Fujifilm X-Pro3 Thoughts?

I am really disappointed with the X-Pro3's OVF, which is the single reason to buy it. With just a single magnification level it is not attractive anymore. With the X-Pro2 the 14mm ± covers the whole area in the low magnification setting and according to dpreview 18mm is the widest lens you can use whilst on the 'tele' side the 50mm framelines are just a small part of the OVF's view area. This leaves the useability of the X-Pro3 limited to the 23 and 35mm lenses. What a shame. I would have been very happy with a useful (for me) 16-50 mm range, but that seems not to be the case. If I have to rely on the EVF most of the time, than a X-T3 is a much neater proposition.
 
ruby.monkey said:
Watching DPReview's hands-on:
- Fixed-magnification OVF doesn't work for my 18mm. Not the end of the world, but feels like an unfortunate downgrade.
- Rear LCD design is far less useful than the XT-2. A design that allowed full-time use of the main LCD, with the option of flipping over to the mini-LCD, would have been a much better idea.
- Rear 4-way buttons still missing. Touch screen is no real substitute, especially when it's usually hidden away.

I love my X-Pro2 far more than I ever thought I would, but if it dies I'll replace it with another X-Pro2; or more likely I'll pick up an X-T2/3 (my current X-T2 is a full-spectrum conversion) for Fuji glass and spend more time with my M-E.
Click to expand...


You can use the joystick in place of the 4 way button. No need to use the screen if you don't want.
 
The loss of the dual-mag viewfinder is pretty significant. It would be nice if they explained why they did that. Did surveys show that only a small percent of owners used it?
 
ruby.monkey said:
Watching DPReview's hands-on:
- Fixed-magnification OVF doesn't work for my 18mm. Not the end of the world, but feels like an unfortunate downgrade.
- Rear LCD design is far less useful than the XT-2. A design that allowed full-time use of the main LCD, with the option of flipping over to the mini-LCD, would have been a much better idea.
- Rear 4-way buttons still missing. Touch screen is no real substitute, especially when it's usually hidden away.

I love my X-Pro2 far more than I ever thought I would, but if it dies I'll replace it with another X-Pro2; or more likely I'll pick up an X-T2/3 (my current X-T2 is a full-spectrum conversion) for Fuji glass and spend more time with my M-E.
Click to expand...

Looks useable... not many optical viewfinders acomódate 16mm...

Fujifilm_X-Pro3_Framelines.jpeg
 
My take on this camera, and on the X-Pro1 I own, is that Fuji thinks a user of the X-Pro1 is more like a film camera user. Once the film choice is made, the photographer only needs to think about shutter speed, aperture, and focus. At least that's how I use the X-Pro1. I set it up for the day's condition and then back to the basics. After setting it up, I only need the screen to 'chimp', which I tend to minimize.
 
Jamie Pillers said:
My take on this camera, and on the X-Pro1 I own, is that Fuji thinks a user of the X-Pro1 is more like a film camera user. Once the film choice is made, the photographer only needs to think about shutter speed, aperture, and focus. At least that's how I use the X-Pro1. I set it up for the day's condition and then back to the basics. After setting it up, I only need the screen to 'chimp', which I tend to minimize.
Click to expand...


Fujifilm should lock the ISO setting until 36 exposures have been fired. They should make it impossible to change from color to b & W or vice versa until 36 shots have been fired.


What a crazy, intentionally hobbled camera.
 
Ted Striker said:
Seriously?



"I am simply way too biased and involved with the whole project to be able to give a balanced review."


Sounds like a fan boy speaking to people completely uninterested in a facts based review.
Click to expand...

I know Jonas...he is not biased or dishonest in anyway. I love the new control we have via the LCD to use it like I do my Mamiya C33 for street.
 
gavinlg said:
Because the design is focussed. Initially I thought leica was insane for their screen less MD. I've come around to thinking it was a genius design omission. Fuji are to be commended for this take on the same thing IMO.

The x-pro isn't a 'screen' camera. All of fuji's other cameras are. Perhaps an iPad would be more to your liking? I personally can't stand using a rear screen to take photos. Nothing shrivels my enthusiasm to shoot more.

LOVE what Fujifilm have done here, and I'll likely put my money down.
Click to expand...

*Shrugs* one of the best things about digital is the screen as it gives you the option of accurately framing a photo without having to have the camera to your eye.

Without a screen (or an awkward to access one) I'd just rather shoot film in a film camera, rather than in a digital camera pretending to be a film camera :p
 
Making the rear LCD screen annoying to use is the whole point. That extra “friction” and “unease of use” is intentional.

On the other hand, they’re trying to have their cake and eat it, too. It would have been cooler to not have a screen at all, except for the little film reminder screen.
 
aizan said:
The loss of the dual-mag viewfinder is pretty significant. It would be nice if they explained why they did that. Did surveys show that only a small percent of owners used it?
Click to expand...

While the flippin' screen sorta puts me off, the viewfinder magnification really screws the pooch for me. I use the OVF almost 100% of the time. I was hoping for the optical portion of the new improved viewfinder to allow me to more readily use a 16mm instead of resorting to the EVF. That didn't happen. But from jsrockit's picture it appears even the 18mm will now have limited use with the OVF.

There's no doubt image quality will show improvement. Yet if it's a PITA to use, image quality is secondary. Everybody's camera has high image quality today so there's really no distinction here. Colors? I never really liked Fuji's color palette but it doesn't matter that much to me because the vast majority of my photos are B&W.

The more I find out about this camera the less I like it.
 
When watching one of the "Initial Impression" videos popping up on the web now, I picked up on what I think is a slight goof-up on Fuji's part. The eye piece has a hard plastic surround instead of the flexible rubber bumper on earlier models. This is a negative for me as I wear eyeglasses. Back when I was using film cameras, I was annoyed by the scratches these hard plastic surrounds inflicted on my glasses.
 
This camera is so confusing to me. I absolutely LOVE the little Xpro2 to the point that even when I got an MP240 with intention of selling the Xpro2, I couldn’t bring myself to. I was fully expecting to be so tempted by the xpro3 that I would sell both those cameras and get it. Not the case. IMHO the Xpro2 is so near photographic perfection that it hit a ceiling. The camera has MINOR ergonomic weirdness (diopter, exp dial a little light to move) and that’s about it. Where were they gonna go from there? Now they were just different for difference sake at the expense of usability. The option to turn the back screen off already existed. Why was there a need to make it totally dysfunctional to those who might like to use it? I may rent one just for fun at some point, but right now I will hold off. I like to have fun with my cameras, not be hampered or frustrated by them.
 
benlees said:
Those of you who want an X-pro3 might want to wait. Think of the X-H1...
Click to expand...


Yeah, there are currently a couple of places in Australia that are selling the X-H1 body at a discount, and offering a free battery grip at the same time. If it was what I wanted, I would jump on that bargain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom