Fujifilm, X-Pro 1

Fujifilm’s most ambitious camera ever has retro appeal in abundance, but it’s one frustrating step from perfection. Whereas the gorgeous but non-lens-swapping Fujifilm X100 had the silvery look of a 1950s Leica, the lens-enabled X-Pro1 is a little more ’70s in its workmanlike black. But it’s still got the same clever hybrid viewfinder, allowing you to switch between optical and electronic views: in optical mode, frame lines overlay a broad window, showing how your lens will crop and making composition easier. Anyone who’s used a traditional rangefinder will feel quite at home.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 review: image quality

The hybrid finder’s clever, but the real smarts lie in the DSLR-sized sensor. It’s utterly astounding and noise-free throughout its wide ISO range – boostable to 25,600 – and quality is almost impossible to fault. Video is fine but there’s no dedicated record button: unsurprising, maybe, for such a stills-oriented snapper.

Fujifilm X-Pro1: controls

Controls are comprehensive. For starters there’s an exposure compensation dial on the back-right of the top plate – not to mention direct access to just about every other setting (except for video recording). Aperture is manually set using a ring on the lens, while shutter speed settings are on a top-mounted dial. They can still be set to Auto, though.

Fujifilm X-Pro1: retro

Other old-school touches include a threaded cable-release socket (remember them?), faux-vulcanite covering, and a range of lenses that’s limited to primes – no zooms here – with Leica-ish square lens hoods. But sadly, ‘old-school’ extends to the ponderous autofocus, which makes fast photo-taking a chore.
At this price, we’d expect better.

Fujifilm X-Pro1: too big?

By today’s standards the X-Pro1 is big and heavy, but it’s luxurious too. The lenses feel bulletproof – but so far there are just three available: 18mm, 35mm and 60mm macro (27, 53, and 90mm equivalent).