When Portable Elegance Counts - Fuji

I am a great fan of Fuji cameras - I bought one with my own money after deliberately trying out everything we sell in the same class of equipment. My Fuji has accompanied me on several interstate holidays and to a number of events here in Perth. It provides sterling service as the camera illustrating

the blog here in the shop. I couldn't be happier...

Except.

The Fuji X-10 camera I carry is reminiscent of the shape and weight of one of the traditional 35mm rangefinder cameras. It has the ergonomics of this sort of camera, and I love it for that - but the zoom lens on it does stick out a bit, even when it is housed and turned off. I keep it in a pouch slung over my shoulder, but it would not really fit into the breast pocket of my sports coat.

That is why I am tempted to give it a stablemate - the Fuji XF1. This is a camera that incorporates all the fun features of the X-10 like the EXR sensor, the special programming, the panorama feature, and the very good f:1.8 lens - but it has been engineered to allow that lens to collapse into the body structure for storage, reducing the profile of the camera to true pocket-size.

Here's the front and back views of two varieties of the camera - there is also a light tan one that is extremely attractive.

The joy of the new lens structure is that it is still mechanical  - you twist and pull to erect it and then twist to zoom - no wicky little motors to go wrong. Metal barrel.

As an experiment, I used the black XF1 to take pictures of the red XF1 and the X-10. I should be more than pleased to use this camera on any future holidays. Now to get some better clothing so that I look as elegant as the camera...