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As fixed lens camera`s go the Fuji X-S1 is probably the best.
Weather sealed like the EM5
Has a great lens
And can manage 7 fps at full resolution.
Built for snow and bad weather
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-fuji-x-s1-exr-black-digital-camera/p1528408
Quote: I've been using my EM-5 + olympus 75-300 for shooting Sail-board action quite successfully. The main thing I have had to get used to is the difference in using an EVF vs an optical viewfinder when shooting toward the sun. I maximised the brightness and now find that I can manage very well
A lot of people complain that, when using the Sony SLTs in bright light, the EVF is dim. The reason for this is that the EVF is showing the picture you're going to get - it's not reflecting the bright conditions. So if your eyes are accustomed to the bright light the viewfinder will look dim. However, they're using the default setting of the EVF. You can set it up with "effects off" and in this mode it will just behave like an OVF and show the actual brightness of the scene - so in the dark it'll be dark and in the sunshine it'll be bright. I mention this because lots of people who buy the SLTs are unaware of this (never read the manual) so maybe the same feature is available on the Olympus.
One drawback I can see with the EVF is that there is a potential danger of damage to the sensor when shooting into the sun - this is one (possibly the only) case where the OVF wins because the sensor is only exposed to the sun while the photo is being taken.
Quote: As fixed lens camera`s go the Fuji X-S1 is probably the best.
Looks quite large to me, wonder how pocketable it would be. Not a big fan of bridge cameras but the 643mm zoom is very impressive tho! Reckon for going that distance I would want to go with an SLR tho.
The RX100 looks to be around the same size as the Canon S100, and has a 1" sensor with 20mp, going up to f1.8 at the wide end, and weights a quarter of the X-S1 . The X-S1 is 2/3" and 12mp hitting f2.8 wide. The RX100 is truly jeans pocket material, and with stats like that puts it way beyond any other camera on the market presently in terms of overall usability and performance, from what I can see.
Quote: Not a big fan of bridge cameras
Nor am I and I've owned 3 of them.
Just to say Sony RX100 is 36mm thick compared to 26mm of a Canon S100, so I'm unsure how 'jeans-pocketable' it would be - unless you have very baggy jeans.
At £549 it's pretty pricey for what it offers, IMO (i.e. fixed zoom 28-100 FF equiv)
Quote: Fuji X-S1
Its about the same weight as a small dslr + medium telephoto so not pocketable.
What it has going for it is its great solid built, weather sealing, great lens and sensor, good frame rate, a decent evf, and nice chunky controls.
I successfully used the OM-D at Laguna Seca for the ALMS race, and at Goodwod Festival of Speed.
I've discovered a few shortcomings, and a few tips.
Half-pressing and panning either in C-AF or C-AF [TR] mode was not successful with firmware 1.1
Focussing while zooming doesn't work, the camera stops shooting until you stop zooming.
Configure AF priority not shutter priority if you want to be sure the AF has worked ![]()
Set the EVF to high speed, and increase the contrast to +1 for fastest AF.
Don't use the highest burst speed for tracking shots, because that uses S-AF and won't refocus between shots.
If you are shooting just one image, use S-AF and do not half press, just mash the shutter button and trust the AF.
Surprisingly that got me better results than continuous or tracking, with half-press and pan or without half press.
Check your lens firmware is up to date.
All my Panasonic lenses needed upgrading, and one didn't upgrade on the OM-D body, it had to be upgraded on my GH-1.
It makes a difference to performance.
For longest battery life, turn off the LCD and use the EVF, with auto-switching on the eye detect.
Don't forget that if you're wearing a nice light shirt then that will trigger the eye detect.
Heavy lenses tilting the body down are a good thing there, stops accidental powering on.
Get the HLD-6 and use the power battery holder as well as the secondary grip.
Set the PBH as the priority power source, so that when the holder battery runs out you don't lose shots.
You can then replace the battery at leisure - as soon as the PBH disappears form beside the battery symbol.
Much easier if you're working on a tripod or monopod as the PBH battery door is accessible.
Beware when using 3rd party batteries, I've had some that are too thick and don't slide out of the PBH.
Not only that but the PBH is not totally rigid and can distort, making the hole not square and jamming the battery inside.
I had to sand down the cheap clone battery cases to make them fit properly accounting for the weight on a monopod.
You don't to find that out at the last minute on a shoot !
Burst mode is not an easy way to shoot, as the screen goes blank between shots your panning is guess and hope.
Or if you're good, it's skill and experience.
I wish I'd not been learning the way the cars speed through the corkscrew with the OM-D.
But when the battery went flat, I had to go back to the GH-1 and that was awful in comparison, really appalling.
You might wonder why I wasn't using my Canon 1DSmkII or 1DmkIIN and white lenses.
Simply I can't lift them.
I'm recovering from surgery and there's no way I can manipulate the 6.6lb or 5.4lb of pro body and lens.
That's the reason I looked to the OM-D, and it's worked.
I can shoot sports again.
Interesting feedback Paul, hope you get over your operation soon. I have tried a few cameras and would swear that on many dropping from the fastest frame rate makes AF work better. I wonder why the half press on single shot is not as good?
Quote: One drawback I can see with the EVF is that there is a potential danger of damage to the sensor when shooting into the sun - this is one (possibly the only) case where the OVF wins because the sensor is only exposed to the sun while the photo is being taken.
I would rather damage the sensor than an eye myself, because if the light is strong enough to damage a sensor get worried about your eye in an optical viewfinder. On evf's I have tried so far, the optical finder unfortunately still has greater dynamic range, faster responses to moving from light to dark and shorter blanking periods and shorter data lag. Is this still true with this camera?
Another item I would like to understand is how the EVf responds and do have a couple of settings. For example outdoors you may well want it to display as you meter so you can see gross exposure error but if you are working with flash as the dominant source you may well want it to auto gain so you can underexpose from ambient light or work from modelling lights to compose the shot in a studio. As I get more curious about this camera do you have those options for the EVF?
useful input Paul, I had to sand down one of my two "clone" batteries too but other than that they seem to work well and last nearly as many shots as the pukka version (and they are at least available!)
A good tip on the use of +1 contrast for faster AF, I'll give that a go.
I'm finding that the thumbwheel screw attaching the battery grip tends to loosen itself with time, have you seen this?
Quote: For example outdoors you may well want it to display as you meter so you can see gross exposure error but if you are working with flash as the dominant source you may well want it to auto gain so you can underexpose from ambient light or work from modelling lights to compose the shot in a studio. As I get more curious about this camera do you have those options for the EVF?
John, if I understand your question propery the answer is yes. The EVF can be set to display the exposure as the sensor sees it so that you can correct for any exposure errors in real time whilst in the studio, setting Live View Boost (think thats the correct name) allows you to set the EVF to a fixed level of brightness letting you compose using modelling lights without any problems at all.
My experience / feeling is that using the EVF in normal mode (where it shows the metered image) slows down AF so I tend not to use it except for static scenes where exposure is tricky. Don't know if anyone else is seeing this or if its my imagination playing up again? ![]()
I haven't had any problems with loosening screws yet.
But I don't plan mounting this on the car for track shots.
I did that with a Canon 20D and grip, and it vibrated and unscrewed itself, the grip staying on the culmann sucker mount and the body coming off :o
I used the camera strap as a safety strap and had that firmly anchored inside the car so I didn't lose the camera, that would have caused a yellow/red flag which would be a Very Bad Thing (TM).
Quote: Another item I would like to understand is how the EVf responds and do have a couple of settings. For example outdoors you may well want it to display as you meter so you can see gross exposure error but if you are working with flash as the dominant source you may well want it to auto gain so you can underexpose from ambient light or work from modelling lights to compose the shot in a studio. As I get more curious about this camera do you have those options for the EVF?
Here you go John, the Live bulb feature ![]()
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz4g-MFW_t8
I can see positive advantages if you use flash.
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