Fuji X-Pro 1 Review Update.

March 20, 2012 First Looks, Fuji 43

Fuji X-Pro 1 Review Update

Hey guys! Just wanted to give a quick update on the Fuji X-Pro 1. I originally planned to have the full X-Pro 1 set in my hands last Friday but the cameras are a bit delayed coming into Fuji USA so I should have the set  this week sometime. Was hoping to get it sooner rather than later but I was told today by Fuji it should be any day now.

In the meantime, many have bought one in Japan and even a friend of mine picked up a whole set in Sydney, Australia the other day. Another guy I know, Gary Tyson has been putting one through its paces on the streets of Hong Kong and the images look amazing!

Gary and I have been talking about doing a really cool Hong Kong street photography workshop soon so if any of you have any interest let me know. Also, to check out Gary’s experience with the Fuji X-Pro 1 just CLICK HERE!

(UPDATED, Fixed Link) He even is using the new SLR Magic Hyperprime on the X-Pro 1! AWESOME!

BTW, For the Vegas trip coming up in less than 2 weeks I should have the X-Pro 1 with all lenses with me so to the guys joining me, you can all check it out and shoot with it! You can see more about that at the workshop page.

 

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43 Comments

  1. This appears to be what I have been waiting for and wanting while shooting digital SLR’s. A Contax G2 equivalent in digital. From what I am reading it looks good. Will wait a bit and see how it shakes out before committing to one but all the preliminary information I am reading says it will be producing excellent images.

  2. I got to say , I don’t know enough about cameras but I am blown away by these pictures, and that for sure is about the photographer not the camera 🙂
    great inspiring street shots !!!

  5. Hi Steve,

    thank you for sharing “Gary’s experience” with us while waiting for your X-Pro 1 review. This is the type of the camera that I would really like to have as my every day companion, and I am looking forward for your expirience with it. Since I could efford myself only one lens for a start, would you recomend 18 or 35mm. On FF I got used to 35mm and never had 50mm one except on zoom lens. For my every day plus street and travel photography it might be just fine. Thank you and bye.

  6. My X-Pro 1 kit arrives tomorrow – all 3 lenses, spare battery and 1 body. Really looking forward to testing it.

    Count me in for details of the Hong Kong workshop if you do one – it’s not a long flight from New Zealand!

  7. It’s strange that you don’t have one. It has been available here in Finland for over a week now of the shelf. We usually get everything last here.

  8. NEX7 :
    Issues

    1. Users have reported issues with using Rangefinder lenses wider than 35mm. on Nex7
    http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1042&thread=40862374
    http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2011/10/28/sony-nex-7-with-wide-angle-leica-lenses-a-quick-test-and-gxr-comparison/

    2. Overheating in video mode:
    http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1042&thread=40715147
    http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1042&thread=40946472

  9. Hi Steve – I am a local Hong Kong girl and a fan of your site, reading your posts everyday! I have introduced your site to a couple of my friends and they instantly become your fans too. Would really welcome if you are holding a workshop here! Hope it will come true and looking forward! 😀

    Also – waiting for your review on x-pro 1! I think i would not make up my mind until i read your comment! Thanks for always sharing your thoughts with us, and keep up the good work!!

  10. Count me in for a workshop in HK!
    Definitely need a few pointers in snapping the defensive locals here. LOL

  11. Hi Steve. I have been reading your reviews and must say you are one of my favorite camera reviewers. I have bought many many cameras in the past 10 years and still own most of them. Including 1Ds Mark 3, Pentax 645 D, Contax 645 with Phase One P25, Panasonic, GH2, Fuji X100, Olympus EP 3 and more. I am still in search of an all round great camera that offers the compactness of the GH2 and variety of lenses but with better resolution. I must say that i enjoy using the GH2 most and it does come out the most. The X 100 is just too slow to start up, focus and write. It drives me crazy. I will be interested to hear your thoughts on the X Pro 1 and if it is worth having. I am hearing great resolution and photos, but terrible focus speeds with useless manual focus. Resolution is great but if you cant focus on the majority of your subjects, whats the point. I mean if you miss the shot all together, then resolution has little value. So i would really like to see you comment on this. Question i have for you, if you could own 2 systems, what would they be. Or only one system, what would it be?

    • Well, one system would be my Leica M. Two? hard to say, I have yet to really try the X-Pro 1 but it’s output is phenomenal. The OM-D seems nice as well. SO many good choices.

      • I knew you would say the Leica. OK. Lets try this Steve. Take the Leica off the table. If you had to pick a main camera for most of your shooting, which would it be? Canon 5D Mark 2 or 3? Or do you not like the DSLR systems? Would it be the X100 by Fuji? Do you even consider micro four thirds a system you would want to use?

        • You do not read quite much Steve’s blog? Otherwise you could answer nearly all of your questions to Steve yourself.

          cheers Dave

          • I read some but not all. I read other blogs as well. I was just curious what he would reach for if the M9 did not exist. Different systems i know for different things. But taking that all into consideration, and to make one choice, would be interesting to see which today he would go for.

  12. I would definitely join a street photography workshop in Hong Kong, please share any further details

  13. I am like Doc- the link you have shows the hyperprime mounted on the M9 not on the Fuji?

  14. I’d be extremely curious to see how the Fujifilm lenses compare with the LEICA/SLR MAGIC lenses. I’d be ready to empty my wallet if the difference in optical quality was substantial.

  15. Yes, very exciting indeed. I have the X Pro-1 on order, Summilux 50mm on it’s way attached to the Kipon adapter.

    Fantastic review Gary and I look forward to more on this and other Leica/Fuji/SLR Magic combinations.

  16. I’ve got a totally uninformed rumor-has-it question: I remember reading that there was some game-killing issue with the LCD going black when a photo is taken, and that shooting in fast sequence (like following action) would be incredibly hard due to the screen blacking out? Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?

  17. I’d get used to waiting….you’ll experience it again when you wait for the Fuji to autofocus!

  18. Steve if you’re headed over to Hong Kong reach out to Kai Wong of DigitalRev TV. He been going street photography in Hong Kong for sometime.

    • Agree with Brian. If possible try to reach out to Kai and do street photography with him. It would be awesome to learn from both of you.(sure will bring viewers too)

    • Digitalrev TV have just posted a video review of the 3 Fuji X-Pro1 lenses.

      Kai’s fav lenses if the 3 is the 18mm (better AF than the 35mm and good overall sharpness) followed by the 35mm (sluggish AF, not particularly sharp wide open). Doesn’t think the 60mm (sharp but slow AF) will be of much use.

      Has some comments about the sluggish EVF too.

  19. Really great images from Gary! I am so torn between the X-Pro 1 and the NEX 7! The image quality on both cameras looks great and I can adapt my old manual focus lenses to both bodies (nikon, pentax, ziess)

    I cannot wait to see a shootout between the two cameras. I have a feeling Steve’s upcoming review will sway me towards the fuji despite its flaws and pointless fly by wire focus system.

  20. Great review from Gary! and I would love to see pictures straight out from the X-Pro. The SLR magic on M9 is amazing!!!

  21. Woo, exciting. Nice to see Gary’s comment that adpating M lenses to the X-Pro 1 works well, and that the AF, while not perfect, is sufficient. The camera looks like a big sucker. Looks like it may be between the NEX-7, GXR and the XPro-1 as the current best formats by which to use Leica M lenses on a non-M body…

    • That would make for a great article/review:(excluding dslr’s) Which non M camera is best for M lenses?

      • Hmmm, maybe something can be arranged. Steve and I had talked about getting together here in Seattle for a Noctilux/SLR magic shoot out, but it may be nice to do something similar with M lenses on non-M bodies. I have the NEX-7, and apparently, Steve will have the Fuji soon.

        • Sounds like fun Ashwin!

          I too have the NEX 7 and Leica glass….though I lack your (and Steve’s) talent…
          I’m leaving on a two week european trip next thursday and simply can’t wait to experiment.

      • Yes indeed — But, as a practical alternative to Leica, could we PLEASE also include the much less costly and still very easy to snag Zeiss/Kyocera glass for the Contax G system in the discussion (or even the evaluation) if possible? It took me less than two and a half weeks to research AND purchase from 3 sellers at pretty much typical eBay-best going prices (Ref.: a couple of quick selling price surveys in “Completed Auctions”) both the 28mm Biogon T and the 90mm Sonnar T in like LN condition, complete with the somewhat pricey optional metal lens hoods & caps and one Contax 1a filter… plus a G1 body, tested, from a camera shop. Easy.

        Also easy — a later generation Kipon Contax G to Micro 4/3’s adapter came to me 5 minutes later from the seller of the Biogon to drop into the same package. There are NEX adapters now, of course; and surely will be ones for the X-Pro 1 in short order. This has got to be considered an attractive, relatively low-budget option vs. M-mount glass for those who aren’t sitting on their preferred Leica kit at present… especially if that 21mm Biogon T should turn out to really score on one or more of the contending bodies, considering the crop factor. And you might even find a better deal than eBay might present on Craigslist or from classifieds somewhere.

        • The problem with that Contax glass is:
          1. There isn’t near as much glass out there as there is for Leica, either in the number of models, or the number of copies out there. The camera system was only around for about 10 years, and it is long-dead. By the time it did die, what were there, 5-7 lenses?

          2. I don’t think that anyone can claim that the optics aren’t superb, but the focusing sucks. They are meant to be AF lenses, so if you want to adapt them, you’re stuck using the dinky little screw wheel on a $100 Chinese-made adapter to turn the screw drive, instead of a focusing helicoid like on Leica and other proper manual-focus lenses. It really isn’t enticing to use.

          Overall, since the Contax lenses are 35mm lenses, just like Leica, you can easily apply any results with Leica lenses to your own situation. The image circle is the same, so any issues with border performance, color shifts at the edges, etc. with a Leica 21mm will just carry over equally to your Contax system.

    • I actually think the 5N +EVF could be the best compromise of all for M lenses, if you add a leather half-case to beef up the grip a bit. Better edge performance with M lenses, a touchscreen for manual focus, and a tilt EVF compared to the NEX-7. Better EVF than the GXR. Better EVF and not as bulky as the Fuji.

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