Related Articles

63 Comments

  2. If I was in the market for a new camera system and ready to spend serious money, I’d chose a used M9 for some USD 5000 and start slowly building an m-lens line up (used older Leica lenses, CV, ZM) rather than choosing the Fuji. As others said, USD 1700 for an aps-c sensor camera body, which will loose value quickly, is quite steep. An M9 will loose value as well, but not Leica m-lenses, unlike the new Fuji glass which can only be used with Fuji cameras.

    • And you’re right. APS-C for 1700 bucks is nearly criminal. Naming it “Pro” is as well. Of course, it won’t be a bad camera, but that’s because there are no really bad cameras anymore when you pay US$ 600-700 or more. I encourage people to look into a used M9 (or a used M8 – far larger APS-H sensor than APS-C and, yes, nearly six years old!) than this so-called “Pro” model Fuji wants you to believe. It’s not. At the most, it’s just a nice camera. But you don’t want nice, you want great!

      • “I’d chose a used M9 for some USD 5000 and start slowly building an m-lens line up ”

        “I encourage people to look into a used M9…”

        So the position the two of you are taking is that if people just spend 3 times as much for a used M9+glass, they will get a better camera.

        That’s a pretty radical position for you to take. Way to go out on a limb.

      • I had to read it twice – so you’re suggesting to buy 3 years old camera which can’t shoot above ISO2500 and costs much more? — rolleyes —

        how about, if money isn’t a problem and you are M system owner:
        – buy X-Pro1 until there’s new FF body from Leica (they should announce 2 later this year which would probably mean deliveries in 2013)

  4. The X “Pro” (it’s not a professional camera!) will be obsolete six months from now, when Fuji launches the #2 version or Sony the Nex-13 or any other mediocre camera brand. It surprises me how enthusiastic people can get from APS-C sensors and all the bells & whistles included in cameras, which are basically computers that take photographs. The next big thing: A camera that shoots automatically. Yes, dear readers, you don’t even have to press a button. The computer does it all. And it even chooses between photos or video automatically. Wow! Even the wives can be happy then. On a more serious note: Medium and large format cameras are REAL cameras. A Leica MP is a real one. An M9 is a real one. The trend is to try and capture the hearts of retro style camera lovers. Fuji, in particular, rips off the Leica M camera look blatantly and even get applauded for it. I wouldn’t hesitate getting the X “Pro” immediately if you think it’s cool to carry around or if you’re convinced the IQ is stellar. But I would recommend using your common sense, test the camera in a shop when it’s available, read serious reviews, but most of all… find out if this is the camera you’re willing to spend approx. US$ 3000 on (including lenses and accessories).

    • I agree M9 is a real camera but do you really think the price is also justified? Their lens no doubt but for the body, most of the price comes from it’s “Leica” name.

    • Hey, my Sony A-55 has been shooting automatically since I bought it 😉

      Smile-shutter! It took a few months before I found a use for it, but I put it on top of the fridge when I was hosting a small party, and just left it there for 15 minutes. Hilarity ensued.

      Maybe not a tool for the serious and professional photographer. But for the rest of us, there’s always some sort of fun that can be had from pretty much everything.

    • “Fuji, in particular, rips off the Leica M camera look blatantly and even get applauded for it.”

      This is, to be polite, a pile of horsefeathers. Fuji has a 60 year history of building rangefinder cameras. Google “Fujjica 35-ML”, “Fujica 35-SE”, or just “Fujica rangefinder” for the roots of the X100 and X1 Pro.

      In any case, all “rangefinder” cameras look like rangefinder cameras, just as all dslrs look like dslrs. No need to accuse anyone ripping off the shape.

  6. X-P1 vs NEX7

    If the joy of classic photoing experience does not matter and need res : no brainer Nex7.
    If enthusiast Nex7.

    Pro shoot sorry just cant see Nex7 taken seriously.
    XP1 as in the name a serious product aimed at pros who want to be taken seriously.

    (Also aimed at enthusiasts who like a classic photoing experience).

    • Yes the NEX camera won’t be taken seriously by clients that hire photographers for their camera but for those photographers that market their vision they can use any camera. Vision based photographers will also be in business longer then “guy with a camera” technical shooters.

      • For an established pro any camera the pro turns up with for an established client will trust the pro.
        For a pro non established or for a client who has not yet come to trust the pro, yes camera can matter.

        Some clients also have a preference for what camera they wish to be photographed with professionally.
        We have seen it on this site, Seal’s photos take by Steve on a M9.
        We know what Seal feels about the fuji x100 !

        …

        My current favorite camera is a medium format … the 120N by Holga 🙂

        With the imminent announcement of OMD, i have wanted to post an article steve’s site om1+ silver nose 50mmf1.4 with ilford hp5 & kodak ektar.

        ..

        • You’re not wrong… 😉 But most of the time the client also (should) choose you because of your work (if your prices are right of course…).

          “With the imminent announcement of OMD, i have wanted to post an article steve’s site om1+ silver nose 50mmf1.4 with ilford hp5 & kodak ektar.”

          Yes, it’d be interesting, you should !…

          ps: hp5 in rodinal is beautiful..

  7. Am I the only person on here who has used up all his “camera buying” goodwill at home……I will be letting this one go, but following with interest.

    • Same thing for me…
      I’m always astonished with all the people that pre-order and buy cameras (and here new system…) of such a pirce just after seeing some really bad Fuji videos and a very few (not that good) image samples on blogs….
      I’ll wait for serious reviews to make a real idea of this camera and not on marketing !

      • Well, since my wife hates using my m8 I was able to get a little more goodwill to pre order this.

        As for why I would pre order something like this, B&H has a great return policy and I’d much rather evaluate something myself than rely on mtf charts and static test subjects. If the camera feels good in hand, handles controls well, and my wife can actually pick it up and use it, then the m8 is up for sale. While I love the output of the m8 under ideal lighting conditions and 160 ISO, I have no doubt that the fujifilm will be able to outperform a 7-8 year old sensor in almost every situation.

        If the wife likes it enough, I MIGHT be able to convince her to let me keep both cameras haha.

        • Ok I understand your position… 😉
          You know, in Europe is not as easy to return such a purchase…

          I think that, this camera will be interesting over the M8 (if you already got M lenses) for pictures above 320 isos… But it’ll be not as good as a rangefinder for manual focusing, above all with fast lenses…

          I wish you to keep both, I’ve sold my M8 more than a year ago and I miss it sometimes even if I kept my analogs M…

        • +1 on B&H (and Adorama)

          Be aware that on Amazon, the return policy depends on who “fulfills” the order.

          I had to send an email explaining why I wanted to return the item, and now they’re thinking about it.

          I think for major purchases I’ll be sticking to the big two from now on.

          • WHen buying from AMAZON ONLY BUY from AMAZON or products fulfilled by Amazon. Amazon has THE BEST return policy of ANY online shop. Period. But you must buy the item from them, not a third party. Never ever buy from a third party. When Amazon fulfills the order you can return anything for any reason, and they always have refunded me the day they received my product back. Same day. I actually returned an Item to them on Monday, they received it yesterday, refunded me yesterday and it already showed up in my Bank acct today. That is good. Over Xmas I returned an item and they refunded me as soon as UPS scanned the label when I dropped it off. So don’t be afraid of Amazon. No one else is offering the X-Pro 1 there yet, and all pre-orders are from Amazon directly. No worries.

          • Yes, I should have been more clear about that. Amazon itself is very good about returns.

            When I bought this item, I didn’t notice that it was being fulfilled by someone else, and didn’t know that the rules for those other “fulfillers” are not necessarily the same as Amazon’s rules.

  8. I ordered from Adorama around 2PM PAC. Just got an email that said my order will be back-ordered. Does anyone have experience with this; is it because they don’t have the camera yet? Or is it because they have already pre-sold their first allotment?

    Any clarification would be appreciated:)

  9. Hmmm spend 2500 for a used M8 so I can use my old Leica glass or spend 2300 for this brand spanking new Fuji with a 35/1.4 and who’s three launch lenses are pretty much the FL’s I use anyways? Decisions, decisions….

    • Don’t forget that after awhile an adapter will come out and you can still use your leica lenses.

  10. $2300. Ouch. Probably worth it, but the price takes it way out of the casual purchase range for me. I’ll have to sell some stuff to buy it, and I’m not inclined to do that until I’ve seen some reviews.

    I really hope it’s as good as it looks.

  11. Steve,

    Have any news about the upcoming APS-C mirrorless Pentax (with built-in EVF) come your way?!

  12. Your reviews of this Fuji camera and the promised OM-D (and comparisons) are most welcome. Thanks for all you do.

  14. Doesn’t that thing look like a modern age (not forced retro) Leica M should? A handgrip!! And a nod and a handshake to DSLR design (Canon mostly) with the sloping dials. Great! Whatever next? 🙂

  16. Unfortunately not from amazon Italy…
    Does anybody knows about any site delivering to Italy also?

  17. Thanks for the heads up Steve. I happily just pre-ordered the body and lenses. Hopefully this kit will be a nice compliment to the M9-P.

  19. They have the lenses up. I have the x1 and nex 7 on preorder and will have to decide which to keep now.

  21. Hi Steve,
    We need to see ISO comparisons between NEX 7 and X-Pro1. Fuji just posted some disappointing sample shots.

    • “Bengt Nyman says:
      January 31, 2012 at 12:24 pm

      Hi Steve,
      We need to see ISO comparisons between NEX 7 and X-Pro1. Fuji just posted some disappointing sample shots.”

      Huuuhhh? I think you’re about the only human that saw those (I assume you’re talking about the shots taken by the Aussie folks, some of which were at 6400 iso) and thought they were “disappointing” as far as ISO. But go ahead and tear down your straw man for Sony (or Nikon/Canon/Oly/Panny, et al)

  22. Well seeing as the price hasn’t changed, I guess I’m going to cancel my original January 8th pre-order, that’s a real bummer. Thanks for the heads-up Steve, but the NEX-7 (also on pre-order) will definitely present a better value proposition.

    • I *think* the price for the 60mm was 699 when originally up for pre-order, and is now down to $649.
      But yeah, not much different

      • Actually the 60mm was $599 now is $649.
        35mm and 18mm were $499 now are $599 I don’t know if Amazon will honer the old price or they will contact us for more $$$. Anybody knows?

  25. Steve, FYI when I click on the link here I get a ‘permission denied’ message from Amazon, but when I search for it on Amazon I get to the pre-order page. Looks like you’ve got some wonky code in the link or something else wrong.

  26. Steve,

    Your link is slightly messed up. I was able to order it, but I had to edit the link first.

    Thanks for the post. Once again, you are the first source of the info I need. When are you coming back to Chicago?

    Regards, Michael

Comments are closed.