Fuji X-Series : Andrew Newson

Fuji X-Series

Posted on: Tue May 7, 2013

In April I helped out with a Fuji X-Series Open Day at Redbox Cameras in Tunbridge Wells and I thought it a good time to re-cap on my thoughts about the X-Pro1.

Having used the Fuji X-Pro1 for about a year now as my main camera, I was brought in to give people some insight from a real user perspective. The day was really successful and we had lots of people in throughout the day trying out the cameras.

It was great for me too as I could get my hands on the new Fuji X100s and take a look at the XF 14mm lens.

Here is a collection of some of the cameras we were showing…

If you’re considering purchasing an X-Series camera and would like to have some 1-2-1 tuition with it, please consider dropping me a line. I’d be very pleased to help out, either in a face-to-face 1-2-1 or a Skype 1-2-1 session. http://andrewnewson.co.uk/photography-courses/camera-tuition-121/

So what have I learned about the X-Pro1 in a year of using it?
Well firstly for reference, here are my earlier posts…

My first review:
http://andrewnewson.co.uk/blog/fuji-x-pro1-review/

My thoughts on an issue that cropped up:
http://andrewnewson.co.uk/blog/lightroom-fuji-x-pro1-issue/

Further thoughts:
http://andrewnewson.co.uk/blog/fuji-x-pro-1-further-thoughts/

I wanted to elaborate or revisit some of these Pros and Cons that I listed in previous reviews…

Pros:

• Good AF lenses and the possibility of using MF lenses with adapter.

The Fuji AF lenses have proved to be of a very very high standard indeed. I wonder how the likes of Zeiss can improve on them really with their 12mm and 32mm offerings.

The use of manual focus lenses is of course possible, but in practicality you will not get as good results as you get with the dedicated Fuji lenses. If using Leica M lenses you could use the Fuji adapter and this will help with some of the quality issues when using a manual lens with an adapter. So in short I think it’s worthwhile if you already have some older lenses you want to make use of.

It’s a real shame that Fuji have held back a little on the 23mm lens though, some cynics might say this is because they want to get the maximum sales out of the X100 and X100s, which is probably working as I’m considering it myself! When they do release the 23mm f/1.4 it is likely to be a reasonably big lens, but hopefully it will be light ish. But long term I would like to see a 23mm f/1.8 or f/2 that is smaller.

The 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens is coming really soon which will offer approximately 40mm focal length in full frame or 35mm terms.

I’m also really keen to see the 56mm f/1.2 lens, which promises to be an outstanding portrait lens, giving an approximate 85mm focal length.

• You can get adapters to use all manor of manual lenses. I’m looking forward to using my Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 for portraits (75mm in 35mm/film terms)

It’s okay, it doesn’t produce results as nice as the Fuji lenses. Again I’m really waiting for the 56mm f/1.2.

• The look. Yeah I know it shouldn’t be important and image quality and usability will always come above this, but it does look nice and I like that.

Yes, well this is the only digital camera that I have owned where people stop me in the street to talk about it. Yes with older film cameras, like the FM3A for example, but never a digital camera until now.

Let’s talk about some of them cons too….

Cons:

• Lack of perfect software option (at the moment)

Finally we now have some much better options here. In my opinion the Lightroom option is now the best for all-round performance. With good results still coming from Silky Pix, although with a fairy big learning curve and now Apple has stepped up with support in Aperture. I don’t really think we are seeing the best that this sensor can offer though and things can only get better!

• Some minor gripes, some of which can hopefully be rectified with firmware updates (see below)

Some of the issues I talked about before have been fixed but some have not.

The auto focus is now much better, it’s not perfect by a long shot, but it is better.

Still an issue with the dedicated flash. In my opinion the flash should sleep when the camera is turned off or the camera sleeps and then the flash should wake when it detects the camera has woken or been turned back on. This would be a really big step forward if they fixed this.

• Price (expensive, but you do get a lot for your money)

Certainly not as big an issue as it was when I bought it! This at first annoyed me, paying all of that money (£1450 + Lenses) and then seeing the much cheaper X-E1 come out and then the big offers and discounts on the X-Pro1. But the way I look it is that they are securing a future for this camera system and it only get better. Get yourself a real bargain on an X-Pro1 now or wait and pay a premium for an X-Pro2 when it is released towards the end of the year (probably!). I really hope that Fuji look after existing users who adopted the system early on, with perhaps a trade-in option or loyalty discount.

The X-Pro2

So if this does arrive near the end of the year as rumored, what should be improved?

Weather seals (I really really hope this happens!)
Faster Image Processing Engine (I would say this is a definite)
Faster Auto Focus by using Phase & Contrast Detect (I would say this is a definite)
I don’t want to lose any quality from the sensor, so no big increase in mega pixels. Push it to 18 or 20 max if there is no compromise in quality.
Digital Rangefinder Split Screen, like the X100s, to aid manual focusing
I’d love an option to customise the review options, so I could view a full size image with highlight warning and a small histogram.

What’s next for me?

I’d love to get my hands on an X100s, this would be my ‘take-everywhere-camera’ and then hang on for some of these new lenses and the X-Pro2.

Here are a few images that I love from the X-Pro1…