A month or two ago Fujifilm released the X10 advanced point and shoot camera.  I read the press release, then the reviews and drooled over the photos.  My trusty Canon S95 goes almost everywhere with me and as much as I love it, the gearhead in me couldn’t help but think that the X10 would be even more super awesome.  Living in Moab certainly has its advantages but on the down side, you can’t just run out to the nearest camera store to fondle new equipment.  Last week I finally made it to my favorite camera store, Pictureline in Draper, Utah, where Nick ever so kindly took a few moments to show me the very drool-worthy Fujifilm X10.  I didn’t walk out of the store with it but I did spend enough time handling the X10 to develop some initial impressions.

Build Quality

In a word, phenomenal.  Too many point and shoots feel cheap and fragile in hand.  Not the X10.  It’s heavy, but not in a bad way.  The metal body feels rock solid and whatever material is used to provide the leather-like texture provides a nice, non-slip grip.  The manual zoom lens is as smooth as silk and I love that zooming involves turning a ring around the lens instead of using your thumb on some teeny-tiny lever on the top or back of the camera.  The dials for mode and exposure compensation turn easily but lock firmly in place.  No complaints at all about build quality.

Features

One of the main features that attracted me to the X10 is the incredible frame rate – 7 FPS at full resolution.  My S95 captures a whopping 1 FPS.  For some, this may not be a huge deal but the X10 and it’s 7 FPS would certainly make it easier to go light when peak-bagging, canyoneering or mountain biking while still capturing action images that could be sold as stock.

The X10’s lens runs from 28mm on the wide end to 112mm telephoto with an impressive f/2.0 – f/2.8 aperture range.  This would make it a good choice for photographing action in low-light, such as inside a slot canyon.  Inside the store, which wasn’t exactly low light but it wasn’t really bright either, the X10 focused remarkably fast.

A real viewfinder!  Ok, so you only see about 85% of the scene through the optical viewfinder, and when zoomed out the lens consumes the bottom right corner, but I still prefer to hold a camera up to my eye when I make a photograph.  For one, it’s easier to stabilize than when you’re holding it in front of you while staring at the LCD, especially if it happens to be windy outside.  Secondly, the LCD on the X10 isn’t all that great to look at.  It’s bright and it works, but it’s half the resolution of many newer LCD’s, making it difficult to use when checking an image for critical sharpness at 100% zoom.

While most advanced point and shoot cameras allow you to make exposure compensation adjustments, it usually requires fumbling around in an on-screen menu or trying to find some tiny button.  The X10 has a nice, big knurled knob on top for this purpose and it adjusts +/- 2 stops, in 1/3 stop increments.  Genius, if you ask me.

The on-board flash is located in a good position and my grip didn’t seem to interfere with its operation.  This is one of my gripes with the S95.  When holding the camera in a normal, comfortable grip, my index finger is over the flash.  When it tries to pop up, it can’t because my finger is in the way and I have to turn the camera off and back on again to re-boot it.  The X10’s flash is quite powerful for it’s diminutive size and it seems to do a good job of intelligently selecting the correct power.  However, for those who prefer more manual control over flash exposure, you’re limited to +/- 2/3 stop.  I find that I often have to reduce fill flash on the S95 to -2 stops to avoid blowing out the foreground.  Perhaps the X10’s flash is more intelligent and +/- 2/3 stop is plenty, but it seems a little too restrictive to me.

A couple miscellaneous items worth mentioning: fast start-up, no discernible shutter lag and the Function button.  To turn on the X10 you twist the ring surrounding the lens.  Start up was nearly instantaneous, meaning you’d be less likely to miss an opportunity while waiting for your camera to fire up.  I could discern no shutter lag at all.  The X10 has a customizable “Function” button on top that can be assigned to perform any number of tasks.  My S95 also has one and I love being able to dedicate that button to a commonly used function.

In Conclusion

I haven’t decided whether the X10 is for me.  I love the feature set, the way it feels in my hands, the optical viewfinder and, from what I’ve seen, image quality appears to be quite impressive.  So what’s my hesitation?  It’s not exactly pocketable.  The S95 (and it’s replacement, the Canon S100) are small enough to fit easily into a jean or jacket pocket and if a camera is easy to carry, you’re more likely to do so.  The X10 is quite a bit bigger.  Yes, it handles better because of the size but that’s not a benefit if you don’t have the camera with you.  I need a camera I can easily fit in the pocket of my motorcycle jacket and I’m not sure the X10 will work.  But, if you don’t need a pocketable camera, or you’ve just got really big pockets, the X10 might be just the camera for you.

A recent customer service nightmare involving Frigidaire and A&M Home Services in Grand Junction, Colorado made me doubly appreciative of those companies who haven’t forgotten to put the customer first.  I’ll never buy another Frigidaire branded appliance and the morons at A&M Home Services can, well…I’d better not say what they can do.  But, instead of castrating them in public (which I guess I just did) I thought I’d take a moment to celebrate a few companies that have consistently impressed me with outstanding customer service.

Acratech

Makers of the single best ballhead for outdoor photographers, Acratech not only makes a superior product but they treat customers as though we’re their lifeline.  Oh wait, we are – and these guys know it.  They have gone above and beyond several times when I’ve called for service, whether it be buying another product, asking a question or requesting parts needed for repairs.  Even more telling is that everyone I know who has ever needed service from Acratech has been treated with the same courtesy and professionalism I’ve experienced.

Artistic Photo Canvas

Just a couple short months ago I’d never printed one of my photos on canvas.  In fact, I was somewhat leary of it.  Then I find Artistic Photo Canvas (APC) on twitter.  At the time they were offering a promotion for first time customers so I ordered a canvas, but not before barraging them with a bazillion questions that, in retrospect, were probably pretty annoying.  They answered my questions and addressed my concerns promptly and without making me feel like an idiot.  And then the canvas arrived.  I was floored.  It was gorgeous!  So, I did what any good photographer would do and ordered another canvas wrap, this time 3 times the size.  APC called to verify a couple things and within days I was holding a breathtaking 32″ x 48″ canvas wrap.  Not only do they care about their customers, they do absolutely outstanding work.  In fact, I was so impressed, that we partnered with APC to offer a special discount on a gorgeous canvas wrap to purchasers of our iFotoGuide iPhone apps!  Give these guys a shot and you will not be disappointed.

Nik Software

One of my favorite clients convinced me that I needed to try the Nik Software Lightroom and Photoshop plug-in’s.  He knew that I place a high value on companies who deliver great service and, as a business owner himself, it was a sentiment we shared.  He told me about a great experience he’d had with Nik’s customer service department and how much he loved their product.  After my free trial download expired I was so hooked that I bought the Nik Complete Collection.  For some unknown reason I was unable to download one of the plug-in’s.  I called Nik’s Customer Service department and was astonished that it didn’t take 30 minutes to get a real live, English speaking person on the phone.  Nope, within 5 minutes the issue was resolved and I was on my way.  As with Acratech, I’ve since spoken to several others who have been treated just as well when calling Nik for help.  Could it be, a tech company that provides good customer service?  Yes, indeed.

Incidentally, if you’re in the market for some Nik Software you can use coupon code “BEDGE” in the Nik Store to save 15% on your purchase.

Oboz

During the summer of 2009 while on a trip to the Tetons I discovered on the first day that I had forgotten my hiking boots.  Yeah, I’m a scatterbrain at times.  I bought a pair of Oboz Yellowstone’s at a local store on the recommendation of the clerk.  I’m now on my second pair of Oboz boots and can’t say enough good things about them.  I wrote a gear review about the first pair that addressed a couple really minor issues.  A couple days later I received an email from Oboz thanking me for writing the review and explaining that they were about to release a revised version of the boot that addressed those very same issues.  Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had complained about them.  Unlike so many companies today, Oboz actually listened to customer complaints and made product changes to fix the problem.  Holy crap!  Who does that any more?  Thanks, Oboz, for making a killer product and listening to your customers!

Outdoor Photo Gear

At one point or another most of us have bought something from B&H or Adorama.  Yeah, the prices are good and yes, they’ve generally been helpful when I needed to return something.  However, I can’t say that calling them with a question is the most pleasant experience.  And then there’s Outdoor Photo Gear.  They carry stuff for outdoor photographers at reasonable prices, and their employees are a true pleasure to speak to when questions arise.  They ship stuff fast, pack it well and when the need for a return arises, they have a very generous policy and are very helpful with the process.  Ah, such a nice change!

Pictureline

My first experience with Pictureline about 3 years ago was positive and every one since has been, too.  I’ve dealt with them online, on the phone and in person at the store more times than I can count and they’ve always been pleasant, efficient and helpful.  Most recently, I decided to invest in the equipment for using off-camera flash.  I went into the store and the clerk spent about an hour with me explaining different options and even walking me through some hypothetical set-ups.  Never did I feel rushed or like I was asking ridiculous questions.  The Pictureline employees I’ve had contact with have all been photographers, not some Joe off the road who just needed a job.  And they have always made doing business with Pictureline a great experience.  Their camera and lens prices are slightly higher than most online retailers but I pay it because their service far exceeds that which I have received elsewhere.  And they’re local to Utah!

Singh-Ray

Last on my list, but certainly not least, is Singh-Ray Filters.  I believe Singh-Ray filters are the best money can buy.  They are expensive but in this case, you do get what you pay for.  Over the years I’ve purchased several filters from them.  When one of my filters developed a strange film that couldn’t be cleaned off I contacted Singh-Ray, expecting to be told to buy another filter.  Instead, they overnighted a new filter to me at no cost (I didn’t ask them to send it overnight, mind you) and requested that I return the defective filter to them (regular old USPS).  A couple years later, when that filter was shattered on rocks due to my own carelessness, I sent Singh-Ray a note asking (sarcastically) if they offered discounts to “morons who leave their tripod mounted cameras unattended on unstable ground in gusty winds”.  Much to my surprise I received a note the next day saying that their records showed the purchase and they extended a generous discount on the replacement.  That isn’t to say they’ll do that every time but hell, they could have told me to pound sand and buy a full cost replacement!  Because of their service and the quality of their product I use only Singh-Ray filters and they’re the only filter I’ll recommend at my workshops.

There you have it.  Seven companies who produce awesome products and deliver top notch customer service.  Is their a company whose service so impressed you that you’d like to give ‘em some props?  Use the comments section below to tell us all about ‘em.  Feel free to include a link to their site, too.

Today’s blog post is short and sweet.  It comes to you after having paid $50 to have the positively filthy sensor of my 5D MKII cleaned by Pictureline.  I’m not complaining as they do a fantastic job and I always receive the camera back with nary a speck of dust to be seen anywhere on the sensor.  That lasts for a few days and then the dust bunnies start appearing.  Oh well, such is life with a digital SLR.

However, there is one quick tip that can help you keep your sensor free of dust a little bit longer.  When you change lenses, always turn off your camera before initiating the lens swap.  When your camera is on the sensor is magnetized.  Now, I am no physics or engineering guru but as I understand it, a magnetized sensor means you are far more likely to attract dust than a non-magnetized, i.e. OFF, sensor.  Here are the steps I take to change lenses in the field.

1. Try like hell to compose the image without changing to a different lens.
2. Realize that I have to change lenses.
3. Curse.
4. Dig out the lens I’m switching to, place it front element down in my pack (WITH the front lens cap on!), and loosen the rear lens cap.
5. Turn off the camera.
6. Holding my camera, turn it upside down so that the front of the camera is facing the ground so gravity works for rather than against me.
7. Remove the lens and quickly place it in my pack while continuing to hold camera face down.
8. Remove rear lens cap from lens I’m switching to and attach lens to the camera all the while moving as fast as I possibly can to minimize exposure to the elements of the sensitive internal camera components.  During this entire maneuver my camera is always face down.
9. Once lens is in place I compose and make the image.
10. Zoom in to 100% and curse at all the dust specks showing up in the sky.
11. Leave lens on until I absolutely, positively have to change it again.

That’s it.  11 steps to less sensor dust.

I’m often asked on workshops how I clean my sensor.  The answer depends on how dirty it is.  If it isn’t bad I use the Dust-Aid wands to remove all but the really tenancious stuff.  When the sensor gets too bad for me to deal with I drop it off at Pictureline in Salt Lake, pay ‘em $50 and pick it up in a couple hours all shiny and clean.

So, turn off your cameras and keep ‘em turned face down when you change lenses to minimize dust collection on your sensor.  Or, if you’re really rich and have a strong back, buy several of the same camera body and attach a different lens to each one.  Then, you’ll never have to change lenses again.

How do you minimize sensor dust?  Leave a comment and help your fellow digital photographers maintain their sanity.