Fujifilm 16 Megapixels X-Pro1 Compact Review by LuminousLandscape

On January 9 2012, Fujifilm announced the X-Pro1, which is a new compact system camera sporting a 16 Megapixels APS-C sized X-Trans CMOS sensor, Hybrid Multi Viewfinder and a new X lens mount. The camera, which is made in Japan, features a magnesium alloy chassis and aluminum top and bottom plates for superior durability. The Fuji X-Trans CMOS sensor uses a larger 6-by-6 pattern, which allows for more random placement of red, green, and blue photosensors. This mimics the natural analog makeup of photographic film, and allows fine detail to be captured without introducing moire. The X-Pro1 has several film emulation modes built-in, mimicking the look and feel of such classic Fuji slide stock as Velvia, Astia, and Provia. The X-Pro1 is also capable of recording video in 1080p resolution. A mini HDMI port will make it possible to watch the video directly on an HDTV.

Designed specifically to maximize the design mirrorless of the body, X-mount flange has a short distance posterior to the sensor plane, equal to only 17.7 mm. This means that the rear lens as close as possible to the sensor. The wide opening allows you to attach the lens deeper inside the body - up to about 7.5 mm from the mounting surface - minimizing the distance of back focus of each lens for high resolution to the edge of the image. The Hybrid Multi Viewfinder works similarly to the hybrid opto-electronic finder found on the X100, except that it also offers variable magnification to match lenses of any focal length. The camera comes with a traditional shutter speed dial and a recessed exposure compensation control that is precision milled from solid metal. The Fujifilm X-Pro1 body is listed for retail at $1,699 and the Raw converter software from Silkypix will be included with this price. You can find more camera details at the X-Pro1 special site here. Here's the summary of review by LuminousLandscape:

"There are four things about the X-Pro1 that are so frustrating and ridiculous that it makes you wonder how they possibly could have happened on purpose. Useless Auto-ISO - The first red-flag area is Fuji's inane implementation of the auto-ISO mode.  You cannot select the minimum shutters-speed at which the camera moves to the next increment of ISO.  You read that correctly.  The camera has a default speed built-in, based on a number chosen randomly from a hat at the Fuji summer solstice party last June. That number is 1/52th of a second with the 35mm lens.  I kid you not.  This all seems very amusing until you start losing shots to motion blur and realize that auto ISO -- the most useful feature on a camera with such amazing high ISO -- has been rendered functionally useless. While this may not be a major consideration for landscape work, for any of the traditional street or travel photography applications in which RF cameras excelled, the ability to instantly contend with vast lighting differentials is crucial. Just as IQ with the 35mm f/1.4 alone might lead me to buy the camera, the lack of usable auto-ISO might stop me. Now the good news: this should be a fairly easy firmware fix.  Even better, Fuji has had a history of listening to customers, so there is a good chance this flaw will be addressed.  

What? You Wanna Change Your Focus Point? As I said above, the successful implementation of multiple, user-selectable focus points in a rangefinder-style camera is technical coup, and wonderful for photographers.  Unfortunately, what Fuji giveth with good engineering, it taketh away with bad user-interface. Image if you will, having the X-Pro1 to your eye as you follow the unfolding of a photogenic scene before you.  "My", you say to yourself, "I would like to change my focus point to the upper right hand corner of the screen."  So, naturally, while keeping the camera to your eye, you reach for  the "AF".  And then it all goes horrible wrong. Instead of pressing the AF button, you shove your left thumb up your nose. Almost as much fun, but not quite as useful. The problem is that the "AF" button is at the back bottom left side of the camera, operable only with a left-hand AWOL from its muster-station steadying the lens...and pretty much in-line with where the user's nose touches the camera.  The FIX for this is to allow focus point selection to be triggered by the "FN" button atop the camera - it sits right there, just a stone's throw away from the shutter button - and for the quick control wheel to then allow one to scroll through the focus points (rather than using the more awkward 4-way controller).

No review histogram - The next issue is also a programming/UI problem. Specifically, it is not possible to have the camera display a histogram in the instant review image of the frame just shot.  To see a histogram, one must stop shooting and go to the playback mode. WTF??? Adjusting for optimum exposure, through the review histogram, is as core a part of digital photography as pressing the shutter button. This omission is inexplicable. The good news, again, is that this should be fixable through firmware. This a major omission, easily remedied. RAW Processing (or the lack of it) - The X-Pro1 produces yet another accursed proprietary file. And Lightroom does not support it, because Fuji has not cooperated with the resident RAW processing geniuses at Adobe to make it happen.  This is kind of a disaster.  No one on the planet likes or uses the camera-makers' software.  The market has spoken, and there are only two RAW processors: Lightroom and Capture One. For a camera to be usable by serious photographers, there simply has to be RAW support on these processing platforms. Please, please, please FUJI, cooperate with Adobe and Phase One, ASAP to make this happen."