Fujifilm

My review is for the repair department.
One day, finding that the manual focus ring on my X100S was no longer operational, I sent my precious camera all the way across the country for repairs, having forgotten that I would be leaving for vacation in a couple weeks, ostensibly without my precious camera. I was way more upset about my oversight than was probably reasonable.
After the camera arrived in New Jersey, I gave Fuji a call to see how long it would take and to see if I might be able to purchase expedited shipping or something, though I assumed all hope of getting my camera back on time was lost. Steve P. took my call, and to my surprise, he was not in India but was in fact on site in Edison. I explained my predicament and asked what my options might be.
Within moments, Steve had my camera in hand (!), looked it over, let me know that they weren’t super busy so it would be no problem for them to get it to me in a week as I had requested. No, there would be no extra charge. It might even be done earlier than that, he told me. I was to call back and ask for him if I had any questions specific to my camera, as he was a technician there. *Two days* later, the camera was at my doorstep, shinier and working-​er than ever.
I don’t know how it’s possible for a huge corporation to deliver this kind of personal service, but hell, I’ll take it. Thanks, Steve P!

Goodbye
old
friend
I’ve bought a whole lot of stuff in my life. Some of it good stuff and some of it bad stuff. Some of it lasted and survived a long time and gave me my money’s worth and other stuff was total crap that broke almost instantly.
But I have never had anything as tough and reliable as my little Fujifilm camera. I bought it almost four years ago, my first real digital camera, and it has survived all the abuse I could throw at it.
I estimate that I have taken well over 100,000 pictures with the camera, some in horrid conditions. Many from my kayak where I have dropped it in salt water. Others from my bike where I have dropped it on pavement.
Others in blizzards with driving snow and ice. Others in on top of Mt Washington where it ended up bouncing off of boulders. Others in hurricanes with winds blowing sand so hard it hurts.
Other times I was in the 100 degrees and high humidity in the swamps of Florida. Other times in –10 degrees in Maine. I’ve abused this camera in every way possible and it shows. Lots of little dents and scratches, so many that I can barely see through the screen anymore.
But in spite of the abuse and absolutely lack of care this camera never stopped or even hesitated. If did and still does everything I ask of it. It takes a picture every single time I hit that button.
The camera was on sale for only fifty bucks. Nothing fancy by today’s standards, it is small, light and very simple to use. But tough and as reliable as a rock. I kept saying I was going to get a better camera when this one breaks but it just won’t break or even breath hard.
Such much stuff in life is crap. Designed to break after a short time, so when I find something that far, far, exceeds my expectations or even common sense it is cause for celebration.
I did end up buying a new camera last week. Much more powerful zoom and much better technology. A very nice little camera but we shall if it can come close to it’s predecessor.
A friend is someone you can trust. Someone you can rely on and someone you know will always be there. This little camera is a true friend and we have had some great adventures together.
I will keep this camera and perhaps still use it on occasion but it is now officially retired. It certainly earned it. Goodbye old friend, we had some great times and adventures together and you will never be forgotten.
So I dedicated this review to my little, cheap, simple but totally unbreakable and reliable camera. There will be others but you never forget your very first love.