FujiFilm X-Pro1 User manual

Rico Prstinger
Mastering the
FUJIFILM X-Pro1

V
FOREWORD
Do you really need a second handbook for a camera like
the FUJIFILM X-Pro1? Doesn’t the owner’s manual cover
everything? The answer is: no, it doesn’t.
That’s not to say that the owner’s manual is bad; it
documents all of the camera’s functions briefly—in-
cluding features that I (and probably a majority of other
photographers) won’t ever use. What’s missing are
background information and practical tips based on
experience. What’s the best way to activate a function?
Which setting should you use in different circumstances?
Why is the camera exhibiting a certain behavior? And
most important, which functions don’t work the way you
would expect them to and how you should handle them?
This book in no way makes the X-Pro1 owner’s
manual superfluous, and you should read the manual,
because this book picks up where the manual leaves off.
It condenses the knowledge and experience I gained in
15 months of groundwork, during which I collected a

VI Foreword
wealth of information from Internet forums and count-
less other sources. While I was researching, I also shot
thousands of images with the cameras of the FUJIFILM
X-series—in particular the X100 and, since February
2012, the X-Pro1.
This handbook includes personal experiences, tips,
and background information—not only from me, but from
other photographers as well. Some basic photographic
knowledge is assumed. The X-Pro1 is probably not your
first camera, and you hopefully are already familiar with
concepts like aperture and shutter speed.
If you still need to learn the basics, there are many
excellent books (including some from this publisher) for
building the knowledge and skills to fill this gap.
I hope you enjoy reading this book and shooting with your
X-Pro1!
Rico Pfirstinger, September 2012

1 AN OVERVIEW OF THE X-PRO1 SYSTEM 2
Interchangeable Lenses / Flash Units / Accessories
1.1 THE CAMERA 4
Overview of the Controls / Color Codes for the LED Indicator Lamp /
Camera Menus / Highlighted vs. Selected / The Quick Menu (Q Button) /
Updating Firmware / Restoring the Frame Counter /
SD Memory Cards / Long Start-Up Times? / Batteries and Chargers /
Diopter / The X-Trans Sensor / Cleaning the Sensor
1.2 THE LENSES 34
FUJINON XF18mmF2 R / FUJINON XF35mmF1.4 R / FUJINON XF60mmF2.4 R Macro
1.3 SYSTEM FLASH UNITS AND PRACTICAL ACCESSORIES 43
Remote Flash / Additional Handgrip
2 SHOOTING WITH THE X-PRO1 48
2.1 HERE WE GO! 48
RAW or JPEG? / Setting the Image Size and Format
2.2 HYBRID VIEWFINDER AND MONITOR 61
The Optical Viewnder (OVF) / The Electronic Viewnder (EVF) / The LCD Monitor /
LCD/EVF Brightness / Image Playback
2.3 EXPOSURE AND METERING 78
Exposure Control / Metering / Exposure Compensation /
Exposing Correctly with the Live Histogram and Exposure Compensation /
Automatic Exposure Bracketing / HDR Exposures
2.4 FOCUSING WITH THE X-PRO1 109
Functionality / Ten Practical Autofocus Tips /
Single Autofocus (AF-S) / Continuous Autofocus (AF-C) /
The AE-L/AF-L button / Focusing in the Dark / Manual Focus (MF) /
Distance and Depth of Field Indicators / Closeups (Macro Mode) /
Focusing on Fast-Moving Objects
2.5 ISO, DETAIL,AND IMAGE NOISE 138
ISO Setting and Image Quality / Practical ISO Tips /
Automatic ISO / ISO Bracketing
Contents

2.6 EXTENDING THE DYNAMIC RANGE 158
Questions and Answers about the DR Function /
Tips for Handling the DR Function / DR Bracketing
2.7 WHITE BALANCE AND JPEG SETTINGS 174
Setting the White Balance / Film Simulation / Color /
Contrast / Sharpness / Noise Reduction / Custom Shooting Proles /
Internal vs. External RAW Conversion / Color Space /
Working with the Internal RAW Converter
2.8 CONTINUOUS SHOOTING, PANORAMAS, MOVIES,
DOUBLE EXPOSURES,AND THE SELF-TIMER 222
Continuous Shooting (Burst Mode) / Panorama Images / Movies /
Double Exposures / Self-Timer
2.9 FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY WITH THE X-PRO1 238
Automatic Flash / Forced Flash / Slow Synchro /
Synchronization to the Second Shutter Curtain /
Suppressed Flash / Red-Eye Correction / Fastest Flash Sync Speed /
Flash Exposure Correction / Controlling the Ambient Light /
Tips for Exposing with Flash
2.10 USING THIRD-PARTY LENSES 251
Connecting and Recognizing Third-Party Lenses /
Focusing with Third-Party Lenses / Exposing Correctly with Third-Party Lenses /
Special Features of the FUJIFILM M Adapter
2.11 SOURCES AND LINKS 258
2.12 FIRMWARE VERSION 2.00 261
INDEX 263

41 An Overview of the X-Pro1 System
1.1 THE CAMERA
Before we get started with the actual operation of the
X-Pro1, we should take a quick look at the camera’s
buttons, dials, menus, and connections—not because I
think that you haven’t done this already, but to be sure
that we’re speaking the same language and using the
same terminology.
OVERVIEW OF THE CONTROLS
Image 2: X-Pro1 Front View: hybrid viewnder, shoulder strap eyelet, focus
mode selector, lens release button, lens signal contacts, X-Trans sensor,
OVF/EVF viewnder selector, AF-assist lamp, microphone (left/right).
Image 3: X-Pro1 TopView: ON/OFF switch, shutter button, Fn button,
exposure compensation dial, shutter-speed dial with dial release, hot shoe.
Shoulder Strap Eyelet
Hybrid Viewnder
Focus Mode
Selector
Lens Release
Button
Lens Signal Contacts
X-Trans Sensor
OVF/EVF View-
nder Selector
AF-Assist Lamp
Microphone
ON/OFF Switch
Shutter Button
Fn Button
Exposure Com-
pensation Dial
Shutter Speed Dial
With Dial Release
Hot Shoe

51.1 The Camera
Image 4: X-Pro1 Back and Left Side View: viewnder with
diopter ring, eye sensor, LCD monitor, VIEW MODE button,
indicator lamp, command dial, AE-L/AF-L button, Quick Menu
(Q) button, playback button, selector with macro button,
MENU/OK button, DISP/BACK button, AF/delete button, AE/
playback zoom-out button, DRIVE/playback zoom-in button,
ash sync terminal, speaker.
The selector enables you to navigate
through the camera’s menus and to
control various features such as the
selection of the autofocus frame.You can
conrm your selections either by pressing
the MENU/OK button or by pressing the
shutter button halfway down.
Viewnder
LCD Monitor
VIEW MODE Button
Indicator Lamp Command Dial
AE-L/AF-L Button
Q Button
Playback Button
Selector with Macro
Button
MENU/OK Button
DISP/BACK Button
AF/Delete Button
AE/Zoom-out Button
DRIVE/Zoom-in Button
Speaker
Flash Sync
Terminal
Eye Sensor

6
Image 5: X-Pro1 Bottom View: tripod mount, battery
and memory card chamber, cable channel cover.
Image 6: X-Pro1 Right Side View (with 35mm f/1.4 lens): USB/HDMI
connector cover, handgrip, aperture ring, focus ring, mount for lens hood
and lters.
Tripod Mount
Cable Channel
Cover
Battery Chamber
USB/HDMI
connector cover
Handgrip
Aperture Ring
Focus Ring
Mount for Lens
Hoods and Filters
1 An Overview of the X-Pro1 System

7
Image 7: X-Pro1 Right Side View:
open connector cover revealing HDMI
and USB ports.
COLOR CODES FOR THE LED INDICATOR LAMP
The indicator lamp next to the VIEW MODE button con-
veys the following information:
USB Port
HDMI Port
1.1 The Camera
The autofocus has identied a target and has it in focus.
Warning—the image might be blurry, out of focus, or
poorly exposed.You can, however, still snap the exposure.
The camera is saving images, but you can continue to
shoot.
The camera is saving images, and you are not able to take
additional shots.
There is a lens or memory error.