SOUNDIMAGEPLUS: Fuji X Pro 3 - The old school solution to a problem.

I love using big cameras. My Nikon D850 DSLR with a battery grip is my idea of what a camera should look like and feel like. However, my body has other ideas. I now have a damaged and painful right arm. I had this before a few years when I used a Canon EOS 1Ds II, a particularly heavy DSLR and I had to stop using it and sold it. I am now in the same situation with my Nikons and have had to sell my D850 and Z7. I tried the much lighter Z50, but hated using it so I have sold it too. My Nikon Df is OK, as it's a much lighter camera, though I have started using it only with lighter prime lenses. For the time being I have also stopped using my Nikon F6 film camera. I'm not selling that, but I will have to wait until my arm recovers before shooting with it again. So what to do?

I looked around at what was currently available and decided that I would get myself a Fuji X Pro 3 and some lighter prime lenses. I did use Fuji years ago and I did buy an X Pro 1. However, at the time, there were issues using Fuji images with the X Trans sensor processed via Photoshop. All sorts of unwanted artefacts were appearing in the pictures, so I stopped using Fuji for many years. However, I always did like the cameras and the lenses and when I had to stop using my heavy Nikons I checked out lots of samples from the current Fuji range and saw that things had significantly improved. In fact the images from the 26MP APS-C sensor were actually rather good.

There is no doubt that the X Pro 3 is one of the sexiest cameras around. The Leica influence is clear to see. Since I last used Fuji some new lenses have appeared. So I bought the 16mm f/2.8 and the 35mm f/2. Both of these are small and jewel like and they produce beautiful images, even wide open. I have also bought a couple of the Viltrox X lenses. the 23mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8. I bought them because of the cost benefit, but I have to say that they are beautifully made and work very well indeed. So my plan is to keep it to this. I have bought a Nikon adapter to use my Nikon lenses, but I doubt that I will use them very often.

Now a lot has been written about the rear screen on the X Pro 3. The fact that it is hidden until you pull it down. The back of the camera therefore looks like a film camera. To be honest this doesn't bother me at all. I'm used to using film cameras anyway, but the Fuji images are all perfectly exposed anyway. And since I don't shoot many 'action' pictures I don't need to keep 'chimping' to check what I've shot.

So what do I like about the X Pro 3.

I like the fact there is no brand name on the camera apart from a very small etched name on the top.
I love the minimalist styling and the aperture rings on the Fuji lenses.
The image quality is superb, even at high(er) ISO settings.
The jpgs are very good.
It is a smaller, lighter camera than I'm used to using.
The whole 'old school' look and operation appeals to me. (I'm very definitely 'old school!!' )

What I don't like.

The electronic shutter has a very nasty beeping sound.
The optical viewfinder is not very accurate and there are no frame lines for wide angle lenses.
The film simulation options are not that dissimilar. Fuji could have been a bit more adventurous with the differences. And of course they are nothing like the films they are supposed to be copying.

I haven't shot with it very much as yet, but my experience so far has been very positive. As explained above I like big cameras, which means that I dislike smaller cameras. I mentioned above the Nikon Z50, which was a lighter smaller camera and to be honest produced very decent images. But I've always hated that cut down DSLR shape, which I find very uncomfortable. However, a rangefinder styled camera is a different matter entirely. Regular readers will know that I used Leicas for many years including M series cameras. I found that with an added grip they suited me very well. However, it's worth pointing out that Leica M cameras are heavier than they look because of the all metal construction. The X Pro 3 is lighter than a Leica M, but not too light. In fact I find it almost perfect.

Now I hadn't planned for any of this. In fact, the idea that as of now I would be using a Fuji camera again, just wasn't on my radar and something I would have thought impossible. As far as I was concerned I was very happy with my Nikons.

Finally, I would like to discuss some examples of the film simulation modes.

The first thing I have to say is that the jpgs that the X Pro 3 produces are superb. I've always processed my images from raw. But these jpgs are sharp, have perfect exposure and great colour. I put some samples above. The top four are using the Pro Neg. Hi setting and the bottom three are using my own vintage film simulation modes in Photoshop. Now I don't dislike the Fuji modes, I do, but I don't find them that different. I find them a little bland. The Velvia setting is a little more saturated, but apart from that they are all pretty similar.

Above is what a scanned Fuji Velvia film image looks like. High contrast, high saturation and blue skies with a strong magenta bias. The Velvia simulation on the X Pro 3 looks nothing like that.

Now I'm not saying I don't like the Fuji simulations, I do. But I feel like they could have been a little more adventurous. I feel that they have pretty much played it safe. I do like the fact that they haven't warmed the images up too much, because that's what a lot of manufacturers do. The Fuji images look far more natural. But I do feel that if they really wanted to make their options look like film they could have offered something a little less bland. But then again this is all personal taste anyway.

So is this a professional camera? Not really. Is it good for action, sports, paparazzi? Not really.

It's a camera for those who like retro and old school, who use film cameras and like that way of working and for photographers who like something different. And there is nothing wrong with that.