Fuji X series ..Fab or Funky? Part 4

Fab or Funky? Part 1
Fab or Funky? Part 2
Fab or Funky? Part 3


The debacle continues.
After having waited a while for results from current X10 owners regarding the latest firmware update, we now know that the specular highlight issue has not been mitigated. Fuji to some degree has been able to reduce the overall effect of the specular highlight issue, but only in EXR Auto mode? I cant see why they did this. Do they think that most X10 users only shoot in Auto mode. I cant see this as being the case as the camera is aimed squarely at the experienced camera user, therefore Auto mode is the least likely mode that this camera would be operated in. It can only make you wonder how much saki the design team were enjoying when they put these designs together.
Come on Fuji, your  customers deserve better than that. So the upshot from the latest firmware update is that it doesn't work period!! So X10 users are stuck with orbs. Not something I would be pleased about.


It seems that at least some of the earlier XS1 buyers are now reporting instances of "Orbs" as well, although at this point it seems that the new lens design is going some way to alleviating this issue. Not entirely but at least it doesn't appear to be quite so intrusive. Some early adopters are also reporting lens barrel droop to varying degrees. Non as bad at this time as Paul's but cases are being reported and that's a bad sign. Misaligned optics will absolutely kill any hope of s100fs like IQ from this camera.


Given that Fuji has not publicly acknowledged the existence of these faults is in itself cause for considerable alarm. One would think that action, perhaps even as drastic as product recalls, should in fact have been implemented by now. As a long time user of Fuji products, both film and digital, they are fast losing any credibility from where I sit. My advice for anyone thinking of buying the new X series cameras is Don't! 
I would suggest holding off buying an X series camera for a few months and see if Fuji are able to change the production issues that cause these faults, and get a properly functional camera back on the market. If there is no sign of these issues being addressed I would look to other manufactures for you next bridge camera or premium compact.  Fuji's thinking needs to change regarding its production quality, and the best way to do so is to deny them the sales. Come on Fuji you really need to get with the program before a good quantity of loyal customers turn their backs on you.
So Fuji X series cameras, Fab or Funky? Most definitively Funky.
You will note the omission here of the new Fuji X1-Pro. As this camera is yet to come to market we can only speculate as to how good its going to be. One thing we do know at this time is that its going to be expensive, so you better have a big wallet if you are going to opt in to the X1-Pro


So what then does that leave us with? 
Well my money is now squarely resting on the HS30 and all I can say at this time is it better work as advertised or better. The same holds true for the new F770EXR which shares many of the features and sensor of the HS30. If Fuji get this wrong there wont be much credibility left among the experienced camera users as to the viability of owning an enthusiast/semi-pro camera from Fuji.