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X-Pro 2 or something else? (with mini-review)


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My situation is quite an interesting one.  Hopefully somebody can shed some light for me!

 

I shoot primarily portraiture, fashion , and fine art, and my main system for the last few years has been the Sony A7.  It has served me well despite the limitations of the first-gen body, and the 11+7bit raw with banding issues in rare cases.

 

I preordered the X-Pro 2 back in January with the intent of dedicating this camera for outdoor portrait/fashion work in natural light, where the lower noise of my full frame A7 is not relevant.  The Sony A7 would remain my workhorse, especially with the ability to use vintage lenses without cropping.

 

While I patiently awaited for the X-Pro 2 for the last two months, I have been spending some time with an XT-1 we have in our family to get a sense of the Fuji X system.  Here are my thoughts:

-The XT-1's EVF is amazing. I love its large size for easy composition.

-The handling is great with the battery grip.

-Overall sharpness and dynamic range is not as good as the Sony A7.

-The film simulation modes are excellent.

-Noise levels in low light cannot match my A7 (I did not expect it to, but I also did not expect such a large difference).

 

Yet, I have taken some of my best images on the XT-1, and had several published as a result.  The camera is just so intuitive to use.

 

Last week, I picked up my X-Pro2 with a 35 f2 and a 23mm f1.4.  I have not had a chance to use it for any portraiture or fashion work still.  But, here are my thoughts with it:

-I miss the large EVF from the XT-1.  

-I find myself using the EVF since accurate framing is most important for my style of photography.

-The OVF is useless for anything other than the XF 35mm f/2 lens (due to viewfinder blockage).

-The heavier weight of the X-Pro 2 is nice, but I miss having a battery grip for the added the shutter button and better ergonomics for portrait shooting.

-The X-Pro 2 is a beautiful camera, and the added image quality compared to the XT-1 is very real.

-My preferred (full frame) focal lengths have always been: 35mm, 50mm, and in rare occassions/studio portraits an 85mm, so the X-Pro 2 has no real limitations there.

-Files from the X-Pro 2 with the XF 35mm f2 are sharper than my Sony A7 with the Zeiss 55mm, and colours are also richer.
-X-Pro 2 has slightly more noise than my A7, but is easily removeable in Lightroom.
-Handling and stability is better on the XT-1, but to be honest, the X-Pro 2 is becoming easier to use after spending more time with it. 
-Focus point selection with the joystick is nice.  It helps me miss less shots where eye-focus is critical.

 

What about other hidden benefits, such as being able to engage my subjects (people) better with my left eye open, or the emotional appeal of this camera?  I am not sure yet, but I shoot all my cameras using my right eye, but I do love using this camera.  Perhaps I still need to test the camera out more in real world shoots.

 

So, to summarize (so far)

-The large EVF of the XT-1 is excellent for composing.  I wish the X-Pro 2 had such a large EVF, as I do not see myself using the OVF on the X-Pro 2 much.  Even the X100 has a larger and brighter viewfinder!

-The X-Pro 2 inspires me more to take photos, but has more limitations than the XT-1, since it has no shutter button/no battery grip, no tilting screen, etc.

-Images from the X-Pro 2 look fantastic, and has even better colour and sharpness compared to my Sony A7.

-The X-Pro 2 is not impossible to use, but the XT-1 is easier to use (but inspires me less).

 

It is no secret that the XT-2 will have all the improvements of the X-Pro 2 (and more perhaps), but that is a different camera than the X-Pro 2, and becomes a Fuji version of my Sony A7.

 

Other thoughts: 

-My ideal camera would probably be an X100 with the 24MP X-Trans III of the X-Pro 2.  I actually enjoy the large and bright OVF in the X100.  

Also, the extra high flash sync allows me to use speedlites outdoors for fashion work instead of carrying studio lights with battery packs.  Granted, I do not use artificial light much outdoors, and I have an old X100 already.  I could even buy the teleconverter and have a 35mm and 50mm focal length to use.  

-The files from the X-Pro 2 are essentially good enough to replace my Sony A7.  On the other hand, there are advantages of having the Sony (low light, choice of vintage lenses - I would have lots of fun with a low-light A7S2 for some projects).  Plus, going Fuji-only feels like riding a unicycle without any training!

 

Should I keep the X-Pro 2 and decide what to do with it when the XT-2 comes out?  

Learn to deal with its limitations and just focus on the photos? (since I already have a workhorse full frame A7).

Sell the X-Pro 2 and use the XT-1 until the XT-2 is out?

Or, something else?

 

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Edited by chuck77
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I know what you mean about the differences between the the X-Pro2 and X-T1 as far as handling and some of the features. I just got my X-Pro2 late Thursday so I haven only been able to do limited shooting with it so far. The tilt screen on the X-T1 is nice and I also like the direct access to all the functions through dials. I don't find the EVF of the X-Pro2 to be too small, at least not yet. The overall responsiveness of the X-Pro2 is so much better. The joystick for AF is even better than I anticipated. So much so that the one on my Canon feels cumbersome. AF in general is also improved, though I haven't been able to try all scenarios. This weekend I took the X-T1 one with the 100-400mm + 1.4x TC and found a barred owl in the tree. I took a few photos and than decided to put the comb on the X-Pro2 in case I wanted to crop the photo some later. It was then that I realized how much quicker the X-Pro2 could lock on to focus. It was instant without any hesitation. It has made me have made me have thoughts about selling the X-T1 and buying a second X-Pro2.

 

I'm not sure I see a sharpness difference. Perhaps you mean you see more detail in the photos of the X-Pro2 due to the extra resolution. My recommendation for you is to use the X-Pro2 for about two more weeks before you decide. For what you shoot, it sounds like the X-T1 body has more features, but I think you're going to appreciate the X-Pro2 image sensor and joystick enough that you'll want to use it, at least until the X-T2 is announced.

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I know what you mean about the differences between the the X-Pro2 and X-T1 as far as handling and some of the features. I just got my X-Pro2 late Thursday so I haven only been able to do limited shooting with it so far. The tilt screen on the X-T1 is nice and I also like the direct access to all the functions through dials. I don't find the EVF of the X-Pro2 to be too small, at least not yet. The overall responsiveness of the X-Pro2 is so much better. The joystick for AF is even better than I anticipated. So much so that the one on my Canon feels cumbersome. AF in general is also improved, though I haven't been able to try all scenarios. This weekend I took the X-T1 one with the 100-400mm + 1.4x TC and found a barred owl in the tree. I took a few photos and than decided to put the comb on the X-Pro2 in case I wanted to crop the photo some later. It was then that I realized how much quicker the X-Pro2 could lock on to focus. It was instant without any hesitation. It has made me have made me have thoughts about selling the X-T1 and buying a second X-Pro2.

 

I'm not sure I see a sharpness difference. Perhaps you mean you see more detail in the photos of the X-Pro2 due to the extra resolution. My recommendation for you is to use the X-Pro2 for about two more weeks before you decide. For what you shoot, it sounds like the X-T1 body has more features, but I think you're going to appreciate the X-Pro2 image sensor and joystick enough that you'll want to use it, at least until the X-T2 is announced.

 

Thanks!

 

I keep going back and forth between keeping the X-Pro 2 or not.  To be honest, for my style of photography, accurate framing is more important than anticipating subjects/events outside the frame.  

 

The viewfinder is even smaller than my X100, yet when I look at it another way - perhaps I could enjoy the benefits of the 24MP X-trans III sensor until the XT-2 is announced, like you mentioned.

 

I wonder if I will take a big hit on the X-Pro 2 if I sell it when the XT-2 is also around.

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