The release of the Fujifilm X-M1 marks an important step in the X line for the Japanese firm. Up until now, Fuji has concentrated its efforts on high-end interchangeable lens models such as the X-Pro 1 and high-end compact cameras such as the X100/s and X10/20 line. With the X-M1, Fujifilm has expanded its product line to include low-end mirrorless cameras and puts itself in direct competition with products like the Sony Nex-5/6 series or the Samsung NX300.
At the time of writing this article, the X-A1, Fujifilm’s newest entry level model, has just been announced and the QX1 (same sensor as the X20) is also on the way. Some have criticised Fujifilm for spending more time on cheaper cameras instead of updating their high-end models, but that is going to change soon with the imminent announcement of the X-E2. Also, while the release of all these new models may lead us to think that Fujifilm wants to imitate other brands and saturate the market, in my opinion it is a simple consequence of a company wanting to increase its earnings. Actually, if you think about it, Fuji started the opposite way: the first models were for professionals and advanced enthusiasts and it has now turned its attention to the rest of the market, which of course cannot be ignored.
Simply, what Fujifilm is doing is filling new low-end cameras with technology that has been tried, tested and approved by professionals. I won’t dig more into Fuji’s marketing strategy because it isn’t my domain, but if we are to take anything away from this discussion, it is that the X-M1 may seem like a compromise for many things but not the most important aspect, image quality.
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