Monday, December 12, 2011

XS-1 New Zealand Delivery Date.

According to Fuji NZ we should see the XS-1 available as of the 15th February 2012.
Hopefully we will see a reasonably in-depth review/preview of this camera before then.
Fuji's XS-1 page.

This Japanese site has the XS-1 priced at 68,355Yen which equates at today's exchange rate to,
http://kakaku.com/item/K0000317506/picture/
68,355.00 JPY = 1,143.10 NZD
At this price it is well into the entry level DSLR range of pricing. Hopefully this will not be the introductory price. If it were to be in the $1200.00NZD range then I will definitively look at switching to a DSLR.

The Pentax Kr twin lens kit priced at NZD $ 1,086.13
Or the Canon 600D twin lens kit at NZD $ 1,187.63
Or the Nikon D3100 twin lens kit at NZD $ 1,128.31
All of these cameras would be an excellent starting point for those wanting to step up to better quality IQ. When you look at what the competitors have to offer in the same price range then Fuji is going to have produce an absolutely stunning camera. AF speed is going to have to rival the DSLR's as is the shooting speed, as well as having a clean , clear and usable EVF (electronic view finder). The smaller sensor of the XS-1 in theory should produce a very good image but in all likelihood still not be a huge threat to the DSLR market.

At this point we can only speculate on what the final in store price will be on market entry. However the X10 came in at the higher end of what I had predicted and I feel that the XS-1 could well start out at approx $1500NZD, which will put a lot of potential buyers off as this would push even more firmly into the DSLR market.
At that point it comes down to two things. One good multi function lens and Image Quality. 
Canons  EOS 550D (Body) + Sigma 18-200mm OS Kit would make a very nice all in one style option, with the added advantage of interchangeable lens and very good IQ. Priced at NZD $ 1,405.12 it would be a very tempting alternative to the XS-1 from Fuji. We are unfortunately just going to have to be patient a little longer.

5 comments:

  1. Basing prices of DSLR gear on "electron world" listings seems a bit of a gamble to me, are they even able to take returns or fix any problems?

    Dodgy web camera stores are not worth the risk in my opinion, especially for something like a camera.

    The XS1 even at these prices is still much cheaper than any of these DSLRs with a true 24mm equivalent wide angle lens, you can add at least $1000 for one of those.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Actually Electron World has been very good to deal with. They offer the standard warranty offered by the manufacturers so if you have a problem they will deal with it. The local camera companies located here in New Zealand will take it back for repair as well as the warranty is a genuine N.Z. makers warrany, plus you are able to purchase extra cover if you wish.

    One of the things I like about this shop is that they are physically located here in N.Z. and when I need information I can just pick up the phone and call, or if sending an item back just use standard post. Much better than sending it back somewhere like Amazon where you dont get the same level of warranty cover.

    For those shooting a DSLR with a 24mm wide angle prime, they are not likely to be the type of photographer who would buy an all in one camera. Bear in mind that all the above kits offer a 18-55mm lens as the single lens option as well as including it in the kit. You would need to be doing some fairly specialized work to warrant the expense of a $1000.00 plus single lens.

    As an all rounder single lens option for a walk around camera, a DSLR with the Tamron 18-270mm would be a very nice option as well. What I'm getting at is the for $1500 or less you can get into a nice camera that is going to by superior in just about all aspects compared to the X-S1.

    Would I buy one. Yes if the "Orb" issue is resolved and the price reduces quickly after its introduction.
    I have seet an email off to Fuji NZ, to the sales manager, whom I have dealt with before and hopefully when he's back after the holidays may be able to shed some light regarding the EXR cameras in the X series.
    In the mean time I like many others will be playing a waiting game.

    Cheers
    Ralph

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Tamron 18-270 is only 'good' in the middle of it's range, it also limits the DSLR focus speed and has noticeable softening at both the wide and tele end. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the XS1 has a better lens.

    You also get a less ergonomic camera with the tamron and an entry level DSLR not to mention a substantial loss of buttons and external features that the XS1 has.
    Personally I find the 24mm wide angle to be just as useful as the tele, and this is simply impossible with a single lens on a DSLR, you have to spend much more to get 24mm and you also have to then commit to lens changing.
    This is a deal breaker for a 'walk around camera' for obvious reasons.
    The XS1 is not flawed in concept or price, but it remains to be seen whether it is flawed in the implementation.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The XS1 could well have a better lens, but as things stand at the moment, given that the sensor suffers severe blooming( white orb syndrome ) if you have been following the Dpreview discussions.
    I wont be getting one unless Fuji can demonstrate a firmware fix that doesn't compromise IQ. At the suggested price for the XS1 I wouldn't except any fault with the sensor.

    Even with the Tamrons flaws Dphoto still rates the lens quite well. I know what they mean with the sweet spot being in the middle. My HS10 was best at f5.6, each side of that could get a little soft. The HS20's lens also acts this way but I find it works best at f6.5

    Yes to ergonomic buttons. One of the things I like best about the HS series cameras is the plethora of external controls. I would find it a little hard to give up. I was looking at Pentax and Canon DSLR's the other day and the lack of external controls did bother me somewhat. I guess I would adjust, its just that I really dont want to and that's what makes the faulty X10/XS1 sensor such a bummer.

    Time will tell I gues.

    Cheers
    Ralph

    ReplyDelete
  5. I agree Ralph, the blooming sensor issue is very disappointing and like you say, it is just not acceptable for a camera marketed at the high end.
    I hope they can do a proper fix, but as it stands I think I would encounter the problem too frequently to feel good about the purchase.
    As far as current DSLR's go, the Canon 600D is looking pretty hard to beat http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos600d/ but it is still a little devoid of direct buttons. Canon has deliberately done this to differentiate this model from the more expensive 60D, but they apparently share the same sensor and much of the same features, just not as easily accessible on the cheaper 600D.

    Decisions decisions!! I did just buy a sailing dinghy for my boys and I, so perhaps my HS20 will have to do for a bit longer :-)

    And hey, there may be an 'HS30' on the way too.......

    ReplyDelete