Why would I sell most of my DSLR equipment and trade it in with the X-series? Well...there is no easy answer to this question. But I suppose there is something magical about the first time I held a pre-production X-Pro1 in my hands at the CES Las Vegas back in February 2012, and this black beauty has haunted me ever since. No doubt my curiosity peaked after I read Zack Arias "Hot Damn" review on it back in April 2012. To be sure the X-Pro1 is a rugged magnesium-bodied beast, coupled with ergonomically well-placed, easily-accessible, old-school-knobs to control the essentials: speed, aperture, ISO (via assignable Fn button), exposure compensation wheel - just to name a few - and a super duper technologically innovative sensor that did away with the anti-aliasing filter which - according to Fujifilm - developed due to its film-like characteristics...an ode to Fujifilm's own legacy. Sure, auto focus can be a bit tricky with this camera...and it certainly isn't as fast as my Nikkies, but once this retro beauty locks in...then, BAM!..it would just hit you with an image that would be reminiscent of old school film...and for me, the first time that happened I fell in love with photography all over again. Then there is the size...it fits perfectly in my hands, and when compared to my DSLR Nikkies, there is no competition. In fact, I have the X-Pro1 slung in my man-bag (yeah, I know...I've got one of those) at all times - along with the favorite 50MM 1.4 at the ready and the 18MM 2.0 attached - and I wouldn't even feel it on my shoulders, and it's definitely easier on my back. For certain, this camera isn't for everyone but for those who wants to go back to the basics and move away from the snap-happy culture that Instagram brought to the 21st century (nothing wrong with IG either, but I think I've seen way too many selfies on IG that I think it's really taking away the original mystical lure of the app), this camera is definitely the one that I'd recommend you take the plunge into the sea of mirrorless offerings with.
If you are still not convinced and want to check it out for yourself...just hop on over to BorrowLenses.com and rent one for a week and give yourself a try at it. One thing is for sure, Fujifilm's got a good thing going on here and they are definitely committed to the X-Series camera line-up and XF lens range with the introduction of the X-Pro1's little bro, the XE-1. In the meantime, no matter what your gear of choice is at the moment...here's wishing you happy shooting!
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