Fuji has now added a new camera to the XF range. The X-M1 is the new bottom of the range model. Nice to see more choice but it is a little worrying that Fuji has decided to change the lens design. The new lens that comes with this camera has no aperture ring unlike the other cameras. The UI on the back is also different. What is nice is the new tilt screen but unfortunately this camera has no EVF or optical viewfinder.
The other cameras and lens in this range come with an ‘A’ for automatic setting on the aperture ring and also a ‘A’ for automatic on the shutter speed dial: this is not that difficult to understand, but the new camera has the more modern mode dial on the top and like I mentioned no aperture ring on the two new lens released with it. To enable the new lens to work on the older cameras a firmware update has been released but is a worrying fragmentation of the system.
For people that shoot with more then one body this difference is going to make working with to different XF bodies more difficult. Fine if you can afford two X Pro1’s but difficult if you have an X Pro1 and then this in your bag as your emergency spare body.