Should Sony take a closer look at X-Pro2?

[Frank Sanders]

I think so, specially on the small details like

 

metallic front and back wheels

two card slots

joystick

EVF

 

I am a Sony shooter but I think there is allways room for improvement.

 

[nebulight]

It's a tough sell for Sony in the APS-C market. I'm not sure I'm willing to drop $1700 on an APS-C camera. The X-Pro2 is priced the same as the A7II.

 

For me:

 

I don't really care/need metalic front or back wheels.

two card slots would be nice, but not a deal breaking for me

joystick would be nice if no touch screen is added. I still miss my EM5's touch to focus screen.

I don't find the EVF on the A6000 to be all that bad

[addicted2light]

IMO Sony should copy something from Fuji, but more than the cameras (I really like how the Sony's are built, with the exception of the hideous original A7r shutter) Sony should copy the Fuji lens lineup.

 

I'm really struggling not to buy into Fuji just because they have all the focal lengths I need and all of excellent / really good quality.

 

Sony and Zeiss glass is still missing a lot of stuff I want, or they are selling it at outrageously expensive prices for what they are (again, IMHO).

 

Luckily my bank account balance is keeping me in check

[nebulight]

Good point about the APS-C lens line up. however to be fair to sony/zeiss the fuji lens are pretty pricey too. I want a nice 14mm prime for APS-C and the Fuji version is 899

[addicted2light]

Good point about the APS-C lens line up. however to be fair to sony/zeiss the fuji lens are pretty pricey too. I want a nice 14mm prime for APS-C and the Fuji version is 899

Well, at list they have one (af)

 

The good thing about Fuji's though, is that second hand or grey market they're quite affordable. The 14 sells usually around 500€ used. Compare that to Loxia e Zony (Sony Zeiss) prices... Even if, to be fair, Loxia and Zony have to cover full format (but, again to be fair, Zony aps-c lineup is pretty bloody expensive as well!)

 

But the best thing IMO is that Fuji has no "lemons" in its lineup; even the kit lens is supposedly really really good, and "staples" like the 35s, the pancake and the tele zooms are cheap and extremely well performing. I've tried a few myself and I was positively impressed (and in the last 15 years at least I've shot mostly with Zeiss glass, Contax or Hasselblad).

[Guest all8]

The photos from my A7II + Loxia 50 are better than those I got from an XPro1 + 35, I was happy with the 35mm even if the bokeh was not particularly smooth (which made some images difficult to look at). That is the thing about Fuji ... its good ... but not great. That is one reason why in the second hard market they are quite affordable, the other is that they are too expensive new for what they are ... XPro2 selling for the same as A7II, give me a break  

 

Oh, the _autofocus_ on my Loxia 50 is faster than the autofocus on the XPro1+35mm   

 

I doubt Sony gives a toss about Fuji ... because Sony is only interested in being number One, and Fuji is only interested in building a niche for itself (and have been very successful at that with the instax camera ...).

[rbelyell]

imo, what sony needs to emulate from fuji is the user experience. sony needs to move toward more analogue-centric hardware. shutter speed and iso dials, levers for drive and/or metering and wow! do that youve taken away fujis only advantage.

[3dit0r]

Not at the X-Pro 2 specifically, but definitely many aspects of producing a consistent system.

 

1. Lenses. Fuji has a consistent, well-thought out, range of stellar primes and zooms. Nice sizes, good speeds, the latest with great AF and weather sealing. I still can't get half the lenses I want/need for my A7rii, even if they were in stock.

 

2. Ergonomics. It's not just the manual dials, and having most regularly used functions on buttons, but the whole experience. They actually think about how a photographer uses a camera. E.g., the DOF scale in the EVF taken from the sensor, which allows precise hyperfocal setting, etc. The stunning implementation of MF which uses a split screen RF patch, and even a dual view so you can focus and compose at the same time in MF (imagine!). The general speed and responsiveness - I can instantly punch into 100% to check focus on a shot I just took on my Fuji, my A7rii is, frankly a bad joke in this regard - it easily takes over a second, maybe two. This is all on an X-T1 and the X-Pro 2 is supposed to be very significantly faster.

 

3. Firmware updates. Fuji are amazing with this. You really do get almost a new camera every few months.

 

4. Dual card slots on the X-Pro 2. Very nice.

 

5. Frameline preview on X-Pro 2. Preview other FL's before changing your prime, à la Leica. Very useful.

 

Up to now, Sony beats them on a few fronts -

 

1. Sensor resolution and DR. Although this might be significantly improved with the new Fuji sensor, can't tell until we get RAW samples. If DR is close or similar to Sony's state of the art, 24mp is enough for me, as long as Lightroom plays nicer with the detail. But nonetheless, Sony is ahead with its FF sensor in terms of out and out resolution.

 

2. IBIS. This is significant. IBIS is really nice. End of. Will the X-T2 have IBIS? Who knows...

 

3. Video. Sony has far superior video. We'll have to see what te X-T2 might bring to see if Fuji can (or even want to) compete.

[addicted2light]

1. Sensor resolution and DR. Although this might be significantly improved with the new Fuji sensor, can't tell until we get RAW samples. If DR is close or similar to Sony's state of the art, 24mp is enough for me, as long as Lightroom plays nicer with the detail. But nonetheless, Sony is ahead with its FF sensor in terms of out and out resolution.

 

 

I agree with all your points. BTW, once you use proper sharpening technique Lightroom 6 plays really nicely with Fuji files.

 

Check the "Bridgwood method" (halfway on the following page):

 

https://tjfelicianophoto.wordpress.com/2015/03/29/sharpening-fuji-x-trans-files-in-lightroom/ 

 

It works a treat.

[joshinthecity]

imo, what sony needs to emulate from fuji is the user experience. sony needs to move toward more analogue-centric hardware. shutter speed and iso dials, levers for drive and/or metering and wow! do that youve taken away fujis only advantage.

 

This is absolute truth. I've been thinking this for a long time too.

It would also put a genuine dent in Leica I would think.

I've got a bunch of current Sony and Canon FF gear. It's great.

But not one piece of it "feels" even close to being "special".

My X Pro1 w' 35 f1.4 was "special"

I'll bet the X Pro2 has "it" too.

 

I doubt Sony think that way though. 

j.