The new Fuji X-Pro1 – Details? Yep….FUJI IS IN THIS TO WIN IT!

The new Fuji X-Pro 1 Details? Yep…FUJI IS IN THIS TO WIN IT!

So it seems details of the new Fuji X-Pro 1 have been leaked, announced or whatever.

UPDATE: LOOKS LIKE THIS IS THE REAL DEAL AFTER ALL and….there may be a 2nd camera being released by Fuji with a larger sensor…high end…more soon.

The picture above is the real deal BTW…

The new Fuji interchangeable lens camera will be much like the X100 but with a new custom APS-C sized sensor, 16MP resolution and a 2nd Gen Hybrid EVF. The camera will feature a new filter array and EXR processor tech. I expect the IQ to be VERY IMPRESSIVE. I am hoping the usability is quick, smooth and as good as the Nikon V1. If so, nothing can beat this…

Fuji will launch this with three lenses – The 18mm (27mm equiv) f/2 and a 35 (53) f/1.4 and 60 (90) f/2.4. THIS IS GOOD NEWS! Fast lenses, APS-C sized sensor, 2nd gen EVF….Im getting the feeling that THIS will be a much more polished product than the X100 mainly due to the fact that Fuji have had time to get it right.

If this X-Pro 1 is all it is cracked up to be…I smell trouble for just about every other mirrorless camera out there, even Leica and whatever they have up their sleeve for 2012.

Oh, how about that black Special Edition X100?

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228 Comments

  1. Holy shit balls a lot of people are commenting on this. None of this means crap till Steve-O gives us a thumbs up or thumbs down review. Isn’t that why we all come here in the first place?

    • That’s what I’m waiting for…..Steve tells it like it is! Any idea how soon review will be posted?

  2. I wonder how people at Leica are taking this? I am happy because competition is good. To tell you the truth, I have held off buying an M9 because I knew Fuji had something coming. For the price, it will be hard to beat with a sensor that will likely crush the M9. Not full frame, but that may be coming in that I have heard of a Fuji medium format coming that looks like this new camera. You could program the medium format to crop to 35mm size and have M lenses mounted full frame. With adapters, you could also mount a vast collection of Medium format lenses as well. If this is what Fuji is planning, they may have the most important and useful camera of the decade coming.

    So where is Leica on all of this? Overpriced and behind the curve in innovation. Fuji is listening to us and is giving us prices that are much cheaper!

    • Well to me a person who loves photography and cameras is open minded towards any camera. Thats the reason I write on this site.

      Leica forumees, users on the whole those who have responded about the X-Pro1 are close minded and defensive. To me they are antithesis of a photographer. Doubtless they will disagree..

  3. finally a mirrorless camera that gears itself to the enthusiast from the start. instead of the consumer with useless colorbody options and crappy zoomlenses.

    • Thank you for the link

      “The X-Pro 1 will have two optical degrees of magnification: x0.37 for wider lenses and x0.60 for the other lenses. This function will be controlled by the menu and can be set manually for third party lenses.”

      If this is so, then Fuji X primes & Leica primes & other brands primes (ultrawide to telephoto) will be able to use the OVF.

      (Implying EVF reserved for zoom.)

  4. I believe the image quality especially dynamic range will be unbelieveable. It can be matched with fullframe result if I remember , Fuji said so. What I wait is the AF…how fast is the AF performance?? If it’s save, I might speed up my ‘camera-body-changing-plan’ soon 🙂

    • I don’t think the DR will be unbelievable… I doubt they use already the organic sensor.

      It will only compare to FF sensors for resolution, as there will not be an AA filter.

  5. Trying to decided between Sony Nex 7 and Fuji Pro X1……..will any of the Fuji lenses give the same “Character” as the Sony Carl Zeiss 24mm? Anxiously awaiting your review!

    • IMO, the Fuji lenses will be better. Hard to say though until the Fuji is actually out there. It could look perfect but be a pile of junk (unlikely).

    • Fuji lenses have always been at the Zeiss/Schneider level; generally better than Nikon/Canon.

      Lens quality is the last thing I would worry about on this new camera.

      Much more concerned about user interface and ease of use.

      • Dedicated aperture on Fuji X lense, shutter dial indicates can bypass convoluted X10 EXR & X100s detailed menu.

        (I would like to see a dedicated metering switch, not a button n menu election).

  6. Oh sweet LORD, this thing looks amazing. I’ve been waiting to hear about this from Fuji for a while, so as to stave off the desire for an NEX-7 🙂

    But for the sake of your customers, Fuji… please no fly-by-wire focus!!!

  7. I don’t know. I am a bit concerned about this new Fuji X Pro-1.

    No integrated Fill-Flash.
    No tilt-screen (a must for waist-level street shooters).

    But what really gets me is the external PDAF sensors.
    The problem is that you will not be able to use really wide lenses or lenses with shades without blocking the AF sensors.
    Also, even though I am trying to figure it out, I don’t see how any long or Zoom lens would ever work with the external PDAF sensors. Now, this has not held Leica back, but it will dramatically limit their market.

    We will just have to wait and see.

    • French magazine says it is an additional external PDAF sensor. Implying in addition to internal PDAF & CDAF.

  8. How naughty of Fuji to press ahead with this launch before they’ve even sorted out the numerous widely documented and lamented shortcomings and failings of the X100. Does Fuji expect its customers to so readily forget its dilatory and negligent actions regarding its shoddy response to those who spent £1,000 on its last experiment which is, as yet, an unfinished ‘work in progress’?

    I will not be spending my money on another Fuji “try it and see” concept camera.

    • Would you list these “numerous” X100. Please dont tell to search online since you must know them .

      Sticky aperture blades (we dont know how many users had this) a new assembly sorted.
      AF : Contrast Detect on aps-c sensor was always going to be slow, hence say D5100,D3s has Phase Detect AF for shooting,Contrast Detect AF for live view.
      Any other niggles Steve has an article on this site.

      X-P1 is 3rd gen.
      Fuji has had a chance to iron out, learn, refine.
      AF is CDAF & PDAF rather as Nikon V1.
      Lens aperture blades would have benefitted from new assembly.

      M8,M9, Canon 1D4, Nikon D3/D3s all have their issues (niggles & serious) as reported by users on respective forums.
      Doubtless 1Dx & D4 will have their share of issues.

      Manufacturing of products across all industries could do with stricter QC.

      .

  9. As some others have mentioned, there is certainly a strong similarity to the Contax G1 and G2 in terms of design and target market with this one. However, as I understand it the Contax G cameras were something of a flop commercially, or cult cameras if you want to be more charitable. I gather the autofocus left something to be desired, but perhaps someone with more knowledge of the history of those cameras can shed some more light on why they weren’t more successful.

    Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot I like about this camera based on my own style of shooting (I prefer to shoot primes most of the time and something small and unobtrusive would be good). But if this camera shares any of the limitations of other rangefinder-style cameras (no zooms and limited focal length options due to the viewfinder, wonky autofocus) it may not be as successful as we might hope.

    Also, to those pining for a full frame option, I wouldn’t hold your breath. Full frame sensors will always be more expensive than crop sensors simply on account of the size difference, meaning they will probably remain exclusively in professional and luxury models for the foreseeable future. Given the recent improvements in crop sensor performance, I think I can live with that. If you can’t, better start saving for that M10.

    • 17 year old G2, 15 yr old G2.
      Technology has moved forward since then.
      Phase detect AF on X-P1 combined with Contrast detect.

      M9 is restricted.

      Hybrid VF (EVF & OVF) of X-P1 particularly EVF suggests zoom lenses will be fine as will ultra vide,wide,telephoto.

      • Maybe on the autofocus, although as far as I know we don’t know the details of the AF technology or its performance yet. I can see zooms and extreme focal lengths working fine with the EVF, but what about the optical finder? There are physical constraints on how wide a range an optical finder that’s not TTL can cover, and it would be strange to release a system in which all lenses don’t work with all viewfinder modes.

        I think it’s going to be an interesting camera, but the hybrid viewfinder may limit the scope of the system that can be built around this approach. Maybe that’s fine, but it’s worth noting. In any case, we won’t know for sure until we see the details.

        • PDAF & CDAF should work well with Fuji lenses designed for the XP-1 (perhaps almost as fast as Nikon V1 which has a smaller sensor).
          X-P1 has external PDAF sensor (that circle on the body above the lens).

          I think OVF will work fine for all lenses Fuji make for X-P1 : from ultrawide to telephoto to zoom.
          EVF is for lenses of other mounts.

          • French magazine article says OVF zooms.
            Fuji may then release say 16-80mm (24-120mm) as the Zeiss Vario Sonnar & 18-200mm (28-300mm).

    • The G2 was early in the history of autofocus and flopped financially due to terrible marketing and to being a “rangefinder” in the age of SLRs.
      I have, and still use a G2, and since learning to use the camera have never had a problem with the autofocus.
      If the new Fuji is a digital G2, it will be the camera I’ve been waiting for.

  10. OK, now im really confused. It took me quite a bit of time to research what camera I was going to get for a trip to Cuba late Feb. (I really didnt want to be lugging around my 5dmkii). I finally made the decision to go for the x100 and now this camera is due to come out soon. Id much prefer to go for this new model but I doubt ill be able to get my hands on it before 20th Feb.

    Hmmmm! what to do.

  11. We’ve just only crossed over 2012 and we already have the X-Pro 1 and the upcoming Canon G1X. Yahoo.

    If reports are correct then they will both be available after February. Such a short lead time to the sales window means prototypes have been floated some time back in 2011. The underpinnings were laid a long time ago! Amazing.

  12. Dimensions

    Enlarging top photo XP1
    so lens takes filter 52mm

    XP1 approx
    130mm wide
    74mm high

  13. I wonder if the lenses built in leaf shutter itself like X100 and X10. If it do, that will be a problem to adapt other lenses on the camera.

  14. Good stuff!!! I don’t doubt that this camera will produce excellent images …I just hope they don’t screw up the software like they did with the X 100 – that would be tragic

  15. I’ve been following this rumor for a while, so super happy to see this come to fruition. All I can say is if someone comes up with an adpater for my Leica and Zeiss M mount lenses I’ll be selling my M8 pretty quick to buy one of these new rigs…..super excited.

  16. It does seem like a game changer. As a pro working day in day out you are acutely aware of the balance between DSLR and lens line up and also working with high quality but not back breaking gear. You also need to factor in client expectations. While a GH2 or 550D might work on some jobs, it may never work in the clients eyes as they have bought something ‘bigger’ for their son/daughter for Christmas. Right tools for the right job, but also right tools for the client. This Fuji though would really compliment high end dslr. I can think of many jobs where once the belt and braces are covered you could cut loose with such a camera. It is affordable too, the whole line up is not much more than a couple of Leica lenses. Proof is in the pudding though. Wait and see.

    Andrew

  17. At first I thought the MF bit was weird, then I remembered that Fuji still releases MF film cameras in Japan. In fact, Steve has reviewed one. http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2010/06/17/the-fuji-gf670-film-camera-review-medium-format-lives/

    Steve – Do you think the MF/larger than FF cam will be fixed lens or interchangeable?

    My guess is they would release a fixed lens as a test to see what the market is like just as they did with the X100. This would be fine with me. With MF resolution, you can crop like mad and still be able to print at 16×20.

    • From the article states in the mentioned french magazine, the flange distance of 17.7 mm (similar to C mount) would allow to mount Leica M mount glass (flange distance of 28.8mm) with the right adapter…

      excerpt from the article: un tirage tres faible (17,7 mm) et un diamètre assez large afin de faire rentrer un maximum l’arrière de l’objectif a l’intérieur du boitier (jusqu’à 7,5 mm du capteur).

          • Oui, d’accord Stanis, je voulais plutôt dire qu’il resterait 2,75mm pour la partie arrière de l’optique avant de toucher l’ensemble capteur/shutter mécanique (pourquoi ces 7,5 mm?) quand on change la mise au point (27,95- (17,7+7,5) = 2,75mm) .
            I had meant to say that the protruding rear part of some lenses with moving elements when shifting focus had a leeway of 2.75mm before hitting the inside of the sensor / shutter assembly, from the afore mentioned specs.
            And it’s just assuming on a rumor , let’s bear that in mind 🙂
            Let’s wait till the camera gets on the market …

          • Jean-Marc sans vouloir te vexer, essaie de réfléchir avant de poster de telles sottises, histoire que les français ne passent pas pour des cons.

    • Your guess is as good as mine, but at this point it is not confirmed. I just heard from an inside source that it was possible. We shall see!

  18. We are in 2012 and still talking abt crop sensors… Sony manages to put an APSC sensor in a C3 body for less than 500 bucks and no one is able to put a FF in a mirrorless body for less than the price of a kidney in the black market…

    • Maybe accounting finance departments doublethink overthink. They tend to run the show.
      To us what appears a no brainer to them is months of business analysis, graphs, statistics.

    • Yeah … really tough. Last year was one of Leica’s most profitable. And they continue to working around to clock to meet demand for M lenses. More mirror less cameras means more demand for Leica lenses. Not that it matters to you since you probably can’t afford them anyway.

      BTW, the company that produces the sensor in the M9 is not owned by Kodak.

      • Walt, quit being a jackass. Just because people don’t all worship the Leica red dot doesn’t mean they can’t afford the gear. I own Leica lenses and M8 (love em too) but doesn’t change the fact Leica is a niche camera maker that could be so much better in so many ways….and they will learn this from Fuji.

        • +1 . Well said. From an M9 and MP owner plus a line up of Leica M lenses. Leica for too long has been relying on a monopolist position in the digital RF market niche and not innovated its products enough. Fuji has brought a stream of brilliant ideas with the X100, X10, and what it looks like, the X-PR01. And whilst these cameras are not perfect and to some extend work in progress, Fuji need to be applauded for listening to the enthusiast market, for its creativity and innovation. It will force competitors to do better. The X100 is the camera the X1 should have been (I own a X1), the X10 the one a Leica LX6 could have been. If I wanted to build a camera system from scratch today, I’d not be willing to spend Leica fetish prices but definitely look at the Fuji offerings first. In 2012 it will be very difficult for Leica to grow top line as the M9 and X1 start to look old and their new September product announcements will not contribute significantly to 2012 sales.

      • Yes, you are right I cannot afford them .. :((

        But you know what, last year, somebody very generous gave me out of charity 21 super elmar, 35cron asph, 35lux vII, 50cron, 50lux asph, 50noctilux f0.95, 90cron AA for charity … Oh also M9P n MP :))) Thank God for this person…

        Good to hear that the company making the sensor is not the ill-fated Kodak

          • Lucky you, Santa (I thought it was him) did not bring me a Nocti, but then I have a Summicron 28 which is missing in your line up.;)

          • Yes, indeed (for the first time in many years) I behaved very well indeed last year. So yes, Santa was kind to me last year hihihi…

            Oh sorry you re quite right, i have sinned and missed listing the 28cron asph, 28elmarit asph, 35 summarit, 35 cron ver 4, 35cron ver 1, 35 summaron, 50cron rigid, 75cron AA, chrome 90 elmarit n 21 super-angulon.. :p

            Now that i ve been bad, Santa will not bring me the X1 Pro this year then… Wait, what’s this on the doorstep this morning? Oo its the teeny weeny Nikon V1…. Hmmm.. Will he at least be kind to give me D4? 🙁

            I accept any charity donation frm anybody… 😀

    • Yawn … more doom, gloom and bankruptcy. You can’t afford Leica, so what does it matter to you?

  19. This rf digital camera, supposedly high-end, is a non-starter if there ever was one. It’s not full frame. Ask any M9 user whether his camera is better than an M8, and that even is a 1.33 crop factor camera.

    Serious people will skip this camera, unless they want to have an additional camera (next to their serious full frame gear), for very expensive snapshooting.

    • ‘Full-frame’ is a concept that only applies to legacy gear – cameras designed to accomodate decades-old SLR and RF lens and body design.

      These mirrorless systems, with their all-new mounts and lens designs, are full-frame to themselves.

      • @Matt: Exactly!

        There’s no particular reason to lust after a format that’s based on 2 frames of 1925 movie film.

    • The way forward is to be able to decrease the weight and possibly the size where unneeded while maintaining and/or improving the picture quality. The mirror less market has been doing just that. Keep living in the past if that’s your thing though, but don’t diss improvement, let alone improvement you haven’t tested or know anything concrete about.

      • I’m all with you in the downsizing and weight reducing thing (“tired of lugging my DSLR”; you know the song), but the real advances will be made in fuul frame. As we all know if we would take a minute to think it all over.

        The rumoured D800 is supposed to be slightly lighter and smaller than its predecessor, while offering more. We’ll see, but the direction is clear.

        Ever tried to take a handheld 1/8th or 1/15th image with a small and light camera? A Contax RTSIII (heavy beast) is perfect for that. Just goes to show that small (where do your hands actually fit?) and light isn’t the answer to everything, unless you feel (a perfectly reasonable point of view, judging by much of the posts here) that ease of carrying a camera is more importnat than actually taking a photograph with it.

        Leica M’s aren’t exactly perfect, ergonomically speaking, either.

      • “improvement you haven’t tested or know anything concrete about.”

        Pardon? You know what cameras I have (had) and use(d)? Smart bloke!

          • “Small, light cameras”, remember? Yes, I’ve used them. I’ll spare you the list. Satisfied?

            Now you might spare me your wisdom on camera size and weight. Unless of course you’re the proverbial snapshotter, in which case, feel free.

  20. If the Fuji will get this one right I guess the price for X100 will fall – at least on used market – a fait bit.

    Some (including me) expressed that they would like to see a 35 mm (FF equiv.) lens – and I am wondering whether Fuji will deliberately NOT come up with one (at least for some time) – just to keep some more market for the X100. Just a speculation of course.

    Steve – you mentioned larger than FF as possible next camera. If that would be the case I would be quite sure that such a camera would be directed at pro market and most of us would not manage to afford one (still, fair enough – the pro market deserves fine cameras too 🙂 ) and I would guess that the camera would be quite large, But FF would be … just enough (I assume it would be able to take M lenses via adapter) 🙂

      • I meant 35 (and once we are talking also 21 ) full frame equivalents – so that would be around 23 mm (and 14 mm) absolute focal length.

  21. The hype never quite seems to live up to the reality, but certainly this would put some pressure on Panny and Oly. But as a practical matter, heavily invested in Canon and m4/3 glass, it would take a lot for me to want invest in a new system.

    And given the reported issues Fuji has had with sticky aperture blades and quirky interface I’ll just sit back and see how it pans out.

  22. If this camera can take the best of my beloved X100 and fix all its maddening quirks (slow auto-focus, better FN key mgmt, funky UI, relatively slow operation, illogical macro focus) and put it in an interchangeable body, I would see my X100 on eBay…assuming it’s not priced above NEX7 and comes with fast prime lens…would be near perfection if it has M-mount available (not aftermarket ones).

    The other BIG feature I really pray for is video. Not much as been mentioned of this and Fuji doesn’t have great track record with this feature. Is it too much to hope for video capability that’s close to Canon’s?

    If it can have all this, this would be my ONLY camera (but lots of lenses)…I swear Fuji!

  23. Fujifilm just released whole bunch of other new cameras today, from big mega bridge camera to little point and shoot, but none of that caused that much attantion of this X Pro. On top of all these god things like APC-S sensor, 2nd gen hybrid vf, external af…two more facts that I like about this camera, 1. No pop-up flash (hope not, at least I don’t see one in the image) 2. No zoom lenses available, at least now. Therefor, this camera is not for beginners, it targets those who are looking for image quanlities, looking to improve their skills, but don’t have $10k in the bank for a Leica M-9. I don’t know about you guys out there, I’m not a big fan if this grip. Looks ugly, better without it for a future accesory battery grip. BTW, can I say, Nex-7, gx-1, Pen pro “DOA”?

  24. Now dayz the company’s going so fast with the cameras. almost every 3 month u have the new camera type.
    i dont know i just bought a x100 and now i hear the better version is on the way.. but what i do know is:
    m6 is the best camera that mankind ever had. (except off course the hasselblad h system and leica s system)

  25. Thank you Steve and THANK YOU FUJI for listening to us, the photographers, and what we really want in a camera. This will be the Leica I could never afford. Leica has some things to learn here like your prices are to high for most working photographers! I may just sell my NEX stuff for this.

    • Leica is a luxury company that doesn’t compete with consumer camera manufactuers. People have been calling for Leica’s demise with each new camera on the market, yet they keep on chugging along making boutique stores and selling every lens they can make. Leica has nothing to learn from mass produced camera companies. They are a niche and continue to act like one…which is why Leica continues to be relevant.

  26. Amazing
    this is the exact lens set up I used to have for my beloved Contax G1
    With the 28 and the 45 being the most used.
    AND these lenses are even faster.
    This should be very interesting : )
    am

  27. X100 in black. So, Fuji is doing what Leica did with the X1.

    I really hate that. If you ask me, I’ll always chose the black camera over the chrome one. But when chrome is all that’s available on launch, I’ll buy it if I want the camera enough. Then, 6 months or so later, they launch the black version. I might want it, but I’ll not buy it.

    Why can’t they have both at launch? Is it so difficult?

    • The market wasn’t very solid or clear for them especially releasing such a niche camera such as the X100, they didn’t want to risk making excess product I guess.

  28. Will the new Fuji viewfinder be as wonderful as the nex7? Will the lack of a tilt screen make much difference? What about being able to actually see the changes in the picture before you take it when adjuting white balance, iso, etc. like the nex7 offers? Guess you can tell I’m trying to decide between the Nex7 and this new Fuji……are lenses better than sony’s for the nex7? HeLP!!! and THANKS!!!!!

    • Dear Mary, get the Nex 7 – no contest. The evf alone is all the difference, not to mention the 50% higher resolution of the sensor, 1080p60 cinematic quality movies, 10 fps burst mode, and all the voigtlander, leica, contax and zeiss lenses you can afford with beautiful manual focusing assist features such as 12x magnification in viewfinder, full control customisability, etc. I’m going to sell all my nikon gear once I buy some more lenses for my nex 7. Oh did I mention the nex is nearly 40% cheaper?

    • Regarding lenses, I would absolutely bet on Fuji. They are a high-end lens manufacturer. Sony seems not to know where they’re going with lenses, and who knows who actually makes them?
      My guess would be that Fuji will concentrate on prime lenses, with few or no zooms.
      The Fuji viewfinder, whatever it is, will be fine.
      Tilt screen is nice for macro, and perhaps for sneaky street photography, but not a deal breaker.
      I would say relax and wait for some hands-on reviews of the new Fuji. The Nex-7 will still be there if the Fuji doesn’t measure up.

    • Oh. You don’t say whether you care about video. Full disclosure: I couldn’t care less.
      If I want video, I’ll buy a camcorder.

    • First I agree that it will be interesting to see reviews of the new Fuji product. I guess what I meant to say was – get the Nex 7 if you see one in stock 🙂 You will always be able to resell for twice its price, as some people are doing on Ebay already.

      A few points on lenses – I don’t care much about brand wars – I use Cosina/Voigtlander, Zeiss and Sony lenses on the Nex. All of them are very good.

      Fuji made some excellent lenses for their GX680 system, and I’m sure the new X lenses will be good. Sony optics are also mostly of very high quality thanks to the Minolta pedigree. Sony mount will be widely supported since it was released for free to other manufacturers. I’m not sure Fuji will be bold enough to do the same with the X mount.

      I would agree that Sony Nex needs more fast primes from Sony – but there are plenty of fast primes available from Cosina/Voigtlander, Leica and Zeiss.

      I do think Sony sony didn’t realise what success the Nex would have among enthusiasts who use primes. But they will adjust quickly and will be making high grade pancakes and telephoto and wide zooms in 2012. At least that is what the rumor mill is saying.

      On camera features –

      Paris, you are right – all of the extra features and conveniences of the Sony are not dealbreakers unless you’ve tried them and got used to them. I, for one, will never buy another camera without an EVF (of Sony or higher quality) – once you are used to seeing the complete image with all adjustments before you take it, focusing for sharpness before you press the trigger rather than checking focus after, its really hard to imagine why other cameras can’t do this. A hybrid viefinder that zooms opically always was a compromise in my opinion. It will never give you the same precision of framing as a DSLr-like EVF. But I’m sure both types of viefinders will have their fans.

      If you care about video at all – keep in mind that to get the same kind of video quality the Nex 7 gives – you’d have to drop 3-4 grand on a camcorder with interchangeble lenses and you’d have to lug it around with you.

  29. It looks great! It looks like it will have that hybrid viewfinder. I bet it will be good at high ISOs as well.

  30. Given the slow and quirky handling of the X100, why do you seem hopeful that the new camera will handle like the V1? Seems like a bit of a stretch.

      • Well, I hope you’re right. This is the closest thing to a digital version of my beloved G2 that I’ve seen. If the IQ is anywhere near as good as they claim I’d consider it a win even if it were slightly clumsy. Certainly the G2 was not the best autofocus system ever, but really did the trick for me.

        • Already the IQ of the X100 is great and still among the best aps-c sensor outputs. The X-Pro1 will beat it and thus be up there with the best, I’m sure about that.

      • It wasn’t improved enough. Obviously with a smaller sensor, it will be quicker in operation.

        Not many manufacturers seem to make major improvements and I’m not sure Fuji is one of them. My X10 sure had some handling issues.

        Did you see the headline that Kodak is reported to be preparing for Chapter 11?

        • How do you mean. Which aspects of X10 would you have improved in handling and speed (whilst keeping the size the same).

          I would have made that convoluted EXR much simpler.
          I would have had exposure info & a focus cross in the OVF.

          X100, X10 can be seen almost as Fuji ironing out kinks, refining. X-Pro1 is a 3rd gen X.

    • I bought an X100 on the strength of it’s specs. It’s nice in many ways, but really a sort of beta camera. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t buy it.

      I have great hopes for this new Fuji, but this time I’ll wait for some reviews before I buy. If they’ve learned from their mistakes, it will be a game changing camera. If not, I’ll wait for someone else, maybe Canon, to take a shot at the “digital rangefinder” niche.

  31. Wow! If this is the real scoop I’m on it! Question for those of you out there:

    Because of an insurance coverage on a trashed DSLR, I was going to upgrade to Nikon D700, sell off my D300 (and a 12-24 f4 dx lens).

    Now…I’m thinking keep the D300 and invest in this setup as my backup (if not main camera!).

    Would appreciate hearing some thoughts…

    Matt in Colorado…
    blog.LITfoto.com

    • Matt, being a cautious kind of person, I can only say, really!

      You’re thinking like this about a camera that hasn’t yet been announced, let alone launched, and of which no hard and fast details are known. It’s nice to be enthusiastic, but I think you’re a bit premature.

    • There’s no substitute for full frame, and you’ll know that once you’ve tried it. So stick with the D300 😉

  32. I don’t want a second Leica M9, thanks. Hope this new Fuji goes the way of an advanced X100 with Fujifilm DNA – that’s exactly what I would like as a Backup Camera for my Leica.

    Great job Steve.

  33. Steve,
    Good friends at B&H will NOT take a pre order on this one. I want to be on the top of the list
    somewhere. Do you know any camera store that will take a pre order on this camera. This is the one
    I am waiting to buy as Leica is out of range. Thanks
    george

  34. Is there a technical reason why they couldn’t use a m4/3 mount with the larger sensor? It took years to have a serious lens line-up on the m4/3 platform, do we really need a new mount?

    • Yes. A “normal” lens for 4/3 is about 20-25mm. A normal lens for APS-X is about 35mm.

      In general, 4/3 lenses of any focal length will not cover an APS sensor, even with an adapter that would make them “fit” physically.

      And, there’s no business reason for Fuji to make a camera for someone else’s lenses.

  35. Full Frame Please! In a small body lens combo like Leica M-9 with a price that is not in the stratosphere. Fuji is on the right track, I would probably have to buy one!

    • Why full frame? Sensor on X100 is quite good. With Full Frame sensor the lenses will be too big!

      • Fuji may leave FF to Leica, a partnership with Leica to give the FF Organic.
        Move straight to MF 645D size or S2.

    • There’s really no compelling reason for full frame, unless, like Leica, you have a full frame lens line to sell, and millions of legacy lenses in the world.

      What would be the business justification for building a brand new camera to support somebody else’s lenses?

      In any case, if the 35mm f1.4 is Fuji’s “normal” lens, then the sensor is APS-something, not full frame.

      Finally, Fujinon is a high-end lens manufacturer. These lenses will be expensive, say $800 each. (That’s real-world expensive, not Leica/Prada/Gucci expensive.)

      • I own a X100 now, but I hope the AF of the new camera will be better. AF is the most important thing I hate on the X100. AF on my E-PL2 is far better!

      • Made that up?! Listen, unlike you Leica Men internet losers I’m a pro photographer. I don’t have *time* to make something like this up. I’m too busy spending all my time with my eye pressed up against the viewfinder taking handheld velvia shots in the moonlight. I can do more with a Chinese made $50 plastic 50 1.8 than you can with all the Fuji X-whatevers in the world!

        Oh, yeah… support my site.

  36. It’s funny the amount of people who are in perpetual cancelation of order cycles waiting for the next best thing. Well, this is it. Actually buy something for once.

    • this was possible in the analog years, buy an M6 for the rest of your life (this is an example) or a Nikon F and a weston master if you prefer.
      In the digital years this is a dream … I know my M9 is not for the rest of my life !
      DS

    • I think it’s just that after years of waiting those of us that have wanted an affordable alternative to a Leica M now have two options. I pre-ordered a NEX-7, but cancelled when I first learned about this Fuji. Not because the Fuji is the latest/greatest, but because I knew it was going to be even closer to what I’ve always wanted. If this Fuji lives up to it’s potential I foresee myself hanging onto it for years.

  37. As a very satisfied Ricoh GXR shooter, I can see myself making the jump if theses are the actual lens focal lengths that will be released.

    My only beef with the GXR are the available lens. Of course if one already has some Leica M mount type of lenses laying there is that option. But I don’t.

    Plus if the X100 had not already set such a precedence this would just be another camera.

    This will be an interesting year indeed. [img]http://pandorf.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/sailing-into-the-sun.jpg[/img]

  38. Big focus ring indicates (I hope NOT focus by wire) proper manual focusing.
    Chunkyness of lens indicates (possibly) leaf shutter.

  39. Hi, found more info on Photorumors, one of the readers left link to Russian forum with a link to pdf of French photo magazine. If somebody speaks French please have a look at the following jpg which is the page dedicated to this new Fuji camera: http://photo-cult.com/tests/ReponsesPhoto239-p8.jpg

    from what I understood, kit with 35mm f/1.4 should be around 1300 €, and other lenses at around 600 €, there will be 3 lenses: 18mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4 and 60mm f/2.4 Macro. Also it looks like the grip is removable (at least from the picture). They also talk about new sensor technology called X-Trans developed by Fuji, I can’t find anything on the net with that name and from Fuji, so no idea what it is.

  40. I can accept a bad meny-system.
    I can accept short battery-life
    I can accept that there is no 35mm eqv.

    It all comes down to AF-speed and accuracy + if the sensor has absolutely industry-leading DR in Raw-files.

    If it has both, it will be an absolute smash-hit unprecedented in the digital age.

  41. Steve were did you get this info from.
    It appears the photo rumour / mirrorless rumour site may have got its info (the same info as you have posted) from Wells Fargo which is a phishing .

    If you did get it from these sources, then there is still hope for Organic sensor in X1

    • mworld.com is actually owned by wells fargo, not sure where you’re getting the info that the site isn’t legit?

        • Apparently he isn’t very bright in regards to the internet.

          Fortunately, I am a network engineer and this is what I do for a living.

          wellsfargoadvisors.com and wellsfargoadvisors.mworld.com are both hosted on the same network, which is also owned by wells fargo.

          wellsfargoadvisors.com and mworld.com are also both domains owned by wells fargo.

          Cheers.

          $ host -t a wellsfargoadvisors.com
          wellsfargoadvisors.com has address 169.200.182.130
          $ host -t a wellsfargoadvisors.mworld.com
          wellsfargoadvisors.mworld.com has address 169.200.182.211

          $ whois 169.200.182.0 | grep OrgNOCName
          OrgNOCName: Wells Fargo Company

          $ whois mworld.com | grep -A4 Registrant
          Registrant:
          Domain Administrator
          Wells Fargo & Company
          420 Montgomery St
          San Francisco CA 94104
          $ whois wellsfargo.com | grep -A4 Registrant
          Registrant:
          Wells Fargo & Company .
          Wells Fargo & Company
          420 Montgomery St
          San Francisco CA 94104
          $ whois wellsfargoadvisors.com | grep -A4 Registrant
          Registrant:
          Domain Administrator
          Wells Fargo & Company
          420 Montgomery St
          San Francisco CA 94104

  42. Nice photoshop work on the main image. I bet it doesn’t look as good as that. Especially with the obviously 50mm Summilux lens on the front 🙂

  43. The NEX 7 is the right system for me. The 24/50mm f/1.8 lens combo and controls are perfect for the way I work. That said, I hope this Fuji camera is great. I’d love to see competition in the high-end mirrorless market so that these companies start competing with lenses and camera bodies. That could only be good news for us consumers.

  44. For sure the sensor will be good; I’m waiting for the buttons/dials/rings layout to decide if I like the body or not. There’re a lot of great ergonomic pieces laying around, some of them inherited from the film era, some others new to digital, but no camera body has the perfect blend for me so far.

    Of course it’s very personal, but I would be glad if the X-Pro 1 had dedicated ISO dial, dedicated speed dial, aperture ring on lenses, clickable wheel and exp.comp. button right next to the shutter (for easy access with the eye in the viewfinder without changing the fingers’ position around the camera). Other neat ideas are Olympus’s Super Control Panel, Sony’s soft buttons and Samsung’s soft lens ring…

    The lens line-up is a bit disappointing: where is the normal length ?! Isn’t it the most fundamental lens to be expected ?!
    For info, the normal length for APS-C sensors is 28 mm (= diagonal of the sensor = gives the perspective of a human eye = equivalent to 43 mm in 24×36). The announced 35 mm is a tad long, too bad…

  45. I am looking for a new camera to replace my Lumix LX5, this looks like the one that I am waiting for. Poor men’s Leica with modern technology and1/4th the price. Hurray.
    The others were Fuji X100(want to to change lens too) Nex 7( too much fuss but no actual camera, sick of waiting), Lumix GX(Viewer extra 225 dollar, stupid), Nikon V1(sensor missing:))

  46. Oh boy…come on…don’t be that “sexy”…not another camera I have to buy!

    😉

    Let’s hope LEICA will no jump forwards and show more details what they have in development – as a X1-Pro kind camera has already been announced – NOW give us more details LEICA or we have to buy this good looking FUJIFILM (to accomplish my M9 with 50mm lens of course).

    • Leica does not need to jump forward. This camera is nowhere to be any competition to Leica. to me this looks DOA. Since they didnt made the jump to full frame, you will need to rebuy your whole lens stock since they wont be compatible. Thats a fail.

      • Hmmm…maybe I did not express myself clearly – with “Leica to jump forward” I did mean a camera like a “pro” version of the X1 – I had not in mind to compare the Fujifilm with an M-series camera. And such a camera is already in development as Mr. Kaufmann already said in 2011 and will be shown in 2012.

        So THAT camera, filling the niche between the M9 and the X1, that I meant that I hope LEICA is now forced to give us earlier and more information on the specs on that new model.

      • I agree. I will not purchase a Fujifilm camera until they introduce a full-frame sensor camera. I recently dropped a bundle to switch our my DX lenses for FX on my D700, and do not want to incur that expense again.

        If and when Fujifilm does introduce a worthy competitor to the M9, I will be first in line.

        • Ahh… don’t think FUJIFILM will bring something like the M-series, not a rangefinder for sure.

          And I think FUJIFILM has chosen the right sensor-size, to keep the prize low – I “heard” the price for this new Fuji, body only, should be about 1500,– Euros or $1900,–.
          So I would expect a bundle with a lens around 2500,– Euros.

          • They will not sell many here in Europe if the price for the body is €1500 that’s for sure. The body alone should not be more than the X100 which is around €900.

          • I saw somewhere a post in French of Euro 1300 for body plus the 35mm f1.4 lens and the other two primes costing Euro 600 each, so the total package with AF/MF lenses, hybrid VF will be less than a Summilux asph 35 or 50mm alone. I’m excited. If true, it’s priced lower than an EP3 with its 3 year old 12MP mft sensor with Pana/Lux 25mm lens plus external EVF.

        • Man, I will sure buy that Fuji Pro… APS-C and all! I have no kit right now and no lenses to ‘re-buy’! I can’t wait. I hope it has what I need so I can quit waiting for the next big thing! Hahaahaha! I can’t wait to see this beauty! Thanks, Steve!

      • Competition to Leica? What market does Leica have to compete for, the ultra high end manual focus digital rangefinder market that nobody but Leica wants? Leica can barely earn enough scraps of revenue to scrape by. The only market the M9 has is the little tiny weeny market they
        [ nobody else wants] already have. I’m sure there’s a market for gold plated toilet seats but hey.. listen, about full frame, it costs too much. companies don’t make much of their investment back by making cameras 99% people can’t afford. It’s a fact. Are you not glad that 35mm film isn’t as big as what medium format film is? Can you imagine how much “full frame” digital sensor would cost?
        Leica needs to jump forward big time..the problem is that many of it’s customers prefer to stay in the stones ages.
        I find it funny that Bresson over his career acquired newer Leica models for their advancements only to have many Leica users today use older and older archaic models. It also leads me to wonder if these same people also prefer to drive around in steam engine cars.

  47. [img]http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/400010_2803965908628_1543027006_32785843_1843227438_n.jpg[/img]

  48. Why do we keep on going over the top with every new camera that comes out all we are doing is pushing camera prices up and up. If Fuji or whoever can keep churning out new models every few months then they should only cost about one third of what we have to pay for them. This camera will be the best camera ever,until the next one.

      • Agree, this camera of the month hype is insane. However, Fuji launches a new system, which on paper looks very good to start with. Innovation in a RF alike type of system, great lenses, prices not at fetish levels like Leica, but relatively affordable. Something Leica should have done some time ago. And don’t get me wrong, I love my M9 and Leica lenses, but prices are no longer rationally justifiable. So here comes the alternative. Rough times for mft, NEX, Samsung.

  49. EXR hmmmmm
    X10 EXR is a convoluted mess.
    Lets hope this is simpler.
    Lets hope EXR processing does not introduce ORBS.
    Lets hope EXR processing does not make the photos a little unsharp compared to competitors
    (all EXR cameras exhibit this slight lack of comparative sharpness).

    Fuji’s claim of high iso performance to rival the current best (D3s) will then rely on EXR to deliver,
    not the sensor, as this sensor does not appear organic.
    It could be the 16MP Sony sensor augmented with EXR.

    (Organic will be reserved for FF & MF where the microlens less Organic will work stellar on wide angle).

    One benefit of EXR (eg. in X10) makes output look more analogue, say as Fuji S2 pro (2002).
    I prefer this to the clinically sterile output of modern sensors as found in eg M8, M9, NEX, NX.

    • It can’t be Sony’s 16 MP augmented with EXR.
      Sony’s 16 MP is a Bayern sensor, with color pattern made of square tiles while EXR sensors have a color pattern made of hexagonal tiles. The photosite centers aren’t at the same distance between Bayern and EXR, so the sensors cannot be converted by simply swapping the color pattern in front of the silicon.

      • This info Steve has on the sensor is possibly from one of the photo rumour sites which may have got its info from Wells fargo is a phishing .

        Fuji EXR was only for its small sensor (recent & latest F series & X10, XS1)
        Not for APS-C.
        X100 does not have EXR.

        Thus this APS-C EXR may be fake.
        Giving hope to X1 having Organic.

        • On the other hand, S1 Pro to S5 Pro all had APS-C Super-CCD sensors, and the benefits over same-generation Bayern sensors were significant. Since EXR is pretty much the evolution of Super-CCD, I wouldn’t be surprised if the X-Pro 1 features the first APS-C EXR sensor. In that view, the X100 was made to position Fuji back into the high-end before launching a full system, taking its early marks with regards to CSC competitors, and having financial return and market feedback on the viewfinder R&D while developing the actual goal (X-Pro 1).

        • OK, this is it, the French newspaper Réponses Photo broke the embargo by being sent to its subscribers few days before the official announcement.

          The pattern will be over six photosites (vs. Bayern’s four, Super-CCD’s eight, EXR’s nine) but with random distribution of the basic colors within this pattern. No repeatable pattern = no moiré = no need for AA filter = super high res.? We’ll see (not sure if the resolution gained from the absence of AA compensates for the 50% larger pattern footprint on photosites)!

          Anyway, yes, it could in principle be Sony’s (excellent) 16MP with simply a different color pattern in front of it.

    • How will it rival D3s when it has only an APS-C sensor and the X100 was not even close to match D700 in the high ISO department? (some new secret high performance sensor?).

  50. This is what I am waiting for. I skiped NEX7 mainly for this. Hopefully it performs well too.
    Lens combo looks good, it covers basic needs with fast lens. Smart move so far, can’t wait for some review.
    Thanks Steve, great job.
    P.s.: Let’s see what Leica come out this year. However, may have to prepare 10k for the new toy ( I hope not)

    • No way man. Laica will answer with all vengance presenting soon Leica CLE Digital APS-C just like predicted by Ashwin Rao.

      • LOLOLOLOL. Leica will answer with a vengeance? This makes me laugh. While I’m sure they will come out with something similar, their pricing will be way out of the range of most people. I doubt Fuji will be “losing” any meaningful amount of people as a result of a Leica “competitor”

        • Leica may actually be in real trouble in 2012. When you can get something similar for a fraction of the cost…also, just heard today from an inside source that there MAY be a 2nd Fuji coming out that is MF, or larger than FF. Now wouldn’t that be crazy? I did remember hearing this months ago when Fuji themselves said “larger than FF”. We shall see!

          • Surely that’s not what the launch of this camera needs. Rumours that there is a FF one coming a bit later. Who will wait and who will buy?

          • All the H blads are already Fuji so this is not that crazy…they’ve done a lot of medium format work so I could easily see this as being true.

          • What ever their new comers this is exciting times. MF , FF ? Lets just see their pricing. Although Im not hopeful(for my personal budget). If they are targeting the Leica market then for them anything around 2-3K with M mount will do alot of damage IMO. Damn nice looking camera above. Thank for the heads up Steve learning from and loving your site.

          • Be carefull Steve,

            The French article this comes from mentions that THIS camera will have better resolution because the photosites are organised in a random patern by groups of 6 instead od the usual Bayer Matrix organised by groups of 4. Therefore no need for an AA filter=better resolution… This larger than FF might be a FF that they say will outperform some larger sensors. Also they mention that the camera will be 1300 euros, aprox 1800$ if I get an APS-C from Leica for $3000 a line of AF leica lenses or better a focussing sensor so my M lenses would be AF, I go the Leica way…No way I will pay close to 2000$ for a fuji camera if I have a good leica option even at close to twice the price.

      • ya, but would mean buying TWO cameras?

        The same happens in GXR- 28mm and 50mm. Wonder if 35mm equiv is less popular?

    • 35mm and 21mm should not be missing if this is to be considered a system. Rich did not make these yet for the GXR either – maybe too few people would buy more than 2 lensors anyhow. Who knows. Or maybe Ricoh has something else up their sleeves for the future (maybe finally separate the sensor and lens into 2 separate modules thus allowing for sensors update, but I am just daydreaming here).

      Let’s see what will Fuji come up with for real.

  51. The new Fuji ILC will be launched at a special event at CES on Wednesday the 12th of January, 2012 at 2045 hours GMT. Yay 🙂

    • 1- There is no Wednesday 12th. Wednesday is the 11th.
      2- The CES schedule announces the Fuji event for Monday the 9th (by invitation only) at mid-day.

  52. I’m hoping there will be an adapter for m-mount lenses soon after it’s announced 🙂
    So happy to hear that a company is also releasing fast, quality primes at launch with a high end camera for once!

    • If the flange distance is only 17.7mm (shorter than the NEX-mount’s flange distance) – as mirrorlessrumors.com reports it is – then we’ll probably see an M adapter available about as soon as someone with access to a CNC machine gets his/her hands on an X-Pro1 🙂

  53. Fingers crossed the AF won’t be anything slow and clunky like an X100 … but a 1.4 50mm equivalent? Oh yeah babee 🙂

  54. Very nice, looking forward to more concrete info on other specs.
    But Steve, go to sleep! Unless you are in western time of course.

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