The Fujifilm X-Pro 1 is part of a fast-growing ecosystem that, amazingly, is only a couple of years old. It’s older sibling, the Fujiflm X1, offers a DSLR-like experience but is based on the same sensor as the X-Pro 1. Here’s our guide to the lenses and other stuff you’ll need for the kind of photography you love to do.
Street Photography
The Fujifilm X-Pro 1 has proven itself on the street and has been embraced as a lower-cost alternative that delivers stunning image quality. Street photographers prefer to keep things simple—one prime lens and one camera. The Fujifilm 18mm f/2 lens offers a 27mm (35mm equivalent) angle of view, while the Fujifilm 27mm f/2.8 offers a 40mm equivalent, although it lacks an aperture ring so it may be a bit more challenging to operate. The unique Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 is an extreme wide-angle lens that gives a 21mm equivalent angle of view, but it is fully supported by Fuji and comports itself well on the street.
Finally, if you prefer tab focusing, consider either repurposing a Leica lens via the Fuji M mount adapter (see above) or by using a less expensive alternative, the Voigtlander 21mm Color-Skopar f/4 pancake lens. It will give you a roughly 30mm angle of view while saving you a bundle.
Photojournalism
Unlike DSLR rigs, the X-Pro 1 system offers photojournalists a relatively compact, lightweight but very capable shooting options. In addition to the above lenses for street photography, the fast Fujinon 23mm f/1.4R lens is designed for low-light photography and offers a 35mm equivalent angle of view, and the outstanding Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8 works just like a 50mm on a 35mm sensor camera. Since many working photojournalists need zoom lenses, the Fujifilm 18-55mm f/2.8-4 is a good all-around mid-range zoom lens with a roughly 27-85mm equivalent reach.
Travel Photography
Thanks to its compact size and selection of relatively small lenses, the entire Fujifilm X line is great for travel photography. With the X-Pro 1, there are two possible approaches you could take when assembling your travel kit: Get several primes, or one or two zooms. The 18mm and 23mm lenses mentioned above, and the magical Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2 lens (it covers the equivalent of an 85mm), with its ultra-wide aperture, is ideal for portrait photography. Alternatively, the Fujifilm 60mm f/2.4 Macro focuses to 1:2 magnification, making it a versatile travel lens if you like close-ups.
The disadvantage of the all-prime approach is that while the lenses are small and light, that’s a lot of lens changes in the field. If you choose zooms, the Fujifilm 18-135mm (27-206mm) f/3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR is a weather-resistant all-in-one zoom model and is potentially the only lens you’ll need, but if you like near-fisheye coverage, consider supplementing that with the Fujifilm XF 10-24mm (15-36mm equivalent) f/4.0 OIS lens.
A Few Words about Flash and Other Stuff
Just like the classic rangefinder cameras of yore (and today), the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 has no built-in flash. Fujifilm has three dedicated shoe-mount flashes—the powerful EF-42, which is recommended for portrait photography—it has a swivel head and can accommodate many popular flash modifiers; the more travel-friendly Fujifilm EF-20, a pocket-sized flash that is a good match for the X-Pro 1 and travel shooting; and the surprisingly powerful (GN 66) Fujfiilm EF-X20, which offers manual power output adjustments down to 1/32 or TTL flash.
A few other good things to have: For photojournalism, street photography and candids, a good hand grip keeps the camera accessible at a split second’s notice. The B-Grip Hand Strap allows you to hold the camera at a comfortable 45-degree angle. If you find the camera a bit awkward to hold, consider enlarging the handgrip area with a Fujifilm MHG-XPRO handgrip.
