There is a lot on the Internet about the xf10 but not much that I can find on changes with firmware updates.
I'm interested to know if the af is really as bad as many of the reviews say or if the af has improved with firmware updates?
I'd also be interested to know how the af compares to the x70 and griii if anyone has any experience of these
Back a few years ago, I bought both an XF10 and a GR I. Even back then, the XF10 was more prone to hunting, and overall, similarly slow to focus. So instead, I used their snap focus feature kind of a lot. But the GR implementation was miles better: just full-press the shutter in any mode. No need to fiddle with a dial first, no need to change into snap mode. For a mode designed for speedy, spontaneous capture, that was crucial for me. The other thing was that the GR turned on really, really fast. I'd pull it out of my pocket, switch it on while I raised it, and immediately full-press the shutter. It would take a picture before anybody could react, pure magic. The XF10, in contrast, is somewhat slow to switch on, and then somewhat slow to react to anything. Not terribly so, but it's just not a very snappy camera.
So I sold the XF10, and kept the GR, which served me extremely well for a couple of years.
Eventually, I replaced the GR with a GR III. Its autofocus is actually fast enough that I don't use snap focus much any more, even though it's still "slow" by modern standards. Besides, the higher megapixel count makes zone focusing inaccuracies more obvious. The bigger boon here is the GR III's IBIS, though. That's just tremendously useful in this light a camera, that's often held at arm's length.
That said, the GR III is a $1000 camera, while the XF10 and original GR were $500, and can nowadays be had for very little money on the used market. The X70 I have never used, but the flip screen does sound appealing. It has become a bit of a collector's item, however, and prices have grown way beyond reason.
Thank you. That is helpful.
I want a camera I can put in my pocket for when I go out in the evening or just out with the kids and don't want to take a bag so I'm looking at all 3.
It seems all 3 are overly priced at the moment!
Then get the GR III or GR IIIx, or a Sony RX100 Model. The XF10 is a reasonable choice for half the price of a GR III, like it was originally sold. At the same price, it's way over priced.
As for pockets, though, the GR III has a sensor-shake dust removal system that works well. The XF10 does not, and neither does the Sony (iirc). Dust is a real problem for a camera in your pocket. I know, because I carry my GR III in my pocket all day, every day.
The GR I did not have a dust removal system, and had to be taken apart and cleaned regularly. The GR III does have one, and hasn't developed a dust problem in several years of my pockets. There is an occasional fleck of dust, but it will be gone the next time I switch on/off the camera.
I also have heard that the Sony is a somewhat fragile camera, and know from experience that the GR is abundantly robust.
I had the Ricoh GRII which I liked but now I have the Fuji XF10 und like it even better. It is very simple to use has an outstanding image quality (noticeably better than the Ricoh GRII I think) and the snap focus works fine for me in Street Photography. Another advantage: The lens does not really zoom in and out when you turn it of or on. So sucking in dust onto the sensor is not as likely as with the Ricohs. I created an album on my flickr site for pictures taken with the XF10 if you want to have a look: www.flickr.com/photos/100513133@N08/albums/72157716210733882