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 p.2 #3 · Fuji X-Pro 1 - seeking hands-on feedback | |
JohnLL wrote:
I haven't yet bought the Fuji X-Pro 1, but I have had my eye on it for some time. It's not an urgent matter for me, because I have other cameras and while this may be a better tool for many of the photos I like to take, it's by no means impossible with what I have already got. However, with the recent confirmation of the lens roadmap, it is beginning to look like a more versatile system that could replace with advantage (rather than merely add to) some of what I already have.
However, this would be a significant investment, including (eventually) virtually all of the lenses, so I would like some practical hands-on feedback about the camera's strong and weak points. I think I have already read just about every review on the web about this camera, and several different forums, but there seem to be a number of issues about which there is considerable controversy, such as ...
1. The "green smearing" which seem to occur in some situations, and which some believe to be a hardware (rather than firmware) problem. How serious is it in real life?
2. The slow AF - how slow is it? For comparison, I mostly use Canon cameras (5D2, 7D and G1X), if anyone has experience of these. The 7D probably has the fastest AF of the three, and the G1X the slowest. This latter is a bit marginal at times, but I can live with them all.
3. The sometimes inaccurate AF? While no AF system is fool-proof 100% of the time, I find the three Canon cameras mentioned above quite satisfactory. On the Canon 5D2, I just use the "expanded" centre AF point. How would the X-Pro 1 compare?
4. Have I missed anything important?
I'll probably decide when the 27 / 2.8 pancake comes out - or maybe I'll wait for the X-Pro 2, depending on what I hear from you all. I don't need information that I can already get from the standard sources - it's hands-on feedback and opinion I need. In theory I already know this is a great camera with some - shall we say - imperfections! I'd really appreciate this sort of information.
Thanks, John
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1. All of the smearing problems are associated with Adobe based raw converters. There are definitely problems with fine detail smearing. It's not just greens, but people tend to notice the effect on foliage because of the fine detail. There are raw converters that work much better (RPP and DCRAW are the best). It's disappointing at the moment (Adobe's output), but the jpeg engine is among the best out there and there are workable solutions with raw files. I shoot raw+jpeg and am more selective about which images I process as raw files. Capture One is still working on their processing so there may be hope there in the future.
2. I find the autofocus to be completely acceptable. It won't do well with focus tracking, but for static subjects in decent light it borders on very fast. I think some of the negative reviews were before the firmware updates (which also helped with shutter lag and write speeds). Of course expectations play a role too. I had a 5dII and about 7 lenses, none of which were autofocus before the xp1 so my expectations may not be typical. I will just say that sometimes the focus locks on and is almost instantaneous, and sometimes it hunts for focus (particularly in low light). I would also recommend 95mb/s memory cards to keep the write speeds as fast as possible.
3. I find the focus to be very accurate almost all of the time.
4. It's a camera that has some quirks, no doubt. I think one of the biggest things to consider is the rangefinder style interface. It doesn't act like a dslr, and in most cases I don't think it's a suitable replacement. If you need fast, accurate focus for moving subjects, I don't think you'll be happy. However, I am really enjoying the process of shooting with this camera. I love the interface and the output is outstanding. The white balance is usually spot on even in difficult situations. The same can be said for the metering. It just feels like a finely crafted precision instrument, but it's not a speed demon. I think it equals the output I was getting with the 5dii, in nearly every respect (maybe better in some) in a much smaller package.
For ergonomic considerations, I recommend the thumbs up and a soft release shutter button. I bought the grip and quickly returned it.
I realize it's not a camera for the masses, but I love mine I would fully recommend trying one out.
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