The Fujifilm X-Pro 1 kick-started Fujifilm’s mirrorless interchangeable lens camera lineup. It was unique in many ways: rangefinder styling, hybrid viewfinder, X-Trans filter array, and constant improvements via software updates. The X-Pro 1 produces good photos with distinct color rendering and is well loved by the community and still have a loyal user base. As a result, it still holds its value quite well.
I’ve wanted to try a Fujifilm X-Pro series camera for a while, however, given the high used prices, I have yet to purchase one until recently. In early 2024, I came across a listing for a faulty X-Pro 1 for a great price(US$ 80). This X-Pro 1 has a failed shutter mechanism, which not only prevents a photo being taken, but also prevents the camera from turning on at all. After waiting an entire month, my $35 replacement shutter assembly finally arrived from China. The disassembly process is long and arduous(so many screws!) , however, it is rather straightforward with no anti-repair trickery.
After almost 2 hours of careful work, the repair was completed. Note the fascinating design of the hybrid viewfinder, which situates the viewfinder display on the bottom of the assembly, and reflects it 90 degrees through a half-mirror prism. This way, the camera has a all-optical view finder w/ information overlay but when the user wishes to use a EVF, a plastic piece pops up and blocks the optical view finder, leaving only the content of the digital viewfinder display visible.
Also note the old shutter mechanism on the bottom left. It was stuck shut due to a CMOS spacer falling into the shutter. This lead me to believe that the camera was previously serviced/repaired for whatever reason and one of the CMOS spacer was dropped into the shutter mechanism accidentally. These CMOS spacers were screwed into the 4 corners of the CMOS mount, likely to be a form of factory calibration to compensate manufacturing tolerances. If a CMOS is not leveled, part of the image could be out-of-focus while the rest of the image is in focus.
Here are some image samples from my newly repair Fujifilm X-Pro 1:
The X-Pro 1 did not have many of the film simulations modern Fuji users are familiar with. In fact, it does not have my go-to film simulation “Pro Neg H”. Luckily, the film simulations it does have can still yield some good results. I enjoyed the bold colors of the Velvia simulation, and the RAW files have a decent amount of latitude for edits. I find that regardless of SOOC JPGs or RAW edits, this camera is more suited for bold & saturated colors. The camera is a bit slow over-all, and the auto-focusing becomes frustratingly slow and tricky in anything other than bright sunny conditions when using OVF. Auto-focus works fine in EVF mode or when using the display. For a camera from 2012, the X-Pro 1 is decently pleasant to use and will definitely be a valued part of my collection for the foreseeable future!