The 1954 Leica M3 and the 2011 Fujifilm X100. Photo: Nokton / Flickr
We called the hot-and-almost-here Fujifilm X100 Leica-like, but if you didn’t believe use, take a look at these photos from Flickr user Nokton. They show the classic Leica M3 and the new Fujifilm hybrid rangefinder together, and they could have been separated at birth.
Well, not quite at birth: the M3 was born back in 1954, while the X100 isn’t even close to its first birthday. But it’s clear that, as Nokton says, the new camera has some Leica DNA. In fact, I had to double check the first time I saw the side-by-side shot to see which was which.
Under his real name of Pieter Franken, Nokton has also reviewed the X100, and he pronounces it as good, with high ISO performance at the level of the Nikon D700, a good, fast lens and a great viewfinder (this is arguably the main point of the camera, with its instant switch between optical and electronic modes).
It also has, somewhat amusingly, a much quieter shutter than the current Leica M9. Up until the Leica started putting metal shutters into its M-series cameras, they were known as the quietest cameras around.
Even the top-plates are similar. Photo Nokton / Flickr
What the X100 isn’t is a true rangefinder. To manually focus you will use the electronic viewfinder and have it magnify a section of the image for you. This is slower than using a real rangefinder, and Pieter says that the focus ring on the lens is also rather slow, with a lot of movement required to shift the focus a small amount.
A shame, but only to be expected. After all, the Leica M9 costs as much as a small car, whereas the X100 is a relatively reasonable $1,200. And I still can’t wait to try one.
Leica M3 versus Finepix X100 [Nokton / Flickr]
First Impressions of the Finepix X100 from a rangefinder shooter [Steve Huff Photo]
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