USER REPORT: 1 Year with the Olympus OM-D and 1 Month with the Fuji X100s by Vianney Taufour

42 Comments

1. he did not^

2. he sold both
   and got the A7

3. In case you are still following the comments – I read this report with a lot of interest when you wrote it. I currently own the OMD with a Panasonic 25 1.4 and Olympus 17 1.8. But I’m very lazy when it comes to switching lenses, so I keep thinking I should just go for a Fuji X100s. Your choice of gear was rather similar and what I’d like to know is: Did you end up selling the Olympus or selling Fuji? Or kept both?

4. Awesome circus images. Outstanding.

5. Have to say, that I was looking for a new camera and had my sights set on the X100s for a while, thanks to all the praise and gushing reviews from people like David Hobby and Zack Arias. I couldn’t find one though as they were sold out EVERYWHERE. But I needed a camera.

   I got the OM-D EM-5 with the 45mm f/1.8 lens and WOW. What a sharp, beautiful lens that was. I was in love with the images I was getting out of this thing…much more than I was with my 5DMkII…which I had really grown bored of. The only thing I couldn’t get ahold of with the OM-D was the controls. Yes, you could customize just about every button and dial, I didn’t like where they fell under my fingers. I had the battery grip, and that helped, but not enough. I just couldn’t get used to the controls, so I sent it back.

   I THEN found an X100s for sale. One lone camera out in the middle of nowhere. So I snatched that up and started shooting.

   I tried to like it….I really really did. I just couldn’t see what everyone was falling over themselves raving about. Yeah, it was ok. I mean, I got some good shots. But WOW was the autofocus slow. I mean sometimes it would rack all the way out and all the way in before locking on to the subject. I’m talking like over a second just to get focus. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it was BAM, locked right on. But more times than not I missed a shot. Now, I had heard how bad the original X100 was with focusing, and this was suppose to be head-and-shoulders better…so I can’t even imagine how anyone used the original! Also, I didn’t like how slow it was to manually focus. The peaking helped, but you had to turn the focus-ring slow. If you tried to quickly rack the focus manually from far to close, it wouldn’t even register that you had turned the ring. Yes, I know it’s the “focus by wire” doing that, but still…I didn’t like it.

   Again…I sent the camera back. I just couldn’t get into it. It wasn’t for me. I bought into the hyperbole circling around this camera and I got burned. I may look into the new Olympus Pen P5 as it looks like it really moved some of the controls around to fall under you fingers better, and upgraded a few things off the OM-D. Of the 3 cameras that I’ve tried out in the past two months (had a brief, disastrous time with the Nikon D7100 before the banding issue with it’s new sensor reared it’s ugly head), the OM-D produced the best images and was the most “fun” I had in a long time. I kind of regret sending it back. No regrets sending the X100s and the D7100 back though.

6. some great pictures in your stream ! I especially like this one
   http://www.flickr.com/photos/themelibre/5783498334/

7. I have a similar setup except I don’t have the 45mm and I have the X100 instead of the X100s. The Fuji’s the reason why I have no plans of picking up the 17mm Zuiko 🙂 Loving it everyday.

8. like those brick-sized cellphones of the 1990’s our beloved-but-heavy full frame dslrs with fat heavy lenses will be museum pieces within a decade …

   • Sadly the life of an old digital camera is shorter… I’ve just bought a beautiful Olympus OM-1 and she shoots beautiful pics even if she is 37 yrs old…

9. also nice photos–those circus ones are esp. wonderfu!

10. i also have an omd and x100s and agree that they are complementary. i love the omd, esp. the ibis, which allows me to shoot low light and night photos sans tripod. the af is equally great. it’s funny as i was considering getting the voigtlander lens but decided to get the fufi for just a little more. the only problem with the omd is lens lust. i keep wanting to buy all the wonderful oly & panny lenses–my favs are the panny 7-14 ultra wide, the oly 12mm, the panny 25mm, and the oly 75mm. not only was lens lust a problem but everytime i went out shooting i had to decide which lens to use (don’t like to change lenses outdoors). it got to be a real pain. the fuji is a fun camera & i really loved the fixed lens. you can just grab it w/out thinking and i love the fuji rendering of colors. the cameras are complementary–whenever i need ibis or af, i grab the omd & when i just want to shoot for fun, it’s the x100s.

11. I really like the picture from the circus!

12. Nice photos, you are a very talented photo. But I am disgusted by the subject in the first image. Performing elephants beaten and starved into performing for the titillation of so called intelligent humans. Disgraceful. Remind me what century we are in?

    • 21st

      • I completely agree..you said it and i didn’t.

        • …in response to Phil

13. Thanks Steve for this publication. It’s a great surprise to discover his own work on a popular blog like yours 🙂

14. Great post. I also use the X100s in addition to my OM-D and I agree, they are complementary, even for work.

    • thks 😀

15. The fujifilm x100s is amazing almost zero noise inclusive at high iso and the colors . I agree when people say that is the new Leica because Fuji is listening people comments and that is great

16. Great images! I too had an OM-D + PL25 for the last year and recently picked up an x100s. Although I was pleased with the image quality of the OM-D, I didn’t like the ergonomics of the camera, I always felt like I was jammed back there behind the camera, fiddly buttons, weird power button location, cramped hands, etc. But the X100s is a masterpiece of simplicity and ergonomics for me and the image quality is amazing. The AF is good enough for me chasing my 3 year old boy around, not quite as quick as the OM-D for sure.

    I had planned on keeping both cameras – which is ridiculous considering what an amateur I am – because I felt like I needed an ILC. But after taking pix at my sister-in-law’s wedding with just the X100s, I decided to let go of the OM-D. So just sold it and now only have the X100s. But for some reason, I’m holding onto the PL25. That lens is just gorgeous to me and maybe I’ll come back to micro 4/3 soon with a cheap GX1 or something down the pike.

    • Similar experience here…had the OMD, but just sold it and sticking with the Fuji x100s. I am also an amateur so was no need for all the gear. I would have liked this review to be more hands on comparisons with the OMD and Fuji…both are great cameras, and both have positive/negative’s.

      Hope you are enjoying the Fuji…it’s an amazing camera.

      Great images here, and thanks for sharing!

      • Thank you guys.
        X100s is great but if you’re into portrait photography, one time you may miss the 50mm or 90mm eq. focales! That’s y case and that’s the reason why the X100s can’t be my only camera 🙂

        • totally agree.

    • Well that’s why I am wondering if the XE-1 is not the answer? Interchangeable lenses if you need it, same image quality as the X100S, bigger sensor than the OM-D? And if you can get it for under 1000€ compared to 1100€ for the X100S, why not? Ricoh GRD is 749€, I can get the XE-1 new with the 18-55 lens for 839€. Choices.

17. Beautiful pictures and very lucky guy to have such nice gear. I am not French, but live in Paris and there are some nice photo opportunities in the city. The sales just started and I have been looking at replacing my Nikon D40 and lenses (as well as my as my V1) with something nicer and better, but my budget is limited. I was very keen on getting a Ricoh GR, but was also hoping that I would be able to afford the Fuji X100S. Then two days ago I saw the Fuji X-E1 on sale for 839 Euros and now I am wondering if at that price it is not the best option.

    Any advice from readers of this blog?

    • Thks Cobus,

      If you’re on a budget, I guess the answer is on Steve’s blog (Ricoh GR …)!

      • Vianney, you might be right. The GR seems to offer the best combination of features and price. I must say, I might still have gone for the X100S if I could get it in black only. The GR is very stealthy, the X100S is a bit too conspicuous maybe.

        • That’s what Gaffer’s tape is for!

          http://strobist.blogspot.com/2013/03/in-depth-new-fujifilm-x100s.html

18. Nice article and very nice images. I too like fixed focal length lenses and use the Olympus 17mm f1.8, the Olympus 45 mm f1.8, and the Panasonic/Leica 25mm f1.4 with the OM-D and EPL5. I would especially like to see the remaining circus images, but the link takes me to a different set of images.

    • Thanks Alan,
      I updated additional circus images and grouped theme into a single album for convenience:
      http://www.flickr.com/photos/themelibre/sets/72157634393548601/

19. The photos at the circus and concert are fantastic! You captured the light and mood just right.

    @ David: He’s currently got about $3375 in cameras & lenses, not including the 17/.95 which he has sold.

    • Yes, something like that. I just have one question and hope I will not insult anyone. This guy spent almost $3400 for two cameras and lenses in one year. If he got Leica X2 year ago how much better that decision could be for him? Does he still buy second camera? 🙂

      • An x2 better decision than what already he have? You must be joking, right?

        • I don’t know. Thats why I asked a question. What I know is X Vario seems much better for me than what he has. 🙂 IMHO.

          • The X2 would not have been able to lock focus on the circus, or the concert. Fabulous camera, but not suited for low light or speed. My X1 went to my son for that very reason.

      • Hi David,
        I guess I can answer to you directly 🙂
        Fisrt I want to mention that I did not spent 3400$ “from scratch” in one year. Photography has been my hobby for years and I invest money from time to time … Everytime I want to buy something, I arrange to sell something else!
        I think both Leica X2 and Vario can be great cameras, but since I used to make a lot of portraits, I also wanted a 50mm and 85mm equivalent focal lens with a reasonably wide aperture. That’s the reason why I switched to the OM-D first 🙂

      • Good options. The slow joke X2 and the creeping molasses on a cold wall Vario.

20. Very interesting. Not much but really nice to hear. I’d like to know how much money he spent all this cameras and lenses together 🙂

    • Did he borough some from you?

21. Belles photo Vianney ! Et j’ai parfaitement compris ton anglais 😉

    • Merci Christian 🙂

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