Fuji Special Edition X100, X-Pro 1 now up at B&H Photo

January 12, 2012 First Looks, Fuji 96

Fuji Special Edition X100, X-Pro 1 now up at B&H Photo

Fuji is taking 2012 head on with not only the newly announced X-Pro 1 and lenses but they also listened to the demands of many X100 users that wanted an all black Fuji X100. They are releasing this kit in February at around $1600-$1700. The kit comes in a special edition box of course because that will make you feel like the extra $150 or so that you spent on it was well worth it. 🙂

The Special Edition BLACK X100 will come with a leather black case with red interior, a leather X100 strap, UV filter and and all black HOOD. So even at $1700 this is only a small premium over what you would pay if you bought the silver version and all of the accessories. You have to admit…the black looks SLICK and pretty damn amazing. I think I just drooled a little onto my desk, lol.

I just hope Fuji has SOLVED and ELIMINATED the sticky aperture blade problem that plagued so many X100’s last year. That would suck if you buy this special edition set and it had the sticky issue. I would think they solved that problem by now though. As quirky as  the X100 can be, it is still a camera that tugs at my heart…much like a Leica M does. Me like.

B&H Photo has put up their SE X100 page, and Fuji is only making 10,000 of these BTW. You can check it out here. I plan on checking one out and when I do, I will be posting video of the kit here so stay tuned.

B&H Photo also posted the X-Pro 1 and lenses up on their site. You can not pre order but I am guessing they may open it up soon.  Oh, and I also heard a 1st report on it already from someone who has been shooting with it…

The X-Pro 1..well, I think it will be fantastic but I did get an early e-mail report from someone who has been using one for a little while and it was not the greatest report. I will not post details here because I have no images and can not disclose who this is so it is really pointless. I heard things about the AF being slow, especially when light gets low, lenses being metal on the inside and plasticky on the outside, manual focus NOT good, not so hot battery life and the 2nd gen EVF being average. On the other hand, IQ is supposedly razor sharp and crisp with those Fuji colors many of us adore. So until I get on in my hands for a while I can not judge but I did not really expect metal lens construction for $500-$600 nor did I expect the AF to blaze like a Nikon V1 (though I hoped for it). We shall see soon enough but NO camera is ever perfect.

I still have my body and all lenses pre-ordered and it is shipping next month so I am excited about this one.

You can see the X-Pro 1 body at B&H HERE. My guess is that pre-orders will open soon!

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95 Comments

  1. Why don’t the camera manufacturers build a decent compact camera? Something like a rangefinder style, it must have manual and aperture and priority settings. All this at a reasonable price, and not a silly over inflated price. The cameras out at the moment are very poor indeed, with the exception of the fuji x100 this is a nice little camera, but very poor video. Also the price is crazy, it should be about £200 in price, there is no need to be asking £700 for it.

    The Fuji x100 is too expensive

  2. Photography is not all about fast AF,high ISO or what ever you think it is. Stop complaining if you’re not a pro(not sayin i’am). And if you’re a pro,then probably you don’t have to read this,
    LET US ALL JUST TAKE PHOTOS.
    Life is simple,if you think this is for you,you have the budget, will suit your needs
    AND KNOW HOW TO COMPENSATE FOR THINGS IMPERFECTION,
    buy it. If not then don’t.

    Remember that it is you who will make the camera perfect…last thing..
    STOP BEING A MORON,DON’T JUST SHOOT.USE YOUR BRAIN.USE YOUR CAMERA.

    -LEARN.THINK.SHOOT-

  3. when i consider how good looking the x 100 is in black[i own it in “chrome’] it spotlights how aesthetically inferior the x pro ,,, ive been following the pro rumors and release info daily , and have read the instruction book pdf “cover to cover’…i wanted to love this camera

    i find the slope and, tilting by several degrees, shutter speed dial of the pro to be one of the oddest
    industrial design features in any modern camera , further the pro has a weight problem its chunky
    boxy form with a dented top leave me cold , why they didnt follow the wildly successful forms of the x10[ which i also own] and the x100 is beyond me

    going past the looks of the camera , its really time for Fuji with this 4th X series camera to get it together with focusing , as was pointed out above the gx1 and ep3 have hellish fast and extremely accurate autofocus…. Olympus bodies has image stabilization , that works [my ep1 stabilizes all my adapted rf and slr lenses] according to what i read in the instruction PDFs enlarging options for focusing adapter glass will not be adequate and further the sony and ricoh gxr focus peaking will not be featured in the fuji pro , a sad omission IMHO

    now with the price being so high i may upgrade my Olympus with an om pro before i get a third fuji …. just sayin.

  4. The Fujifilm x1 Pro looks interesting, but I’m disappointed to read it will have a focal plane shutter and not a leaf shutter. The real joy of the X100 has always been how discreet the camera is, the shutter is almost silent and I find this allows you to get close to your subject in quiet environments.

  5. My pentax limited primes are all full metal and have AF, I don’t know where people are getting the idea that modern primes have to be plastic.

  6. Hi Steve,

    Got an X100 which I love & learning to get the same quality of results out of it that I can get out of my D90 without thinking.

    X Pro1 looks really interesting but a question please. All the reviews I’ve seen of the X Pro 1 & most other mirrorless cameras seem to indicate that when the lens is removed the sensor is exposed. This is unlike a D90 or even an M9 where its still hidden behind the shutter. However careful I am I eventually end up with dust on the sensor which does not always come off with a Rocket Blower. Am I missing something & in your experience have you found dust on the sensor an issue with mirrorless cameras you’ve tried (or more of an issue than DSLRs)?

    Love the site – thanks Steve

    Andy

    • I sometimes have dust problems with the M9 but can say that I have never cleaned my M9 sensor once, ever. I just use a rocket blower and I don’t really worry about the dust. If I have speck or two I clone it out. Ive never had dust on any of the other mirror less cameras, at least any visible dust. Not sure how the Fuji will be in this regard but hope it is not an issue.

  7. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1012&thread=40311443

    Report with photo of X-Pro1 from CES by forumee using a release candidate (still not release version, just a candidate) X-Pro1.
    This glowing report makes me assume as I did already, the X-Pro1 Vlad tested and posted about (message 30) was not even release candidate.

    ”
    It definitely a winner!!
    Viewfinder: Super large and Bright bright bright!
    Auto Focus: Faster than the X100, X10, and certainly good for some nice “Street Photography”.
    I would say, auto focusing in “A’ mode was withing a second of focus to execution.
    99.9 percent of my shots were in ‘A’ Mode.(Which happens to lock when in A mode, so the dial cannot turn-all other shutter speeds selections did not lock-but dial is still nice and stiff)!
    what else,,,,Ah yes..Burst Mode! (my absolute favorite of any camera)
    Burst mode was 3 fps or 6fps..i kept it on 6 most of the time, but did try 3 fps.
    (Loved loved loved the speed, the consistency of exposures, sharpness, and felt
    6 is well enough for me.
    switching from optical to electronic was so easy! just like the X100.
    The viewfinder is a little bigger and brighter than X100.
    The shutter sound was so sexy and smooth (just like me
    The shutter sound was very very quiet..enough for shooting in wedding, and in quiet enviroments.
    Powering to shooting was with 1 to 2 seconds..so i was very pleased with that.
    Autofocusing was really fast! way faster than the X100 (the x100 was displayed right next to the x pro 1, and when i picked it up and tried to auto focus, i quickly noticed
    how much faster it was…but i really love how small and sexy the x100 is)
    There were 49 selectable focus points you can choose, by pressing “Focus” button on the left botton corner.
    The menu layout was God sent. very easy to select setting by a quick access “Q’ button, and Fnctn” key!
    ”

    “Sorry to sound as one said “giddy”,but i am excited about a camera i have
    been waiting since my first Leica M6!”

    “In my line of work, i have seconds to get the shot, and i felt after
    spending nearly 2 hours playing with the camera, that i can use it in my field.
    “

    • The camera I have tested was a release candidate as well.

      There`s a clear difference between a tester that wants to give info for the majority of buyers and a fanboy. Let`s try to keep things professional.

      Every technical aspect you quoted is absolutely true. Every OTHER aspect is subjective.

      There were only 2 things that could have been better:

      1. AF; speed was decent but the precision (using the viewfinder) wasn`t that good. (and there were two of us testing it at the same time)
      2. The shape is in dire need of a grip, or a leather case with a grip inside (like the ones Luigi makes for Leica – and not only)

      My conclusion was pretty clear:

      The camera is a winner for the majority of the shooters, and I`m sure an updated firmware will do wonders (possibly even for the AF).

      The whole system (with the other X-mount cameras and the lenses on the roadmap) is here to stay and mop the floor with the competition.
      🙂

      • “There`s a clear difference between a tester that wants to give info for the majority of buyers and a fanboy. Let`s try to keep things professional.”

        Are you saying that dpreview forumee I quoted is a fanboy. Do you have any proof for disparaging him. Else your opinion is well …
        The forumee adds “Im no blogger, or professional critic, but i have owned just about every system there is:
        Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Sony, Fuji, (im a straight “junkie”)”

        :

        You said
        “The whole system (with the other X-mount cameras and the lenses on the roadmap) is here to stay and mop the floor with the competition.”
        Cool.
        The forumee concurs
        “relax folks..i sacrificed my money and time, to fly out to Vegas see it, and i am not disappointed after going all the way there!.”

        :

        He adds
        “the lenses does have outer plastic, but the 35mm 1.4 doesnt feel cheap!
        the buffer is really nice! i keep shooting in burst mode, and the camera didnt pause
        to write like the X100 did, that i tested next to it.
        The focus was fast! ”
        (he said else where faster than X10 which I found a fast focusing camera, I posted a link on Steve’s X10 review successfully shooting ice hockey).

        :

        RE: AF
        You wrote
        “speed was decent but the precision (using the viewfinder) wasn`t that good. (and there were two of us testing it at the same time)”
        For precision AF you need to use EVF
        (also who uses a macro and landscape lens for fast af …
        to do af with such lenses and expect af precision? likewise with a 1.4).

        :

        “I`m sure an updated firmware will do wonders (possibly even for the AF).”
        As I have written already on here
        AF has a Lot to do with AF motor in the lens (messages 3,12,30)
        Macro, landscape needing fast AF? really ?
        f1.4 lenses are not made for fast af either ,more for precise focusing, other brands 1.4 af lenses are slow.

        :

        You and your friend testing the X-P1 with macro, landscape, f1.4 by expecting fast percise af from such lenses
        (when such lenses are known for precise manual focusing )
        are expecting the wrong thing.
        We can expect fast af motor in
        X zoom 18-72mm, 70-300mm.

    • Thanks for that. Two questions: 1) Can you compare the AF speed/behavior to the X100’s? 2) Maybe I missed it, but are the image samples in-camera JPGs? If so, a lot of that fringing is going to be corrected once Lightroom can handle the RAW files. The difference with correction on the X100 files is impressive, as is the difference between RAW and in-camera JPG. But then again, that’s more or less the case all the time.

      • 1. I`ve shot just a couple of times with the X100 so I can`t really compare them. As I said, I found the AF speed to be ok, but the sample I have tested missed focus more than I was expecting. (while using the viewfinder)

        2. In camera JPEGs exported form Lightroom (crop and the occasional EV compensation). There is no RAW converter at the moment so is was pointless shooting RAW. I think allot of people will buy the camera and never shoot in RAW mode, so the jpeg fringe might be bothering them. 🙂 Not all the customers are pro / semi-pro photographers with Camera Raw / Lightroom knowledge. 🙂

        • Thanks.

          Re: missing the mark on AF. I find using the X100 that best practice is to use the EVF when shooting at f2-4 to ensure you’re really focusing on what you think you are, but then use the OVF for f5.6 or above. Seems like that will be the best approach for XP1 too.

    • Hi

      Glad the OVF is nice
      Lots of people like EVFs too.

      1. This preprod X-P1 & lenses you had how far were they from release candidate
      (please note release candidate is still not release material, it is just a candidate)

      2. Were you using the macro lens & landscape lenses to test for fast af?
      As you know neither of such lenses are made for fast AF.
      X series zoom lenses due later (18-72,70-300) npw thoise we3 expect to have a fast af motor.
      35mm f1.4 now that I would expect to have decent AF since it is a normal lens useful for street.

      3. Each lens has a minimal focus distance. Going too close would be one cause of hunting.
      Moreover in a preprod firmware is still at beta.

      4. With regard to lens body, yes,the equivalent lenses of canikon are as plasticy yet rubber on focus ring stops them feeling totally plasticy.
      Fuji should have added this. There will be 3rd party focus ring rubber grips available as there is for canikon.

      5. Focus by wire … needed to keep noise down for video and to pass on lots of info to the hybrid vf.

      Really Fuji could have released two bodies one a totally manual focus FF (no lenses), the other apsc with af & mf (with lenses).

  10. “nor did I expect the AF to blaze like a Nikon V1 (though I hoped for it)”

    Sad that there is such low expectations here. There is no reason it shoudn’t be as fast.
    The NEX-7 is looking better all the time.

    • Well the NEX-7 doesn’t “blaze like a V1” either. The 7 is on par with the E-P3 and GX1 AF wise. But I had a few misses with it as well. (saying it was locked on my focus point but was clearly not). The V1 uses phase detect AF in good light, which speeds it up IMO. I didn’t expect the Fuji to be as fast as it uses only contrast detect, so that is why I said what I said.

  12. I’m wondering if the special edition is a hint that a revised version of the X100 is on the horizon. Perhaps the 16mp sensor from the Xpro1 and revisions to the LCD resolution, some of the control updates and so on?

  15. What? Revisions are very realistic. They have momentum, they clearly know this and know it can be lost. They have to improve. Which things they trade off is the key in terms of resourcing is the only question. Ergonomics and operational response times (startup, waking, menus, d-pad, buttons) is where you’ll find most of the improvements because they weren’t competitive…plus they basically are touting this, and which you can see here:

    http://www.dpreview.com/articles/9956270497/ces-2012-fujifilm-stand-report

    The EVF/OVF is still unique to them and a POD, so no change there would not surprise me. The AF in the video seems competent, if not super fast, and they know that if it is at least accurate in most situations people will put up with it – as they will with so so MF – because…

    They probably got IQ and optical quality NAILED because they know that this combined with the hybrid VF and form factor put them back on the map. And they did it with new sensor with an innovative array and (interesting for its class) no AA filter. They won’t squander this, one thinks.

    So, yes I thinks it’s revised. Heavily.

  16. I’d prefer Fuji to make a working one first rather than a black one!

    I bought mine in December – it had the latest firmware on, which suggested it was a recent batch and within 2000 shots the shutter started getting ‘sticky’. I read that they are replacing the lens assembly, and even replacements have been going wrong – that suggests to me a fundamental problem that Fuji hasn’t fixed and are just dealing with by replacement – they are also refusing to do a replacement if you aren’t the original owner, even if it is within warranty – poor show.

    Fortunately I was within 30 days or purchase and I sent mine back to Amazon for a refund, not replacement. I won’t be hurrying back to Fuji cameras! Such a shame as I love the camera and the images it can produce.

    • +1 same storry with my x100, bought it 2 months ago and it’s now in for “repair” of the stuck aperture blade, I absolute love shooting my x100,altough it has different little quirks (dof scale is’nt correct that was calculated for a 35 mm dx lens ,…),I can live with that but the aperture blade syndrome is unforgivable for me.I definetly won’t buy the fuji x1 pro, no matter how great it will be !

  17. For sure we need to wait for reviews to answer many of the questions this camera is raising.
    What impresses me is that Fuji see a future beyond the DSLR. They have listened to customer feed back which is rare in the camera industry. They appear to be putting together a progression of ideas and I feel that there are further interesting developments ahead from Fuji. It would not be unreasonable to expect a full frame version or a medium format camera in the future. This is quite some turn around for Fuji to have performed.

  18. Good comment. I had a 5dmkii and it was fine and accurate on the center AF point in particular. Not so much the outer, where the accuracy is not as good. Low light was lens dependent. But in general it’s fine.

    In general, the X100 is fine in good light and the accuracy like all modern CDAF is fantastic. If the light is dim, it can hunt a bit…find a bit of contrast and you’re good. But again in general it’s fine. It’s just not blazing like my epl3 was. The power up time is more an issue in my book.

    Frankly, for my style of shooting ALL the CDAF cameras are preferable, due to accuracy – I simply take fewer shots because it’s more reliable

  20. I have to assume when people say the autofocus isn’t the greatest, it’s purely subjective. I mean, I hear all the time how bad the autofocus is on the 5D MkII for instance and I think it’s fine. So I have to filter everything out when i hear of some new camera system and how it’s autofocus isn’t perfect.

    I don’t have nor have ever used the X100, but I hear about it’s bad autofocusing all the time…yet I see people’s work using the X100 and it’s nothing short of phenomenal. So are people’s demands and expectations for autofocus a bit overblown? Is the X100 really that bad?

  21. For me that got used to the X100 i was a bit put off by the focal plane shutter and it’s silly 1/180s flash sync, it is just sooo 1985. What where they thinking, designing a brand new camera system and all. I cannot see any reason beside price to not have both, use a leaf shutter in their own lenses and the focal plane shutter for other lenses and of course as dust protection when changing lens.

  22. Damn Fuji for making me lust after this thing so soon after buying my NEX-5n. Damn them to hell.

    • Dont know about anyone else, Im kinda lustin after a medium format, specifically the 120N by Holga.

      • LOL! I really like digital (and have way too many digicams to use), but none of them can beat a Holga 120N for pure atmosphere. 🙂

  23. I always tend to think of myself as a pretty discerning camera user, in terms of building quality, speed of use. And then I check out the comments on various sites about this camera (or the X100 for that matter, or pretty much any camera I’ve used) and it seems I accept sub-standard products, enjoy them, and make what I think are good photos with them. 🙂

    • Hahaha…right-on! When I read reviews of what I have been shooting for the last three years (Canon G 10) I must have been impressed with near unuseable junk. :-O

  24. AF & MF :
    It is possible different people have had slightly different versions of XP1 and or firmware.
    Hence endgadget say its fast,someone else says slow.

    Plasticky lens body metal innards : isnt that what nearly all to modern AF lenses are including Panaleica 25mm f1.4
    If X lenses were manual focus only then we could expect all metal.

    Gen2 VF : a preproduction model likely to be just that preproduction.

    “IQ is supposedly razor sharp and crisp ” & High iso eg 25600 reportedly blows everyone else away.

    Anyway …. there’s always the upcoming PenPro !

    • Can anyone imagine the weight and size of AFmotor needed in a full metal lens & how heavy this would make the lens & the noise it would make when trying to focus … exactly!

      And to drive this motor the serious oooomph required possible only in a large body as NikonD4.

      • I agree, but why did they state that lenses are in metal then ? This is confusing, it implies all metal.

    • Regardless of their true construction – what’s the problem?

      From an engineering point of view, not much difference between use of metal and plastic anyway. In most circumstances, plastic is more ‘forgiving’ than metal (absorbs shock better) and often more stable (metal tends to expand/contract more) in use.

      Nor does the use of all metal construction require ‘heft’ and ‘immense power. Correctly engineered, items weighing many hundreds or thousands of tons can be moved with only the lightest of touches from a finger …. it’s called non-friction engineering.

      Metal construction does not require huge power sources and/or heavy-duty engineering solutions either. I’m sure Fuji chose wisely – which ever substance they used!

    • I suspect the “complaint” is about the plastic lens barrel. The AF motor would not need to turn the lens barrel.

  25. It really seems to early to say that the AF has issues. No one has really shot with this thing, at least that’s talking about it. The one video I’ve seen from CES has the interview (who admits to being an X100 fan) saying that the AF seemed faster than the X100. Engadget updated their preview to say they tested AF in bright and low light and it found focus fine in each situation. Steve’s secondhand report seems to be the opposite. In short, we don’t know and are all scrambling for scraps of info. Patience.

    For my part, if AF is no slower than the X100, I’d be fine with that. Faster would be better for sure. But I can easily live with X100 AF speed. Focus, lock, recompose. No big deal.

    • Quote from the updated Engadget piece (some more scraps of info…): “We tested the autofocus system in a variety of lighting scenarios, and it performed equally well in both bright and low light, achieving focus in less than a second every time. We were only able to evaluate focus on-screen, however, since we were not permitted to take away the images we shot with the X-Pro1 prototype.”

      And the link for those who haven’t seen it: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/11/fujifilm-x-pro1-interchangeable-lens-camera-preview-video/

      • Less than a second does not tell us too much.There is an eternity between 0.9 and 0.1 seconds when you wait a camera to focus. The fact that they use the the language of “less than a second” suggests that AF is not blazingly fast or “immediate”.

        • Agree. Big difference in that second. However considering it was a comment made likely from the CES show floor and not formal testing, I doubt anyone can accurately judge anything between “immediate” AF lock and one second.

        • Sorry, meant to add: But you can certainly tell, for practical use, the difference between bright and dark situations and AF time.

    • My X100 certainly has no AF problems in normal – or even ‘abnormal’ use. Nor does it take ‘seconds’ to focus. I don’t think Fuji is aiming their cameras at the sports pro market.

      I’ve taken handheld X100 images in extreme interior low light (think virtually unlit/dim cellar light levels) that saw other camera users resorting to flash merely to get a useable image, much less achieve some form of AF lock.

      I dont anticipate the X-Pro1 to be either less well equipped or any slower than an X100. I think it odd that so many people ‘know’ what the camera is capable of but have never even handled it – or used it in real-time circumstances.

      Perhaps the critics should be buying/using all-singing, all-dancing DSLR models instead ….

  26. Bummer to hear that the AF has issues. That’s the one issue I am waiting to hear more real life feedback on. It sounds like it has the potential to be a deal breaker. I would think poor low light focusing would also comprimise it’s ability to serve the stated target market of wedding photographers. I can imagine they often find themsleves in poorly lit reception halls etc…

    Looking forward to your report,

    Kevin

    PS. I will still start saving money for this. I suffered with poor AF on my last rangefinder-ish camera (contax g1 – it required contrasting with a vertical orientation) so could probably make do with this.

    • Now, the Contax G1… That was slow AF. And you couldn’t really tell if you nailed focus until the film came back.

    • Fast AF in a macrolens …really ?
      Pray tell how one catches insects in macro using AF

      (sorry to poke fun …just had to be done, though Im not poking fun at you ,just at the notion of fast AF macro)

      Fast AF wide angle 18mm (27mm)
      So the landscapes gonna move we gotta focus track it ?
      (granted there are other uses for a 27mm)

      Fast AF 35mm (53mm) F1.4 so for shallow dof at F1.4 we dont want critical accurate focus
      just spray & pray ?
      Seriously the uses of a fast AF 50mm is only in some scenarios.

      • Pretty sure I didn’t say fast but maybe I implied it. I was more thinking along the lines of accurate and decisive vs. hunting around in low light. The Contax G1 I referred to did that. Actually, my D300s will do that if I turn the AF assist light off… I guess I’m thinking that if the AF has a tendency to hunt around for focus, I may hold off on this camera – no matter how badly I want it.

        Kevin

        PS. Also, good points about the the three lenses. Likely this is a non issue.

  27. This just cements my decision to stick with the micro four thirds system and get a GX1 rather then dump it all for an NEX-7 or wait for what Fuji came up with. I won’t get into the GX1 vs. EP-3 debate here (though you might get a little volley from me on that blog) but I think you’ll agree, Steve, that the micro four thrids is a “Goldilocks” system.

    Everything is just right. The sensor’s big enough for supurb IQ, low light shots, and narrow DOF, but not so big as to necessitate big lenses. The bodies are small enough to be portable, but big enough to handle well. The AF is as fast as you could reasonably hope for. and every modes has an extensive feature set. A wide range of lenses and bodies to meet any budget, and with two major companies manufacturing the same system, that trend will only continue. Even if the X-Pro is as good as everyone hopes it is, I still wouldn’t choose it over my GX1. It’s just too danm big, and with that big sensor, the lenses will always be big, just like the Sonys and Samsungs. It’s also way too expensive (and no diopter? Come on!). I wouldn’t expect any new camera to have faster AF then my GX1 either. Even if the Nikon is faster, it can’t be by much, and with that small sensor, I’ll pass.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m drooling over the X-Pro (and the X-100 and NEX-7 for that matter) but I literally have my GX1 around my neck at all times everywhere I go. Even places where people typically don’t like cameras they tend to ignore it. I don’t see myself doing that with the larger systems, not every day.

    My cousin is a beginner, and she wants to get a compact EVIL but doesn’t want to spend more the $700 or so, so she asked my advice. Even with my already high opinion, I’m amazed at how many options there are. The G3, GF2 & 3, the EP-Ls, E-PM, even an old GF-1 or EP-L, all are fantastic starter cameras, and you can decide how important EVFs, flip screens, mode dials, and hot shoes are to you.

    Other systems may be better at certain things, but the micro four thirds do everything well, and nothing badly. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, and they’re good for any situation, and that’s why they’re the best.

    • I agree with everything you say. What you are describing is a COMPLETE (and growing) system. I recently sold my GF1 and bought a GX1 and G3 (as a second body). The speed and the fluidity of the GX1 is incredible. Fuji can’t come close to that. I have from fisheye to 350mm in a tiny bag. MFT doesn’t have everything (I also use a FF DSLR…I have to have both). but none of the mirroless camera have everything…but MFT is robust and more importantly…a camera I WANT to take with me everywhere. So useable. That is hard to put on a spec sheet. I think the sensors will get better with time to..but they are very capable now in capable hands. ( I dig the Fuji, too…but I am happy with the decisions I have made).
      Perhaps when the Fuji develops into a more robust system and adresses some of the things that are lacking I can revaluate it. I need a fast fluid camera with a wide range of lens choices.

  28. boys /girls ….didnt you hear fuji announced a M mount converter will be available ….for this gadget !!!! yay ,
    so besides the point someone already noticed many short comings for this camera ….you think fuji is going to have enough brains to start working on solution to these problems before this camera starts shipping ? my guess is HELL NO !!! lol……, and again im passing on this camera !!!

  30. I am interested in the XP1 camera…but I am totally in no hurry. I have been a fan of Fuji products my whole live, film and used their view camera lenses for years…but after the x100 hype and all of the snigletts that the camera embodies…(I am glad I waited there and did not buy), I am just going to sit on the side lines for about a year and keep using my FF DSLR and my MFT cameras for now. I want to see the XP1 reviewed properly and I also want to see what Canon and Leica come up with in the mirrorless world.
    Thanks for posting REAL INFO, Steve.

  31. I always love back cameras.. in fact all of them are black… exept for the X100 that I think looks better in silver… I rather go for the Xpro 1 than the Black X100… its just a matter of taste.

    • Does anyone else think that Fuji knew what it was doing when they named this camera the SEX100?

  32. I would expect that the X-pro 1 is basically an X100 with interchangeable lenses. Hoping for major revisions is unrealistic.

  34. If those lenses are in plastic so it sounds bad… Fuji do something solid as contax g lenses nor zeiss. You did with the tx-1!!! Come on Fuji!!!!

    And it is just a aps-c… Too bad :/

    • If it was an all metal would need a steam engine to AF
      the clank it would make.

      Top AF current primes are outer plastic (canikon olypan,samhung, sonypen).

      APS-C business decision.
      FF body & lenses too much of a financial gamble due to their high sale price.
      Medium Format less of a gamble as Fuji already have lineup of Hassy H series.

      • Full frame only matters if you have a range of FF lenses, of specific focal length, you do not wish to lose or discard – APS, with ‘matched’ lenses is not necessarily ‘inferior’ to full-frame – recent technology development has proved this.

        Fuji wants to sell Fuji lenses – not their concern if Leica lenses or other FF lenses (with their specific focal length relationships) do not fit. Nor the fact that Leica fanboys will sit around for years until their beloved company finally decides to sell them a lens, or FF body, at vastly over-inflated prices.

        If that is avoiding a ‘financial gamble’ …. then I think Fuji have made the correct choice.

        You are aware that Fuji is a large, profitable, multi-national media/electronics company with a long track record of ‘correct’ financial marketing decisions …. right?

        The company that virtually wiped out the dominance of Kodak (and many, many others) in the film sector …. right?

    • “And it is just a aps-c… Too bad :/”
      I agree !

      What amazes me the most it’s that some people claim it’s a choice for not to make too expensive cameras… All the companies that sale a lot of APS-C should thanks them for that because in fact it’s a way cheaper to produce (and making lens for), so to make higher profits !

      The Fuji X-pro1 looks like a kind of finepix bridge camera with APS-C sensor (even if it’ll be very good for sure) disguised in a rangefinder style body with interchangeable lenses !
      The x0.60 magnification of the hybrid finder won’t be enough for 50mm lenses and longer, frames ‘ll be very small…
      For wide focal length till 35mm, I think the AF even if it’s quite slow will be enough, but for longer lenses……

      • Leica M9 ovf is 0.62x magnification.

        AF speed depends more on the lens
        eg EP1 lens on EP3 body is sloow.
        Longer lenses have more powerful AF motor in the body.
        X zoom lenses will have a more powerful AFmotor.

        :

        Really Fuji could have released two bodies one a totally manual focus FF (no lenses),
        the other apsc with af & mf (with lenses).

  35. Sad to hear about the XP1’s shortcomings. Reports I have heard did say that although the Manual focus isn’t optimal, it is still a major step up from the X100.

    I had not heard about the plasticness of the lenses. In fact in all these new CES hands on videos people tend to say that they have a solid metal construction so that is a bit perplexing to me….

    We shall see!

    • Thing is I get the feeling beta testers, hands on previewers seem to have momentarily forgotten
      AF speed depends A LOT on the lens (eg. canikon prolenses, EP3 lens, V1J1 lens)

      Macro needing fast AF?
      Windeangle landscape needing fast AF?
      1.4 prime needing fast AF?

      Really ?

      Only the 35mm (53mm) f1.4 may need fast af in some scenarios.

      Fast AF more needed on the telephoto zooms due later this year & next

      :

      Manual Focus by wire : if as Leica Digilux2 it will be fine.

      :

      Lens construction :AF primes these days are plastic outside. Only fully manual focus are all metal.

      • > Windeangle landscape needing fast AF?
        > 1.4 prime needing fast AF?

        That and/or fast MF. (Not necessarily for landscapes but pretty much everything else.)

      • You right, man. Macro doesn`t need fast AF. You can hypnotise fluttering butterfly to slow down. As well as 1.4 prime doesn`t need fast AF. After all it has so great DOF at 1.4, especially at close distances that it will compensate for slow AF.

      • Let’s not start the excuse-making for what should be standard performance.

        It seems like Fuji got greedy. They saw the sales potential post-X100 introduction and decided to go for it. Either that or they deeply believe that the target audience doesn’t care about focusing. Or maybe the preliminary reports are wrong.

        Either way, the performance should not be worse than the Panasonic or Olympus Micro 4/3 models.

        Cheers!

        • +1
          “Let’s not start the excuse-making for what should be standard performance.”

          I don’t really care about AF performances, but at least if performances are not that good, sell it at the right price…

        • “Either way, the performance should not be worse than the Panasonic or Olympus Micro 4/3 models.”

          The Panasonic GX-1 has one of the fastest AF on market right now, beating many top DSLRs. We can only hope Fuji matches it.

        • A basic understanding of cdaf (as I have) is enough to realise such a statement is hogwash for an apsc sensor with cdaf.

          Now Fuji could have tried to include hybrid cdaf pdaf (as on V1J1),but seeing as Fuji designed a new sensor they would have found it difficult to do it for now. Fuji have said they are considering pdaf for future X.

          As regards greed ,every manufacturing industry and many service industries are then guilty of greed.

          I do agree however, given what we know the body should be around $1300, current lenses around $400. Body & one lens at $1500.

          • funny when you say greedy… have you heard of the leica X1 worth $1995 with slow AF, only f2.8 and non interchangaeble len and compared to the XP1, have a sub-par sensor? Now, that is greedy.

      • my 12mm f2 olympus lens is not only of all metal construction buti t has a stop at near and infinity focus rather than an endlessly spinning focus wheel , further it has engraved dof info and focus scale

    • Check out the camera in operation here:

      http://www.dpreview.com/articles/9956270497/ces-2012-fujifilm-stand-report

      AF and operation seem reasonable in an controlled environment – not blazing – but a many increments better than the X100…Q menu seems sensible at a glance. My X100 pet peeve – start up time (and hopefully waking) much improved. Doesn’t freeze camera while writing to cards, you can shoot and change settings.

      And they will work on improving this to the minute. Let’s face it, it won’t be perfect but there is nothing else like it and you can tell these folks are working hard to make a difference. I expect to see a few bugs, and if the IQ is there like the X100, I will put up with it and trust they will address. Why? Because I like the form factor and no one else has it. If they don’t succeed, it’s likely we won’t see anything like this again (at least from a major manufacturer). And I like the skin tones!

      I mean who puts unretouched product shots up on a website (camera has dust on it) like I saw on Monday? With spotty translations? A company that is rushing.

  36. Is 10k a small amount? Does anyone know of total silver x100’s produced and sold at all? Makes me wonder if the black one is going to be all that scarse…

    • Relatively speaking, yes. There is a regional cell phone distributor in the US that moves 20k cell phones per week … So 10k cameras worldwide seems like a small number when you think about the potential number of customers.

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