Fuji X100 or something else?

[EvilYoda]

So I've wanted to buy a new camera for quite some time now and the X100 has always caught my eye. I handled one a few months ago and it obviously has a bit of a learning curve but I love the image quality.

That said, here's where I'm coming from: I travel extensively both for work and leisure and this summer will be hitting Paris, London, and Copenhagen for vacation. Later this year or next year I'll hopefully be in Australia and Asia again. Aesthetically, I'm more drawn to street photography as opposed to large expansive shots. It fits with how I travel - I've done it so much that I like to blend in as much as possible and see how the locals live.

Buuuut, due to the amount of traveling I do, I don't want a traditional SLR due to size and weight. Is there an ILC that you'd suggest/prefer in the same price range as a used/cheap-old-stock X100? (Say, sub-$800) Or, if you're experienced in the category, maybe there's a Nikon/Ricoh/etc that you would recommend.

Thanks!

 

[CuriousMike]

I see the Fujifilm X-M1 mentioned a lot when reading reviews of misc. cameras.

 

[Syborg1211]

I have an X100S and really enjoy it. The main drawback of it is the fixed lens. It's in this middle focal length area that's not wide enough for landscapes and not zoomed enough for portraits. It does fit street photography quite well though as you mentioned.

What camera are you currently using? How familiar are you with manual controls, focus points, and autoexposure/exposure compensation? The X100 doesn't really have any preset modes like traditional DSLRs. I would definitely not recommend it for someone not at least partially familiar with how to use a camera other than pressing the shutter button.

Something like an RX100 might be a better fit. It has a better sensor than any point and shoot you can buy and also offers access to manual controls but doesn't force you to use them. It's a great "gateway camera." Check it out.

 

[EvilYoda]

The reason why I mentioned the size of an SLR is I've had a few Canon bodies in the past but I haven't shot with anything other than my Canon S100 or my phone in a few years due purely to size restraints. Sometimes I'm on the road for weeks or months at a time and I barely have enough clothes let alone room for a body, a charger, 3 lenses, a flash, etc.

The RX100 is a unit I've looked into in the past, I'm mostly wondering if there's anything along the lines of the X100 that I should consider (or the aforementioned ILC...but that still worries me due to the inherent additional lenses).

 

[blastingcap]

RX100 M2 all the way. More portable than any ILC and more than enough for street photography. Even in dim light indoors, it will do about as well as a typical APS-C DSLR + kit lens.

ILCs, especially big ones = you aren't gonna blend in with the natives. Even the ILCs with small bodies may have big lenses, and most people act weirdly when they see a big lens pointed at them.

 

[dma0991]

You could try a Sony NEX-6. Its compact, has an APS-C sized sensor, EVF and you can interchange lens using Sony E mount or any lens type (with some downside) using an adapter. But, I'll still choose the Fujifilm X100s or its successor. The Fujifilm X100s gets my vote every time. :thumbsup:

 

[zerogear]

I'm personally thinking about getting the X-T1

 

[EvilYoda]

Thanks for the input...didn't know the RX100 had a new model, I'll read some reviews.