As you may remember from this post here, nearly three months ago I re-acquired the X-Pro1 for various nostalgic and emotive reasons.
I reviewed in-depth the physical differences between the two X-Pro cameras when I first purchased the X-Pro2, but I didn’t get much chance to run them side-by-side
You can read those in-depth comparison articles on the links below
Part One ¦ Part Two ¦ Part Three ¦ Part Four ¦ Part Five
I’ve now had the aforementioned three months of owning both, and this article will be an accompaniment to the original series, but a little less about the physical differences and more about the IRL differences.
As I’m fond of explaining (and won’t stop explaining as I personally consider it vitally important to all comparisons and I want to be crystal clear about the basis of my comparisons) we have to consider certain things when we look at various objects or products that do the same job.
The first is that in my experience (so YMMV) comparing two items that do the same job, is always win some/lose some
The BMW or the Mercedes?
The Seiko watch or the Citizen?
The Orange or the Apple?
Lightroom or Capture One?
The X-Pro1 or the X-Pro2?
There’s always a reason or a preference to chose one over the other, even if that reason is as run of the mill as price.
It’s very rare to find an item which completely trumps all its contemporaries in every single category
Sure it’s easy to find the best spec’d product, but this often comes with an uplift in price, and on the odd occasion when it doesn’t, a competitor to that product will be along shortly.
Such is the world.
The second is the importance of understanding the difference between variable data and attribute data.
Variable data is quantifiable.
Which car goes the fastest?
Which building is the tallest?
Which camera has the most ISO, or megapixels or AF modes?
These are things with which we can use precise data to measure and define
Attribute data is a different kettle of fish. Attribute data is opinion driven.
Which car is the nicest colour of red?
Which building would you like to live in?
Which camera has the best placement of buttons?
These are things that we can decide for ourselves, things that we can wholeheartedly believe we are correct in and are clearly the correct choices for us.
However, attribute data comes with a massive caveat:
Others are just as certain in their own choices and have every much as right to their choices as you do yours.
When people argue on the internet, it’s generally over attribute data. It’s an argument that cannot be won or lost.
My advice would be to try and hate the game not the players when confronted with anyone claiming their personal choice is the law of the land.
So before I talk about each X-Pro variant, let’s talk about what I love about the X-Pro range in general.
Across all camera brands, not just Fujifilm, the X-Pro range does NOT have the
Best EVF
Best OVF
Best AF
Best Video
Best IQ
But in order to pick a camera that beats an X-Pro in any of the above areas, you’ll need to completely give up or severely truncate one of the other features.
Take the OVF for example. The one in the Leica is better. But if you get the Leica and want to use an EVF it’s either tough luck (M8/M9/M-D/M262) or carry one as a separate accessory in your bag or pocket (M240/M10), whereas the X-pro has both built-in
The EVF. Not even as good as the one in the X-T2. But if you get the X-T, you don’t have an OVF at all
Now of course many people have more than one camera for just the reasons listed above. Because no one camera does it all
But for me, the X-Pro range is the jack of all trades, and I’m personally happy to enjoy all the features that I might want, combined into one camera – even at the expense of their being cameras out that do a better job of specific things
So with that out of the way, yet still in mind, what can I say about getting an X-Pro1 after a year with it’s successor?
Let’s do variable data first. The X-Pro2 is the far superiorly spec’d product.
Attribute wise? Well for me (as YMMV) by and large the X-Pro2 wins this too! Heft, build, button placement, the joystick – the X-Pro2 just feels better in the hand
However, it’s always win some/lose some and I’ve had a bit more time to sample the X-Pro1 than I thought I would!
A friend of mine is considering the jump from Nikon to Fuji. kind guy that I am (!) I keep lending him my X-Pro2, as he’s considering the X-T2 and the X-Pro2 is a closer match to that than my X-Pro1 is.
This has given me extended periods with the X-Pro1, and forced me to use it for things where I would have been happier with the X-Pro2
And you know what?
I’ve enjoyed it!
In some instances, less is definitely more!
Join me next week and I’ll explain why I feel that way!
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One way you could help me is if you want to buy from Amazon, if you do so using the links below, then I will receive a small percentage of your expenditure, and you will pay NO MORE than you would have paid anyway.
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Fujifilm X-Pro2
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Fujifilm X-Pro2
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Thank You Very Much!
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The X-Pro Series Content: Referenced and All In One Place
The X-Pro Series Content: A Contents Page with Page Numbers and a Brief Description
Adam Bonn Fotografia 