Fuji Fuji Xpro1 vs. NEX 7

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Name
Dan
For the better part of a month now I have been shooting with both of these cameras. I like them both, but they have different strengths and weaknesses. So here is my basic comparison from the field, personal opinion, not formal controlled tests.

XPro1 strengths:
1. Great retro design. It has the appeal that us older photographers can love because it is designed like cameras of the past.
2. Hybrid viewfinder is fantastic. It offers the best of both worlds with EVF and OVF.
3. Image Quality is excellent at all ISO settings up through 6400.
4. Controls are well designed, and much improved over the X100.
5. I only have the 35mm f1.4 lens and it is superb. Those with the other lenses seem equally satisfied.
6. With an adapter it can be used with other lenses, but I have not done much with this yet, though i intend to.

NEX 7 strengths:
1. Smaller than the XPro. I consider this a plus.
2. 24 megapixels gives fine resolution of detail.
3. The Peaking feature makes use of adapted lenses a joy, and focus is precise with this feature.
4. Available lenses are good quality and reasonably priced (with the exception of the Zeiss 24 on the price point!)
5. The tilt LCD is very handy for from the waist and above the head shots. This is important to me for street shooting.
6. The controls are well arranged and GREATLY improved over previous NEX versions.
7. The NEX focuses faster than the XPro1, but it has a problem with purple fringing with wide angle adapted lenses.

Here are some recent samples from the two cameras, but they are not intended for direct scientific comparison because the circumstances and post processing vary too much for that.

KattanCZr.jpg
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NEX7 with adapted Pentax 77mm Limited lens using focus peaking. ISO 1600

MattiesFr.jpg
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NEX7 with 21mm Voitlander lens. ISO 1600

Sinks2sr.jpg

XPro1 with 35mm lens at f1.4. ISO 6400

AllStateGirlsChorus.jpg
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XPro1 with 35mm at the All State Girls Chorus (my daughter is in this). At f2.8 from the balcony ISO 800.
In the original jpeg all the girls faces can be clearly seen and identified at 100%.

If anyone else has input about the comparison between these two cameras chime in here.
 
I have the NEX 7 (and the M9). Yet somehow the Xpro1 is still calling....... "Gordon, Gordon.... Feel me". Mongrel camera!

I would like to see someone do a head-to-head comparison between the M9 and the Pro1. I believe that there are ways in which the XPro would perform better than the M9. For that matter I think the same could be said for the NEX7. As for being a "mongrel camera" sometimes cross-breeding produces a fine offspring.
 
I have the NEX 7 (and the M9). Yet somehow the Xpro1 is still calling....... "Gordon, Gordon.... Feel me". Mongrel camera!

Gordon

Yes Gordon, it's calling you!!!

"You know you want me ... You can't resist me ... You know you need me." - XPro1

I would like to see someone do a head-to-head comparison between the M9 and the Pro1. I believe that there are ways in which the XPro would perform better than the M9. For that matter I think the same could be said for the NEX7. As for being a "mongrel camera" sometimes cross-breeding produces a fine offspring.

There are some side by side comparisons floating around the internet of the M9 + 50 Summilux vs. XPro1 + 35/1.4, which has roughly the same equivalent focal length as the 50 Lux.

To my eyes, the XPro1 comes out on top in terms of wide open sharpness at f1.4. But the M9/50 Lux combo has a shallower DOF (as it should) and the bokeh is a little bit creamier. Unfortunately, I don't remember what site that was on.

I haven't gone through the entire "Scoop" page for the XPro1 yet, but there's a good chance that the comparison that I'm talking about is probably linked to the "Scoop" page somewhere, because this seems to be the most comprehensive gathering of all XPro1 related articles.

Fuji X-Pro1 | Scoop.it


And great comparison of the two cameras Dan! I've had them both, and that's my assessment as well. Ergonomically, I actually like the controls of the NEX7 better. I don't like having buttons on the left side of the camera on the XPro1, because I'm a right eye shooter. When I'm trying to access the metering or AF button with my face on the viewfinder, I poke myself on the face! I also wish the XPro1 had more than one customizable button and face detection.
 
Nice side-by-side analysis, thanks! Are you keeping both, or is it a case of "one must fall"?

I plan to keep both because as tools they do different things well. I like shooting street at waist level for example and for this the NEX is more convenient, but it can be done with the XPro with a wide angle lens. The 77m (115mm equivalent) Pentax lens would be difficult to use on the XPro, but works great on the NEX with focus peaking. On the other hand, I love the IQ, nostalgic design and hybrid viewfinder of the XPro. So I have my bag set up to carry both. This is why I stressed strengths rather than weaknesses in my comparison. It is their respective strengths that make both a win for me. i have given up believing there is one perfect camera for all people and all purposes. I believe that is a Chimera.
 
For those who did not see these before in another thread, here is the XPro with a Voitlander 21mm and adapter. I hope to try this set up on the street in Charlotte soon. This lens produces purple fringing on the NEX7 but does not have a problem on the XPro.

XPVoit21t.jpg
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I did forget to say thanks for the comparison Dan.

Although I'm still not entirely happy you put it up.... :D

Thankfully I've just finished putting together a Sony system (a77 and NEX7) so I can't afford the Fuji this month.... Maybe when the zooms ship.

However if there's anyone in Sydney or Newcastle (NSW) who has an XPro1 who wants to spend a few hours shooting, I'd be all up for it. I have played with one in a shop and I did form some opinions but they may not count in real world usage.

Gordon
 
While I love the Fuji Film X-Pro 1, one of the items I feel you missed is that the NEX system is really one of the best camera system for "media" work where you do photography and video rather than just photography. The Fuji Film falls short when it comes to video. Here's my first short film using only the nex 7: Dharma Comics.
 
While I love the Fuji Film X-Pro 1, one of the items I feel you missed is that the NEX system is really one of the best camera system for "media" work where you do photography and video rather than just photography. The Fuji Film falls short when it comes to video. Here's my first short film using only the nex 7: Dharma Comics.

Welcome again to the forum, Rishio.

I hope I am not making too much of a generalization, but think the audience here is much more focused on stills photography. I had to double check, but we don't even have a video subforum.
 
While I love the Fuji Film X-Pro 1, one of the items I feel you missed is that the NEX system is really one of the best camera system for "media" work where you do photography and video rather than just photography. The Fuji Film falls short when it comes to video. Here's my first short film using only the nex 7: Dharma Comics.

You are right rishio. If I were into video the NEX would win this comparison. But I am focused on stills so that part of the comparison did not occur to me. Thanks for bringing that to our attention.
 
Thanks again!

It's an interesting time and there's a growing number of people like me who don't fit into the video only sites or the photography only sites. Why limit "serious compacts" to only photography and why separate photography from video in the forums when these newer generation of cameras integrate both of them. Users like me are demanding better usability and integration between video and photography functions of a camera and separating them out into different forums is kind of like separating out the left brain from the right brain. Both sides belong together.

I understand what you are saying about the audience, but I'd say to keep an eyeball on the future and how there may be more of the younger audience interested in both photography and video - and not wanting to separate one from the other.

That's my opinion - but I understand i'm probably in the minority!

Welcome again to the forum, Rishio.

I hope I am not making too much of a generalization, but think the audience here is much more focused on stills photography. I had to double check, but we don't even have a video subforum.
 
That's my opinion - but I understand i'm probably in the minority!

A rapidly growing minority, I suspect.

I hardly shoot any video. I know that's purely because I'm no good at it. I'd love to shoot more, even if it's just the kids playing sport or at the school play. And I suspect there are others who'd like to shoot some video, but don't because they just don't know what to do to make it look right. So even though I'm a dedicated stills shooter, I do pay attention to the video sides of a camera. I did lean toward the NEX over the XP1 partly because of the way video is implemented in the two cameras.

I'm very interested to hear from those that aren't as inept as I am, because I'd like to learn a bit. Fusion is the future. I'm all for encouraging the video specialists to come in a teach us a thing or two.

We should have a video forum. Even if it takes time to develop.

Gordon
 
Dan, did you get the 18/2 lens for the XP1? If yes, is there any image quality advantage of using the CV21/4 over the 18/2?

I was pondering whether or not to pick up a CV12/5.6 to use with the XP1, whenever I decide to re-get it. Fuji supposedly has a 14/2.8 on the roadmap as well.
 
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