Advice is needed: Leica or Fujifilm x-Pro1 or X-E1?

I have to face it, I am no longer young enough to carry heavy stuff around and around. So, I am going to sell most of Canon gear and get some lighter cameras and fewer lenses. I would love to get a Leica M9, but I cannot afford the lenses or the camera. I looked into the Sony RX1, and it is a real FF beauty, but with a fixed 35mm lens. I am serious considering the Fujifilm x-Pro1 or its simpler later sister, the Fujifilm x-E1. I think I would be happy with a 28mm/35mm/60mm-set of lenses offered for these cameras. My dilema is, which of the two should I get? X-Pro1 or X-E1? I am looking for advice from anyone in the forum that have had experience with these two cameras. Also, if I am missing something, please feel free to tell me. I really appreciate your advice, I need it. Pepe

If you can still grab the M, that would be my pick to hold you over till sony's FF system shows up. The 22 pancake has some serious optics.

Anyone else?

I'd want the Pro because of the hybrid viewfinder. If that doesn't matter to you then I think the X-E1 is a very good choice as well.

I rented the XE1 for a weekend after really loving the reviews online. Even considered getting one outright before renting. Glad I didn't. My suggestion to you would be to rent one or both and see for yourself. I had notes on my thoughts after renting it but don't have the paper anymore.

My experience was that I found the XE1 to be underwhelming. It is very light, the focus was fast enough (received the firmware update) and the IQ was very nice. Their where just too many other issues that really soured me on it, such as build quality and menus.
It felt hollow and not like a nearly $1,000 body. The on/off switch was not firm and jiggled around, and I repeatedly and often found it had be accidentally turned on. The shutter settings are only by what is on the dial, not 1/3 stops, for some reason I didn't have a battery life indicator (I assume it was operator error and some function that was turned off although battery life indicator constantly showing is standard for electronics now-a-days). I could go on...

It didn't help that I had rented an EM5 a month or so before hand, because that camera is the same price range and was miles ahead of it in build quality alone.

My point is, if I were you, I would rent for a weekend. It REALLY is worth it if you're going to spend that kind of money and invest in the system.

If you're seriously considering a Leica M, buy a cheap analog rangefinder first and shoot 2 rolls of film on it. That way you'll know whether you like the rangefinder mechanism or not.

what about the Olympus omd e-m5 with two primes 12mm f2 and the 45mm f1.8, small kit and light. Maybe add a zoom to It.

Fuji body has not matured enough with the current generation. My suggestion is to go m4/3. Leica is for posers, forget about it.

vaflower wrote in post #16149926
Fuji body has not matured enough with the current generation...

That is what I am trying to explore.

vaflower wrote in post #16149926
... Leica is for posers...

Well, it could be. However, I have seen and shot my coworker M9 (FF) and I can tell you that the quality of the shots printed is superb.

The other camera I have shot is the Sony RX-1 (FF), but at $2,800 for a fix 35mm, I have to think about. Although my friend got that one for his wide angel shooting, instead of buying a 35/1,4 Simmilux Leica lens (about $6,000). He has the 50mm/2 on his Leica M9.

tomme wrote in post #16149120
what about the Olympus omd e-m5 with two primes 12mm f2 and the 45mm f1.8, small kit and light. Maybe add a zoom to It.

this

I'm currently shooting with a Leica M9 as well and I've got to say, I don't notice the weight of it even after 2 hours of walking around with my gf.

The M9 iso is superb up to 800 IMO. Anything past that and there is noise but the files are super sharp thanks to the lack of an AA filter.

Leica isnt for everyone though and the price is quite up there. I actually haven't touched my 5D3 in a month or 2 now but it's not a replacement.

tomme wrote in post #16149120
what about the Olympus omd e-m5 with two primes 12mm f2 and the 45mm f1.8, small kit and light. Maybe add a zoom to It.

I kind of like the sensor size APS-C it is bigger and let me print bigger too.

http://www.gizmag.com …e-guide/26684/pictures#1​3

jefzor wrote in post #16148719
If you're seriously considering a Leica M, buy a cheap analog rangefinder first and shoot 2 rolls of film on it. That way you'll know whether you like the rangefinder mechanism or not.

I'd have to second this. You're comparing a rangefinder to an AF camera and to consider the M9 you want to be sure you want a rangefinder camera.

You can also shoot film on leica... a user film body is around 500 bucks. Do you know how much film you'd have to shoot for extra 8 grand? but you know that already.

You can also start buying up summicrons and using those on crop cameras, this way when the leica m9 drops in price you'll have a system assembled.

But leicas are not light. Canon SL1 is 200 grams lighter than M9 and if you go with f/2 primes you'll be ok. I don't know much about fuji's new offerings.

vaflower wrote in post #16149926
Leica is for posers, forget about it.

I guess I'm a poser.

I've got an M8 and four Leica lenses (2 Summicron and 2 Elmarit). As much as I like my 6D and Canon L lenses they can't beat the Leica. (So why do I have a 6D? Because it is a great, full-frame DSLR that takes telephoto zoom lenses.)

To the OP . . . . a rangefinder camera is a different animal. You will either love it or hate it. And because almost everything is manual you will have to work with it.

One big advantage that a Leica M has is that you can get the camera body and 4 lenses in a bag that isn't a whole lot bigger than a shoe box. One disadvantage is that the camera and lenses cost so much.

gfspencer wrote in post #16150539
...To the OP . . . . a rangefinder camera is a different animal. You will either love it or hate it. And because almost everything is manual you will have to work with it...

Thanks! My middle name is MANUAL, I come from a large family of manual lens users. My first camera was a Pentax K1 (only manual everything). I already shot my friend's M9 and brought back memories of my film days using from Pentax, to Olympus, and even Canon AE1. I think the Olympus was rangefinder. Agree that the small bag to carry everything is the incentive, and the top quality of the images. I have not heard much about the Fuji X-Pro1. In a recent trip to the UK, I saw one persons shooting the x-Pro1 and I was impressed with the easiness and the quality of what i saw. That is why I was thinking on the x-Pro1. The x-E1 seems to have addressed some of the AF concerns that the x_Pro1 has, but the built of the pro is like a PRO, I like it (not light, but not as heavy as my Canons). My major concern is the PP. I have read that LR4 cannot process the raw files produced by Fuji, is that correct?