Fujifilm x Series XF1 - Digital Camera - Compact - 12.0 MP - 1080P - 4x Optical Zoom - Fujinon - Black

I was after a good quality compact I could slip into a pocket and carry about with me, on occasions when my large X-S1 would get in the way. This X-F1 was the answer! Admittedly it has no eye level viewfinder, but the 3" screen is very bright. The lens folds away to almost nothing, and has a built in automatic lens cover. Its maximum aperture is f1.8, which is fast for a compact, and it is excellent for low light work without a flash. Whats more, you can suppress focus and rd eye assistance nad select silent mode, rendering this great for candids. The manual zoom works well (25 to 105 mm 35 mm equivalent), and if you want, you can select EXR or Auto for point and shoot simplicity. If you prefer, there are a huge range of adjustments you can set for yourself using ... MoreI was after a good quality compact I could slip into a pocket and carry about with me, on occasions when my large X-S1 would get in the way. This X-F1 was the answer! Admittedly it has no eye level viewfinder, but the 3" screen is very bright. The lens folds away to almost nothing, and has a built in automatic lens cover. Its maximum aperture is f1.8, which is fast for a compact, and it is excellent for low light work without a flash. Whats more, you can suppress focus and rd eye assistance nad select silent mode, rendering this great for candids. The manual zoom works well (25 to 105 mm 35 mm equivalent), and if you want, you can select EXR or Auto for point and shoot simplicity. If you prefer, there are a huge range of adjustments you can set for yourself using the intuitive controls. To cap it all, this tiny compact has a 2/3 inch sensor (that's about twice in area over a normal compact) so the pixels are less crowded = much more detail and less noise. The camera came in good condition, the only cosmetic fault I could detect being a slight dent in one of the lens cover blades, which does not affect performance at all. It came with manual in PDF format on a recordable CD, which is fine, but I would prefer a proper printed manual for reference. I downloaded the appropriate software from the Fuji website, no problem. Even without that, pictures are downloadable by sticking the camera's SD card (bought separately) and copying the pictures to drive in your PC. All in all, it is a great little camera, just what I needed, and, being a discontinued model, it was very inexpensive.

I really like this camera, but it will break on you. This has a known lens error problem related to the ribbon cable that connects the lens to the body. When this breaks, it can be fixed, but it's a lot of work, and there's not really any replacement parts available. Now, all warnings out of the way: if the camera is lightly used, it's worth getting. The sensor is very nice, and the manual lens ring control is fun to use. This is a fun camera, and if I had a lot of cash, I'd probably buy another one, and then learn to fix them. It would be a fun money sink.

Good Points: It has all the functions you need and more unless you want GPS and touch/swivel screen - which I personally don't need. Excellent for travelling light or without your heavy DSLR.The quirky way of switching it on is not a problem and is easy and quick to get used to. I like the ability to put it in standby mode by a quick turn of the lens. A lovely little retro style camera highly recommended, but do read other reviews as well as everyone has their own preferences. I haven't used the video function.Improvement Points: No dedicated hand grip so you have to find the easiest way of holding it, particularly if you use the pop up flash, but really, it isn't a big issue unless you have very big hands. Zooming is a bit fiddly, but overall better than a jerky ... MoreGood Points: It has all the functions you need and more unless you want GPS and touch/swivel screen - which I personally don't need. Excellent for travelling light or without your heavy DSLR.The quirky way of switching it on is not a problem and is easy and quick to get used to. I like the ability to put it in standby mode by a quick turn of the lens. A lovely little retro style camera highly recommended, but do read other reviews as well as everyone has their own preferences. I haven't used the video function.Improvement Points: No dedicated hand grip so you have to find the easiest way of holding it, particularly if you use the pop up flash, but really, it isn't a big issue unless you have very big hands. Zooming is a bit fiddly, but overall better than a jerky motorised one.Tip - buy a case as the lens cap is not lockable.