Wishlist - mountain/landscape camera based on X100F.

[svenie]

Hello, I'm a mountain/landscape photographer, currently a Nikon user, and I have recently seen a Fuji X100F camera and it is really great - but it has one problem, its lens is too narrow for me.

I'm currently using a DSLR because it is the only solution for ultrawide - there is no compact camera with less than 28mm (on 35mm eq) fixed zoom (only X70 and Ricoh GR), and there are few zoom compacts with 24mm, all of them with small sensor only.

The problem of DSLR is, that it is too big to put into pocket and to heavy to wear it all the day on the neck, especially on long hikes in mountains where you feel every gram - and I would like to find a more compact solution, but it currently doesn't exist (WCL convertor is not much better solution than DSLR).

 

I like a new X100F and I wish that Fuji make a camera, based on X100F, but with ultrawide lens, and ideally optimized for mountain/landscape photography. I guess this is the spot on the market, that is not yet covered, and that there are much more people looking for camera like this.

I don't know whether any Fuji employee, who can affect planning of new cameras reads this forum but if there is any, I hope he/she will read it and at least take it into cosideration.

 

I put together requirements for a camera, that would be ideal for me: 

- small enough to fit to the pocket, but big enough to be able to operate in gloves (X100F is just perfect)

- aps-c sensor (fullframe would be even better)

- in case of a fixed zoom - 10mm (~15mm in 35mm equivalent) would be absolutly perfect (currently i use only 10-24mm lens and about 70% of my pictures are shot on 10mm).. 12mm could still be good, and 14mm is for me the maximum accepted value for a landscape camera.. the lower the better, as you still can crop it, but you can’t extend a picture to something that is not there.. 

- i’m also ok with a zoom lens - 10-24mm could be good option

- robust enough to withstand mountain conditions (weather sealed, resistant to at least -20C)

- viewfinder is still a need (unfortunatelly X70 doesn't have it)

- i don’t care much about wide aperture, f/4 is for landscapes absolutely enough (if corners are still sharp)

- i don’t care much about fast shutter speed, 1/1000s is enough

- most of landscapes are shot with focus to infinity, so the lense could be optimized for this setting

- color optimalization for landscapes would be nice (film profiles are perfect, HDR could be good too)

- integrated ND is good, integrated polarization filter would be great too - if no integrated, then at least possibility to attach it easily (and together with a hood)

- optical stabilizer

- tripod mode would be nice - if there is no need for a short time, it could set apperture/time to better values

- leather case in accessories to be usable with a tripod and a filter attached

- no need to shoot more pictures per second

- no need for flash

 

I would like other people who are looking for a camera like this to put your requirements into comments.

 

 

[jakvet]

I'm afraid what you are asking for doesn't exist - and probably won't IMHO.  The best alternative, at this point, would be the new XT20 with the 10-24mm or 14mm lens.  The Fuji roadmap also has an 8-16mm f2.8 coming out late this year or early next year.

[rollypolly]

You may want to consider the X-T20 - a miniaturized X-T2 with all the TRANS III goodness - which is smaller than the X100F when a XF 27mm is attached (40mm equivalent). For wider shots, there’s the XF 18mm (28mm equivalent) otherwise consider the Rokinon 12mm or 8mm manual lenses. 

 

The Roki lenses are small and pack a lot of punch. Full reviews can be found at the lonely speck astrophotography website. Personally, I use the 12mm for my astrophotography as this lens is unmatched when it comes to speed and coma correction. Worked well on my last Iceland trip in ten below temps with 60 mph gusts.

 

Cheers!

Rolly