Fuji X-Pro1 hands on test

[wedding_pj]

I have had the Fuji X-pro1 for 24 hours and these are my first impressions.

The camera has a lovely build quality but don't expect it to be like a Leica, the body is good but the lenses feel slightly plasticy.

The autofocus is still slow, it's better than the X100 but not exactly what you could call fast. The focussing is noisy, that's my main criticism of this camera, it is supposed to be a discrete camera for documentary work yet the focussing makes enough noise to alert your subject if working indoors.

Image quality is amazing, colour out of the camera is amazing, the auto white balance is a million times better than Canon. 3200iso is as good if not better than the 5DmkII, 6400iso is also as good if not better than the 5DII. 12500iso and 25000 iso are not really worth using as you get black specks across the image and lose a lot of detail.

Mostly the camera is a big improvement over the X100, with the exception of the noisy focussing and the shutter isn't silent like the X100.

 

[hobodan]

I'm liking the look of this camera, I have all my dslr gear on eBay at present so I can downsize to a smaller system. The xpro 1 still looks like a fair lump though?

If it wasn't for the price I'd be very tempted, but I kinda have my mind set on the Nex7 & Zeiss 24mm

 

[StuartH]

Would love to see some sample pics.I believe the af on the fuji x100 has greatly improved with the latest firmware along with many other things.

 

[woof woof]

I went into town today and called at Jessops (our only camera shop) but they didn't have the Fuji or Nex 7 which I'm also thinking about.

I'd really like to try the Fuji to see if I can see clearly through it without diopter lenses. A trip into 't big city might be needed

 

[PCPhil]

I'm also monitoring the x-pro. Lot of cash and would need to be convinced when it is the shops so I can have a good play. Not specifically where it is aimed but how do you think it performs at very low ISO for landscapes, IQ wise compared to 5D2?

 

[Willo]

It should be very good for landscapes, especially as it has no AA filter. Quite a few people have said it beats the 5D2 for IQ and DR.

When I demoed one I found myself using the EVF far more than the OVF. One thing to note is the OVF is parallax so you are not seeing what the lens see’s. A lot of people have been saying the AF is slow, I didn’t find it slow at all, more than useable and that was with the 35mm. Still deciding weather to get one, £2k for a body and 1 lens is an awful lot of money.

 

[viewfromthenorth]

I'm loving my little X10, and was really interested in the X-Pro1 until I saw the cost! That said, if I sold my D700 and lenses, I'd probably consider one, as I'm getting a bit tired of the bulk of the Nikon.

 

[Laudrup]

I was looking at one of these with a 35mm and M adapter to go along with the M9, but the reviews (particularly digital rev) aren't selling it to me much. The AF sounds a bit dreadful for a camera costing £1,400.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

I might just add that I found both EVF and OVF dreadful - unusable I would say. Focusing is dead slow. You have to be very eccentric to ditch dSLR gear for this.

 

[Willo]

I was looking at one of these with a 35mm and M adapter to go along with the M9, but the reviews (particularly digital rev) aren't selling it to me much. The AF sounds a bit dreadful for a camera costing £1,400.

I wouldn’t base too much on DigitalRev reviews. I didn’t find the AF that bad, not DSLR speed but not that slow either. Best to try it for yourself.

 

[PCPhil]

It did get a fair kicking on the digitalrev review. Unusual that, in that they are selling it and their reviews tend to be light hearted.

When I first started hearing abut it I thought this looks brilliant. Having played for a short will at Focus it didn't immediately grab me, so I've calmed down a bit now and waiting to look closer. Maybe the x-pro2 will be the one that grabs me more.

 

[wedding_pj]

A few snapshots taken with it in testing.

This one is very slightly overexposed, the battery died before I could take another with correct exposure.

This is straight out of camera, no processing or sharpening applied.

And the 100% crop

 

[wedding_pj]

High iso testing.

Canon 5D, 6400iso, dark conditions, 50mm lens, 1/30th at F3.2

And the Fuji X-pro 1, 6400iso, 35mm lens (53mm), 1/30th at F3.2

Both cameras on aperture priority, auto white balance. Straight out of camera jpg files - no processing.

 

[wedding_pj]

And finally, 12500iso from the Fuji X-pro1.

100 percent crop

 

[wedding_pj]

I'm also monitoring the x-pro. Lot of cash and would need to be convinced when it is the shops so I can have a good play. Not specifically where it is aimed but how do you think it performs at very low ISO for landscapes, IQ wise compared to 5D2?

It is a lot of money and to be honest it's difficult to justify why it's worth £1900 with one lens. I love the concept of small unobtrusive cameras and the image quality from the X-pro1 is superb. But the camera is not perfect, the noise of the focussing mechanism is by far the most annoying issue so far.

IQ is outstanding, I'd say it's better than a 5DII for landscape photography, but the camera is really aimed at documentary photographers and I think some of them will be disappointed by the auto focus system.

 

[PCPhil]

From what I understand, Fuji have a good record on firmware updates to solve problems. I am certainly still interested but I calmed down from my, "sell it all and place pre-order," to, "hmm let me have a good play and take time."
Actually, I remember that is was not the original x-pro review on digrev that got the kicking but rather the lens review.

The price will drop obviously (hey, I know the fun of being an early adopter if you have the cash spare) so may be a convergence of firmware and price will tempt me at a future point. In the meantime I would be very interested in seeing a low ISO landscape. Can you please get up early tomorrow morning and take a picture :nuts:

 

[Tobers]

I had a play with one today as well. Very very nice indeed. I found the hybrid viewfinder very cool indeed actually, and focus seemed easily fast enough. It did lock onto the wrong thing occasionally, but that's most likely me not knowing what I'm doing (I was trying to focus lock and recompose and I'm not sure I did it correctly).

It is quite "Leica-like" to use, with the shutter speed dial on top and the aperture on the lens. You can use the same shooting approach as an M9 quite easily and intuitively, which I find very attractive.

I'm having a good think about this one. I'd like the body and all three lenses which is a lot of cash...

 

[twist]

Want one, but have learnt from previous mistakes of being an early adopter. Far to many to mention.