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Just Posted: Hands-on Fujifilm XF1 preview

Sep 17, 2012 at 05:00:00 GMT
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Just Posted: Our Fujifilm XF1 hands-on preview. Fujifilm has starting making cameras worth taking seriously with its X-series, both at the compact camera and interchangeable lens end of the spectrum. The XF1 uses the 2/3"-type sensor from the XS1 and X10, and builds it into an attractive, retro-styled compact body with a usefully fast lens that includes a retracting mechanical zoom ring. How does it stack up against its rivals? Read our preview to find out.

Fujifilm XF1

Fujifilm XF1

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Comments

Total comments: 20
LaMesa
By LaMesa (8 months ago)

The XF1 has a predecessor:

http://www.pbase.com/herbrd/image/146302440.pdf

Werra 1, a nicely designed camera, built in Jena (former East Germany) around 1955. Film transport took place with a turn of the outer ring around the lens barrel, a delicate and flawed solution.

Herbert

0 upvotes
alexpaynter
By alexpaynter (8 months ago)

If this has the same sensor as the x10 then it is a pointless upgrade. This sensor is bettered by many cameras in the category.

0 upvotes
Photato
By Photato (8 months ago)

Looks good, but too bad the video part is has little manual controls.

0 upvotes
fakuryu
By fakuryu (8 months ago)

Out of all the new cameras being shown, Fuji is giving us "sexiness"

6 upvotes
SheikYerbouti
By SheikYerbouti (8 months ago)

What a pretty little camera! I love the looks and the back-to-basics approach of its mechanical zoom. In my opinion there's nothing more intuitive and more instant than a properly designed, smoothly operating mechanical zoom ring.

As far as I can see from this short preview and as others have pointed out before, the only serious letdown seems to be the display of the XF1. Even Ricoh have been using high quality 920k and now 1.2m displays in their much cheaper CX series since years. Using a camera that doesn't have a view finder, a photographer crucially depends on the rear display for framing, composing, focusing, editing etc. The display of such a camera should therefore be state of the art with respect to resolution, refresh rate, brightness, anti-reflective coating etc. Fuji could have done better than using a 460k display for this little gem of a camera.

To be continued ...

0 upvotes
SheikYerbouti
By SheikYerbouti (8 months ago)

... contd.

One last thing ... I wonder how much larger this camera/lens combination would have to be, if the lens had a constant maximum aperture of f/2 and a really useful range of 24-120mm. Does anyone know?

0 upvotes
Jogger
By Jogger (8 months ago)

Hope it comes in black.

0 upvotes
gk singh
By gk singh (8 months ago)

Any idea about launch date and US price?

0 upvotes
Jos van Dijk
By Jos van Dijk (8 months ago)

Who does need an extra electronic motor for starting a camera? It only consumes a lot of power...

0 upvotes
Rocky ID Olympian
By Rocky ID Olympian (8 months ago)

This thing looks like Olympus' E-P1 concept design, before they came out with the actual one.

1 upvote
RusVolley
By RusVolley (8 months ago)

Ellegant...

2 upvotes
Mk7
By Mk7 (8 months ago)

The XF1 will eat the S100 for lunch, but the RX100 is still king.

0 upvotes
maboule123
By maboule123 (8 months ago)

ORBS to eat here or to take out, sir?

0 upvotes
Andrew53
By Andrew53 (8 months ago)

The ORBless X10? Should be given free to all the early beta testers.

2 upvotes
rattymouse
By rattymouse (8 months ago)

Well said sir.

0 upvotes
b534202
By b534202 (8 months ago)

Do you HAVE to do the twist and pull to turn the camera on?

That looks very inconvenient.

Comment edited 16 seconds after posting
2 upvotes
George Veltchev
By George Veltchev (8 months ago)

...and suspiciously similar to S100 ;)

0 upvotes
HowaboutRAW
By HowaboutRAW (8 months ago)

The Canon S100 does not have this much sensor area. Nor is the Canon lens likely as good as the Fuji lens on this new camera.

So not particularly like the S100.

8 upvotes
iaredatsun
By iaredatsun (8 months ago)

George, what's suspicious about it? It just has a twist mechanism on the lens. Whether it was inspired by the s100 or not, I doubt it was designed to confuse non-discrimating buyers . I suspect that they had an honourable ergonomic intention, good or bad. ;)

Comment edited 9 minutes after posting
1 upvote
snowboarder
By snowboarder (8 months ago)

Cool :)

3 upvotes
Total comments: 20