X 113 quick impressions

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I had a chance to handle and shoot the X 113 for a short while this weekend. My initial impressions are as follows:

 

- focusing was fast in good light, but not as fast as the Ricoh GR or even the Fuji X100 with latest firmware in dimmer/indoor light. Focus speed was manageable and acceptable, but if you are used to the Ricoh GR, it may prove a little laggy.

 

- the LCD display is excellent.

 

- in terms of handling, it felt pretty good in the hand, although surprisingly a bit light and almost hollow. My thumb instantly fit into the thumb tab on the back, unlike almost every other camera I've held. I'm in the habit of using leather half cases on my Leicas, so I imagine that this would improve the handling even more.

 

- the lens barrel seemed oddly large in comparison with the body; it invited me to grip with both hands, like a rangefinder, rather than allow me to shoot with one hand. The lens protrudes about twice the length of the X100 barrel and I think would feel a little more obtrusive when worn on the strap.

 

- the shutter and aperture dials are firm, but could be more so. The function buttons on the rear of the camera seem quite easy to press, so I would want the leather half-case to help protect them from being accidentally activated. Overall, I'd like the buttons and dials to be firmer, but it's not loose like a magician's sleeve, like the original X1.

 

- the variable aperture is really not the issue that some are making it out to be. Unless you are after extra diffuse backgrounds or sliver-thin DoF in close ups, the variable aperture seems fine.

 

- Ming Thein mentioned that the X113 seems to create more clearly defined areas of focus and OOF backgrounds than the Fuji X100 series cameras, and I am inclined to agree. I took side by side comparison images with both cameras and found that the X 113 bokeh is more smooth and diffuse than the Fuji, even at the same aperture of f2.8.

 

- unlike others, I am not a fan of the default jpegs; they seem flat and lacking in 'richness'. I much prefer to work with raw files in Lightroom, and this is where the X 113 surprised me. It produced nicer skin tones and overall colours than the Fuji X100 and Ricoh GR I had with me, and was easier to adjust to get skin tones that I like.

 

Having said that, it doesn't seem to have the fine gradations in colour that the M9 or even the Ricoh GXR or GR seems to produce. Objects appear to be comprised more like blocks of colour, rather than the richer textures of the M9 and Ricoh cameras. I noticed this 'flatness' in the X Vario sample images I took a while ago, and perhaps this is something I can learn to adjust in Lightroom.

 

The M9 has a distinct look that I have come to expect; the Ricoh GXR and GR have their own distinct looks as well. Shooting with these cameras is a joy, not just because of the way they handle, but from the images that I know will come from them. If I can discover the right post processing combination with the X 113, it will join their ranks.

 

If not, well, that's $2700 I've saved!