Fuji Fujifilm X-M1 First Impressions

entropic remnants

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John Griggs
I'll probably review this as part of an overall "X Camera" experience in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, I do want to say a few things about my first impressions of this camera. I've taken like maybe 50 or less shots with it so I won't try to compare the image quality though from what I see it matches my X-E1.

  • Plastic-ness: Not an issue. Yes, it's light and plastic feeling -- but it's a tight little brick of a camera. Definitely doesn't feel cheap. The budget body-only one I got is black and the finish is better than the chrome finished ones I've seen. The shutter button and power switch looked not smoothly chromed on some I've seen, the black one is quite nice. I really can't find much to comment negatively on in terms of the overall feel of this camera and it presents to me like a small micro four thirds camera like the GX1 or something.
  • Overall Controls: Well, although one could wish for the dedicated shutter speed dial, I do understand what Fuji did here. Certainly it all works well and to me the controls feel fine with positive clicks on buttons and all wheels. It is possible to move the top wheel a little easily, but I'll live with it for this price.
  • Control Wheel Layout: Well, Kai Wong on DigitalRev made a big show about how easy it is to adjust the two dials at the same time by accident. Yes, it can happen but I really don't find the control wheels bad at all and the fact that there are two on a low end body is a plus. Certainly, sans touch-screen you need them and all the buttons.
  • Display: It's really very bright and can be dialed up super-bright. It looks great and the tilt mechanism feels solid to me.
  • Autofocus: On par with the X-E1 as far as I can tell. I don't have the 16-50mm which some say is a little faster. It focuses as well as any X camera which is to say slower than most other cameras, lol. It's fine though for me. X100S feels quicker but it's a dedicated lens.
  • Responsiveness: I can very much feel the difference shooting with the X100S vs. my X-E1 due to the higher end processor of the X100S. The X-M1 feels similar to the X100S. If you do things like shoot brackets, even film simulation brackets, the speed of making and storing those images is noticeably faster on the X100S and X-M1 than on the X-E1. In single shot shooting it's hard to see much difference but if you are shooting RAW+Fine or a bracketing mode I'd say the X-M1 seems much quicker to process and store then X-E1 (with matching UHS-1 cards in both).

That's just some first impressions. I was thinking this would be a camera I would put up with to have a backup X-Mount body and second shooting camera for events -- but in fact I find it actually pleasant to use if you disregard the lack of a viewfinder and so forth. It's really quite well done.
 
I have something to add to this: the X-M1 has the X100S style of auto ISO where you can dial in a minimum (longest) shutter speed. This to me is a no-brainer and I can't believe my X-E1 doesn't work that way. Make it so, Fuji!
 
How's that rear LCD out in the sunlight, John?

Usable if you turn it up all the way, but you can't tell much about exposure or color on it then except for the histogram -- but I can frame with it.

The LCD brightness is now in the "Q" menu which is convenient. No menu diving.

It's probably the nicest thing ON the camera is that LCD. It's very nice. It's larger than the X-E1 and it's a perfect 3:2 native aspect ratio so your image completely fills it. I say ON to distinguish from IN the camera. The EXR II processor and X-Trans chip obviously are very nice!

Also (I keep adding things, lol) it is tilting and you can position it for minimum glare in some situations and that can be helpful.
 
I am in love with the sexy looking brown Xm1..... I will follow your thread...

Lucille, I'll offer a thorough opinion of this camera (would you expect anything else from me, lol?) after I shoot the wedding with it. I also hope to do an urbex shoot over the next 2 weeks as well. I'll feel like I know it enough to get serious about reviewing it then.

Fuji does make some lovely cameras.
 
really thinking hard about this camera.
wifi+face detection are great on the go features for selfies with friends and posting to social media
sad they dont have the proNeg jepg settings.
will be hard to give up my xpro1 for it but I am thinking about it hard :O
Im going to have to sell my xpro1 and xe1 soon x.x
 
really thinking hard about this camera.
wifi+face detection are great on the go features for selfies with friends and posting to social media
sad they dont have the proNeg jepg settings.
will be hard to give up my xpro1 for it but I am thinking about it hard :O
Im going to have to sell my xpro1 and xe1 soon x.x

Well, I'm sorry if your financial situation is like that. You could sell one of those bodies and buy an X-M1 body and have cash left over.

You can get a body for about $460 here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fujifilm-X-...198596?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item53fc8a2984

It's where I bought mine. It's a de-kitted X-M1 and they are selling the lenses separately.

Hope you can work something out. You will be pleased by the responsiveness of this camera over the others though.
 
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