About two weeks into the announcement, a big quantity of web sites have expressed first appear opinions and critiques of the X-Pro one, and the consensus looks to be that Fujifilm is certainly putting the Leica M9 in its crosshairs with this new camera. Some even say that with the M9 based mostly on the traditional rangefinder model, the X-Pro 1 (despite the fact that not a rangefinder as this kind of) is the future…a reincarnation of that traditional model. Soon after all, it really is an all-new camera program, with a brand new mount and lenses.
An additional clue into Fujifilm’s strategic pondering is its announcement it will make readily available a Leica M-mount adapter for the X-Pro one, making an attempt to peel off shoppers away from the legendary traditional but supplying photographers the option to use the exceptional Leica lenses as properly as Voigtlander and Zeiss glass. How several instances have I heard from established photographers that they’d really like to have an M9, but it was as well high-priced? Lots.
I lately study in PDN that the lens system for the X-Pro 1 will initially consist of a 18mm f/two, 35mm f/1.four and a 60mm f/two.4, with far more coming down the road this sort of as a 14mm super wide, a 18-72mm f/4 IS zoom, a 23mm f/2, a 28mm f/2.eight pancake design and style, a 12-24mm f/4 and a 70-200mm f/4 IS zoom.
Quite a broad assortment of lenses to suit every photography form! Wedding, street and documentary.
On the unfavorable side, I also go through in a amount of hands-on reviews (of the pre-production models) that its automobile-focus will not be as responsive as we’d like it to be. Another factor, the real retail price tag has appeared in the UK, and appears to be £1350 (the equivalent of about $ 2000 like VAT of 20%, or $ 1600 net pre tax).
Will this Fujifilm newcomer strain Leica to come up with a mirrorless model of its very own? Probably. We have all seen numerous firms fall by the wayside due to the fact they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) grab the minute…simply because of managerial inertia, bad luck or arrogance…or all of these.
I am not “dissing” Leica by any signifies. I very own one particular and I am very pleased with it despite its shortcomings (and my own), but I have no second thoughts the X-Pro 1 will nibble into the rangefinder industry. How much of a nibble stays to be seen.
