REVIEW: Sony Alpha a6000 with 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens (Part II of II)–A Fujifilm X-E2 Killer?

Sony Alpha a6000 with 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens

In the first part of this review it was hard for me to contain my excitement about this camera. After all, it is offered at a very reasonable price yet impressed me as much as the NEX-7, yet it is even more capable. It also helps that it is a fraction of the price so I started to wonder if this should be a replacement for my Fujifilm X-E2. Yes, it is that good!

What follows here are my final testing, some additional images and my final conclusion.

Bookshelf Test

My bookshelf tests are simple tests done on a tripod with in-camera steady shot turned off and all camera settings set to their defaults (except I do keep the raws).

f/4 @ 16 mm, 5s, ISO 100, No Flash

When I first looked at the bookshelf shots from this camera my jaw dropped! I had to go back to B&H and remind myself again about the price. It boggles my mind that a camera so cheap can produce such amazing results! I can definitely say this is the best image quality I’ve ever seen for below $1000 and realistically it ranks high on the list of overall amazing image quality.*

Yeah, notice that little asterisk? Despite testing many other cameras which had optical low pass filter removed, this is the only camera I’ve tested to really show a what appears to be a moiré pattern as you can see below:

That boys and girls is what a moiré pattern looks like
and it’s pretty intense in my bookshelf testing with the a6000

Sadly I had to go all the way to 18px in Photoshop’s Filter | Noise | Medium filter to eliminate that moiré, but only after selecting just the blue part (which isn’t an easy selection to make). I only saw this problem in the bookshelf test, so generally speaking it wasn’t a problem but it is something to keep in mind.

UPDATE: I haven’t been able to confirm if this camera has a optical low pass filter or not, but either way this pattern that showed up during my testing is troublesome. I’ve reached out to Sony to discuss this problem and will report back when I learn more.

While that was bad, when I look at the adjacent image books image quality (as shown below) then all is forgiven. This is one seriously high resolution combo! Pay attention to that last part too, because it is also clear that the 16-70mm (not to be confused with the cheap 16-50 kit lens) is one awesome piece of glass!

Outstanding image quality is adjacent to the moiré pattern so if you are lucky enough to shoot subjects that don’t exhibit this problem then you’ll be rewarded with phenomenally good images

Generally speaking I found f/5.6 under the 50mm range to be the sweet spot of this lens, but things do get soft when zoomed out to 70mm. This photo shows how things definitely get much softer:

f/5.6 @ 70 mm, 13s, ISO 100, No Flash

I loved having the range of 16-70mm because with this sensor size the 1.5x crop factor meant 24-105mm (in 35mm terms) which just so happens to be my favorite range on my Canon cameras. I’m happy to trade off some sharpness for that excellent range.

High ISO

This camera performed admirably, but not phenomenally at higher ISO’s. Here’s a shot at ISO 1600:

f/5.6 @ 16 mm, 0.8s, ISO 1600, No Flash

If you zoom in and compare 1600 to 3200 then you see that the detail loss becomes unacceptable at 3200, but it’s still clean enough to be usable:

ISO 1600 has pretty decent detail still, but it starts to vanish rapidly at ISO 3200 and above

This all reflects my real world results where I felt uncomfortable going above ISO 1600 unless it was simply a documentary shot. This was a little disappointing as it does limit it from becoming a true DSLR replacement, but it is consistent with this class of camera.

In a pinch, ISO 25600 exists for what I call documentary shots (i.e., those that capture something you want to remember), but not photographic art (unless perhaps you are a grain B&W shooter):

f/22 @ 16 mm, 1/15, ISO 25600, No Flash

As you can see from this shot, the detail and dynamic range suffer drastically. Yes, It captures an image which is good, but it’s not something that I’d want to use. Of course it is better than a cell phone image, so perhaps some will find great value in that reality.

More Real World Photos

I had such a good time with this camera that I ended up with a bunch more in the gallery. I decided to go ahead and share a few more real world shots. As is always the case, these are in-camera JPEG’s with no modifications. All camera settings are the default except the white balance which may be adjusted for creative intent.

NOTE: My apologies for the sensor spot on some of the photos, but I didn’t remove them since these are in-camera originals. Sadly I didn’t notice the dust spot until after my shooting all of my review photos.

f/8 @ 70 mm, 1/320, ISO 100, No Flash
Beautiful gradients with a little in-camera flare made for nice shot

f/11 @ 38 mm, 1/15, ISO 100, No Flash, -1EV
I exposed for the sky rather than the ground to capture the beauty of the clouds at sunset

f/8 @ 33 mm, 1/25, ISO 100, No Flash
There’s a little edge distortion at the 16mm range but I was pleased that at 33mm it is gone

f/13 @ 23 mm, 1/320, ISO 100, No Flash, 8192 x 1856 px, Pano Mode
It tripped up on the pano exposure on a couple attempts, but eventually got it right. If you’ve ever done a pano at sunset like this then you can appreciate how difficult it is to get this image. In this case it was ALL in-camera, so I was impressed (even if it was a little crooked – my bad)

f/5.6 @ 59 mm, 1/200, ISO 100, No Flash
Want a sharp shot with this camera?
Go for  f/5.6 at as close to 16mm as possible for best results

f/5.6 @ 16 mm, 1/320, ISO 100, No Flash
The detail in this shot really made me love this lens

f/5.6 @ 70 mm, 1/160, ISO 100, No Flash, -1EV
AWB was yellow so I chose fluorescent 0 to get this blue tone

f/22 @ 23 mm, 1/40, ISO 100, No Flash
Sunset was a flare beast, but f/22 made it a fun flare

f/22 @ 70 mm, 1/800, ISO 100, No Flash, -2EV
I went super dark intentionally and loved the results

f/4 @ 44 mm, 1/10, ISO 800, No Flash, Handheld
Since this was handheld (using this technique) I had to use f/4 when I’d rather used a much larger f-stop number. However, I still was happy with the results all things considered
Watermarks added via Zenfolio to minimize Super Bowl abuse

f/4 @ 20 mm, 1/6, ISO 800, No Flash, Handheld
Same comment as above, except this one has already had clients purchasing prints!
Watermarks added via Zenfolio to minimize Super Bowl abuse

For more images check out the gallery at http://photos.ronmartblog.com/sony/a6000. You can also find more at:

• Hawkitecture with the Sony a6000–Seattle Skies Are Lit With Blue & Green
• REVIEW: Sony a6000 & 16-70mm (Part I of II)–Real World Photos

My apologies for the watermark on the Seattle shots but if you click for the original you can see it without it. Watermarks were added to smaller sizes just to limit image theft prior to the Super Bowl.

All images are copyright ® Ron Martinsen – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may view them for your personal education, but you must delete them when done. You may not edit, print, share or otherwise use these images without my signed (on physical paper) consent.

DigitalRev TV Video

I enjoy watching DigitalRev TV videos as Kai usually has a funny perspective, even if I don't always agree with him. Here's his video for the a6000:

Conclusion

Simply put, I highly recommend this camera for someone who is looking for a lot of bang for the buck. Of course, the lens I used is twice the price of the camera so that may take away some of the value prop, but I’ve used the 18-55mm for NEX cameras and it was good so I’d suspect that the 16-50mm kit lens is quite usable. If you can afford it though, definitely get the 16-70mm!

Yes, the camera build quality could be a little better and I do wish the high ISO performance was better, but this camera has performed better than many DSLR’s I’ve tested a few years back. In fact, some have even suggested it is as good as the Nikon D7100, but I wouldn’t go that far. It’s good, but not that good.

With a great focusing system that is far superior than the Fujifilm it had me thinking about replacing my X-E2. However, the moiré issue is enough to keep me from buying one to replace my X-E2. I will be eager to see what replaces this model at some point in the future as it could be a real game changer for me.

Where to order

Click here to learn more or order the a6000 on the B&H web site. For the Sony Vario-Tessar T* E 16-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens, click here.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• REVIEW: Sony a6000 & 16-70mm (Part I of II)–Real World Photos
• Hawkitecture with the Sony a6000–Seattle Skies Are Lit With Blue & Green
• Sony a3000
• Sony a7 (includes Samyang lens)
• Sony a7R
• Sony DSC-RX1 (Full Frame Compact Camera)
• Sony DSC-RX10
• Sony RX100 III (Sony DSC-RX100 II vs RX100 I)
• Sony NEX-7
• Fujifilm X30
• Fujifilm X100s
• Fujifilm X-E2
• Fujifilm X-T1 (includes 18-55mm & 23mm lens reviews)
• Fujifilm XF 56mm
• Fujifilm XF 10-24mm
• Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8
• HOW TO: Drastically Improve Your Handheld Shots
• Photographers Gift Guide / Recommendations
• Things You Need AFTER You Buy Your New Camera - Must Have Photography Accessories
• Printing Series 
• Ron’s Recommendations 

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

REVIEW: Think Tank Photo Mirrorless Mover

Think Tank Photo Mirrorless Mover 30i
This bag is MUCH smaller in real life than this photo makes it seem
and that is a GOOD thing! It’s about the height and width of an iPad

Earlier this year my friends at Think Tank Photo announced their first camera bag collection for Mirrorless cameras, called the Mirrorless Movers™.  The Mirrorless Movers come in four sizes that range in size from the Mirrorless Mover 5, which fits one small size mirrorless body with a small telephoto or pancake lens attached, up to the Mirrorless Mover 30i, which fits one medium to large size mirrorless body plus two to four lenses and an iPad.

As is their design philosophy, Think Tank placed a premium on quality.  The new bags utilize metal hardware instead of plastic buckles, and only high quality fabrics, YKK zippers and a new, magnetic closure.  In the words of their president and lead designer Doug Murdoch, “The Mirrorless Movers offer photographers quality in their camera bags worthy of their investment in these sophisticated, expensive camera systems.”

When you click on this special link you will receive free gear with all orders of $50 or more and free shipping on all orders.

The largest bag is about the height and width of an iPad
even though it feels much larger in this photo

The four sizes are:

• The Mirrorless Mover 5 fits one small size mirrorless body with a small telephoto or pancake lens attached. It is sized for the Canon EOS–M, Leica D–Lux, Nikon 1 series, Olympus E–PM2, E–PL5, EP–3, Panasonic GF3, Sony NEX–C3, or similar sized bodies.
  
• The Mirrorless Mover 10 fits one medium size mirrorless body plus one to two lenses and additional accessories. It is sized for the Leica V–Lux, Olympus OM–D E–M5, Panasonic G3, GF5, GH2, Samsung NX5, NX11, NX210, Sony NEX–5, NEX–6, NEX–7, or similar sized/smaller bodies.
  
• The Mirrorless Mover 20 fits one medium size mirrorless body plus two to three lenses and additional accessories. It is sized for the Leica V–Lux, Olympus OM–D E–M5, Panasonic G3, GF5, GH2, Samsung NX5, NX11, NX210, Sony NEX–5, NEX–6, NEX–7, or similar sized/smaller bodies.
  
• The Mirrorless Mover 30i fits one medium to large size mirrorless body plus two to four lenses, iPad, and additional accessories or a small–size DSLR and one to three small telephoto lenses or primes. It is sized for the Fuji X–Pro 1, Leica M8, Panasonic GH3 or similar sized/smaller bodies. Small DSLRs: Canon Rebel, Nikon D3200/D5200, Sony SLT–A55/A37 or similar sized bodies.

Video Tour

Here’s a video I took that demonstrates how this bag works with some popular Fujifilm cameras:

Click to view the video on YouTube

For those who have endured the horrible lighting in my previous videos, I’ve added studio lights finally using the Lowel Rifa eX 66 Pro Video Light Kit. Leave a comment to let me know if you appreciate the improved lighting or not.

The cameras featured in the video are the Fujifilm X-E2, X20, and X-Q1. Check the right side of the blog for links to their reviews as they become available.

Conclusion

This is a long overdue arrival to the ThinkTankPhoto lineup! I’ve been a big fan of the BlackRapid SnapR  bags, but they are too small for the interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras. This now addresses that gap in a big way!

I’ve got the 30i and its awesome! I don’t have a mirrorless camera, but I’ve tested it with a Canon T5i, Fujifilm X-S1, and the Fujifilm X-E2. They all fit comfortably in this bag so I was quick to reach for it or my Turnstyle 20 when I was on the go. I’m also jazzed that my iPad fits in the 30i with no problem.

Where to order (SPECIAL OFFER)

Click here to learn more and/or order one of the Mirrorless Mover bags today! As a blog reader you’ll get a chance to get free gear and shipping with your order of $50 or more!

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these reviews:

• ThinkTankPhoto special offer page
  
• Fujifilm X-E2 – Real World Sample Images
  
• Canon EOS M
  
• Fujifilm XPro-1
  
• Olympus OM-D E-M5
  
• Sony NEX-7
  
• ThinkTankPhoto Airport Acceleration, Artificial Intelligence 17, Camera Straps & Support Straps
  
• Think Tank Photo Airport Commuter (vs StreetWalker HardDrive)
  
• Think Tank Photo Airport Security v2.0
  
• Think Tank Photo Airport 4-Sight
  
• Think Tank Photo AirStream
  
• Think Tank Photo Airport TakeOff
  
• Think Tank Photo City Walker 10
  
• Think Tank Photo Digital Holster
  
• Think Thank Photo Hydrophobia 70-200 Camera Rain Cover
  
• Think Tank Photo Logistics Manager
  
• Think Tank Photo Modular Components V2.0
  
• Think Tank Photo Retrospective 20
  
• Think Tank Photo Shape Shifter
  
• Think Tank Photo Sling-O-Matic
  
• Think Tank Photo StreetWalker Pro vs Glass Taxi
  
• Think Tank Photo StreetWalker HardDrive (vs Airport Commuter)
  
• Think Tank Photo Urban Disguise Series (v2.0 Up)
  
• Things You Need AFTER You Buy Your New Camera - Must Have Photography Accessories

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Adorama Sale on Sony Alpha Cameras until May 31st

The following items are on sale until May 31st at 8:59 PM Pacific / 11:59 PM Eastern:

Sony Alpha NEX-3NL - $448

Sony Alpha NEX-5R - $498

Sony Alpha NEX-6 - $748

Sony Alpha SLT-A58 - $598

Sony Alpha SLT-A77 - $998

Sony SLT-A99V - $2798

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these reviews:

• Fujifilm X20 (My personal P&S camera)
• Fujifilm X100s
• Fujifilm X-E1
• Nikon D7100 - A Mini D800?
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 (with 2 lenses)
• Sony NEX-7
• Sony DSC-RX1 (Full Frame Compact Camera)
• Sony DSC-RX100
• Things You Need AFTER You Buy Your New Camera - Must Have Photography Accessories

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

DSLR or Mirrorless: Canon T5i/700D Review–Part II

Canon Rebel T5i/700D f/11 @ 52 mm, 1/80, ISO 6400, No Flash

In part I of my Canon T5i/700D review I was impressed with several features of this camera, but overall I had this nagging feeling that I was using a gloried point and shoot. At the same time I tested this camera I also tested the Fujifilm X-S1 which IS literally a point and shoot camera with a single big optical zoom lens. This got me to thinking, would I really recommend this camera over a mirror less to a friend?

For now the answer is yes primarily because when you buy an interchangeable lens camera you are buying system that includes lenses and accessories. Canon has a lot to offer the user of this camera over its mirror less counterparts, and you have the opportunity to grow into better gear within the system. This is what I did when I moved to digital SLR cameras with my old Rebel XTi, and I never regretted that decision.

Bookshelf Images

These are taken from in-camera JPEG’s with zero modifications taken during everyday life events. Nearly all were taken in Aperture Priority (Av) mode using a timer and a tripod with stabilization turned off. The goal of these samples is to have a common measuring stick in a controlled environment by which you can measure the lens and sensor performance. What’s more you can also compare these to bookshelf shots of other cameras that I’ve reviewed to get an idea of how a camera really compares. See my other camera reviews for links to additional bookshelf images.

Visit http://photos.ronmartblog.com/canon/t5i for a full gallery and click the images to see the full-size originals. All images are copyright Ron Martinsen – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may view them, but you may not store, edit, print, distribute or otherwise reuse any images without written consent.

T5i, f/5.6 @48 mm, 4s, ISO 200 18-55mm kit lens
The kit lens quality shocked me as to how sharp it was

While the kit lens feels like a piece of plastic worthy of a child's toy box, the quality itself is surprisingly good. In fact, I found some areas of the image on par with the ultra expensive 70-200mm professional zoom lens.

Below I found the high ISO performance to be a big improvement – to my eyes – over the T4i. Personally I’d probably lower the in-camera noise reduction to the minimum values as I felt it destroyed more detail than I’d like.

f/4 @ 70 mm,1/25, ISO 12800 (using 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens)
ISO 12,800 is totally usable - a HUGE improvement over the T4i

In-Camera HDR

In-Camera HDR
Nice results, but not a huge amount of range and a huge crop

The in-camera HDR works okay but it seems to take an aggressive built-in crop – especially considering this shot was taken on a tripod. I was also frustrated by the fact that this camera doesn’t save the RAW or JPEG images it takes when you use its in-camera HDR – you only get the end result of the merge. It also doesn’t have as much dynamic range and depth as I would expect in a feature like this.

Personally I’d strongly recommend that HDR fans continue to do traditional bracketing in the camera and let HDR Efex Pro be your tool for getting a better HDR image.

Conclusion

I definitely preferred the T5i/700D over the Canon EOS M, but when you start comparing it to the higher end Fujifilm, Sony and Olympus cameras the decision isn’t as easy to make. The compact size and high quality of the mirror less cameras make them very compelling choices. However, those cameras aren’t as user friendly for the average soccer mom or technophobe dad. I also think that this camera’s auto focus system significantly outperforms other cameras I’ve tested at this same price point. As a result, I’d definitely take this camera over the mirror less options as of May 2013, but the tide is turning for sure. The good thing though is that you are in good shape to grow into different products when you choose the Canon platform whereas the current mirror less platforms are still rather volatile and evolving.

Practically speaking, I think the Canon EOS Rebel T5i (aka 700D) with EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens kit makes more sense over the 18-55mm that I tested here because of the extra reach of the lens. I tested the 18-135mm lens with the T4i and felt like it was a decent kit lens.As a result, I think the added reach you get for the extra $200 makes a lot of sense.

Those with an extra $500 in their budget (and no existing Canon lenses) would be wise to consider the Nikon D7100. In my Nikon D7100 review I compared its quality to that of the D800E, and really it is a pretty impressive camera. It’s images will seem dull and flat compared to Canon’s hyper saturated in-camera images, but that’s just in-camera post-processing trickery.

See my Which camera should I buy? article for my general shopping advice, and Part I of this review for more details and real world sample images.

Where to order

Click here to order the Canon Rebel T5i/700D at B&H. My friends at Adorama have it available here.

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these reviews:

• Canon Rebel T5i/700D Part I of II
• Things You Need AFTER You Buy Your New Camera - Must Have Photography Accessories
• Fujifilm X-E1
• Canon EOS M Review
• Olympus OM-D E-M5
• Sony NEX-7
• Canon 600EX-RT Flash First Look (ST-E3 RT)
• Fujifilm X-S1 Review
• Nikon D7100 - A Mini D800?
• COMPARISON: Fujifilm X-E1, X100s, X20 & X10
• Photo Editing Tips 
• Which Printer Should I Buy? Epson or Canon?
• Black RS-Sport – The best camera strap ever!
• Think Tank Photo City Walker 10 Camera Bag Review – Highly Recommended

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Fujifilm X-E1–Compared to X-Pro1, X100s, Sony RX100, & More (Part 2 of 2)

In my first article entitled Fujifilm X-E1–A Step in the Right Direction (Part 1 of 2), I covered the basics of this camera and included a bunch of example photos. In this article I’ll compare some bookshelf images to some popular cameras and wrap up with some miscellaneous feature areas.

f/4 @ 55 mm, 1/110,ISO 800, No Flash, AWB, Velvia
The Easter Bunny Rocks with this camera!

Bookshelf Test

As expected, the X-E1 did very well with the bookshelf test. Its improved firmware over the X-Pro1 that I tested proved to be helpful, and the 18-55mm lens performed very well. This really isn’t an apples to apples comparison because I don’t have both cameras at the same time nor do I have the same lens and latest firmware installed. As a result, all you can take away from this is how the X-E1 performed at the time I tested it versus the other cameras at the time I tested them. All were shot under identical light conditions on the same tripod, but different lenses do make a big difference.

X-E1, f/5.6 @ 55 mm, 3.7s, ISO 200, No Flash, OIS Off, AWB, DR100, Provia, 10 sec Timer

Overall I felt like it was comparable to DSLR performance in terms of dynamic range and image sharpness. The noise level was quite a bit higher when getting beyond ISO 800 (more like DSLR’s were back in the 2006 time frame) which is problematic when you use this camera body for the evening dinner date with your significant other.

100% Crops

The following 100% crops are all generated in Lightroom 4.3 from the RAW files so that the default raw processing would be identical for each.

X-E1 100% Crop f/5.6 @ 55 mm, 3.7s, ISO 200

The X-E1 looks a bit sharper in my eyes, but that could be the shooting angle and other factors. Overall it’s very comparable to the X-Pro1, as expected.

Compared to the X-Pro1

X-Pro1, f/5.6 @ 35 mm, 8s, ISO 200

Compared to the Sony RX100

DSC-RX100, f/8 @ 10.4 mm, 5s, ISO 200

The Sony seems to have a bit better dynamic range, but it also seems quite a bit softer when doing a raw comparison. One thing is for certain is that the Sony in-camera meter seems to be a lot more accurate whereas the Fuji’s tend to over expose a tad (in the default multi metering mode.

X-E1 at ISO 6400

X-E1, f/5.6 @ 55 mm, 1/8,ISO 6400 (Full Size)
Mouse over to see ISO 200 and mouse out to see ISO 6400

At ISO 6400 the noise is pretty strong, but the image quality is still pretty good. The noise cleans up okay with Noiseware (or the in-camera JPEG processing) so it’s a usable image – but very noisy by today’s standards. The ISO’s greater than 6400 don’t support RAW so you end up with a nasty JPEG that you can’t fix. I do not recommend these modes unless you are desperate the get the shot.

Film Simulation Modes

This camera supports bracketing of Film Simulation modes (called picture styles on other cameras), so for fun I did it here using the 55mm ISO 200 setting. These are all in-camera JPEG’s (click for full-size originals):

X-E1 Provia (Standard) Film Simulation Mode

X-E1 Astia (Soft) Film Simulation ModeX-E1 Velvia (Vivid) Film Simulation Mode

While there are many times that I prefer Velvia, for this image it’s a little too oversaturated – especially when you get it on the web at sRGB. As a result, I find myself using Astia quite a bit (and no, it doesn’t seem to soften my images – it’s colors are just more muted that Vivid).

You can see more samples and full-size originals at http://www.ronmartinsen.com/fujifilm/x-e1. All images are Copyright Ron Martinsen – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may view, but you may not save, edit, crop, print or otherwise use any images without permission.

Compared to other popular cameras in this class

Subjectively speaking I felt it did a better job at higher ISO’s and with in-camera noise reduction than the Olympus OM-D E-M5. I also felt like it was close enough in quality to the Sony RX100 that it’d definitely consider this a better buy than the Sony.

The Canon EOS M disappointed me, but if you pixel peep you’ll see that it compares very favorably in terms of overall image quality against the X-E1. With that said, the improvements in focus performance make the X-E1 my winner in this comparison.

I would say it’s worthwhile for X100 owners to upgrade to the X100s as there’s so many improvements that you’ll enjoy it quite a bit. However, if you want an interchangeable lens solution that is affordable than the X-E1 (and its replacement) make more sense.

Overall though, in this class of cameras I’d say the Sony NEX-7 is still my overall favorite for a combination of performance, features, and price. I think the X-E1 and X-Pro1 have better image quality but that doesn’t really matter if you don’t get the shot.

Dynamic Range Modes

This feature really helps in tough situations like this so you can see the skyscraper outside
Click the image to view the original in-camera image

Like other Fujifilm cameras, the X-E1 has multiple Dynamic Range modes. In fact, it even features bracketing of these modes, so I used that feature on the bookshelf to do a quick sample of three at DR100, DR200, and DR400. Just click here to view the DR100 version and use the right arrow key to see the others. Wait, what’s that – you didn’t any difference? Yeah, me either. If you look carefully there are some subtle differences, so it seems more optimized for brighter conditions (which I couldn’t test tonight) based on what I’m seeing in real world use. Personally I use DRAuto or DR100 most of the time, but I tried various modes when testing.

It should be noted that this is a JPEG only feature as the RAW file doesn’t have the notion of this post-processing concept.

Menu System

Much fuss is made about the menu system of the Fujifilm X series cameras, but honestly I’ve gotten used to it so it doesn’t bother me. I find what I need quickly and it works. There’s lots of  hard button controls on the camera too so I only need to use the menus when something is missing from the hard buttons. Most notably you can switch flash modes, but there’s no quick access to flash exposure compensation which is very annoying. The Q menu is pretty awesome at providing most features available very quickly and easily – I loved the densely populated design – I wish others would do that.

Video

As usual, I’m not video guy so I didn’t do much testing here. It’s about like an average point and shoot but it doesn’t focus on moving subjects very well. The image quality is above average though – in good light with the Provia film simulation.

Panoramic Mode

Panoramic Mode - M

Panoramic Mode – L

If you saw my X10 review you know that I love this feature in Fujifilm cameras. As usual, the JPEG it creates is stitched very well (when the subject you are shooting isn’t moving), but it seems a little slower on the X-Pro1 & X-E1 compared to the X10.

The two examples above were take with Velvia film simulation.

Conclusion

This is a good camera that will certainly please Fujifilm enthusiasts. After a fail with the X100 (in my opinion) and some bugs with the very expensive XPro-1, Fujifilm seems to have finally hit the mark. It’s still expensive in my book, but definitely a lot cheaper than a Leica.

This camera has that German build quality feeling and it’s a hell of a lot of fun to use. If I had the spare change I’d probably pick one up, but I wouldn’t consider it a replacement for a DSLR nor my point and shoot (currently a X10). To me, this is more of a serious hobbyist camera that is charming to use and creates very satisfying in-camera JPEG’s that some might find suitable enough to avoid spending much time in post-processing.

I’d call it an ideal street photography camera, and it’s great for food photography too. The live view helps a lot with manual focusing and the removal of the low pass filter also make it a great choice for landscape photography as well. It’s also great for hiking or situations where you just don’t want a big bulky camera.

I’d also say that the focus problems are solved if you use the largest two AF sizes in Single Shot mode. Smaller than that will require very good light.

Overall, I give this camera a guarded recommendation to those who can afford to pay for the wonderful quality body and very good sensor that it offers. It’s sure to please as long as you keep yourself in good light and stay out of situations that require ISO > 800.

Where to order

Click here to see the full selection of X-E1’s at B&H web site. My friends at Adorama have it available here, and you can find it here at Amazon.

If you think you might buy this camera, NOW is the time. B&H has this screaming deal that literally had me load my cart and almost pull the trigger:

Fujifilm X-E1 Bundle Special - Save 913.85!!!

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If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Fujifilm X-E1–A Step in the Right Direction (Part 1 of 2)
• Fujifilm X-E1 Real World Sample Images (NEW)
• Fujifilm FinePix X100s
• Fujifilm X10 (2011 P&S of the Year)
• Fujifilm X20
• Fujifilm XPro-1
• Canon EOS M
• Olympus OM-D E-M5
• Sony NEX-7
• Sony DSC-RX1 (Full Frame Compact Camera)
• Sony DSC-RX100
• Things You Need AFTER You Buy Your New Camera - Must Have Photography Accessories

Need more info, check out this great Q&A about the X-E1

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this. B&H also loaned me the X-E1 and lens used for this review.

REVIEW: Canon EOS M–Taking the Fun Out of Photography

Canon EOS M with 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Yeah, you’ve got to do this at least once ;-)

Let me just say up front that if you are looking for an article that makes you feel good about wanting an EOS M then you’ve come to the wrong place. While I enjoy reviewing cameras, there’s no camera that I’ve wanted to return faster than this one because I disliked it so much (well, the Nikon 1 V1 was close and previously held that title).

Why I Hate This Camera (Skip this if you don’t care why)

The reason why I hated this camera is because I’m just don’t get who the target audience really is for this camera. In the world I live in I see the need for one to three cameras for most people with the following logic:

• Cell Phone Camera – This is the camera that’s always with you and hopefully is one that doesn’t suck. For me it’s the iPhone 5 and it gets the shots that are just for me to share with my friends on Facebook and to capture a moment that would otherwise be lost without it (like where my car is parked at the airport – ha, ha). Cell phones like the Nokia 920 even rival the higher end compact cameras! For many people, this is the only camera they really need – but not you if you are reading this.
• Compact Cameras – This is the camera that you whip out when your cell phone just won’t do, but you don’t want the hassle of the DSLR. You get this camera because you want more control than your cell phone gives you (you know, like being able to control the depth of field, shutter speed to avoid blur or ISO to kill the noise when you can keep your camera stable, etc…). These days these cameras are getting so good that many rival lower end DSLR’s, and some are so fun to use that even photography enthusiasts can enjoy a creative outlet in a compact package. With great cameras like the X20 and RX100 this may be all “real photographers” who shoot for a hobby really need.
• Interchangeable Lens Cameras – This is for the serious enthusiast or part-time semi-pro photographer who is willing to make a serious investment in their photography to match the right lens to the scene. This is the buyer who wants the best and is willing to pay for it. Now for some the appeal of the micro-four thirds meets their needs and for others it’s a full-blown DSLR. However, for both camps I argue that this is the person who wants full creative control over their shots and wants quick access to the change the focus point, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO as needed.

Of course there’s other categories of cameras and pro shooters have a need for multiple interchangeable lens cameras, but the point is that for much of the photography enthusiast world this pretty much covers what most people will need or want.

Now at first glance one might think that the EOS M falls into the third category since it has a large APS-C sensor like you’d find on a 60D, interchangeable lenses and even a hot shoe. However, this camera fails miserably in the all-important “quick access” feature that I think is critical to serious photography.

The fatal flaw of the EOS M is that it is going for the minimalistic approach of the cell phone camera with serious features buried behind nested touch screen menus. It’s clear from the design this camera is designed for the picture taker (I can’t say photographer) who finds a cell phone about as difficult as they can handle, but they long to look like their friends with DSLR’s.

Now I’m not saying these are stupid people because you have to be well off to afford this nearly $800 camera plus the additional lenses and accessories (like a flash which isn’t included), but it seems that Canon is targeting this to someone who finds a Sony NEX-7 to be just too complex to use.

Despite the strengths of this camera, I just don’t see the point of a camera that has been dumbed down even more than a s110, yet it has no built-in flash and it requires you to read the manual (which many DSLR owners fail to do) just to get out of the cell phone-like automatic modes. Perhaps, if you are an amateur videographer you might find some value in this camera, but even then I’d argue that you’d want more control and features than this camera offers.

What I Do Like About this Camera

f/4 @ 28 mm (24-105mm), 1/320, ISO 100, AWB
Unprocessed In-Camera JPEG – Standard Picture Style

Okay, so now that I got that off my chest I can focus on what’s good about this camera. In practice I found this camera to be very much like a T4i in a nearly touch only body with what seemed to be better ISO performance and dynamic range. This is a good thing, especially with the must have EF/EF-S lens adapter as it means you can get some great shots if you work hard enough at it.

A Real World Lens Comparison

In my sample gallery I have bookshelf shots for those who want to pixel peep three of the lenses I tested with, but here’s a quick real world practical test that illustrates similar behavior I found with other frames. These shots were chosen not to send a religious message but simply because they were good examples under challenging conditions and are similar to high ISO shots of this same subject used in other reviews.

f/2.8 @ 22 mm (kit lens), 1/40, ISO 800
Lack of stabilization and sharpness
made me quickly avoid the 22mm lens

In my testing I found that the included 22m kit lens was disappointing (sample shown above), but the optically darker but stabilized 18-55mm zoom lens was much more practical in everyday use. Here’s an example of the same shot above with the :

The EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens performed well for a $299 lens
f/4 @ 26 mm (18-55mm), 1/50, ISO 1600, AWB, No Flash

If you have an investment in EF or EF-S lenses, then the EF/EF-S lens adapter is a must as you can use the best lenses Canon makes to get great results. The downside is that the improved AF performance (and IS when applicable) comes at a cost of draining the battery very quickly. Here’s a sample using my old EF 24-105mm f/4L IS with the adapter which offers edge to edge sharpness improvement at a cost of $799 more for the lens plus another $200 for the adapter:

My EF 24-105mm f/4L IS (with adapter) had better edge sharpness, but it cost $700 more!
f/4 @ 24 mm (24-105mm), 1/40, ISO 1600, AWB

If you are going to get this camera your takeaway should be to get the adapter if you own existing  Canon lenses, but if you don’t you’ll find the 18-55mm to be a good starter lens in terms of both size and performance (and especially battery life).

Good Lenses + Patience = Sometimes Good Results

When mastered, the EOS M can produce excellent results even with EF-M lenses
f/5.6 @ 44 mm (18-55mm), 1/80, ISO 640, No Flash, AWB
Click for original in-camera JPEG

If you are prepared to read the manual for this camera and learn how to use it properly, it will reward you when you match it to the right lens. It’s also quiet handy to point on the touch screen LCD to quickly pick your AF point (like the T4i offers), but you must be careful as grabbing this small camera body can also result in accidentally relocating the AF point – A LOT.

Bookshelf Test

Bookshelf Testing did include the 70-200mm

If you are frequent reader and are looking for my bookshelf test shots, you can find an assortment with three lenses at http://www.ronmartinsen.com/canon/eosm/e52365dee. As usual for non DSLR’s these are all in-camera JPEG’s all shot the same way. Touch to focus made it hard to get the same level of accuracy as I get with my other cameras tested, and it seemed easy for the meter to want to over expose by 1 stop.

In the center the smaller lenses perform well, but it’s at the edges where the expensive lenses show their value. Even at up to 55mm the EF-M lenses were only super sharp in the center.

Using the 70-200mm, here’s the best I got out of this sensor (but it was 1 stop over exposed)
f/5.6 @ 100 mm, 10s, ISO 100, No Flash, Manual Mode, AWB

Using the 70-200mm, here’s the best of the worst ISO 12,800
You MUST view at full size to see compare details
f/5.6 @ 100 mm, 1/13, ISO 12800

Overall I felt that ISO performance up to ISO 1600 was excellent, but even 3200 was good. 6400 under the right conditions was tolerable and 12,800 was usable but not suitable for printing above 4x6 prints.

For those wondering about RAW’s, see my other articles as to why I don’t include them. Yes, I do have the RAW’s and will make them available on demand for personal use only if you give me a free location to drop them. However, the delta of difference is the same in the RAW’s vs JPEG’s.

Video

I’m no videographer, but overall I found that with a good lens and decent light the video quality was very good. This is no camcorder though so expect DSLR like performance. The STM lenses do allow for near silent zooming and auto focus and the built-in audio was on par with DSLR’s.

Real World Sample Shots

Click here to see my full gallery of real world sample shots. These are the in-camera JPEG’s with zero post processing. With exception of the bookcase shots, all were taken handheld and where possible in the automatic modes to test the camera – not the photographer.

Be sure to look at the filenames to see which lens was used. Blurry or focus miss shots were included to point out shortcomings of focusing by touch or using the auto modes.

Bokeh freaks – yes, it’s possible – even here where I was riding at 70mph on a rough road <g>
f/4 @ 58 mm (24-105mm), 1/500, ISO 100, AWB, No Flash

The large APS-C sensor means you can control the depth of field very well
f/5 @ 37 mm (18-55mm), 1/30, ISO 6400, AWB, No Flash

I was impressed with the dynamic range and detail in the images
f/4.5 @ 28mm (18-55mm), 1/50, ISO 250, No Flash, AWB

High ISO performance was good, and seemed superior to the T4i, 60D and 7D
f/4 @ 105mm (24-105mm), 1/50, ISO 6400, AWB, No Flash

This doesn’t appear to be a lame G1X with interchange lenses as color depth seems to be better
f/5 @ 42mm (18-55mm), 1/80, ISO 160, No Flash, AWB

At times like this, I wanted to like this camera
f/4 @ 18mm (18-55mm), 1/30, ISO 3200, No Flash, AWB

Despite its size, this is no point and shoot. Just like a DSLR can burn you, so will this camera.
Sadly, I found it’s slow AF – even with good lenses to be problematic.
Unless you went to Manual mode, I found moving people to be impossible in all AF modes

External flash is required, yet painfully difficult to use in all but 0EV ETTL
f/4 @ 25mm (18-55mm), 1/60, ISO 1600, 600EX-RT Flash
Mouse over to see the ISO 4000 no flash version

I preferred the Shade White Balance over Vivid Mode (mouse over)
f/4 @ 45 mm (24-105mm), 1/80, ISO 160, No Flash

Conclusion

Putting a 24-105mm lens and a 600EX-RT on this body just feels stupid, and its touch screen makes it so easy to accidentally reposition the focus point that it becomes a real challenge to use this camera. This coupled with the reality that you have to go on a mission to change many camera settings made this a very unenjoyable camera to use, despite it’s decent image quality. This means you are then forced to either live without a flash or use the lame and bulky 90EX Flash and a EOS-M lens which would probably be bashed if that caliber lens were sold for a real DSLR.

In the end, I’d rather have a Sony NEX-7 which offers a built-in flash and superior physical controls as well as almost all of the benefits of the EOS M. I applaud Canon for trying to compete in the new interchangeable lens compact camera segment, but honestly this is almost as bad as the abysmal Nikon 1 V1. Canon and Nikon are the kings of the DSLR’s, but it seems that the small camera makers (i.e., Fujifilm, Panasonic, Sony and Olympus) still own this space.

If you are a parent or pet owner, I DO NOT recommend that you get this camera. It will frustrate you to no end as its too cumbersome to set the camera to the settings you need to get the shot (and even if you do, many settings are lost when the power goes off automatically). The touch to focus is also impossible for a child and the shutter lag makes the face tracking nearly useless (see the blurry photos at Tokyo Steakhouse in my gallery).

Where To Buy

If you are a die hard Canon person who has just gotta have one of these, and you appreciated my honesty then please support this blog by using my links when ordering. Empty your cart and click the links below to give me credit for your referral:

• Canon EOS M
• Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens
• Canon EF/EF-S lens adapter
• Canon EOS-M 90EX Flash

Other articles you might enjoy…

• BlackRapid SnapR Camera Bag + Sling Strap (a nice camera bag choice for this camera)
• Gary Fong Flip Cage – A handy compact tripod for this camera
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 (with 2 lenses)
• Sony NEX-7 (which I prefer over the full-frame compact Sony DSC-RX1)
• Fujifilm XPro-1
• Canon G1X vs G12 vs Fujifilm X10
• Canon G15 vs s110 vs G12
• Which camera should I buy?
• Things You Need AFTER You Buy Your New Camera - Must Have Photography Accessories

Disclosure

B&H loaned this camera and two lenses to me for the purpose of this review. If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission.