X-Pro1: stay or go?

[kuvvy]

Sad day today for me. I have to let my Xpro go. Recently sold my lenses and now have just the body left. Advertised both here and on a Fuji site but with no takers. So today I'm off to flog I it to a local dealer. Will have to stick with my X100 now.
Dante, personally I'd say hang onto your Fuji gear or at least the lenses. Wish I could've done.
Paul

 

[Dante_Stella]

I came out on the side of maybe changing bodies, but what's the point?

Fuji already gut-punched X-Pro early adopters by first rebating like crazy and then reducing the MSRP by $700 ($999 is 41% of the original $1,699 price). I see they don't even sell at $550 in the classifieds. And this is a current model camera.

Everyone expects to take a 30-40% hit on selling a used camera (for a current model) in a private sale, but when a company fails to control its overproduction to the point where factory price cuts make that hit closer to 70%, Fuji is committing a mortal sin in the luxury goods market (and yes, a digital camera that costs $2,300+ with a lens is a luxury good). Learn from Apple or even Leica. You ramp down production, make the extra cameras go away quietly, and bring out the new one at a similar price point.

Dante

 

[f16sunshine]

I came out on the side of maybe changing bodies, but what's the point?

Fuji already gut-punched X-Pro early adopters by first rebating like crazy and then reducing the MSRP by $700 ($999 is 41% of the original $1,699 price). I see they don't even sell at $550 in the classifieds. And this is a current model camera.

Everyone expects to take a 30-40% hit on selling a used camera (for a current model) in a private sale, but when a company fails to control its overproduction to the point where factory price cuts make that hit closer to 70%, Fuji is committing a mortal sin in the luxury goods market (and yes, a digital camera that costs $2,300+ with a lens is a luxury good). Learn from Apple or even Leica. You ramp down production, make the extra cameras go away quietly, and bring out the new one at a similar price point.

Dante

I agree with your points But!

Fuji was doing everything possible to take a piece of the marketplace and establish this line.
They did what they needed to do to put as many cameras in peoples hands as possible. The strategy worked.

Yes it worked on the backs of poor shucks like us who were early adopters.
I bought one in the first 3 months as well. Paid nearly $3k for a Body 3 batts and 35/60mm lenses. Later traded the 60 for an 18 and now again I'm back to the 60.
Lucky for me I'm feeling comfortable to hang on to the whole lot and amortize it out over the years of production. (frankly it's well paid for).

Is it a Luxury good? No. I think the initial sell price was based on recovering the cost of development.
Looking at the price now it appears different than it did then.
I remember holding the camera next to my M8 and an M9in the store. $1700 for the body that delivered an OVF and the IQ with high ISO production seemed like peanuts in that comparison.

My advice Dante is still to keep the Xpro1. It's a great camera and far more valuable than the present $market value... period. Just use that baby!

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

If you're in doubt about a camera (and its lenses), sell it off as quickly as possible, since the chance is it won't bring you those beautiful pictures anymore....

 

[macjim]

I came out on the side of maybe changing bodies, but what's the point? Fuji already gut-punched X-Pro early adopters by first rebating like crazy and then reducing the MSRP by $700 ($999 is 41% of the original $1,699 price). I see they don't even sell at $550 in the classifieds. And this is a current model camera. Everyone expects to take a 30-40% hit on selling a used camera (for a current model) in a private sale, but when a company fails to control its overproduction to the point where factory price cuts make that hit closer to 70%, Fuji is committing a mortal sin in the luxury goods market (and yes, a digital camera that costs $2,300+ with a lens is a luxury good). Learn from Apple or even Leica. You ramp down production, make the extra cameras go away quietly, and bring out the new one at a similar price point. Dante

I had looked at trading in my X100s and the X-Pro1 to replace both with the X-T1. The quotes I got back were a bit of a shocker and that put paid to buying the X-T1: around £200-230 for the X-Pro1 and only £550 for a very new X100s. So, it wouldn't be worth much to sell the X-Pro1 but, you could just continue using the camera if there's nothing wrong with it. If your really not interested in using it any longer, why don't you pass it on to someone who can't afford a camera because of the price of modern day cameras (I still can't see where all manufacturers get the prices they do... Where's the £1,500 worth of materials etc?) such as a family member, relative or even a camera club?
Yes, I learned the hard way too after buying a Leica M9 and selling just when Leica dropped the price of its replacement.

 

[sevo]

I still can't see where all manufacturers get the prices they do... Where's the £1,500 worth of materials etc?

These days, early adopters pay the development cost for new, exclusive features. The makers can only charge for that before everyone else's camera has something more impressive, so there is a fairly narrow window for it. Don't buy a new consumer electronics item within the first year, unless you want to show off that you can afford the latest gadget at whatever price...

 

[Dante_Stella]

I see that Fuji has now started slashing prices on the X-T1. Same pattern. Step 1 is the bundle that cuts the effective price 20%. How many months has this camera been out?

I can also see from yet another X-Pro1 price cut (to $899 new) that version 2 (or something else) is just around the corner.

So in sum, I've had all this stuff boxed like Cylons the entire time this thread has been going (except for the body and the 12mm Kobalux fisheye, which is surprisingly fun and sharp given its price).

Dante

 

[jsrockit]

Computers get slashed in price pretty quickly as well... I look at digital cameras the same way. They are things that you buy knowing that they will deminish in price quickly. At least you don't have to pay for film for them as well.

 

[f16sunshine]

Computers get slashed in price pretty quickly as well... I look at digital cameras the same way. They are things that you buy knowing that they will deminish in price quickly. At least you don't have to pay for film for them as well.

Yes to all of this. Electronics are so damn young and evolving as a "product genre". Look at all those big screen TV's from 10 years ago.
Lots of folks spent thousands to plug up their living room square footage and now.... can't even give those big blocks of wood and wire away.
At least your Xpro1 is still a wonderful little image maker 😛

 

[jsrockit]

The great thing about these cameras depreciating is that if you buy used two years after release you get a hell of a camera at a great price... as long as you don't mind not having the latest.

 

[burancap]

Well, as true as that is -I find my XP a bit like my old Macs. My guess is I will still have it in ten years as well!

*depending, of course, on just how excellent the Mk. II will be!

 

[jsrockit]

burancap... I plan to keep mine as well. It's the only digital that I plan on letting depreciate to nothing.

 

[GaryLH]

Digital photography in terms of equipment has become a merry go round just as all electronics whether we are talking that big screen tv or stereo or computer or smart phone. Unlike the days of film, when so little changed in a short time interval (product cycles seem to be around 8-14 months now).

That being said, as others have mentioned, do u want the hot tech or are u ok w/ jumping in later during the model close out?

For me, what I have got between the xp1/xe1 and the sigma Merrill cameras is already good enough for my needs in photography. Buying something like the Sony A7 for example is actually more of gear head type of thing. I have skipped the xe2 and xt1 for now. I will wait to c what they announce next. Not even sure if I will buy it for a while. These days I am pretty happy w/ what I have in Fuji stuff. I am more interested in the upcoming lenses and waiting for the price of certain lenses to hit the price point I have targeted.

But that just me
Gary

 

[back alley]

i am very content with my 23/56 lenses…the xe-1 continues to meet my needs…
there is no motivation for change atm...

 

[Kwesi]

I came out on the side of maybe changing bodies, but what's the point?

Fuji already gut-punched X-Pro early adopters by first rebating like crazy and then reducing the MSRP by $700 ($999 is 41% of the original $1,699 price). I see they don't even sell at $550 in the classifieds. And this is a current model camera.

Everyone expects to take a 30-40% hit on selling a used camera (for a current model) in a private sale, but when a company fails to control its overproduction to the point where factory price cuts make that hit closer to 70%, Fuji is committing a mortal sin in the luxury goods market (and yes, a digital camera that costs $2,300+ with a lens is a luxury good). Learn from Apple or even Leica. You ramp down production, make the extra cameras go away quietly, and bring out the new one at a similar price point.

Dante

I'm with you on this. Fuji's pricing strategy shows zero loyalty to its customer base.
The strategy suggested by others to just not be an early adopter doesn't work here. If no one bought until the inevitable price cut then there would be no price cut since development costs would not have been recovered.
I too bought at full price and still have my XP1 and 35 lens.
At the time fuji had the x100 and the xpro 1 with its M adapter and metal lens hood, and list of compatible M mount lenses. That was the Fuji company that I bought into. The current one wants to be the tech leader in the APSc world and I wish them Godspeed.

My Xpro 1 is destined to become a shelf queen but I know that I won't be buying another Fuji body to replace it.
I have nothing against APSc but I grew up with full frame 35 rangefinders and that's what I'm comfortable with.

Fortunately Leica makes digital M cameras.

 

[aizan]

i wonder if companies take into account the feeling that early adopters get when the company lowers the price significantly, because it seems that it makes people hang onto their purchases longer to justify the "extra" expense.

 

[Michael Markey]

i wonder if companies take into account the feeling that early adopters get when the company lowers the price significantly, because it seems that it makes people hang onto their purchases longer to justify the "extra" expense.

Interesting isn`t it .
Fuji aren`t the only ones ... that new Nikon as taken a tumble price wise too (£1489 ) and the Sigma Merrills are selling at less than half the former retail price in the UK (£340).

 

[jsrockit]

I'm with you on this. Fuji's pricing strategy shows zero loyalty to its customer base. The strategy suggested by others to just not be an early adopter doesn't work here. If no one bought until the inevitable price cut then there would be no price cut since development costs would not have been recovered.

Zero loyalty? So, should they just make one camera over a 5 year period and get passed by all other companies? These are computers that growing by leaps and bounds.

Also, we weren't suggesting everyone not buy until price cuts...only those who get bothered by depreciation. I've always looked at depreciation in digital cameras as money I would have spent on film in the past. However, if you don't actually shoot a lot of photos, then it's not comparable.

I too bought at full price and still have my XP1 and 35 lens.
At the time fuji had the x100 and the xpro 1 with its M adapter and metal lens hood, and list of compatible M mount lenses. That was the Fuji company that I bought into. The current one wants to be the tech leader in the APSc world and I wish them Godspeed.

You bought into the same Fuji. Nothing has changed other than your perception.

Fortunately Leica makes digital M cameras.

Leica digital cameras depreciate as well.

 

[willie_901]

I used two D700s for over three years. When I traded them (= sold them at wholesale) I received about 50% of their original price. I replaced them with two XT-1s. I would still be using the D700s except I was sick and tired of their size and weight.

The XT-1s will depreciate more quickly than the Nikons. They cost half as much as the D700s. The XT-1 IQ is superior. For gigs I was able to discard a rolling suitcase for a medium sized backpack. Life is easier. When the XT-1 undergoes a significant upgrade I will probably replace one of them with the new version.

Since the cost of the XT-1s was similar to the proceeds from the D700s, the upgrade was surprisingly inexpensive. Trading all my Nikkor lenses paid for the corresponding Fujinons. When I witched from DX to FX, I discovered the sole advantage of the larger sensor area was signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range. I do not require narrow DOF for any of my work.

The Fujifilm X-Series upgrades do not seem gratuitous to me. If this was the case there would be a X-Pro 1S. The X-Pro 1 is actually quite old (two plus years) for a digital camera.

While the generation I and II XTrans sensors are similar (if not identical) in terms of IQ, there are significant improvements in overall speed and features. For instance focusing with a lens collar is significantly more practical with the XT-1. Even the X100 S is a significant improvement over the X100 in terms of speed and IQ (signal-to-noise ratio/dynamic range).

 

[Tejasican]

Currency is not the only measure of value. There are opportunity costs to be factored in as well. If you pay more for a camera at intro, but love it and take pictures with it or more pictures with it than you would with some other camera (weight factors, etc) then those pictures have a value apart from currency. This all plays into whether a camera has actually depreciated or held its own in my estimation, which may not be much, but there it is.