Fuji X-Pro2 Launched
Yesterday at a launch event in Japan, Fuji celebrated the X-Series’ 5th anniversary and also announced their new X-Pro2 mirrorless camera. Followers of Zack Arias (including me) watched the event on Instagram and he shared his photo taken with the new camera. His comments (and excitement) from Instagram
I’ve been testing the new #fuji #xpro2 for a little over a month now. It’s a beautiful camera. The new sensor is phenomenal. 24.3 MP. Dual SD slots. New processor. Weather resistance. Wifi. New hybrid viewfinder. Built in diopter. New film simulation modes. 250th sync speed. Kick ass shutter / ISO combo dial. ISO usable to 128,000. Manual & electronic shutter. Fast. Sleek. Gorgeous. It’s finally here!!!!
I was first introduced to mirrorless by David Schloss a few media cycles ago, when he proudly shot with a X100 and praised its retro-rangefinder design. That camera offered superior image quality in a compact design, much as the Sonys do now. It was the first camera to really recognize that there was an advantage to exploring a professional-quality non-SLR solution.
His field test for Image Resource addresses the pros and cons; including limitations (since addressed) three years later by the new X-Pros. The most significant improvement is the X-Trans CMOS III sensor with 24-megapixels that puts Fuji on a similar footing with the Nikon, Canon and Sony. As I shared last month, it’s all about the sensor….and when paired with a high-quality Fujinon lens, expect beautiful photos from this camera, like Zack posted.
Fuji’s approach to reduce moiré and false colors is interesting with a random color filter. Despite mixed results with their hybrid viewfinder — optical and electronic — Fuji continues to improve it sticking with their tech, instead of switching to an OLED like Sony. Sony’s half-inch XGA OLED viewfinder on the Alpha series cameras gave us no pause, as the resolution is just as good as an optical one. Where Fuji has stepped up the mirrorless game is with robust weather resistance
Four pieces of magnesium alloy and is sealed in a total of 61 points on each section, making it dust-proof, splash-proof and capable of operating in temperatures as low as -10°C.
I haven’t worried about my Sonys too much, but also would NOT stand outside in the rain with them. The X-Pro 2 might not handle a rainy Seattle winter, but it stands up to the elements better than any of the current Sony cameras.
Fuji also increased focus points from 49 to 77 and expect the X-Pro2 to be welcomed by Fuji fans, as well as us. In the mirrorless market, the more competition, the better. In support of the launch, Fuji also launched several mini sites, including one featuring a mountain bike to demonstrate their new focusing system.
The X-Pro2 body goes on sale for $1,699.95 next month at $400 more than the X-T1 from 2 years ago. It’s a premium pro compact camera targeting professional shooters, like the market Sony defined. Worth noting, how Fuji is emphasizing rugged toughness, with outside imagery and this battered-hero image. Also, when I was at the D5 launch, the media I spoke with all wondered where Nikon’s mirrorless tech was — it wasn’t, but here’s Fuji matching and arguably exceeding Alpha series cameras with sought-after features like ruggedness.
