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XPRO1 too slow AF, sell now and buy again next year?

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sorry i dont agree, pretend a decent AF (at least like a samsung NX100 who cost 199 euro and has much faster AF) its not asking the moon :-)

after you pay 1500 euro for a body why fuji reserve for you such AF? :-)

no one ask D4 performance and also i dont need it,i just thought AF was on par with my NX200 coupled with the 2 pancakes , pity also the slow samsung 30mm f2 blow away in speed the 35mm 1.4, and both NX200 and 30mm costed less then the 35mm alone ...

anyway yes i will keep now 5D MII with a couple of small primes (35mm f2 and maybe a 50mm or a 28mm 1.8 and the 40mm 2.8 pancake)
CraigArnold said:
I think you're on a hiding to nothing here.

It seems like the X cameras are just never going to work for you. It happens to some people; their natural shooting style is just not right for the Fujis.

I would be very surprised if you ever get acceptable performance from an X camera.

Why not pack all that stuff in and get a 5DMkIII? The AF performance is getting rave reviews - easily equivalent to D3/1D4. Maybe a D4 or 1DX would be better.

Use a couple of small primes, 50 1.4 or 28 1.8, stopped down 1/2 stop and you're good to go. If you shoot a lot at night the light/DR in the scene is so poor anyway that the minor flaws in the lenses are not going to be an issue. You just need them in focus.

The 5D3 is smaller and has a much quieter shutter than the 5D2. I think that's your best option.

--
Blog ------------------------ http://peri.org.uk/wp/?tag=blog
X100 Blog ----------------- http://peri.org.uk/wp/?cat=16
X100 Quickstart Guide -- http://peri.org.uk/wp/?page_id=1345
Click to expand...
 
i use a xq00 for reportage. i covered uefa euro cup and sometimes i shoot fans at night.

in situation similar to your photos, the x100 was slower than a dslr but fast enough for the job, and most of all super accurate. no way 2 second. i haven't used the xpro but seems to me that your combo has some problems, or is our error.
ZZ9 said:
i bought 1 month ago a XPRO 1, i wanted use for my reportage work (i m a freelance photojournalist), i already claimed at beginning how slow was AF with both lens, but after i upgraded the firmware i saw some improvment (big on 18mm and small on 35mm to be precise)

first i must admit this: the IQ is stunning, it blow away my "old" GH2 and also my 5DMII, in all situations, low light especially , noise is 1 stop and more lower then 5D MII, 2-3 stop lower then GH2

this is my question: the 35mm is very slow lens, impossible to do any kind of reportage work with people especially in low light, last week i did some night test, also in a scene with a big light in the middle where a very slow lens like panasonic 20mm 1.7 coupled with my GH2 focus something like 10 times faster

its possible that a "easy" shot like this take 2 second to lock focus?? it drive me crazy ....

xpro1 adn 35mm 1.4,

this is just a test, shot its just for test (to be truth its horrible)))) but if the camera need 2 second to lock focus on a big light like this where also a Point and shot its much faster..well its a problem





just for info, other shots with similar light were impossible for fuji to be focused...it hunted for 3 seconds then it shoot but all out of focus ...

i have seen very interesting lens roadmap, pity the 23mm 1.4 will be released next year (march , april??))

so my idea is this: sell all now ,2 lens 18mm and the 35mm 1.4 and the XPRO1 (impossible to work,i ma photojournalist i need to come back home with the job done if i spend 2 months travelling in rural china or tibet or such remotes area...i cant miss shots...

then next year test the 23mm 1.4 and the zoom 18-55mm, if its slow as 35mm well bye bye fuji forever, if its at least fast as the 18mm (slow but decent) well i can buy again the XPRO1 or XPRO2 with just the 23mm

or better i keep the XPRO1 untill zoom will be released and then wait again the 23mm before decide all ?

thanx for all advice
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ZZ9 said:
sorry i dont agree, pretend a decent AF (at least like a samsung NX100 who cost 199 euro and has much faster AF) its not asking the moon :-)

after you pay 1500 euro for a body why fuji reserve for you such AF? :-)

no one ask D4 performance and also i dont need it,i just thought AF was on par with my NX200 coupled with the 2 pancakes , pity also the slow samsung 30mm f2 blow away in speed the 35mm 1.4, and both NX200 and 30mm costed less then the 35mm alone ...
Click to expand...
The problem is that this is YOUR experience and the experience of OTHER people who have the system don't agree.

I don't think you are lying, but I don't think they are either. How is it possible?

The way you shoot and the way the Fuji works are not compatible. Simple as that.

We saw this with the X100 as well. Some people could just not make the thing focus properly. Almost at all. Others had no problems.
ZZ9 said:
anyway yes i will keep now 5D MII with a couple of small primes (35mm f2 and maybe a 50mm or a 28mm 1.8 and the 40mm 2.8 pancake)
Click to expand...
No, not a 5D2. Sell all this other stuff and go for a 5D3.

--
Blog ------------------------ http://peri.org.uk/wp/?tag=blog
X100 Blog ----------------- http://peri.org.uk/wp/?cat=16
X100 Quickstart Guide -- http://peri.org.uk/wp/?page_id=1345
 
Well, yes. My D4 with my 85mm f1.4 is sure faster, but I was trying to help shooting an X.

The XPRO is so good at high ISO that I would rather shoot at f2.8 or f4 at 6400 ISO than at f1.4 at lower ISO. (And yes the D4 is even better :) )

I guess it comes down to finding the right tool for your style and budget, and then learning how to use it the best way.

'nuff said...
--
paul szilard
http://photos.remektek.com.au
 
If you want to use the camera in low light and the af doesn't perform put the camera in manual and set the lens to a workable hyperfocal range. It will be easier for you to get a deeper range with a wider lens. This is part of the reason that 50mm hasn't been a prefered focal length for reportage work for since the 40's.

If you need a camera to do all the work for you, the xpro is not a good match.
ZZ9 said:
i bought 1 month ago a XPRO 1, i wanted use for my reportage work (i m a freelance photojournalist), i already claimed at beginning how slow was AF with both lens, but after i upgraded the firmware i saw some improvment (big on 18mm and small on 35mm to be precise)

first i must admit this: the IQ is stunning, it blow away my "old" GH2 and also my 5DMII, in all situations, low light especially , noise is 1 stop and more lower then 5D MII, 2-3 stop lower then GH2

this is my question: the 35mm is very slow lens, impossible to do any kind of reportage work with people especially in low light, last week i did some night test, also in a scene with a big light in the middle where a very slow lens like panasonic 20mm 1.7 coupled with my GH2 focus something like 10 times faster

its possible that a "easy" shot like this take 2 second to lock focus?? it drive me crazy ....

xpro1 adn 35mm 1.4,

this is just a test, shot its just for test (to be truth its horrible)))) but if the camera need 2 second to lock focus on a big light like this where also a Point and shot its much faster..well its a problem





just for info, other shots with similar light were impossible for fuji to be focused...it hunted for 3 seconds then it shoot but all out of focus ...

i have seen very interesting lens roadmap, pity the 23mm 1.4 will be released next year (march , april??))

so my idea is this: sell all now ,2 lens 18mm and the 35mm 1.4 and the XPRO1 (impossible to work,i ma photojournalist i need to come back home with the job done if i spend 2 months travelling in rural china or tibet or such remotes area...i cant miss shots...

then next year test the 23mm 1.4 and the zoom 18-55mm, if its slow as 35mm well bye bye fuji forever, if its at least fast as the 18mm (slow but decent) well i can buy again the XPRO1 or XPRO2 with just the 23mm

or better i keep the XPRO1 untill zoom will be released and then wait again the 23mm before decide all ?

thanx for all advice
Click to expand...
 
very easy, many people take photos of static subjects

also maybe my perception of a decent AF could be different, in the past i covered as sport photographer the biggest european teams (barcellona, maccabi, many italians teams)

no one is laying, i also take in count that my 35mm is defective....couse it need 2 seconds in low light to lock focus
CraigArnold said:
I don't think you are lying, but I don't think they are either. How is it possible?

The way you shoot and the way the Fuji works are not compatible. Simple as that.

We saw this with the X100 as well. Some people could just not make the thing focus properly. Almost at all. Others had no problems.
Click to expand...
 
i think X100 is much faster then the XPRO 1 with 35mm

it s i think like the 18mm, decent AF,nothing to complaint

take a test if you can with the xpro1 & 35mm you will see how slower its that lens

before shot you feel the lens scanning all the field...and then after this it will lock on the most contrast part of the scene main subject, but in meantime it need almost 2 seconds
jonny1976 said:
i use a xq00 for reportage. i covered uefa euro cup and sometimes i shoot fans at night.

in situation similar to your photos, the x100 was slower than a dslr but fast enough for the job, and most of all super accurate. no way 2 second. i haven't used the xpro but seems to me that your combo has some problems, or is our error.
ZZ9 said:
i bought 1 month ago a XPRO 1, i wanted use for my reportage work (i m a freelance photojournalist), i already claimed at beginning how slow was AF with both lens, but after i upgraded the firmware i saw some improvment (big on 18mm and small on 35mm to be precise)

first i must admit this: the IQ is stunning, it blow away my "old" GH2 and also my 5DMII, in all situations, low light especially , noise is 1 stop and more lower then 5D MII, 2-3 stop lower then GH2

this is my question: the 35mm is very slow lens, impossible to do any kind of reportage work with people especially in low light, last week i did some night test, also in a scene with a big light in the middle where a very slow lens like panasonic 20mm 1.7 coupled with my GH2 focus something like 10 times faster

its possible that a "easy" shot like this take 2 second to lock focus?? it drive me crazy ....

xpro1 adn 35mm 1.4,

this is just a test, shot its just for test (to be truth its horrible)))) but if the camera need 2 second to lock focus on a big light like this where also a Point and shot its much faster..well its a problem





just for info, other shots with similar light were impossible for fuji to be focused...it hunted for 3 seconds then it shoot but all out of focus ...

i have seen very interesting lens roadmap, pity the 23mm 1.4 will be released next year (march , april??))

so my idea is this: sell all now ,2 lens 18mm and the 35mm 1.4 and the XPRO1 (impossible to work,i ma photojournalist i need to come back home with the job done if i spend 2 months travelling in rural china or tibet or such remotes area...i cant miss shots...

then next year test the 23mm 1.4 and the zoom 18-55mm, if its slow as 35mm well bye bye fuji forever, if its at least fast as the 18mm (slow but decent) well i can buy again the XPRO1 or XPRO2 with just the 23mm

or better i keep the XPRO1 untill zoom will be released and then wait again the 23mm before decide all ?

thanx for all advice
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
well another thing i dont understand its that when you focus also 100 times on a single subject using wide area AF, the camera with 35mm need minimum 1 second to "scan" again all the frame before lock focus

why if the focus is already locked on the central subject, each time you half press the shutter button it need to re-scan all scene??

every other mirrorless i tried (m43, samsung, nex) has not this problem

note: this is done only using Wide AF point, if you use just the single AF point its ok, it re-lock focus in a fraction of second

what a pain see this things in camera who cost 1500 euro....
 
leica its for feticist of the object , beautiful to handle and to see (my brother has a M8.2 i tried to use several times, it MF but lens have a distance scale so when you have learned you can use just setting the distance on the lens....
 
Jeez. Sorry, but you even think of using the X-Pro1 to cover sports? Get the right tool for the job. The X-Pro1 clearly isn't that tool for the work you do. Then why obsess over it. Part of being a photographer is knowing what tools you need to work with.
ZZ9 said:
leica its for feticist of the object , beautiful to handle and to see (my brother has a M8.2 i tried to use several times, it MF but lens have a distance scale so when you have learned you can use just setting the distance on the lens....
Click to expand...
 
To the OP's defense, it's not always the easiest thing for newer photographers to be able to choose the right tools. If you've only ever shot with DSLR's how are you to know what other cameras are better or lesser suited for a certain style or project? It's not even just knowing the specs on every camera, it's having some experience using it as well. Give someone a MF camera with a TS lens to shoot architecture who's never had anything beyond a DSLR and they'll probably freak out. Sure, they'll have a million people telling them that it's way better suited for the job, but they're still sitting there thinking, why the hell doesn't this thing have AF and how come I'm getting severe vignetting with a $30K camera set up. For that much cash it should just work...right?

The OP may just be experiencing a new type of camera that so many people are claiming works great for Street Photography (with the images to prove it) yet he's struggling just getting it to focus. The frustration with learning new tools is perfectly understandable.
Lodro Rigdzin said:
Jeez. Sorry, but you even think of using the X-Pro1 to cover sports? Get the right tool for the job. The X-Pro1 clearly isn't that tool for the work you do. Then why obsess over it. Part of being a photographer is knowing what tools you need to work with.
ZZ9 said:
leica its for feticist of the object , beautiful to handle and to see (my brother has a M8.2 i tried to use several times, it MF but lens have a distance scale so when you have learned you can use just setting the distance on the lens....
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
i said it will be used for sport?????
i showed some somple, pls read all thread and check samples !!
that is NOT sport photography

when many years ago i covered Basketball Euroleague i used a NIKON D1H

i m not so stupid to think to use a XPRO1 for sport
Lodro Rigdzin said:
Jeez. Sorry, but you even think of using the X-Pro1 to cover sports? Get the right tool for the job. The X-Pro1 clearly isn't that tool for the work you do. Then why obsess over it. Part of being a photographer is knowing what tools you need to work with.
ZZ9 said:
leica its for feticist of the object , beautiful to handle and to see (my brother has a M8.2 i tried to use several times, it MF but lens have a distance scale so when you have learned you can use just setting the distance on the lens....
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
sorry i dont agree again
i m a freelance photojournalist i learned to use many cameras in few days

the only problem is that there were no shops where i could have tested the AF , i had to buy and then test

i m using now at least 4 cameras, i used without any problem almost 10 micro fourthirds camera, samsung NX and sony NEX; plus professional Nikon and canon cameras

i just keep it , try and if AF its slow its slow...there is nothing to learn.... :-)

the only camera slower then this its my sigma DP2s, but sigma is a compact camera...i can survive with a slow AF couse its use its limited...
mr moonlight said:
To the OP's defense, it's not always the easiest thing for newer photographers to be able to choose the right tools. If you've only ever shot with DSLR's how are you to know what other cameras are better or lesser suited for a certain style or project? It's not even just knowing the specs on every camera, it's having some experience using it as well. Give someone a MF camera with a TS lens to shoot architecture who's never had anything beyond a DSLR and they'll probably freak out. Sure, they'll have a million people telling them that it's way better suited for the job, but they're still sitting there thinking, why the hell doesn't this thing have AF and how come I'm getting severe vignetting with a $30K camera set up. For that much cash it should just work...right?

The OP may just be experiencing a new type of camera that so many people are claiming works great for Street Photography (with the images to prove it) yet he's struggling just getting it to focus. The frustration with learning new tools is perfectly understandable.
Lodro Rigdzin said:
Jeez. Sorry, but you even think of using the X-Pro1 to cover sports? Get the right tool for the job. The X-Pro1 clearly isn't that tool for the work you do. Then why obsess over it. Part of being a photographer is knowing what tools you need to work with.
ZZ9 said:
leica its for feticist of the object , beautiful to handle and to see (my brother has a M8.2 i tried to use several times, it MF but lens have a distance scale so when you have learned you can use just setting the distance on the lens....
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I can't tell if you're sincere or not, but my advice is wait for the 23 and the zooms. The 18 is fast, the 35 is not as fast, and yes, there are many other lenses out there that will be faster. Again, the 18 is fast enough for most things, and one can certainly and easily use it for fast action if desired. The 35 is slower, and won't be as good at it (and it appears you've found that out). The 18-55 zoom has IS and a linear motor, so it should be quite fast and steady, and plenty wide at 2.8 - 4.

Or just sell it. I've read all your other posts and it seems like you already have plenty of cameras to use for 'fast', photojournalist stuff. If you can wait, I think there will be more responsive lenses.
ZZ9 said:
i bought 1 month ago a XPRO 1, i wanted use for my reportage work (i m a freelance photojournalist), i already claimed at beginning how slow was AF with both lens, but after i upgraded the firmware i saw some improvment (big on 18mm and small on 35mm to be precise)

first i must admit this: the IQ is stunning, it blow away my "old" GH2 and also my 5DMII, in all situations, low light especially , noise is 1 stop and more lower then 5D MII, 2-3 stop lower then GH2

this is my question: the 35mm is very slow lens, impossible to do any kind of reportage work with people especially in low light, last week i did some night test, also in a scene with a big light in the middle where a very slow lens like panasonic 20mm 1.7 coupled with my GH2 focus something like 10 times faster

its possible that a "easy" shot like this take 2 second to lock focus?? it drive me crazy ....

xpro1 adn 35mm 1.4,

this is just a test, shot its just for test (to be truth its horrible)))) but if the camera need 2 second to lock focus on a big light like this where also a Point and shot its much faster..well its a problem





just for info, other shots with similar light were impossible for fuji to be focused...it hunted for 3 seconds then it shoot but all out of focus ...

i have seen very interesting lens roadmap, pity the 23mm 1.4 will be released next year (march , april??))

so my idea is this: sell all now ,2 lens 18mm and the 35mm 1.4 and the XPRO1 (impossible to work,i ma photojournalist i need to come back home with the job done if i spend 2 months travelling in rural china or tibet or such remotes area...i cant miss shots...

then next year test the 23mm 1.4 and the zoom 18-55mm, if its slow as 35mm well bye bye fuji forever, if its at least fast as the 18mm (slow but decent) well i can buy again the XPRO1 or XPRO2 with just the 23mm

or better i keep the XPRO1 untill zoom will be released and then wait again the 23mm before decide all ?

thanx for all advice
Click to expand...
 
These are all fine techniques and I will happily use them since I love the camera, still it's a reasonable expectation for a 2012 camera to have better autofocus than the X-Pro1 has.

I don't think you can blame the photographer for expecting more.

Now, if it had been advertised as having wonkly autofocus to make you remember your old techniques that would be one thing, but that's not how its advertised and Fuji should do better.

Finally, just because people find fault doesn't mean that the camera is bad or that they hate it. The Fuji S5 Pro was extremely soft and people whined about it all the time, but still loved it and shot photos religiously with it.

In short, every expressed flaw with your spouse need not imply the desire for divorce.

--
Matt Fahrner
http://boinkphoto.com
 
Why would you keep something that doesn't fit your needs?

Sell it and get something that'll work for you.

I'm saying this as a happy X-Pro1 owner.
--
http://asylum-photo.com
 
Yes, but with photographing moving children, calculating hyperfocal distance is a little cumbersome.

I would also note that none of the X-Pro1 marketing literature says, "You'll love the X-Pro1 because you'll be back to calculating hyperfocal distances!"

I think using hyperfocal distances is an ingenious solution to the problem, but one that shouldn't be ideally required.

Is it the end of the world? No - but I think it's a rational complaint.

--
Matt Fahrner
http://boinkphoto.com
 
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