Fuji X-Pro M monochrome - can this be for real?

<p>A fully Monochrome version of the X=Pro2. ISO to 32.aautofocus to match the best SLR cameras with greater low light performance..The fast AF coupled to 6 fps performance with focus tracking is a welcome improvement. Adding in facial recognition helps a lot.<br /><br /> 24MP image files, dynamic range vastly improved and Higher ISO settings with even more latitude than before. Built in ND filter to 5 stops. <br /><br /> Film pre-sets to give images to match classic B&W emulsions. Not just Fuji Neopan - but other classic film as well.<br /><br /> B&W video as well so one can get the full experience.<br /><br /> Fuji is pushing the B&W market and this is a good addition. Their experience with the X-T1 IR shows they are not afraid to take a chance and a Monocorome rangefinder style camera is a good option to have.<br /><br /> Sure looks to give some nice options in this niche market where Leica is the only option so<br /></p>

<p>Why not? The X-Pro 1 always struck me as being a shot across the Leica's bow. Not something I'd be interested in, but those who are into B&W would have to be crazy not to check it out if it's for real and a heck of a lot less expensive than the Leica offering.</p>

<p>I don't know, but all of this is pure speculation/rumour-sites talk, right? I haven't seen any official announcement of the X-Pro 2 yet, let alone a B&W version (which I could be interested in indeed). So, maybe it'll come, maybe not. We'll know when Fuji is ready to tell.</p>

<p>I guess it depends upon what would make an excellent B&W camera and competition for a full frame Leica monochrome.</p>

<p>What advantage is there, other than having a "cult camera" (A serious photographer - he shoots only in B&W monochrome!), by possessing a Leica monochrome (more than 10,000$ Canadian) rather than an equally or higher performing colour digital camera system which allows both forms of capture? Even though a part of its price is for Point and shoot features and an excellent (when it doesn't overheat) video capture, the Sony A7RII (as an example, and 40% of the Leica price) offers 42 MP full frame, high ISO and image stabilisation, which would seem to me to be quite or more than adequate for much B&W shooting, including street photography, and offers the added value option of colour.</p>

<p>My neighbour has a summer car and also a winter one, but one is likely enough for his short range driving. All he would need to do is put on winter tires.</p>

<p>Perhaps the non-Bayer sensor assembly of a monochrome camera adds extra resolution or tonality and would enhance the performance of a 24 MP APS-C size sensor? Can anyone say by how much?</p>

<p>This would be an interesting camera and a welcomed addition to the market. But I haven't seen any info about it at all, even on the rumor sites. Do you have a link where this camera is even mentioned?</p>

<p>says who?</p>

<p>Any updates on Fuji working on such a thing? - I'd buy one too, if it is somewhat reasonably priced. <br>

@ Arthur: I suppose we can transfer comparsions between the Leicas on APS C sensors? - If 18MP Monochrom rivalled 24 MP CMOS sensor, we might get close to a 32MP color sensor's performance with a monochrome 24MP. - All I am recalling the Monochrom resolution gain was smaller than some folks' math predicted.<br>

Reasons to buy a monochrome camera: If B&W is what you intend to do, it can't be wrong, can it? And the better low light performance is surely always nice to have. - I recently measured that ISO 100K is what I'd hope the last camera I'll get to be working at. <br>

If you want color equally, you are surely well off with a color camera but to me <em>converting</em> to B&W isn't the fun I am after.</p>

There have been some interviews with senior employees at Fuji where this issue has been discussed. They have been

quite enthusiastic about the idea (in the understated Japanese way), but as far as I know, have never tipped their hand to

reveal any development. But the IR camera was a "surprise," even with their history of developing IR cameras.

 

The advantage of a monochrome camera which seems to elude many who discuss it is that every pixel sensor is used to

generate direct image information.

 

A Bayer or Xtrans based camera uses some of its pixels to take a monochrome image with a green filter over it, other

pixels are with a red filter and still others with a green filter. The information is combined and recalculated to give the best

guess at how much green, red and blue should be incorporated in one pixel. But this is an interpolation, not an actual

representation of the light which strikes a given pixel. To get to a monochrome image, the information which was

translated into red, green and blue has to be retranslated into monochrome tones. At this point it has been recalculated

twice.

 

A true monochrome sensor registers the actual tonal information which strikes each pixel. So the quality of the image is

substantially different.

 

Fuji could create a unique value proposition with a monochrome version. It would probably cost more than the base

Xpro2 or whatever it was based upon to help recover the development costs, but it would still be a substantially better

value proposition than the Leica and a much more functional camera system than the Sigma DP cameras.

 

The Leica Monochrome is a very niche market, but it has been large enough to justify continued development of a new

generation of the Leica Monochrome cameras. The price of the Leica camera and lenses limits it much further.

 

Leica has built the desire among many who cannot or will not afford the price. I suspect that a better price point with a far

more functional camera system from Fuji would find a much greater market.

I have made a few Fuji monochrome cameras. I have been making various monochrome cameras since 2009 and modifying cameras since 1997.

I have some sample images and links to download RAW images for those interested.

http://www.maxmax.com/maincamerapage/monochrome-cameras/fuji-monochrome