After 20 months or so my Fujifilm XF1 succumbed to the dreaded Lens Control Error. I have really enjoyed the camera and may yet get a replacement or repair – but for now it is certainly on its last legs. It can still surprise me and take a photo and these tips might just help someone else get that last precious shot from the camera. If you don’t zoom – just switch on at the 25mm wide-angle end then “sometimes” (30% and falling) it will work just fine. Zoom in and the Lens Control Error appears and no more pictures… When it doesn’t work at 25mm it will give you a very over-exposed picture. Looks like it is just flooding the sensor – maybe even extending the exposure time as it can look blurry too – but the reported exposure does look to be accurate for the conditions, just not what the camera actually used. You can still recover some detail using Lightroom – but you need to shoot RAW.
If the light is low, then another trick if you are getting over-exposure which may get a half decent (though noisy) shot is to stop down to F/11 and you might get a little more detail. This certainly wasn’t 1/30 at F/11 on a wet New Hampshire early evening…
What to get next? Panasonic LX100 is getting good reviews – or stick with Fujifilm and go for the X-T1 and some nice glass? Or even shoot more video and go for the GH4… Decisions, decisions…
