Re: New Fujifilm X-Pro1 interchangeable lens at CES
Tariq Gibran wrote:
Perhaps neither was the case for you. Did you still have and use your X100 with the 1.11 firmware out of curiosity? With my X100, that firmware made a huge difference overall. With tricky subject matter, I don\'t really know that I have missed focus while using the EVF. Why would you as you can confirm accuracy visually.
Yes, I still had the X100 when V1.11 came out; unlike many I did not notice marked improvement in AF performance, probably because I preferred manually activated AF mode via the AFL button more often than not. Switching to standard AF(S) allowed for a smaller AF box and if one didn\'t mind switching the focus mode back and forth that probably would be optimum use of the camera. Were AF faster, probably I would not have felt the need to keep knocking it out of AFS to MF mode to approximate zone focusing. If the depth of field indicator were more accurate that would have helped greatly.
I had high expectations for the X100 but found it a little clunky; the lens was good but not great. Sensor was very good, tones nice, sensitivity/noise really good. AF sub-par for a 2011 $1200 camera; Ergo issues with the dials, shape and position of the aperture ring - that one just didn\'t work for me at all and I\'m a slave to my aperture dial. Lens flare, silly choice of mounting for the hood. Firmware issues would complicate use of the camera especially in changing conditions. Some firmware issues remain unresolved even though they are easy to address. Why is Auto ISO still buried? Even Fujifilm nods to this as a problem by indicating in the X Pro 1 that they\'ve moved it to the ISO menu group. Why not fix the X100? Little handling things like this add up and make me wonder if they use photographers in the design of such systems.
Some of what I felt were issues won\'t be present on the X Pro 1 due to the different shutter and presumably better AF and maybe even better MF override. I\'m glad they put a lock on the shutter speed / Mode dial to prevent it from being knocked out of A mode - that\'s a help. Hopefully the new EVF has reduced lag to a minimum. Hopefully the aperture ring is easier for hands like mine and that manual focus override of the focus by wire system -ride works well enough.
Based on how I got on with the X100 -- it wan\'t all horrible, my wife think\'s I loved it and to some extent I did but that was in comparison to carrying a DSLR around -- let\'s just say I\'m skeptical as to whether Fujifilm will nail it with the X Pro 1. They might nail it enough to make it acceptable for me though. I\'d feel more optimistic if they made more progress with the firmware but after watching one video it looks like maybe they\'ve decided to invest resource time into new menuing options instead of core functionality.
I might be able to overlook handling of the camera if I\'m mounting my own manual focus lenses since then all I\'m depending on the camera is to manage exposure correctly and that is something the X100 did fine with. If that\'s the case the only reason for me to consider the camera is for the specifics of the sensor implementation.
