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Fujifilm X-Pro1 Digital Camera Review

$1,700.00
By Christopher Snow May 23, 2012
8.2
Better than 77% of Reviewed Digital Cameras
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Speed

Speed and Timing

The X-Pro1 is fairly zippy for a mirrorless camera. Once the unit is powered on (an instantaneous affair as long as your card is properly formatted), you'll find the shooting experience to be quick, including the responsive menu system and short minimum interval between separate shots.

For even faster shooting, drive mode options include traditional continuous at "6fps" and "3fps" settings, as well as a range of brackets including autoexposure, ISO, film simulation, and dynamic range. Here you'll also find motion panorama and video modes.

Fujifilm's claim of 6 frame per second continuous shooting performance is sort of true, but not really. While shooting continuously, some shots are only 0.168 seconds apart, equivalent to 5.95 frames per second. However, shooting at least five continuous exposures results in an average of only 5.21 frames per second. That's still pretty fast of course, and thankfully RAW shooting is the exact same speed.

Self-timer options come in only two flavors: 2 second and 10 second countdown, and no automatic interval timer is included.

Focus Speed

Although we experienced our fair share of focus errors during our time with the X-Pro1, AF speed is encroaching on Olympus' territory, which is to say it is very fast for a contrast-based system. This is especially true when using the 18mm lens, though things do slow down while shooting with the 60mm. The most difficult subjects, like energized animals, were still a challenge. All three lenses have fairly strict minimum focus distances, so you may need to back off a bit to get a lock. But once you've done so, expect the autofocus system to be consistently fast and reliable.

Only two autofocus modes are available, automatic multi-zone and a user-definable zone mode. A combination AE-Lock / AF-Lock button is conveniently located on the rear thumb rest above the quick menu button. Here it's possible to pre-lock focus, exposure, or both, according to a separate menu setting. If the user configurable zone mode is selected, a prominent AF button on the left side of the rear monitor can be used to set the focus area from a 49-point grid. We really liked this simple interface, and found it both intuitive and functional.

Each of the three XF lenses currently available are equipped with manual focus rings, however these aren't mechanical manual rings. Instead they trigger an electronic interface that's moderately responsive but still less usable than a an all-mechanical ring.

One final quirk is the so-called "Continuous" autofocus system, activated by a mechanical lever on the front side of the body. This feature doesn't behave quite like we expected. Yes the camera will continually update focus as subject distances change, but once you press the shutter halfway down, focus is locked from then on. We suppose that's the best that can be done without phase detection, and sure it speeds the process up a tiny bit, but overall this was a disappointing minor feature.

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Chris was born and raised less than ten miles from our editorial office, and even graduated from nearby Merrimack College. He came to Reviewed after covering the telecommunications industry, and has been moonlighting as a Boston area dining critic since 2008.
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