Fujifilm X-Pro2 Image Quality

The 24-megapixel Fuji X-Pro2 clearly resolves more detail in most areas than the 16-megapixel X-Pro1, but its predecessor does better with the subtle detail in our tricky red-leaf fabric. (The X-Pro2 manages to resolve some of the fine thread pattern which the X-Pro1 doesn't, interfering with the leaf pattern as well as producing lower contrast.) Noise levels appear comparable here at base ISO, perhaps just slightly higher from the X-Pro2. Interestingly, colors are more pleasing from the X-Pro2, as the X-Pro1 exhibits slight shifts from orange to yellow and yellow to green. Default sharpening appears to be a little higher from the X-Pro2 as well.

Here we compare the Bayer-filtered Micro Four Thirds Olympus PEN-F to the X-Trans-filtered APS-C X-Pro2. You would think the 24-megapixel X-Pro2 would have a noticeable resolution advantage over the 20-megapixel PEN-F here, but both cameras have similar resolutions on the vertical axis (4,000 vs 3,888 pixels) which is how this scene is framed, so the resolution difference is very minor and mostly boils down to different demosaicing algorithms. Luminance noise appears higher from the Fuji, but chrominance noise is higher from the Olympus. The Olympus produces a crisper image with higher contrast, though default sharpening also appears higher. The X-Pro2 resolves more fine detail in our red-leaf swatch though contrast is lower, while the PEN-F renders it smoother but with less detail, however the Olympus does better with thread patterns in the pink fabric.

Here's another comparison to a 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds camera, this time the GX8 from Panasonic. Again, we see very similar resolving power because of the different aspect ratios. The Fuji image is however brighter and more vibrant, with better overall color as well. It also shows lower noise, both luma and chroma, and the noise "grain" looks more natural and less rectilinear in nature. However, the monk's attire in the mosaic crop is devoid of the specks of color present as a result of the offset printing process which the Panasonic at least hints at. Apart from color, the Panasonic does better with our tricky red-leaf and pink fabrics.

Here we compare APS-C sensors of the same pixel count and aspect ratio, with the main difference being X-Trans vs Bayer filtering, and in-camera processing. The Sony produces a much crisper, sharper image yet its sharpening algorithm avoids the noticeable halos around high-contrast edges the Fuji produces. Contrast is also higher from the Sony, especially in the red-leaf swatch, however it does contain some moiré patterns while the Fuji image does not. Luma noise is a bit higher from the Fuji, but again, chroma noise is much lower. Color is more pleasing from the Fuji, with less orange to yellow and yellow to green shift, but the Sony preserves much more of the coloration caused by offset printing in the mosaic label.

Here we compare the 24-megapixel APS-C X-Pro2 to the 24-megapixel full-frame Sony A7 II. This isn't really a fair comparison, but the A7 II body is available for roughly the same price and Fuji has claimed their X-Trans APS-C sensors offer full-frame image quality. Results are similar to the A6300 comparison with the Sony producing a sharper, crisper image but with lower noise and noticeable moiré patterns in the red-leaf swatch. Again, the Sony reproduces some of the offset printing colors in the mosaic crop and resolves much more of the thread pattern in the pink fabric, but overall color is warmer and generally more pleasing from the Fuji.

The resolution advantage of the X-Pro2 is still evident in more areas while producing better color and similar noise levels, but the X-Pro1 continues to do a better job rendering our tricky red-leaf fabric.

The Fuji X-Pro2 starts to pull away from the Olympus PEN-F here at ISO 1600, with much lower chroma noise and fewer noise reduction artifacts. While contrast is and sharpness are a bit better from the Olympus, the PEN-F's default noise reduction starts to obliterate subtle detail in the mosaic crop and especially in the red-leaf fabric.

Luminance noise levels are a little higher from the X-Pro2 in flatter areas, but again, chrominance noise is noticeably lower, and the noise "grain" remains more natural-looking than the GX8's. The Panasonic manages to hold onto a bit more detail in some areas thanks to its area-specific noise reduction, though noise reduction artifacts are more evident, and it blurs away subtle detail in our red-leaf swatch. The Fuji continues to produce a brighter, more vibrant image with better color.

The Sony A6300 continues to produce a sharper, crisper, more contrasty image at ISO 1600. The offset printing coloration in the mosaic crop is no longer present in the A6300 image, suppressed by the Sony's noise reduction. The Sony appears to do better in the red-leaf swatch, however much of the detail is badly distorted and false. The A6300 definitely does better with detail in the pink fabric, however the X-Pro2 continues to deliver better overall color.

Unsurprisingly, the full-frame Sony A7 II out-performs the X-Pro2 here at ISO 1600, with a cleaner, punchier, more detailed image although as mentioned previously, moiré patterns and noise reduction interfere with subtle detail in the red-leaf swatch.

Similar to the comparison of these two siblings at ISO 1600, the X-Pro2 still manages to resolve more high-contrast detail and renders more pleasing colors, but the X-Pro1 does noticeably better in our difficult red-leaf swatch, while producing slightly lower noise levels.

The Fuji X-Pro2 is the overall winner here at ISO 3200, with better detail and fewer noise reduction artifacts than the Olympus PEN-F. Luminance noise from the X-Pro2 does appear a little higher, but chrominance noise is lower, and the Fuji hangs on to more fine detail in most areas.

Again, the Fuji X-Pro2 comes out on top in this battle at ISO 3200. The Fuji's image is more detailed with brighter, more pleasing colors and fewer noise reduction artifacts.

The Sony A6300 still produces a crisper, contrastier image with more punch here at ISO 3200, but you can see it's working hard to control noise, producing unwanted noise reduction artifacts in flatter areas and along high contrast edges. Again, the red-leaf pattern may look more detailed from the Sony, but much of that detail is false, and the Fuji still produces more pleasing colors.

Like the A6300, the A7 II produces a sharper, more contrasty image than the X-Pro2 here at ISO 3200. Because noise levels are lower than the APS-C A6300, noise reduction artifacts aren't as bad, so the Sony comes out ahead here except in color, but the X-Pro2 does amazingly well for an APS-C sensor.