X-Pro1 - Unboxing and initial Lens thoughts

[Chris Dodkin]

It's been a lifetime coming, but it's finally arrived!

Very well presented - packaging and body finish are excellent - packaging reminds me of Apple packaging, i.e. very well executed design and function

Bit of camera unboxing pr0n

And compared to the Trip 35

• Solid construction - but not too heavy - you can tell it's metal and not plastic
• Lenses are tiny compared to my Canon ones, but feel solid - especially the 60mm which is the largest of the bunch
• Lens hoods are slightly strange in design, but if it works...
• X-Mount is smooth, lenses slot in nicely with a really positive click
• Manual comes with an addendum sheet already - not had time to review either yet!
• Charger is the same style as the X100, i.e. it has a power cable - takes one battery at a time

And now some sample images from the X-Pro1 - all JPEG straight from the camera, std in camera JPEG settings - ISO200.

35mm f1.4 Lens

Focussed through a Moroccan lantern f2.5

Succulent bloom - Macro Mode f2

Succulent bloom - Macro Mode f2

Standard f8 and you're there shot

Wide open at f1.4 with the macro mode

I noted - you get 1/3 stop increments on the aperture ring, nice!

You can max out the shutter speed (1/4000) when wide open at f1.4 and base ISO of 200 - so you'll need ND filters to shoot this way in full sunlight - I do not believe there is a built-in ND filter as there was with the X100 - but I do need to RTFM

Camera feels lovely to hold - shutter sounds different to the X100 (no longer a leaf shutter)

AF similar to Canon but not as fast - faster than X100 is my first impression, but I need to test specifically

18mm f2 Lens

f3.6 - had to stop down from wide open as I maxed out the shutter again!

f16 Landscape shot

f3.6

Lens handled well - AF seemed fine, and IQ looks good on first pass


60mm 2.4 Macro

f8 - PP in Topaz B&W

f2.8 - Getting AF to hit the bar and not the backdrop was challenging, probably operator error at this point

Focus on man at f4

Landscape view at f8

Full Macro at f2.8

Full Macro at f2.8

Noted:

• The 60mm lens is huge compared to the body - sticks out a long way with it's oversized hood
• AF through the optical viewfinder is challenging - you get a frame pop up in the viewfinder to show you the field of view covered by the lens - this is a small area mid frame, and makes the AF point hard to see let alone position with any accuracy.
• Using the Electronic Viewfinder solves this problem, as you get the zoomed view at all times.
• The tiny lens cap on the 60mm is poor and loose and will get lost - probably not a huge deal.
• Filter size is tiny - just 39mm
• The lens feels very solid and the reach will make it ideal for sniping shots of people without them knowing you're shooting them.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

In operation the camera was lovely to handle - the good features of the X100 are there, and improved upon with a better control layout.

It's larger than the X100 and that makes it easier to hold, and the controls easier to access.

The revised command dial is really nice - in that it's no longer a dial, and the OK button is easier to hit!

The playback button is now in a new location, and is more logical to use - the new Q button is genius, fast access to key features.

The shutter speed dial has a lock, and the exposure comp dial has a more positive resistance than the X100's dial - so less likely to be knocked accidentally.

The rear screen is large and bright - the OVF likewise, and the EVF has improved on the X100 a little I think. The electronic level seems smoother in operation than the X100, and so far seems accurate (certainly better than me eyeballing it!).

I think the camera needs a soft release - that's just my personal take, so I've added an Abrahamsson Classic which looks great, and aids in the smooth operation of the shutter. http://www.photovillage.com/product.php?productid=1119

SD cards - I've been advised to use the 'fastest I could get' - so I'm using SanDisk Extreme Pro 95 MB/s cards, and write lag hasn't been an issue to date, even writing combined RAW and Fine JPEG.

Battery seemed to charge faster than the X100 battery - I need to time it to be sure, but it was ready sooner than I expected. Not tested it's longevity as yet. I did order a 2nd battery so as to always have a charged spare.

No ACR functionality yet, so I've been using all JPEG for the test images - color balance is different to Canon - I need to dial my brain in to how I want to see it when it's been PP'd fully - will probably wait till I'm PP'ing all RAW files.

 

[Hamish Gill]

It sounds to me like we have a happy bunny on our hands
I resisted asking yesterday as you hadn't taken as many shots ... But how do you feel the images compare?
They definitely have a similar "look" to the x100 on the screen... But on your screen, with more res to play with do you think this new funky sensor without a AA filter makes much odd over the x100
When I looked at the shots I took at focus with one they did seem to have a very natural sharpness to them that seemed impressive!
... And you must keep my posted on focusing ...
This is not helping my GAS or my TUB
http://www.realphotographersforum.com/content/704-health-warning-diseases-plague-photographers.html

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Love the bw shot with the very nice-looking bike. That whole shot has a retro vibe which I like. Seems a very good camera: all the good bits of the X100, but with upgrades here and there, and, of course, three lenses. I'm sure there are many great shots to come. Have fun!

 

[Andy Boardman]

XPRO1

We have it in stock now with prices on our website, it is a stunning camera & the results are as good as anything we have seen PRO SLR wise if not better.
Cheers
Andy
bobrigby.com

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Hamish - definitely more available in each X-Pro1 image Hamish, although playing with the JPEG I'm still not sure what I'm seeing vs the JPEG sharpening engine in the camera.

I'll do some side by side X100 and X-Pro1 shots so we can do a true comparison.

Given that I'm using all std settings in camera, and have had about 20 mins per lens so far - I'd say that the image quality is extremely impressive.

Exposure from the camera looks to leave highlights around half a stop off of hard white - at least with the JPEG it looks that way when using the evaluative metering. Need to play more to check.

The JPEGs can lack contrast to my eyes, and can stand tweaking the black level up - no idea how the RAW will stack-up, but I am shooting everything in RAW as well, so I can go back and re-try when ACR catches up with the new format.

Was so tired, and had so much work to catch up on last night, that I put the camera away and didn't do anything low light. Will have a play today and report back.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Rob - it extends the shooting style of the X100, with the additional lenses - It was an extremely natural transition, and worked as you'd expect if you'd been handling the X100.

It's a trade off - do I want to take a camera bag with lenses - or just slip the X100 in a pocket and take that?

What I'm seeing from the X100 is the ability cover and amazing range of subjects & situations - more than I'd have thought before buying one. And the X100 'macro' mode is just killer - did not expect to be so in love with it's close-up capability for arty shots.

 

[Pete Askew]

I think what distresses me most is to see the way those old, and once treasured, cine cameras have be just shoved aside just to make room for the new boxes to sit!!

Nice set of initial shots Chris. I'm looking forward to the real stuff. Does the raw software supplied allow conversion to TIFF?

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I think what distresses me most is to see the way those old, and once treasured, cine cameras have be just shoved aside just to make room for the new boxes to sit!!

Nice set of initial shots Chris. I'm looking forward to the real stuff. Does the raw software supplied allow conversion to TIFF?

Pete, haven't even unpacked the Fuji software yet - will take a look later this week

Cine cameras haven't had much of an outing recently, it's true

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Further camera and lens tests today - lunchtime stroll around the Mission at San Juan Capistrano:

60mm Lens in low light - Starbucks 'snipes'

ISO2000 f2.8 1/400

ISO2000 f2.8 1/250

No issues with AF in these conditions - I used the EVF as with the longer lens this gives the full frame view, unlike the OVF.


18mm Lens

ISO200 f4 1/1000 - 'macro' mode

ISO200 f2.5 1/4000

ISO200 f8 1/60

ISO200 f8 1/210

ISO200 f8 1/200

ISO200 f8 1/50 - PP in Topaz B&W


35mm Lens

ISO200 f2 1/140

ISO200 f8 1/850 'macro' mode

ISO200 f2.6 1/3000 - PP in Topaz B&W

ISO200 f8 1/280


All lens were solid - excellent AF performance, and no issues with 'blade chatter'.

I used mostly OVF and EVF, shooting in bright sunlight, but used the Live View rear screen for 'macro' close-ups

Auto level indicator is now my best friend - no idea how I lived without it on my 5D2!

Images have not been sharpened, other than the came JPEG std settings - at 100% they still look excellent and I have yet to see any objectionable 'noise' or pattern of any kind.

Exposures have been consistent and excellent - I have only used evaluative mode so far.

X-Pro1 has been in Aperture Priority mode at all times to date.

Battery is showing no signs of depletion after 225 frames.

In public today, I noticed 2 or 3 people double take and look again at the camera - but then again, shooting in Starbucks, no one really seemed to notice me or the camera.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

All very nice. Love the bulb inside the lamp. OK, I'll start saving. I'll buy yours, Chris, when you upgrade to X-Pro2!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Update - first battery lasted 313 shots - with plenty of chimping, menu updating etc etc, so not bad at all.

 

[Tim Pindar]

Good stuff Chris - love the El Camino Real shots.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Thanks Tim

DPR have finally released a more detailed 'first impresions' review, now that the X-Pro1 is officially available in the US.

First Impressions: Using the Fujifilm X-Pro1: Digital Photography Review

The review covers all the basics, and they come away with a very positive impression:

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 plagued the X100. 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. All of us in the dpreview office look forward to putting the camera through its paces in our testing studio to dig a little deeper. Our first impressions are very positive though, and I hope this article will reassure and encourage anyone that has been watching the X-series and waiting for Fujifilm to 'get it right'.

Certainly in line with my personal experience to date - I'll look forward to their full review when they get around to doing one.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

X100 - ''egregious oddities....flaws...that plagued the X100'' Hmm... I like mine!

 

[Pete Askew]

It is DPReview Rob!!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Nuff said!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

To be fair - DPR did 'blow the whistle' on many original Fuji X100 firmware issues - all of which were fixed by the time we got ours Rob.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Good.