Looks fantastic! I wonder if the AF is as good as the old Hexar AF.
If only the MF had a proper distance scale and hard infinity/mfd stops but that won't be the case.
Anyway the external AF sensor leaves room for hope for active infrared (like the Hexar)
99% chance the hope is about to be crushed, but no harm in dreaming
This sounds great as long as they can fix the AF speed and interface problems from the X100.
Assuming the sensor is based on the D7000/Nex5N one, it will be a hit.
The price for the Camera + 35/1.4 comes out to something like $1400 after converting to USD and subtracting about 17% tax (though I'm not sure if that's figured in to begin with).
Love the images from my X100, but I absolutely hate the slow AF and non-existent MF - the keeper rate is far worse than my 5d2 or Nex 5. The X100 is going on ebay and hopefully this can replace the X100 and the Nex. If I can adapt my Zeiss lenses, the 5d2 may be on the way out.
Personally, I don't care about the AF if its has a good EVF.
The lenses sound fantastic - 18mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4 and 60mm f/2.4, I'm very surprised that they aren't going to offer a 35mm equivalent though, like the 23mm on the X100.
Well, I am pleasantly surprised. I have the X10 right here with me on a climbing trip in Thailand. Judging from what I've seen so far the X10 is a capable compact, I can't wait to work the files back home.
About the X-1: I want to say Yeay! It is so much to my liking it is uncanny. It is sporting the aforementioned new sensor technology it seems and it does not have an AA-filter. It has randomized color pixels to avoid moire so there is simply enough to be excited about on the sensor side.
However a few things I will need to find out before I even start thinking about it:
Are the lenses truly top notch?
Is the AF any good?
Is it AF with MF override and if so, can you manually focus the lenses properly?
Is the hybrid sensor lagging in EVF mode?
Is the viewfinder better than on the X10 (which shows far less than what you get)?
Is battery life poor or good?
Is it as quirky as the X10 or does it have less fancy scene selections than the X10?
Is it possible to mount my M-lenses or not?
Are they going to release a 16/2, 2.8 or perhaps even a wider lens?
Can you shoot panoramas as well as on the X10? (if so the 18mm will get my by very nicely except for indoor shots).
If the Fujinon lenses are as good as one could hope for it would be very close to the perfect traveling camera for me. The lenses suit me just fine.
I ended my film days with the Contax G2, this is pretty darn close to a digital G2.
Random thoughts:
Since I spent some time the last year and a half sourcing up quality M compatible glass it would be a bummer to not be able to use them on the X-1. I just picked up a great Elmarit-M 90/2.8.
I honestly think Fuji are not looking at making it a well working option, I think they have a strong opinion that their new modern, compact and fast lenses will be the sales pitch and why would they make it easy to adapt legacy glass? How would it even work with the zooming view finder/EVF combo?
Well, I have the GXR M as a solid platform for my small collection of M mount glass and I can't see why I would even think of parting with it for the time being. With time I have realized that holding on to the M compatible glass has always been a good idea.
If the Fuji X-1 turns out to be a mile stone camera I can sincerely think of it as my go to compact outfit for sure. But I would have to wait a few months before even considering parting with any M glass to help finance it.
Still, all the rambling aside, I think it is great news. There is still not one single camera on the market that does everything well but if the X-1 delivers it is another - albeit niche - camera that I am attracted to.
The GXR M is my mile stone niche camera that will allow me to use manual glass indefinitely while I try out and eyeball oddities like the X-1. I am honestly so through with large cameras.
I hope it will be on the market with at least the 18/2 and the 35/1.4 before I head for Canada this summer. There is still enough left over from my selling the M9 to finance it, despite acquiring the GXR M mount plus two lenses in between.
Sorry for the lengthy posting but I am at large in Ao Nang and have little else to do after dinner.
/ Henrik
I love my X100, the IQ and finder are great, but the AF sucks. My Oly EPM1 does better with the kit lens. If Fuji fixed that on the X Pro 1 (it looks like they did), it will be a near perfect camera for me. Ah, and they changed the MF, AF-S, AF-C button which sucked IMHO.
I am less of an active shooter nowadays and I very seldom take pictures at home so my building an M lens collection has been an anxiety ridden experience as I normally have a philosophy of "if you are not using it you should not own it". Not using my gear enough to validate my possession of said items is something that keeps me spending too much time thinking about it.
There is still that flickering hope that some day I will snap back into photography for real and start using the gear more than intermittently. I have a solid admiration for many of you forum members that manage to keep that spark in your interest and many of your images really inspire me to get back into photography. It's just that I've lost the interest of my immediate surroundings back home, where I have been shooting for decades.
My worst case scenario is also my best case scenario in a way:
If the Fuji is a true stand alone mini system and not compatible with adapted lenses I can see it as my traveling camera solution: a limited set up of lenses, no sweating which lenses to bring and which to leave behind. Get the three lenses and bring them all. If it is closet camping in between trips the investment is not more than I can bear having tied up in gear that I don't use.
This scenario will take me one step back but perhaps more accurately depicted as a side step: ditching the prime glass that I only use a few times a year, yet still competing for attention when it comes down to packing up the bag for the trip in favor of a less complete yet potent little set up.
I never thought I'd end up a lens collector instead of a lens user.
EDIT: it just so happens that when I can finally afford the lenses I have precious little time to put them to good use.
Last but not least:
let's not forget Fuji's competition just yet, the year has just started.
Has anyone seen size and weight specs for the X1 yet (yes, I decided to rename it!) It looks quite a bit larger - and likely much heavier - than the x100. I'm sure it will be simply due to offering interchangeable lenses but I sort of get the impression looking at the images that it is quite a bit larger (larger than Leica M9).
Overall I'd expect a slightly smaller footprint, judging by the looks of it. It will be lighter I am sure. Grip seems ergonomic and it looks a bit like the X10, which I am getting the hang of now.
The price with the fast normal is actually not bad at all. Same as a 7D without lens. External AF? um, not very excited about that, does anyone recall why AF went TTL in the first place?
Quirks. That's the first word that came to my mind. We all know both the X10 and X100 have plenty of them, what are the odds that they have got it right this time? Buying a compact camera with a few quirks might be okay, but I'm not going to buy into a system with major annoyances.
Other than that this is the most exciting cameras for years, and I expect the hype to trump the X100-hype. Good time to be a Fuji stock holder for sure.
I honestly think Fuji are not looking at making it a well working option, I think they have a strong opinion that their new modern, compact and fast lenses will be the sales pitch and why would they make it easy to adapt legacy glass? How would it even work with the zooming view finder/EVF combo?
....
If the Pro-1 is not legacy glass friendly that would be a real shame and I think it would be a marketing mistake: many that would consider the Pro-1 would instead go with a NEX because of this very issue.
Very happy its using the new sensor. Want to see what it can do. The price for the Body and 35mm lens sounds too good to be true.
I was also surprised at the speed of the 60mm lens at first but I should have realized it was a Macro lens. Sounds like a well rounded lineup of lenses right out the gate.
