I had an opportunity to try an X100V

In 2017 I bought an X100F as I always wondered as to what that camera design - and the lens - was all about.

Took it to India but couldn't warm to it. IQ was ok, in a yeah/nah kind of way. Here are some of the  - in my opinion - better ones I took, but a lot of the images were a bit washed out with odd contrast, like this one:

The light was a challenge I found for the X100F, the contrast and rendering only so-so. But managed to get some ok shots:

Tried various film sims, brought up shadows a bit but didn't like any of my results

An ok shot I found.

The limitations of F2 at 35mm (FF). I wish they made an F1.4 version!

Not bad I thought at ISO8000

Shot taken at ISO12800. The area where I normally stay when in Delhi. Not bad as a b/w camera I thought.

But I also had the X-T20 with me and used the 50/2.0 a lot. In my opinion a much better lens optically:

X-T20 + 50/2: Long enough for an ok portrait focal length

And also long enough if you have an issue with rats. I don't.

And then, coming back to the X100V, I didn't have an opportunity to shoot that camera in India so the examples aren't particularly comparable. But for what it's worth, I felt like the lens was far more capable. Also when shooting close-up. Cotrast was also miles better than the X100F. Here are some images I took on the weekend.

Eski, our Siberian-Husky/German Sheperherd cross. No bribes were involved!

Bokeh also better, but what do I know??

Again: no bribes.

As a little comparison, here is a photo taken with the SONY A7C and the Überflieger Zeiss Batis 40/2:

Double the price of the X100V without having caclulated this properly, the rendering certainly is different. But imo the X100V holds up nicely. A lot of the rendering is in the lens, the 40mm Batis not that far off the X100V's 35mm.

Now, coming back to my suggestion regarding an X100 with an F1.4 lens ... would make a really excellent competition piece me thinks

And here a couple of close up stacks. Compared to the X-Pro3 I normally use for this type of shooting the X100V was a bit more difficult to use when trying to find the edges of the subjects, but ok:

X100V focus stacked, processed from jpg in Helicon About as sharp as it gets.

Same as above, nice and sharp with good bokeh

X100V non-stacked standard shot, jpg.

Early morning light, but possibly not the best camera for detailled landscapes.

My take on this camera is this:

• much better lens. MUCH better than the X100F I had.
• much better close up
• F2 still a limitation for a lot of styles where the competition e.g. SONY RX1s or the Leica Qs have a real edge. If this is what are aiming for that is!!
• fabulously implemented LCD
• I found it too light. An odd thing to say but I wished it had a little bit more heft.
• IBIS might help in the future as it would be better for early morning walks and city-scapes. But for me never a deal breaker.
• I might get one if one comes along later in the development when second hand units come down in price a bit.

What do you think?

Thanks for looking!

Deed