I am Leica-less

I finally sold my Leica M8...sob..sob..sob...
And the guy got it at a pretty good deal. Comes with handgrip and a free Jupiter 8 lens.
He said its for his wedding gift...awwww... that would be a pretty cool gift!
Leica is so sexy man....
But its just not for me...
Even how awesome it was to hold and take pictures with it.
I just struggle with manual focusing. Its fine actually but i just preferred auto focus.
Thats why i love my Fuji X100T.
Its no leica. its no rangefinder. but for the photos i took, it does make me smile.
To be honest because of my GAS issue, i want a black X100T too!! now call me crazy....
I also want a black Leica M8.2.
At this moment i just want a black rangefinder looking camera.
So sleek and sexy.
I sold my M8 so i can fund a new Fuji camera.
X70 not so much nowadays.
I am really into X-T1 vs X-T10. Both in silver.
For hundred dollars less, i should get the X-T10 but i just love how the graphite silver of the X-T1 look. Oooooohhhhh.
Decisions decisions

I'm in dilemma new gear GAS want need mode!

I'm in dilemma.
I guess i hate money.
Shudup n take mah money.
I think i need/want a proper camera.
At the moment i have a Sony RX100m3 which i love for its size and great IQ but it is still a 1inch sensor. I love Fuji APS-C sensor.
And i still have my dinosaur Leica M8 which max out at usable ISO 640, black to magenta issues and i cant afford a fucking leica lens.
I dunno if i'm still in love with the M8, she's still hot but i dont really have that thrill using it. Not much love.
I need new thrill, new love, new lust. I want a new camera!!
That feeling when you unbox and play with the new cam. Love booming, blossoming. i need that. I want that.
I want WIFI in my camera and Auto Focus, my Leica fails that test.
I put it up on sale but nobody's buying it, only get likes in Facebook...the most famous book in the world. not even Harry Potter beats that book.
I want a proper camera, by proper i meant bokeh. i love bokeh. i need fast lens. so bokeh is achieved.
My Leica can give me bokeh but i cant transfer the pics over Wifi because it didnt have that feature. and i dont want to deal with the IR issues anymore. I want CLASSIC CHROME. out of the camera.

So why dilemma?
Because i have choices. i had to choose. and i hate choices. i wish i only have one choice so i dun have trouble making choices.
I love cameras. Cameras nowadays are beautiful. and i love retro. except for Lumix cameras, their looks suck but got great features.
So what choices do i have?
Olympus PEN-F is out of the pic. bcos i think im done with micro four thirds. with the newly announced X-pro2 with new sensor i think it'll kill the micro 4/3 for IQ.
Choices are Fuji X70, X100T, X-T10 or Sony A7S.
Of all the bunch the Sony is the most expensive. but i love low light. i want to shoot without thinking which ISO to choose. Fuji is also great in low light but skins can get waxy in HIGH ISO JPGs n i only shoot JPGs.
X70 is the newest but its still not available here.
X-T10 with 35mm is a bokeh dream.
I just love the X100 series.

So whats the problem here?
like i said...choices.
of all the camera if i want to buy based on looks, i'd definitely go for the X100T but its a 2 year old camera now. its not like its stop being a good camera, its just..... a X200 might be around the corner.
Like i mentioned in my previous post, i'm just gonna get the X70 but there's not a lot of review on it yet, i want to see how portraits would look like with 28mm 2.8 lens look like and sumhow i love peeking into an EVF which the X70 do not have. OVF is different. i want to see the actual shot/pic even before i take it which is what the EVF is for.
The X-T10 is third on the list just because its bulkier than the rest of the mentioned Fuji. but i have the flexibility to change lenses. I can bokeh all i want as long as i am able to purchase those Fuji lenses.
But if i am rich i just buy the A7S.
A7S with my prefer angle 28mm and fast f2.0 lens would be my ultimate camera. but it cost double than the Fujis. I could buy 2 Fujis with the cost of A7S.

In the end camera is just a tool right? Pictures will always be pictures.
Looking back at my X100S pics do make me miss the X100 series. i still keep hold of my WCL in case i bought the T but years passed and the T is getting old. unless it gets a new firmware making it as fast as X-T10 then im sure i'd buy the X100T. but is new firware coming??? Even X-E2 seems a good choice now a new firmware is out but i just cant get to like them X-E series looks.

So okay let me list down things i like n dislike from each camera for my amusement......

Fujifilm X70

likes:-
- newest and greatest which means AF is faster than X100T
- tilt screen
- selfie tilt screen is a plus.
- compact but im not sure if it is as compact as the Sony RX100iii
- touch screen! woohoo a first for Fuji.
- classic chrome

dislikes:-
- no EVF... I love me an EVF. I love peeking into it. it makes me feel professional. although i must admit i dont always really use it. and when i do street photography i almost not using it because i just want to be stealthier.
- looks is just ok compare to X100T.
- still not available here (Waiting game hurts)

X70 accessorized looks awesome.

Fujifilm X100T

likes:-
- my favorite series, FUN camera
- looks is killer
- faster lens, more bokeh albeit narrower than 28mm
- better performance than my X100S (from what i read online)
- Got EVF
- Classic Chrome
- leaf shutter
- built in ND filter
- Conversion lens available
- available and in stock (GASPS!!!)

dislikes:-
- bigger
- almost 2 years old which means a successor is in the wings
- no tilt screen
- Even bulkier if i need 28mm and 50mm
- From what i read performance is not as fast as the newer X-T10/X70
- but most of all it is getting old, the sole reason i press the brakes on buying this. but i still want to push the GAS! pun intended.

The thing about X100T...you dont need accessories to make it sexy. it already sexy as fuck as it is.

Fujifilm X-T10

likes:-
- Can change lenses
- Bokeh all i want with those fast lenses
- Not bad looking retro camera
- Faster performance
- Classic Chrome
- Tilt screen
- Got EVF
- available and in stock (gasps!)

dislikes:-
- not pretty as X100T
- bulkier depends on lens
- No selfie tilt screen although not a deal breaker
- not travel friendly camera (for me). Even i hate the X100S for travelling. that tells you much. Ha Ha but better than those DSLRs.

X-T10 looks hot. Better with square hoods. i love me square hoods. couldnt find a pic online

Sony A7S

likes:-
- With vintage lens it looks good
- King of the low light
- Performance on par with FUjifilm (from what i read online)
- Full frame (not sure if this is an issue anymore)
- tilt screen
- Got EVF
- Better video performance
- Since i like to shoot in low light this could be the ultimate camera!

dislikes:-
- With native lens it looks MEH..
- Super expensive
- bad rolling shutter effects (not sure if it affects with my kind of photography)
- bulkier/ more or less the same size as X-T10... maybe....... i never hold one in flesh/plastic
- lens also crazy expensive
- SOle reason not to get this is expensive!!
- No Classic Chrome

Anything with Vintage lens will always make the camera looks good

So the question IS actually what do i want this camera for.....
1) Travel????? Or
2) Professional Bokeh Monster pictures of my kids???? (which means the camera is okay to stay on the shelf)

let me sit in one corner and think about it.

One can never have just one camera for all.
But that is always GAS talking

Time for updates

I sold my X100S and now i'm missing the X100 series. Now i'm GASing for X100T. Why not? the X100S was after all my all time favourite camera. Its simple. One focal length to rule them all. Of course it cant do all types of photography. but for my type of photography, eg. portraits, landscapes, streets, the X100 series is great enough. With the new T model, i hope it fixes and improves all the niggles of the S series. To be honest, i sold the S so i could upgrade to the T. or should i wait for the F series? YOu may wonder why F? because F stands for Fourth but also stands for Five, i'm not sure whats the next naming convention. I'm sure you know that T stands for third? You dont? i dont blame you.... nobody cares what it actually calls. Anyway, i'm not sure if the T is sold here locally. i guess my best next bet is Singapore. but i'm not going to Singapore anytime soon.

I knew i'm gonna get the X100 series again because i kept the wide converter lens. I just love that camera. Awesome IQ, classic looks, although at times i wanna smash it to the ground because it keeps back focus (focus the background instead of subject). But now with face detection available, i hope it does what it does and be good at it. What else is there to be GASing about the T? Wifi implementation.... at first i thought of it as a good feature but not important but then i realised i loved transferring my recently took photos to my tablet and phones and upload it to instagram or just for viewing. I always do that with my Sony Rx100iii. it was indeed convenient! Large LCD is always a good thing. although non tilt, i dont think thats a deal breaker though.

As a taking still pictures tool, the T IS GREAT. but for video? based on reviews its bad although i wont probably noticed because i dun really know wat to look for in video quality. as long its not choppy i'm alright.

I brought the X100S for a trip to Italy last year. and i loved all the thousands of images that i took but i have to admit i kinda tired lugging it around. but the images taken was worth it.

I can also take pictures like above because the X100S is so damn quiet. Thats what i like about the X100 series. Suddenly i have guts to take candid photos. just because i'm stealthy. Because its basically mute. No sound! You cant do this with a Leica. unless you have balls. I dont. I also respect people's privacy. unlike certain Eric K.  but that's just me, different people different thinking. whatever to get your pictures.

I love this picture. This is how useful and stealthy the X100S can be. I was sitting on the opposite side when i noticed this man reading a book and at times looking out of the window. His face has got that character, the lines, the age, what is he thinking? is he heading home to his loved ones? is he going to work? thinking of the grand children? its a mystery. but from his face you can see he is definitely thinking of something.

Some people may not understand why i took pictures of strangers or why photograhers take pictures of strangers but thats what street/candid photography is all about, they were never your friends or families, just strangers running their daily business, their emotions, just characters, subject of a picture. Its like questioning why Monalisa?

What i dislike about Fujifilm is their aggressive noise reduction. if only we can control the NR manually. Its great to have noise free images but sometimes skins looked like mannequins and thats bad.

Why not X-T10 you say? Sure, its new, classic SLR looks, interchangeable lens, something about the X100 series is just so simple. no need to worry about focal lengths. and size wise the X100 is shorter? the lenses on X-T10 will be bulkier and longer.

I put up my two Leicas for sale. My M8 and M9. and i sell them cheap. especially the M9. too cheap. i think i wanna upped the price a bit. actually i felt a bit of regret selling those. Its a Leica. and i might never owned one of these again. I'm selling my M8 with Voigtlander 15mm about SGD$3000. and my M9 with Voigtlander 40mm at SGD$4200. Actually i'm having second thoughts about selling them but i believe i needed the money. SO far no buyer and i'm not desperate selling.

I love Leica, its like owning a Ferrari. but owning a Ferrari is over the top? not justified? i cant find the words here. any car can go from point A to B, just like a camera, it just take pictures. Leica is too expensive. i can get 3 or 4 Fujifilm and have one Leica.

One reason of selling it is i'm not really good at that rangefinder focusing. i'm just too slow. trying to aligned the patch sometimes it took me a while and the photo opportunity just gone. especially taking pictures of them kids. You cant ask them to stand still. and if you can its not natural. i like candid and natural expression. not created. i'm better off with a camera that can do fast autofocus just like a X100S. Shooting wide open at 1.4 with the M9 is harder for me. if i didnt get the eye to focus the pictures will become blurry or at least the nose is sharp. thats a bad photo in my book. With the M8 is okay because of the smaller aperture at 4.5.

But but but, this Leica M9 that i purchased has a very low mileage. the last picture i took was only at 473 shutter actuations!!!! its a steal! Its in pristine condition. I want to keep it for collection but then i might need money too. Confusing times. I wanna sold off just the M8 but the pictures it took was amazing too. super sharp. although need to put IR cut filter or else all black shirts becomes purple. uweeekkkk... and the M8 is in silver. its super sexy retro look!

Should i sell or should i keep?

I brought my M8 to New Orleans with the 15mm. 

This is where Nicholas Cage is heading when he'll rest peacefully. He's not dead yet. but very much owned this part of the cemetery. 

Jackson square New Orleans taken by Liam Neeson...Not... by Leica M8

The only thing Fuji cant take is sunstar. Correct me if i'm wrong. but i never got the light to burst into a sunstar with my Fujifilm X100S but with the Voigtlander there she is....

And just look at that color noise on the M8. but why peep when you can just watch and look at the picture of the alley.

Oh.... such tough times. 

To sell or not to sell the Leicas.... 

To buy or not to buy the FUjifilm X100T.

GAS comes and goes.