Fuji X-Pro or Leica M8

[tbarker13]

Tim,

Maybe you don't find a difference, but a lot of people here do. Hence this thread. Hence, a lot of threads on RFF, comparing this or that, should I buy X or Y. Personally, I find these threads ridiculous. How on earth can someone answer what you need? Buy a camera based on popularity in a poll, or buy because it fits your style? One should choose the tool that fits the situation. The Fuji and M8 represent two totally different working experiences. One is a rangefinder, one is not, but pretends to be, and tries to offer that experience. When you are truly familiar with your equipment (😉), working differences become second nature.

Totally agree. And if you remember, I originally responded to your comment: "The M8 and Fuji are going to offer two completely different working experiences."
My point was the same one you just made to me. We are all different. And for some of us, the two cameras offer a very similar working experience.
I suppose I felt like your original comment was rather broad and sweeping. I'm certain it's true for a lot of people. But whether it's true for the majority of people, I have no idea.

 

[kanzlr]

Boy that sums it up nicely. Hopefully over the next year we can check some of those boxes off. Until then I'll also be shooting Portra with my M6.

having owned both, the GXR and the 5N, I sold the 5N mostly because GXRs mode2 assist is much better than Sonys peaking.

 

[mathiasprinz]

I used an M8 for the for time yesterday – usually shooting film leicas – and i felt that the image quality was very good at lower iso. What really bugged me is that it is LOUD - not much quieter than a 5D, i think. CLACK! Combine that with the crop, the IR-Problem and the limited ISO-capabilities and it´s not my camera.

Still, if you want to shoot M-Lenses, the M8 would be the better solution, in my opinion. I don´t like EVF´s or shooting from the back screen, so i would have to exclusively scale-focus and get along with non-exact frameline on the X-Pro. If you want to shoot the Fuji lenses with Autofocus thought, it could be a great camera. Then again, if you want that, why are you even thinking about a manual focus rangefinder?

 

[merciless49]

I'm going with Fuji X-Pro1, because of the newer sensor technology and interchangeable lenses. I'll be fine using a film M to get my RF patch/manual focus experience.

 

[chrispiper]

Shooting a wedding this weekend and portraits the next with the 5D, then it goes up for sale (along with an M3). Hoping to get within range of an M8. I'm tired of hauling around a DSLR for digital shooting and scanning too many negs with film just for fun/family shooting. Keeping the M6 for B&W film but really looking forward to having an M digital I can have with me all day. XPro 1 is probably more capable in terms of specs, but my heart rules my head and I love to shoot rangefinder M's. X100 and XPro 1 sound intriguing but it's just not my cup of tea. I'm keeping the other DSLR for when I want/need it and what it can do. The M8 sounds like it has it's "issues", but I'd rather have it in hand and shoot it for a couple of years until the M9 comes within range than not have it at all. By that point maybe there will be a real digital rangefinder/MF competitor and I'll take another look. But that's then and this is now and my M8 is waiting.

 

[braver]

As interesting as the x-pro is, it is not a manual focus rangefinder. I love working with mf, and fuji's not doing anything to implement something that works there. I handled an x100 for a while once and I like their implementation of af within the optical finder. The evf is rubbish, which made me wonder if all evf's are like that. If I were to buy a digital camera right now I think I'd be inclined to save up for an M9, you only live once so do it right the first time. That said, I have no inclination to have a digital camera, so it's moot really.

 

[Chris Bail]

I asked my self a similar question when the NEX systems were announced. I ended up getting the NEX-5, and an M8. The NEX has great IQ, but for simple shooting pleasure, I continue to pick the M8 every time.

I'm sure the X-Pro will be a nice piece of technology, and maybe somewhere down the road I'll look at one...after the X-pro 2 is announced and everyone is unloading their X-pro 1's.

 

[braver]

In the electronics/digital realm, you go with the newest technology/most recent sensor you can afford. Ya just do.

No you don't, you skip the first generation of every new technology. A camera is also more than just a container for a sensor, especially nowadays when pretty much every sensor made the past 4 years is good enough to do great work with.

Only way you go with the M8 is if you have Leica glass you refuse to part with - a very legit reason, and the only reason that makes sense.

No it isn't, they're different cameras, they work differently. There is enough there to prefer one over the other regardless of what glass you can use.

I'm sometimes amazed by the amount of nonsense that is broadcasted as truth around here and everywhere else on the internet.

 

[jsrockit]

I asked my self a similar question when the NEX systems were announced. I ended up getting the NEX-5, and an M8. The NEX has great IQ, but for simple shooting pleasure, I continue to pick the M8 every time.

Yes, I find I'm in this camp too... attached to the digital Leica more than any other camera... I just find it very fun to use. I guess there are two camps... those who are immune to ergonomics and who don't care if the camera feels like a hairdryer in there hands and those that are sensitive to ergonomics and everything has to be perfect. Honestly, I wish I was in the former category and not the latter (like I am). It would be cheaper.

 

[leicapixie]

The Fuji great as it "seems" is not a True RFDR. The film Leicas are true. The M8,M9 are similar but feel different. Lack of Real time screen is very necessary due the RFDR difficulties with certain lenses.. I love my Leica. Fuji has made great cameras but can abandon systems and models on a whim!
I would rather add an inexpensive DSLR from Canon or Nikon. A few lenses will still be way cheaper than going the Fuji route. The DSLR again less than adding a used or new Leica M8,8.2 or M9. A camera with all the bells and whistles and most problems resolved..

 

[Adanac]

Lack of Real time screen is very necessary due the RFDR difficulties with certain lenses.

What does this mean with respect to the M8 or M9?

 

[braver]

What does this mean with respect to the M8 or M9?

If I interpret the slightly warped English correctly, it is 'very' impossible to shoot with an M8/9 'with some lenses' because they don't have live view. In a way it's true too, you can't shoot a 200mm with an M8 but you could with an x-pro1. Not sure how that should be a very interesting parameter though.

 

[macjim]

X-Pro1 — I already have an M9 so an M8 would be a bit pointless! Joking aside, I do have an M9 with a 35 mm lens, but choosing between the XP1 and the M8 I'd go for the newer camera. Why? Well, the doesn't need infra-red filters with each lens for a start but also because your buying second hand, the XP1 has the ability to shoot just as good as the M8 and has the extra ability to shoot auto if your feeling lazy, record video and can be used manually too if you want more control too. The viewfinder is also has the upper hand in the XP1 with magnification feature as I find the M9 optical finder a little hard to use at times.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[Peter_S]

The one problem I have with all EVF solutions is: with a rangefinder I know immediately which way to turn the focus wheel and I can nicely focus with moving objects. With a EVF finder I struggle to do that - practice perhaps, but I assume that I will always be faster with a RF than an EFV. RF has become so intuitive. And I still miss the crispness of the M8 (or Sigma DP) in the Fuji samples I have seen so far - OK, that means not much as of yet, but tells me that I actually know too little about the Fuji to put money down.

After playing with the X-Pro in Tokyo (the awefully long focus throw with the Fujinon lenses did not help) I almost would have left the store with the GF670...different story altogether.

Until we know how that adapter thingy for M-lenses works - M8 if I had to, I miss mine occassionally.

 

[jamais]

I was very much interested in buying a Mamiya 7 (65/150) outfit for travelling. But the new sensor design of the X-Pro 1 seems very intriguing to me. Maybe I change my mind...

 

[gdi]

Of course the Mamiya 7 and Xpro have very little in common. I think the only reasonably close comparison would be that the fuji with the current 3 lenses would sell within a few hundred dollars of a used 3 lens Mamiya 7ii kit (43 or 50, 65, and 150). The main question, IMO, is do you want a larger Medium format film or a smaller <135 format digital kit?

Now that I have heard some reliable fuji preview opinions, I see a much harder decision when considering the fuji or the M8 - especially if you don't have M lenses to begin with. I can't see getting the fuji and just using legacy lenses...

 

[jippiejee]

Having seen more reviews and real world use of the xpro1 camera now, it's becoming even clearer the camera doesn't exactly excel in anything but good looks and sensor design. MF is cumbersome, AF a mixed bag. For something in that price range I'd expect at least the sort of AF performance seen now on the OM-D EM-5, which is blazingly fast. The M8 might be old and far from a high iso performer, but at least what it's liked for, MF focus, it does extremely well. My vote remains with the M8.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Obviously, a Nikon D4. It walks on water, as any thread that mentions Leica can show.

 

[celluloidprop]

'Sensor design' - so the XP-1 only excels in image quality? Heartbreaking, eh?

Rangefinder focusing is, of course, inherently quirky and slower than even the X100's AF. But we all seem to have done okay with it, right?

 

[jamais]

Of course the Mamiya 7 and Xpro have very little in common...

You may be right. My statement is just an answer to the original post:

...I'm curious as to what you would rather put your money into...