FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/2.5, 1/55 sec, ISO200)
Another break from my USA posts. This time it’s for the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple in Malacca. This is the oldest temple in Malaysia dating back to the year 1675. In 2003 the beautiful restoration was awarded by the UNESCO. And it is easy to see why. The love and passion that they put into the job is clearly visible. A wonderful place and a photographers dream. I visited the place just 2 weeks ago at the end of a business trip where I decided to leave on Sunday night to be able to do some sightseeing.
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/1.4, 1/850 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (14mm, f/4, 1/30 sec, ISO320)
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (14mm, f/4, 1/30 sec, ISO640)
My colleague comes from Malacca so we went there but Malacca proofed to be the perfect location if you are interested in the culture and history of Malaysia. A wonderful place full of history, colorful temples and hundreds of restaurants. There is a China Town and a Little India. It’s colorful Asia compressed in a small city. Great!
I shoot mainly with my 14mm lens but in a temple with so many delicate details I felt the need to use the 35mm lens to concentrate on the details.
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (14mm, f/4, 1/150 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/1.4, 1/125 sec, ISO320)
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/1.4, 1/50 sec, ISO200)
The Fuji XP1 doesn’t stop to amaze me ( and to annoy me sometimes ). But the good things first. Image quality is absolutely top not only by APS-C standards. It’s hard to justify a full frame DSLR over a Fuji APS-C camera just because of image quality. The difference is very very small. In some areas the Fuji is even clearly ahead. These areas are Auto-WB, out of camera JPEGs and colors.
And the 14mm and 35mm are among the best lenses I have ever owned. At the end it is the lenses that separates the Fuji X system from it’s competition. Especially the fast primes make the difference in the images. I can’t wait to get the 1.4/23 and the 1.2/56.
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/4, 1/50 sec, ISO640)
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/1.4, 1/100 sec, ISO200)
The camera design with it’s dedicated shutter speed dial and the aperture ring on the lens, the built in viewfinder and the fast primes makes taking images a wonderful experience. Everything feels natural ( at least for an old f… like me ) and as a consequence the whole system disappears, it get’s completely out of the way of shooting. There is nothing behind you and your subject. The beauty of the Fuji X system lies in the reduction.
But with the upcoming XM-1 Fuji went too far. In order to reduce size and most of all cost the removed the viewfinder, the shutter speed dial and the aperture ring on the lenses. They changed excellent primes for cheap zooms. They essentially ditched everything that was unique in their system and that won so many dedicated users all over the world. Are they mad? Hardly. The XM-1 will be a good seller. The lower price and some of it’s features will appear to a lot of people. Fuji might be able to steal some customers from Sony and Olympus but I really hope that Fuji doesn’t forget to give the fans of the real X-cameras what the want.
Almost forgot to mention the annoying thing about the XP-1. Despite the new update the single most disturbing issue is still there. No minimum shutter speed in the Auto-ISO menu. I simply can not understand why Fuji doesn’t fix it. It is simple and straightforward. It probably takes about 30 minutes to implement and test but it would help thousands of users. Why do I cry over this so much. Take a look at image number 4.
But I don’t want to end with a rant. The Fuji X system with the fast primes is simple the best when it comes to traveling light. Outstanding quality in a compact form and the best JPEG engine in the world. All images are OOC JPEGs Velvia setting. Just look at the tones and the amazing detail. This a a 100% crop of the fist image:
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/2.5, 1/55 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/2.8, 1/50 sec, ISO400)
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec, ISO250)
Instead of ranting I end up with a very strange and seldom thing. A praise. Today we expect things to work. If something doesn’t work we complain even if it is our own fault. If something is perfect it is just OK. I think that’s wrong. If something is great it needs to be respected. Thank you Fuji. Thank you that you created the camera system I always wanted. A camera system that is small, a joy to use but doesn’t sacrifice image quality. Thank you!
PS: And now go back to your drawing board and make it better! 😉
FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (35mm, f/2.8, 1/150 sec, ISO200)