Fujifilm’s X-line with the X100, X10 and its latest addition, the X-Pro1 (specs), captures the imagination of photographers in a way not even the company did imagine. The brand Fujifilm is back in the limelight — or are the X lineup’s undeniable flaws still stronger than overall performance and feel? Get to know the flagship of the range, the instant cult classic X-Pro1. Get to know the camera. Read our definitive, continuously updated Fujifilm X-Pro1 Reference File bringing you all the relevant hands-on reviews field reports that matter (latest update on top).
+++ Order the Fujifilm X-Pro1 now from Amazon, B&H or Adorama. BTW, check out these hot Fujifilm X-Pro1 bundles! +++
Faded and Blurred spends two weeks with the X-Pro1 and loving it:
Look, I could go on and on about how incredible this camera is on paper, and while things like pixel density, dynamic range and the ISO vs noise graph are important to digital photography, they aren’t very important to photography, which is what this was all about for me in the first place; to find a tool that would help me to reconnect to the process of seeing and making pictures. The X-Pro1 is definitely not the camera for everyone. It doesn’t look, feel or behave like the DSLR you are probably used to, but, for me, that’s exactly what I was looking for. I applaud those photographers who need (and can actually use) a camera that shoots 12 fps at 36MP, that’s just not me. I wanted a camera that feels somehow more deliberate to shoot with, a camera that rewards intent and purpose. I’m only a couple weeks into this experiment, but, so far, that’s exactly what I’ve got.
Here’s a short review by Yomadic a.k.a. travel writer Nate, calling the X-Pro1 the best travel camera ever. Posting some nice abandoned building shots his verdict is clear:
Unless somebody gives me a Leica M10 when they are released. Which reminds me — I left the Leica M6 at home. Every photo you see on this site, until further notice, will have come from the Fuji X-Pro 1. With the 18mm lens (28 full-frame equivalent) lens that many would have you believe isn’t up to scratch. Judge for yourself.
Gizmodo‘s recommendation whether you should buy the X-Pro1:
If you have the money — and it’s a lot of money — yes, buy it. It isn’t just style without substance here. It’s not a point-and-shoot. It is a camera that might make you work a bit, but it will reward you with great pictures (and jealousy from your photog friends). It is a bit hampered by the focusing system and video deficiency, but it is still a joy to shoot with.
ShootSmarter.com’s Will Crockett has this real life review. The camera comes at a bold price tag that makes you think it’s got to be one of the best cameras you can buy. But is it? Who should buy the X-Pro1?
The Phoblographer‘s take is in. Lots of samples with the conclusion:
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 is the company’s first entry into the mirrorless camera market. When it was announced at CES, it shocked everyone and excited all. With a design that harkens back to the old Contax G2, it also has stunning retro-style good looks. But you don’t buy a camera like this just for the looks unless you’re Justin Beiber. Behind the very good glass currently available for it, it also can take some very wonderful images that are easily worked with in the post-production phase. Couple this with the fact that the metering is often spot on and its small size that begs you to carry it everywhere, and you’ve got yourself a winner.
The only problem is the autofocus system. And Fujifilm can surely work to improve it and work with it even more. Also, I wish that the package was weathersealed. This is something the EM-5 delivers and at a much more affordable price.
In the end though, the X-Pro1 wins our highest recommendations and I’ve so far been reaching for it every single day that I’ve had it.
Kevin Sparrow discusses the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and, yes, cycling. His conclusion:
We all ride bikes and appreciate good photos. Thats why some of us visit this blog every day. We live our life on two wheels and its nice to have less on our back and more memories to share about our two-wheeled culture. Over the last four months the X-Pro1 has changed the way I document this culture and my idea of photography. Photography to me is very similar to cycling. When you find a bike that fits your lifestyle and the type of riding, you hold on to that bike forever. You learn how that bike handles in every situation and your style of riding. Just like a good bike you have to appreciate it as a tool. By no means is this camera going to make you a better photographer. Just like a bike will not make you a faster rider. But when you hop on a bike that feels good you will find yourself as a cyclist. I feel the same way with the X-Pro1. Love your tools and your tools will love you back.
And The Globe and Mail chips in — hight quality at a price:
The Fuji X-Pro1 isn’t a bad camera — far from it. A fully-featured compact camera with interchangeable lenses and image quality rivalling that of a DSLR is nothing to scoff at. But if you’re expecting it to function like a DSLR too, what with its myriad physical controls, there are compromises you’ll have to live with.
Bottom line: $1,700 (before lenses) is a lot of money, and while it’s okay to pay a premium for the sake of form (just look at the MacBook Air), it’s hard to recommend when you can get better function from cameras that are almost half the price.
Luminous Landscape‘s worthwhile X-Pro1 redux:
Whereas the digital revolution caught Kodak flat-footed, Fujifilm has managed to roll with the punches. Their foray into DSLRs was hampered by needing Nikon as a body supplier, and when that relationship came to an end it looked like Fujifilm would be left with just digicams. But Fujifilm has a history of designing and manufacturing both excellent cameras and lenses. The Hasselblad X-Pan as but one example, and their large format and broadcast TV lenses are legendary (…)
Fujifilm is on the right track with the X-Pro series and not with just a me-too offering. But there are enough annoyances with the X-Pro1 that Fujifilm needs to appreciate the need for sweating the details when it comes to product execution. Their designs are brilliant, build quality is very high, and optical quality second to none. Now they just need to refine their functional execution to have class-leading products.
I like DigitalCameraReview‘s critical assessment, therefore here its contrarian conclusion:
The X-Pro1 is a camera that’s hard not to like — the retro rangefinder look is cool, controls are nicely placed and materials, build quality and overall fit and finish are quite nice. Auto focus and shutter lag performance are good, as is image quality — combine this with ISO performance that, frankly, sets a new standard for APS-C sensor cameras to my eye and it’s clear Fujifilm has done a lot of things right with their latest mirrorless, interchangeable lens offering. I just can’t get over that ISO performance, and the minimal range of shooting options actually makes this a fun camera to shoot.
So why am I just a bit ambivalent over the X-Pro1? It has a lot to do with that $1,700 price tag for the body and lenses at $600 a pop. Your $1,700 will buy camera bodies like Nikon’s D300S or Canon’s 7D, and while both of these cameras are older models and due for replacement, in most performance parameters they will outdo the X-Pro1: shutter lag, AF acquisition time, burst shooting with continuous autofocus, power up time, single shot to shot time, burst write times, diopter viewfinder adjustment — the list goes on.
The X-Pro1 enjoys a high ISO noise advantage, but that’s about it. It’s a large camera and not that much lighter than a DSLR so the size/weight argument as a reason to go with a mirrorless interchangeable lens model versus a DSLR doesn’t gain as much traction as it would with a smaller mirrorless platform. Fujifilm has unabashedly promoted the camera as being designed for professionals and advanced amateurs, but folks who shoot fast moving subjects need continuous autofocus with burst shooting, so that’s at least one group that probably will not flock to the X-Pro1.
Judges Neocamera:
Paired with one of the three excellent XF-mount lenses, the X-Pro1 produces some extremely sharp large prints up to ISO 6,400 and even remains usable for mid-size prints until its maximum ISO of 25,600.
Its retro design features a good number of direct mechanical controls. Usability is generally good and the camera stays responsive. Unfortunately, autofocus speeds go from sluggish in good light to very slow in dim light, making it not very suitable for action photography.
Finally, DP Review‘s grand review is in. Conclusion:
Perhaps predictably, the X-Pro1’s biggest problems are also inherited from the X100, most notably somewhat sluggish autofocus and unresponsive manual focus. Fortunately though Fujifilm has eliminated most of the other problems that beset the X100 when it first released, and as a result the X-Pro1 generally handles and behaves much as you’d expect from a modern camera. A few residual operational oddities and glitches have found their way over though, which means that the X-Pro1 still feels rather “first generation” in some respects. But on the whole it’s a very likeable camera to shoot with, and one that can deliver absolutely stunning results (…)
With the X-Pro1 Fujifilm has built on the platform provided by the X100, and is beginning to look like a very serious contender at the high end of the camera market. In a way the X-Pro1 has no direct competitors; its optical viewfinder and traditional stills-focused control layout sets it apart from the likes of the Sony NEX-7, and of course it’s much less expensive than the camera it physically most resembles, the Leica M9-P, and operates rather differently too. This alone should ensure it a niche in the market, and we suspect many buyers will be delighted with it.
The problem that Fujifilm faces, though, is that it’s still an expensive camera in the grand scheme of things, and one that the company has seen fit to label “Pro.” This means it inevitably has to be measured up against the best of its peers in all aspects of design and operation. But while it passes with flying colours in terms of image quality, certain operational aspects are still problematic; for example, we’d argue a professional camera that costs the best part of $2,000 (with lens) should really offer a manual focus system that works properly in bright light.
So when all is said and done, the X-Pro1 is a very good camera, with excellent design and image quality, let down by a few small but significant operational bugs and quirks. Because of this — and for no other reason — it just misses out on our top award.
Thom Hogan has a review up on Sans Mirror. Finds the Nikon ambassador:
I really wanted to like the X-Pro1 — and I do in that strange way you like your odd-ball cousin who seems a bit on the crazy side — but it feels like a camera that would have wowed everyone three or four years ago but is already showing some age. It’s definitely not the camera to get if you’re a state-of-the-artist. The focus and buffer/write performance will quickly get old.
Funny thing is, Fujifilm, like Leica, seems to have figured out how to make a 1960’s camera in the 2010’s. As I’ve written before, there was nothing particularly wrong with many film cameras. Even today picking up a Leica M3, Olympus OM-4, Nikkormat FTN, or any of the many other examples from an earlier era wouldn’t exactly stop a real photographer from getting great images. They’d work a little slower, they’d have to do a bit more thinking, and they wouldn’t have a tremendous amount of electronic auto-features to lean on, but they’d get the photo. If that describes you, then the X-Pro1 is definitely worth a look. It has exceptional image quality when handled right, and it’s built well and easy enough to figure out without looking at a manual (okay, a few things will have you looking in the manual, but not many).
I’m going to give the X-Pro1 a qualified “Recommended” rating. Careful, deliberate shooters will love it. Rushed, spontaneous shooters won’t like it as much. Action and really fast shooters won’t like it all. For the first group, it’s “Recommended,” for the second it’s “Recommended (with reservations)”, while for the final group it’s “Not Recommended.”
Camera Labs‘ review verdict:
The features it lacks are as revealing of the X-Pro1’s philosophy as those it provides. It has no built-in flash, lacks any stacking modes for improved low light performance, there are no scene modes, creative filters, or “fun” features; it lacks face AF or any kind of scene or face recognition and (for now at least) has no stabilised lenses. And with three prime lenses currently available the convenience of zooms isn’t something Fujifilm believes will be high on the priority list for X-Pro1 customers. And It’s not without it’s faults, the main one being the slow and erratic behaviour of the AF system and the poorly implemented aperture control on manual focusing.
You could say the X-Pro1 takes digital photography back to the basics. It concentrates on doing the important stuff really well — the foremost being excellent image quality – adds some truly innovative features and ignores the rest. For serious photographers that’s a very attractive philosophy and one that will win the X-Pro1 a lot of admirers.
DigitalRev has this X-Pro1 vs. Olympus OM-D E-M5 vs. Sony NEX-7 comparison:
Our own Ronn Aldaman‘s review verdict:
While not cheap, neither is the X-Pro1 expensive. The feel-good factor is undeniably there. The few quirks one needs to deal with can probably be dealt with and adapted too within a couple of weeks.
Personally the images I have made with this camera impress me. I would say, without mentioning any other makes or models, considering the size and ease of use, the quality of images is definitely not below those of bigger, less easily handled SLRs for which we pay a heck of a lot more.
I could even risk saying the images are better but am fully aware using a camera that feels right will make more successful images than one that does not feel quite right in the hands.
Compared to the previous Fujifilm X100 which seemed to appeal to some extent to vanity and the “I gotta have one of them there RF looking camers” knee-jerk reaction, this is a camera which will justify its investment and keep the shooter happy for a long time.
The Verge likes the X-Pro1’s retro look and asks if beauty is only skin deep. They say there’s a lot to like, but the price is tough to swallow when the competition’s so good:
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 does almost everything right: it’s a beautiful (if enormous) camera, it takes great pictures and video, and once you take the time to learn its controls and systems it’s as capable a shooter as I’ve tested.
The price is the only sticking point: at $1,699.99 for the body alone, and $600 or more per lens, buying into the X-Pro1 is a difficult sell. The ecosystem is brand new and the first lenses are extremely high quality, but it’s still small in comparison to Nikon’s or Canon’s selection of lenses, and even pales next to the range available for Micro Four Thirds shooter. Make sure you spend some time with the X-Pro1 before taking the plunge, though if you like the viewfinder style and the camera’s build quality you’ll be very happy with your purchase.
Still, it’s difficult to recommend the X-Pro1 over a mid-range DSLR like the D7000, and for most people shopping for a nice-looking camera it’s also hard to pitch the X-Pro1 over the far less expensive Olympus OM-D E-M5, a simpler camera that produces similarly great images.
Nasim Mansurov has his pretty detailed review up. He was excited:
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 Fujifilm 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 is 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 Fujifilm fixes them sometime in the future with firmware updates (like they did with the Fujifilm X100), or wait for the Fujifilm X-Pro2 to come out.
The review of ishootshows.com asks, “Is the Fujifilm X-Pro1 the Best Mirrorless Camera?”
In the end, where the Fujifilm X-Pro1 shines without question is the quality of the image files. Between the new APS-C X-Trans sensor, lack of a low-pass filter, fantastic new XF prime lenses and smart processing, the Fujifilm X-Pro1 delivers fantastic image quality all around. For so many serious photographers, this is what really counts, and this is where Fujifilm nails it.
In fact, the image quality is almost beyond reproach. Between extremely fine detail capture and amazingly good high ISO performance, the Fujifilm X-Pro1 delivers impeccable image files (…)
For many photographers, Fujifilm has released the camera that Nikon users wished they had gotten in the V1/J1 models, and which Leica users might prefer over the aging Leica M9. At the end of the day, quirks and all, the Fujifilm X-Pro1 is a camera that delivers superlative image quality in a classic form factor.
The Smoking Camera asks if the Fujifilm X-Pro1 with the 35mm lens is as good as the Leica M9. Author Joe Marquez lets his strong images do the talking. Still, he very much doubts they’re on par:
So to answer the question one must first explain what is a Leica-like image? Let me try. It is probably the beautiful isolation produced by the full frame sensor and the super fast sharp lenses. It is that magical look when the subject matter just pops out of the screen or the print. It also helps when the subject matter is not frightened away by a clumsy DSLR. The Leica is so discrete it hardly affects the subject matter and can therefore take beautifully natural and unique images. These are prerequisites for good street photography and the Leica has excelled in this category for decades (…)
Is the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 and 35mm F1.4 as good as a Leica? I very much doubt it. But it is somewhat exhilarating to have just a little bit of doubt.
Photoxels review compares the X-Pro1 to the mighty Leica M9:
If you have read other reviews of the X-Pro1, you know that it has been often compared to the Leica M9. In features and size, it is indeed comparable to a Leica M9. Remember however that the M9 is full-frame (24×36 mm) while the X-Pro1 is APS-C (roughly, half-frame at 23.6×15.6 mm). It’s amazing, isn’t it, how Leica has managed to build a full-frame digital rangefinder far ahead of everyone else! It goes without saying that if the Leica M9 can fit a full-frame sensor in a body that is the same size as the X-Pro1, there is no technological barrier for the X-Pro1 to also use a full-frame sensor. In fact, professional photographers are clamoring for a full-frame X-Pro. That, and an improved AF, would certainly hasten the demise of the traditional mirrored DSLR. In summary, the Fujifilm FinePix X-Pro1 is a beautifully designed digital camera that is a joy to use and produces excellent image quality that rival and even bests that of some enthusiast and top end DSLRs. Highly recommended.
Over at Steve Huff’s Ashwin Rao takes another look at the X-Pro1:
Overall, I am sticking with the Fujifilm over the OM-D (and even the NEX-7) due to the file quality that this camera and its lenses. I continue to use and enjoy the NEX-7, but it feels more like a consumer electronics gadget to me than a true camera. There’s something that flows in the X-Pro1’s veins (i.e. its design) that really sings to me. I can live with the occasional quirks given that its IQ is something to write home about. It’s as close to the Leica M system as I have ever seen. Sure, it forces a new way of shooting to cope with its quirks, but if Fuji’s history of support is anything to write about, they will keep tweaking the X-Pro1 until it’s great, or at least, better. Further, the X-Pro1’s body is not M9 priced, and may thus be somewhat easier to replace/upgrade without burning a hole in the wallet and/or the stomach….with time, and popularity, the system will evolve to provide the sensor and lenses with a better body to provide the system more maturity… that’s my hope and suspicion, at least…
Engadget final review word:
You need plenty of hands-on time with this camera before you take the plunge, and you need to be clear on what type of applications you want it for (…) The Fujifilm X-Pro1 is a work of art, and like any masterpiece there’ll be some who hate it and others who get into heated bidding wars. If you’re sensible and price-conscious, then by rights you should be waiting for the auctioneer to bring out the Olympus OM-D E-M5. Or you should be looking at the X100, or even considering a DSLR, before investing this amount of money. But if the retro form factor befits your personality, you have an abundance of cash and you care about the subtleties of the sensor’s output, a powerful viewfinder and great controls, then there’s every reason to buy in.
Imaging Resource says “shooting with the X-Pro1 is really a kick.” Listing nearly as many cons as pros they present a mixed bag. Still, it’s an absolute pick:
One thing is clear: The Fujifilm X-Pro1 doesn’t give quite the same experience as an SLR, nor does it match other compact system cameras in size or features, as it’s not quite as compact. It’s really better compared to its only major competition, the Leica M-series cameras. With that in mind, the Fujifilm X-Pro1 is a comparative bargain, though you do give up the real manual focus for electronic manual focus, as well as the buttery-smooth bokeh. But optical quality is still pretty high. Compared to an SLR, the X-Pro1 has a faster live-view mode than most, but again that manual focus issue lives on. Add that enthusiast SLRs at this price point generally have faster AF systems and fairly accurate optical viewfinders, and some of the advantage of the X-Pro1 goes away.
Still, there’s no question the Fujifilm X-Pro1 is an excellent camera in its own right. It’s a different way of shooting, for sure. While we were disappointed with the X100 for its many bugs and idiosyncrasies, Fujifilm successfully moved away from most of that with the X-Pro1, producing a surprisingly excellent digital camera system that we recommend very highly to anyone who enjoys photography enough to try something new.
Zack Arias utters “Hot Damn” and “OMG. His image-rich hands-on review is a must read. Says a tiny little part:
With the small size of the X-Pro1 it can always be on your side. You can shoot with your main camera and then pull something different off without skipping a beat. Having this camera on you isn’t a “commitment” if you know what I mean. Go shoot a twelve hour wedding day with two DSLRs hanging on you and you’ll know what I mean by “commitment.” With an X hanging on one of those BlackRapid SnapR straps it’s the same as having your phone in your pocket. Even though Instagr.am just got bought for a cool billion, ain’t none of us shooting major jobs with an iPhone. This camera however can shoot a job. Unless the job involves bob sledding or toddlers. Or toddlers bob sledding. Get a Nikon for that job.
Diglloyd (paid site) is not too happy with the X-Pro1:
It has some fine qualities, but it is simply too frustrating to work with its images, not one of which has anything approaching the sharpness of what should be there with a 16MP camera. RAW file support is awful, auto white balance is erratic, there are ergonomic issues that are irritating.
This isn’t just me — a number of users have emailed to say ‘“it’s going back.” I’ll be flabbergasted if it succeeds in the market.
But then again, on the other hand Diglloyd’s Lloyd Chambers writes:
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 pixel quality at ISO 200 is extremely impressive. I deem it superior to the full-frame Canon 5D Mark III at ISO 100.
For CNET it’s poor man’s Leica, and boy they mince no words, not only deploring the X-Pro1’s sad battery life:
There’s no way around it: the X-Pro1 is disappointingly slow, thanks to sluggish image processing and a finicky autofocus system. The most frustrating aspect is that the better lens, the 35mm, is much slower to focus than the 18mm lens, which simply isn’t as sharp. We did our lab tests with the 35mm, since I think it’s the more desirable lens, so our performance numbers reflect its slower AF.
It takes about one second to power on, focus, and shoot; slower than many cameras, but still adequately fast. Shot lag in bright conditions is 0.5 second and 0.8 second in dim, which just isn’t what I expect from a camera in its price range. Two sequential JPEGs run 1.4 seconds, while raw takes that up a bit to 1.5 seconds. While all of those times aren’t pull-your-hair-out slow, it can get a little frustrating for street shooting. In a studio you might not mind so much.
Ken Rockwell compares the X-Pro1’s high ISO output with all recent full-frame cameras such as the mighty Nikon D4:
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 looks great, as clean as the D4 and usually sharper.
But you haven’t yet read Ken Rockwell‘s X-Pro1 review:
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 is an amazing one-of-a-kind camera. It has image quality and lenses more like my LEICA M9 than any DSLR, and it’s smaller and lighter than any DSLR — or Leica. The X-Pro1 does what the Leica M9 does well, even better than the M9 does it!
The X-Pro1 is lighter and quieter than the Leica M9 (I own both). The X-Pro1 allows you to shoot faster, be more discrete and attract less attention. The X-Pro1 brings back stunning technical quality from a compact, precise, all-metal camera with a minimum of fuss. When you learn it, the X-Pro1 is simpler and faster to shoot than the M9. Hallelujah! (…)
The X-Pro1 is half the price of a Canon 5D Mark III or Nikon D800, so if you already have a 5D Mark II or D700, you might want to step all the way up to the X-Pro1 for half the price of the 5D Mark III or D800, each of which are mostly the same as the older models, while there is nothing like the X-Pro1. Even the Leica M9 handles like a pig with it’s all-manual focusing and no way to see what you’ve really got in your image until after you look at the rear LCD, compared to the X-Pro1.
The X-Pro1 is an excellent camera for people photos and for people who want a lightweight camera that performs as well or better than DSLRs. Its color rendition for people is superb, but isn’t as good as Nikon or Canon for nature and landscape snaps. The X-Pro1 has far better color then the Leica M9.
Is this the end of Leica? Of course not; the Leica is immortal. People don’t by Leicas for photography, they buy them because they want them. Leicamen own Leicas because they are Leicamen, not necessarily because they want a camera with which to make photos.
Last but not least, in an earlier post he wrote this:
World’s Best Digital Camera? It’s been the Leica M9 since 2009, and the X-Pro1 just might take that crown away from the M9. We’ll see. The M9 wins because it makes great images and handles well, even if the M9 is noisy and klunky compared to a real Leica, but the X-Pro1 seems to offer the same or better image quality, with the same brilliant simplicity, with a body design that’s 60 years ahead of the primitive Leica M9.
Oh, and Ken Rockwell likes the Fujinon 35mm F1.4 that might be even sharper than Leica’s super expensive equivalent setting you back well over $3,000:
This is as sharp, maybe sharper than the equivalent Leica 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, and has the same superb bokeh, focuses faster and closer and has the same near zero distortion. Not bad for $600!
Steve Huff‘s review emphasizes pros and cons — concluding that any camera that has come out in the past year or so is capable of shooting high IQ. All comes down to personal preferences. Mighty Leica better be scared?
I love the IQ I get from it, more so than most cameras I have shot with lately, well, really… any camera that has come out in the past year or so. It is HIGHLY capable in every area of IQ. Good light, low light, B&W and high ISO. It has an APS-C sized sensor so the IQ WILL be better than the OM-D but I have a feeling that the Olympus will kind of have it all. Speed, IQ, IS, weather sealing, great video. I can not keep ALL cameras and I own the NEX-7 as well but the Fuji’s always tug at my heart a bit as they have a little bit of soul and magic. I just wish Fujifilm would get the quirkiness taken care of!
If you want great IQ, RF style and fast primes and have $2000 to $3000 to spend, the X-Pro1 may be the camera for you. With the 35 1.4 it is 1/4 the cost of a Leica M9 body with better high ISO capabilities. You be the judge. One thing is for certain, this camera has image quality that will make you smile every time you view your images.
From DP Review‘s first impressions as they gear up for a full review – they love what they see:
You needn’t have read this piece from start to finish to see that I’m very impressed with the X-Pro1. From what I’ve seen so far it looks like Fujifilm has avoided re-introducing any of the more egregious oddities of the X100. And while we’ve yet to subject it to our rigorous testing methodology, we’ve not found flaws of the type that plague the X10. On balance I think it’s safe to say that the X-Pro1 is a camera that gets much more right than it does wrong.
Operation and handling in the field are simply superb. This is a camera that gets out of your way and lets you devote your attention to making pictures. My chief complaints at this stage really revolve around the need for an improved MF implementation and better AF speed with the heavier 60mm f/2.4 lens. Whether either issue can be improved via a firmware upgrade remains to be seen.
The X-Pro1 delivers outstanding images with a JPEG processing engine that produces very pleasing color, excellent detail and a highly effective combination of sharpening and noise reduction. And I must admit that with its limited third-party RAW conversion support, I don’t feel I’ve yet to see the best of what this camera can produce.
Steve Huff has a first look video of the X-Pro1 and all the lenses, making it kind of like handling the gear yourself.
First impression? Autofocus somewhat faster than X100 which at times got frustrating, but not by much. Not as fast as Nikon V1 or even Pentax K-01:
In Part II of its review Luminous Landscape mentions four epic fails (useless auto ISO, change of focus points, no review histogram, lack of RAW processing). A “quirky gem,” precisely:
Winning! A great camera is an amalgam of great handling and great image quality. Fujifilm has really nailed it on the latter of these. Image quality is superb. A number of working pros have observed that the X-Pro1 is seriously competing with their full-frame DSLRs in image quality and hence for space in their camera bags. I have to agree. In fact, let me stick my neck out and say that Fuji’s X-trans is probably the best APS-C sensor yet. I have certainly not seen better (…) A week with the X-Pro1 was not enough. While it drove me mad on numerous occasions, it also thrilled me with its image quality and the possibility of a viable autofocus rangefinder-style camera. At roughly one-third of the price of an equivalent Leica system, the X-Pro1 is amazing value, but still a significant investment. The verdict for now: the X-Pro1 is a quirky gem.
ePHOTOzine has triple Fujinon lens reviews up, shot with the X-Pro1. Here’s the 18mm F2, the 35mm F1.4 and the 60mm F2.4.
They’re attesting excellent build and sharpness. The 35mm’s a “cracker,” the 60mm macro “near-perfect.” Merely the 18mm has some imperfections: “Sharpness levels drop off towards the edges of the frame” and there’s “noticeable chromatic fringing towards the edges of the frame.”
This is not a perfect world — and as we know the 14mm F1.4 wide angle is in the works. Wider, faster… it can only get better.
Photography Blog calls the X-Pro1 Fujifilm X-Pro1 another amazingly well-built X-series camera, with absolutely no flex or movement in its chassis thanks to the die-cast magnesium alloy top and base plates and machined control dials. Great package:
Thankfully the X-Pro1’s innovative image sensor and lack of low-pass filter lives up to all the hype and more, delivering truly excellent image quality. Noise is noticeable only by its almost complete absence throughout the ISO range of 100-25,600, while the Dynamic Range function helps to boost contrast and detail. The three lenses are all sharp from the center to the edges (individual reviews coming soon), while the fast maximum apertures make it easy to creatively throw the background out of focus. The X-Pro1 is certainly right up there with the best APS-C sensor cameras on the market, and some full-frame models too (…) It’s great to see another manufacturer join the compact system camera revolution and bring something truly innovative to the party, so if the Fujifilm X-Pro1 suits your way of shooting and your budget, we have no hesitation at all in highly recommending it.
TechRadar starts with although the sensor is APS-C sized, Fujifilm claims that its cunning design enables the X-Pro1 to produce images that are superior to a full-frame camera’s. The secret is in the arrangement of the pixels:
The images from the Fujifilm X-Pro1 are superb. They may not have quite the detail that some full-frame cameras are capable of capturing, but they can beat these bigger beasts for dynamic range and noise control. Well done Fuji.
Trusted Reviews give the X-Pro1 a 10/10:
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 is an enthusiast-level compact system camera that produces class-leading image quality and a really satisfying user experience thanks to its manually operated shutter speed dial and lens-based aperture controls. Those looking for something to shoot fast-moving action with might want to look elsewhere, but for image quality purists, 35mm SLR film veterans and anyone looking for a camera that’s as rewarding to use as it it is capable of should give the X-Pro1 serious consideration. While it doesn’t come cheap, the X-Pro1 is a serious bit of kit that is sure to reward those who invest in one.
The Camera Store’s Chris Niccolls says Fujifilm “has not disappointed” and explores some “really really cool functions”:
EOSHD says you should get an X-Pro1 for stills (that surprised the reviewer “more than a live handgun in a cuckoo clock”) and asks rhetorically if you should get one for video:
For video alone definitely not – because the 5D Mark III and GH2 are formidable digital cinema cameras and the X Pro 1 doesn’t have the same focus on video, the same image quality or the same in features. Video optimised image processing, encoding and sensor output counts for a lot in video mode – even though the X-Pro1 has a far superior sensor than the GH2 has, it is nowhere near in terms of clean resolution without artefacts.
ePHOTOzine‘s verdict:
The Fujifilm X-Pro1 is a fantastic camera, in every area it produces the results expected from a premium quality camera. The image quality is stunning, with excellent, and I really mean excellent pixel level detail, with excellent colour reproduction, great dynamic range, excellent high ISO noise results and excellent JPEG output straight from the camera. The lenses are excellent with great handling from the all-metal construction and the bright apertures help render beautiful bokeh. Handling of the camera is very good and although the camera is larger than most other mirrorless cameras, the solid metal construction, premium feel and numerous external controls with the hybrid optical / electronic viewfinder make it well worth the added weight (…) One thing that the X-Pro1 has in it’s favour regarding price is that the camera feels like a premium camera that will last 5+ years and still be capable of delivering excellent image quality.
You either love or hate dry British-Chinese humor of DigitalRev‘s Kai, lamenting Fujifilm’s “creating lust” with the “bastard of a camera, the X-Pro1,” an “instant looker, but not everyone will be willing to live with it”:
DP Review is cautiously raving about the whole new concept:
The X-Pro1 is the start of an all-new camera system, with a brand new mount and lenses. It’s unashamedly targeted at a high-end audience, with analogue control dials and a small set of compact, large-aperture primes to be available at launch (…) The X-Pro1 is most easily characterized as a beefed-up, interchangeable-lens version of the X100, but it’s a lot more besides. It retains the same basic analogue control philosophy, but the design has been rationalized and refined in a fashion that suggests Fujifilm has been listening to feedback from users and reviewers alike.
Bombastic official Fujifilm trailer:
+++ Order the Fujifilm X-Pro1 now from Amazon, B&H or Adorama. BTW, Adorama has a special bundle with all three lenses! +++