Fujifilm X-Pro2 Review

January 21, 2016 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 is a compact system camera featuring a brand new 24 megapixel X-Trans III sensor, high-performance X Processor Pro image processing engine, an Advanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder which cleverly combines an optical viewfinder and an electronic viewfinder together, a robust weather-resistant body, a new focal plane shutter with a top speed of 1/8000 sec. and flash sync up to 1/250 sec, 77 phase-detection points and 273 contrast-detection points, and support for dual SD memory cards. The Fujifilm X-Pro2 body-only costs £1349 in the UK and $1699 in the US.

Ease of Use

Three years in the making, at first glance the new Fujifilm X-Pro2 looks very similar to its venerable predecessor, the X-Pro1, which was released way back in 2012. A closer look, though, reveals a number of subtle design tweaks, and it's all change "under-the-hood", with a new 24 megapixel sensor, faster X Processor Pro image processing engine, improved Auto-focus system and an enhanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder all promising to make this the best X-series camera to date.

The all-black Fujifilm X-Pro2 remains a classically styled interchangeable lens camera that recalls film rangefinders from the past, with a stunning retro design that still draws admiring glances from everyone that sees and holds it. Fujifilm have been extremely busy in the 4 years since the release of the X-Pro1, now offering 21 different X-series lenses (there were just 3 available at the launch of the X-Pro1). With the concurrent announcement of the XF 100-400mm optic, Fujifilm offer lenses that cover a focal range from 10-400mm, equivalent to 15-600mm in 35mm full-frame terms, and the general consensus amongst reviewers and end users is that those 21 lenses are invariably of high-quality.

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 is an impeccably built camera, with absolutely no flex or movement in its chassis thanks to the die-cast magnesium alloy top and base plates and machined control dials. At the same time, it's actually much lighter than a first glance might suggest, weighing in at 495g body only with the battery and memory card fitted, which is 45g heavier than the X-Pro1. Measuring 140.5mm (W) x 82.8mm (H) x 45.9mm (D), it's taller, wider and deeper than all other current compact system cameras, and again slightly bigger than the X-Pro1. There are still a few plastic buttons and controls on the X-Pro2, most notably the memory card / battery compartment door and the flap for the HDMI port, both of which wouldn't look or feel out of place on a cheap compact, but other than that the X-Pro2 offers excellent build quality. The X-Pro2 is the second weather-proof X-series camera, with 61 points of weather sealing offering dust-resistance, water-resistance and freeze-resistance down to -10°C, and it offers an impressive shutter durability of 150,000 shots.

In comparison to its predecessor, the X-Pro2 has a more pronounced hand-grip at the front and a larger space at the rear for your thumb, with your grip helped in no small part by the textured faux-leather surface that runs around the full width of the camera. Two small metal eyelets on either side of the body are used for connecting the supplied shoulder strap, which isn't quite as luxurious as the rest of the package. A metal tripod mount is positioned in-line with the centre of the lens and next to the memory card / battery compartment, so you can now change the card/battery without having to remove the camera from a tripod. Two memory card slots, a first for mirrorless cameras, are located on the right-hand flank of the camera when viewed from the rear. The X-Pro offers compatibility with Ultra High Speed UHS-II SDXC memory cards via Slot 1, which has the main benefit of increasing the data writing speed in continuous mode to about twice that of a conventional UHS-1 card.

At the heart of the X-Pro2 is the brand new 24.3 megapixel APS-C sized “X-Trans III” CMOS sensor, with APS-C being a size that's more commonly used by the majority of DSLR cameras than by compact system cameras. Fujifilm actually claim that the X-Pro2's sensor will deliver image quality that surpasses most APS-C DSLRs and even some full-frame ones, thanks to the unique sensor which has a type of colour filter array that mimics film grain and no optical low-pass filter for higher resolution images, and as our test photos and sample images on the next two pages show, the X-Pro2 actually does live up to those claims. We won't say any more at this point other than to recommend that you take a look at our Sample Images for yourself.

If you use lenses with fast maximum apertures of f/1.4-2.8, in conjunction with the large APS-C sensor it makes it easy to throw the background out of focus and achieve some really nice bokeh effects. The combination of the fast apertures and the extended ISO range of 100-51200 makes the X-Pro2 very well suited to low-light shooting, allowing you to hand-hold the camera in places where you'd usually be reaching for a tripod (if allowed) or other support. The clever ISO Auto Control setting allows you to set a default sensitivity, a maximum sensitivity (up to 12800) and a minimum shutter speed (1/60th is a good starting point), with the camera over-riding your ISO choice if it thinks you're being too ambitious whilst maintaining a shutter speed that won't introduce camera shake.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Front of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

With its new focal-plane shutter, the X-Pro2 has a more adaptable top shutter-speed limit of 1/8000th second in all shooting modes than the X-Pro1's 1/4000th speed. This allows you to select a faster aperture even in bright conditions or when shooting with flash during the day, although as there's no built-in ND filter as on the X100-series cameras, if you want to use, say, the 35mm lens at F/1.4 in very bright sunlight then it's still a good idea to buy an actual glass ND filter. The X-Pro2 utilises a focal-plane shutter rather than the leaf shutter that the X100-series have, much like a regular DSLR camera. This results in slightly noisier operation and a much slower flash-sync speed of 1/250th second (versus the X100's 1/4000th second).

The X-Pro2 also has an electronic shutter in addition to the mechanical one, which provides a much faster top shutter speed of 1/32,000th second. This allows you to continue shooting wide-open with fast aperture lenses in the brightest of conditions without having to resort to fitting a glass ND filter or using external flash and lights. There are some important caveats with the electronic shutter - the ISO range is restricted to 200-12800, you can't use the flash at all, and the slowest shutter speed is only 1 second, but overall it's a great addition that makes the X-Pro2 more versatile. It's also possible to set the electronic shutter in 1/3 steps from a range of 1sec to 1/32000sec.

The X-Pro1 was renowned for its auto-focusing system, but unfortunately in a negative sense - it wasn't exactly the quickest in the world, either compared to other X-series cameras or if you were used to shooting with a DSLR. Fujifilm have certainly addressed this shortcoming in the X-Pro2, which can auto-focus in as little as 0.06 seconds and offers an increased number of AF points - 77 phase-detection points versus the X-Pro1's 49 contrast-detection points - again laid out in a 7 x7 grid, with 40% of the imaging area covered by the fast and precise phase detection AF pixels.

If you want even more control, you can select the 273 points option which splits the same area of the frame into a 13x21 grid of smaller contrast-based AF points, of which 77 are the phase-detection points. The X-Pro2 is the latest X-series camera to offer Zone and Wide/Tracking modes which utilise the larger 273-point area to capture moving subjects. In Zone mode, you can select a 3x3, 5x3 or 5x5 zone out of the 273-point AF area. During AF-C focus, the X-Pro2 continually tracks the subject, positioning it at the centre of the zone. The centrally positioned 3x3 and 5x3 zones in particular deliver fast focusing thanks to the on-sensor phase detection AF.

The Wide/Tracking mode combines the Wide mode (during AF-S), in which the X-Pro2 automatically identifies and tracks the area in focus across the 273point AF area, and the predictive Tracking mode (during AF-C), which uses the entire 273-point area to continue tracking the subject. This feature enables continuous focusing on a subject that is moving up and down, left and right or towards and away from the camera. The X-Pro2 also offers Eye Detection AF, which as the name suggests automatically detects and focuses on human eyes.

There's also the continued ability to change the size of the focus point via the rear command dial to achieve more precise focusing. As well as the extra AF points, one of the positive effects of the high-performance X Processor Pro image processing engine is much faster AF speed - about 2x quicker than the processor used on the X-T1 camera - making the X-Pro2 the fastest AF performer ever in an X-Series camera. Sufficed to say that auto-focus speed is no longer an issue on the X-Pro

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Rear of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

Manual focusing is activated by setting the focusing switch on the front of the camera to Manual and using the ring that encircles the lens to focus. In terms of focusing aids, the Standard option offers a distance scale along the bottom of the viewfinder (both the OVF and EVF) and on the LCD screen if you're using that for composition, with a white bar indicating the the focusing distance and a blue bar showing the depth of field, which actually changes in line with the current aperture - very handy. The X-Pro2 has another trick up its manual focusing sleeve in the shape of the rear command control (the dial which sits under your right thumb). You can press this in to magnify the view in the electronic viewfinder or LCD screen. Furthermore, if you hold down the rear command control dial, the manual focusing aid then switches to Digital Split Image, and then to Focus Peaking - a very neat way to quickly change between the three modes.

The second manual focusing method is the Digital Split Image feature. Harking back to film cameras of the past, this displays dual images on the left and right which then need to be lined up together for accurate manual focusing, enabling accurate focusing especially when shooting wide-open or for macro shooting. It's much easier to understand in practice than written down. The third and final method is the Focus Peak Highlight function, which displays a white line (the colour and strength are customisable) around the subject when it's in focus.

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 offers three ways of composing your images. In addition to the improved 3 inch LCD monitor on the back, which now has 1.62million dots and offers 100% scene coverage, the X-Pro2 also features the much-talked-about hybrid optical viewfinder / electronic viewfinder system. Optical viewfinders are something of a dying breed amongst modern cameras, so it's very refreshing to see the reverse Galilean model on the X-Pro2, with a 0.36x / 0.6x magnification and low chromatic aberration and distortion. A parallax corrected framing rectangle shows roughly what the picture will include (about 92%), with the framing lines and focus point moving when the shutter button is half-pressed to show the correct framing for the current focusing distance. It also now incorporates a diopter correction mechanism and has a longer eye point of 16mm making it easier to see through, although you'll probably want to use gaffer-tape to lock it into place, as its location makes it prone to being inadvertently changed when stored in a bag. The new Bright Frame Simulation function allows you to simulate the angle of view of each focal length without having to replace the lens, so you can change lenses more accurately.

So far, so good - but this is no ordinary optical viewfinder. Fujifilm have implemented an integrated prism for the electronic viewfinder onto the optical viewfinder, with the latter able to show the shooting frame and a variety of shooting data. So you get a large, bright optical viewfinder which shows a bigger area than what the camera actually captures when you take a photo, useful for seeing when moving subjects are about to enter the frame, overlaid with useful information including exposure compensation, shutter speed, aperture, focusing distance scale, an electronic level and histogram (there are 14 options in total) - even the focusing point is highlighted! Additionally, it also now features the same Electronic Rangefinder (ERF) mode from the X100 series, where a small electronic viewfinder is overlaid on top of the optical viewfinder, which can be used to check focus, the angle-of-view, exposure and white balance in real-time.

And at the flick of the Viewfinder switch on the front of the camera, you can easily switch from the OVF to the EVF, which now has 2.36 millions dots, a faster display speed of 85fps for smoother tracking of a moving subject, a shorter blackout time of 150ms, and provides the same exact 100% coverage as the rear LCD screen, plus a parallax corrected view, accurate preview of exposure and depth of field, and the ability to see all of the information that you can view on the rear LCD.

It also shares a similar Graphic User Interface to the X-T1, which no optical viewfinder could ever hope to emulate. The default Full mode does what its name suggests and displays an uninterrupted view of the scene with all the settings information displayed outside the frame so that you can really concentrate on your subject. Normal provides an optimum view, including the shooting settings. Finally, the displayed settings in the Full and Normal modes automatically rotate when the camera is held in a portrait orientation. Note that the EVF on the X-Pro2 is significantly smaller than the one on the X-T1 - 0.59x versus 0.77x.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Side of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

As the X-Pro2 is an interchangeable lens camera, when an XF series lens is mounted the specific lens data is communicated to the X-Pro2 and the viewfinder magnification and frame size are automatically set. Using the optical viewfinder with longer lenses does result in a rather small viewing area, so much so that I still preferred to switch to the electronic viewfinder when using something like the XF 50-140mm, despite the bright frame being enlarged to cover a focal length of 60mm to 140mm.

Written down, the hybrid optical viewfinder / electronic viewfinder sounds pretty complicated, but in practice it's actually very intuitive to use. The X-Pro2 has a built-in eye sensor so that you only have to hold the camera up to eye-level to switch between the rear LCD and the hybrid optical viewfinder / electronic viewfinder (or you can press the View Mode button). Then it's simply a case of using either the bright OVF or the slightly darker EVF, with the camera automatically switching to the EVF to instantly playback the image. Just make sure that you turn the electronic level on when using the OVF to help combat parallax error and keep your horizontals and verticals straight.

In terms of operational speed, the Fujifilm X-Pro2 is a much stronger performer than its predecessor. We've already discussed the now very fast auto-focusing, and shutter lag is also virtually non-existent on this camera, so once you have set the focus, you'll never miss the moment because the camera can't fire the shutter quickly enough. Continuous shooting speeds are also improved, with a top rate of 8fps (JPEG: 83 frames, Lossless compression RAW: 33 frames, and Uncompressed RAW: 27 frames), depending on the speed of your memory card, with a slower 3fps speed also available. Note that both the focus and the exposure are set according to the first frame in each series, so it's not a particularly good system for tracking fast-moving subjects in varied lighting conditions.

The write speeds from pressing the shutter button to recording to the SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card are much faster, too. Shooting a single RAW + Fine JPEG takes about 2 seconds to record to a card with a write speed of 60MB/s, and you can take another shot almost straight away. Thankfully the camera doesn't lock up completely for a long time if you shoot the maximum number of images in a burst, allowing you to continue shooting after just a few seconds. The X-Pro2 also offers interval timer shooting for time lapses, with intervals of 1 second to 24 hours and up to 999 frames.

The X-Pro2 features enhanced built-in wi-fi connectivity, although there's no dedicated button to access it (you have to configure one of the Fn buttons or access it via the menu system). Install the Fujifilm Camera Remote App and you can transfer your pictures immediately to a smartphone or tablet PC and then edit and share them as you wish, transfer stills and video onto the camera, and embed GPS information in your shots from your smartphone. You can also control the camera remotely, with the list of available functions including Touch AF, shutter release for stills and movies, shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, ISO sensitivity, Film Simulation modes, White Balance, macro, timer and flash. The built-in wi-fi also provides a simple means to backup your photos to your home PC.

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 can record Full HD 1080p movies at 60p / 50p / 30p / 25p / 24p for up to 14 minutes with stereo sound, with the option for turning this mode on assigned to the Fn button on top of the camera. It's fair to say that the X-Pro2's movie mode still isn't overly advanced. You can set the aperture and shutter speed before recording begins, but not during, and you can also set the Film Simulation mode, so black and white footage is possible. Continuous auto-focusing is possible, although it tends to hunt around a lot before locking onto the subject, and manual focusing is also available. There is a HDMI port for connecting the X-Pro2 to a high-definition TV, although as usual there's no cable supplied in the box, and you can adjust the level of the internal microphone and attach an external mic for better sound quality via the new combined Mic/Remote port.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
The Fujifilm X-Pro2 In-hand

One area in which the Fujifilm X-Pro2 again excels is its handling, thanks in no small part to the numerous external controls that make changing the key settings a breeze, especially when holding the camera at eye-level. Most of the XF lenses have a circular aperture ring, with 7 or 8 markings from the maximum to minimum aperture and an Auto setting in case you want the camera to take control. This dial also allows you to choose third-stop apertures. The X-Pro2 also now has front and rear command dials (just like the X-T1), so if you don't want to use the aperture ring on the lens, simply set it to A and use the front command dial instead to change the aperture.

On top of the X-Pro2 is a large, tactile and lockable control dial for setting the shutter speed, with settings ranging from 1 second to 1/8000th second, an Auto option, a T setting for longer exposures (2 to 30 seconds, set via the circular command wheel) and a Bulb mode for exposures up to a whopping 60 minutes in length. Fujifilm have cleverly set the ISO control dial into the shutter speed dial, with the former accessed by lifting the shutter speed ring up and then turning it to change the ISO. The only drawback is that this is the only way to set the ISO speed - you can't do it via the Quick menu or Main menu, which may irk some users - and also the ISO dial isn't illuminated and therefore difficult to use in the dark (exacerbated by the lack of menu access).

Alongside the shutter speed dial is another tactile dial for changing the exposure compensation (now running to +-3EV with a new Custom mode which switches the exposure compensation operation to the front command dial and expands the range to ±5EV). Together these three controls make it extremely easy to set the exposure., although it's too easy for the exposure compensation dial to be changed whilst storing the camera in a bag or hanging off a strap, so much so that we quickly learned to always check this dial before beginning shooting.

Three other controls complete the X-Pro2's top-plate. The small but responsive shutter release button is encircled by the On/Off switch, which in turn has a thread for a very traditional mechanical cable release - there's no need to buy an expensive dedicated accessory for this camera. Alongside is the Fn button, which by default provides quick access to the Movie Recording, but can be customised to suit your own needs from 25 different settings. Further customisation is available via the 7 Custom Menu options, which let you create, save and recall up to 7 sets of user-defined settings. Finally there's an external flash hotshoe for suitable dedicated external units - note that the X-Pro2 has no built-in flash.

The X-Pro2 has a more logical rear control layout than its predecessor. Instead of a vertical row of three buttons on the left of the LCD screen, as on the X-Pro1, all of the controls are now found to the right of the screen. Alongside the hybrid viewfinder is the View Mode button which manually switches between the LCD and the OVF/EVF, the Photometry button which accesses Multi, Centre Weighted, Spot and Average metering options, the customisable AE-L button, the rear command dial, and then the customisbale AF-L button.

Below this is the fantastic new Focus Lever joystick, used mainly for setting the AF point. This is a real boon to anyone who changes the AF point a lot, making it simple to change even when holding the camera at eye-level, and it's something that we hope to see featured on all future X-series cameras. The Quick menu button provides quick access to 16 frequently used shooting settings including the ISO speed, White Balance, File Size and File Quality. amd you can customise which settings are included and the order in which they appear. A maximum of 16 frequently used items can also be registered to the new My Menu option in the main menu. By default, the 4-way controller is now used to change the drive mode, film simulation, white balance and AF mode. In the middle of the controller is the Menu/OK button, which accesses the much improved GUI. The self-explanatory Playback, Delete and Disp/Back buttons complete the revised rear control layout.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 24 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 10Mb.

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 produces images of outstanding quality. It recorded noise-free JPEG images at ISO 100 all the way up to 6400, with a little noise at ISO 12800 and more visible noise and slight colour desaturation at the faster settings of ISO 25600 and 51200, an amazing performance for a camera with an APS-C sensor. The RAW files were also excellent, exhibiting more noise but still producing very usable images from ISO 100-12800.

The images were a little soft straight out of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 at the default sharpening setting and ideally require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds being long enough for most after-dark shots, and the Bulb mode allowing much longer exposures if required. The Dynamic Range settings subtly improve detail in the shadows and highlights, while the Film Simulation modes hark back to a bygone era, with the new Acros mode being a nice addition.

Noise

There are 10 ISO settings available on the Fujifilm X-Pro2 for JPEGs. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and RAW files.

JPEG RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg
   

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

iso25600.jpg iso25600raw.jpg
   

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

iso51200.jpg iso51200raw.jpg

File Quality

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 has 2 different image quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

24M Fine (13.1Mb) (100% Crop) 24M Normal (7.49Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_fine.jpg quality_normal.jpg
   
24M RAW Uncompressed (48.2Mb) (100% Crop)  
quality_raw.jpg  

Night

The Fujifilm X-Pro2's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds in the Time shutter speed mode, and there's a Bulb mode which allows exposures up to 60 minutes long, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken hand-held using a shutter speed of 1/30th second at ISO 12800.

Night

Night (100% Crop)

night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Dynamic Range

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 has three dynamic range settings - 100% (on by default), 200%, and 400% - and an Auto setting if you want to let the camera take control. These settings gradually increase the amount of detail visible in the shadow and highlight areas, with the side-effect of more noise appearing in the image. Note that you can't actually turn this feature off.

100%

200%

dynamic_range1.jpg dynamic_range2.jpg
   

400%

 
dynamic_range3.jpg  

Film Simulations

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 offers 9 different film simulation modes to help replicate the look of your favourite film stock from the past.

Provia / Standard

Velvia / Vivid

film_simulation_01.jpg film_simulation_02.jpg
   

Astia / Soft

Classic Chrome

film_simulation_03.jpg film_simulation_04.jpg
   

Pro Neg. Hi

Pro Neg. Standard

film_simulation_05.jpg film_simulation_06.jpg
   

Acros

Monochrome

film_simulation_07.jpg film_simulation_08.jpg
   

Sepia

 
film_simulation_09.jpg  

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Fujifilm X-Pro2 camera, which were all taken using the 24 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Fujifilm Finepix X-Pro2 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Fujifilm RAW (RAF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 21 second movie is 96.5Mb in size.

Product Images

Fujifilm X-Pro2

Front of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Front of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Side of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
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Side of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Side of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Side of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 / Image Displayed

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 / Turned On

 

Fujifilm X-Pro2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 / Info Screen

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 / Quick Menu

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 / Main Menu

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Top of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Bottom of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Side of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Side of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Front of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Front of the Fujifilm X-Pro2

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Memory Card Slot

 
Fujifilm X-Pro2

Battery Compartment

Conclusion

It may look outwardly very similar to its 4-year-old predecessor, but the new X-Pro2 represents a big step forward in almost every area for Fujifilm's X-series camera range - we'd definitely expect to see virtually all of the X-Pro2's new features on any future X-T2. From the impressive new sensor, to the speedy processor and faster auto-focus system, the new Fujifilm X-Pro2 significantly raises the bar, particularly if you're a fan of the myriad of external controls and rangefinder-like experience that this camera offers. The inclusion of the Advanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder does make the X-Pro2 necessarily more expensive than it might have been - £1399 / $1699 just for the body is still an awful lot of money in the compact system market - but for some photographers this will be reason enough alone to buy the X-Pro2.

Fujifilm have addressed all of our criticisms of the original X-Pro1, and then some - the slightly sluggish auto-focusing, awkward manual focusing, and slow write speeds have all been vastly improved upon. Only the so-so video mode remains an area of concern, with Fujifilm claiming that the X-Pro2 is capable of delivering 4K video, but failing to offer it at launch. There are a few other minor criticisms of note - the exposure compensation dial and dioptre control are far too easy to knock out of position, the new ISO speed dial takes some getting used to and is the only way of changing the ISO, and we miss the X-T1's tilting screen and better balance with longer, heavier lenses, especially as there's no battery grip accessory for the X-Pro2. Still, these are fairly minor criticisms of what is otherwise an impeccably well-thought out camera.

Thankfully the X-Pro2's new 24 megapixel image sensor and lack of low-pass filter delivers truly excellent image quality. Despite the resolution increase, noise is noticeable only by its almost complete absence throughout the ISO range of 100-51,2000, the JPEG quality is so good that you could conceivably never need the Raw files, and the extensive range of 21 lenses are almost uniformly well-regarded by reviewers and photographers alike. The X-Pro2 is certainly right up there with the best APS-C sensor cameras on the market, and some full-frame models too, living up to Fujifilm's bold claims.

In short, the new Fujifilm X-Pro2 is a genuinely lovely camera to shoot with, and one that produces great images time after time. Some users may prefer the DSLR-like format of the X-T-series and resent having to pay a price premium for the complex viewfinder, but for everyone else, the Fujifilm X-Pro2 is a compelling interchangeable lens camera (and not just a compact system camera).

4.5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 5
Ease-of-use 4.5
Image quality 5
Value for money 3.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Fujifilm X-Pro2.

Canon EOS 6D

The Canon EOS 6D is a new full-frame DSLR with a much more affordable price-tag than the 5D Mark III and a few tricks up its sleeve that its bigger brother doesn't offer. At over £1000 / $1000 cheaper than the 5D Mark II, have Canon cut too many corners for the 6D to be a real contender? Read our in-depth Canon EOS 6D review to find out...

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

The long-awaited Canon EOS 7D Mark II DSLR has finally arrived, boasting improvements to virtually every aspect of its popular predecessor, the 5-year-old 7D. Can an APS-C sensor DSLR camera still compete in the fast-changing photography market? Read our detailed Canon EOS 7D Mark II review to find out...

Fujifilm X-T1

The Fujifilm X-T1 is a brand new compact system camera that looks, feels and performs very much like a classic DSLR that''s been shrunk in the wash. Is this the best X-series camera that Fujifilm have released, and can it compete with the likes of the Sony A7/A7R and Olympus OM-D E-M1, not to mention DSLRs from Canon and Nikon? Read our in-depth Fujifilm X-T1 review to find out...

Nikon D7200

The D7200 is a new prosumer DSLR camera from Nikon, succeeding the D7100 model from 2013. The weather-proof D7200 features a 24 megapixel DX image sensor, Multi-CAM 3500-II 51-point autofocusing system, wi-fi and NFC connectivity, 6fps burst shooting and a high-resolution 3.2 inch LCD screen. Read our detailed Nikon D7200 review to find out if it's the right DSLR camera for you...

Nikon D750

The Nikon D750 is a brand new full-frame DSLR camera aiming to occupy the middle ground between the D610 and D810 models. The D750 features a 24.3 megapixel FX sensor, 1080p/60fps HD video, ISO range of 50-51200, 51-point AF system, 3.2-inch tilting LCD screen, and built-in wi-fi. Read our in-depth Nikon D750 review now...

Olympus OM-D E-M1

The Olympus O-MD E-M1 is a new professional compact system camera. Targeting its DSLR rivals, Olympus are promoting the E-M1 as a smaller and more capable camera. Read our expert Olympus E-M1 review to find out if it really can beat the competition...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 is a new premium compact system camera aimed firmly at enthusiast photographers. With a new 20 megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, dual lens and in-body image stabilization, built-in tilting electronic OLED viewfinder, 3 inch free-angle OLED touchscreen, 4K video and photo modes, integrated wi-fi and NFC connectivity, and a weather-proof rangefinder-like design, can the Panasonic GX8 live up to its early promise? Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 review complete with sample images, test shots, videos and more to find out...

Pentax K-3 II

The new Pentax K-3 II DSLR camera builds on the success of the excellent K-3 model with a number of key improvements. Is this the best ever Pentax DSLR? Read our in-depth Pentax K-3 II review to find out...

Samsung NX1

The NX1 is the new professional model in Samsung's compact system camera range. The weather-proof Samsung NX1 features a DSLR-like design, 3-inch tilting AMOLED screen, electronic viewfinder, 4K video recording, built-in wi-fi, bluetooth and NFC connectivity, 15fps burst shooting, and an APS-C CMOS sensor with 28.2 megapixels. Read our in-depth Samsung NX1 review, complete with sample images and video, to find out if this is a serious proposition for professionals...

Sony A7 II

The Sony A7 II is the first full-frame compact system camera in the World to feature built-in 5-axis stabilisation. Other key improvements include better ergonomics and build quality, faster auto-focusing and startup, a wider range of video options, and greater customisability. Is this the best ever Sony full-frame compact system camera? Read our Sony A7 II review to find out...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 from around the web.

ephotozine.com »

The Fujifilm X-Pro 2 is the evolution of the X-Pro 1 - the World's only digital autofocus rangefinder with OVF, first introduced in 2012, and designed for Professionals and advanced amateurs. Improvements found in the new X-Pro 2 include a new 24 megapixel sensor, new processor, faster AF, better operability, better performance, improved feel, better weather sealing, and improved design. FullHD video is included, but not 4K video recording.
Read the full review »

Specifications

Number of effective pixels 24.3 million pixels
Image sensor 23.6mm x 15.6mm(APS-C)X-Trans CMOS III with primary colour filter.
Sensor Cleaning system
Ultra Sonic Vibration
 
Storage media SD memory card(up to 2GB) / SDHC memory card(up to 32GB) / SDXC memory card( to 256GB)
UHS-I/UHS-II(Only Slot 1)*1
File format
Still image
JPEG (Exif Ver.2.3)*2, RAW : 14bit RAW(RAF original format), RAW+JPEG (Design rule for Camera File system compliant / DPOF-compatible)
Movie
Movie File Format: MOD
Movie Video Compression: MPEG-4 AVC / H.264
Audio: Linear PCM/ Stereo sound 48KHz sampling
 
Number of recorded pixels

L: (3:2) 6000 x 4000 / (16:9) 6000 x 3376 / (1:1) 4000 x 4000
M: (3:2) 4240 x 2832 / (16:9) 4240 x 2384 / (1:1) 2832 x 2832
S: (3:2) 3008 x 2000 / (16:9) 3008 x 1688 / (1:1) 2000 x 2000

Lens mount FUJIFILM X Mount
Sensitivity AUTO1 / AUTO2 / AUTO3(up to ISO12800) / ISO200 to 12800(1/3 step)(Standard Output Sensitivity)
Extended output sensitivity : ISO100 / 25600 / 51200
Exposure control TTL 256-zone metering, Multi / Spot / Average / Centre Weighted
Exposure mode P(Program AE) / A(Aperture Priority AE) / S(Shutter Speed Priority AE) / M(Manual Exposure)
Exposure compensation -5.0EV - +5.0EV, 1/3EV step
(movie recording : -2.0EV - +2.0EV)
Image Stabilizer Supported with OIS type lenses
Shutter speed
Mechanical Shutter
4 sec. to 1/8000 sec.(P mode), 30 sec. to 1/8000 sec.(All modes)
Bulb mode(up to 60 min), TIME : 30 sec. to 1/8000 sec.
Electronic Shutter*3
1 sec. to 1/32000 sec.(P / A / S / M modes)
Bulb mode : 1 sec. fixed, TIME : 1 sec to 1/32000sec
Mechanical + Electronic Shutter
4 sec. to 1/32000 sec.(P mode), 30 sec. to 1/32000 sec.(All modes)
Bulb mode(up to 60 min), TIME : 30 sec. to 1/32000 sec.
Synchronised shutter speed for flash
1/250 sec. or slower
 
Continuous shooting Approx. 8.0 fps(JPEG : 83 frames Lossless compression RAW : 33 frames Uncompressed RAW : 27 frames)
Approx 3.0 fps(JPEG : endless Lossless Compression RAW : endless Uncompressed RAW : 36 frames)
  • * recordable frames depends on recording media
  • * Speed of continuous shooting depends on shooting environment and shooting frames
Auto bracketing AE Bracketing(±2EV / ±5/3EV / ±4/3EV / ±1EV / ±2/3EV / ±1/3EV)
Film simulation bracketing(Any 3 types of film simulation selectable)
Dynamic Range Bracketing (100% · 200% · 400%)
ISO sensitivity Bracketing (±1/3EV / ±2/3EV / ±1EV)
White Balance Bracketing (±1 / ±2 / ±3)
Focus
mode
Single AF / Continuous AF / MF
type
Intelligent Hybrid AF (TTL contrast AF / TTL phase detection AF)
AF frame selection
Single point AF : EVF / LCD / OVF : 11x7/21x13(Changeable size of AF frame among 5 types),
Zone AF : 3x3 / 5x5 / 7x7 from 77 areas on 11x 7 grid,
Wide / Tracking AF : (up to 18 area) 
  • * AF-S : Wide
  • * AF-C : Tracking
 
White balance Automatic Scene recognition /
Custom1 to 3 / Colour temperature selection(2500K - 10000K) /
Preset : Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White), Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light, Underwater
Self-timer 10 sec. / 2 sec. Delay
Interval timer shooting Yes (Setting : Interval, Number of shots, Starting time)
Flash modes
Red-eye removal OFF
Auto / Forced Flash / Slow Synchro / Suppressed Flash / Rear-curtain Synchro / Commander
Red-eye removal ON
Red-eye Reduction Auto / Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash / Red-eye Reduction & Slow Synchro / Suppressed Flash / Red-eye Reduction & Rear-curtain Synchro / Commander
  • * Red-eye removal is active when Face Detection is set to ON.
Hot shoe Yes (Dedicated TTL Flash compatible)
Viewfinder
OVF
Reverse Galilean viewfinder with electronic bright frame display
Coverage of frame area v.s. capturing area: approx.92% Magnifications approx x0.36 / x0.60
EVF
0.48-in TFT colour viewfinder Approx 2.36 millions dots(4:3) Coverage of viewing area vs. capturing area : approx. 100%
Eyepoint : approx 16mm(from the rear end of the camera's eyepiece) Diopter adjustment : -4 to +2m-1
Magnification : 0.59x with 50 mm lens (35mm equivalent) at infinity and diopter set to -1.0m-1
Diagonal angle of view : approx 29.1°(Horizontal angle of view : approx 24.4°)
Built-in eye sensor
 
LCD monitor 3.0-inch, aspect ratio 3:2, approx 1.62 millions dots
Movie recording Full HD 1920x1080 60p / 50p / 30p / 25p / 24p up to 14 min.
HD 1280x720 60p / 50p / 30p / 25p / 24p up to 28 min
  • * Use a card with SD Speed Class with or higher
Film Simulation mode 15 modes (PROVIA / Standard, Velvia / Vivid, ASTIA / Soft, CLASSIC CHROME, PRO Neg.Hi, PRO Neg.Std, Black& White, Black& White+Ye Filter, Black& White+R Filter, Black& White+GFilter, Sepia, ACROS, ACROS+Ye Filter, ACROS+R Filter, ACROS+G Filter)
Dynamic range setting AUTO, 100%, 200%, 400%
ISO restriction(DR100% : No limit, DR200% : ISO400 or more, DR400% : ISO800 ore more )
Advanced filter Toy camera / Miniature / Pop color / High-key / Low-key / Dynamic tone / Soft focus / Partial colour (Red / Orange / Yellow / Green / Blue / Purple)
Wireless transmitter  Standard
IEEE 802.11b / g / n (standard wireless protocol)
Encryption
WEP / WPA / WPA2 mixed mode
Access mode
Infrastructure
 
Wireless function Geotagging, Wireless communication (Image transfer), View & Obtain Images, Remote camera shooting, PC Autosave, instax printer print
Other functions Exif Print, PRINT Image Matching II, Language(35 languages including JP / EN), Time difference, exposure preview on LCD during Manual mode, EVF brightness, EVF color, LCD brightness, LCD color, Mode effect on monitor, Customise
Terminal
Digital interface
USB 2.0 High-Speed / Micro USB
  • * connectable with Remote Release RR-90 (sold separately)
HDMI output
HDMI micro connector (Type D)
Others
Microphone / shutter release input: ø2.5mm, stereo mini connector
Hot shoe, Syncronized terminal *Mechanical release S1 button 
Power supply NP-W126 Li-ion battery (included)
Dimensions 140.5mm (W) x 82.8mm (H) x 45.9mm (D) / 5.5in. (W) x 3.3in. (H) x 1.8in. (D)
(Minimum depth: 34.8mm / 1.4 in.)
Weight Approx. 495g / 15.7 oz. (including battery and memory card)
Approx. 445g / 17.5 oz. (excluding accessories, battery and memory card)
Operating Temperature -10°C - 40°C / +32°F - +104°F
Operating Humidity 10 - 80% (no condensation)
Battery life for still images*4 Approx. 250 / 350 frames (EVF / OVF, When XF35mmF1.4 R is set)
Battery life for movies*4 single consecutive movie: approx. 110 min. (Face detection is set to OFF)
Starting up period Approx 0.4sec.
  • * Fujifilm research
Accessories included Li-ion battery NP-W126
Battery Charger BC-W126
Shoulder strap
Body cap
Strap clip
Protective cover
Clip attaching tool
Owner's manual
Warranty+D66

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