Thailand with the X100

[Thing Fish]

Well i'm back after a hectic 3 week trip but it was worth it on so many levels. The X100 was a real eye opener but sadly it has to go as the X100s adresses all the little issues that make the X100 a great camera but not a perfect one.

I took well over 1000 pictures mostly around markets and shopping areas. The emphasis was on street photography rather than the usual temple and monk shots which I did last time.

The good thing about shooting people is that you can wander the same streets over and over and the scene constantly evolves. It has changed my outlook on photography and renewed my interest in taking pictures.

I will select a few choice ones to have printed and have decided to set aside an entire wall at home to display them. I will be using second hand abstract frame size and types to further add the the randomness of the images.

Now let me state from the off that I do not consider myself a photographer but more of an enthustic snapper. With that said please feel free to make any constructive comments on the random few I have selected to post...:)

The 5th image from the top is a kind of freaky self portrait as you can see me in the lower window taking the shot!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UbfT1iNtJUU/UccSIx_gbMI/AAAAAAAACFk/HonF7dfitvU/s800/DSCF2707%2520copy%25201.jpg


https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xQazYX-JLpY/UccSLqCuIlI/AAAAAAAACGI/Mm3oK_eLnP4/s720/DSCF2731%2520copyblog.jpg



https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6oE3dMJu_jI/UccSNM2DWuI/AAAAAAAACGE/QMp8KXcUXy0/s800/DSCF2737%2520copyblog.jpg


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[Rare Bird]

Hi Dave
They look good pictures to me.. Love the one with the old girl on her sewing machine.

Regarding the one with the thumbs up smiley girl, what are those red fruit with the green hairy bits?

[Thing Fish]

They are Rambutan Andre. They have a stone in the middle and are really nice. A bit pear like I suppose.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Nice Dave. I really like the quality of colour in your shots.

[Marco]

Hi Dave,

Welcome back, mate! Hope you had a nice holiday :)

Great shots, and I would echo what Chris has said. I feel that a good photographer's pictures should always be interesting to look at, and yours are, as you've captured the character of your subjects nicely. Also, for me, you have a good eye, in terms of general subject matter and composition - quality! :cool:

Marco.

[mido]

Nice pics Dave, hope you enjoyed your holiday!?

That lady street seller doesn't look best pleased though!!

[Macca]

You could write what I know about photography on the back of a postage stamp but these look like professional shots to me. As Marco says they capture their subjects. One of my brothers has spent a lot of time in Thailand, he was recommending it to me for a holiday just last week. Looks to be a fascinating place.

[Thing Fish]

Thanks for the kind and generous comments. I always have a great time when I go there.

I do speak a bit of the lingo having lived there for many years which may help placate an annoyed street vendour although i'm by no means fluent. A smile go's a long way as well.

There are also a few tricks to talking up close photos, especially with a fixed 35mm lens...;)

[SteveW]

Great shots Dave. I agree with the other comments that the pictures taken capture something special each time. I love my X100 because of the super sharp lense and superb colours.. all of which you show on these.
If only I had the spare cash for the X100s - no more focussing issues !

[Thing Fish]

Great shots Dave. I agree with the other comments that the pictures taken capture something special each time. I love my X100 because of the super sharp lense and superb colours.. all of which you show on these.
If only I had the spare cash for the X100s - no more focussing issues !

Thanks Steve, I love the X100 but the focusing issues are just too big for me and I have to somehow find the extra money for the X100s. God knows where I will get it from but I must have it...:eyebrows:

[SteveW]

Have you tried the manual focus trick ?
In MF by the lense and then just hit the AFL/AEL button to focus where the square focus area is.
I find it much quicker.. In fact the only way to get some things in focus quickly.

[Thing Fish]

Have you tried the manual focus trick ?
In MF by the lense and then just hit the AFL/AEL button to focus where the square focus area is.
I find it much quicker.. In fact the only way to get some things in focus quickly.

Thanks for that Steve i'll give it a go.

[SteveW]

Thanks for that Steve i'll give it a go.
Think you will be surprised.
Anyway, there is a guy who has put up a YouTube clip that explains it better than I can... Also it's worth using the settings as described in the clip
Ahh.. Found it
http://youtu.be/jN4K0TK_eE8

[Thing Fish]

Think you will be surprised.
Anyway, there is a guy who has put up a YouTube clip that explains it better than I can... Also it's worth using the settings as described in the clip
Ahh.. Found it
http://youtu.be/jN4K0TK_eE8

Cool, thanks for that Steve. I've set it up and will test it out when I am next out and about...:)

[Clive]

Dave,

Fabulous photos composed with a really good eye.

I realise the X100 is excellent for colour and the colours in Thailand are vibrant. I'm interested to know if your settings were standard or used something like the Velvia setting?

[Thing Fish]

Dave,

Fabulous photos composed with a really good eye.

I realise the X100 is excellent for colour and the colours in Thailand are vibrant. I'm interested to know if your settings were standard or used something like the Velvia setting?

Hi Clive, The first few days I shot with the camera set on Astia but then switched to Velvia as I preferred the colour settings.

So basically the first 3 were shot with Astia the rest were Velvia. Although they have all been tweaked.

[Clive]

Hi Clive, The first few days I shot with the camera set on Astia but then switched to Velvia as I preferred the colour settings.

So basically the first 3 were shot with Astia the rest were Velvia. Although they have all been tweaked.
Velvia vibrancy suits the subjects, you should go to India too! Was the tweaking cropping and sharpening or more?

[Thing Fish]

Velvia vibrancy suits the subjects, you should go to India too! Was the tweaking cropping and sharpening or more?

Cropping, sharpening and sometimes a bit more.

[Thing Fish]

Another couple...

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1G4UqbEI2Js/Ucr3D9aNY0I/AAAAAAAACKw/vDlNqH4OVQ0/w514-h585-no/DSCF2885+copyblog.jpg


https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UXLS0d9W0ns/Ucr3D4TDYqI/AAAAAAAACKs/i1cuwKogUHA/w800-h558-no/DSCF3793+copyblog.jpg

[Tim]

Nice one Dave and you are making me want to go back :( My next trip is China & Hong Kong, so Thailand will have to wait awhile I'm afraid.

My favourite shot is the girl looking out the train window, very simple but also very engaging - I love it :thumbsup:

[Thing Fish]

Cheers Tim. Enjoy your forth comming trip to China and Hong Kong...:)

[Tim]

Cheers Tim. Enjoy your forth comming trip to China and Hong Kong...:)
Sure will, but I fear for my liver as those buggers will try and drink me to death! Gumbay . . .

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/newsphoto/2013-03-20/450/C704X0149H_2009%E8%B3%87%E6%96%99%E7%85%A7%E7%89%8 7_N22F_N71_copy1.JPG

Chinese drinking culture (http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20130320000011&cid=1103) came as a bit of a shock to me the first time round!

[Thing Fish]

I got so drunk on Chinese lager once (in China) I forgot how to speak...:lol:

[Ashmore]

Hello chaps. Nice to see folk here extend their generally good taste to photo equipment too. I am the (smug and delighted) new owner of an x100s and loving it. Just been putting it through its paces over the last few days....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonashmore/

Simon

[Thing Fish]

Some great shots there Simon. You obviously have a good eye...:) and congrats on owning one of the best cameras out there. I have no doubt like me you love the look, feel and results of the Fuji X range.

I can't personally see me upgrading to the 's' as having only paid £350 for my x100 I feel £600 is a bit too much extra for things that can be worked around with a bit of effort.

[Ashmore]

Thanks Dave.

I never had an x100 but I've read that many of the quirks were put right through firmware, so I can appreciate that it may be hard to justify the upgrade. I sold my Nikon kit to buy the s and at this moment I don't regret it at all. The viewfinder is lovely and the lens seems very good. Also people don't seem so threatened by it as when you point an slr at them...

[Reffc]

Great shots Dave; I can almost hear the little bells in the took-tooks ringing, feel the heat and smell the two stroke, clongs, rubbish and food stalls! I worked there for many months and it was a hugely colourful place and fascinating too.

X100s is a fine camera. Must admit it's definitely hard to pick a bad camera in that price bracket these days although lens quality has been hit by the ban on lead use, they are getting better again though.

[Thing Fish]

Cheers Paul. I must be honest I don't know much about the ban on lead use affecting lens manufacturing but 'fujinon lenses' are supposed to be up there with the best? At the moment anyway.

That said as an amateur snapper I really know squat...;)

I believe being brutally honest and I am literally a point and shoot snapper and have no idea about f stops or other such settings.

I do have a good understanding of Photoshop and this has helped me out several times but I am literally a fly by wire photographer...:lol:

[Reffc]

Cheers Paul. I must be honest I don't know much about the ban on lead use affecting lens manufacturing but 'fujinon lenses' are supposed to be up there with the best? At the moment anyway.

That said as an amateur snapper I really know squat...;)

I believe being brutally honest and I am literally a point and shoot snapper and have no idea about f stops or other such settings.

I do have a good understanding of Photoshop and this has helped me out several times but I am literally a fly by wire photographer...:lol:


...and your shots are none the worse for that ;)

basically, the lower the F-stop, the shallower the septh of field so you can throw the background out of focus if you want to emphasise a portrait shot for example. The higher the number, the more of the shot will be in focus.

Must admit, I'm no expert on photoshop as I never really got into it. I just use a basic Canon Raw conversion software (DPP).

[Thing Fish]

...and your shots are none the worse for that ;)

basically, the lower the F-stop, the shallower the septh of field so you can throw the background out of focus if you want to emphasise a portrait shot for example. The higher the number, the more of the shot will be in focus.

Must admit, I'm no expert on photoshop as I never really got into it. I just use a basic Canon Raw conversion software (DPP).

I actually enjoy using photoshop as you can correct a few mistakes made at the time...:doh:

I do love street photography over landscapes though. Getting that perfect candid shot has become a grail for me. Walk through any market and the scene changes by the second...:)

I still may cave in and save up for the 's' though...:eyebrows:

[Ashmore]

Do it. You know you want to... :eyebrows:

[Thing Fish]

Do it. You know you want to... :eyebrows:

I suppose I will as I know it's out there...:eyebrows:

[Ashmore]

Haha that's the spirit.

I've had mine for about two weeks and I think its the camera I've wanted since I started my photography journey way back in the 80s. (I'm not trying to convince you to get the 's' here - its a lot more for possibly not a lot more, if you get my drift. It's more a comment on the x philosophy). I just can't put the thing down and the quality is outstanding.

[Thing Fish]

At least if I upgrade i'll be able to reuse all my extra bits and pieces...:)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LA2Aak-k9r0/UdfV2zjJqRI/AAAAAAAACMw/Ujoqr3JJzvs/s600/x100.jpg

[Ashmore]

Fully pimped and looking nice. How do you rate the thumbs up? I've been toying with the idea of getting one - probably the longer one as i'm left eyed and I don't want to poke my eye out. Also been toying with a soft release - a swanky one with the bug on it, but struggling to justify the cost.

I have the cheapo hood (looks the same) and a black gariz half case. It looks the nuts (imho).

[Thing Fish]

It's actually a 'Lensmate' rather than a 'thumbs up' and also protects the dials from being accidentally turned. I too am left eyed and don't have a problem with it.

The shutter soft release is a must but beware they are easily lost...:(

[Jason P]

Hi Dave,

Nice pics, but I'd persevere with the X100 a little first before jumping on the X100s. I'd been through the same process as you and found that the new firmware, plus some adjustment of technique, seemed to yield far more hits. So make sure your firmware is up to date (this will make a HUGE difference if not) and practise both using the AEL/AFL button in Manual mode, using AF-C mode with moving subjects (center focussing only but it does work) and the 'Shutter Mash' technique - really effective, essentially you just stab the shutter in one movement and let the camera focus on the fly - no half press and recompose. Particularly good for street.

I also notice you're using quite deep depth of field so you can use MF and zone focus too for street stuff - knowing that you'll have everything from say 2-10m in sharp relief regardless.

There are some good threads on the X100 forum about focus issues (try HERE (http://www.fujix-forum.com/index.php/topic/251-x100-tips-and-tricks/) and HERE (http://www.fujix-forum.com/index.php/topic/1713-focus-101/)) , and the X100S isn't the panacea to all those that it first appears to be in many people's opinion - though it is undoubtedly better in some areas. Many prefer the image quality of the X100 too, having a 'certain something' that the S (and the other X-Trans cameras) lacks. Here's hoping Fuji add focus peaking to the X100 firmware in a future update...

[Clive]

It's hard to know whether a 100 at £600 would be more sensible than a 100S at £1,100. If IQ of the 100 has that extra special something then £600 or maybe £500 could be the smarter deal.

[Thing Fish]

Hi Dave,

Nice pics, but I'd persevere with the X100 a little first before jumping on the X100s. I'd been through the same process as you and found that the new firmware, plus some adjustment of technique, seemed to yield far more hits. So make sure your firmware is up to date (this will make a HUGE difference if not) and practise both using the AEL/AFL button in Manual mode, using AF-C mode with moving subjects (center focussing only but it does work) and the 'Shutter Mash' technique - really effective, essentially you just stab the shutter in one movement and let the camera focus on the fly - no half press and recompose. Particularly good for street.

I also notice you're using quite deep depth of field so you can use MF and zone focus too for street stuff - knowing that you'll have everything from say 2-10m in sharp relief regardless.

There are some good threads on the X100 forum about focus issues (try HERE (http://www.fujix-forum.com/index.php/topic/251-x100-tips-and-tricks/) and HERE (http://www.fujix-forum.com/index.php/topic/1713-focus-101/)) , and the X100S isn't the panacea to all those that it first appears to be in many people's opinion - though it is undoubtedly better in some areas. Many prefer the image quality of the X100 too, having a 'certain something' that the S (and the other X-Trans cameras) lacks. Here's hoping Fuji add focus peaking to the X100 firmware in a future update...

Hi Jason, Actually i've been finding out the same things and will certainly stick with the X100 for the imediate future. I have also heard that the colour quality is better than the X100s.

I am running the latest software v1.3 which did sort a lot of problems out.

Thanks for your advice. I will try all those things out...:)

[Thing Fish]

It's hard to know whether a 100 at £600 would be more sensible than a 100S at £1,100. If IQ of the 100 has that extra special something then £600 or maybe £500 could be the smarter deal.

HI Clive, I actually paid £350 for my X100 which is very good value. It was off Fleabay. It was (and still is) mint condition.

That seems to be the going price as people flock to upgrade to the 100s but as Jason points out in the above post it may not be the upgrade they were hoping for...;)

[Clive]

HI Clive, I actually paid £350 for my X100 which is very good value. It was off Fleabay. It was (and still is) mint condition.

That seems to be the going price as people flock to upgrade to the 100s but as Jason points out in the above post it may not be the upgrade they were hoping for...;)
Hi Dave, the prices I gave were for new cameras. Still it is interesting to see the used price, that's something to consider.

[Thing Fish]

Hi Dave, the prices I gave were for new cameras. Still it is interesting to see the used price, that's something to consider.

Ah I see. Understood...:)

[Jason P]

To put another spin on it - for a couple of hundred more (maybe less) than the upgrade cost to get an X100s, I could get an XE-1 with the standard zoom (an absolutely cracking lens and the lack of an optical finder makes perfect sense on a zoom cam) and keep the X100 - wait a while and the difference will be less! I think I'll go down that route rather than the X100S...

[Thing Fish]

Fuji will no doubt bring out the X200 next year anyway...:scratch: