Just get one already!

The Quest

It was some years ago that I saw pictures from an XPAN on Tumblr. The images jumped out...the format was so different. I was instantly intrigued. I couldn't wait to get my hands on one. As luck would have it, I was about to travel to Seoul. I decided that I would go to the second hand camera shops and pick one up. One I got there, I quickly found out that there were no XPANS there...but there were Fuji TXs. A little Googling helped me understand the TX cameras were mechanically the same as the XPAN with just a different badging.

Armed with this new knowledge, I was ready to purchase. The only problem was the cost. It seemed ridiculously high. I tried to negotiate and they weren't budging much. I decided to second guess my decision and left Seoul without purchasing. I was able to compartmentalize my regret and put it out of my mind for several months.

Then it happened again...damn you Tumblr! I was looking around and once again I found yearning for the XPAN. This time I set out to eBay. I started searching and noticed that the prices I was seeing in Seoul were actually quite reasonable and that there weren't all that many for sale on eBay. Apparently when people buy one, they aren't very eager to sell them. I finally found one that seemed like too good of a deal to pass up. I clicked the "Buy It Now" option and eagerly waited. I didn't have to wait long and the first strange message came from the seller. The case that was stated to be included was not going to be included. They had made a mistake. I thought OK...no big deal. I said not a problem lets proceed. Then, the next message, the lens hood also pictured and stated as included was another mistake. I decided at this point it wasn't meant to be and I told the seller that I wasn't interested in proceeding.

The third time is a charm! After letting the sour taste in my mouth fade, I took to eBay again. I found another good deal on a TX-2. I won the item and prepared to wait as it was coming from an International seller. I got a tracking number saying it had been shipped and then a week later, I checked the tracking number and there wasn't any change. I was a little nervous at this point. I contacted the seller and he told me that sometimes this happens but that it normally takes 10-14 days for the item to show up. 7 days later, still no update on with the status using the tracking number. Then, the post is delivered and there it was. As soon as I held it in my hands, I knew it had been worth the wait and all of the ups and downs.

Let's Talk About It

Why is this camera so great?!?!?!

First, the build quality is really fantastic. Build quality is something that speaks to me and makes a difference. It is right up there with my favorite 35mm (Leica MP) camera. In some regards, I think it's probably even better.

Second, the format and the option for standard 35mm. I love the panoramic format. It can be very difficult to make it work and I certainly have not mastered it but sometimes when you get it just feels so right. All this with the ability to switch to 35mm standard format whenever you've got the itch.

Third, the optics! The lenses for this thing are great. They are small and compact and sharp with a great rendering. The focusing is smooth and the aperture ring is smooth with just the right amount of resistance.

So what's not to like? There are really only 2 things that I would change about this camera. I really wish they had a faster lens! I know that the laws of physics are working against us for making this happen on a scale / price that works but in my perfect world they would be faster. The second thing is the eye piece diopter adjustment piece thingy. I wish they didn't have this but I know it's a must for some people This is the only piece that wasn't solid and it broke off when I was wiping the eye piece. I contacted hasselblad spare parts people (couldn't find anyone for FujiFilm) and it was going to be >$100 to get a replacement. I wasn't ready to dump that much cash, so I did what any engineer would do. I busted out the super glue! It worked perfectly.

So why don't I use this camera more? It really comes down to a couple of things. The panoramic format isn't right for all situations and the glass just isn't fast enough for shooting at night (without a flash). I don't really like to carry 2 cameras with me when I'm out shooting and most of the time when I head out it's early in the morning and I don't get back to my room until after it's dark. This is why 90% of the time I'm slinging my MP instead of the TX-2.

That said, I recently carried both with me for a trip and got my hustle on with both of them. I didn't regret the extra weight one bit. Everytime I pick it up and shoot, I remember why I love it. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up the habit of carrying it with me even it it can't be the one camera to rule them all.

Later

P.S. I'm thinking about making a video review, so let me know if you like that idea.