gdanmitchell
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 Re: Talk me out of an XPRO3 | |
Let me try to explain why many of us (YMMV) do not like what Fujifilm did with the XPro3. It is a combination of taking away useful functionality that was on the XPro2, adding something in a way that seems ill-conceived, and the tone-deaf way that the camera was marketed.
My apologies for the length of this post, but I'd like to just try to lay this out fully.
Taking away useful functionality.
1. Unless I'm missing something, a feature that allowed users to change the magnification of the OVF view to accommodate shorter/longer focal lengths has been removed from the XPro3. This means that you can't effectively use the OVF with wider angles of view (I think the 14mm falls into this category) or use it as well lenses with longer focal lengths, where the framing rectangle becomes very small.
2.There is no "always there" rear display. Although we may not object to (and may even welcome) the addition of a fold-out screen, many of us who rarely use the rear screen for framing photographs do on occasion:
- find it useful for that very purpose.
- prefer to get quick access to menu settings on the rear screen rather than holding the camera to our eyes and trying to adjust settings while doing so or taking the time to flip out the screen.
- find it useful to quickly review photographs without having to flip open a screen to check framing, double-check exposure, make sure that we got what we thought we got, confirm the effect of aperture on DOF, etc.
- show shots to our subjects quickly on the rear screen to get them engaged in the process and to reassure them.
Instead, we now have a tiny square screen that imitates the old-school film box end holders to remind us what ISO we are using... which we already know by looking at the ISO setting knob or by looking in the viewfinder. (By the way, the notion that real photographers don't have any use for rear screens is countered by the including of this small rear screen on the XPro3.
As we'll see, the belief by a very small number of photographers that having a rear screen makes you a lesser photographer is nonsensical... but if you think so you can simply disable the display.
Ill-conceived design
Fujifilm (in other cameras they produce) and other manufacturers have implemented much better designs of deployable screens. For example, some will work in the following modes:
- stowed and facing the back (in the position found on the XPro2).
- flipped around backwards to show no screen (satisfying the no screen is better crowd).
- folded out and facing up (for waist-level photography and things like macro photography).
- folded out and facing down (for shooting with the camera held overhead very useful for street photography).
- folded out and facing forward (useful for group shots and some video work).
Fujifilm could either offer an optional display setting to show only a small square within the larger display to mimic the little square now on the XPro3... or they could place that information in a small always-on display on the top plate as they do on other models.
Tone-deaf marketing
Fujifilm's initial marketing of this camera focused largely on how "real" and "authentic" photographers would be freed-up by not having a rear screen to "distract" them from making great photographs. Virtually everyone sees through that nonsensical claim at a minimum, it is patently obvious that many great photographs have been made using digital cameras that have rear screens. (And, again, you can turn it off. Or don't look at it.
Oh, yes, AND YOU CAN'T SEE THE REAR SCREEN ANYWAY WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER.
Sorry for the all-caps, but really folks, the Emperor is entirely naked on this occasion! ;-)
None of us have anything against folks who prefer to not look at a rear screen. We wonder sometimes through why such folks think that the rest of us should have to lose camera functionality on their account.
As to the XPro2, it is really a very solid, reliable, functional camera. Image quality between the XPro2 and XPro3 will be virtually indistinguishable.
Feel free to get whatever camera you want folks. This is offered in the spirit of helping some of you understand why many of us think the XPro3 is not a worthy upgrade. Many, like me, were quite disappointed. We might well have considered moving to an improved XPro3, but we have decided that our XPro2 bodies are really just fine.
Take care,
Dan
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