Personal ramblings on photography
As I mentioned back last April, my X-Pro1 failed badly.
It cost me over CAD$600 but I got it back from Fujifilm a week or so after. Kudos to Fujifilm service. At the same time they cleaned up the camera and replaced the back screen glass that had a scratch as well as some of the body.
But 2016 hasn’t been very photographic for me as I haven’t really taken a lot of pictures. I used to carry my camera bag to work, and this year I didn’t. Nor did I post here.
Last Saturday as I was wandering around in a park in Laval, QC (northern suburb of Montréal) my X-Pro1 decided to stop working, shutter stuck closed — the camera turn on but doesn’t respond to anything ; it will respond to the firmware flash mode triggered by [DISP] + power on. A quick search lead to other people with the same problem and with a a claim of a $500~$800 (USD?) servicing cost. When a X-Pro2 cost CAD$2000, it might be a no-brainer.
The camera is now in the shop, in the hands of Fujifilm Canada technicians, and I should know soon.
In the mean time, back to shooting with the Canon 5DMkII. It is even more sad that my 2005 Canon 20D still work.
Our friends at DigitalRev TV went to the Fujifilm factory tour. Let’s watch it:
DPReview went to the Fujifilm factory in Sendai. In pictures.
Bad news, Fujifilm Announces Big Worldwide Price Hike on Film according to PetaPixel:
This latest price hike will hit your wallet pretty hard — hence the dedicated announcement.
“The price increases are substantial and it would be an increase of at least double digit, but will vary depending on products, markets and regions” Fuji says. You can expect to see the price tags change starting this month.
An increase of about 10% in the us (archived link) according to Fujifilm USA.
Some people suggested to buy anything but Fujifilm. If only they were not the only one in some market segments.
The Verge shows us how Fujifilm makes the X-Pro2 and camera lenses in Japan:
I didn’t really know how they were put together. The answer, it turns out, is that they’re not assembled by robots, but by actual humans with a lot of work and care.
A fascinating photo essay.
ephotozine tells about the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 Design, Prototypes, and Manufacture, another view of the manufacturing and also the evolution of the physical design of the prototypes, showing different tests on the controls layout. They also follow up with their own Fujifilm X-Pro 2 First Impressions Review which is not very optimistic on the battery life.
Marius Masalar Fujifilm X-Pro2 review, based on a pre-production model with more close up picture of the body:
I’ve been waiting for the camera that takes everything I love about the X100T and expands the shooting envelope enough to make it viable for work as well as pleasure. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that it’s Fuji who ultimately delivered it in the form of the X-Pro 2.
After reading that, the X-Pro2 is even more tempting than before.
Fuji has been celebrating the 5 years of Fuji X, a line they started with the release of the Fujifilm X-100.
Yesterday, Fujifilm officially announced the X-Pro2, the successor of the X-Pro1 that was released in April 2012 and boostrapped the Fuji X-system and introduced the X-Trans sensor. I bought the X-Pro1 sight unseen and didn’t regret it, despite its flaws and quirks.
The X-system has since evolved, between the X-E bodies (cheaper X-Pro1) and X-T (improved EVF only bodies) and the range if new high quality lenses, into a really high quality mirrorless photographic system. Fujifilm has followed-up from customer feedback and managed to provide serious improvements for the various through firmware updates for the existing model — something we have yet to see from most of the competition. And it is happening again with the X-E2 getting improvement from X-E2s.
The X-Pro2
I don’t have the privilege to have access to this camera, so don’t treat this article as a review.
The short version of the X-Pro2 vs the X-Pro1, it is a bit more of everything. More pixels, more speed, more AF focus points, more manual controls, more shutter speed, more exposure compensation, etc.
The various improvements are, without specific order:
The expected price of USD$1700 is in the same range as the original X-Pro1 and to be available in February 2016.
Let’s see what is being reported elsewhere:
I still have questions. A major one is about the battery life. Since the X-Pro2 uses the same NP-W126 batteries, I’m not sure if it will not plagued by the same problem. I have trouble filling up a 16GB card in RAW with only 4 batteries ; so imagine with two 32GB cards…. in this dual slot setup. Not that the dual slot is useless, but it is not useful for just extended capacity as you’d end up switching batteries even more.
Update: Garrett told me over twitter that the X-T1 that use the same battery is already much better for battery life. There is hope.
The other question is how long it will take to have RAF support in the various applications, given how much of a joke is the application that come with the camera, at least with the previous ones. If only this was documented…, but I digress.
While it sounds like a good time for me to upgrade, I will wait for the things to settle first.
Other announcements
Also announced, the X-70, a refresh of the X-E2 named X-E2s, a new XF 100-400mm lens and a new flash EF-X500.
The X-E2s is a refreshed, aka slightly improved, version of the X-E2 with better high ISO and a few other software perks, that will also be delivered through a firmware upgrade for the X-E2 users. It is great to see Fujifilm committed into improving existing model with software when it is possible.
Edit: the X70 doesn’t have an EVF. Edited accordingly. Sorry about that.
(Petapixel) Fuji’s New XM-FL is an X-Mount Body Cap Lens with Built-In Photo Filters:
Fujifilm has announced a strange new lens over in Japan. It’s called the XM-FL, and it’s a 24mm f/8 body cap-style pancake lens that features built-in photo filters that can be accessed by turning a dial on the side.
Very light, totally “dumb” (ie no electronics), for ~$100, can make for interesting experiments on your Fuji X.
From Fujifilm Japan (in Japanese)
Similar in principle to the Olympus body cap lens in 2013.
Zack Arias has had his hands on a Fuji X100T, at least a pre-production model. We know how he loved the first one, how he loved the improvements of the second generation, how he love the X series. Faster, better wifi, classic chrome, better buttons standardized on the rest of the X-series, new hybrid viewfinder.
Petapixel today: Fuji Unveils the X100T with “Electronic Rangefinder” Function, Improved Controls and More gives us some news from the product announcement.
It is great to see Fuji iterating over to improve things and the hybrid viewfinder improvement are, I hope, a shape of things to come for the 2nd generation X-Pro1 that is rumoured.
Zack Arias take on the Fuji X-T1: Yep. It’s A Fuji (archived from the original).
Conclusion… I have zero regrets about selling all of my Canon gear and going Fuji. Zero regrets.
I have to admit, I’m not a pro like him, ie I don’t shoot for a living (also I’m less talented), but since I have my X-Pro1 I haven’t used the Canon much nor even lusted on any piece of gear for it.
Last week I have had my hands shortly on the X-T1 and the EVF is absolutely so much better than the X-Pro1. Non-withstanding the other advantages. If only I could try it longer.
Also don’t miss his Mystical Marrakech video (on YouTube) that he did for Fuji: