Fujfilm X-M1 Review

By: Kyle Schurman

Review posted 09/09/2013

Quick Take

Pros

Good overall camera Stylish and retro look Camera is very well built and sturdy Smallest Fujifilm X series ILC camera Variety of X mount lenses available Large APS-C image sensor provides good results Outside of shutter lag, X-M1 is fast performer Plenty of buttons make camera easy to use Q Menu provides great shortcut option for adjusting settings High quality LCD screen can tilt Popup flash unit works well Hot shoe provides option for adding an external flash Reasonably good battery life HDMI port included

Cons

Price is a bit high versus other entry-level interchangeable lens cameras Wi-Fi feature is limited and somewhat confusing to setup LCD doesn't fully rotate LCD has some glare problems, although you can increase the screen brightness Movie options are extremely limited Some issues with shutter lag as autofocus has a slight delay No option for adding a viewfinder No USB cable included for downloading photos Even though menus are well organized, the large number of subcategories can be confusing at times

Bottom Line

The Fujifilm X-M1 camera is a stylish model, with an interesting retro look and a well designed set of controls. The X-M1 is smaller than Fujifilm's other mirrorless X series cameras, but it still has a sturdy build. The X-M1 compares favorably in terms of performance and image quality versus other entry-level ILCs, and it has a large image sensor. However the one area where the X-M1 doesn't stack up in this market category is a really important one -- price. This is an expensive camera compared to other entry-level DSLR and ILC models, so you'll have to decide whether the retro design and large image sensor is worth that premium price. Read more in our Full Conclusion.

Earlier this summer (2013), Fujfilm announced their third ILC camera in the award-winning X-Series, the Fujifilm X-M1. The camera -- which in kit form will ship with a newly-designed FUJINON XC 16-50mm (24-76mm) F3.5-5.6 OIS zoom lens -- features the same 16.3-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor and EXR Processor II found in the X-Pro1 and the X-E1, but wihn an added color filter array. That's a dSLR-sized image sensor in a camera body roughly half the size (4.6" W by 2.6" H by 1.5" D). And thanks to the image processor, users can expect quick start up and response times. The camera's natural ISO range is 200-6400, but the extended range of 100-25600 allows anyone to shoot clear, noise-free images in less than ideal lighting conditions.

Other nice features include a 3" tilting LCD display (920K dots), built-in flash, 5 Film Simulation Modes, 8 Advanced Filters, and a Wi-Fi button that allows users to instantly transfer images from the camera to smartphones and tablets running the FUJIFILM Camera App (available for Android and iOS devices).

Fujfilm X-M1 Features

• 16.3 Megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor
• EXR Processor II
• Start-up time of 0.5
• Shutter lag time of 0.05
• Shooting interval time of 0.7
• Full 1080 (30p) HD video with stereo microphone
• 3" (920K dot) tilting high resolution LCD screen
• Full range of ISO100 - ISO25600
• Built-in WiFi
• Wireless image transfer
• Q Menu shortcut button
• In-camera RAW processing
• Film Simulation Modes
• Velvia
• ASTIA
• PROVIA
• Sepia
• Black & White
• 8 Advanced Filters
• Toy Camera
• Miniature
• Dynamic Tone
• Pop Color
• Soft Focus
• High Key
• Low Key
• Partial Color
• Multiple Exposure mode to superimpose a second exposure on the first exposure
• Smaller footprint when compared to other X-series models
• New kit lens (XC 16-50mm OIS - not sold separately at this time).
• Available accessories include: Leather Case, Hand Grip, and Clip-on Flash

Using the same X-Mount as the X-Pro1 and X-E1, the X-M1 works with all Fujifilm XF and XC lenses. These lenses include:

• XF 14mm F2.8
• XF 18mm F2.0
• XF 27mm F2.8
• XF 35mm F1.4
• XF 60mm F2.4
• XF 18-55mm F2.8-4.0 OIS
• XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 OIS
• XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS

Fujifilm's X-M1 is available in black, dual tone silver, or brown "leatherette." Body only packages will cost $699.95 USD. The X-M1 (all colors) + XC16-50mm (24-76mm) F3.5-5.6 OIS lens kits can be had for approx. $799.95 USD. Click on our Buy button to see the most current online pricing.

What's in the box?:

• X-M1 camera body
• 16-50mm kit lens (if purchased as a kit)
• Li-ion Battery NP-W126
• Battery Charger BC-W126
• Shoulder strap
• Body cap
• CD-ROM (Viewer software, RAW File Converter etc. )
• Owner's manual

Additional Product Views

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