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Cameras

Fujifilm Brings Hybrid Autofocus to New XQ1 and X-E2

Two new Fuji cameras promise a quick draw with speedy processing.

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'Tis the season for new product announcements, and Fujifilm is getting in on the action with its new XQ1 compact point-and-shoot, as well as the compact interchangeable lens X-E2. Though neither camera is expected to trounce high-end competition, they come equipped with a laundry list of premium features worthy of attention.

The newest member of Fuji's point-and-shoot family is the XQ1—a WiFi-enabled X-series camera with a 2/3" X-Trans CMOS II sensor. A textured grip is stretched over most of the camera's tiny 100mm x 58.5mm x 33mm body, punctuated only by a 25–100mm 4x zoom lens. Due to its size, Fuji bills this particular camera as its most portable ever. Though that small profile means there's no room for a viewfinder, there is a 920k-dot LCD on the back of the unit.

Both the X-E2 and the XQ1 employ a high-speed hybrid autofocus with phase detection.

If you're looking for a bit more camera, Fuji's X-E2 might be more your speed. The successor to last year's X-E1, the new X-E2 sports an APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor.

Though Fuji did not bless the X-E2 with an upgrade to the 2.36 million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder, a 3" 1.04 million-dot OLED screen with reinforced glass is a huge step up from the screen on last year's model.

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For the quick-draw photographer, both of these cameras boast a very rapid startup time (0.5 seconds) with minimal shutter lag (0.05 sec). The X-E2 and the XQ1 also employ a high-speed hybrid autofocus with phase detection to reduce focus time. Both cameras offer 1080p video at 60 frames per second—a feature that will certainly benefit from the hybrid AF, which should reduce focus errors in video. If you want to switch to manual focus on the X-E2, the camera offers focus highlight peaking.

Both cameras have built-in WiFi for sharing pictures and video.

On top of all that, both cameras have built-in WiFi for sharing pictures and video with your smartphone or tablet. You'll have to install Fuji's app, but once you've done so, you can transfer up to 30 photos at a time.

The XQ1 will be available in black or silver late October 2013 for $499.95. The X-E2 will hit stores with all-black, or black and silver variants sometime in November, setting buyers back $999.95 body-only, or $1399.95 for a body and XF18mm–55mm f/2.8–4 kit lens.

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