Fuji XF 23mm on xpro1 Vs X100s Image quality

[JohnAONeill]

Well folks I'm back to the well of knowledge again to ask you good fuji shooting people a questions that will hopefully help me decide which camera to buy.

I am wondering if anyone has compared the image quality between the xpro 1 with the Xf 23mm with the x100s?

If the x100s has the edge then I think I would forgego the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, but if the XPro1 is cabable of producing images as good as the X100 at this Fl, then the xpro looks like a more versatile option. The leaf shutter on the 100 is also a deciding factor but IQ is the single most impirtant factor in my decision.

If anyone can point me to a side by side comparison of these combos i would really apreciate it. Also anyone who uses both of these cameras, if you had to choose just one, then which one would you choose and why?

Thanks as always for your valued comments,

Best regards
John

[Paul2660]

I can't see making the purchase of the XP1 if you are looking at the removable lens X cameras.  Unless you just happen to love the optical/EVF combo.  The X-E2 is a bit cheaper, has only the EVF, and a bit more resolution on the LCD.  And now the X-T1 is coming around the corner.  To me the X-T1 is the best fit of all three, but I love the penta prism type camera body allowing central location for your eye.

As the the lenses, I have never shot the X100, and have used a 23mm 1.4..  I can't imagine the 23mm in the X100 being better.  Fuji has really created some excellent lenses and the 23mm 1.4 is one of them.  It's not wide enough for me but an outstanding lens.   This option is about 2x in cost however. 

Paul Caldwell

[JV]

John,

If you don't need the camera to be pocketable I would go for interchangeable lenses.  Much more flexibility and not heavy either.

If you want the OVF go for the X-Pro1 but really (although I own the X-Pro1) the X-E2 and especially the soon to be announced X-T1 are/look a much better proposition IMO.

Please also take into account that the OVF of the X-Pro1 does not work well with all lenses.

The 23mm is an excellent lens.  I own the X100s as well.  In my opinion the XF 23mm is way better, wonderful rendering, one stop faster, closer focusing as well, the X100s gets kind of dreamy up close.

I also own the 14mm and the 35mm.  I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite.  The 56mm is pre-ordered.  The only lens IMO that is missing is a fast 1.8 or 2.0 90mm prime.

If you only want to buy one lens initially I would go for the 23mm or perhaps the 35mm which is longer but slightly sharper.  The 14mm is perhaps the best lens but can be too wide for a lot of uses.

Thanks, Joris.

[Paulo Bizarro]

The XPro-1 with the 35mm lens is possibly as close as you can get to a "cheaper than Leica rangefinder experience". With the 23mm lens, I am not sure how much of the OVF´s view would be blocked? Especially with the large lens hood?

Really, I think it would be impossible to distinguish IQ from the Xpro-1 and the X100S. You need to decide based on other factors that are much more relevant.

[Petrus]

Really, I think it would be impossible to distinguish IQ from the Xpro-1 and the X100S. You need to decide based on other factors that are much more relevant.

True, same sensor (what comes to forming the picture), same electronics. I can not tell which file is from X-Pro1, which is from X100s.

[JohnAONeill]

Joris

Thanks for reply. This information is very useful. One deciding factor for me is that the xpro1 is currently on a special offer here in Ireland. I have tried the EX2 and loved the camera but felt a tad too small in my hands. The XT-1 on the horizon also looks nice but I may lose out on the XP deal if I wait. Do you know where further information can be got on the XT1 specs? or is this all at the  rumor stage still?

Thanks
John

[Ken Bennett]

You can take a look at this link. This is a common question, and both answers are correct

If it were me I'd probably get the 23/1.4, but only because I already have several X bodies. Oh, but wait, the leaf shutter puts the X100s in a whole different class for strobe work. (See what I mean? I can go back and forth like this forever....)

[Paul2660]

Fuji is claiming on their main USA website the X-T1 will announced on the 28 of this month.

http://fujifilm-x.com/teaser140128/en/

Guesses are dpreview will have one on that date or sooner and will post some details.  

So far assuming:

Availability, March or April of this year
Price,  $1300 body only. $1800 kit with 18-135mm lens
Sensor 16mp same as in X-E2
EVF improvements in both resolution and speed
Tilt-able screen  
Size slightly less wide than X-E2

From product shot on Fujiusa site really a good looking camera in overall design

Paul

[JV]

Joris

Thanks for reply. This information is very useful. One deciding factor for me is that the xpro1 is currently on a special offer here in Ireland. I have tried the EX2 and loved the camera but felt a tad too small in my hands. The XT-1 on the horizon also looks nice but I may lose out on the XP deal if I wait. Do you know where further information can be got on the XT1 specs? or is this all at the  rumor stage still?

Thanks
John

I feel the same way.  The X-Pro1 feels just right in my hands whereas the others feel a bit too small.

The X-T1 is rumors at this stage (announcement Jan 28) but most of the rumors seem to be confirmed and trustworthy.  There are pictures online as well.

Also, the X-T1 is obviously not going to hit the streets immediately, so if you need a camera right now the X-Pro1 or X100s might be the better option.

[JohnAONeill]

You can take a look at this link. This is a common question, and both answers are correct

If it were me I'd probably get the 23/1.4, but only because I already have several X bodies. Oh, but wait, the leaf shutter puts the X100s in a whole different class for strobe work. (See what I mean? I can go back and forth like this forever....)

Thanks for the link. I'll take a look at this now :-)

[Michael N. Meyer]

I have an XP1 and an x100 (not the "S"). When the XF 23mm came out, I looked at a similar decision: keep the x100 or sell it and get the 23 for the XP1. For me, there was no compelling reason to spend $900 to get a focal length I already had (x100 and zoom on the XP1). The only benefit of the lens was speed, something I don't really need. The x100 had compactness and the leaf shutter on its side. As I see little practical image quality gain aside from the resolution advantage between the XP1 (with 35mm or 18-55 zoom) and the x100 (up to about ISO 1600), I saw little reason to expect much gain from the XP1/23mm over the x100. Between the XP1/23mm and x100s I would expect even less difference.

I carry the x100 daily. It is the camera that comes out to parties or brunch. I also tend to toss it in the bag on most of my commercial shoots. It weighs nothing on my shoulder and tucks easily into a coat pocket. The XP1 I use for corporate events and on smaller corporate portrait shoots, though I find my DSLR much better suited to portraits generally. I've traveled with both cameras and would suggest the x100 and XP1/35mm  as a nearly perfect travel set up unless you want longer lenses.

Desert island choice? For me it would be the x100.

[JohnAONeill]

I have an XP1 and an x100 (not the "S"). When the XF 23mm came out, I looked at a similar decision: keep the x100 or sell it and get the 23 for the XP1. For me, there was no compelling reason to spend $900 to get a focal length I already had (x100 and zoom on the XP1). The only benefit of the lens was speed, something I don't really need. The x100 had compactness and the leaf shutter on its side. As I see little practical image quality gain aside from the resolution advantage between the XP1 (with 35mm or 18-55 zoom) and the x100 (up to about ISO 1600), I saw little reason to expect much gain from the XP1/23mm over the x100. Between the XP1/23mm and x100s I would expect even less difference.

I carry the x100 daily. It is the camera that comes out to parties or brunch. I also tend to toss it in the bag on most of my commercial shoots. It weighs nothing on my shoulder and tucks easily into a coat pocket. The XP1 I use for corporate events and on smaller corporate portrait shoots, though I find my DSLR much better suited to portraits generally. I've traveled with both cameras and would suggest the x100 and XP1/35mm  as a nearly perfect travel set up unless you want longer lenses.

Desert island choice? For me it would be the x100.

Michael, thanks for the input. Looking at the samples posted on the link above, i''m seeing better performance from the xf23, but I would most likely view this differently if I already owned an X100s! Perhaps Fuji have done a terrific job here in creating two versions of a camera that lots of photographers would like both! I have to say the X100s to me looks like a really fun camera with some great features and that leaf shutter....well..

[Petrus]

I had X-Pro1 and X-E1, but sold the later and got X100s for two reasons: 23 mm focal length between the 14 and 35mm lenses for X-Pro1, and as a spare camera for trips. They are a good combo, but of course some buttons are in different places etc… Darn!

[Michael N. Meyer]

Don't let the pixel peeping get in the way. In real world use, either the x100s or the XP1 with 23mm will give you excellent results.

The practical differences are interchangeable lenses, the slightly different form factors and the leaf shutter.