but they can release a 31-32mm sensor as this is the flange coverage. 35mm was a standard because of processing, the machines etc, digital it doesn’t matter so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a new sensor size.

        I’m sure you know this but sensor quality is measured many ways, my eyes which are still good says low light, bright light, any light to 1600 is equal (haven’t gone over this), DR is as good as well…

        Anyway, both good camera, one is cheaper but that’s a budgeting concern, not a product concern (and one has a brilliant hybrid viewfinder and the other has an excuse to pay more money) but the shallower DOF is nice.

        • Hi Lincoln,

          Do you have any good samples from X100s to share, on flickr maybe? I’m torn between the two and I’m yet to be blown away by X100s image quality, however I find the RX1 IQ crazy enough to justify the extra one thousand euros.

          • Interesting shots. Too small to appreciate the level of detail, though but great nonetheless.

            I went through my Lightroom library yesterday and found that most of my best shots were still taken with DSLRs. I used to have a Canon 50D a while ago which still stands on its own after 5 or so years.

            One of my recent purchases was Nikon D600, my first full frame digital and compared to all other cameras I used, it just can’t be beaten.

            Unfortunately I had to sell it a few months ago as I needed money urgently. RX1 seems very close to D600 IQ-wise, as for X100s, I’m not so sure. I could buy the D600 again, it’s not a huge camera, however I would still prefer something portable I guess..

            Decisions, decisions..

          • @Alex: what did you think of the D600, and what lenses did you use with it?

            I understand the RX1, D600 and A99 share basically the same sensor, though there might be fine tuning for the particular camera in question, as well as different in-camera processing (even of raw files).

            I held the RX1 in my hands a few weeks ago. Fine camera, though the lack of a viewfinder is an issue and the price (let’s say 4000 USD once you’ve added all that you need) is unreal.

          • @Michiel:

            I thought it was a great camera. Mind you I’ve only had it for a couple of months though, so I’m thinking I barely scratched the surface. I had only one lens and it was a Nikon 50mm f/1.4G. I loved the look of the photographs, and I was completely amazed by overall sharpness and level of detail. I wished it felt more rugged and had more metal in it but that’s just nitpicking.

            The only real drawback is that I did get the oil/dust on the sensor issue after shooting less than 500 shots. I have not had a chance to service the camera as I have basically found the spots prior to selling the camera.

          • Yeah, not the best example and not my shots, card reader has gone illiterate but I’ll see if I can upload those photos this week.

            FF can’t be beaten for a shallow depth of field that you would definitely attain with the 50mm f/1.4G. So if that’s what you’re after, the X100s gives you a bit of “POP” but the RX1 would be a better option.

            One thing I’ll say about the X100s, for what it is, it’s perfect! Manual or Auto focus is as good as any, IQ and DR will give you a 16″ x 24″ print as good as any and the operation/controls are the best…. never have to leave your eye from the viewfinder.

            Tough choices but I will say that the price compared to anything close is incredible and it’s a lot of fun.

  4. Lovely pictures as always, Steve. I’m curious about the video quality from this camera. I have the x100 and the video is pretty terrible, esp. compared to what I’ve seen from the Sony RX100. I know you’re a still photographer primarily, but any chance you could put up some footage from this camera?

    • These are not my pics, they were shot by Jose 🙂

      But as for video and the X100s, I shot some yesterday. AF is turtle like with video and even missed my subject dead center of the frame. It can be shaky too. Video is still not a strong point. Lens motor is heard when it is struggling to AF and audio is so so. You can get great video but you need to use manual focus and have a tripod and external mic (which will be USB as there is no mini jack)

      • Ah yes my mistake! Thanks for the info though. It seems like the video on this camera is a total afterthought, which is a shame as the photos are so lovely, and both the Sony Rx1 and Leica seem to do a very nice job with video.

  5. Agh! This is so tricky. After my Leica X1 broke, giving me about a £900 insurance payment, I need to make a new purchase and all this discussion is so hard to interpret! The X100s is the leading candidate at the moment, but all the talk of OMD makes me think I should look at it. When I do, I just think it’s fugly 🙂 I could go back to an X1 (for a lower price 2nd hand, but with horrible AF & mediocre low light exposure capabilities, yet beautiful IQ) or I could go X100S with good AF, movie (which would be useful in my work) and a very decent viewfinder. I’m not convinced by the images yet though I know there are more filters to play with and I’m sure the lens if very good.

    I can spend about £1000 (UK), I will only own one camera, and while I love the idea of interchangeable primes, I’m note sure I can get the quality I’m after at 28mm – 90mm with the budget I’ve got. So the X10s is still in the lead. Are there any other cameras I should look at before I buy Steve?

    • OM-D is superb but only when used with the good primes (12, 17, 25, 45, 75) – It is good with the kit but shines with the primes! The X100s is a speed demon (in the Fuji world) and improved in every way over the X100 but we can not tell if the SAB issue will creep back or not. I doubt it because I can not imagine Fuji would want to deal with repairing them all again. The X100s video is OK but I suggest tripod and manual focus only as it can not AF reliably or fast with video. OM-D video is killer IMO and I have shot many pro things with it that has never been shown. With the 12 or even a fisheye the video is fantastic from the OM-D. Not up there with dedicated video machines but very very good.

      • As good as both cameras are… for those of us who are picking one or the other due to whatever reason…

        I really do hope that you can hopefully do a full on detailed comparison video/review between these two cameras as it seems to be the most talked and compared.

        🙂

      • Thanks STeve. I’m not interested in kit lenses or zooms! I’m looking for high quality images and it’s ultimately all about the glass! Which would you go for – an OM-D with a few primes or the X100s?

        • For high quality images, I would go with the Fuji…That said, if you need more than one or two focal lengths, I would wait for the X-E2 or X-Pro 2, as you will have a choice between several focal lengths and some fantastic prime lenses. The larger sensor in the Fuji will give you about 1 stop more depth of field control, which will help you isolate subjects for shallower depth of field shots. I don’t like the feel or the design of the OM-D either, but that is just my opinion; and, I believe the image quality is better in the Fuji’s. I recommend checking out Zach Arias’s blog for his reviews of the X-Series cameras. He has been testing the X100s and he claims “it is the greatest camera [he] has owned”, which says a lot. And, you can see the potential in image quality in his photos, as he is a great photographer.

  6. I can remember taking my first ever pictures when I was about 7 years old with a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye that I bought out of my own savings; oh, sorry, I meant to start with the OMD. Well, having had many an Oly camera since the Brownie and being somewhat passionate about not having gigunda cameras at any time in my life, I am, once again, waiting. This time, it’s on somewhat of a bet that Oly will replace the OMD fairly soon, having no concrete idea what that time frame might be. It hinges on a comment I read within the last year, I think, from an Oly exec that they have concluded that their best 4/3 camera does not do full justice to their best lenses. If my assumption does not make an ass out of me, they are working on an OMD successor with significantly improved picture quality. I believe other improvements will be implemented but expect them to be relatively minor (evolutionary) as they really have iced the cake with the OMD’s capability. Now that Sony is in their bed, the results might even be better than otherwise. or worse, who knows??

    That being said, on a personal note I think the OMD is the ugliest camera Oly has ever made, bar none, noting that many will disagree. My favorite was my Oly Pen FT. I so hope they will not repeat this aesthetic retro failure. Fuji, on the other hand, does great retro; Oly, please take note.

    Does anyone have better information on the virtual Oly-OMD successor I am guessing at?

    Regards mike

  7. I’m starting to lose the will to live reading the endless drivel from people trying to justify their choice of camera, be thankful these days they are pretty much all damn good and that 99% of the time they will out-perform you or me! Rest assured the 100s will be a huge seller, Fuji are at the top of their game at the moment, no one can live with them in the market sector they target, that does not mean you have to buy or or give this bloke such a hard time over this brief review/first impression. Btw I don’t have a Fuji 100/100s or Olympus OMD! Thanks Jose for your time and efforts 🙂

  8. I have an X100s preordered, however I’m still on the fence. I am completely amazed by photographs taken by RX1 which are available on Flickr in abundance. However, I am still to see any really great X100s samples. I’ve seen some good examples but they were subject to extensive processing. What I’m eager to see are some clean OOC images which would show off great colours, buttery bokeh and high level of detail. There a a couple maybe on Flickr out of 300-something images. I am hoping this is just due to the fact that only a few people have the camera and they are just not good enough.

    • The IQ from the X100s is different than the X100. Think of it as an X-Pro 1 or E1 with a great lens mated to the sensor. I have seen some amazing jaw dropping X100s samples that are beyond my skill level (gorgeous wedding images) but the processing was very very heavy so the look in those are not what you get out of the camera. Nothing wrong with that at all but not everyone has PP skill.

      The Rx1 is gorgeous. I did not praise it as the best of 2012 for not reason. 🙂 It’s a hell of a camera and once you connect with it and know what it can do and what to expect it will reward you every time.

      X100s feels nice to shoot, is super fast, ISO is tops in class, extra features are nice and the EVF is as good as it gets with the new higher res and OVF. IQ though does not match the RX1 and I did not expect it to but the X100s is $1299 vs $2799 without EVF so all depends on what one wants in a camera.

      X100s is faster than the Sony RX1 but IQ does not meet the RX1 in any kind of light or situation. Still, the X100s is a super camera. Hard to go wrong for $1299.

      • Thank you, Steve this is very helpful. 🙂 I’m still leaning more to RX1 but I will wait for you X100s review before I make the final decision.

  10. So many of you are caught up in the technical aspects of the pictures because you all are wanting it to be better or worse than what you have now. Just sit back, appreciate the pictures for photography sake, not because they were shot with a new camera. Give the guy a break, he isn’t a Fuji rep.

    • Hey. hey mr. Wilkinson. I`m all for the merit of photos alone no matter what camera you take them with. My notice was based alone on his words ” Anyway, going to the cam, I cannot believe how fast the AF is even in low light. Probably as fast as my OMD and it is just a joy to shoot, especially street “, so don`t get too reactive.

  11. It would be great help if you posted some pictures with fast moving objects like a person walking or biking toward you. Static picts tell nothing about AF speed you praise your 100s.

  13. After all that praise for Fuji colors, I havn´t seen many photos with good color yet. I´m used to Canon and Oly colors and Fuji colors look (at least to me) too pale and just not accurate (or should I say pleasing?). Is that a matter of post processing or are Fuji colors really different – maybe some Fuji photographers just have different preferences and process their photos differently. I just havn´t seen the deep and saturated colors that I prefer from a Fuji camera yet – can someone explain the reason behind these “Fuji colors”?

    • Fuji colors…you can find these in the X100. With the X-Pro 1, X-E1 and now X100s they have changed a bit and to me, stray away from the Fuji colors of the S2, S3, S5 pro and the X100. So maybe like Leica, these are the new Fuji colors you are seeing.

      • Thank you Steve for your explanation. I was refering to the Fuji colors of the new x-trans sensor. But I didn´t want to criticize Jose´s pics. I woul like to thank Jose for posting these pictures to give us an impression of this very much anticipated camera.
        To me these x-trans photos just have a very distinct tonality. Look at the samples a fujifilm.com…
        Many seem to love this look – but I don´t shoot a lot people or B/W. So I guess these cameras are not for me…

        • Very nice shots !
          I own a Fuji Xpro, and I recognize the colors here easily as X sensor colors. I love them in many occasions, but I am also aware that Fuji JPEGs (no matter which film simulation you choose) use tricks to make them “pleasant” : the opposition of dominant yellow and blue (as in picture 3 and 5 here) is one of them, as well as the watery green in tainted windows. It is very nice, and impresses on city street photography, but…It starts sometimes to become tiring.
          Yes, they are the (new) Fuji colors, and I also tend to prefer the more subtle colors I saw in earlier X100 pictures. So it is a choice, but basically I think this shows what you get. It’s very pleasing in many situations – not in all.
          I still use my old Olympus EP-1 with 12mm, and love the rendering in natural light at low iso. I shot several days in a snowy countryside this winter with both cameras, and here the Olympus bet the Fuji in colors and WB, as no matter what corrections I tried to use with the Xpro, I could not get it right, there is a blue veil in almost all of the pictures. I almost never had to do compensations on the Olympus, and colors were mostly “right”.
          Still, I love the shots here and recognize the atmosphere of Tokyo streets.

  14. I hope ALL the skin tones are just due to the mixed lighting dodgy processing.
    Quote:”The colors coming out of it are very pleasing to my eye and when looking at the files in Lightroom, ”
    Why didn’t OP post SOOC Jpegs?
    The first picture is especially poor with some kind of pseudo-tonemap dynamic thing going on with the seated guy.

    • LR4.4 doesn’t do that good a job with the X100s raw files and the OOC jpegs with defaut settings isn’t good either

      if you take you time in LR4.4 can can get get results still

  15. The guy in the light jacket, smiling at the camera at night, has a sickly pallor. I really hope he’s not ill, though he looks it. Is that how the sensor reacts to mixed artificial lighting?

        • Probably due to noise reduction and the Xtrans sensor which has a way of doing these things in certain situations. I just saw that post and those X100s shots did not impress me so much. I can state with 1005 confidence that Fuji is not the new Leica 🙂 Ive been shooting the Leica M and Fuji X100s side by side non stop and the Fuji si fantastic and for the money a no brainer deal. But the M is a better camera that puts out better, richer and nicer files. The X100s files are a tad flat in comparison because you just can not replicate a full frame look from an APS-C.

          But I can also state the X100s is the best Fuji to date. Period. No contest IMO. At $1299 it should sell tons. The IQ is superb in most lighting but again, does not beat or match the Leica in use or in overall IQ.

          If it did it would be backordered for 2 years at the price it is at.

          I will have a side by side up with RX1 comparisons this week as well.

          • Thank you for your input Steve. I have read your comments on the X100S and the Leica x2. I can buy one of them now, which I would like to do for street photography. Discounting the price difference, and their inherent pros and cons, which would you recommend for the best IQ?

  17. I am an OM-D lover, having ditched my Nikon D3s system in favor of the weight, speed, lenses of for the m4/3 world and the OM-D. I have been passionate about it for 9+ months. But, before landing in Hong Kong, I had the concierge order me an X100s. I have a daughter that wants to get into photography, perhaps professionally, and I wanted a digital camera, that while being great in auto everything, also allows her to LEARN how to set aperture, shutter speed, +/-EV, ISO, with physical controls rather than rear LCD settings. I am on just day 2 with the fuji, and am truly amazed at this camera. I haven’t compared shots yet against the OM-D, and honestly, don’t intend to. they are 2 different cameras, with different intentions. IMO, the OM-D is the best m4/3 out there, and a strong reason to never buy another SLR. It is small, fast, great IQ, and already has an impressive array of lenses (I own, 12, 25, 45, 75, 12-35X, 35-100X), and believe that all of these lenses are better than the big Nikon beasts I used to carry around. If you want a small SLR – then the OM-D is fantastic. But there is something almost perfect about a 35mm equivalent, fixed lens rangefinder camera. i’ve just never been able to justify spending $12k for an M with 35… The fuji seems to fit that nitch extremely well.

    In sum? don’t choose between the OM-D and the fuji. they are different tools. the om-d is more versatile/extendable. the fuji? a perfect fixed lens companion…

    Oh, and for the briefcase? The sony RX100…

    • I’ve just asked my concierge to order one up for me. Street photography allows me to observe the proleteriate at play…

        • Funny? I beg to differ.I am the concierge and I reminded his lordship that buying toys for his children (whatever their professional status) was not in my job description. He thereupon struck me with his rather superior briefcase.

    • I too am coming from Nikon FF with multiple bodies and set of 2.8 zooms and 1.4 primes. I’ve sold it all to go with a lighter em-5 system. While I love the lighter weight and the IQ of the system, there is an IQ void that I miss from my FF gear that I just can’t seem to ignore; I miss the 3d quality rendering from shallower DOF, cleaner low light high iso files and the overall smoother look (I know this part is very subjective, but it is very real to me). And this void, I keep thinking can be filled with the Fuji APS-C X trans sensor cameras. I am just just not sure if I should get this X100s now, or wait for the next generation XE and build a complementary system around what I already have with em-5. I can definitely see myself wanting the XE with Kit zoom, and the 23mm 1.4 and the 10-24 zoom when they are released.

      • Heii, Nikomac, You should probably wait for the next generation XE then.
        If You are use to the rendering of F1.4 lenses, then going back to F2 on the X100S wont give You that feel easly. While it can and will, under some circumstances, it will be much harder to get there.

  18. re: omd vs x100s…whatever guys…this is purely my opinion based on owning and shooting both…take it with a grain of salt, YMMV…happy shooting to all 🙂

    • Jose:

      These are great photos. Thanks for the report. I’m still learning and having fun with my X100.

      Regards,

      H

      • Dear Jose,

        I know that the OMD is probably everything I need for my style of photography (zoom, high iso, good access to all setting, fst etc.)

        2 things I have a problem with:

        1. I don’t think it is beautiful
        2..it is too small

        No.1 I can handle (maybe I have to do some meditation) but No. 2 is more important.

        I am used to Nikon 5 100 and Leica V lux 3 (Pan FZ 150) and the OMD feels like a toy for small kids in my hand whe test shooting in a shop.

        Will I get used to this or is it realy anoying?

        I am 178 cm and a bit overweight but have slightly smaller hands than my body would implicate.

        BR
        Heiner

        • Hi Heiner,

          Have you tried it with the optional grip? I normally use it with the OMD but with the battery pack removed. I find it improves handling a lot…just my 0.02.

  19. I live here in Japan and have tested this beast out in store for a while now, it’s AF is not in the same ballpark as OMD, i’m sorry, I don’t want to be a downer as I think this is a great little cam and i’m somewhat considering it but I tested this very thing over and over, perhaps in good light? But in a camera store the OMD clearly beats it by a mile.

    I am no fanboy of Olympus either, decided against the OMD and don’t regret that, also to say the photo’s look “full-frameish” hmm it’s just weird to say that, I feel like you’re riding the high that purchasing a new camera gives you, most of the time determining between full frame and APS-C is either done by limited DOF being the give away, or larger print sizes, perhaps there is a little more leeway in PP with FF as well but the viewer wouldn’t notice this.

    Hate to be negative but I just wanted to point out it’s AF is much improved but not in OMD’s territory.

    • hi will,

      have shot both the OMD and x100s out in the streets under varying conditions and that is what I have experienced regarding AF, haven’t shot those two in a shop though so we may both be right

      my “full framish” comment is solely based on the micro detail I am seeing in the files as compared to the FF D700 and M9P which I have both shot with for quite some time, sorry for the confusion, cheers 🙂

    • I’m in Japan too and totally agree. in fact the OMD takes quite a bit of beating in lots of areas (except for the ridiculously complex menus).
      i couldn’t care less about sensors and pixel counts but the look of the image is important to me.
      I’ve bought Fuji’s in the past. They always seem to promise a lot but when I looked at the results the images always seemed ‘flat’ and lacking in depth to me.To be honest even my last century Leica CL gives nicer images on film.

      • I am wondering why so many feel the OM-D has complex menus. It is a set it one time and forget it camera. After that you have simple button presses to get what you want. I think there are many who use the OM-D in a way that makes it more complicated. For example, I would suggest for anyone to NOT use the SCP but instead the easy quick overlay menu to change whatever they want in a few seconds. The OM-D is one of the most simple cameras ever once set up.

  20. Interesting article on the new Fuji X100S! Ironically, I am debating on the X100S and the Olympus OM-D, both of which you have in your possession. I would like a more detailed explanation of the differences in image quality, particularly sharpness and detail. I realize that both Fuji and Olympus make some superb glass, but I also wonder if Fuji addressed the banding/edge artifacts I’ve heard reported from the X-sensors.

  21. Jose thankyou for the post and feedback on the x100s. The low light capability looks impressive.

    Unfortunately based purely on these images I would not say the files of this will blow the OMD away. They just seem to be too over processed to make that call.

  22. these pics give very poor representation of the camera, very poor and dull colours for my taste , why cant people just use the OOC pics…

  23. Nice! By all reports so far, the X100S’ AF seems to finally have brought Fuji’s AF up to par with its m4/3 counterparts. Can’t wait to see how the AF will be on the Xpro2 and XE2.

    • I’m waiting on the next versions of those two cameras before I buy into the X series system. I think that once they get the guts updated in the Pro1 and E1 I will jump on board and start buying into it. The updated Pro2 or E2 with a some pancake lenses would be awesome.

  24. As it seems you’re owing the OMD and the Fuji x100s, how do you feel comparison in terms of IQ and noise at high ISO. I hesitate to buy an x100s in complement of the OMD (will the X100s bring something better ?). Thank you for your opinion.

    • hi alex,

      the omd’s files are no match for the x100s ones…can’t blame it really due to the size of its sensor. hope this helps 🙂

      • The OMD IQ is brilliant! Great camera! I am not sure hoe yo make your claim that the Fuji is Bette than OMD. The OMD beat out the Nikon D 800 and other big boys like the M9, especially at high ISO. I also own M8 and D800 and like the OMD best.

        • I own a D700 and used to have an X-E1. X-E1 just blew me away with excellent IQ. Sadly, the AF was pathetic and because of positive comments on OM-D like this one, I traded the X-E1 for an OM-D.
          While it is good, it is nothing compared to the X-E1. Truly, I am disheartened by the IQ of the OM-D in spite of using best 4/3 glass like 45 1.8, 75 1.8 and even a few Leica glass. I will have to wait for X-E2 or XP2 when Fuji releases Phase detection AF in these models so I can trade my OM-D for the next Fuji iteration.

        • Wait a minute there… What are you smoking when you are comparing the em-5 and d800’s IQ? I own both cameras and while em-5 renders excellent iq for its size and weight, it’s not remotely a close race where pure iq is concerned. The d800’s dynamic range, high iso perfomance, and overall detail retention and smoothness of the image is far superior to em-5. Come on now, have you really owned and used a d800 with great glass in front of it using your best shoot discipline?

        • Yep I hope you are joking as well. OMD is a wonderful camera, but it definitely doesn’t compare to the D800, not even close. Even the old x100 had a slight advantage over the EM, (I had all of these cameras, so i am talking from experience).

          • Ive had the X100, own the OM-D and shot for a month with the D800. D800 wins easily in IQ (all areas of IQ) as long as you have a decent lens on the camera. I have used a D4 with a 50 1.8 that my OM-D beat in IQ so it all comes down to glass and what is on the camera. Ive also shot the old X100 side by side with the OM-D and for me the OM-D won not only in speed but had the edge in IQ and ISO as well. I have a post somewhere on the site shooting both at night and the OM-D has no issue shooting at 6400 at night. It all comes down to glass again. OM-D with 25 1.4 for example is tough to beat for most APS-C cameras. The new X100s is blazing but maybe not as fast as the OM-D in low light. IQ of the new Fuji is more like the X-Pro/X-E1 over the old X100 so while it has gained massive speed over the X100 it has changed it’s lIQ over the old X100 as well.

          • Steve, are you sure you had a lens on that D4 when you compared its iq to the OMD? Wasnt it just a hole in a body cap?

            When do you get your olympus paycheck in the mail?

          • I thought I said I had a 50 1.8 on the camera, so yea, I had a lens on 🙂 Shot with it for weeks and at the end of the day, I enjoyed my OM-D with my 12mm, 25 1.4 and 12-35 zoom I was testing at the time better. The 50 1.8 was not impressing me with the D4 though I loved it when I owned the D700 years ago. I saw nothing in the D4 images that I shot that made me want the camera. Add the size in and no way. The OM-D is fantastic. Those who trash it usually never really owned it or if they did they only tried it with a kit zoom. The OM-D shines only when used with lenses like the 12mm f2, 25 1.4, 45 1.8 and 75 1.8. It can go as high as ISO 6400 in low light just like the APS-C’s do. It has fantastic color and sharpness and detail is quite astonishing coming from that smaller sensor.

            I have plenty of crops to show this in my review (the airplane window view crop). The D4 with a great lens would no doubt beat the OM-D. My experience is only with the 50 1.8 and with that lens, I much preferred the files from my OM-D.

            As for your Olympus paycheck comment, sorry..they do not pay me (never received one single penny from any camera company in my life). Ijust state the facts from MY own experience. I have no agenda against Nikon or anyone, I love ALL camea companies just not all of their cameras, even Oly and Leica have dogs in the family. It is what it is.

          • “When do you get your olympus paycheck in the mail?”

            wow! it is a pretty offensive comment.

          • What are you smoking with your Oly love comments. 4/3 beats top APS-C X100. Just a smoke screen, I know. And try applying your critical methodology to Leica. bulsheet

        • Haha – that is hilarious! The OM-D does not come even close to the d800 in image quality or performance; and the image quality of the X-series cameras since the X-pro 1 is definitely superior, though performance has been an issue. Once Fuji introduces all of the lenses on its road map and they introduce the new sensor and features in the X100s in an interchangeable lens camera, there will be no need for smaller sensor cameras like the OM-D. Even my friend who switched from the X-pro 1 to the OM-D due to performance issues says that the image quality is not even close and he is waiting for the next-generation of X-Series cameras with better performance or something better, at which time he will switch back. Perhaps u are the type who buys a full frame camera with inferior glass…

        • In addition, the OM-D’s image quality is inferior to the 5D mkii, which is not even close to the D800. What the OM-D has provided is a small camera with decent image quality, a full set of good lenses, and some nice features. It is not even close to comparable to a full frame DSLR in image quality, so stop being silly!

          A couple of my friends have and love the OM-D for various reasons other than image quality; and, one of them used to use the 5D mkii. When he posts images from the 5D mkii it is evident from the image quality without looking at the details of which camera he used – the 5D images, which are inferior to the D800’s, are noticeably better than the OM-D’s, even with the small size of images on Flickr. So, enjoy your OM-D for what it is, but stop dreaming and feeding us nonsense!

          • Please don’t be so dogmatic. I had been using 5d2 for 2 years before moved to XE1- and E-PM2 (OM-D brother). All of them produce good images and they are just different animal.

            I usually shoot film. No professional film shooter says Hasselblad produce BETTER images than LEICA, just because Hasseys film size is LARGER. They are just different. Many professionals including me love tiny Yashica T4 for it’s image quality, and I know many love OM-D’s for its image quality.

        • I own XE1 and Panasonic 20mm 1.7. Recently I got used E-PM2 (smaller OMD) for almost nothing.

          Something that I didn’t expected is E-PM2/20mm files seem to be more favorable compared to XE-1 35mm. I’m still testing those 2 cameras…

  25. Nice photos…. but You have raised the clarity with ligthroom? Some images seem to be unreal?

    Im interested x100s

    Sorry for my bad english….

    • from one josé to another 🙂 yes, clarity levels were raised in LR4.4 slightly, still coming to learn the ins and outs of x100s files. yes, the pics seem unreal as is the camera! have a great day! 🙂

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