P.S. to the Fuji X100 Review: Parallax

By Ken Tanaka

(This is an addendum to Ken's Fujifilm Finepix X100 Review, below. —Ed.)

In addition to the various fixes that Fujifilm implemented with its recent X100 1.1 firmware update, they also quietly introduced a very nice new feature to the camera's auto-focus system that's worth noting here.

The feature, which Fujifilm calls "Corrected AF Frame," adjusts the visual auto-focus target position in the optical viewfinder to account for the parallax when focusing on close subjects. The feature is activated from the bottom (screen 6!) of the camera’s "Set-Up" menu.

Confused? It’s actually simpler than it sounds. First, consider that in a rangefinder-style camera (like the X100) the point of view when using the optical viewfinder (OVF) is ever so slightly different than when using the electronic viewfinder (EVF), which presents its view directly from the lens. This difference is called the parallax.

Focusing on relatively distant subjects is not significantly affected by this difference. But parallax can cause auto-focusing target errors on closer subjects. So this feature is designed to enable the photographer to account for this when framing a subject.

Consider the following images taken through the OVF. Here is a subject quite close but not close enough to require macro mode for focusing. You can see two auto-focus target frames, one solid and the other, to its lower right, dashed.

The dashed target represents the focus area for close subjects. You can see below that when I half-press the shutter button to set focus the camera has indeed lit-up that lower right area, indicating the actual area of focus.

For distant subjects approaching infinity, as in the scene below, we can see that the camera uses that solid target area to illustrate focus area.

Note that this corrected AF target is only presented when using the optical viewfinder, not when using the electronic viewfinder (in either the LCD or the eyepiece). It is also  not active when the lens is in Macro-focus mode, since the camera automatically switches to its EVF display for this mode.

This feature appears to be a direct and rapid response to early X100 adopters who noted that parallax could be an issue with this design of viewfinder. Or, it could also be a feature that wasn’t quite ready when the camera was let loose. Either way, Fujifilm is to be commended for implementing this clever feature in the X100. In my opinion it clearly demonstrates that the company is making every effort to meld this legacy design with new technology to present owners with a new old photo experience.

Ken

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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Featured Comment by Kelvin: "Ken, I've had my X100 for about two weeks now and have been shooting with it every day whilst overseas this week. When I treat it like the 'best Canon IXUS ever made,' then I am blown away by its versatility, image quality, and manual control. It is not a Leica M replacement and people buying it as one will most definitely be disappointed. Horses for courses!

"I've found myself using the LCD screen for about 75% of my shots and the optical viewfinder when outdoors in bright light.

"So far I'm quite pleased with the camera despite the FUBAR software interface. A UHS-1 class SD card transformed the camera from a lag beast to something quite responsive, and I would call it a necessity."

Comments

[scc]

So you live in lakeshore east? nice. Ive dreamed about doing time laps photos with the park view.

[Bill Rogers]

Parallax error is a problem that was solved many years ago by the SLR camera.

[Carsten Bockermann]

Now why does this neat feature only work when the AF is triggered by the shutter release button but not when it is triggered by presing the AFL button in MF mode?

[Mike Johnston]

"Parallax error is a problem that was solved many years ago by the SLR camera."

My view camera doesn't have any parallax, and its basic design predates SLRs....

Mike

[hugh crawford]

Yikes! I guess I haven't been paying attention but I didn't realize that 1/8 of the optical viewfinder gave you a nice view of the side of the lens. I'd much rather have a little more parallax and actually see the lower right hand corner of the frame. I don't recall any of the 35mm fixed lens rangefinder cameras, or interchangeable lens cameras with their standard lenses mounted that were that bad. Just checked a Oly 35 RC, no lens in the viewfinder. Kind of negates the whole unobstructed view thing I think.

[David]

Do the overall frame lines move as the focus is changed, as they do in a Leica M? From the pictures, it looks as if this is the case: After focusing, the highlighted focus rectangle looks to be in the center of the frame. But, then, I'm not sure why there are two focus rectangles. Why not just show the correct one?

This is confusing! And, it seems like the camera could get confused.

David

[James W.]

Thanks for the review, Ken. My X100 arrived at the front door two hours ago. Haven't used it yet—battery charging. Then I'll be taking it for a walk to the beach. In your pictures it looks as though frame lines adjust for parallax and shrinking field. A focusing target that adjusts continuously, along with the frame lines, as the lens moves might be a nice future update.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

@ Carsten Bockermann: The "Corrected AF Frame" feature does work when snapping AF with the AEL/AFL button. Double check your button setting (for AF-L) and if it's still not working...well, you know.

@ David & James: Yes, the whole outer frame border does shift (in the OVF mode) as needed for parallax adjustment. Those two focus rectangles are targets for you as you set your composition and AF spot. Although the examples I presented above show the actual AF area to coincide exactly with one SF target or the other, in fact the actual AF area (shown by green box) can land anywhere between the two target boxes when you actually snap focus.

BTW, you can move and enlarge those AF target areas using buttons on the left side of the LCD.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

@ hugh crawford: Indeed, you're seeing the OVF view with the camera's lens shade mounted. No, that infringement into the viewfinder is not characteristic of the single lens rangefinders but it certainly is common on the Leica M. Many of my M lenses' hoods clip that corner. That's why such hoods are made with those gaps between the inner and outer edges; to see through.

Of course the X100 has the advantage of using that EVF display in the viewfinder, avoiding this issue completely.

[Kelvin]

Ken I've had my X100 for about two weeks now and have been shooting with it every day whilst overseas this week. When I treat it like the 'best Canon IXUS ever made' then I am blown away by its versatility, image quality and manual control. It is not a Leica M replacement and people buying it as one will most definitely be disappointed. Horses for courses!

I've found myself using the LCD screen for about 75% of my shots and the optical viewfinder when outdoors in bright light.

So far I'm quite pleased with the camera despite the FUBAR software interface. A UHS-1 class SD card transformed the camera from a lag beast to something quite responsive, and I would call it a necessity.

[cb]

"Parallax error is a problem that was solved many years ago by the SLR camera."

My view camera doesn't have any parallax, and its basic design predates SLRs....

Mike

Your view camera doesn't have a finder either.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

The through-the-viewfinder images really look like there are two fixed-location (overlapping) focus marks in the viewfinder, and the camera just decides which one to highlight (and how). The text, though, tends to suggest a more flexible scheme, more on a par with the moving framelines in an M-series Leica.

(Leicas, of course, didn't have this particular parallax problem, because the focusing device was in the viewfinder, not working through the main lens.)

[Mike Johnston]

"Your view camera doesn't have a finder either."

Of course it does. A great big piece of groundglass.

Mike

[Kelvin]

Oh, another thing. People have been saying that you can't get faster than 1/1000 at f/2.

This is another example of how spoiled photographers are in the 21st century. Guys and girls, here's a leaf shutter than goes up to 1/4000! One Fricking Four Thousandths! Even if it topped at 1/1000 my mind is thoroughly blown! You can sync your $10 pawn shop flash to FOUR FREAKING THOUSANDTHS!

I'm not aware of any other leaf shutters being faster than 1/500. Even the Hexar AF was limited to 1/250.

[Hugh Crawford]

The Sony dsc-R1 synchs at 1/2000.
One of the reasons I'm keeping mine.
The amazing lens is the other.

[Kamera Digital Murah]

My brother once use Fuji FinePix when he's in college. Now he's graduate and about to buy new camera. This one might interest him.

[Chris]

I get a black OVF when switching from EVF to OVF when the camera is writing to the sd card or just finished writing.

Same problem when coming back from magnified view with MF.

Surely something that sould be addressed by the next firmware update.

Great little big camera. Outstanding IQ, especially colour rendering.
I'd recommend this to everyone who is truly interested in photography and wants more than holiday/family snapshots.