FujiFilm X-M1 Pro Reviews

Call us fans of new Fujifilm cameras such as the X-M1, especially those using variations of the X-Trans CMOS APS-C sensor. We really like the image quality – the photos are just plain good. Specific to our review sample, it has all the tweaks serious photographers look for and it’ll work just fine for those who don’t want to do a lot of fiddling with dials and menus. As such it’s a Digital Trends Editor’s Choice. That said we really want to test the new Sony NEX-5T to determine which of the two very similar CSCs is the standout. The slightly less expensive Sony has a tilting touchscreen, is a bit more compact, has a supplied add-on flash rather than integrated plus it takes AVCHD 1080/60p video. Even if you can’t wait for our thoughts on the Sony, by all means go ahead and buy the X-M1 – the image quality won’t disappoint.

The X-M1 is Fujifilm's entry-level mirrorless camera with its unique X-Trans sensor. While it lacks the build quality and EVF of the more expensive X-E1, it adds a sharper, tilting LCD and Wi-Fi. The X-M1 is capable of taking incredibly sharp photos with very little noise. Performance is very good, although AF speeds are not as quick as the best-in-class mirrorless cameras.The camera is missing a few other handy features too, like an electronic level and remote control via Wi-Fi.

Stunning photo quality makes it worth the high price, but additional lenses are expensive too

The Fujifilm X-M1 ($799.95 list)£679.00 at Amazon is the current entry-level body in the company's mirrorless camera system. As a point of entry, it's priced a bit high, but it does deliver excellent image quality, built-in Wi-Fi, and an impressively sharp kit lens. The only real issue with the camera is its focus speed; there's a bit of lag, even when working in bright light. And it takes a little long to get started when you switch it on. Similar cameras at this price point, like our Editors' Choice, the Samsung NX300£529.00 at Argos.co.uk, utilize a hybrid AF system with phase and contrast detection for near-instant results. If you're enamored with its 16-megapixel X-Trans image sensor and you can live with a third of a second passing between pressing the shutter and firing off a shot, the X-M1 is worth consideration.

With a street price of £679 with the 16-50mm lens, there's no getting away from the fact that the Fujifilm X-M1 is facing some stiff competition from more affordable rivals such as the Panasonic GF6, Sony NEX-5R and Samsung NX300, all of which are available for between £150-200 less. On paper at least it's hard to see what, if anything, extra you get for your cash, especially as the X-M1 lacks a touch-sensitive display that its rivals all feature. In that respect then a lot of new users with one eye on the bottom line will undoubtedly be swayed by these more affordable alternatives. The Fujifilm X-M1 though excels in three key areas over its rivals that are hard to see when spec sheets are analyzed – style, feel and results. The stylish retro design is complimented by an excellent finish, but perhaps most importantly of all is the beautiful results that the X-M1's X-Trans CMOS sensor delivers, and for some that'll be a premium worth paying.

When it comes to the visuals the Fujifilm X-M1 is a winner. The images this camera can produce mean serious business - they're among the best from any compact system camera that we've yet seen. That's big-screen star points scored there. But the process of getting to those shots is littered with quirks: the exposure compensation dial is knocked out of place all too easily, while autofocus feels limited in light of the other A-listers out there. It costs the camera all too dear as it's less enjoyable than the higher-spec kit in that range that tantalises us that much more. The X-M1 is new ground for Fujifilm: it's a camera targeted towards the masses, yet it maintains a decent level of its all-important pro-spec look and feel. Imperfections there may be, and it can feel a little more B-movie than Hollywood at times, but the X-M1 will score a cult-movie-like following for all its positives. A compact system camera that really shouldn't be overlooked, there's more to it than meets the eye.

The Fujifilm X-M1 successfully brings the X-system to a wider audience, being smaller, lighter and significantly cheaper than the X-E1 whilst offering a newer processor, built-in wireless connectivity and a tilting LCD screen. The main sacrifice is the lack of any kind of viewfinder, not even via an optional accessory, making the user reliant on the tilting rear screen and arms-length composition. Although this is something that compact camera owners looking to upgrade will be more than familiar with, it does prevent us from recommending the X-M1 even more highly to more advanced photographers. The X-M1 delivers the same excellent image quality as its big and more expensive brothers. Noise is noticeable only by its almost complete absence throughout the ISO range of 100-25,600, while the Dynamic Range function helps to boost contrast and detail. The new 16-50mm lens is also worthy of mention, as although it has a cheaper build quality, it still offers sharp results throughout the focal range. The X-M1 is certainly right up there with the best APS-C sensor cameras on the market, and some full-frame models too, so if image quality at an affordable price is paramount, the X-M1 certainly fits the bill.

The Fujifilm X-M1 is an interesting development in the X-series and provides the opportunity for those who hanker after the style and performance of the X-E1, but at a more affordable price. With the concurrent launch of a quality kit lens, a telephoto zoom coming later in 2013, and the promise of more affordable XC lenses to come, it's clearly a product the company is committed to. There are some for whom only a big sensor will cut it, and for those the X-M1 has a lot going for it including superb high ISO noise performance and SLR-like handling in PASM modes. But if Fujifilm wants to widen the appeal of its X-series to consumers I think it has a bit more work to do if it's to compete with the likes of Olympus and Panasonic, not to mention Sony, Nikon, Samsung and even Canon. Once again there's no touchscreen, no auto-panoramas, no built-in timelapse shooting, and you can't apply effects, like the miniature mode, to movies. And while the built-in Wifi may let you transfer images to your phone, you won't be remote controlling the camera with it and the geo-tagging implementation is odd to say the least. The absence of these features may or may not be deal-breakers for you personally, but it is unusual not to have them on a camera aimed at consumers.

I really do hate proclaiming a camera has the "best" of anything, as that's such a moving target. (Hence, the dearth of Editors' Choices I award.) Even now, looking at comparable cameras I have yet to review -- the Samsung NX300 springs to mind -- I wonder if the next one will surpass it. But I'm fairly confident that, at least until we see a new sensor from another manufacturer, the X-M1 will retain the "best quality" title in its price class. That said, overall the camera is a little weaker purchase proposition than I'd like -- the disappointing video and its sufficient but generally lackluster performance hold it back. I also wish Fujifilm offered a discounted kit with the better 18-55mm f2.8-4 lens; if you buy the X-M1 body and the lens separately, it'll cost as much as the X-E1 kit, since the lens currently sells for about $799. Neither of the lenses focuses as close as a typical 18-55mm kit lens, though.

The X-Pro1 and X-E1 with manual control dials, and built in viewfinders were a joy to use due to classic styling and quick photographic control. The Fujifilm X-M1 on the other hand no longer features as many external controls, and with the 16-50mm OIS lens aperture and shutter speed is controlled by the two control wheels. However, the additional of a 3inch tilting screen and built in Wi-Fi, along with a more compact body helps make up for this. Image quality is very good with excellent colour, and fans of Fujifilm colour and film will find the X-M1 gives very pleasing results, with very good detail, and reliable exposure. Focus speeds are a little on the sluggish side, and indoors, in low-light focus occassionally missed, causing us to have a blurred photo. The 16-50mm OIS lens gives a useful wide-angle equivalent of 24mm zooming to 76mm at the telephoto end and produces very good results for a "kit lens". When the X-M1 is used in combination with the 27mm f/2.8 lens, the camera is very compact indeed. If you buy the X-M1 with the 16-50mm kit lens, then the kit offers very good value for money, as the alternative of buying the camera body only, and then adding a lens, can be quite an expensive option. Overall, the Fujifilm X-M1 produces excellent images and is part of a growing range of cameras and lenses.