Fujifilm X-Pro1 – flagship of the X-range

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Fuji has joined the compact system market and expanded its X range with a classically styled camera that promises to rival high-end DSLRs.

Fujifilm tells us that its FinePix X100 has been far more popular than the company expected, with annual sales targets exceeded just nine months after launch. The 100 that followed just a few months ago provided a less expensive and more consumer-friendly alternative, and scored very highly in our test. As we wrote early, though, our ideal camera would be a refined X100 with removable lenses. It seems that the designers at Fuji were on the same wavelength, and just nine days into the New Year the X-Pro1 was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, USA.

As its name suggests, the X-Pro1 is the flagship of the X-range. It sits above the X10, X-S1 and X100 models, and has been in development for at least two years, according to Fuji. When Fuji announced its intention to enter the compact system camera market in late 2011, rumours mounted that the company might opt to use the smaller-format sensor of the X10 for its interchangeable-lens camera. Thankfully, though, this has proved not to be the case.

The X-Pro1 features an APS-C-sized sensor that has a 1.5x magnification factor on 35mm. This sensor is a brand-new 16-million-pixel CMOS device that, instead of the traditional Bayer pattern of photo pixels, uses a new colour filter known as X-Trans CMOS. The arrangement is designed to act more like film, with a random arrangement of colours, although each line will contain red, green and blue photosites While this arrangement is designed to eradicate the moire pattern and eliminate the need for a low-pass filter, we do not yet know whether an infrared filter is still in place. Fuji claims that the benefit of this new arrangement and lack of low-pass filter will allow the sensor to resolve more detail than the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Nikon D7000, which is a bold claim.

With both the processor and AF system being brand new in this camera, we hope to see some improvement in operating speed compared with the X10 and X100 models. However, the version I tried was still a very early sample so it could not be used to judge these features.

Although this camera focuses on simple manual-exposure modes, it still contains the dynamic range controls of the X100 and Fujifilm’s branded colour modes for specific film reproduction. It also features a multi-exposure mode that allows you to superimpose the first image and your composition using the live view screen.

LENSES

The new Fuji X-mount has a flange depth of a mere 17.7mm and is currently compatible with three new prime Fujinon lenses: an 18mm f/2R (27mm equivalent) priced around $550, a 35mm f/1.4R (53mm equivalent) price $600 and a 60mm f/2.4R Macro (90mm equivalent) price $600. All three lenses feature manual aperture rings for operation, hence their R denomination. The lenses cover the main bases and we expect others to appear in the future. There are also plans to introduce a zoom lens at a later date.

The lenses use a circular moulded blade, rather than a pressed metal type, which Fuji claims provides a more accurate and a smoother, more rounded aperture. There is no image stabilisation in either the camera or these prime lenses, although the zoom is expected to feature optical stabilisation when launched and not feature an aperture ring. With such a shallow flange depth, a wide assortment of lenses can be attached to the X-Pro1 via lens adapters. While there is currently no word on whether Fuji will produce any adapters of its own for other mounts, I’m sure it won’t be long before the likes of Novaflex and SRB come up with third-party versions. The most popular of these is likely to be a Leica M-mount adapter.

VIEWFINDER

The camera’s viewfinder is a hybrid device with electronic and optical view options similar to that of the X100 with a 1,4-million-dot resolution electronic display. The optical view provides framing marks for the 18mm and 35mm lenses, which are displayed when the lens is attached and recognised. When the 60mm lens is attached, an additional lens slides in front of the viewfinder to magnify the view by 0.6x and show the correct framing. While this is a clever system, a fully zooming optical system would have given greater flexibility for future lenses and zoom models.

BUILD

The camera’s body is noticeably larger than that of the X100, and seems to be more in line with the Leica M9 both in size and weight with magnesium die-cast top cover. The button layout is very similar to the X100, but with a slight adjustment to the rear dial to give a proper fully turning thumb control, and the addition of a quick menu button that accesses a quick-shooting menu for all the main controls. The top Fn button is customisable for a range of functions, while the shutter speed dial now has a central lock button and the exposure compensation has been moved further in to the body. The rear screen is a new 3in unit that is expected to have a 460,000-dot resolution, which is slightly disappointing considering the rest of this camera’s specification. The main menu has a new graphical user interface (GUI) with more tabs to divide the features, which Fuji hopes will make features easier to find.

Among the many accessories already planned for this camera are screw-thread filters in 52mm for the wide and regular prime lenses and 39mm for the macro. In addition to the two existing flashguns available for the X-range, a third flash will be made available plus an extra grip to allow more purchase on the camera.

The X-Pro1 is scarily close to our vision of the ideal camera, mainly because it shares so much with the X100 and takes inspiration from classic rangefinders for its design and operation. If past X-series cameras are anything to go by – and if it lives up to what we’ve seen so far – this model should be a massive success.

Although a price has not yet been confirmed, we expect the camera to sell for around $1,200 (body only). This price is comparable with the Sony NEX-7 and a lot cheaper than a Leica M9. The X-Pro1 should make its debut at the Focus on Imaging show in March and will be on sale shortly after.

Tags: Featured, Fujifilm, X-Pro1

Category: Gear