Hi Adam,
I while ago, I decided to buy an x100 as a second camera for
those events, where a 5D plus a set of lenses are just to big.
So, the x100 is not my main camera, nevertheless, I use it
regularly.
As for the quality of the lens ... the 23/2 is a very good lens.
In the beginning I tended to blame the lens for focus failures
expecially with near subjects, until I took the parallax effect
into account and used the electronic viewfinder for such cases.
If focussed correct, the lens is quite sharp wide open and
really sharp around f/5.6. In night scenes with strong light
sources in the frame, it can (it dow not always do it) produce
halos around the highlights. I'm not sure if it is the lens alone
who is to blame for this.
As for the complete package ... the x100 is not that intuitive to use
as it would seem on first sight. Nevertheless, once you have
introduced yourself into the concept, and have found some
of the tricks that can make life easier, the x100 is a pleasure to use.
A thing to keep in mind: You certainly should be a friend of the
35mm focal length (in terms of fullframe). I had a Minox 35 GT
many years ago, and while this was not technically the best camera
I ever had, it was one I missed for a while after the advent of digital.
With the x100 I found something very similar to that.
Just some thoughts ... Rainer
I while ago, I decided to buy an x100 as a second camera for
those events, where a 5D plus a set of lenses are just to big.
So, the x100 is not my main camera, nevertheless, I use it
regularly.
As for the quality of the lens ... the 23/2 is a very good lens.
In the beginning I tended to blame the lens for focus failures
expecially with near subjects, until I took the parallax effect
into account and used the electronic viewfinder for such cases.
If focussed correct, the lens is quite sharp wide open and
really sharp around f/5.6. In night scenes with strong light
sources in the frame, it can (it dow not always do it) produce
halos around the highlights. I'm not sure if it is the lens alone
who is to blame for this.
As for the complete package ... the x100 is not that intuitive to use
as it would seem on first sight. Nevertheless, once you have
introduced yourself into the concept, and have found some
of the tricks that can make life easier, the x100 is a pleasure to use.
A thing to keep in mind: You certainly should be a friend of the
35mm focal length (in terms of fullframe). I had a Minox 35 GT
many years ago, and while this was not technically the best camera
I ever had, it was one I missed for a while after the advent of digital.
With the x100 I found something very similar to that.
Just some thoughts ... Rainer