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People often ask, why doesn’t fuji make a real rangefinder?
Let’s find out!
Why Doesn’t Fuji Make a Real Rangefinder?
Fuji does not make a real rangefinder like the Nikon F6 or Canon R1 because they are too expensive. The Fuji X-Pro2 is a good camera for those who want to take photos with a rangefinder-style viewfinder and it has some of the best features in its class.
Fuji X-Pro2 Review
With the release of the X-Pro3, Fuji has finally addressed one of my biggest gripes with the original X-Pro2: the lack of an optical viewfinder. While I’m not a huge fan of EVFs (I find them distracting), they’re certainly better than nothing.
But if you’re already invested in the X-Pro2, what should you do next? Well, let’s start with the good news: the X-Pro2 is still a great choice for photographers who love shooting landscapes, portraits, and street photography. And if you’re just starting out, the X-Pro2 can
Specifications
- Image Quality and Fuji’s X-Trans Sensor
- Body Style
- No-Fear Weather Sealing
- Physical Controls
- Shutter Options and Silent Shooting
A mirrorless camera with an interchangeable lens mount and a hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder.
Fuji’s proprietary X Trans III sensor is APS-C sized, which means its effective focal length is 1.5 times longer than an equivalent full-frame camera.
Megapixel: 24.3 MP; an image at its largest size is 6000×4000 pixels.
Lens Mounts
Fuji’s own XF series. Any lens Fuji has released since 2011 works on the cameras. There are currently 28 native zoom and prime models available, plus many more rumors in Fuji’s pipeline.
Other lens makers also produce XF-compatible optics, including Zeiss, Samyang, Rokinon, and others. If that’s not sufficient for your needs, the XF series accepts adapters for older manual focus systems. We have used Canon EF and Nikon F-series adapters successfully.
Phase detection autofocus (PDAF) is an advanced technology used by most DSLRs today.
The camera has two memory card slots. One can hold UHS-II SDXC (or larger) memory cards. The second one can hold smaller SDHC (or even microSD) cards. Both slots can be programmed to shoot sequentially, back up, or RAW/JPeg
Camera
The camera features a 24MP APS‑C sensor paired with an EXR Processor II image processor. The sensor itself is capable of recording 4K video internally (though not simultaneously) and offers ISO sensitivity settings ranging from 100 to 12800. The camera can record RAW images and JPEGs, though the latter must be converted via the supplied software.
In order to make your images truly waterproof, you’ll need to invest in a good set of lenses. You should also consider investing in an external flash unit if you’re planning on taking any underwater shots.
Shutter Speed
With the XF100, you get three options for your shutter speed: Mechanical (1/8000), Electronic (1/32,000), and Dual Mode (1/16,000). The mechanical shutter maxes at 1/8,000th of a second, comparable to professional-level DSLR cameras. The electronic shutter can go as fast as 1/32,000th of a second. And if you’re willing
With a lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable power source, the camera weighs 515 grams or 1.14 lbs. The magnesium alloy chassis feels quite strong and sturdy, yet surprisingly lightweight. It’s like carrying the strength of a larger Canon 1D series camera into a small, compact package.
ISO ranges from native (200) to 12,800. The expanded ISO ranges from 100 to 51,200. We usually shoot at 3,200 and 6.4K without worrying.
Why Doesn’t Fuji Make A Real Rangefinder?
Image Quality and Fuji’s X-Trans Sensor
There’s a lot of misinformation out there about the X-Trans, so let’s clear up some misconceptions.
1. Fuji does not manufacture the sensor. It is “designed and tested” by Fuji, but manufactured by…who? We know it definitely is not Samsung. The likely manufacturer would be Sony, who isn’t at all surprising given that pretty much every camera company except Canon and Leica currently utilizes Sony image sensing devices.
2. The X Pro2 uses the X Trans III, the third generation of the sensor. Each subsequent generation has generally improved upon the previous one. The X Trans II was released in 2011, followed by the X Trans I in 2012. The X Trans III was released in 2014.
C’mon, let’s face it – we’re not talking about a $10K+ DSLR here. We’re talking about an entry-level compact camera. And yet, Fuji has managed to cram a full-size APS-C sized image plane into a tiny little package.
That’s right folks, the new X-T2 packs a 24MP APS-C sized CMOS chip into a body only slightly larger than your average smartphone. So what does that mean? Well, if you’ve got a phone with a 5″ screen, then you can fit two of those phones inside the X-T2’s body!
4. Most sensor, regardless of size, is made of three layers. The first layer captures light. The second layer captures colors. The third layer is an anti-alias (AA) filter, also known as optical low-pass filters. The main purpose of AA filters is to slightly blur the picture being taken.
That’s totally shocking! I know, because I spent so much of my life as a photographer trying to make sharp pictures, but AA filters are needed to combat the potential moires and false colors created by the pixel arrangement in the second layer, which is typically a Bayer pattern. It appears like this:
It’s made of two columns of green-blue and red pixels. The repetition of those tight 2-by-4 patterns is what causes the problem. In essence, it makes most every camera create images that are less sharp than they could be.
However, the Fujifilm X-T2 has an APS-C-sized sensor that uses a new type of image processing technology called “X-Trans” which allows for faster shutter speeds than previous models.
That more random 6×6 pattern isn’t nearly so susceptible to moire or fake colors. Fuji says the perceived sharpness of the X-Trans’ image quality is just as good as a full-frame camera even at high ISO settings.
Fuji also claims the x-trans has better color fidelity because each line and column of its sensors have at least one green blue or red pixel. In practice, though, the Buyer pattern just can’t compete.
Body Style
The X-Pro 2 has a “rangefinder-like” body. That means the viewing screen is on the left hand of the camera rather than in the center like on a normal DSLR. However, the X-Pro 2 does not have an internal focus system like a traditional rangefinder, so Leica enthusiasts who want to save some cash may be disappointed.
The Fujifilm X-T1 is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a compact system-mountable medium format digital SLR (DSLR) with a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF). While not quite as fast as full frame models, the X-T1 offers a number of advantages including smaller sensor size, faster autofocus, and a higher resolution EVF.
The tradeoff is between portability and image quality. While the XF100 is lighter and smaller than the XF56, it doesn’t feel any more portable. In addition, the XF56 offers much higher resolution images. For those who shoot frequently with large telephoto lenses, the XF56 is the camera they should buy.
No-Fear Weather Sealing
Fuji claims that the X Pro 2 has 61 watertight seals, which is pretty good (Canon’s latest flagship and tank-like 1D has over 70). But there are of course real limitations to what the cameras can withstand. Waterproof doesn’t necessarily mean watertight. For that, you’ll need an underwater dive suit.
While I think the XF lenses are quite nice, if you’re going to shoot mostly outdoors, an E lens might be a better choice.
Conclusion
We hope that this guide has been useful. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comment section below.
