When you have a new camera to play with, there are few better people to ring up, invite over and shoot than the wonderful Rachel Bowler.

By no means is this a camera review of the FujiFilm X-Pro2 – just a first impression of the camera during a shoot and files from it.

There will be one coming in a day or so, but I wanted to just document  my first hands on shoot with the new camera. Please note that the camera I that I’m using in this is a prototype that I received directly from Fujifilm Japan.  I received this camera in  October 2015.

Firstly, I love and still love my X-Pro 1. It was the first Fuji camera I had and if this updated version is going to come close to being a more loved thing in my camera bag it has some pretty big shoes to fill.

Stuff  will want to know:

Was it worth the wait ?  Yes.
Sensor: A new 24.3mp X-Trans Sensor called the X-Trans CMOS III
New Processor:  New high-performance X Processor Pro image processing engine.
Better than the X-T1 ? – it’s a different camera, but.. for me…. yes… 100%
Focusing: Fast and smooth.
Things I like: Size, weight, feel, handling, speed, duel SD cards & image quality.
Speed: top speed of 1/8000 sec. and flash sync up to 1/250 sec.
Video: 1980×1080 @ 60p – Rolling shutter sorted……
Film simulation: New Arcos mode – Great Monochrome
ISO: I used an image at ISO51200 the other day….

Video with the new X-Trans 3 is far better than the sensor in the X-T1. There seems to be  much less rolling shutter and far higher bitrate coming off the sensor. Although the GH4 can film at 4k, the full HD footage of the Fuji seems to match the full HD footage coming off the GH4. When it comes to shooting the footage the GH4 is still so much easier to use but video is just not what the new flagship Fuji is all about. The stills from this camera are just what I have come to expect from Fuji.  They still have the tones and feel that Fuji fans have come to love but with the new 24mp sensor there is just more to love.

As stated – I will be doing a fuller blog & some deeper thoughts about this new camera, but for now – check out this video shot part on the Panasonic CH4 & part on the FujiFilm X-Pro 2

The way skin tones come off the new sensor is wonderful. When ever I get my hands on a new camera or a new sensor the litmus test for me is always how well the pixels stand up to editing. The Megapixel count does not always translate into bigger being better, so I was quite interested to see if the higher pixel density of the X-Pro2 over the X-T1 was going to really translate into better IQ & if this would present any differences during the editing phase.

In real life the X-Trans 3 files are a joy to edit. I had to use a Japanese version of SilkyPix to convert the files into TIFF as I was using a pre-release camera. From there I took the 16bit TIFF into Lightroom then Photoshop.

The raw RAF files are approx 18mb to 28mb.
Full Size JPEG’s are about 8mb to 12mb
Converted 16bit TIFF’s got to about 60mb

If you want to see a FULL RES IMAGE – click the image below. It was shot on a 90mm lens at iso200. 1/150th + f9.

I have an on going towel project which is just the simple concept of photographing people wearing simple white towels. These images worked so well in colour I wanted to show them before I have converted them and added them to the gallery.

If you want to model for part of this project – send me a message via my Facebook Page.

These images were taken on the X-Pro 2 using the XF50-140mm

• 1/125th — f5.0 — ISO 320

The images below are all taken on the FujiFilm X-T1 on the XF 50-140mm

 

My good buddy Matt Hart also has a blog about the launch of the new camera & do check out his blog here: https://matthewhartphotography.wordpress.com/2016/01/15/fujifilm-xpro-2/

Kevin Mullins also has a blog and video about the new camera – you can find that link here :http://f16.click/gear/fujifilm-x-pro2-review.html