Last Updated on 03/15/2019 by Chris Gampat
The Fujifilm X Pro 2 has developed a cult following, and the expectations for the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 are high.
The Fujifilm X-Pro 2 is used and loved by photographers all over the globe. The Rangefinder style camera with the excellent X-Trans III sensor is loved because of its gorgeous retro looks, ease of use, and the quality of the images it produces. Expectations are high for the Fujifilm X-Pro 3; nothing but the best will please Fujifilm fans. A recent report suggests that the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 could hit store shelves later this year. There’s a lot riding on this release, and below is what we think it will take to win people over.
A Recent report on Fuji Rumors via Mirrorless Rumors suggests that the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 will be announced at some point in 2019. This makes sense as Fujifilm does seem to run on two to three year cycles and the X-Pro 2 came out back in 2016. There is absolutely no information or news in regards to possible specifications for the new Fujifilm X-Pro 3, nor is there any information regarding possible pricing or official launch dates. It’s likely though that the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 will keep the much loved and coveted Rangefinder style body. This would be great in itself, but here’s what else we would like to see.
Inside the familiar looking body I am sure we will see the same 26.1MP X-Trans IV sensor that can be found in the powerful X-T3. This is not a bad thing; the X-T3 is capable of producing gorgeous images. The image processor will also likely be the same as the one found in the X-T3 as well, and you can expect the slightly improved autofocus algorithms, and larger number of autofocus points that can be found in the X-T30 to make their way to the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 too. You can guarantee that, if the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 has basically the same guts as the X-T3, it will be a strong performer.
One thing Fujifilm absolutely must work on is battery life. The battery life in all Fujifilm cameras leaves much to be desired. If this means that the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 needs to have a slightly larger chassis to house a more powerful battery then that’s fine, do it. With Sony running the show when it comes to battery life in the Mirrorless world, others need to catch up, and this is the perfect camera to show that things are moving forward with Fujifilm in this regard.
We of course would love to see the hybrid optical/EVF viewfinder stay with the Fujifilm X-Pro 3. This is one of the amazing features that sets the X-Pro 2 Mirrorless Rangefinder style camera apart from others on the market. We would however like to see a bump in the electronic viewfinder’s resolution and refresh rate. It would be great if the 3.69 million dot EVF from the X-T3 was used, or perhaps an even higher resolution with a larger display, and one that is blackout free.
A tilting, flippy touchscreen. Please, Fujifilm. Please work on this. Perhaps the X-Pro 3 would be the wrong camera to introduce a fully rotating screen on, but please at least include some form of a tilting touchscreen on the X-Pro 3 instead of the stationary, non touchscreen that the X-Pro 2 had. Ease of use levels go through the roof when a screen like this is incorporated. I would also love to see a screen that is more pixel dense, and one with better contrast so that it can still be seen clearly in full sunlight.
More than anything though I would like to see Fujifilm cameras advance in small areas with each new body that comes out. Instead of just transplanting guts over and over again, I want to see Fujifilm innovate in one area so that each camera has something unique about it. Otherwise we will end up with three cameras again (X-T30, X-T3, X-Pro 3) that are all identical apart from the body shapes.
The Fujifilm X-Pro 3 is already a little unique thanks to the Rangefinder design and the hybrid EVF. Design wise it is already great and the layout of the controls is fantastic, but please do something to set it apart from the others. Give us the bigger battery, give us the flippy screen, throw in some more film simulations, perhaps even include the IBIS from the X-H1. It would be nice to have another Fujifilm camera with that baked in. Another X-T3 variant in this form factor would be nice, but why not push the envelope a little further. Set it apart from the rest. It’s good to be different.
What do you want to see in the Fujifilm X-Pro 3? Let us know in the comment section below.
