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.

16
RESTORING THE FRAME COUNTER
Updating your camera’s firmware could cause its inter-
nal frame counter to reset to zero. If you would like to
restore it to its previous position, follow these steps:
• Insert your SD card into your computer and rename
a picture that is saved on the card with your desired
image number. For example, name the file DSCF2725.
JPG instead of DSCF0001.JPG.
• Return the SD card to your camera and take a new ex-
posure. This image will automatically be saved with the
subsequent number in its filename—DSCF2726.JPG in
the example. Bingo!
Image 11: What’s in a name?
Well, whatever you want! Simply by renaming an
image le on your memory card using your com-
puter, you can trick the X-Pro1 into resuming its
internal frame counter where you want it to start.
This little trick obviously works for any situation in which
you want to avoid unwanted or conflicting image num-
bers—for example, if you shoot with multiple cameras or
you are using a camera that you normally don’t use.
In these cases, reset the image counter by going
to SETUP MENU 1 > FRAME NO. > RENEW and then
format the memory card by going to SETUP MENU 3 >
FORMAT. Next, take a picture and change its filename
1 An Overview of the X-Pro1 System

17
(DSCF0001) on your computer to the number you prefer
by using the steps described above. Then take a new
exposure with this memory card.
While in the heat of the moment, don’t forget to set
the frame counter back to a continuous progression by
selecting SETUP MENU 1 > FRAME NO. > CONTINU-
OUS; otherwise the frame counter will start numbering
images again from scratch after you format your card the
next time.
SD MEMORY CARDS
The X-Pro1 is compatible with SD, SDHC, and SDXD
memory cards. You can safely ignore that FUJIFILM only
guarantees the functional capabilities of SanDisk and (of
course) FUJIFILM brand memory cards—the camera also
works fine with the products of other manufacturers.
Fuji’s recommendation that you should use memory
cards in speed class four or higher is also something
short of realistic. The X-Pro1 writes RAW files in excess
of 26 MB and JPEGs in excess of 3–5 MB, or in other
words around 30 MB per RAW+JPEG exposure. When
shooting continuously and producing six exposures per
second that adds up to 180 MB of data that can occur
within the span of a second!
The camera’s buffer memory can fill up remarkably
quickly—and it should be emptied (read: the data should
be written to the memory card) just as quickly, so you
can take additional exposures. I recommend at least a
speed class 10 memory card; if you use anything less,
you’re saving money in the wrong place.
As a matter of fact, many of my colleagues and I go a
step further. We only use the fastest SD cards available
on the market today. Why? Because the cameras in the
X series can actually put this extra speed to use—our
own and other tests have shown this repeatedly. This
advantage comes into play especially with the X-Pro1’s
1.1 The Camera

18
automatic exposure bracketing function, during which
the camera is completely blocked (unnecessarily, in my
opinion) until all three bracketed shots are saved.
What it all comes down to is the write speed of the
memory card. Watch out for deceptive marketing that
advertises exceptionally fast speeds but really only de-
scribes the read speed of the cards.
As of July 2012, the fastest available SD cards read and
write data with a nominal speed of 95 MB/s. I personally
have had good experiences with models from Panasonic
and SanDisk. Since these exceptionally fast cards aren’t
cheap, I generally use smaller capacity versions with 8
or 16 GB for my X-series cameras and make a habit of
transferring my exposures to my computer regularly.
When shooting with the maximum RAW+JPEG quality
settings on your X-Pro1, a 16 GB card is good for 500
exposures.
In addition to one or two of these superfast memory
cards, I usually also carry a few more affordable class 10
cards that have a larger capacity (32 or 64 GB), which I
use for data backup (things can even happen to laptops)
or in situations in which I have a greater need for capa-
city than I do for speed.
Image 12: The Need for Speed:
SD memory cards such as the SanDisk Extreme
Pro with a nominal read and write speed of
95 MB/s are part of the basic equipment for
many X-Pro1 users, according to an American
camera forum.
1 An Overview of the X-Pro1 System

24
DIOPTER
Retro cameras like the X-Pro1 are in some ways intended
for an older crowd, which is why countless retailers and
prospective buyers find it all the more incomprehensible
that the camera’s viewfinder doesn’t feature an integrated
multilevel optical adjustment for photographers who
wear glasses (unlike the X100, X10, and S-S1). Anyone
who wears glasses to read or drive will need to either
wear his or her glasses while photographing or purchase
a diopter correction lens with 19mm threads.
The first surprise: FUJIFILM didn’t offer its own
diopter lens as part of its accessories for the X-Pro1 for
several months, instead pointing users toward Cosina as
a third-party manufacturer.
The second surprise: aside from this tip, the owner’s
manual doesn’t have anything else to offer on this
important subject. In the English language FAQs on
FUJIFILM’s global website you can at least find that the
X-Pro1’s viewfinder features an internal setting of –1D.
But what exactly does this information mean in practice?
The factory-provided diopter on the viewfinder is neu-
tral—it is a simple piece of glass with no corrective
optical effects. You could in principal remove the glass
entirely, but that would allow dirt and dust to accumulate
in your viewfinder more easily.
Image 16: The diopter lens that comes with your
camera is an optically neutral piece of glass. Its rubber
mount should protect eyeglasses from getting scratched
if photographers press them up against it. Some X-Pro1
users have lost the factory-installed, neutral diopter
lens after just a few days.To make sure this doesn’t
happen to you, check that the ring is screwed in tightly
to the viewnder on your camera so that it won’t come
undone by, for example, rubbing against your clothing
when your camera is hanging around your neck.
1 An Overview of the X-Pro1 System

25
Since camera viewfinders are designed for photographers
with standard eyesight, we can assume that the neutral
diopter lens (i.e., 0D) that comes with the X-Pro1 represents
the normal case for people with normal vision.
Experience shows that on this basis farsighted people
who wear glasses to read should use a diopter lens with
the same correction value as they use for help reading.
For example, if you use a pair of reading glasses with a
correction of +1D, you would be best off attaching a +1D
diopter lens to your viewfinder.
You can attach FUJIFILM’s own corrective lenses to your
X-Pro1, along with other offerings from Cosina and Carl
Zeiss, as well as various Nikon diopter lenses for its film
F System. The threads are standard; the only thing you’ll
need to do is make sure the lens has a 19mm thread
diameter.
Image 17: A Comparison of 19mm Diopter Lenses: Left, a neutral
diopter provided by the factory; middle, a +2D diopter lens from Carl
Zeiss (also with a protective rubber ring); and right, a somewhat larger
+1D diopter lens from Nikon without a rubber ring.
Diopter lenses from Fuji, Cosina, and Zeiss all have
rubber rings around them, which is practical if you want
or have to wear a pair of glasses while you use the lenses.
Various Nikon diopter lenses are constructed entirely of
metal. The upside of this, however, is that they feature a
slightly larger inlet view, which many photographers will
find beneficial.
1.1 The Camera

26
People who wear gradient lenses or have complicated
vision correction requirements should visit an optometrist
with their cameras to discuss and try out different
corrective lenses. You can purchase diopter lenses
from FUJIFILM, Cosina, Carl Zeiss, and Nikon at most
specialized retailers.
IMPORTANT
The X-Pro1’s optical and digital viewnder displays are
located at different virtual levels of distance.This makes it
important for you to use a corrective lens that allows you
to see the images provided by both the digital and the
optical viewnder sharply. The standardization of corrective
values for Nikon diopter lenses is slightly different from
other manufacturers.With Nikon’s lenses you need to
purchase a lens that has an advertised corrective value of
1D less than you actually need. For instance, if you need an
effective correction of +1D, then you should purchase a
neutral Nikon diopter lens. To achieve a correction of +2D,
get a Nikon diopter with a marketed value of +1D. This
complication only applies to lenses manufactured by Nikon.
With lenses from FUJIFILM, Cosina, and Zeiss, the marketed
and effective corrective values are the same.
THE X-TRANS-SENSOR
The X-Pro1’s sensor is anything but ordinary. Though
on paper it may not sound like anything earthshaking,
behind its somewhat middling specs—an APS-C format
and 16-megapixel resolution—lies a special quality that
FUJIFILM developed in order to bring the X-Pro1’s image
quality on par with the performance of larger full-format
sensors.
1 An Overview of the X-Pro1 System

48
2 SHOOTING
WITH THE X-PRO1
2.1 HERE WE GO!
Are you ready to get started with your X-Pro1 system?
Here are a few tips for an all-purpose configuration and
for handling the camera:
• Set the X-Pro1 to auto ISO (SHOOTING MENU 1 >
ISO > AUTO [3200]) and auto DR (SHOOTING MENU
1 > DYNAMIC RANGE > AUTO). This setup gives the
camera the maximum amount of flexibility and will
immediately provide you with a high-quality result.
Don’t worry about high ISO values! The X-Pro1 pro-
duces great images all the way up to ISO 6400. The
ISO values that are increased by one or two exposure
values when the dynamic range function is activated do
not actually mean a true increase in ISO sensitivity (even
in the best light, the camera’s automatic ISO may opt
to shoot with ISO 400 or 800). Countless other cameras
use these methods too (such as those from Nikon,
Canon, and Sony), but they are not always as honest
with their ISO values as the X-Pro1 (section2.5).
• It’s best to use the RAW+JPEG mode (SHOOTING
MENU 1 > IMAGE QUALITY > FINE+RAW). This will
allow you to delay making decisions about various
image settings such as film simulation, sharpness,
contrast, color, noise reduction, white balance, etc.,
and to concentrate on photographing your subject. You
can take some time to consider various settings and
compare their results either by availing yourself of the

492.1 Here We Go!
camera’s internal RAW converter (PLAYBACK MENU 1
> RAW CONVERSION) or by using a software program
on your computer (see “Internal vs. External RAW Con-
version” in section 2.7).
• The optical viewfinder (OVF) will never delineate the
exact same image frame that the camera will actually
capture. This parallax effect is physically unavoidable
and also influences the accuracy of the autofocus,
especially for objects that are somewhat close to the
camera. You can partly compensate for this fact by
navigating to SHOOTING MENU 3 and then activating
the CORRECTED AF FRAME function (see section 2.2).
• The X-Pro1 features a hybrid viewfinder, which can
show either an optical or an electronic image based on
your preference. This doesn’t mean that you need to
select one or the other display option. Quite the oppo-
site, actually: you can use both options in parallel and
use the viewfinder selector on the front of the camera
as often as you like to switch between the OVF and the
electronic viewfinder (EVF). The EVF lends itself to
precise focusing, while the OVF provides a distortion-
free real image of the scene (see section 2.2).
• You’ll normally want to use Area AF for your autofocus
mode (SHOOTING MENU 3 > AF MODE > AREA). This
mode gives you the highest degree of flexibility and
focus precision by allowing you to choose the position
and size of the autofocus field freely, especially when
using the EVF (see section 2.4).
• The standard shooting setting for most situations will
be single autofocus (AF-S—position the focus mode
selector on the front of the camera so it is pointing
toward S) and single-frame exposure (DRIVE button >
STILL IMAGE) (see section 2.4).

50 2Shooting with the X-Pro1
• The X-Pro1 is a mirrorless system camera—not a reflex
camera. Don’t expect your X-Pro1 to operate like a
DSLR or you’ll be setting yourself up for bitter disap-
pointment. Photographers who are upgrading from the
X100 will have a good foundational knowledge, but
those who are switching from DSLR cameras will need
to reorient themselves. But don’t worry—this book will
help with just that!
• In contrast to DSLR cameras, the X-Pro1 uses contrast
detection autofocus (CDAF) as its method of focusing.
This method is fundamentally different from phase
detection autofocus (PDAF), which is common with reflex
cameras. Object edges shouldn’t be the target for the
X-Pro1’s autofocus, you should instead attempt to
focus on surfaces (that ideally exhibit stark contrast).
In addition, make sure that no objects within the auto-
focus frame are positioned at different distances from
the camera. A good rule of thumb for quick and precise
focusing is to make the selected AF frame as small as
possible and as large as necessary (see section 2.4).
• The operation of the X-Pro1 features various short-
cuts that you can use to make your everyday shooting
easier:
• Holding the Q button for a few seconds brings you
directly to the menu for custom shooting profiles
(section 2.7).
• Press and hold the MENU/OK button down to lock or
unlock the arrow keys of the selector.
• A long press of the Fn button will bring up this but-
ton’s configuration menu, where you can assign one
of any number of functions.

512.1 Here We Go!
• Press the DISP/BACK button for a couple seconds
to activate (or deactivate) the camera’s silent mode.
When this mode is turned on, the X-Pro1 functions
quietly and inconspicuously. It won’t make any
artificial noises and it abstains from using both the
flash and the AF-assist lamp. The latter, however,
you should definitely otherwise use, because it will
noticeably improve the effectiveness of the autofocus
in poor lighting conditions (SHOOTING MENU 4 >
AF ILLUMINATOR > ON).
• You can switch into and out of the macro mode
quickly by pressing the MACRO button twice in short
succession (i.e., double-clicking on it) (see “Close-
ups” in section 2.4).
• When using the camera’s playback mode, you can
press the command dial (yes, in addition to turning
this dial, you can also press it) to enlarge the current
image as much as possible to inspect its sharpness.
In contrast, pressing the command dial while in shoot-
ing mode and using the manual focus magnifies the
image in the electronic viewfinder to help you focus.
This function even works when you are currently using
the OVF (see “Image Playback” in section 2.2).
• Pressing and holding the viewfinder selector will
allow you to switch manually between the two
magnification levels of the OVF that are normally
automatically determined.
Image 40: In addition to turning the
command dial, you can also press it.