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X100 - Un-intuitive?

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mark3000

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This thing is really frustrating me. I use Canon 5D's professionally and haven't really had to look at the manual at all. If only the same were true for this X100.

I've never had to ask what some may deem trivial questions before but, even after trawling the manual, I still can't seem to work some things out. Program Shift. Does it work? Do I have to be in a particular configuration? According to p.23 of the manual, provided shutter and aperture are in "A", I am in Program Mode. So far so good. However, no matter how I twiddle the awkward Command Control and eventually get it to physically move, the displayed shutter speed and aperture just won't change (although I do get a beep). The Command Dial won't program shift either.

Secondly, after trying to customise the "Display Custom Setting" options, the level finder disappeared from the OVF/EVF and, even though I've now reselected every option to be displayed in every mode, it won't reappear (neither, for that matter, will the gridlines)

Finally, and as an aside, what was with the convoluted Firmware update process? Transfer Firmware to memory card, put card in camera, update Firmware. Done. Why did I have to download a transfer program (that I ended up not using), click on an agreement to actually display the files, even though the long-winded description never actually told you to do this, and trawl through a mass of gibberish?

There may very well be simple explanations but, the mere fact that I don't seem to be able to figure these things out for myself, tell me things are far more complicated than they need to be.
--
Mark

http://www.lucasphotography.co.uk
 
I don't shoot in program mode but I did read that for some unknown reason you need to turn off Auto ISO. I think this is a bug.

On the level, double check what display mode you are in.

Yes, firmware instructions were pretty confusing for something that can be more simply accomplished.
--
terry
 
Just got my X100 and while I love the camera, it does seem to have lots of little "quirks"! I'm also a 5D user. Things I've discovered:

You can't have ISO 100/12800 if you're in RAW mode.

Can't switch to the OVF if the lens is focused close enough to be in macro mode, unless you're also in manual focus mode.

You get a bright "haze" from the EVF backlight if OVF power saving mode is switched on while composing photos.

I wish it wouldn't remember different ISO settings for P, Av, Sp and M modes - that's something I find quite unhelpful.

Histogram doesn't seem to work in OVF mode if you have OVF power saving on.

It won't display the fact that you're in auto white balance mode.

The manual might as well not be there for all the good it does - it doesn't mention this stuff. Also, what is with the "some assembly required" battery charger? If I lose that little piece of plastic that holds the battery in place, trying to charge could get entertaining. I'm considering glue.

Despite the battery being keyed, it's quite easy to accidentally insert it the wrong way round.

Onto your specific query - at the risk of asking the obvious, did you press DISP/BACK to activate custom display mode?

Having said all that, I absolutely love the camera - got it yesterday and for all the weirdness of the firmware, which seems to have been designed by a space alien which vaguely heard about photography, but never actually used a camera, as an actual photo taking device it's truly superb!
 
Just a few notes:

a) make sure to get FW 1.01

b) I don't think Program Shift is working at all (yet)

c) You need to switch the display mode using the DISP button to the setting [C] (customized). You can do this only if the view mode you want to change is active. So you need to actually look through the viewfinder to change the EVF and OVF mode to the [C] mode.

d) ISO 100 and 128000 does not really make sense in RAW mode. Those modes work just digitally (making image brighter/darker). The in-camara RAW processor has a Push/Pull option for this.

e) instead of using a DR setting other than 100 I would suggest to use RAW and underexpose the image. This gives you a DR enhancement regardless of the selected ISO.

f) don't miss the in camera JPEG engine. It is very capable. To me the resolution is on par to LR 3.4. (the included Silkypix does not produce the same, high resolution)
 
luchs said:
Just a few notes:

a) make sure to get FW 1.01
Click to expand...
Got it
luchs said:
b) I don't think Program Shift is working at all (yet)
Click to expand...
Don't know if that's a relief or not! I'm not the only one scratching my head but that's not really acceptable in a £100 camera, let alone a £1000 one.
luchs said:
c) You need to switch the display mode using the DISP button to the setting [C] (customized). You can do this only if the view mode you want to change is active. So you need to actually look through the viewfinder to change the EVF and OVF mode to the [C] mode.
Click to expand...
Bingo! Thanks for that. These are things that should be explained clearly in the manual instead of having to post in a forum.

Something that's always troubled me about product design is how some things get released to the public. For example: a motor manufacturer may spend £500million developing a new model, racking up millions of km in testing and then, every car reviewer in the world will say "great car, but I couldn't reach the knob to turn the radio on". Surely the hundreds of people involved in the design and testing would have noticed the same thing? Similarly, how many Fuji engineers must have wanted to smash the camera in frustration at trying to twiddle either the Command Control or Command Dial or press the ridiculous "Menu/Ok" button? Why was it released like that? Similarly, everybody, and I mean everybody , knows that, in this day and age, you don't produce a battery that will fit in any which way.

--
Mark

http://www.lucasphotography.co.uk
 
mark3000 said:
luchs said:
b) I don't think Program Shift is working at all (yet)
Click to expand...
Don't know if that's a relief or not! I'm not the only one scratching my head but that's not really acceptable in a £100 camera, let alone a £1000 one.
Click to expand...
Turn the dial a lot , as in a couple of full turns. Ignore the frantic beeping. It should start to program shift. I don't know why it has so many "false starts" though.
 
Aspidistra said:
mark3000 said:
luchs said:
b) I don't think Program Shift is working at all (yet)
Click to expand...
Don't know if that's a relief or not! I'm not the only one scratching my head but that's not really acceptable in a £100 camera, let alone a £1000 one.
Click to expand...
Turn the dial a lot , as in a couple of full turns. Ignore the frantic beeping. It should start to program shift. I don't know why it has so many "false starts" though.
Click to expand...
Nope. Doesn't do anything. Do I have to have to maintain a half shutter depression as well? That wheel's hard enough to turn as it is! (I have tried this, btw, and it still doesn't do anything).
--
Mark

http://www.lucasphotography.co.uk
 
Nope, all I'm doing is turning that wheel. The moment I do the aperture and shutter speed turn yellow in the display. Is this not what you are seeing?
 
TBH the initial love for the camera is starting to wear off. I so want to love it but I'm close to giving up. This firmware is beyond a joke.

I've discovered a forum dedicated to the X100 and it would seem that I am definitely not alone regarding the Program Shift. However, why would it work on some cameras and not others?
--
Mark

http://www.lucasphotography.co.uk
 
Program shift is not working for me either - but actually I cannot remember to have really used it the last 12 years in any camera.

In the beginning I also was not so sure about the camera and if I should keep it. But after a while I don't want to miss it. With FW 1.01 it has become a lot better and the things I miss are rather small, and silly things, such as the MAKRO ans AUTO ISO selector.

I don't know a camera which doesnt have some problems. The D700 for example is wonderful, but is is so heavy and requires really expensive (even more heavy) lenses and its live view feature is poor. Many things I did with the D700 I can now do with the X100. Some of the things I could not do with the D700 that easily.

The NEX 5 is nice, but the Vidoe button is hit so easily. The kit lens and the expected 24mm lens are quite big. And it produces a loud and unattactive shutter sound.

Give it time.
 
mark3000 said:
TEBnewyork said:
Make sure you've turned it on in OVF and/or EVF there are separate controls.
--
terry
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Terry,

Thanks but, as explained above, I've reselected every option there is in the hope of getting the level / gridlines back in the viewfinder.

--
Mark

http://www.lucasphotography.co.uk
Click to expand...
In camera mode, press the "Display" button located the back of the camera.
--
Tim J.Y. Chong

'Photography is bringing order out of chaos.' - Ansel Adams
 
Aspidistra said:
You can't have ISO 100/12800 if you're in RAW mode.
Click to expand...
I think that's because they aren't native ISO settings but extended. Wouldn't make sense to have them in RAW.
Aspidistra said:
Can't switch to the OVF if the lens is focused close enough to be in macro mode, unless you're also in manual focus mode.
Click to expand...
Again this makes sense due to the parallax issue thats been discussed at length.
Aspidistra said:
You get a bright "haze" from the EVF backlight if OVF power saving mode is switched on while composing photos.
Click to expand...
dunno about that... got a spare battery instead :)
Aspidistra said:
I wish it wouldn't remember different ISO settings for P, Av, Sp and M modes - that's something I find quite unhelpful.
Click to expand...
Agree
Aspidistra said:
Histogram doesn't seem to work in OVF mode if you have OVF power saving on.

It won't display the fact that you're in auto white balance mode.

The manual might as well not be there for all the good it does - it doesn't mention this stuff. Also, what is with the "some assembly required" battery charger? If I lose that little piece of plastic that holds the battery in place, trying to charge could get entertaining. I'm considering glue.

Despite the battery being keyed, it's quite easy to accidentally insert it the wrong way round.
Click to expand...
Yes, but it doesn't take a genius to work it out ;)
Aspidistra said:
Having said all that, I absolutely love the camera
Click to expand...
Me too
Aspidistra said:
  • got it yesterday and for all the weirdness of the firmware, which seems to have been designed by a space alien which vaguely heard about photography, but never actually used a camera, as an actual photo taking device it's truly superb!
Click to expand...
I actually find most of it quite intuitive... the ones that really annoy are forgetting the drive mode when you press playback and not having Auto ISO on the ISO selection menu. It drives me mad having to dig in to turn that on/off.

Kind regards,
Alistair

--

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twonker/
 
luchs said:
Program shift is not working for me either - but actually I cannot remember to have really used it the last 12 years in any camera.
Click to expand...
I've never used it either, but if it's a function that should work, then it should work. It's just one of a number of annoyances that are making me fall out of love with the camera before I've even had a really good workout with it.
--
Mark

http://www.lucasphotography.co.uk
 
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