Pondering to sell my X100V for a Q/Q2

[erniethemilk]

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On 2/18/2023 at 12:07 AM, Stephen.s1 said:

I won't go into the nifty way of adjusting it's color rendering.

 

I wish you would - it’s the one thing I’d love to change.
 

I really like the X100v but the files really frustrate me compared to my M10-P.  

[Pierre68]

I had a Fuji X100V, never really used it. The camera was too small or felt just like a cheaper camera so I never really bond with it. Bought the Leica Q2 and it is now my outdoor and adventure camera. The size and feel of this camera and the controls on it ar just perfect for me. It feels sturdy and reliable. It is fully weatherproof.  It is just another league. And the files from it offer a large range of possibility to adust in post. I really fell ins love with the Q2.

[Daniel C.1975]

I know, I am late to the party. Still I would like to share my two cents. 

 

I am a big fan of the Fuji X-series and I also had the original Fuji X100 when it came out. Loved it to bits and it pushed me from a fully fetched Canon Full-Frame system towards the Fuji System, moved towards the X-Pro1 and so on so forth. Also had the Fuji X100s as a side system until I took the launch and bought a used Leica Q in 2016 (sold the X100s) as an addition to my camera system. 

From there, all fellow guys know the story as so many have the same  Started to mainly use the Q, loved it to bits and sold it for a M240 then M10(P) with some lenses and was happy ever after ... or so.

As much as I loved the M-System I, after trying the SL2-S and buying it, and after a while of parallel use, moved completely to the SL-System - which I still enjoy to bits. Every now and then I miss the M, but overall the SL is the better fit for me. 

However, the one camera I always missed, even during the heavy, heavy use of the M-System, was the Q. This camera principle is just genius. As a sound and sober person I pounced back and fourth after the Q2 came out, but never made the step. So I remembered that the other camera I enjoyed a lot was the X100(s); and end of last year I decided to buy the X100V as a secondary camera - not being aware that it meanwhile was so much hyped that it was difficult to get one at all - so the hunting part to get one was also a nice treat . Finally I found a fair fellow who did not sell one for a moon price and I a took it, together with TCL and a half case as part of the deal.  

 

The idea was, to have a great camera, easy to carry with the possibility to get great jpegs out of the cam to share immediately with my family. Tweak the jpeg-engine etc. pp. And as you know, everyone online was raving about the perfect jpegs and you need nothing else - I took especially this bait. 

The camera came and it is a cool an neat camera. I really professionalized on the jpegs and have set up different recipes etc. pp. But, as great the pictures looked on the display as much they have lacked the clarity and punch I am used to from my old Q, M or my SL2s files. So I started to use Jpeg +Raw and more often than not ended up tweaking the Raw to my liking. And still, the pictures missed something. I really wanted to like it, but it started to nag more and more. The IQ was just falling short, a lot, compared to the SL2s files, or as said, my older Q and M files. 

To be candid: I am falling short to understand the raving about the super great file quality of the X100Vs, as soon as you start digging into it, the files a falling apart. It is not a great file quality, at least in comparison. 

 

Secondly, I had the Hybrid-Viewfinder in such a great memory and was so much looking forward to it. But with X100V I really did not enjoy it so much anymore and I solely used the quite good EVF, with much less joy I have to admit.

Overall, I also perceived the camera as quite fiddly compared to my Leica's and more delicate (more fear to brake it). Summed up, I used it a lot and then more to force me to come from leaning into it, to loving it. But the deep connection failed to happen. 

Then I was with my wife in Munich and we passed by the Leica Store and of course went in.  And after so many years I've tried the Q2 (I had the X100V with me). First of all, I was surprised that the size difference was really small, as my memory has told me something different. Secondly, just crapping the Q2 compared to the X100V was a huge difference. It felt so much better. 

The real shock was the view through the viewfinder. Both have in principle the same specs, but the difference when looking through the viewfinder between the Q2 and X100V was night and day! I am not exaggerating - night and day. Turning dials, especially the aperture felt more naturally. The aperture dial (and I am an aperture-priority photographer most of the time) is a real pain in the bu..t with the X100V. Very bad to grab as it so tiny and near to the camera body. 

So I left the Leica store with my wife and was a bit rattled, because as I said: I wanted to make the sane choice and not buy this expensive Q2 as a second camera. For my wife it was nearly clear already: "I was wondering why you have not just immediately bought it" - My answer:"Naahh, the X100V is good enough. It's a 5k camera -  this will not happen" - knowing smile of my wife and a little shake of her head   . She knew better than I did at this point  

 

Long story short: A week later I've put my X100V up for sale, and sold it within 2 hours, because I also stayed fair with my pricing and was literally 500 bucks below the average current prices for used X100V. And honestly, I dismay the people asking so much more for the camera than it is worth or what they have payed, but that's just me. 

I looked for a used Q2, especially as the Q3 is on the horizon, but ended up with a good deal for the Q2 travel kit plus grip in the Leica-Store in Munich. Again, they always showed good service so I prefer to spend a bit more for the new camera and also value their service. Live and let live. 

 

And, with the Q2 I am so very happy. It is such a joy to use. It is more expensive, but for me, it is worth every cent over the X100V. The X100V is a great camera, but it is for sure no substitute for the Q2. So to say, it is also not a substitute for the Q. 

I've also learned that you can tweak the jpeg-output of the Q2 to a very good level, especially in B&W. And again, no, the X100V jpegs do not have a higher quality. Even as the Q2 jpegs fall a lot behind its DNGs, they are still better than the X100Vs - my view on it. 

And the overall file-quality in DNG, which makes still 95% of my use case, are way ahead of the X100V. There is no competition. 

Greatest thing on the X100V stays the little fill in flash - this is really helpful and can generate great results in bright sunshine - but that's the only little thing I preferred. 

 

For me a also very important point: The touch and feel and the user experience is just so much nicer with the Q2. 

 

Regarding the 28 vs. 35mm: The Q2 is a 30mp, f2.1 35mm camera if you choose to. But then you have the advantage to move the frame in pp a bit to optimize the shot or just make it 28mm again. In comparison (full frame equivalent) the x100v is a 24mp, f3, 35mm camera

 

So if you can spend the money without big hassle, the move from X100V to the Q2 is at least for me a no brainer. And there should be no big loss, if at all, to sell the X100V, as it is still being so much hyped. If the money is a hassle, I stick to my principles: For private and hobby-use the Leicas are partly luxury, and luxury needs to be payed more or less easy. Means, the X100V still is one the coolest cameras out there with a really good IQ, just don't compare  

 

Cheers

Edited March 12, 2023 by Daniel C.1975