Overview
I had an opportunity to work closely with the Fuji X-Pro1 and the new XF lenses for over a month in various environments and I have been intentionally delaying this review for one major reason – RAW support from Adobe for the Fuji X-Pro1 became available very late, at the end of May 2012. I installed Silkypix software that supports Fuji X-Pro1 RAW files, but I ended up removing it from my computer almost immediately. I certainly did not feel like learning to use another image editing tool just because of no support from Adobe. I don’t know what took Adobe and Fuji this long to provide RAW support, but it was certainly a very frustrating experience for many Fuji X-Pro1 users and owners.
I have a love and hate relationship with the Fuji X-Pro1, which is unfortunate, because this could be such a phenomenal camera. On one side, the camera is compact, lightweight and produces stunning images. On the other hand, its autofocus system is terrible, manual focus is a pain and there are plenty of bugs and other issues. Similar to my experience with the X100, except the X100 had many of its issues addressed via firmware updates later on. I have no idea if Fuji is planning to make the X-Pro1 better the same way with firmware updates or not. Time will tell.
1) Fujifilm X-Pro1 Specifications
Main Features and Specifications:
- Sensor: 16.3 MP (1.5x crop factor), 4.8µ pixel size
- Sensor Size: 23.6 x 15.6mm
- Resolution: 4896 x 3264
- Native ISO Sensitivity: 200-6,400
- Boost Low ISO Sensitivity: 100
- Boost High ISO Sensitivity: 12,800-25,600
- Sensor Cleaning System: Yes
- Lens mount: FUJIFILM X mount
- Weather Sealing/Protection: No
- Body Build: Full Magnesium Alloy
- Shutter: Up to 1/4000 and 30 sec exposure
- Shutter Control: Focal Plane Shutter
- Storage: 1x SD slot (SD/SDHC/SDXC compatible)
- Viewfinder Type: Hybrid Multi Viewfinder with 100% coverage in Electronic mode
- Speed: 6 FPS
- Exposure Meter: TTL 256-zones metering
- Built-in Flash: No
- Autofocus: Yes
- Manual Focus: Yes
- LCD Screen: 3 inch diagonal with 1,230,000 dots
- Movie Modes: Full 1080p HD @ 24 fps max
- Movie Exposure Control: Full
- Movie Recording Limit: 29 minutes
- Movie Output: MOV (H.264)
- GPS: No
- Battery Type: NP-W126
- Battery Life: 300 shots, 900 in power save mode
- USB Standard: 2.0
- Weight: 400g (excluding battery)
- Price: $1,699 MSRP body only
A detailed list of camera specifications is available at Fujifilm.com.
2) Camera construction and handling
Similar to high-end DSLRs, the Fuji X-Pro1 is built tough with a full magnesium-alloy frame. The difference though, is that the Fuji X-Pro1 has a thin layer of magnesium alloy, making the camera very lightweight when compared to a DSLR. As a comparison, the Nikon D800 weighs 890 grams, while the X-Pro1 weighs more than half less at just 400 grams. While the camera is not designed to be weather-proof, I used it in very rainy conditions during my visit to London and the camera handled humidity and light continuous rain without any problems.
Handling-wise, I find the Fuji X-Pro1 to be great. The camera feels just right in hands and the lightweight Fuji lenses make the system very suitable for taking the camera everywhere you go. In my trip to UK, I decided to take the Nikon D800 with the 14-24mm and 24-70mm lenses, along with the Fuji X-Pro1 with 18mm and 35mm lenses. I came back with a lot more pictures with the Fuji X-Pro1, because I just did not feel like lugging around with a heavy DSLR and two lenses in a camera bag. The Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 lens was pretty much glued to the X-Pro1 body, hanging off my neck, while the 18mm lens comfortably sat in my jacket pocket. When I needed to go wider than 35mm, I would swap lenses and shoot. Can’t quite do that with the heavy D800. Even the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G prime feels much bulkier and heavier in comparison…
The camera exposure controls are superb. If you have used a DSLR before and never touched a rangefinder, you might find yourself looking for a way to switch the camera mode from Auto/Program to Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority or Manual. Unlike a modern DSLR, there is no camera mode switch. And just to be clear, the Fuji X-Pro1 is NOT a rangerfinder – it only feels like one because of its hybrid viewfinder, retro design and rangerfinder-like controls. Here is how the camera looks from the top:
To change the camera to Shutter Priority, you simply rotate the top shutter speed dial located right next to the flash hotshoe (with a bunch of numbers going from “A” to 4000) to a desired shutter speed, while keeping the lens aperture ring at “A”. To change the camera to Aperture Priority, you leave the top shutter dial at “A”, while rotating the aperture ring to an aperture of your choice. To change the camera to Manual Mode, you pick whatever aperture you want on the lens and pick whatever shutter speed you want on the camera. Super simple and very intuitive, just like on older rangefinders. The only downside is that you cannot go in 1/3 increments when changing the shutter speed – there is simply not enough space to fit so many numbers on the rotary dial. In Aperture Priority mode, however, you can use the exposure compensation dial to fine-tune your exposure in 1/3 increments.
In general, the layout and design of the back of the camera is good, but I do have a couple of complaints. Here is how it looks:
The two main complaints for me are:
- AF focus point is changed by pressing the “AF” button that is inconveniently located to the left bottom of the LCD. I constantly move the AF focus point when shooting, so this button should be elsewhere, or should be eliminated (see the next point below).
- Why is the up arrow button (to the right of the LCD) dedicated to Macro feature? The arrow navigation buttons should be for changing the AF focus point, just like on Nikon DSLRs. I very much hope Fuji will make such choice available via a firmware update – it should not be that hard to implement this button change. And if buttons change the focus point, it would be great if the “AF” button could become a programmable function button.
Operating the camera and navigating the menu system is a breeze, except when dealing with some design issues and nasty bugs. Here is a list of issues I have found so far:
- The On/Off switch problem. In some cases, the on/off switch does not work. I have had a few cases when I would turn the camera on and it would do absolutely nothing. The only thing you can do is move the switch to “Off” position and try again and then it works. I don’t know why this happens, but it is certainly annoying.
- The battery insertion issue. Why does not Fuji learn from its prior mistakes? The battery on the X100 can be inserted in a wrong way and the Fuji X-Pro1 has exactly the same problem. All Fuji needs to do is shape the battery slightly differently on one side and the problem is solved.
- RAW shooting at boosted ISO levels. Another X100 problem that never got addressed – why doesn’t Fuji allow shooting RAW at boosted ISO levels such as ISO 100, 12,800 and 25,600?
- SD card writing problems. The Fuji X-Pro1 seems to have a problem working with some SD cards, just like the D800. I have two SanDisk Extreme Pro 8GB SDHC Class 10 (45 MB/sec) cards and both of them have severe writing issues when using the Fuji X-Pro1. Sometimes it takes forever for an image to finish writing from the memory buffer into the card. If I hit the play button the camera goes into a freeze mode with a rotating square and just sits like that for a few minutes. Turning the camera off does not do anything and the only two things you can do is either wait, or take the battery out and insert it back. Fuji seems to be using the same SD module as the D800, since both have the same problem with these cards.
- Tripod mount placement. This issue is rather annoying, because the tripod mount socket is located off the center of the camera close to the battery/card compartment, making it painful to remove the card or battery while the camera is mounted. I use the Arca-Swiss quick release system and using a generic plate would keep the camera way off center. Hopefully a good custom plate from folks at Really Right Stuff will take care of this issue.
- Auto ISO feature does not allow setting a minimum shutter speed. I understand this to be absent from point and shoot cameras, but for a camera worth more than $1500, ability to set minimum shutter speed should be there. Even the X100 can do this. Also, why doesn’t the camera allow to use Auto ISO at ISO 6400 and even ISO 12,800? High ISO noise performance is excellent, so the option should be there.
- Bad battery life indicator. The battery life indicator on the camera is practically useless. I was happily shooting in London early morning with the battery indicator showing a “full” charge. Just after 10 or so shots, the camera went from completely full to blinking red “empty”. Why should I have to keep track of when I charged the battery and count the number of images that I captured? This is a really bad bug that needs to be addressed ASAP.
- “Q” button issue. Pressing the “Q” button on the back of the camera while viewing through the OVF/EVF shows on the LCD screen instead of the EVF.
- No option for different magnification levels when zooming in. A simple fix would be to allow using the zoom in/out buttons on the back of the camera to switch between different zoom magnification levels.
- Firmware updates wipe out all camera settings. Whenever you apply a firmware update, whether that is to the camera body or a lens, it wipes out all camera settings.
- AF issues. The Fuji X-Pro1 has a list of AF issues – see the “Autofocus” part of this review (along with the pain of using manual focus).
On the positive note, thanks to the recent firmware (version 1.01), the “aperture chatter” issue has been addressed, which was very annoying when operating the camera.
Just one more rant. The Fuji X-Pro1 has some great features like movie recording and panorama capture. But why doesn’t it have a simple intervalometer? The much cheaper Nikon 1 V1 has one, so why can’t Fuji provide it? Again, this is something that can be done via a firmware update.
3) Camera Sensor
At the heart of the X-Pro1 sits a brand new X-Trans CMOS sensor technology from Fuji. While traditional sensors with a repeating bayer-pattern color filter array exhibit moire problems and hence need an anti-aliasing filter to reduce moire by essentially blurring the image, the X-Trans CMOS sensor has a new color filter array that has a more random pattern that does not cause moire to occur in first place. Hence, an anti-aliasing filter is not necessary, which in turn translates to sharper, more detailed images.
Here is an illustration of a traditional bayer pattern color filter array compared to the new Fuji color filter array:
Top image: 1) Lens, 2) Sensor, 3) Optical low-pass filter.
Bottom image: 1) Lens, 2) Sensor, 3) Natural random arrangement of the fine grains of silver halide in film.
As you can see, the difference between the two is quite big.
Fuji says that their sensor not only delivers sharper images due to the lack of an anti-aliasing filter, but also has better color reproduction. Does the new X-Trans CMOS sensor work as advertised? It certainly does, in my opinion. The amount of detail from the camera when using the Fujinon 35mm and 60mm lenses (more on lenses below) is impressive when looking at images at 100%. And as I have already written before, the colors from the Fuji are simply outstanding. As a long time digital Nikon shooter, I am very impressed by what the X-Pro1 does with the colors. Not only does the camera produce beautiful colors, but Fuji clearly knows how to process skin tones – something Nikon is historically not very good at. This is quite evident even when looking at JPEG images straight out of the camera.
The X-Trans CMOS sensor with a new color filter is a great innovation. Sadly, most digital camera manufacturers today, including Nikon and Canon, still rely on the bayer pattern that was invented back in 1976 in Kodak labs. With all the new ultra high resolution sensors coming out, I believe manufacturers need to start adopting such innovations to get rid of the outdated anti-aliasing/blur filter.
4) Autofocus Performance and Accuracy
Here comes trouble. Fuji fans, get your rotten tomatoes ready, because you will probably want to use them after reading the next sentence. The autofocus system on the Fuji X-Pro1 sucks. Those who think otherwise, please give Nikon 1 V1 a try and you will see what I mean. Seriously, after all that trouble with the X100, I really hoped that Fuji engineers would do something special with the AF system on the X-Pro1. From what I can tell, looks like the Fuji X-Pro1 was developed around the same time as the X100. So many issues from the X100 migrated over to the X-Pro1…even the ones that were fixed via firmware updates!
Here is a list of compiled AF issues I have so far:
- AF is slow and accuracy is terrible in low-light.
- In many cases, the camera takes too long to acquire focus in AF-S (single) mode.
- When re-acquiring focus, the camera will force the lens to start over and hunt for focus, even if the subject/object did not move at all.
- After focus is successfully acquired, firing the shutter while continuing to half-press the shutter causes the camera to reacquire focus again.
- LCD and EVF lock up / freeze between focus lock and exposure. The lag makes it difficult to photograph anything that moves. Surprisingly, this even happens when shooting in manual focus.
- The AF-C (continuous tracking) mode is pretty much useless, since only the center focus point can be used for tracking subjects. AF-C should be no different than AF-S in terms of focus points.
And a couple of rants on manual focus:
- Focus ring is terribly slow – so many rotations are needed to get from far to close and vice versa. Since manual focus happens through the camera, there should be an option to speed up manual focus for each ring rotation. Perhaps some camera setting that allows doubling or tripling the speed of focus change.
- I am spoiled by the focus peaking feature on the Sony NEX cameras. Fuji should incorporate focus peaking to manual focus mode.
I tried photographing moving people and I was very disappointed with both AF-S and AF-C modes. AF-S obviously does not keep track of movement and by the time it acquires focus, the subject is already out of the focus zone. AF-C tracking with only one center focus point is too slow and unreliable. Take a look at this image that I captured in AF-C mode:
I tracked that guy with the center focus point for a while before firing the shutter (using the 35mm f/1.4 lens at f/2.8). As you can see, he is completely out of focus.
In short, forget about using this camera for anything that moves. While there is a known technique for manual focus lenses to pre-focus and then shoot from the same distance every time, I will to leave that with the Leica/Zeiss guys. This is a Fuji, and it has autofocus for a reason!
5) Fujinon Lenses
Let’s talk about the 3 Fujinon lenses that were released with the X-Pro1 – Fujinon 18mm f/2.0 XF R, Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 XF R and Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 XF Macro. It is interesting that Fuji only released prime lenses with the X-Pro1. This is certainly a welcome move for most pros out there and something I wish Nikon and Sony did with their mirrorless camera releases as well. Having plenty of zoom choices is good, but give us useful primes like 35mm f/1.4 first please! While I will be posting separate reviews of each of these lenses, here is a summary of what I think about them, individually.
- The Fujinon 18mm f/2 is my least favorite out of the three due to its focal length and distortion, but it has its uses when a wide angle perspective is needed. When Adobe releases support for the Fuji X-Pro1 and its lenses, you will be able to fix distortion with a single click within the Lens Correction module. As for optics, its center performance is great, but the corners are rather weak, which is quite normal for a wide-angle lens.
- The Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 is a must-have for any X-Pro1 owner. I personally did not want to take it off the camera, because the focal point is just right, optics are phenomenal and the lens produces very colorful images with beautiful, creamy bokeh. It is insanely sharp from center to edge, even at f/1.4. As I have already said before, the 35mm focal length on a 1.5x crop factor sensor is just right.
- The Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 Macro is an insanely sharp lens from center to corner. It is excellent for macro and portraiture work, because it also renders beautiful bokeh when shooting at large apertures. With a lens hood attached it is the longest of the three and the heftiest.
In summary, all three lenses are superb, but if I wanted to pick one lens for the X-Pro1, it would certainly be the 35mm f/1.4.
What about lens handling and ergonomics? All three are very lightweight and compact for what they do, however, I do have a couple of notes/complaints:
- All lenses are fully electronic and there are no manual controls (except for the aperture ring). You cannot even force the lens to extend/collapse its barrel when the camera is off.
- Lens caps are designed badly, especially the rubber ones that attach to metal hoods. I lost mine within a week, because it does not stay on.
- None of the lenses, including the 60mm f/2.4 Macro are image-stabilized.
These are not major issues, but still worth noting. I believe the manual focus ring issue that I mentioned in this review can be addressed by a firmware fix, unless it is physically impossible due to the way the motor works within each lens…
6) Hybrid Viewfinder
The Fuji X-Pro1 has a similar hybrid optical (OVF) / electronic (EVF) viewfinder as the Fuji X100 with one difference – it is designed for two different magnification levels (“wide” and “standard”) depending on what lens is mounted on the camera. Switching between the OVF and EVF is done through the switch on the front of the camera, as illustrated in the below image:
In OVF mode (which is basically you looking through the viewfinder glass), the viewfinder has a bright white overlay that shows the approximate boundaries of the lens, along with some other useful exposure information. I loved this in the X100 and I also like it on the X-Pro1, although the shown boundaries are far from accurate and they sometimes jump from one place to another when half-pressing the shutter. Switching to EVF mode shows what the sensor sees through the lens, so the framing is fully accurate and more information is available to be displayed, including the histogram. The EVF is good, but not as good as the super high-resolution EVF on the Sony NEX-7 camera.
When a short focal length lens is attached to the camera, such as the Fujinon 18mm f/2, the OVF operates in its “wide” mode (0.37x magnification). When longer focal length lenses are attached, the camera automatically switches to “standard” (0.60x magnification), which shows the subject closer, making it much easier to compose your shot. Here is how the magnification levels work:
As with other mirrorless cameras with viewfinders, the camera switches from LCD to EVF when you look through the viewfinder. I really like this clever design of the hybrid viewfinder.
7) Metering and Exposure
While the Fuji X-Pro1 does not have a sophisticated meter as the latest generation Nikon and Canon cameras, it actually works surprisingly well in most situations. The camera does have a tendency to overexpose and underexpose in unusual lighting situations, but that happens even with advanced DSLRs, so it is not anything unusual. Gladly, the exposure compensation dial is right there on the top of the camera, so altering the exposure is a very straightforward process.
If you are a Nikon shooter, you will notice an odd behavior on the Fuji, similar to what Sony cameras do as well – when the shutter is half-pressed, metering gets locked by the camera. Trying to rotate the aperture on the lens or moving the exposure compensation dial will do nothing and the exposure will remain locked. The only thing you can do is release the shutter, then adjust your exposure, then half-press again to get a different meter reading. On Nikon DSLRs, once you half-press the shutter, you can still continue to adjust the exposure and the meter will continue to adjust automatically. This is not a big problem for me, since I do not mind releasing the shutter and half-pressing it again, but it might annoy others that are used to the Nikon way of things.
8) Shooting Speed (FPS) and Battery Life
The Fuji X-Pro1 is a pretty fast camera that can shoot at 6 frames per second. The good news is that when the camera is shot in burst mode, the memory card write process does not freeze the camera like it does with the X100. If you want fast writes, make sure to get a really fast SD card. I used some 45 MB/sec class 10 SD cards and there was definitely noticeable difference between them and SanDisk Extreme Pro 95 MB/sec cards. Also, as I have noted already, some cards like the older SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC (45 MB/sec) have compatibility problems with the X-Pro1, where the writing speeds can be extremely slow and frustrating and the camera becomes inoperable when trying to play an image or turn it off. When shooting in bursts, Fine JPEG images will shoot approximately 16-18 images before the buffer gets full. It then takes approximately 10 seconds for buffer to clear out and memory writes complete. If you shoot in RAW, the buffer will fill up at about 12-14 images and takes good 20+ seconds to clear out. These numbers are based on approximate calculations using the fastest SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC 95 MB/sec cards. Slower cards will take even longer to empty the camera buffer.
In terms of battery life, the X-Pro1 specs state 300 shots before the battery runs out, which is in line with other mirrorless cameras. However, there is one major problem as I have also noted above in this review – the battery life indicator in the camera is basically useless. It can go from solid full to empty in no time, so until a firmware fix comes out, get in the habit of charging your battery often and do not rely on this indicator.
9) Video / Movie Recording
It seems like all modern digital cameras are coming out with movie recording options and the Fuji X-Pro1 is not an exception. It can record either 720p or 1080p high-definition video at 24 fps with stereo sound and offers some control of exposure before recording (not during). Unlike DSLRs that have to have their mirrors flipped up, which limits viewing of video recording only on the camera LCD, the Fuji X-Pro1 can display recorded video both on its rear LCD and inside the hybrid viewfinder. You can choose a desired aperture, adjust exposure compensation and a few other camera settings, but you cannot adjust the shutter speed and ISO – those are chosen automatically by the camera based on the camera meter reading. There is also no external mic connectivity, so using an external audio recorder is not an option (unless it is done separately and then manually mixed later). Because there is no dedicated button or switch for recording videos, you have to go into the camera menu and change the drive mode from stills to movie and vice versa. In addition, there is no support for capturing images while recording a video. The really slow manual focus adjustment through lenses is frustrating when recording anything that moves relatively fast. I do not understand why the camera stops recording video when the shutter button is half-pressed. Half-pressing the shutter button should force the camera to reacquire focus, not to stop recording a video. Hopefully Fuji will also address this issue in future firmware updates, since I find it rather annoying. Lastly, subject tracking in AF-C (continuous) mode is also a source of frustration, not only because of a single center focus point, but also because tracking is very slow and inaccurate.
In summary, the video features of this camera are rather limited and buggy, designed for occasional capture of video, not anything serious.
10) Flash
Like most top-of-the-line professional DSLRs, the Fuji X-Pro1 does not come with a built-in flash. However, similar to the X100, the X-Pro1 comes with a standard size hotshoe that can be used with Fuji’s flashes such as EF-20, EF-X20, EF-42 and third party flashes and radio triggers such as PocketWizard Plus III. In addition, there is a sync port on the left side of the camera, which allows you to hook up any strobe with a sync cable directly. This all means that the Fuji X-Pro1 is friendly with pretty much any professional studio strobe. Bear in mind that when using flashes, flash sync speed is limited to 1/180 of a second.
For me, having a standard hotshoe is a big plus, since I work in studio environments quite a bit. Here are some sample images taken in a studio with the X-Pro1:
11) Dynamic Range
When it comes to dynamic range, from what I can tell from the JPEG images, the new X-Trans CMOS sensor seems to deliver great dynamic range in photographs at even high ISO levels. It is no Nikon D800, but from what I can tell, it looks pretty close to what the D7000 can do. I have not performed any scientific tests yet and it seems like folks at DxOMark have not performed their tests either, because RAW support was not available for Adobe products for a long time.
See the next page for Fuji X-Pro1 ISO performance, along with comparisons to Nikon D800 and Canon 5D Mark III.
ISO Performance
12) ISO Performance at low ISOs (ISO 100-800) – JPEG
Some technical junk:
- White Balance: As Shot
- EXIF information is preserved in the images
- Focusing was performed through Live-View Contrast Detect
- Long exposure NR: Off
- High ISO NR: Off
- Image Format: JPEG
- Imported images into Lightroom 4 and normalized to 16.3 MP resolution
- All images shot in JPEG
- Lightroom export: sRGB JPEG Quality 80
Here is the full image, showing which area of the image I cropped below:
Let’s take a look at how the Fuji X-Pro1 performs at low ISOs. Here are some crops at ISO 100 (boost), 200, 400 and 800:
Both are very clean, but the boosted ISO 100 looks much more overexposed when compared to ISO 200 for some reason. I would avoid using ISO 100 on the X-Pro1 for this reason.
JPEG output on ISO levels 400 and 800 looks as clean as ISO 200.
13) High ISO Performance (ISO 1600-6400) – JPEG
High ISO performance is a very important measure of sensor quality for low-light photography. Here is how the Fuji X-Pro1 performs at high ISO levels between ISO 1600 and 6400:
Again, going from ISO 800 to ISO 1600 practically does not add any noise to the image, even in the shadows. ISO 3200, on the other hand, adds a little bit of noise and here we can see the effect of noise reduction applied by the camera on JPEG images – clarity is slightly reduced as a result.
At ISO 6400 some details get washed away and we are starting to see some artifacts here and there. Still, the performance at ISO 6400 is excellent. Whatever Fuji does with its JPEG processing is very impressive.
14) High ISO Performance “Boost” (ISO 12800-25600) – JPEG
Fuji X-Pro1 has two extra ISO “boost” levels – ISO 12800 and ISO 25600 for extreme situations. Take a look at these:
Boosting ISO to 12800 results in more noise and much more aggressive noise reduction by the camera. Noise is apparent in the shadows (although noise reduction makes it look a little “muddy”) and more artifacts are visible throughout the image. Still ISO 12800 is very usable in my opinion, especially when down-sampled. ISO 25600, on the other hand, looks too muddy and washed for my taste.
15) ISO Performance at low ISOs (ISO 100-800) – RAW
Some technical junk:
- White Balance: As Shot
- EXIF information is preserved in the images
- Focusing was performed through Live-View Contrast Detect
- Long exposure NR: Off
- High ISO NR: Off
- Image Format: RAW
- Imported images into Lightroom 4 and normalized to 16.3 MP resolution
- All images shot in JPEG
- Lightroom export: sRGB JPEG Quality 80
Now let’s compare RAW output at low ISOs. Here are some crops at ISO 200, 400 and 800:
There is a slight difference in noise between ISO 200 and 400 in the shadows, but both look very clean overall.
ISO 800 clearly adds more noise to the image (especially in the shadows), as can be seen from the sample crop above.
16) High ISO Performance (ISO 1600-6400) – RAW
Here is how the Fuji X-Pro1 performs at high ISO levels between ISO 1600 and 6400 in RAW:
As we increase ISO, the amount of noise also increases – ISO 1600 only marginally increases noise over ISO 800. ISO 3200, on the other hand, adds more noticeable noise that looks significantly worse in comparison to ISO 1600 – shadow details are getting lost as a result.
At ISO 6400 the amount of noise doubles throughout the image and much more shadow details are lost. Interestingly, the JPEG version of ISO 3200 and 6400 shots looks much cleaner in comparison. Also, ISO 12800 in JPEG looks better than ISO 6400 in RAW (due to noise reduction applied on JPEGs), except there is a significant amount of detail loss in the shadows.
17) ISO Performance Summary
The Fuji X-Pro1 is capable of excellent image quality at ISO levels all the way to ISO 12800. To date, I have not seen a camera that can render such beautiful, noise-free JPEG images – I am simply amazed by how good the JPEG output of the Fuji X-Pro1 is. Fuji definitely knows how to apply noise reduction on JPEG images. However, the same cannot be said about its RAW files – as you can see from the above crops, the RAW output looks quite disappointing in comparison, with plenty of visible noise at higher ISO levels.
Now let’s take a look at how the Fuji X-Pro1 compares to the Nikon D800 and Canon 5D Mark III. Click the next page of this review.
Camera Comparisons
Compared to Canon 5D Mark III
Let’s see how the Fuji X-Pro1 compares to the new Canon 5D Mark III. Below you will find image samples normalized to 12 MP by down-sampling.
18) Fuji X-Pro1 vs Canon 5D Mark III ISO Comparison at low ISOs
Take a look at the below crops at 200, 400 and 800 (Left: Fuji X-Pro1, Right: Canon 5D Mark III):
As expected, ISO 200 on both cameras looks very clean. However, if you look close enough you will see that the Fuji X-Pro1 RAW image looks cleaner in comparison – and that’s with a down-sampled Canon 5D Mark III image. Considering that the Fuji X-Pro1 is an APS-C sensor (more than twice smaller in size than full-frame), normally there should be a similar amount of noise at low ISOs, especially in the shadows. This difference we are seeing either has to do with Fuji’s new color filter array, or Fuji is “cooking” the RAW files (meaning it is applying some noise reduction on RAW level). Note that both RAW files had exactly the same Lightroom settings – no additional sharpening or noise reduction was applied to the image (all default settings).
A similar thing happens at ISO 400 – the Fuji RAW looks a tad cleaner overall.
And we see it again at ISO 800. The Canon 5D Mark III crop has very fine grain in the shadows, while the Fuji X-Pro1 crop has a smoother feel to it.
19) Fuji X-Pro1 vs Canon 5D Mark III High ISO Comparison
What about high ISO levels above ISO 800? Let’s take a look:
ISO 1600 still looks better on the Fuji X-Pro1.
At ISO 3200 both look somewhat comparable, but the look of the grain is very different. The Fuji X-Pro1 has bigger and smoother grain, while the Canon 5D Mark III has finer and more detailed grain.
Some strange things are starting to happen to the Fuji X-Pro1 at ISO 6400 – the grain pattern looks rather erratic, which at this point I am pretty sure is happening due to noise reduction. Noise levels on both cameras are very comparable…
20) Fuji X-Pro1 vs Canon 5D Mark III Summary
It is hard to understand whether Fuji is applying some kind of noise reduction to its RAW files at all ISO levels, or perhaps the new color filter array is the reason why the RAW files look less grainy. Despite the fact that I down-sampled the Canon 5D Mark III images from 22.3 MP to 16.3 MP and there is a significant difference in sensor size between the two cameras, the Fuji X-Pro1 seems to be producing very impressive images at both JPEG and RAW level. Overall, I find the Fuji X-Pro1 to be superior at low ISOs and about the same above ISO 3200.
Compared to Nikon D800
21) Fuji X-Pro1 vs Nikon D800 ISO Comparison at low ISOs
Take a look at the below crops at ISO 200, 400 and 800 (Left: Fuji X-Pro1, Right: Nikon D800):
The Nikon D800 has a much higher resolution 36.3 MP sensor, so heavy down-sampling was applied to the Nikon D800 image. As a result, the Nikon D800 image looks very crisp and practically noise-free compared to the Fuji X-Pro1 at ISO 200. Still, the RAW image from the Fuji X-Pro1 looks a tad cleaner.
ISO 400 looks very similar to ISO 200.
At ISO 800 we see a little finer grain on the D800, but both are still very comparable in terms of noise, even in the shadows.
22) Fuji X-Pro1 vs Nikon D800 High ISO Comparison
What about high ISO levels above ISO 800? Let’s take a look:
At ISO 1600 we see a similar thing as with the 5D Mark III – the Fuji X-Pro1 crops looks a little more “washed”, with very little noise throughout the image.
At ISO 3200 the Fuji X-Pro1 starts to lose plenty of data as can be seen from the shadows. The Nikon D800 retains a lot more detail overall and the grain looks more natural.
And finally, increasing ISO to 6400 again results in larger and smoother grain on the Fuji X-Pro1, while the Nikon D800 is still retaining a lot of shadow details with finer grain. The down-sampling process is clearly advantageous for the D800 in this case.
23) Fuji X-Pro1 vs Nikon D800 Summary
Comparing RAW files between the Fuji X-Pro1 and the Nikon D800 yields very similar results as with the Canon 5D Mark III. Despite having a sensor more than twice smaller in size, the RAW output from the Fuji X-Pro1 looks very clean in comparison to the D800. I prefer the look of the images from the Fuji X-Pro1 at lower ISO levels below ISO 1600, but not above. At higher ISO levels, I find the Nikon D800 images to be better, because they have finer and more natural-looking grain. I am not sure if this kind of output is the result of noise reduction applied to RAW files by Fuji, or if it is the magic of the new color filter array. Whatever it is, it looks great for a small sensor! It is no secret that many RAW files from cameras are “cooked” nowadays – take a look at the Nikon 1 V1, for example. Nikon clearly applies noise reduction at higher ISO levels. As long as manufacturers can do this without losing image detail, who cares if RAW files are treated? The Fuji X-Pro1 engineers clearly developed a great algorithm that can do magic to the RAW files and we can see it from the above comparison. If Fuji released a full-frame sensor with the same noise characteristics as the sensor on the Fuji X-Pro1, it would be a serious challenge for both Nikon and Canon DSLRs in my opinion.
Summary and Image Samples
24) Summary
I got very excited when I read Fuji’s press release about the X-Pro1, because it was clear from the announcement that the camera was specifically targeted at pros and photo enthusiasts that need a high-quality camera that rivals DSLRs in image quality, minus the bulk and weight. With excellent specifications, a beautiful and stylish black retro design, the camera looked like it had a great potential to be my full-time travel companion. Lugging around a heavy DSLR in a backpack is not always practical and I find myself leaving the heavy gear at home more often than I would like. I have been waiting for a great mirrorless camera for a while now and the X-Pro1 looked very promising.
I received the X-Pro1 around the same time when I received the Nikon D800 and the Canon 5D Mark III. To be honest, my interest on the X-Pro1 was so big, that it was the first camera that I unboxed and I initially spent more time with it than the D800 and 5D MK III combined. After a few days of active use, I started to realize that it had a few problems that I would have to get used to… Don’t get me wrong, the Fuji X-Pro1 makes phenomenal pictures. But it has a number of annoying bugs and issues that should have been addressed before the camera was released to the public. Writing this review, I knew that it would look very conflicting. In parts of the review I highly praise the X-Pro1 and in other parts I complain about its annoyances and problems.
I can live with most of its issues, but the slow and unreliable AF are hard to get by. If I only used the X-Pro1 for stationary subjects, landscapes, macro or architecture, I would probably be happy with it. However, I shoot all kinds of stuff, including plenty of indoors photography, so the autofocus part is rather critical for my work. So one either has to live with the X-Pro1 problems, wait and pray that Fuji fixes them sometime in the future with firmware updates (like they did with the Fuji X100), or wait for the Fuji X-Pro2 to come out.
Given how many problems the Fuji X100 had when it was released, it just feels like Fuji released the camera prematurely. Surprisingly, many of the issues from the X100 that have been already addressed via firmware updates, made their way into the X-Pro1. Was Fuji working on the X-Pro1 and the X100 simultaneously?
I had such high hopes for the X-Pro1 – it has such a great potential to be a killer camera. If only it had a more robust AF system similar to the Nikon 1 V1, it would have been “the travel” camera for me…
25) Where to buy and availability
B&H is currently selling the Fuji X-Pro1 body only for $1,699.
26) More image samples
All Images Copyright © Nasim Mansurov, All Rights Reserved. Copying or reproduction is not permitted without written permission from the author.
About Nasim Mansurov
Exact same problem with X-10 which is a fantastic P&S from fuji (I don’t care about ORBs). The focus points can only be invoked via AF button on the left of the screen and no way to customize that. Nope I cannot program my Fn button which is conveniently located close to shutter release (which BTW help me chose the ISO/RAW format). If I am writing their firmware, I am sure it won’t be more than couple of lines of code. Because 1 good thing about shifting focal points in X-10 is, there is a wheel control on the back of the camera. It works great. Its just invoking the freaking AF points :-( If anybody knows about it, please let me know.
I totally agree with you on Intervalometer. Such an expensive camera and yet they cut corners in writing excellent firmware. Same is GPS. This is a hardware add-on but come on $1600 for a body!!!! Fuji had a chance to make it an ultimate camera system. Clubbed with good quality X10 and X100 to make people feel at home.
Pankaj, thank you for your feedback.
On the other hand, if you look at the X-Pro1 as a Leica alternative, then it is actually quite a decent camera, given its much lower cost…
Thank you, Nasim, for an excellent review. I, as you, was very hopeful for this camera, now, not so much. As you, one must wonder why in the world bugs with its predecessor were almost willingly carried along to the X-Pro1. So much right, but then, so much Not right. I had thought I had read that there was already a firmware update for the AF problem, perhaps not. In your followup, I hope you will touch on using Leica M-class glass with an adapter. Another review stated that due to the extra layers added to the sensor by the self cleaning mechanism that this might cause color shift changes with wide angles. Again, a shame that so many things were overlooked or seemingly unattended to, such as, I.e., battery life indicator, freezeups, inability to shoot RAW at high ISOs (what in the world were they thinking?) and the like, among several.
Kindest regards
Dean
Dean, yes, Fuji already released a firmware update for the AF problem that fixed the “aperture chatter”. However, the firmware update has not addressed any other issues highlighted in this review.
Hi,
nice review!
it seems like it performs better than d7000 or even some, right ?
hmm…
Sam, are you asking about its image quality only? If yes, then the JPEG output from the X-Pro1 is definitely better. However, I am not sure how the camera will compare in RAW – will have to wait for the support.
Thank you for such a succinct summary. If only Fuji would address your detailed issues I believe 50% of users would abandon their heavy DSLR outfits, for many purposes. The sooner a completely revised Pro-X 2 arrives, the better, for many will not accept these limitations, especially regarding AF. I eagerly await a high-quality 12-24 mm landscape zoom — requiring that the corners should surpass those of the 18mm, where, according to posted examples, it is a bit disappointing. Then … the 24mm f/1.4 and a mid-long zoom with good AF. But has any reader discovered yet whether the new lenses have an image circle that could cover/predict a FF model? (Test on a Leica M9.) That option would wipe the slate and make a fortune for Fuji. Let’s hope!
Graham, you are most welcome!
I agree, I would love to buy a mirrorless camera that would become my “primary” camera I take with me everywhere. I would then treat DSLRs as secondary , taking them only when the highest image quality and performance are required.
A full-frame X-Pro1 would put some serious pressure on Leica. Can’t wait for Fuji to release a camera that would compete head to head with the M9. Who knows, maybe Leica would lower its prices like Hasselblad did a couple of days ago?
Hi Nasim,
I was also very interested in the x-pro1, however I had a play around with it the other day at a camera shop and found the AF to be really poor, and that is what most of the reviews highlight. That will be a no go for me especially given the price of the camera and lenses.
I have been looking at the Olympus OM-D EM-5. Do you have any plans to test the OM-D?
Thanks,
Paulo
Paulo, yes, I am planning to test the OM-D, hopefully soon (need to finish reviewing the gear I have right now). Seems like a great mirrorless camera!
About sensor aliasing…
The different rgb pattern does not avoid aliasing at all.
Rather, it moves it to LOWER frequencies (worse) and riduces the amplitud of simgle lines.
It would be very interesting if you could investigate this behaviour, with your usual precision and thouroughness.
Anyway, an excellent and usefjl review.
P.s. I read that the oly om d has a better sensor… Did you test it?
Gianpaolo, thank you for your feedback! I did not think going too technical on the sensor was a good idea for our readers, so I just summarized it in a simple way.
As for the OM-D, I am planning to test it too, once I am done with the Canon 5D Mark III and some Canon lenses.
The Olympus “OMG”?
In my SLR slide-film days, the step-up in quality between the OM lens system and Nikon’s (even the old 35-105mm AF, scarcely their best!) was startling. Does OM compare in any way these days?
Graham, you would be surprised by how good some of the latest digital Olympus cameras have gotten. The OM-D seems to be a very attractive camera with impressive capabilities…
Nasim,
As usual you write interesting reviews, however, you are mistaken in several of your quibbles about the X-Pro1.
First off, while the auto focus is not the same AF speed as a Nikon DSLR or Canon, the X-Pro1 does work well. Much better than what your review would lead one that has not experienced the X-Pro1 to believe.
Many infrequent users commit errors with the auto focus functioning based on their extensive experience with major DSLR AF systems. The X100 and X-Pro1 will give fast and accurate focus if one does not half press the shutter release button, wait for a focus confirmation and then finish the shutter release press. Try pressing the shutter release in one continuous press when taking a picture. The camera does auto focus and functions much, much better than a half press and wait method. You and others should try the frame and full continuous press procedure. I think you’ll find AF works accurately and quickly.
Another quibble I have is your assumption the X100 and X-Pro1 were designed as video cameras, or are least seriously lacking video capability. They were not designed for video. They ar designed as still cameras, first and foremost. The video function is very basic and, I believe, a small attempt at pacifying the current consumer expectation every still camera should also be a full featured video camera . Fuji added the basic video function as a side capability to pacify those that would have screamed bloody murder if video was completely missing in the X100 and X-Pro1 series. It is not an outstanding video camera, your are correct about that, but neither was it designed to shoot video and capture stills at the same time because, I stated previously, it was designed to be an exceptional, compact, lightweight, high IQ, high resolution still camera.
IMHO, if I want full function, cinematic quality video, I need to spend thousands more to purchase a device specifically designed for video. There is nothing incomplete or lacking in a still camera that produces wonderfully sharp, colorful and high resolution photographs. Keep in mind the designed primary purpose of the X-Pro1. It is an outstanding tool for producing exceptional high quality still photos.
Furthermore, I have not experienced the battery problems you described. Both my Fuji factory batteries have performed flawlessly and last almost all day with continuous use and chimping. The user should utilize the proper menu settings to maximize battery life.
Yes, the X-Pro1 does have some attributes and function foibles that you correctly described. However, Fuji, as you pointed out, corrected many X100 foibles with firmware updates, and I’m sure more corrections for the small items you mentioned will see a Fuji solution this year, too.
I, for one, am amazed at what Fuji has developed and manufactured in the X-Pro1 and X100 as far as IQ, compactness and quality in glass and the bodies. I am more than pleased with my two X100′s and my Fuji X-Pro1. So much so, that two of my Nikon DSLRs will be sold, along with several pieces of Nikon glass as the Fuji X series out shines the Nikon . I have been a Nikon user since the Nikon F and Nikon Nikkormat with manual single coated glass so I am not a Johnny come latley to Nikon. I know Nikon and appreciate Nikon’s strengths, but I find Fuji has surpassed Nikon in areas that are important to me.
I will keep my Nikon D700 and a couple of high quality pieces of Nikon Nikkor glass, but my Fuji X series are my main cameras and, I suspect, will be overshadowing the Nikon from here on out.
With your and my comments in mind, every camera has its strengths and weaknesses. The Fuji X series are not video cameras, they are excellent still cameras that have a basic video capability built in.
I humbly suggest users and potential users of the X-Pro1 get to know and learn the AF capabilities of the X-Pro1 and how the AF functions before proclaiming the AF is terrible and horrible, in need of drastic improvement. Just keep in mind it is not an action DSLR that is at least twice as large and heavy as the X-Pro1.
Time and time again, one can find the photog boards filled with complaints ad naseum about a product that is either not out yet or incorrectly used by people who condemn the item as if it were the worst product every produced. My simple advice is to learn the system and how it functions. Read the manual and try to comprehend the information. If the product is still not to your expectations and feel it is still worthy of excessive condemnation, either sell it or design, manufacture and market a better product. There is far too much complaining about extraordinary engineered products. Thank you for allowing my comments.
Shepherd, thank you for your detailed feedback – now that’s a great review from a reader :) I truly appreciate it.
When I talked about my frustration with the X-Pro1 AF system, I obviously spoke about it when compared to other AF systems that I have used in the past, including Micro 4/3 and Nikon 1. I would not want to compare it to a DSLR AF system, because it does not stand a chance, not even close. It is good enough for stationary subjects, but AF-C is pretty useless and the shutter lag is painful.
I played with the X-Pro1 for over a month and photographed with it in all kinds of environments. I have even tried your suggested method by just pressing the shutter release without half-pressing it. In fact, the photo you see in this review with a couple walking on the street, where AF-C grossly missed focus was captured exactly this way. I let the camera track the focus of the guy walking towards me, then pressed the shutter once without half-pressing it. You can see the end result. And yes, I have tried the same method in AF-S mode as well. But another thing I noticed when just firing the shutter, is that the AF could be a complete miss when you do that, even if it seems to be faster. I deleted a bunch of images of buildings that I photographed in London, with plenty of contrast that were completely out of focus. Many of those missed AF images were photographed with a single shutter release, no half-press. I then switched to half-pressing the shutter at that point, because half-pressing the shutter and forcing the camera to reacquire focus a couple of times before firing the shutter seemed to yield better accuracy for me.
Not sure why you got an impression that I thought of X100 or the X-Pro1 as a video camera. I simply talked about the video implementation and that it should not be considered as a serious video tool, but rather a camera that can take occasional videos. I personally do not really care about the video capabilities either.
As for the battery, the battery indicator is the problem, not the battery itself.
Now about the firmware updates – why should I have to wait for a year for Fuji to address the current bugs and issues via firmware updates? I don’t know of ANY other camera manufacturer that does that. If there is a problem, I believe it should be fixed before the camera is released, not months after. Yes, it is a brand new system and yes it is prone to problems. But what is QA and UAT (user acceptance testing) for? Couldn’t Fuji spend some time with photographers, so that they could provide real feedback on the camera? For me, I find it unacceptable that I have to live with a buggy camera and patiently wait for its issues to be addressed overtime. Maybe I am just too impatient…
At the same time, as I have already said before, I am very impressed by the image quality of the X-Pro1, its lightweight body, beautiful retro design, ergonomics and a few other things. Yes, it does have major flaws and problems, but I believe Fuji will work on them and make the X-Pro1 line much better than what it is today. It might take a generation or two before the camera gets perfect and I look at it as a DSLR replacement, but not with the current X-Pro1. I am willing to wait…
For now, my DSLRs will still have to remain as my primary tools.
But that’s me – I know that many of the X-Pro1 owners are very happy with their cameras and I am glad that you are happy with yours. Let me know how it works out as your primary tool, once you sell your Nikon DSLRs.
Lastly, I think a re-review of this camera would be a good idea, about 1 year from now. Hopefully by then, Fuji will have most annoyances addressed through firmware updates…
My experience exactly with the X Pro. My Nikon D700 and overpriced G Series lenses have been sitting in the closet for two months because every time I think about lugging that clunky behemoth around, I grab the X Pro. I can shoot 30 JPEG’s out of the camera and it would take me an hour or more to make a D700 Raw file look that good.
I’m still waiting on my D800E, but I may cancel it. I’m just not sure I would use it.
I took my dogs hiking this AM and took about 40 photos. Not a one was out of focus. They were gorgeous right out of the camera.
And I might add, Fuji’s service is great. If I hadn’t already invested over $5,000 in Nikon lenses I would never buy another Nikon camera. Their service STINKS!!!!!
Steve, thank you for your valuable feedback – I am glad the X-Pro1 is working out for you and you are enjoying it. Weight is also a big problem for me, so I have been looking for an everyday mirrorless camera for a while now. Tried out the Nikon 1 V1, Sony NEX-5n, Olympus E-PL3 and now the Fuji X-Pro1 and each one has weaknesses and annoyances. My next camera to check out is the new Olympus OM-D. I also have high hopes for the upcoming Canon mirrorless. We’ll see what that will bring to the table.
My goal is to have a compact and lightweight mirrorless that can take decent images, so that I could make my DSLRs secondary – only for planned shoots and situations where I need the highest image quality.
I agree with Nikon service – I too had some very frustrating experience with them.
Sorry, but I have to say your opinion about AF is too optimistic and misleading. AF is something that Fuji has to fix for X-Pro2.
I sold my X-Pro1 just because of AF performance. The IQ is truly outstanding and I really wanted to like this camera. I tried everything suggested on the net, including yours, however, nothing fundamentally didn’t improve AF. I’m not saying XPRO1′s AF is slower than professional DSLR. It is far slower and inaccurate even compare to much smaller cameras, such as OMD and NEX5n (which is not even considered as a fast AF camera).
Hello Nasim!
Thank you for this great review! Well i know i am not going to buy this camera – i could live with poor battery indicator and some software bugs – but not with hopeless AF system.
I’m going to wait – we may see “budget friendly” Nikon D600 soon. A full-frame camera for X Pro 1′s price i hope!
And i think this Fuji is like a “beta” version camera – yes, it works – but leaves bad taste in mouth. Like a “beta” version software:/
Michael, yes, I also got a feeling of a “beta” camera. Who knows, maybe Fuji got some pressure to release the camera prematurely, since Canon will be releasing their mirrorless soon as well.
An affordable full-frame DSLR would be great! I will post a small article on the upcoming D600 (if it ever comes out) later this week.
great review like always, Nasim, I wish you had more than 24 hours a day to write more reviews for every camera and lens there is!
Thank you for your feedback David! I too wish I had more time to write reviews, since there is so much to cover :(
My experience with the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 is very similar to Nasim’s. I tried it for 3 weeks and ended up returning it. Why? Because of autofocus primarily, but also because of other issues I have encountered with the camera. I loved the pictures and camera operation but hated everything else.
I will wait for a year or two until Fuji releases something better. For now, my Nikon D800 and D7000 bodies are serving me well.
Thank you for your feedback Praveen. I am looking forward to seeing Fuji fix the bugs on the X-Pro1…
Nasim – forgot to add, images posted in this review are breathtaking.
The X Pro 1 does have focus peeking.
How can you claim to be competent to review this product when you don’t know some of the key aspects of the camera?
Overall, a fairly poor review in my opinion.
Kim, I would love to see you demonstrate the focus peaking feature of the camera.
You might be confusing zooming with focus peaking. Here is how focus peaking works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGPF375-2rA
Thank you for your feedback!
Sorry, it does not have focus peaking. I hope they do enable it on a future firmware update, though!
Hi Nasim
as usual another very balanced review. I sometimes wonder whether some other reviewers are influenced by external pressures or monetary gains.
You know, one of the best things about when you read a lot of negative feedback about something is that when you get to use it you aren’t as disappointed. When I finally tried the xp1 the autofocus was so much better than what I thought it would be that it was a actually a non event. Sure it’s not perfect and really it should be better but for my photography it is just fine. I bought it as I do a lot of travel photography, generally portraits. Previously I was using a Leica M9 so having any autofocus is great. Shooting wide open on a Leica can really be hit and miss. Even open at 1.4 the Fuji has given me near to 100% success rate.
One tip for autofocus…I found that if the AF box has some area outside of the plane of focus inside of it, sometimes it can confuse it and often ends up focussing on the background or some other point. I reduced the size of the focus box to its smallest size and has been great ever since.
The quality and character isn’t generally as good as the Leica but is it close enough that I sold my M9….it was too expensive a camera for where I travel. I had planned on using a 50mm summicron Leica lens with the Fuji but my lens produces too much spherical aberration on the xp1 which is really disappointing. The Fuji lenses are simply better. Also the EVF focussing is too much of an effort. The zooming function is too high and needs an intermediate setting. Hopefully focus peaking firmware is around the corner.
For me the major gripes are. 1) No adjustable diopter. I am just starting to have to wear glasses and this is just silly. Why does the x100 have an adjuster bit not this camera? 2) RAW conversion. I know it will happen but there seems to be a few technical issues relating to the sensor and demosaicing, it could mean that RAW will be a letdown. I guess time will tell there but if I had my chance again I would wait till Adobe releases their full version and see if it is up to scratch. 3) Focus inaccuracy when using optical viewfinder, obviously there is parallax error and the focus point may not be where you think it is!! 4) Disappointing results and usability with third party lenses (others have had better results)
Every camera is a compromise, I bought mine fully aware of the faults and really really enjoy shooting with it. For me it is almost perfect to travel with. As you have said, everyone is pinning hopes on firmware updates. Waiting for firmware updates gives me that same kind of anticipation I felt as a kid with Christmas around the corner. I hope it will bring something exciting and not just another pair of sox ;-)
Just wanted to add….if you are happy with your DSLR and the weight and size isn’t an issue then really this camera probably isn’t for you. You lose speed and flexibility in exchange for a smaller more portable camera. One thing that always amazes me is the difference in expressions you get when using a small, non threatening camera for taking portraits in under developed countries!!
Thank you for the simplified, and yet thorough, review!
As a X100 user with D700, I was very interested in X Pro1. At this point, I think I will just hold on to X100 for now and will consider next iteration of X Pro1 based on your (and few other) review of X Pro1.
I am very happy with my X100 (and its portability) but one thing I was hoping they would improve on was the AF but as I feared, I don’t think AF improvement was big enough (if any) to warrant X Pro1 upgrade from my X100.
Once again, thanks for the review!
JPanda, yes, the AF on the X-Pro1 is only slightly better than on the X100 – it is definitely not a significant improvement as I hoped it would be. Let’s see what Fuji does with firmware updates on the X-Pro1, maybe they can make AF better without releasing a new camera body.
Nasim
Expressing my ignorance without qualm, re the firmware updates, when there appears to be so many needed, would it not be more practical for Fuji to simply correct the problems in the line of manufacture as they become known, rather than basically say to owners/customers: “Ok, here, you fix it”? With the new lenses to come, and some this year, this could be for many (I include myself as a probability) a primary system with a full range of possibilities. I still hope for comment if you are able, and choose to, test at least one Leica “M” lens with an adapter. Hints are from commenters that this may bring up fresh problems anew.
Best regards and thank you
Dean
Dean, that’s exactly what I was trying to say in this review. Why should we be using a buggy camera that has not been completely tested? Why can’t Fuji fix its errors before it releases the camera to the public? Again, I do not know of any other manufacturer that lets its customers “beta test” a product for them.
I have already returned the X-Pro1, so I will not have a chance to test it with the Leica M lenses right now. Once Fuji releases a few firmware updates, then I am planning to reassess the camera – I might test it with other lenses then.
Many thanks, Nasim.
FYI, and trust and hope that the right folks at Fuji are listening, I had fullyl planned on the X-Pro1 being my next and primary system. Now, to my regret and considerable regret it is, will probably have to wait for an X-Pro2, and wonder if in the meantime I will have to commit to another maker’s system. Such a shame.
Thanks again
Dean
6400 is the highest ISO on the XP-1 and the X100 because it’s the highest ‘real’ ISO value in relation to the sensitivity of the sensor. The higher ISO values (12800 max on X100; 25600 max on XP1) are ‘fake’ modes in which the camera pushes the exposure one stop in-camera and spits out a JPG. Hence these modes don’t support RAW.
For the maxed-out ISO values on Fuji’x X series, you could get the same results – and possibly better – with your post-production software.
MK, that’s understandable – the same with D700, D800 and many other cameras, but they all provide the “boost” ISO in RAW format.
Interesting. I wonder if it could somehow we possible with a firmware update in that case….
Yup, I believe a firmware update could easily enable this…
Nasim,
Just curious, what travel camera will you be using now? I also was looking for a camera to replace my 5D for traveling. I bought (and returned) the X100 and rented the NEX-5N, but was disappointed too by the performance of the CD-AF for tracking any moving subjects. It seemed my other options were to go Micro 4/3s or an entry-level DSLR, so I chose the latter for the bigger sensor (D5100 with the 35mm f/1.8G). I’m mostly happy but there are still times when any DSLR is still too unwieldy.
Thanks.
John, my next cameras for assessment are: Sony NEX-7, Olympus OM-D E-M5 and probably a couple of other compact bodies. So far I am leaning towards the NEX-series, but the OM-D seems to have impressive AF! A smaller DSLR like D5100 is an option, but that’s still not something you can put into your pocket :( Well, not that you can put something like the OM-D into your pocket, but what I mean is that an SLR is still quite bulky in comparison…
Hey Nasim. Great review; it truly is an amazing camera albeit with a hefty price tag :\
Not to steal your thunder, but there’s another good review (you may have already seen it) that I think your visitors should check out: http://podakuni.livejournal.com/675627.html Google Translate can take care of the Russian language.
Keep more reviews coming!
Mr Casual, thanks for posting the link – that’s a great review. I don’t need to translate, since Russian is my native/primary language :)
Nasim
Is it possible for you or the poster who writes in Russian to simply include the link to translate to English?
Thanks
D
Hi Nasim,
I know you will love this post:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1114874
It is not related to X-Pro1 in any way but I was not sure where to post it.
Amit, haha, I have received like 5 emails so far about this. This news went viral and now it is even on dpreview.com!
Oh, In that case I am sorry for the spam.
I still remember the lovely pics of bears that you took at yellowstone and I thought that this article would bring back your good memories of that trip.
BTW this camera gear loving bear might be the one who stole your CF card at yellowstone :)
SO MUCH nitpicking and negativity. What camera is perfect?
Build Quality 5 stars
Image Quality 5 stars
High ISO Performance 5 stars
Size and Weight 5 stars
Satisfaction! :-)
Musher, exactly! People do not seem to understand that 4/5 stars overall score is actually VERY good! Want to see bad? Here is an example of something we did not like… :)
hmm i´ve got a question,
is the quality of this cam surpasses (with comparable lens) the quality of d700 with 50mm.1.8 or canon 5d markIII with 50mm 1.8?
all pictures are great, but i can’t see the real difference, two same pictures would be great from both cameras
is this cam revolutionary or something ? :D
i must be drunk,
forgetting words by typing :S no editing allowed :S don’t be mad @ me pls
is the quality of this cam so good that …
anyway , so many answers to the review, it must be ..
> If you have used a DSLR before and never touched a rangefinder
X-Pro 1 — не дальномерка. Насим, будьте аккуратнее, Вас читает достаточно много неосведомлённых людей, которые не имеют привычки перепроверять информацию и принимают написанное за чистую монету. Это во-первых.
Во-вторых, Fuji провалила всё, что можно провалить. Какой смысл в камере, которая даже сфокусироваться толком не может? Собственно, это наталкивает на ретроградную мысль о том, что пока ещё ни одна технология не предложила ничего сверх того, что предлагают зеркальные или дальномерные фотоаппараты. У зеркального фотоаппарата преимущество в оценке изображения в реальном времени (при условии высокого посеребрения зеркала (зеркала с большей прозрачностью нужны для адекватной работы автофокуса) и установки хорошего фокусировочного экрана), что делает возможным использование любых объективов и позволяет очень точно фокусироваться по всему полю изображения, полагаясь только на собственное зрение. У дальномерной камеры есть ограничения по минимальной дистанции фокусировки и по использованию объективов с фокусным расстоянием больше 135 мм, зато есть преимущество в возможности безошибочно сфокусироваться в кромешной темноте и остаться незамеченным. Собственно, всё остальное — тупиковые полумеры. Fuji пускает пыль в глаза неофитам от фотографии, которые не смогли или не захотели попробовать реально работающие системы. Жаль, что такой хороший сенсор упакован в откровенно говённую обёртку. Камера должна безошибочно захватывать сцену. А если она не может этого — зачем такая камера?
Slow Gin, предложение “If you have used a DSLR before and never touched a rangefinder” не указывает на то, что Fuji X-Pro1 является дальномеркой – я хотел сказать что стиль и кнопки на камере очень похожи.
Согласен со многим что вы сказали, но очень надеюсь что Fuji сможет исправить свои ошибки через прошивки или по крайней мере в будущей версии X-Pro. Идея и технология хороши, но им не хватает ума и навыков сделать фокусировку по-человечески как это умеет Nikon и Canon.
В Вашем предложении действительно не было прямого указания на принадлежность X-Pro 1 к классу дальномерных камер, просто предложение построено так, что не имея твёрдого представления о предмете, у людей может возникнуть ложное понимание. Вон, ниже товарищ не знает даже что такое карта памяти SD.
Круглый селектор выдержки такой был ещё у Nikon FM2, а уж совсем круто эта идея была развита в системе Contax. Там даже селектор экспокоррекции был выполнен в виде вращающейся цилиндрической ручки. Очень удобно! Удобней, чем одновременно жать на кнопку и вращать задний лимб, как в современных Никонах. А вот что думали инженеры Fuji, когда размещали селектор фокусировочных точек в нижнем левом углу – далеко за гранью добра и зла. :(
Ааа…понятно. Попробую исправить предложение тогда, или просто добавлю что X-Pro1 не дальномерка.
Кстати, Вы по английски хорошо говорите? Если да, то хорошо писать умеете? Выражаетесь Вы очень хорошо и внятно, сразу понятно знаете о чем говорите. Я думаю мы могли бы сработаться, если Вас это конечно-же интересует :)
Of course, I am very interested! Despite all the pressure, implied on me by foreign language teachers in times of education, I don’t see myself too constrained in communication at least in the Internet (the real life is a whole different story, though). Sure, my English isn’t fluent as it could be, but I am trying to improve my skills by talking with photographers all over the world and by watching original British Top Gear show. The bad thing is that I am very biased towards purism when it comes to gear, so many people would not just dislike what I will say — more than that: they will think I’m a sheer douchebag. On the other hand, there is an army of Chris Weeks’s followers, widely renowned for his tough mindset, so… The last word is yours, Nasim. :)
Hahaha, I like that! You know, hatred can be good sometimes, it creates dialogue :D On the other hand, most of our readers are very humble and polite, so I would not want to lose any of them.
I will email you some stuff shortly.
Kudos to you! :D
Dear Nassim,
What is a SD card ? Is it the new type of card that is meant to be used with the D800, together with the traditonal compact flash cards ? Greetings.
letmegoogleitfoiryou :D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital
Thank you Sam, I was confused about the nature of the second card used in the D800. But now I realized that this second card is useless in the D800, due to the problems described by Nassim. I think that is very bad. Is there a solution to this problem ?
Jorge, it is not entirely “useless” – it is just incompatible with some memory cards. Just don’t use the memory card I showed above and don’t buy any unknown brands. All other SanDisk and Lexar cards work very well with both cameras, as far as I know.
Hi
Nice review and I like your work.
The XPro 1 has a few odd things about it, and I think your frustration with the AF is partly because you have’nt learned the camera.
Take, for example, the London scene where you tried to track the guy in the green clothes. You offered that as an example of why the “AF sucks”. The AF does’nt suck. You were using it wrong.
If you are trying to capture a moving object – do NOT half press the shutter and try to capture focus visually. The Fuji does’nt work that way. Instead, you should press the shutter all the way to take the picture WITHOUT a half press. Do that , and I bet a lot more of your images would be sharp.
And the AF system does not work by looking for areas of contrast in quite the same way you may be used to. People often are used to finding an ‘edge” to lock focus onto. Don’t do that with the Fuji – simply place the AF area on the area you want to focus – using an “edge” only confuses it.
And finally , a lot of people saying they have problems with the Fuji AF have not read the manual. If they did they would see that the size of the focus area can be changed. The camera is quite sensitive to this. So if the AF keeps hunting between your subject and the background, for example, reduce the AF area to a smaller size. It will then work a lot better.
The AF on the Fuji does not suck. It seems that way at first if you pick the camera up after shooting a good DSLR and expecting it to work the same way.
I find it very sensitive to adjusting the size of the focus area – personally I use it on the smallest area possible.
AF on the Fuji is quite slow. But I find it very accurate.
Rufus, please see my response to Shepherd above – that’s exactly what I did! I let the camera track movement via AF-C, then I pressed the shutter without half-pressing it. And you can see the result yourself. Before you blame me for not “learning the camera”, please bear in mind that I fully read the manual and spent quite some time on forums trying to understand how to properly focus with this camera. And that’s with my prior experience with the X100, which had very similar issues.
And how does focus tracking relate to the size of the focus area? Are you saying that if I change the focus area to be larger or smaller that the camera would work better in AF-C mode? I believe what you are recommending only applies to static subjects, not moving subjects.
Again, I was not looking at the Fuji X-Pro1 from the DSLR point of view. If I did, I would have probably used a different word to describe its AF system, because it is nowhere close to what a pro DSLR can do. AF is accurate in good light, but as you have said it yourself, it is rather slow.
I actually find the autofocus acceptable, but only because I had heard so many complaints that when I came to use it I had low expectations. It also fits with my photography fine and being an ex Leica M9 owner it is a lot easier from my standpoint.
Still if you look at it compared to other non DSLR’s it is way below standard. It was also the biggest complaint of the X100 so why not address the customers complaints instead of simply using the same or similarly flawed system.
Hi Nasim,
Thanks for reviewing X-Pro 1. I read quite a couple reviews which most of them have had similar conclusion like you. I am an M9 user, and still a D700 user but on the fence for X-Pro 1. For me, it definitely don’t replace a rangefinder and I don’t expect Leica characteristics from X-Pro 1 output. But I will never get another M10 because of Leica price. I didn’t regret getting an M9 especially when I learn even more about photography, approach, and questioning my own photography. Unlike my usually snap and go with my nikon tele lens, I learn to close in my target now if possible. Love its simplicity and weight. Having say that, for longer reach, I still turn to Nikon. I am now on the serious side of questioning my Nikon gears which is left in the cold for many months now. The more I shoot, the more I know which ranges I need. I may off-load 70-200 vrii and 105 vr, and get just a 85 f1.4 to pair with my D700.
Hope to hear other reviews from you soon. Thanks! Side track abit, I read reviews that 85 f1.4 doesn’t work well with D800. How is your experience on this? I have been suppressing my thoughts on D800, and thinking if I should upgrade my D700.
Great review, but it’s so disappointing that Fuji haven’t fixed basic problems that were present in the X100.
I wrote a review of the X100 here:
http://www.frescoglobe.com/2012/05/14/fuji-x100-hands-on-review/
And the list of complaints (battery being a stupid shape, awful battery life indicator, AF issues) etc is almost identical to those you mentioned here. Such a shame. Fuji have obviously made an amazing camera, but it is still flawed and annoying like the X100 was/is.
After falling in love with my X100, I was really looking forward to the XPro-1, but I can’t see why I would buy what is basically an X100 with interchangeable lenses which is still flawed like this. So frustrating to make an amazing, desirable camera with incredible image quality, then cripple it with silly design choices. And the X100 and X-Pro1 aren’t exactly cheap point and shoots either. I really can’t see myself paying for an X-Pro1 while is it still marred by annoyances like this.
Maybe after a year of firmware updates, the X-Pro1 will be much better! Or the X200 might FINALLY address some of the issues – hopefully with a better LCD, faster AF, a new EVF, nicer quality control dials etc along the way.
In that respect, the X100 still seems like a better deal imo. It’s cheaper, still has fantastic image quality, and it’s had so many firmware updates that the AF is usable now and many glitches are fixed too. If I had to choose right now, I’d still buy an X100!
Hey Nasim, we are still waiting for the camera comparision :)
As of June it is available for Lightroom now! :)
Murat, it is coming up later this week!
Hi Nasim, first time at your site. Very nice simple and straightforward style. Enjoyable, thank you. I have a question I don’t see being raised/answered anywhere that you might have an answer to. There is no dipper adjustment built in on the X pro 1. I wear eyeglasses, but still need to change the diopter due to my walk around eyeglasses being no-line bifocals. Depending on where you are looking, and the distance that is from me, I am looking up through the top for distance, centre for medium distance and down for reading. This makes it difficult to get anything in focus through a camera without some sort of diopter change, which seems to fix my problem using other cameras. I live in the USA by the way.
So my questions are: 1) How to help my optician find the right diopter to suggest with glasses on. (I don’t want to remove glasses to take the picture, because I can’t see enough of the scene while setting up the shot without them, before or double checking, while using camera).
2) Fuji recommends Cosina diopter eyepieces, but I can’t find a supplier even when I have a prescribed diopter to try.
Any suggestions? If I can’t solve this problem, I’ll have to sell this lovely (even with bugs) camera.
Sheena,
Yes, diopter was a big screw-up on Fuji’s side. This is the product you need: Nikon Diopter – they have different diopters that work with Fuji X-Pro1 – just pick the one that suits you and you should be good to go. Search for “FM2/FE2/FA” and you will find a number of different diopters.
Hope this helps.
Hi Nasim,
Just wanna say nice review. Just wondering: I’ve been looking to upgrade from my Olympus EPL-3. And, do you think X-Pro1 is a good upgrade? or should I get a standard (basic) DSLR? I’ve heard the AF is horrible or off. But, overall a “descent” camera. And that the battery life isn’t really that great.
And do you think Fuji should just come out with a digital rangefinder camera? since there putting in work on making two camera’s (X100, X-Pro1) have the spirit of a rangefinder feel.
But your suggestions would make a difference. Thank you
Highly interseting but above my budget for now (I just ordered the D800). Hopefully there is a Xpro 2 when I can afford.
For those who are on a budget but interested in the fantastic Fuji colors: try a used Fuji S5 pro. Now you can buy used for about € 300,-. With the fast computers of today and with the coming of lightroom 4 all the software limitations of this camera are gone and he is “reborn”.
I have several professional Nikon camera’s but for color rendition and dynamic range this camera beats them all (i did not yet try the D800, I will soon).
If you need the highest resulution and speed go for Nikon but the Fuji pictures are plenty sharp (need a bit more sharpening than the Nikons due to the special sensor).
I know the Fuji S5 is an old and outdated camera but the sensor is really magic (and the autofocus is not the fastest but good enough and for sure better than the Xpro). An other nice thing about this camera is that you need so much less editing than with the Nikons. The camera just has a little colorshift (very easy to correct with a standard setting in Lightroom) and a few bacic corrections, more or less standard as well. High Iso’s are pretty good as wll. Noise it looks nice and reminds to the old filmdays (what happened, in those days everybody wánted noise!).
After having made the best films for such a long time Fuji simply knows much more about colors than Nikon i.m.o. Works with all Nikon lenses and the body is exactly the same as a professional Nikon D200.
I don’t understand…i think it’s a stunning camera..but the quality of lens ex 35 is not …at the top:
http://www.photozone.de/fuji_x/746-fuji35f14?start=2
“The quality is fine from f/2.8 and great across the image field between f/5.6 and f/11.”
“The centering quality of the tested (2nd) sample was very good. However, the initially tested sample had a centering defect”
three stars only?
Excellent review, really really well done!
My only comment is that AF-C is not useless at all. In fact, as with the x100, this is the “go-to” auto focus mode.
I keep it in AF-C all the time and rarely miss a shot, even with moving objects.
The trick is not to half-press the shutter. Just “point and shoot”.
It works.
Example- you see a car moving at 40mph. You point and depress the shutter fully. The camera will focus and nail it. Done.
I have not tested it indoors, but outdoors it’s great.
Yeah, you only get the center focus point, which Fuji should improve.
Thanks for a great review – as usual. I have a D4 and an X100. After reading the review, I wish that Fuji would release the X100 with the XPRO’s sensor. (X200???). Otherwise I prefer the X100 for flash sync, silence, built in flash and ND filter. A front of lens converter for wide and another for portrait would just do me fine.
(I a going to buy the new wide converter for the X100). The only thing that I REALLY wish for is image stabilization. Such light cameras are particularly difficult to release slowly without movement.
Just my 2 cents’ worth.
ps: My X100 examples can be found here: http://photos.remektek.com.au/Other/Fuji-X100-examples/19101843_cKbxdd
Send comment re these direct to me: paul @ remektek . com . au
Allow me some considerations regarding the firmware update comments I read above. Unfortunately , for now at least, I am forced to desagree.
In this new era , the electronic era, firmware updates are possible, which wasn’t not so long ago (the mechanical / electrical era).
And…thankGod they are possible now. Cars ,mobile phones, even planes, every type of electronic systems, operational systems, etc.etc. literally everything that has a circuit board with a chip is being updated via firmware nowadays. Why not Fuji ? Leica does it, by the way. (at least M8/M9 and every ‘Panaleica’) .
And one never heard an Alfa Romeo or BMW owner complaining that he bought a beta version of his car , right? Let’s think backwards: in present days, things get outdated in months, since new technologic possibilities / features / improvements arise almost daily. What if Fuji had presented his customers with a ” plastered” camera, that is not capable of being updated? In what? one year we’d have an outdated camera . In four years we’d have a dinossaur, like some brands out there I won’t mention the name in respect. In this regard I actually think that Fuji is being more oxygenated and pro consumer oriented than every other manufacturer that I’m aware of.
Thanks for the attention, apologies for my english (not my first language) and best regards! (-:
Hi All
I see above in #2. “RAW shooting at boosted ISO levels. Another X100 problem that never got addressed – why doesn’t Fuji allow shooting RAW at boosted ISO levels such as ISO 100, 12,800 and 25,600?”
My question: Is “100″ a typo? I’m quite interested to know if this camera can shoot RAW at most normal ISOs ranging from 50-1250.
Thanks for the help!
Lisa
Hi All
It appears from a bit of online research (though I’m hoping I’m wrong!) that Camera Raw doesn’t support Fuji X-Pro1 raw files unless one upgrades to CR7 which theoretically only works with Photoshop 6. Anyone have personal experience with whether this is true or not and/or have a solution for me? I just got the complete Creative Suite 5.5 less than a year ago and want to continue using it rather than being forced to upgrade already.
Thanks for the advice and great article.
Lisa
Nasim,
Another spot on review. Without a doubt FujiFilm makes good looking bodies but all the X models including the new X-S1 are overpriced. Add to that that they all come with flaws makes them a deal breaker for me to even test the waters. Take the X10 and the new sensor now shipping, their is no way to determine if your getting the old stock that sat on shelves when purchases dropped. I find it hard at my age to carry my Nikon gear around even to just take a stroll in the park. To buy into the X-Pro1 system looked like a great alternative for us “old folk” and the cost to switch would be expensive. Body + 2 or 3 lenses + accessories and your over 3k already. No problem, i’d sell off Nikon gear I don’t need. But, I don’t want to sell a pristine D700 and some pro lenses to buy into a system that has issues. Too bad it looked promising.
Ps I like your Red Gyro on the book shelf. I have one in Yellow but I can’t put it on display or my cat will pull out her RPG and knock it off the shelf
Caio
Please help me decide:
Currently have Nikon D4 and D300 (non-s) and Fuji X100. I also have 85mm f1.4D and 50mm f1.8D lenses (others too, but for this comparison, not so relevant).
I recently borrowed an XPRO1 and loved it. Now the owner has decided to sell it after only a handful of shots. This means I have the option to buy at $1,900 with the 35mm f1.4 lens. If I did, it would be to replace the D300.
Bearing in mind that I have the X100 for street and “always carry” is buying the XPRO a waste of my limited cash? It would be used as portrait camera over the D4+85mm, and as backup to the D4 for events/weddings.
As I need to make a decision quickly re purchase, I would REALLY appreciate some advice! Thanks.
hmm you must be a super freak, having d4 and 85 1.4 and shooting with x100 or d300… since you not rely on crop zoom, i see no need for backup…
d4 is so great, id like to have it, but 6k are just to much.
what kind of advice do you need?
sell d4 and all you have for xpro ?..
oh i do have a lamborgini, ferrari and porsche, but do you think i should buy volkswagen as backup?
i need advise…
I am sorry if my selection offends you. Plus I don’t quite understand your reply, other than the fact that you are pissed off because I have a D4.
I had borrowed and used the XPRO-1 before and I can tell you that it produces superb results, just not so suited for action type work, so as a backup to a D4 it is not so stupid. Anyway, FYI I am picking up my friend’s XP1 tomorrow. If you post your address, perhaps I can send you my D4 as it is now clearly redundant, eh?
No sarcasm please, both of you. You getting the body + lens at a $400 discount if bought new. If both pieces are like new then it’s a good purchase. Your keeping the D4 + the 85f1.4D and 50f1.8D that’s good. You have the X100, again good. So the thing I would do is sell off the D300 and the 50. You might be able to get enough to buy the other two lenses or wait for the new line of lenses and check them out, price and quality. If you bought it already, then enjoy it. Definitely sell the D300. Their’s your spare cash. And with the system you have I don’t think you will miss the D300.
Caio
Sam, let’s be nice to each other please. There is nothing wrong with owning a D4 and an X-Pro1. Both have their pros and cons (weight being the biggest differential).
Paul, sorry for a late reply. And there is nothing wrong with owning a D4 and an X-Pro1. I would say if you already have the X100, unless you really crave for an interchangeable setup, there is really no need to add the X-Pro1 to your bag. The X100 is more or less stable now with all the firmware updates and the X-Pro1 is still suffering from issues. I personally would either get the X100 or the X-Pro1, but not both…
If you own an iPad and have an interest in the X-PRO1, then get this great FREE app:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/x-pro1-guide-en/id547461659?mt=8
It is a News Stand style interactive Manual for the X-PRO1. Excellent reading…
While pixel peeping your sample images, I found something ‘interesting’. The guy on the second DVD box (from the bottom) seems to have his eyes closed in all of the Fuji photos and open on the Nikon and Canon photos. Somehow this detail got lost with the Fuji.
I am extremely impressed with the X-Pro1, partly due to Fujifilm’s interpretation of a traditional photographic tool, but mostly due to its currently unparalleled image quality. As a long time rangefinder user I feel that Fujifilm has provided the industry with a better digitally evolved rangefinder style film camera than is available from any manufacturer, even Leica in many respects. Are there anomalies in its design, are there changes I would make personally, a b s o l u t e l y, however as with any manufactured product cameras are no different today than they have been throughout history – designers cannot focus on a primary goal and still satisfy everyone at the same time. Complaining why this feature or that function should be changed on the bases that it is not like another camera is simply the inability to grasp the aforementioned reality.
Anyone experienced enough to have used 35mm film cameras (not by choice, but because there wasn’t any other option) could sit down and right a short book on what features and functions they wanted and did not have or lacked in comparison to another model/brand. They all captured images, they all provide the means to convey perspective, and the only real limitation any suffer from is the person holding the camera. Instead of complaining about the things a camera should do or cannot do FOR us, we should be learning how to do it OURSELVES. In the end we will also learn about this creative art so many have enjoyed, in concept, presentation, or practice, for hundreds of years.
In the review I enjoyed your relatively objective evaluation of the X-Pro1 features and functions, ;=) and as previously mentioned I understand the desire to prefer some things were a different way. In that context perhaps it would be more informative for us to read how any particular feature or function can be utilized to a desired outcome – even if it was not the way the manufacturer intended. Manual focusing for instance, how do other lenses function on the X-Pro1? I understand that Fuji may not have released their adapter yet, or at the time of your review, but there have been other adapters available through 3rd party manufacturers almost since its release. Not to mention that aspect being an integral part of any rangefinders appeal. Overall your review had me interested in your observations and perspective up until your little plug for the exaggerated performance of the D800..
=)
As an owner of both the xPro1 and a Nikon D800 I generally support all of Nasim’s comments and think the evaluation of the xPro1 is very objective. The autofocus system sucks at certain points and is very slick at other times. I don’t use the follow focus system because in normal lighting conditions the single focus option will acquire someone moving towards me (even on a bicycle) sufficiently quickly to focus them. It also keeps running when there is no pressure on the shutter release and runs the battery down very quickly. There are some areas where the camera is too smart for itself. For instance the AF illumination assist light comes on only when the camera thinks that there is insufficient light. I do a lot of ‘street’ or social photography with the camera in less than perfect light conditions and would like more assistance from the camera. On the other hand ‘silent mode’ switches everything off and I can stand very close to a subject without them being aware I am photographing them as we talk. I am sure that even Leica owners have a wish list. My only real niggles relate to the exposure compensation control being too easy to move and it changes as I drag the camera out of a pocket or bag. The second being that occasionally menu setting relating to the OVF/EVF and LCD displays for shooting seem to mysteriously change between uses of the camera. In the OVF I like to see pretty much everything around the frame (using the 18mm lens as standard) and suddenly the focus indicator or the 9x grid has changed to the HD style OVF screen.
I can’t afford to buy a Leica, but when I look around at events and see other professional photographers also carrying a DSLR with the required 70-80 / 200mm zoom and an xPro1 with a 18mm lens for wide shots I know i have done something right this year. For all it’s idiosyncrasies the xPro1 is undoubtedly the best ‘street’ camera around in it’s price range and market segment.
And for ‘Siliconvoid’ the D800 is awesome!
;-)
Hi Nasim,
I just bought the X-Pro1 and updated the firmware to 2.0 for body and lens. it a big improvement! you should update the review with the new firmware
Nasim,
Your review is very nice…it would be great to hear your thoughts on the Fuji since all the firmware updates. What brings me to comment is the high level of great shots you produced with the Fuji. Perhaps I’m biased but it seems to me this camera gave you more incredible shots than the NEX and OMD reviews combined. I have the NEX 5N myself but I love gear and I’ve looked longingly at the OMD and Fuji. Crazy, yeah I know. But I digress. Almost all the reviews show (IMHO) more artistic shots with the Fuji and yet the photographer returns the Fuji in half the cases. Here you had an artistic shot of a building reflected in a street, the repeated bicycle shots, the clothing shots, and the tulip shots and despite going to the SW with the NEX and OMD I found these Fuji shots more impressive, more creative, and better composed. And I wonder am I biased? Does the viewfinder setup make composing easier? Regardless, I can’t wait to see your review of the Fuji system with the new firmware. I’d like to hear your thoughts on comparing the keeper images of the three systems. I get it that the OMD produces many shots with clear focus due to its better AF…and yet the Fuji shots seem better composed and more creative merit. What is your response?
Thanks for the review. I would jump on this camera, if they did just one thing. To change the manual focus from a electric motor focus to a proper mechanical manual focus ring as in days of old. Such a shame they put so much great “retro” into the camera but don’t do that one.