Camera Recommendation - help please

[genshi]

Again, just to keep things fair...

Thank you for the clear-up, I must have confused the X-E1 for the X-Pro1, which has a tendency to muddy up details in high-ISO photos.

X-E1 and the X-Pro1 have the exact same sensor. The difference is the X-E1 loses the Optical viewfinder (which is a shame) but gains a better/has one of the best EVF on the market (apparently the same one as the Sony NEX-7) and adds microphone input, remote inputs, popup flash and more for a greatly reduced price.

Also must have misread somewhere that the X-E1 is a m4/3.

It still won't change my opinion of it, since I'd be paying the same price for an X-E1 for a 7D or D7000 (actually, double the D7000). Those in my opinion still have better lowlight performance than the X-E1, and I really don't like the lack of an optical viewfinder or rangefinder.

The X-E1 is double the D7000s price!? List price for the D7000 (body only) is U.S. $1199.95 and selling for $896.95 here on Amazon, the X-E1 (body only) list and sells for U.S. $999.95 (I know my math is bad, but I don't think that is double.)

And just how can you say those, in your opinion, have better lowlight performance if you haven't done a side by side comparison yourself? Most of the comparisons I've seen online says the X-E1 rivals the full frame sensors and even outshines the Leica M9 when it came to moiré (again, to the OP, if you really do your research instead of asking opinions from all of us who are bias, you will get the answer for your needs.) I can easily say "In my opinion, my Ferrari is faster than a jet plane" but it doesn't make it true. Just saying...

But, obviously, some of this is subjective; people like what they like. I use to shoot with a Canon DSLR and I just recently sold my 2004 Hasselblad 503CW to get the two Fuji cameras I previously mentioned (I personally hate SLRs and prefer Rangefinders; that is a subjective opinion. Not a better or a worse one or a truer or false one, just my opinion and my preference for what I do.)

But there is a reason why Mirrorless cameras are making a big splash these days, and why the Fujifilm X-E1 is getting so much praise, even over it's sibling X-Pro1 (though I agree, losing the Optical Viewfinder hurts a bit, but the EV on the X-E1 is pretty nice.)

Anyway, with whatever the OP decides, you really can't go wrong either way as both are great cameras and will allow you to take as good of a picture as your skills will allow...

 

[Prodo123]

X-E1 and the X-Pro1 have the exact same sensor. The difference is the X-E1 loses the Optical viewfinder (which is a shame) but has one of the best EVF on the market (apparently the same one as the Sony NEX-7) and adds microphone input, remote inputs, popup flash and more for a greatly reduced price.

I don't know why but the X-Pro1 RAW images just look muddier than the X-E1 and MUCH muddier than DSLRs, especially in the fine details. I'm somewhat confused too.

The X-E1 is double the D7000s price!? List price for the D7000 body only is U.S. $1199.95 and selling for $896.95 here on Amazon, the X-E1 body only list and sells for U.S. $999.95 (I know my math is bad, but I don't think that is double.)

I see D7000s being sold around $800, $900 with an 18-55. X-E1 with kit lens is $1400, and $1400 is a little less than double. Please do realize that Amazon, B&H and Adorama do not have the cheapest prices, although they come close.

And just how can you say those, in your opinion, have better lowlight performance if you haven't done a side by side comparison yourself?

I have done side-by-side comparisons; why else would I be voicing my opinions here? To completely disregard them as false based on your own assumptions is rather hypocritical, don't you think?

 

[Cuechick]

I have been a Professional Photographer for many years and shooting exclusively digital for the last 8. I prefer Canon and posted my thoughts on SLRs & lenses today on my blog. Hope it helps.

 

[genshi]

I don't know why but the X-Pro1 RAW images just look muddier than the X-E1 and MUCH muddier than DSLRs, especially in the fine details. I'm somewhat confused too.

I see D7000s being sold around $800, $900 with an 18-55. X-E1 with kit lens is $1400, and $1400 is a little less than double. Please do realize that Amazon, B&H and Adorama do not have the cheapest prices, although they come close.

Amazon usually does have pretty low prices since they show from a variety of retailers, but of course you can always find much lower prices used, grey market, etc. But new, and unless you can provide proof, my original links still stand.

I have done side-by-side comparisons; why else would I be voicing my opinions here? To completely disregard them as false based on your own assumptions is rather hypocritical, don't you think?

I really don't want to get into a back and forth argument with you, but yes, my assumptions to disregard the "fact" that you claimed to do a side by side comparison is based on the fact that so far, you have been proven wrong to just about everything you have said about the Fuji camera; almost as if you are purposely trying to spread Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (really, you just ran out and bought a just released camera you have no desire for and did a side by side comparison with your Nikon and found the Fuji to have way worse noise than the Nikon!?)

But, giving you the benefit of the doubt that maybe you are young, read some FUD somewhere else and took it for truth or whatever, I offer you this actual side by side comparison of how the Fuji X-Trans sensor is HIGHLY rated for it's ISO performance even over the Leica M cameras, and completely destroys the Nikon 7D and D7000 -

Fuji X-Trans at ISO 1,600

Nikon 7D at ISO 1,600

Nikon D7000 at ISO 1600

Source Of course, the higher the ISO, the more the Nikons fall apart compared to the Fuji. Here is another example of the Fuji's ISO performance.

And again, there are a TON of reviews from techs, to hardcore Leica fans to Canon 5d Mark II owners who are all singing the praises (and are a bit shocked at doing so) at the performance of the Fuji X cameras.

This was all way more explaining than I wished to do, but on threads like these, with so many people shooting nothing but Canon and Nikons, of course people will easily dismiss anything else without actually knowing the facts.

@Cuechick, read your blog, you obviously do great work, and sure, if you are a high end commercial photographer I too would choose a $40,000 Phase One or Hasselblad camera, maybe also the highest end Canon (only because the clients expect you walking in with one) but since the Original Poster asked about doing Street Photography, and just about every great street photographer from Cartier-Bresson to Bruce Gilden has used Rangefinder cameras (for a reason) it only makes sense to go with the small compact mirrorless Fuji camera that is being touted as taking as good if not better pictures than most higher end DSLRs, over the big bulky Nikon with poor ISO resolution (compared to the Fuji at least.) I've provided the links to sources to show why this is true, and I hope people could put their biases aside for just a moment to consider that there may actually be other really good cameras out there more suited for what the OP was asking for... this is coming from someone who use to shoot Canon DSLRs, who prefer medium format film (owned a Hasselblad 503CW among others) and who has recently bought and extensively tested the Fuji X-E1 and am blown away by its results...

By the way, here is a quick, RAW test shot I took the other night, shot with all manual settings; no post processing other than converting from RAW to jpeg. Settings: 1/250, ƒ/1.4, ISO 200, No Flash (one continuous, daylight balanced light source.)