Fujifilm FinePix X100 NYC Skyline Where I Was

Yesterday I happened to be at a point where I could look up and see where I shot a favorite panorama in a few posts back.  So I thought for fun I'd show both vantage points as a reference.

In answer to the LCD playback question - The only way to do a work around for this that I can suggest is to set the Playback to Continuous - then it will switch to the LCD for you when you remove your eye from the OVF.  Let me know what you think.

 

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Street Scenes High ISO

Many folks have asked for more street scenes at high ISO.  I will try and shoot more random people stuff - but for now here are a few shots - ISO 800, 1600 & 2000.
Also for folks commenting about availability - we are not alone.  USA Today - and virtually every other photo forum is reporting DSLRs are in short supply with delays ranging up to four months now.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-04-27-camera-shortages_n.htm

Fujifilm FinePix X100 2nd Shipment Update

We are going to ship more cameras to the dealers this week in the USA.  They should arrive Thursday or Friday depending on the shipments.  Accessories should begin to show up as well.
I know many people are waiting and this will ease a little bit of the pressure but by no means the whole backorder so please be patient as we work to catch up!  Thanks for the support.
**UPDATE** I'm am delaying the 2nd shipment arrival to dealers by a day or two.  I think they will see the cameras Friday and Monday - not Thursday (possible for a few, but not confirmed).
ISO 1250 for the flower shot hand held - F3.6 @ 1/210

Fujifilm Instax Camera Fun

Not to be forgotten I also happen to enjoy shooting with the Instax series of cameras.  The line up is great for sharing images immediately in all sorts of scenarios.  If you are ever thinking of traveling to a third world country this is a must have photo product for breaking the ice with any of your camera shy subjects.
Here my nephews are having fun using the cameras.
One of the nice features of the Mini 25, Mini 50s and 210 are that they have a bracketing control and two examples are shown below.

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Tulip Close Up

I know we have all shot close-ups of flowers for years and it is certainly great to pass the time.  This weekend I shot an image for fun as I was walking by this tulip.  This is not on a tripod - just a hand-held snap at 1/250th @ F/11 with built in flash. 
I wanted to share it to show how sharp the X100 is - and this is from the jpeg.  I am posting the full image as well as the close up section.

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Facebook Page

I just would like to share a quick image which shows our official FB page.  There are several out there - but this is the the look of the Fujifilm USA group.  We will do our best to keep it populated with the most up to date info.  It seems like nobody has found it - aka liked it yet - so I'm thinking many are at other pages - which is great - but ours will have the latest news direct from HQ. 
Of course I'll keep my blog up to date as best I can during this exciting period of the camera release.  More news on additional availability this week, as soon as I have it for you.

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Carry at All Times

I've said on previous posts that I always want to have a camera on me.  In a dire emergency I'll consider my iPhone a camera - but in 99.9% of the occasions I go out I have a "real" camera with me.  This morning is another good example of this mantra which led to this shot.  I was walking up the avenue and saw this monk (?) standing on the corner.  I flipped on the X100 while holding a mocha with the other.  Kept my stride and when I got near him I shot, said thanks, and kept walking.  Not going to win a Pulitzer - but it made my morning to get this grab shot.  Are we photographers all "odd" like that?

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Camera Has Landed

Thank you for all your emails and comments.  I am happy to see that the X100's did arrive at the dealers today as promised.  This is only the first wave and there will be another shipment next week to help out a bit with demand - but there are many weeks or months to go to catch up to what's needed in the market.
Meetings today in HQ went very well and I was able to share the great suggestions from many folks participating in this and other forums.
I cannot give any details about the quantity shipped and allocations made - but there is progress so I will focus on the positive in that hundreds of people now have X100's to enjoy.
There is no data on the next firmware update, and Japan is now in their golden week so nothing will happen for a couple weeks at the least.
As always - any questions let me know.

Weekly Email 4-29-11 Mistake or Art ?

This week I was shooting the NYC skyline from the 39th floor of a building on 48th Street and First Ave.  I didn't have a tripod so as the light faded I decided to try a simulated high dynamic range image by taking several shot in small steps of exposure changes with the plan to process them in Photoshop to blend eight frames to become one.  Of course resting on a railing is not ideal for this since you have to hold still so the frames line up perfectly.
This is the image the software provided which is of course a bit off reality, but sometimes these "errors" are fun.

The exposures ranged from ISO 400 @ F/4.0 at 0.5 sec to ISO 250 F/4 @ 1/4 sec with the FinePix X100

Fujifilm FinePix X100 - Houston, We Have Liftoff!

As promised here is the update.  The X100 has begun shipping in the USA.  Several dealers should see the cameras and accessories tomorrow April 29th.   Demand is of course greater than supply.  The shipments will continue and we will catch up.

Next step - I get gruff for there not being enough.

I'm ready.  ;-)

** Update Friday 4-29-11 - I'm heading up to HQ today to meet and discuss all things X100.  I expect today to be an exciting day since the cameras will begin arriving at the dealers.  
If you'd like to ask specific questions today please email me rather than posting anonymous comments - they are harder to reply to since I'll have better access to email.  I don't mind the (anonymous) comments - I'm just offering a faster method of contact.  Also I do not have info to release on specific quantities of units to specific dealers - that cannot be shared by me.  Thanks for understanding.
bremler@fujifilm.com

Fujifilm FinePix X100 Delays, What's the Fuss?

I know many people are excited about the arrival of the X100 to the USA.  It has been a roller coaster of rumors and discussion and it looks like we will ship the cameras out today.  This is not 100% confirmed and I will update this later in the day when the trucks actually leave the warehouse.  I know folks have made comments about transparency and more communication - I am trying to do what I can as a small part of that for the few people who read this blog.  I don't feel a company must be transparent about all details of their operations.  Some details don't add anything constructive to the situation.  The time line was never set in stone and yes other parts of the world shipped limited amounts of cameras.  Our goal is to give our USA customers the best experience with their X100 in the world.  I am confident we will do that.

And today in my inbox I saw a great example of product delays.  10 months or so later Apple has an announcement - so we are way ahead of their schedule ;-).

**Update 12:50p - - Thank you for the responses to the X100 delay scenario.  I agree we could do a  better job communicating, but I am personally handcuffed since I am in sales not marketing.  My NYC dealers do know the scenario with the camera arrival and those reading this are being kept as up to date as possible.  More on deliveries later in the day.

This blog remember is a personal endeavor with company info as appropriate.  I have urged FNAC HQ to release more data and update the Facebook page more often (Fujifilm FinePix X100). 

The comments (section below) on the beautiful X100 custom site are great and appropriate ( http://www.finepix-x100.com/ ) - but alas that is not a USA controlled site and for those with large company experience - that means we don't necessarily have access to update country by country the shipping details.  So yes the ball is dropped - but luckily it's rubber and it bounces, and will be back up soon.

As for the comment about earthquake update - that is located in previous posts.  Here is some info relating to slower shipments to the USA from Japan:

4-21-11 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is monitoring developments in Japan carefully, specifically concentrating on the potential for radiation contamination of goods shipped to the U.S.  For shipments arriving via air, all airports have sensitive Radiation Isotope Identification Devices (RIIDs) to determine both the presence and type of radiation encountered.  At seaports, and at international mail and express consignment facilities, CBP continues to use sensitive, large-scale Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) and scans all maritime cargo and express consignment and mail arriving from Japan.  CBP maintains similar procedures for identifying and resolving radiation alarms in these operations and will deny entry to contaminated cargo and mail.