squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
ah, well that's heartening news...
shawn
Veteran
" I also wish there was focus confirmation in the OVF."
Did you turn on the focus distance scale in the OVF?
If not enable that. The camera then tells you how far away it focused. If you have ever scale focused that is a good way of verifying where the camera is focused.
If you shoot slow you can also set the OVF to review the picture for a second after you take it. That is a great way to verify the shot without obvious 'chimping' as the camera will quickly switch to the EVF, show the picture for a second and then switch right back to the OVF.
Shawn
Did you turn on the focus distance scale in the OVF?
If not enable that. The camera then tells you how far away it focused. If you have ever scale focused that is a good way of verifying where the camera is focused.
If you shoot slow you can also set the OVF to review the picture for a second after you take it. That is a great way to verify the shot without obvious 'chimping' as the camera will quickly switch to the EVF, show the picture for a second and then switch right back to the OVF.
Shawn
Darthfeeble
But you can call me Steve
I am seriously tempted. I wait for the X-E3. I haven't used the OVF in either of my Fujis in a long time. I want as little camera in my hands that my very clumsy hands can cope with.
honozooloo
Established
Thanks for sharing Bill!
I'm totally in agreement - I snagged my X-Pro 2 a few days' after it became available and have worked it into my daily workflow. As a frame of reference, I'm a staff photographer who averages 3-4 assignments a day, and while our company-issued gear consists of Canon FF bodies and 2.8 zooms, I'm much more of a compact/stealthy shooter by nature, and partial to using primes instead of zooms (which is why I'm on RFF
).
My observations after a few dozen assignments and a couple of months:
The new sensor and processor appear to eat batteries a little faster. I've left my X-Pro 2 on the high performance setting, and notice what feels like about 10-15% shorter batter life vs, say, they X-T1.
Adjustable diopter is AMAZING. My right eye is about -1.x ish and the diopter works beautifully. It's a little prone to being bumped if you use an over the shoulder strap though.
EVF is also excellent. Lag is virtually nonexistent (I can't perceive it if it's there at all) and higher resolution means that if the diopter is dialed in properly I can manually focus without zooming or peak. With the EVF on I can get TTL views, which can be easier to use in studio or other situations that call for TTL. The EVF no longer feels like a "compromise" you must fall back on if the OVF ain't cutting it.
While I'm on the subject, the hybrid EVF split focus confirmation thing that appears on the bottom right of the OVF when you move the EVF/OVF toggle left instead of right is pretty kickass. Weird at first but once you get used to a virtual RF patch on the bottom right works great with OEM and adapted glass. As close as any digital non-Leica (RD-1 excluded) gets to "the M experience." It also makes you realize how distracting that Leica M RF patch really is when it's in the middle of the viewfinder.
The electronic shutter is useful, but not as useful as you'd expect. As others have pointed out, the electronic shutter causes rolling artifacts in moving subjects, so 1/10000 sec shots aren't actually gonna freeze action the way you'd expect. ES mode beats the hell out of carrying around 52mm & 62mm ND filters when you want to shoot portraits or slow moving action outdoors wide open in the sun, which is the only reason I use ES other than silent situations like courtrooms.
Image quality is slightly better but honestly, in my opinion only marginally better than even original X-Pro 1 files. ISO performance is one, maybe two stops better than the X-Pro 1, which was already damn good to begin with IMHO. Yeah it's got more pixels than the original, but not so much that it changes how I work at all. Dynamic range is great, again maybe a stop or so better than the XP1 but not earth shatteringly better. In comparison though, the X-Pro 2 handles underexposed shadow detail a lot better than our 5D mkIIIs do, and has about a stop better DR.
The biggest difference? SPEED. Not just AF speeds, which are quite fast even with the venerable 35mm 1.4, relatively speaking...but everything about the operation of the X-Pro 2 is just that much faster. The EVF deploys a hair faster, making image review less disruptive when you're shooting in OVF mode. The shutter lock time between AF lock and shutter release is noticably faster on the X-Pro 2, and makes my X-T1's lock time feel sluggish. I set my AE-L button to start/stop AF and will prefocus and reframe sometimes using that approach. The X-T1 and X-Pro 1 both seem to adjust their lenses' to the locked AF point and THEN take the picture when you use the AE-L button to lock AF and only use the shutter button for shutter release, which meant a brief delay between fully hitting the shutter and actual shutter release even after AF lock is achieved. The X-Pro 2 appears to do this even faster, and I notice myself not having to push the X-Pro 2's shutter release a split second BEFORE I take the shot I want, and it made me realize how I've been doing just that with my X-Pro 1 and X-T1 all this time. Zapping off follow-up shots feels much "zippier" as well if you've prefocused. Motor drive shots at 8FPS eat the camera's buffer, but that buffer empties a lot quicker than it used to.
Honestly, depending on your technique, subject matter, and preferred lighting conditions, the X-Pro 2 may not look super appealing, and I totally understand why. But if you're using your X-cameras as tools, I can confidently say the X-Pro 2 is the sharpest one yet. Hope this helps!
I'm totally in agreement - I snagged my X-Pro 2 a few days' after it became available and have worked it into my daily workflow. As a frame of reference, I'm a staff photographer who averages 3-4 assignments a day, and while our company-issued gear consists of Canon FF bodies and 2.8 zooms, I'm much more of a compact/stealthy shooter by nature, and partial to using primes instead of zooms (which is why I'm on RFF
).My observations after a few dozen assignments and a couple of months:
The new sensor and processor appear to eat batteries a little faster. I've left my X-Pro 2 on the high performance setting, and notice what feels like about 10-15% shorter batter life vs, say, they X-T1.
Adjustable diopter is AMAZING. My right eye is about -1.x ish and the diopter works beautifully. It's a little prone to being bumped if you use an over the shoulder strap though.
EVF is also excellent. Lag is virtually nonexistent (I can't perceive it if it's there at all) and higher resolution means that if the diopter is dialed in properly I can manually focus without zooming or peak. With the EVF on I can get TTL views, which can be easier to use in studio or other situations that call for TTL. The EVF no longer feels like a "compromise" you must fall back on if the OVF ain't cutting it.
While I'm on the subject, the hybrid EVF split focus confirmation thing that appears on the bottom right of the OVF when you move the EVF/OVF toggle left instead of right is pretty kickass. Weird at first but once you get used to a virtual RF patch on the bottom right works great with OEM and adapted glass. As close as any digital non-Leica (RD-1 excluded) gets to "the M experience." It also makes you realize how distracting that Leica M RF patch really is when it's in the middle of the viewfinder.
The electronic shutter is useful, but not as useful as you'd expect. As others have pointed out, the electronic shutter causes rolling artifacts in moving subjects, so 1/10000 sec shots aren't actually gonna freeze action the way you'd expect. ES mode beats the hell out of carrying around 52mm & 62mm ND filters when you want to shoot portraits or slow moving action outdoors wide open in the sun, which is the only reason I use ES other than silent situations like courtrooms.
Image quality is slightly better but honestly, in my opinion only marginally better than even original X-Pro 1 files. ISO performance is one, maybe two stops better than the X-Pro 1, which was already damn good to begin with IMHO. Yeah it's got more pixels than the original, but not so much that it changes how I work at all. Dynamic range is great, again maybe a stop or so better than the XP1 but not earth shatteringly better. In comparison though, the X-Pro 2 handles underexposed shadow detail a lot better than our 5D mkIIIs do, and has about a stop better DR.
The biggest difference? SPEED. Not just AF speeds, which are quite fast even with the venerable 35mm 1.4, relatively speaking...but everything about the operation of the X-Pro 2 is just that much faster. The EVF deploys a hair faster, making image review less disruptive when you're shooting in OVF mode. The shutter lock time between AF lock and shutter release is noticably faster on the X-Pro 2, and makes my X-T1's lock time feel sluggish. I set my AE-L button to start/stop AF and will prefocus and reframe sometimes using that approach. The X-T1 and X-Pro 1 both seem to adjust their lenses' to the locked AF point and THEN take the picture when you use the AE-L button to lock AF and only use the shutter button for shutter release, which meant a brief delay between fully hitting the shutter and actual shutter release even after AF lock is achieved. The X-Pro 2 appears to do this even faster, and I notice myself not having to push the X-Pro 2's shutter release a split second BEFORE I take the shot I want, and it made me realize how I've been doing just that with my X-Pro 1 and X-T1 all this time. Zapping off follow-up shots feels much "zippier" as well if you've prefocused. Motor drive shots at 8FPS eat the camera's buffer, but that buffer empties a lot quicker than it used to.
Honestly, depending on your technique, subject matter, and preferred lighting conditions, the X-Pro 2 may not look super appealing, and I totally understand why. But if you're using your X-cameras as tools, I can confidently say the X-Pro 2 is the sharpest one yet. Hope this helps!
Jamie Pillers
Skeptic
Has anyone mentioned that the X-Pro2 is weather sealed? That's a big deal for me, especially when coupled with the WR 35/2 lens.
Anyone have an opinion about the XP2 shutter sound vs. XP1? I've heard that the XP2 is noticeably quieter. True? I find the XP1 shutter to be loud enough to make the experience a bit off-putting.
Anyone have an opinion about the XP2 shutter sound vs. XP1? I've heard that the XP2 is noticeably quieter. True? I find the XP1 shutter to be loud enough to make the experience a bit off-putting.
PhotoMat
Well-known
Hi Jamie:
I've had my XP2 for about a month now, but I haven't had much of a chance to do any serious shooting with it yet. While I'm not much into shutter sounds, I have to admit that I really like the new shutter. Compared to my XP1, the shutter on the 2 is quieter, with a nice, professional sounding "snick". Go ahead and snicker at the "professional sounding" comment, but it does have a much nicer sound!
Overall, the XP2 seems to have a more solid feel than its predecessor. 
Northern Pacific Depot, Livingston, MT
Fuji X-Pro 2 w/10-24mm XF lens.
P.S. -- I'm really looking forward to doing some more night photography with this camera in the coming months. I took a few informal nighttime shots that show very promising low-light capabilities.