Fujifilm's X-Pro3 mimics film cameras with a fold-out display
It's one of many film-inspired features that camera will include.
One of Fujifilm's most iconic mirrorless cameras is about to get a head-turning update. On Friday, Fujifilm confirmed it's developing a new version of the X-Pro called the X-Pro3 and shared a number of details about the upcoming camera. To start, the X-Pro3 features a new titanium outer casing that will come in three finishes: Black, 'Dura Black' and 'Dura Silver.' Fuji says the new material helps makes the X-Pro3 more durable. Additionally, the company claims they've made the X-Pro series' signature hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder even better. The OLED EVF panel features a higher resolution, better contrast and brightness, wider color space and a faster frame rate. The latter spec bump should make the EVF feel more like its traditional, optical counterpart.
However, the X-Pro3's most intriguing feature is its "hidden" LCD display. The X-Pro3 doesn't feature a traditional big rear-facing LCD like most modern cameras. Instead, it includes a small LCD that displays basic capture settings like shutter speed, aperture and ISO. You can flip this part of the camera out to reveal the main LCD. What's nifty about the articulating mechanism Fujifilm created for the hidden LCD is that it can still angle downwards for when you want to compose a shot with the camera above your head.
Fujifilm says it reworked the X-Pro3's LCD display to "keep photographers looking through the viewfinder" and "minimize the time looking at the back of the camera." Another way to look at the redesign is as a logical extension to the company's approach to camera design. Fujifilm has earned a passionate fanbase by designing cameras that draw inspiration not from modern DSLR cameras but from their film predecessors.
If you're not familiar with film cameras, the minuscule rear-facing LCD will look like an oddball feature. One thing feature almost every film camera came with was a small slot on the back of the device where you could put the square of your film package to remind what kind of stock you were shooting. The X-Pro3 has a modern take on that feature. It's possible to configure the display to only show the film simulation you're using. It's definitely a gimmicky feature, but one that Fuji fans will probably sell their perfectly good X-Pro2s to get their hands on.
Lastly, the X-Pro3 will also ship with the company's newest film simulation, Classic Negative. Fuji's film simulations are one of the main reasons people buy the company's cameras. They essentially attempt to emulate the colors of the company's old film stocks. The company says Classic Negative emulates its classic Fujicolor Superia film stock.
Fujifilm says it will share more information about the X-Pro3 on October 23rd, hopefully including the price and planned release date. In the meantime, you can watch the X-Pro3 reveal below. Jump to the 1:10:30 mark to get straight to the camera reveal.
