Fujifilm X-E1 – First Impressions

Tuesday October 2, 2012 (18:57) | 115 comments

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In one of the worst kept photography secrets this year, Fujifilm announced the X-E1 on September 6, 2012 – the second interchangeable lens camera that uses their newly developed “X” mount and corresponding lenses.  For our regular readers, it is no secret that I absolutely love using my X-Pro1 which was announced in January of 2012.  When Fujfilm let me know back in June that the X-Pro1 was about to get a little brother, I must say that I was intrigued and excited as it is great to see this line of cameras expand to include new products.

Fujifilm was kind enough to let me use a pre-production model of the X-E1 for the past week and I will have access to it for another week.  The purpose of this article is let you know my initial impressions of the camera and to show you some images I have taken with it.  This is by no means a complete technical review – I will leave that to websites like dpreview.com to explore all of the minutiae and fine details of the camera.

I am also assuming the reader has some familiarity with the X-Pro1.

Highlights of the XE-1

As shown above, the X-E1 comes in two colour schemes:

  1. all black (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo);
  2. black with silver trim (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo)

Throughout this article, I often make comparisons to the X-Pro1 as a lot of DNA for the X-E1 came from its bigger brother.  Having spent some quality time with this camera, it was often hard to tell whether or not I was using an X-E1 or X-Pro1.  They are that similar.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are the highlights of the X-E1:

  • the same 16 megapixel X-Trans sensor as in the X-Pro1
  • high resolution 2.36 million dot Organic LED (OLED) EVF (not the optical hybrid view finder from the X-Pro1)
  • built in diopter adjustment
  • up to 6 frames per second
  • improved AF speed
  • ISO 200 – 6400, expandable to ISO 100, 12800 and 25600 (Auto ISO upper limit can now be set from 400 to 6400)
  • built in TTL flash
  • microphone input
  • uses the same Li-ion battery NP-W126 as the X-Pro1 (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo)
  • price is less than $US 1,000.00 (body only)
  • scheduled to be released in November 2012

Full technical details are available on the Fujifilm website.

 

Physical Size and Weight

The X-E1′s dimensions are  12.9 cm X 7.49 cm X 3.83 cm (5.1″ x 2.9″ x 1.5″) and it weighs only 300 grams (10.5 ounces) without a battery.  It is really light but the build quality is excellent and on par with the X-Pro1.

Here is a size comparison from camerasize.com

The X-E1 is smaller than the X-Pro1 – you can see that for yourself.

The difference is small as it is about 1 cm (or less) in each linear dimension.  My first impression of the X-E1 is that it is a nice size, without being too small.  It is a really comfortable camera to hold and even though it is lightweight, if feels solid in your hand.

What is really interesting (and not often mentioned) is that the X-E1 is about the same size as the X100, give or take a millimeter (or three).  Those people who are looking for a capable camera in a small(ish) body will be very happy.

 

Layout and Controls

If you have used an X-Pro1, you will be instantly familiar with all of the X-E1′s dials and controls.

The rear layout is very similar to the X-Pro1 except for the following:

  • the “PLAY” button has moved to the left hand side of the camera (top button on the left)
  • there is a new “FLASH” button to the right of the EVF that controls the built in TTL flash
  • the “WRITE” (to the SD card) indicator light has been placed to the left of the “AE-L/AF-L” button

The X-E1 also has the “Q” button which is a blessing – it allows you to quickly access (and change) common settings such as white balance, ISO, file quality, etc. without having to dive into multiple menus.  I find it a major time saver when shooting.  The “Q” button on the X-E1 is slightly recessed into the camera body which is a subtle, yet welcome change.  I found on my X-Pro1 that it was easy for it to be accidentally pressed as my thumb naturally hovers over this button when shooting.  This never happened to me when using the X-E1.  A small but nice touch.

One major change is that the X-E1 sports a 2.36 million dot OLED EVF but it does not have an optical view finder (OVF) like the X-Pro1 or X100.  As the X-E1 is $US 700.00 less than its bigger brother (and physically smaller), I believe Fujifilm decided to omit the OVF and just use an EVF to help keep costs down.  Not to worry though – the X-E1′s EVF is bright, sharp and the refresh rate is quite good.  In fact, I would say that it is (subjectively) better than the X-Pro1′s EVF due to the increased resolution.   I often use the X-Pro1′s EVF for exact framing so using the OLED EVF on the X-E1 was second nature.

The X-E1′s rear LCD is smaller than the X-Pro1′s – and it appears to be the same size as the X100′s rear LCD.  Given that Fujifilm has created a smaller camera body and wanted to reduce its cost, it appears they have re-used parts from their other “X” series cameras.

Another added feature is to the left of the EVF – Fujifilm decided to include a diopter adjustment dial with the X-E1.  This was missing on the X-Pro1 and frustrated those users who used corrective lenses for their vision as they had to source and purchase one on their own for use with the camera.

The controls at the top of the camera will be familiar to any X-Pro1 (or X100) user.  In fact, the shutter speed dial looks like the same one used on the X100.   One thing that is really nice is that there are secure (and discreet) positions at each setting so it is difficult to accidentally “nudge” these controls when taking the camera out of your bag, etc.  When using my X100, I did this all of the time which was frustrating – with the X-E1 (and hence, X-Pro1), this is no longer an issue.

BTW, the “square” to the left of the hot shoe is the pop up TTL flash.

Along with the USB and HDMI ports, Fujifilm included a 2.5 mm stereo microphone jack for video users.  This is absent on the X-Pro1.  I believe it can also be used with a remote control or an intervalometer.  One thing that is missing is the PC Sync port.  The X-E1 does however, have a hot shoe which can be used with wireless transmitters or compatible flash units.

 

Performance and Operation

Prior to borrowing the X-E1 from Fujifilm, I updated my X-Pro1′s firmware to V2.00 which brought a few welcome changes to the camera.   Most notable are the reduced SD card write times, reduced playback delay – even the auto focus (AF) and manual focus (MF) are better.  Fujifilm released this update so that the X-Pro1 could match the improved performance of the X-E1 and as you will soon find out, both cameras perform equally well.

On the X-E1, AF is fairly fast and responsive.  No, it is not blazingly fast nor will you be able to track fast moving objects, but the AF acquires the subject in short order and is extremely accurate.  Even the 60mm f/2.4 Macro (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo), which is known for its slow focus, is much faster on the X-E1.  The 18mm f/2 (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo) and the 35mm f/1.4 (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo) focused quickly.  In addition, I did notice that AF in low light has dramatically improved.

Power up is fast and I could start shooting within a second of turning on the camera.

One thing that does trouble me is how Fujfilm implemented continuous focus on both the X-Pro1 and X-E1.  Normally (with my other cameras) when using continuous mode, AF engages when you half press the shutter release (or AF-L button) and will track your subject.  For some reason, the X-E1 and X-Pro1 tries to focus the moment you turn on continuous mode – and you don’t even have to use the shutter release or AF-L button either.  This drains the battery quickly and I find continuous focus frustrating to use, so I don’t.

The X-E1 menus are virtually identical to the X-Pro1, so I had no issue navigating and using them.  Operation of the external controls were the same.  Even if you are not familiar with Fujifilm’s “X” series cameras, everything is logically laid out and fairly self explanatory.

Write times were negligible – less than a second when writing a Fine JPEG file.  I am using fast UHS-I SD cards in my cameras and they seem to work well in the X-E1.

After using the X-E1 for a week now, its performance and handling is virtually identical to the X-Pro1 (with firmware update V2.00).   Yes, when using the X-E1, it felt like I was using the X-Pro1 – with the exception of the X-E1 being slightly smaller and having no OVF.  It appears that Fujfilm has packed most of the X-Pro1′s feature set (plus a few extras) into the X-E1 – and it costs 40% less.

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

 

Image Quality

Image Quality (IQ) is one of Fujifilm’s key strengths and the X-E1 does not disappoint in this department.  In fact, the IQ of the X-E1 is identical to that of the X-Pro1 – which means it is superb.  This is because both cameras use the same 16 megapixel X-Trans APS-C CMOS sensor which does not have an Anti-Aliasing (AA) filter but does have a unique Colour Filter Array (CFA) to reduce/eliminate moiré.  What this means (for us photographers) is that you get very sharp, clean images with great colour.

As RAW converters do not currently support X-E1 RAW files (at the time of writing this article), I shot this camera in JPEG mode.  In fact, on my X-Pro1, I shoot JPEG+RAW and 90% of the time, I use the JPEG file as they are that good.  The X-E1 also supports film simulation modes (Provia, Astia, Velvia, Pro-Neg, Monochrome) and produces the exact same results on both cameras.  High ISO noise is extremely well controlled (up to ISO 3200) and I cannot tell ISO 200 through 800 apart.  Even ISO 6400 is quite good.  Dynamic Range (DR) is excellent and as with the X-Pro1, you have the ability configure it for reduced or expanded DR.

Overall, the IQ is as good as any of my full frame DSLR’s and in some ways (especially with regard to colour rendition), I prefer the IQ of the X-E1 (and X-Pro1).  That is saying a lot as I shoot with some of the best DSLRs available.

Of course, speaking about IQ is one thing.  Showing it to you is another.

These X-E1 images I recently shot are straight out of camera with no processing (except for re-sizing in Lightroom).  The EXIF data (i.e. camera settings and lens used) is intact and if you click on an image, a larger version will appear in a new window.  All images were shot using:

  • JPEG Fine
  • Astia film mode
  • Auto White Balance or Cloudy White Balance (check the EXIF data)
  • 100% DR
  • Auto ISO (6400)
  • Aperture Priority

I also used all of the camera’s default JPEG settings for tone, colour, noise reduction, etc.   Keep in mind that this is a pre-production camera, but you would never know it by looking at its IQ.

NOTE: These copyrighted images are not to be re-distributed or re-posted on other websites unless you have written permission from Roël Photography, however, links to this article are welcome and encouraged.

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

 

Two New Lenses

Earlier this year, Fujifilm presented a lens roadmap for their “X” mount cameras:

Two new lenses, namely the 14mm f/2.8 (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo) and the 18-55mm f/2.8~4 OIS zoom (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo) were also announced earlier this year and will be available by the end of November 2012.  I have not had the opportunity to use them, however, Fujifilm will send some pre-production samples in the next few weeks for me to review.  So, stayed tuned for more information.

 

Wishlist

Like everything else in life, nothing is perfect.  I had a few quibbles with the X-E1 (and as well, the X-Pro1) and hope that Fujifilm can address them at a later date:

  • please give us the ability to set the minimum shutter speed in Auto ISO like you can with the X100
  • please change how continuous auto focus works so it is not constantly engaged even if you have not pressed the shutter release
  • although manual focus has greatly improved (over the initial MF that the X-Pro1 had), it would be *awesome* if focus peaking were implemented
  • in future models,  a second SD card slot would be nice for writing backup images (or JPEG to one card and RAW to the other)
  • I am not crazy about SilkyPix as the included RAW converter – truthfully, I refuse to use it as I would rather have root canal surgery.  If Fujifilm (or someone else) could develop a Lightroom plugin which takes the RAW file and coverts it to one of the “film” simulation modes (with the ability to adjust the image), I would be in heaven.  I would even pay for an additional fee for this software – that is how much I like the film simulation modes on these cameras.

Fujifilm X-E1 (click to enlarge – EXIF data is intact)

 

Final Thoughts

This is actually the second article I have written about the X-E1 – but the first one never got published.  I deleted most of my first article as I was basically regurgitating my three posts on the X-Pro1 – with the exception that the X-E1′s firmware greatly improves the camera’s performance (same as the new firmware V2.00 for the X-Pro1).  This essentially means that the X-E1 is a very similar camera to its bigger brother – except it is a more compact body that loses the OVF, gains a few additional features and costs 40% less.

Normally when I get to use a pre-production camera, there are usually a few quirks that need to be ironed out before it finally goes into full scale production.  Having said that, I did not encounter anything out of the ordinary with the pre-production X-E1 that Fujifilm lent to me – in fact, I would say it functioned flawlessly and I look forward to seeing the final production units.  It is a superb camera and to me, Fujifilm has come a long way over the past two years with their “X” series cameras and lenses.

Who should get an X-E1?

  1. If you have been on the fence about buying an X-Pro1 because of its cost, Fujifilm just gave you an early Christmas present with the X-E1.  You get most of the features (plus a few extras) of the X-Pro1 but for $US 700.00 less.  The savings alone is enough to buy one of the current Fujinon lenses and have some change left over (for a fast memory card or an extra battery) .
  2. If you already have an X-Pro1 and are looking for a backup/second camera body (and can live without the OVF), then the X-E1 is a no brainer.  It is as capable as the X-Pro1 (and in a small number of ways, more so) with identical image quality.
  3. If you are in the market for a high quality, interchangeable lens mirrorless camera, I urge you to check out the X-E1 when they hit store shelves in November 2012.  I believe it will hold its own when compared to its peers (such as the Sony NEX 6 and the Olympus OM-D E-M5) but of course, you will have to be the one to decide if the X-E1 is the “right” camera for you.

This is an exciting time to be a photographer.  I remember a few years ago that there were only two players offering mirrorless cameras.  Now, there are many companies in this market competing with high quality offerings – plus, prices have come down significantly over this time.  Add to that, the image quality rivals (and sometimes exceeds) that of DSLRs.  Choosing any camera is now, more than ever, a matter of what addresses your priorities – including your budget.

Fujifilm has done a very good job with the X-E1  – and it is attractively priced.  I know I have referred to the X-E1 as the X-Pro1′s “little brother” – and in some ways, that is an inaccurate description.  The X-E1 is every bit as capable and I suspect the X-Pro1 may get a little jealous with all of the attention the X-E1 is about to receive.  One has to love sibling rivalry.

So… if you like what you see and are planning to pre-order an X-E1, I ask you to consider using one of our sponsors for your purchase:

  1. all black (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo);
  2. black with silver trim (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo)

Also, you can pre-order the X-E1 as a kit with the 18-55mm f/2.8~4 OIS lens and save yourself $US 300.00 on the combination:

  1. all black (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo);
  2. black with silver trim (Amazon – Adorama – B&H Photo)

With the superb “X” mount lenses (plus new ones from Carl Zeiss) being released, the continuing commitment to this system, plus the first rate image quality, I believe that Fujifilm is now and will be a major player in the mirrorless camera market for many years to come.

I look forward to future lenses, camera bodies and accessories for this system from Fujifilm.

If you have any questions regarding the X-E1, feel free to post them below and I will do my best to answer them.  I often do not get the chance to respond to emails in a timely manner given the large volume of them that I receive.

 

Help support us

We receive a small commission when you purchase any item such as cameras, lenses, bags, books, etc. from our sponsors (Adorama, Amazon and B&H Photo) using the links provided on this website. Doing so does not cost you any more than purchasing items directly from them – plus it helps us greatly in paying the costs associated in running this website.


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115 Comments for Fujifilm X-E1 – First Impressions


Mike

Hi Roel,

Thanks for the review. Could you write a little more about the EVF? I have an X100, and love the OVF on it, but I think it’s less useful for an interchangeable lens system. However, I don’t think the X100 EVF is particularly good. I wondered how much better the X-E1 EVF is? Does it lag if you are moving the camera? What’s it like in bright sun?

I’m looking forward to hearing more about the new lenses, also!

    Roel

    Hi Mike,

    The EVF on the X-E1 is extremely good – better than the EVF on both the X100 and the X-Pro1. It uses an OLED EVF which is both energy efficient and high resolution. In bright sunlight, it works well and Fujfilm seems to have solved a previous X-Pro1 EVF issue (with the X-E1 and the new firmware for the X-Pro1) – when you used the 60mm Macro on the X-Pro1 (with the older firmware) in bright sunlight, the EVF would “freeze” and “jump” (anyone who has done this will know what I am talking/typing about). This no longer happens with the X-E1 and X-Pro1 with updated firmware. As the AF acquires focus, the EVF seems to “switch” (for a brief moment, less than a second) to a slightly lower resolution mode, then as the focus locks, it goes back to high resolution. Although this is not a perfect solution, it is much better behaviour than before.

    I personally love the OVF, however, the X-E1′s EVF is extremely good. If I did not already own two X-Pro1′s, I would buy the X-E1 in a heartbeat. Yes, the EVF is not the same as an OVF, however, the X-E1 is nicely priced.

ELLIOT STERN

Thanks once again for a great write up. The XE1 (don’t care what color I get) will make a great back up for the Xpro1. Looking forward to it.

El

p.s. did you ever finalize a preset for the x pro 1 files and Lightroom 4.xxxx?

    Roel

    Hi Elliot,

    Nice to hear from you again. I’ve got some basic LR settings and will publish them in a few weeks. At first I had some “colour bleeding” issues with the RAW conversions, but it only happened in a few select cases. Since then (August 2012 and later) I have not encountered them. I mostly use the JPEGs but like I wrote in the post, I will occasionally (say 10% of the time) use the RAW/RAF file.

    Thanks for your question.

      ELLIOT STERN

      Look forward to seeing your presets for raw. It’s interesting that you stick with Jpeg. Nothing wrong with that. I guess all the years I have been using raw just makes me go that way but todays Jpegs are really much better than years ago. I too noticed bleeding in only a few images and usually in the red details but not often.

      It will be interesting to see if the just released 4.2 Lightroom has refined things a bit.

      Elliot

ALBERT

THANKS FOR THE REVIEW.

I HAVE A QUESTION – WHY DO YOU QUOTE “MM”, “CM” AND “GRAMS” AS PRIMARY UNITS OF MEASUREMENT? IT IS BETTER (AND THE OFFICIAL US STANDARD) TO USE PROPER MEASUREMENTS SUCH AS FEET AND POUNDS. I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DO NOT USE THE PROPER STANDARDS FOR MEASUREMENTS?

    Roel

    Hi Albert,

    Thank you for your question. I am based in Canada and we use the metric system, as do many other countries worldwide. I do, however, include Imperial (US) measurements for our readers in the USA.

    Hope this answers your question.

    All the best.

    Mike

    According to the CIA World Factbook, 95% of the world’s population uses the metric system, so I guess Metric is “more” standard than imperial ;)

    Boodo

    Cm and gram are proper standard for me. Internet is inter-national by its nature. So feet and pound are proper standard for me too.

    But it is easy to see that the caps are difficult to read.

      Richard Carter

      Unfortunately, for people like Albert (or, should I say ALBERT?), anything that happens outside the USA doesn’t really exist: an all too common view in that country, unfortunately for the rest of the world….

        Richard Carter

        By the way, ALBERT, it really isn’t too hard to convert centimetres to inches: just divide by 2.54. Or, if that’s a bit too much like maths for you, try this site: http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/length

    Denis

    Press Caps Lock

B.J.

These photos prove nothing. I want proper high ISO photos posted.

I wont buy this camera unless you convince me.

    Roel

    Hi BJ,

    If you don’t want to buy this camera, so be it. I can’t convince you of anything.

    For those of you who would like to see additional image samples (including high ISO shots), I will post them on this blog early next week.

    All the best.

Tony Bonanno

Nice review Roel. Helpful comparison to X-Pro1, which I have only been using a short time. I agree about the “continuous” focus mode. Doesn’t really seem very helpful.

Jpeg’s out of camera are impressive, but somewhat challenging for me to wrap my head around as I’m so use to working with RAW files (since the early days of Capture One Pro and past few years mostly LR). For now, Jpegs seem like the only option for fast workflow, which is pretty disappointing. Please keep us posted on new developments with Adobe or any other suggestions you may have regarding a better RAW workflow (or settings that get us close until LR/ACR is better).

Enjoyed your report very much.

    Roel

    Hi Tony,

    Adobe just released Lightroom 4.2 which supports the X-E1 (and of course, X-Pro1) RAW/RAF files:

    http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/2012/10/lightroom-4-2-now-available.html

    I will put it through its paces later this week and hope to publish my findings on it.

    Thanks for your kind words and all the best to you.

      Mark

      Great Review here Roel !

      I am very keen to hear about your experience with camera RAW :)

      Kind regards;

      Mark

        Roel

        Thanks! In short, I am getting really great results with LR 4.2 and Fujifilm RAW files. I have been trying to replicate the “colour bleeding” problem I had in the past, but I cannot – which I am assuming is a good thing. Files are nice and sharp with plenty of detail – it is actually giving my D800 a run for the money.

Gaylon

First off, thanks for the review and great pictures! I’m certainly an amateur photographer but I’ve been working hard to improve. Don’t laugh, but I’ve been shooting with a Canon PowerShot S95 these past couple of years and it has given me a good start into photography as there are a lot of settings I can control.

That being said, I’m very much ready to move into a better/higher quality camera and lens. I have been reading for months and was convinced that I would purchase a Nikon D7000 as it has consistently come down in price (I have a ~$1500 USD budget give or take). Then I discovered mirrorless cameras and most recently, the Fuji X-E1.

I have no attachments to any manufacture as I don’t currently own any lenses per se. Would you recommend that I invest into the Fuji X-E1 as the trend seems to be going into a smaller, travel-friendly package versus a traditional DSLR? Size is important to me as I don’t see myself lugging several lenses around all the time. I like the idea of the small form factor with probably 2-3 lenses tops. Truthfully, I could see myself using a single prime lense and shoot mostly pictures of my son and/or random street photography here in Shanghai.

Again, I’m mostly looking for a fun camera system that I can improve with and really see some nice quality results. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve shot some nice photos with my S95 but I think you know what I mean. :) Any suggestions, recommendations are greatly appreciated.

    Roel

    Hi Gaylon,

    The Nikon D7000 is a very capable camera (I used to own one) but it is a completely different animal to the X-E1. There is a lot of appeal with a small, lightweight camera (such as the X-E1) with high image quality as opposed to hauling around a lot of heavy gear.

    What do you plan to photograph with your new camera? What will be recommended to you (by myself and others) will largely depend on your photographic needs. Keep in mind that the X-E1, as good as it is, has 5 lenses in the system at present, but there are more to come in 2013. That is also another deciding factor.

      Gaylon

      I agree that the smaller form-factor package is more appealing than a large DSLR setup.

      My next camera system upgrade is really for me to practice photography and really improve my technique, etc. I see this next camera as a platform to really start shooting some fun shots. My S95 has been a real joy – learning about aperature, DOF, shutter speed, etc. and I’ve certainly enjoyed making some hideous photos and learning from my mistakes. However, the compact camera system has its limits and honestly I’m looking for a nice step up in terms of IQ.

      As for “what” I plan to photograph, I will mostly be shooting photos of everyday street life in Shanghai, occasionally nice scenic pictures while we’re traveling, and definitely pictures of my one year old son. He’s not in soccer matches or anything and I’ve certainly learned to configure my S95 to take nice photos of him while moving around. But mostly they are relatively still images with some occasional motion taking place (everyday street life, etc.). I have read that the X-E1 does have problems with moving objects so I’m a bit concerned about that. However, I’m not planning on taking lots of sports/action shots so I’m not sure if the X-E1′s speed is an issue. Any comments about this?

      Again, I’m growing as a photographer as this has become a recent hobby over the past couple of years. I’m not concerned about the limited lens choices right now. I can see myself getting a couple of fixed lenses and just learning to take great shots with those before buying a whole arsenal of lenses. The X100 seems great too but I like the flexibility of adding some new lenses down the road as I improve/find the need.

      Thanks again for your suggestions/recommendations!

        Roel

        Remember with the X-E1 (or any other interchangeable lens camera), you won’t be buying just the camera – you will be buying into an entire system. Fujifilm is building out their new “X” mount system with two bodies (X-E1 and X-Pro1), five current lenses, plus another five (I think) next year.

        If I were shooting sports for very fast moving subjects, then the X-E1 would not be my first choice. The continuous AF isn’t up to the task, IMHO. If you are what I call a “thoughtful” shooter – that is, you take the time to compose your image properly, check your settings, etc, you will get some amazing images from the X-E1. I was in China recently (I love Shanghai, BTW) and used only an X-Pro1, 3 lenses and an X100. You can read about my experience here.

        I am not sure if you are able to do this – go down to your local camera shop, and try out an X-Pro1 (since the X-E1 is not available yet) using only the EVF. Then use an APS-C DSLR from Canon/Nikon. See which one you like best with regard to:

        - weight
        - size
        - image quality
        - feature set
        - useability
        - focus abilities
        - cost

        BTW, I own some very nice Nikon gear, but it is 12 to 15 kg of stuff to schlep when I travel. My Fujifilm gear weighs only 3 to 4 kg (with the camera bag). Provided I am not tracking fast moving subjects or require very long focal lengths, I will take the Fujifilm system because the image quality is just as good (and in some ways, better) than my Nikon gear, but it weighs much less.

        If the Fujifilm camera can give you most of what you need, seriously consider getting the X-E1 with the 18-55mm OIS lens when it comes out and then add additional lenses as you see fit.

        Bottom line – use the right tools to suit your needs.

      JMA

      +1, I’m in the same situation as Gaylon, would love to read your recommendations. Excellent review by the way!

Hans - Joachim Benndorf

What I miss on Fuji’s X system is proper RAW support. I don’t shoot 8 bit jpgs – never. There is some wasted potential in their otherwise very nice cameras and lenses. That’s the only thing that’s holding me back right now from ordering the X-E. The current RAW support on offer is sub par.

Philip

A very good review and very helpful.
I am upgrading from my beloved Pano LX3
and cannot decide if it should be the Pro or the XE1
I think this review has brought me down into f
the XE1 camp.
Thank you for taking the time and trouble giving us this information.

Roger Musson

” If Fujifilm (or someone else) could develop a Lightroom plugin which takes the RAW file and coverts it to one of the “film” simulation modes (with the ability to adjust the image), I would be in heaven. I would even pay for an additional fee for this software”

Dear Fujifilm,

I know you are reading these comments and I hope you read the above in Roel’s wishlist. Please create a plugin, it will allow you to protect your intellectual rights regarding your sensor details and also give a massive boost to the X system. I’d pay good money for it as well.

Thanks,
Roger

    Denis

    In this case every camera would benefit from nice fuji color profiles (no more “better than FF DSLR colors” BS, for example).

Photog

I wish Fujifilm started actually WORKING with Adobe to get better RAW support. What we have so far is pathetic.

    Denis

    Adobe will use these techniques for another cameras then: better overall IQ (esp. at base ISO) for them and no more advantage for fuji.

    Lukas

    exactly , wake up Fuji !!!

Walter

Do you know if inside in EVF I can see digital leveling as in X-Pro1 too? That is an important feature for me with wide-angle… Thanks, Walter

    Roel

    Yes, in the EVF, you can see the electronic level. In fact, the information you can display in the X-E1′s EVF is the same as the X-Pro1. And of course, you can customise it to your heart’s content.

Alejandro

Thank you for the review. I’m a current owner and lover of my X100 and probably this is going to be my next camera.
Did you use the 18-55? I’d like to know if the IQ of this lens can match any of the examples that you post.
Thank you.

    Roel

    Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to use the 18-55mm OIS zoom, but I will hopefully have access to one in the next couple of weeks. Once I have some sample images to share, I will. Having said that, the optical quality of the current 3 lenses is superb (18mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4 and 60mm f/2.4 macro) so I have very high expectations of all future Fujinon lenses released for the X-E1/X-Pro1.

      Alejandro

      Yes. Those lenses are amazing. I wonder how good a zoom can be. I’m sure it will be good. Just how good, right?
      There’s another issue I’d like to share with you. I can totally tell the difference between an X-Pro1 and an X100 picture.
      And I usually like the latter better. There’s something in the texture or the handling of the whites that I can’t describe.
      Do you have an opinion or can you comment on that?
      Thank you.

        Roel

        There are usually some compromises with (non fast, variable aperture) zoom lenses. Fujifilm does seem to do a great job with their lenses, so we will see how the 18-55mm OIS (plus the other zoom lenses to be released in 2013) performs.

        I love the output from both the X-Pro1 (and hence, X-E1) and the X100, but I personally give the edge to the X-Pro1 due to the X-Trans sensor. I haven’t noticed the difference in the handling of the whites that you mentioned, so I will check it out. What I do know – even when I shoot wide open on the X-Pro1, I am always blown away by how sharp the images are. And of course, it is no secret that I love Fujifilm’s colour.

John Loomes

Do you know if Lightroom have improved the RAW support for the X-Pro1 in the 4.2 version just released?

    Roel

    At present, I do not know. I will spend some time this weekend with the LR 4.2 and some Fujifilm RAF files in order to see if the RAW processing has improved.

      Scott Marsh

      Hoping Iphoto gets a raw working sometime, Hate to start a new filing System!

Claudine F.

Merci pour cet article sur le Fuji X-E1. Puisque vous vivez au Canada, vous devez parler le français. J’ai le X-Pro1 et profiter de l’aide de la OVF. Si je également acheter le X-E1, vais-je manquer à l’aide de l’OVF?

    Roel

    Je ne parle pas le français bien, mais je vais essayer. Si vous aimez en utilisant le viseur optique, l’on va me manquer. Posez cette question – aimeriez-vous passer une autre US$700.00 pour l’OVF? Pour moi, oui. Pour vous, je ne sais pas.

StrokesOdDigital

Hi Roel,

Great news about the X-E1!! I too am in the market and was thinking about picking one up…… Would you be able to comment on the EVF lag? I understand that it’s the same refresh rate as the X Pro 1 (46 fps)…. Is this true or do you see some improvement in the EVF (besides resolution)…. Is the “ghosting” bad enough to purchase an X Pro 1 for the OVF instead?

Thanks Again!

    Roel

    The EVF on the X-E1 is nicer in terms of resolution, but to me (and non scientifically measured), it does appear to have the same refresh rate as the X-Pro1.

M. L. Wade

Your thoughts on a full frame Nikon vs. the X-E1? I’m looking at both, love street and sports photography. I do both casually and am not professional.

    Roel

    The X-E1 and Nikon FF cameras are different beasts. Plus, Nikon has so many more lenses to use.

    I use my Fuji X cameras when I want to take a lightweight package with great IQ, but my subjects are relatively static – plus, I do not require focal lengths in excess of 90mm.

    If I shoot sports, fast moving wildlife or require a lot of reach, I use my Nikon FF system. Also, Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS) is superb, so if I have to use multiple speedlights (that are centrally controlled) when shooting, I will reach for the Nikon. I have also added a D800 to my arsenal which I use a “near medium format” resolution body.

    As Fujifilm builds out its X system, I hope to use it as my primary travel camera due to high IQ in a small package. There will always be a place for my Nikon FF system. As I make a living from photography, I can justify owning both systems. If you shoot casually, that is a harder choice. Like I mentioned before, if you do a lot of sports/action work, the Fuji system may not be the one for you. I know I wouldn’t use it for that – that is where a DSLR (with good continuous AF) in your bag comes in handy.

    I hope this helps a little.

J.S.M.

You are nothing but a paid Fuji schill. How much do they actually pay you write this garbage?

    Roel

    JSM – I am unsure as to hostile tone of this comment (at least to me), however, I can assure you that Fujifilm did not pay me to write this about their X-E1. I asked to borrow and use it for a few days which they kindly consented to do. If people are not interested in hearing the thoughts of a professional photographer’s use of these new cameras, then I will cease to write these reviews.

    If you would like to call me at 1-888-301-0829 (it is a free call for you) to discuss your concerns, I would be happy to address them.

kodiak xyza

thanks for the comparisons and all of the info.
there is room for a smaller sibling,
though right now the Olympus is filling that hole with their m4/3rds,
it would be nice for Fuji to provide a solution,
more so when the new lenses are released in 2013.

Fuji has been so responsive to the camera’s function,
and it is great to see a company behind fast,
and well-executed, improvements.

my only gripe that requires a change is that,
while in full manual mode for shutter/aperture settings,
that the Exposure Compensation Dial be allowed to actually do something.
that is, let it adjust the Shutter Speed or Aperture,
to effect the 1/3 stop changes in exposure.
this is more important because the Shutter Speed is set in full-stops,
and in Manual Mode there is no gradation.

this may seem like of little use,
but I love to use the XPro1 for concert photography,
and I do not want Aperture Priority (to be able to use the dial),
because of the shutter speed changing by the auto-exposure constraints —
in essence, I have metered and want to make some quick adjustments here and there.

saddling the Manual mode with full-stop changes to the Shutter Speed is silly,
although it could be that I have not figured out something about the camera yet,
and I have the wrong understanding of how the camera works.

Steve

Great review man ! Thanks for the (hard) work.
I just sold my 5DII with two lenses (too heavy, too big, ..) to purchase this beast so I hope it’ll be up for the task !
Giving your thoughts on the IQ there shouldn’t be an problems.

Cheers mate and thanks again !

JC

Hi Roel,

Thanks a lot for yr review. I have a question for you: I had the x100 a while ago with the first firmware and got rid of it because the AF was pretty bad in low light situations. How is the AF of the XE1 compared to the X100 with the latest firmware, especially in low light situations? I am about to buy again the X100 but the XE-1 tempts me too. I love the size of the X100, the OVF and the 35mm equivalent. One problem I see with the XE-1 is that the 23mm (35mm equivalent) will be too big, and that is the lens I use most of the time.

Thanks a lot.
JC

    Roel

    With the last X100 firmware release, low light AF was improved significantly. It actually works quite well in low light now.

    The X-E1 is the same now when it comes to AF. I have no complaints (other than continuous AF).

    You are correct about the X-E1 with the upcoming 23mm f/1.4 lens – it will be a larger combination than the X100 and its f/2 lens. I have to admit the X100 is a sweet little package if you like the 35mm (equivalent) focal length. I believe a fair bit of the lens assembly for the X100 is actually in the camera itself, helping to reduce the protrusion of the lens. As the X-E1 (and X-Pro1) are interchangeable lens cameras, we are out of luck that way.

Roger

Wonderful work here Roel. Thanks for the walk thru and nice sample images too!
I was frustrated with some issues on my own x100 (huge drag, as I think the image quality with the X100 is great..)..

The X-E1 is right up my alley with features and price, so I’m expecting a lot of X100 goodness in an improved and refined feature set.

I’ll also be ordering a Leica M adapter when they’re available.

Thanks for a good read…

Roger

Anonymous

Mr Roel

I am sure you would have had better words for Silkypix had it been available from Adorama, B&H Photo, Amazon. Internet is full of pro wannabes and hacks like you trying to make money at the expense of others… Photography is an ART and not a tool to improve sales of certain products.

And trust me, by looking at your photos on this website, you know nothing about ART.

    Roel

    Mr. Anonymous,

    Anyone can sit behind a computer and anonymously type defamatory comments. Maybe next time you can post a real name and email address when you share defamatory remarks?

    Not to worry – IP addresses are a wonderful thing and my website records them.

Stéphane Mossé

Hello Roel, and thanks for this first impression on the EX-1.
I have X-Pro 1 today with all the Fuji Lenses.

I am wondering if i am going to sell my Xpro to get the XE as i mostly use the EVF.
I also like to manual focus so i am wondering if i will get better details in the evf to help me focus.

what do you think ?

    Roel

    I don’t think the EVF on the X-E1 will be significantly better when it comes to manual focus. Fuji now has a 3x and 10x magnification (on both cameras) to help with this. Personally, I would keep the X-Pro1 as you would take a $$$ hit if selling it.

Dirk N.

Hello,

first: thank for your review. I plan to buy a FUJI X-Pro 1 or X-E1 to leave my DSLR at home in future. The main difference / decision I have to make seems the viewfinder. Could you please update the review and give us a feedback OVF vs. EVF. Thanks in advance!

best regards Dirk

lex

Will appreciate review of latest Lightroom 4.2 with improved support for Fuji RAW files.

Poor Fuji RAW support is holding me back.

Thanks

    Roel

    I had a quick “play” with some Fuji RAW files and they are actually processing quite nicely. I have been trying to replicate the “colour bleeding” and foliage issues people have been writing about but with no luck. I’ll do a little more work on this and hopefully report back.

      lex

      Thank you. I look forward to the results of the the latest Lightroom 4.2 and Fuji RAW files.

Alan

Hello and thanks for a very interesting write up, I enjoyed looking at your site.

Could you answer a quick question about the EVF please?

I’m pretty happy with my Panasonic G1 but in very low light (I’m talking about low light in the countryside not low light in town which is actually often relatively light) the EVF blacks out and fails to display things that are still easily visible by eye and in addition the light output is like a little torch shining directly into my eye, it destroys my night vision and makes the camera very uncomfortable to use.

So, to my question, if you’ve used the Fuji in very low light can you tell me if the EVF has enough dynamic range to display what is visible by eye and also is it comfortable to use in very low light?

I ask because it’s difficult for me to get into a city to visit a big camera dealer and I often have to buy on line.

Thanks if you can help and if not… I still enjoyed your write up! :o)
Alan.

    Roel

    The Fuji EVFs are not bad in low light… of course, they are nothing like the OVF in those conditions, but are useable in low light.

tianr

hi, Roel,
firstly thanks for your review, very helpful, i’m from china, so my english is not so good, please excuse me,
the detail i wonder about is the EVF, i have known the performance of the EVF’s lag when moving the camera from your review, but i still want to know if the image your eye get from the EVF when you apply different setting is the same as the actual shooting result after you press the button, i know it’s not 100 percent the same,but is that difference big, does that EVF give us a real hint , i used sony a77, the performance is very good from that camera

    Roel

    The X-E1′s EVF is quite good (and a bit better than the one on the X-Pro1) – it gains up nicely in low light plus the refresh rate seems decent. I think the lag in extremely low light is better, however, what is acceptable to me may not be acceptable to you (or anyone else). I now were are still 4-6 weeks ago from the X-E1 hitting store shelves, but I personally would wait and try one out before you buy it – especially if you are concerned about any aspect of the camera.

    Having said that, most people who have used EVFs in the past will be happy with the one on the X-E1.

pascal bichain

Bonjour Roel,

Je voulais acheter le x1 pro mais son autofocus me semble pas assez réactif pour le genre d’images que je fais.
En effet je photographie la plupart du temps dans des environnements assez sombre.
Je lis sur votre blog que le X-E1 est plus rapide . Mais de combien par rapport au x 1 pro?
Quand la lumière est par exemple de F/2 au 15 éme à 6400iso !
Cela vaut -il le coup d’envisager cet achat ou faut il encore attendre ?
J’ai actuellement un X 100 que je mets au placard dés que la lumière me manque (son autofocus est une catastrophe en basse lumière !) pour reprendre mon reflex D 700.
Avez vous fais des essais dans des situations très sombre?
merci
Amicalement
Pascal

    Roel

    Cher Pascal

    Je vous remercie de votre question. L’AF sur le X-E1 (et le X-Pro1) est beaucoup mieux dans des conditions de faible luminosité, cependant, avec très peu de lumière ou pas, vous aurez des problèmes. Mon Nikon D800 a également le même problème à la lumière très faible. Je vous suggère d’attendre jusqu’à ce que le X-E1 arrive à un magasin local pour vous de voir si l’AF fonctionne selon les besoins.

      ALBERT

      WE SPEAK ENGLISH IN THE USA, NOT THIS GOBBLDYGOOK. COULD YOU REFRAIN FROM USING OTHER LANGUAGES? I DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE WRITING.

        Roel

        Hello again Albert,

        I live in Canada and our official languages are English and French. My ability to speak English is much better, but I welcome questions in our other official language. I will try my best to answer them.

        If you would like a translation of what is being written in French, Google has a good service you can use:

        http://translate.google.com/

        ********

        Bonjour Albert,

        Je vis au Canada et nos deux langues officielles sont l’anglais et le français. Ma capacité à parler anglais est beaucoup mieux, mais je me réjouis questions dans l’autre langue officielle. Je vais essayer de mon mieux pour y répondre.

        Si vous souhaitez une traduction de ce qui est écrit en français, Google a un bon service, vous pouvez utiliser:

        http://translate.google.com/

Andrea

Thank you for your informative post.

I have a question for you – now that the X-E1 has come out and is almost as good as an X-Pro1, do you regret buying it now (and not waiting and saving $700)?

Thanks.

    Roel

    Hi Andrea,

    I have absolutely no regrets and as some people already know, I actually own two X-Pro1′s. In the last 7 months, they have been all over the world with me and I have captured some great images with them. I have really appreciated having such a lightweight kit with superb image quality (the Fujinon lenses are pretty incredible and good value for the money).

    I also love using the OVF and since I have larger hands, the X-Pro1 is the perfect size for me (I use it with the optional grip). So as I just stated, I have no regrets.

    Now, when the X-E1 comes out in stores, people will have to decide if the X-Pro1 is worth the extra $700 to them (for the OVF, larger rear LCD, etc). Put it this way – if I only had one X-Pro1, the X-E1 would have become my second/backup body. Since I have two X-Pro1′s, I have no intention of selling them for an X-E1.

    Hope this helps.

Antonio

Thanks very much for the very informative text and images.
I refer to your wishlist and within it to manual focus and to your focus peaking’s wish. Do you envisage it as a possible feature in the near future, as even Leica will implement it with the coming M model?
Thanks very much
Regards

    Roel

    I would love to see focus peaking on the Fujifilm X cameras, but that is up to Fujfilm, not me. It wouldn’t surprise me if they did implement it – they offer an “M” mount adapter, so a number of people will be using Leica glass with their Fujifilm camera bodies. I am sure there are also many others using MF in general, so any tool to assist with focus is welcome.

      Antonio

      Thanks Vm Roel

      I just wanted to get your feelings and when you say “It wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t implement it” it is not “good news” and I must confess my fears go the same way.
      I’ve the X100 and I intend to keep it even if I buy a X System interchangeable lens camera, but the lack of a more effective manual focus aid is holding me back and focus peaking could be a decisive factor to buy it and use some of my legacy lenses.
      Just hope Fujifilm listen to customers that wish such an improvement.
      Regards

        Roel

        Hi Antonio,

        I think I had a typo in my reply to you … I do believe that Fujifilm may implement focus peaking at some point in time… I just don’t know when. I’ve corrected my reply to you (and my apologies for the typo).

Antonio

Hi Roel

Thanks for saying that and let’s hope they do.
Regards

Richard Carter

Thank you very much for the review, Roel. I’m in the process of downgrading (or is upgrading is the correct term here?) to the X series from a Nikon SLR (currently the D700 but its predecessors were a D100, and so on right back to an FE2 and an F2, over a period of 30 years or so), and it;s been a revelation: so much smaller and lighter and very little downside.

Gaylon

Thanks again for your suggestions. I’m convinced that I should invest into a smaller, compact style of camera rather than a traditional DSLR.

I’m not a camera buff by any means and going for the absolute “greatest” image quality is honestly not necessary. My question is how would you measure up the Olympus OM-D EM-5 compared to the X-E1? I’m honestly concerned about the speed of the X-E1 and I’ve started to see opinions that the OM-D is an “all-in-one” type of camera with great images and speed. Again, I plan on shooting street photography and especially photos of my 1 year old son (who’s now walking all over the place), etc.

Any reason I should stay away from either of these companies and stick with either Canon or Nikon? Thanks again!

    Roel

    Hi Gaylon

    As I mentioned in this article, this is a great time to be a photographer as there are so many decent choices in camera gear. I had a chance to use the OM-D E-M5 and it is a very nice camera too… I was impressed by its very quick AF. Also, Micro Four Thirds (Olympus is a member of this standard) has an incredible selection of lenses at present as this system is about 4 years old. The image quality is good – not the same as the Fuji X-E1 (IMHO), but still, quite good. The Nikon V1 is also a very capable camera (albeit with a smaller sensor) as the AF on it is incredible (and the best of any compact camera I have used to date) and there are many other features (and quirks) with it. Again, it is now mind boggling the choices we have.

    I really would encourage you to try these cameras out in person as it is difficult to “recommend” a general purpose camera to anyone. You will be buying into a system – and each one has its strengths and weaknesses, hence why I suggest you get to know a reputable camera dealer where you can check all of this out in person.

      Carl-Erik Eriksson

      Couldn’t agree more – it sure is a great time to be a photographer. I’ve tried the OM-D, I own a Panny GX1, a Fuji X100 and a Nikon D700 which I use for my work. In my opinion micro 43 is OK – good IQ, snappy and light weight, but IQ doesn’t come close to the files I get from my X100. They are so clean and flexible it’s amazing. I came close to buying an OM-D, but I’m glad I resisted it now that the X-E1 is here. Got one pre-ordered, and I am confident it will be great also for assignments, as long as things are not moving too fast ;-)

George

Does the 35mm f1.4 lens use IS when on the new XE1 ?

    Roel

    None of the Fujifilm prime lenses have Image Stablisation (IS). The camera bodies, the X-E1 and X-Pro1, do not have IS built into them. The zoom lens that is about to be released, the 18-55mm OIS, does have IS (OIS stands for “Optical Image Stabilisation”). The two new zooms that are due to be released next year (the 55-200mm OIS and the 10-24mm OIS) will also have IS.

hexx

Hi Roel,

thank you for your article. I currently own X100 and am very happy with it. I use OVF and EVF equally, EVF when I really need to ‘nail framing’. I have money lying here and both X-Pro1 and X-E1 are in the basket on Amazon. But I’m still not entirely sure if I should get X-Pro1 or X-E1. I will probably use new camera with 35mm lens most of the time and with 60mm lens occasionally when shooting portraits (which I don’t do often) and possibly would add 14mm lens once it’s out (will you be able to use OVF with this lens?).

I’ve had a chance to try NEX7 for few minutes, mostly wanted to try the EVF in it – and it was good. My understanding is that the resolution of the EVF in X-E1 is the same but refresh rate is the same like on X100/X-Pro1 which means that it’s not the same as in NEX7. Do you really see ‘massive’ advantage of OLED and higher resolution of the EVF in X-E1 over EVF in X-Pro1 or not – respectively, what would be more painful, having better (if that much better) EVF or not having OVF?

I usually take photographs of landscapes, cityscapes, street and occasionally portraits and macro.

    Roel

    Tough question on the EVF. My personal opinion – the OLED is very nice (and Fujifilm has told me it is energy efficient too) and slightly better than the one in the X-Pro1. It is not enough for me to get rid of my X-Pro1′s in exchange for the X-E1. I’d miss the OVF as I really like it. So to me, there is no “massive” advantage to having the OLED EVF or the X-Pro1′s EVF.

      hexx

      Thank you Roel for you response, much appreciate it :) I’ll go for X-E1 in the end and will have money left for some adaptor rings, there’s a lot of Contax G glass available and I think I’d benefit from better EVF (in terms of result ion) for adapted lenses. Recently I’ve been shooting with my X100 photographs which needed precise framing due to composition and of course I was using EVF only. Thank you again.

George

Does the new XE1 ship with the new firmware installed?

    Roel

    Yes. I am using a pre-production X-E1 with pre-production firmware, but Fujifilm has told me they will ship the final camera with newest/latest firmware.

George

Can you recommend a good lens shade for the 35mm?

    Roel

    I use this one. It works well and is inexpensive.

purnomo

hi roel,

i own the x100 and i love it very much.
here, in indonesia i can get the X-Pro1 and the 35mm for $1800
which you recommend me whether X-E1 that has’t come yet or the X-Pro1?
i need additional camera, and i need to shot landscape (i used to shot street)

thank in advance

    Roel

    The X-Pro1 and 35mm f/1.4 lens for $1800 is a very good price. If the 35mm is suitable for your work, I would say go for it. You might also want to check out the 18mm f/2 lens if you do a lot of landscape work.

George

Do you think that Fuji might attempt to simplify the RAW conversion with a firmware or software change?

    Roel

    I have no idea.

TommyC

Thanks for the impressions. Did you have a chance to try the XE1′s fill flash capability? How does it compare to the X100′s fill?

    Roel

    No, I did not get a chance to check out the fill flash ability but I have no reason to believe that it would be any different from the X100′s.

Will

Hello Roel, thanks for the review; I started using the Pany GF1 when it first came out, and have some mft lenses, I particularly like the 20mm and the 7-14mm wide-angle. I shoot mostly landscape pictures and have been waiting to upgrade for better IQ. So, I am considering the pany GX2 when it’s released, but now after reading your review and others, I am also considering switching to Fuji X given the high IQ and lower priced X-E1. If I switch, I guess I will have to invest in new lenses as well as the Snsor size in the X series is bigger than MFT; is that correct? Will

    Roel

    The two MFT lenses you mentioned are excellent – they were my favourites (along with the Oly 45/1.8) when I was using MFT.

    The X-E1 will require you to purchase the new “X” mount lenses from Fuji as the “X” mount is different from MFT. Also, Carl Zeiss in April 2013 will have 3 new lenses for this system.

    ELLIOT STERN

    The Olympus system (OMD-ep5) is really quite excellent and I own rolling bags of Olympus Micro four thirds gear. But I bought into Fuji with the X100 and was overjoyed with the quality of not only the images but the camera itself. Since then I have bought the Fuji X pro 1 with the three lenses being offered as well as the M mount adapter for my Voigtlander lenses. What a wonderful camera to shoot with. The image quality in the Jpegs is outstanding and the raw files very workable.

    Now I have the XE-1 which is smaller, lighter boasting the same image quality in a more convenient package. You will not be disappointed.

Jim C

Roel,
Any thoughts yet on the new lenses? I’m sold on the XE, but am waiting to pull the trigger until I here more about the quality of the zoom (the convenience of the zoom might (might) sell me on it over the 35mm) and 14mm.

As an aside, please keep doing what you do (and ignore the flamers). We appreciate your insight.
Thanks!

    Roel

    I used the new zoom (18-55mm OIS) at a trade show a couple weeks ago in Toronto. It was smaller than I thought it would be. Focus was silent and fast – and it seemed sharp when viewing on the rear LCD. I have not seen images from this lens on a large monitor though. I understand that Fujifilm will probably have a huge backorder for the X-E1 and the zoom lens as A LOT of people have pre-ordered the kit.

    As to the 14mm f/2.8, I haven’t seen anything but the prototype from Fuji engineers in Tokyo. So, no word on it yet.

    I know Asian and European photographers are now receiving their kits… North America is scheduled for mid November, barring any delays. I am sure there are lots of image samples from the zoom lens floating around on the web now.

    Thanks for your support and best wishes.

    elliot

    Spent the day Thursday at the New York Photo show and was pleased to see how packed the Fuji booth was. I already have the XE-1 and shot with it exclusively in New York on the streets. Like the X -pro 1 the image quality surpasses anything I have shot with before straight out of the camera from any other manufacturer. Just wonderful.

    I had to get my XE-1 from Hong Kong and I am glad I did. Delivery dates in the US are all over the place. I asked Fuji people at the show about why it takes so long to roll out world wide and why the US and Canada seem to be last on the list. I did not get an answer worth repeating.

    As for the flamers you have been suffering with, the heck with them. They are a sad, small segment of overall readers and obviously nothing anywhere anytyime is goinbg to make them civil human beings.

Cindy L.

Dear Roel,

I was at your presentation at the Exposure Show (Oct 14th) in Toronto. Not only was your presentation very informative on how to improve one’s photography, but it was one of the most inspirational speeches I have ever heard. To hear about your wordly travels and how you connect with your subjects, was the best thing I have ever heard from a photography instructor.

I appreciated your passion and I am glad I got the chance to hear you speak (plus meet you). If you have the chance, I encourage you to post your speech on Youtube (if someone recorded it, of course) – it was that good and I think others need to hear it.

Take care and I wish you nothing but success in life.

Cindy

    Roel

    Thank you so much for your very kind words. Life has been very good to me and I am glad that I was able to share a little bit of my experience with the photographic community.

    Be well,
    Roël

ALBERT

WHERE IS THE REVIEW OF THE 14MM LENSE AND 18-55MM ZOOM LENSE? YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO GET THEM FOR REVIEW. POST THEM ASAP.

    Mike

    ALBERT, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO FIND THE CAPS-LOCK OFF AND GET SOME MANNERS?

      ALBERT

      WHY DONT YOU GET SOME MANNERS. WE WERE TOLD OVER 3 WEEKS AGO THAT THERE WOULD BE REVIEWS OF THE 14MM LENSE AND THE 18-55MM ZOOM LENSE AND THERE IS NOTHING ON THIS SITE. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. SO PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION – WHERE ARE THE REVIEWS? AND WHEN YOU DO POST THEM MAKE SURE THEY HAVE PROPER RESOLUTION IMAGES FOR PEOPLE TO INSPECT.

Lovro

Dear Roel,
Greetings from Croatia. I am a hobby photographer and I mostly shot landscapes, people and travel/cities. I never shoot sports, wildlife or video. I use high ISO regularly (night in the city) and most of my shots are made with 20-85mm. My first camera was Canon 40D. I switched to Nikon D700 because of high ISO and wide angel lenses (I didn’t like 5DmkII). I like everything about D700 except its size and weight. Compared to 40D it has better WB&metring, actually almost 100% accurate metring and very accurate auto WB. I also have Olympus E-PL1 as a ”light” camera, which I don’t like, especially autofocus, not so the speed but the inefficiency in lower light (indoors) not to mention low light (city during night time)-no AF at all, insufficient DR in high contrast situation (day time during summer) but most of all I hate the controls of E-PL1. I was thinking of selling my whole gear and buying E-X1 as my only camere. So I have some questions.
Is IQ really comparable to D700? Especially ISO 3200/6400 and DR?
How good automatic metring and WB is compared to D700?
How good is color rendition? This of course is very subjective, but on the net reviewers prise portraits colour but landscapes colours are different story? (I like D700 colour rendition very much)
And of course AF (I don’t need AF tracking) is it better then E-PL1 or how much worse it is then D700, accuracy, lowlight, speed?
How is the flash performance?
Thx

    ALBERT

    I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE REVIEWS OF THE 14MM LENSE AND 18-55MM ZOOM LENSE. WHERE ARE THEY? I ALSO HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS. YOU HAVE MANY PHOTOS OF OFF CAMERA LIGHTING. WHAT IS YOUR SET UP – I WANT A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF HOW YOU DO THIS. ALSO, YOU SAY THE FUJI LENSES ARE EXCELLENT IN AN OPTICAL SENSE. IF THIS IS TRUE, WHY DONT YOU BACKUP YOUR STATEMENTS WITH PROPER COMPARISONS WITH THE EQUIVALENT CANON AND NIKON LENSES. AGAIN, POST FULL SIZE IMAGES FOR US TO DOWNLOAD. ALSO, COMPARE THE IMAGE QUALITY AT ALL ISO LEVELS TO FULL FRAME CANON AND NIKON SLRS. YOU STATED IN YOUR XPRO1 REVIEW THAT THE FUJI AUTO WHITE BALANCE IS ACCURATE – BACK UP THIS CLAIM OR DONT MAKE IT. I SHOOT A LOT OF LOW LITE THINGS AND WANT TO KNOW HOW THE AUTOFOCUS WORKS COMPARE TO CANON AND NIKON CAMERAS. YOU SAY YOU HAVE A NIKON CAMERA SO I WANT A COMPARISON. I USE LEICA CAMERAS AND LENSES AND KNWO WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT – SO YOU BETTER PROVIDE ACCURATE ANSWERS. DO YOU USE LEICA LENSES WITH THE FUJI CAMERAS? THEY HAVE AN M MOUNT ADAPTER AND SINCE YOU ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN FUJI GEAR, A FULL REVIEW OF THIS ADAPTER SHOULD ALSO BE POSTSED. I AM THINKING ABOUT SWITCHING AND NEED TO KNOW ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION. BTW KEN ROCKWELL IS A VERY WELL RESPECTED CAMERA REVIEWER SO I DONT UNDERSTAND THE CRITICISM TOWEARDS HIM AND PEOPLE WOULD BE WISE TO VISIT HIS SITE ASAP.

Scott

Wow albert, you don’t ask much and you aren’t very opinionated are you? Lose the caps lock please… You give us U.S. citizens a bad name. Roel, why don’t you just delete his posts. I am amazed at how polite you have been.

Any way, thanks for the writeup. I am currently trying to take in as much info on the XE-1 as possible. I really appreciate it.

I wonder if you could answer a couple of questions? Have you used the camera with adapters and does Aperture Priority mode work and meter correctly with adapted lenses? I was a DSLR user and dropped those to go smaller. But I still have a couple of Nikon teles that I use with an NEX and that combo works great. Just wondering if I will get the same experience with the XE-1.
And do you feel that the manual focus implementation is quick and easy to use? I will be using MF to shoot lacrosse and basketball with 3rd party lenses. I will be pre-focusing, but I still don’t want it to be fiddly.

What do you think of the video recording? Have you tried it? It’s not something I bother with much, but on the NEX it is really quite impressive and nice to have quality video available.

Lastly, if you were to compare the IQ of the 16mp NEX sensor to the XE-1, would you say the XE-1 is a significant improvement?

Sorry for so many questions.

    Roel

    Hi Scott

    Quick answers to your questions:

    1) I have not used the X-Pro1 or X-E1 with adapters as I am only interested in using native AF glass.

    2) MF implementation has improved greatly on the Fuji X cameras, but I still think Sony with its Focus Peaking is the champ in this area. Having said that, the Fuji improvements to MF have made it much easier for those you who use MF a lot.

    3) I do not use video much, but on cameras like the NEX6 and NEX7, the video is much better than the X-E1. If video is a top priority for you, I would look seriously at Sony’s offerings (or maybe m43 as the GH3 is very good for video too) over the X-E1.

    4) For stills, the X-E1 is better (IMHO) than the NEX6 in the image quality dept. I love Fuji’s colours and they are (again, IMHO) the best in the IQ dept.

    Hope this helps.

Alan Hogg

Hi Roel,

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to write this review. It is excellent and much appreciated.

I use a Canon 5DII full frame, mainly with the 40mm pancake and 24-105L lenses, backpacking in the backcountry of New Zealand – so mainly landscape photos on a tripod. I do have a 70-200 zoom but generally leave it behind because of weight restrictions. I need to carry tent, sleeping gear, food etc for a week at a time, so the weight of camera gear is critical.

For up to A3 prints, using a tripod, how close would the X-E1 be to the Canon with lenses as above? I mainly use live view on the Canon. Would the Fuji be as intuitive to use for tripod mounted landscapes?

Thanks again,

Alan Hogg

    Roel

    Hi Alan,

    Thanks for your comment. For A3 prints using the X-E1 files, no problem. In fact, your back will thank you for the reduction of bulk and weight. As to how intuitive it would be to use it on a tripod – I supposed that is dependent on how long it takes you to get to the UI. For a lot of my landscape work, I use a Nikon D800 so when I use my Fujifilm cameras, it takes me a little bit longer to set things up as the UI is quite different to Nikon’s.

    Bottom line is that you will get the same (if not a bit better, but I know that is subjective) results with the X-E1 compared to your current Canon setup. You could take a prime or two plus the 18-55mm zoom and have a nice lightweight kit with great IQ.

    Hope this helps a little.

    Cheers,
    Roël
    p.s. I lived in NZ for a while … a very beautiful country!

      Alan Hogg

      Hi Roel,

      Many thanks for taking the trouble to reply – much appreciated.

      Glad you liked New Zealand. The South Island mountains in particular are wonderful places to explore and photograph.

      When the new camera and zoom arrive in NZ, I will take my 5D and tripod into the local camera store and see if I can do a direct comparison with a few careful photos from each system. At least then, I can make a personal informed decision.

      Thanks very much for your insightful remarks. I too am looking forward to hear what you think about the new zoom, if you can find the time to post your thoughts.

      Kind regards,

      Alan

Billy

Ken Rockwell says this camera is not good for landscapes and the Canon 5D Mark 3 is better. Can you do a direct comparison of both cameras? BTW, Albert has valid questions and you should answer them too.

    Roel

    As Mr. Rockwell is the one making these statements, I suggest that you ask him to make this comparison to support his conclusion.

Henry P.

Thank you for this X-E1 article. I will get one as I like your pics and I need a good camera.

Can you recommend some general settings as I do not have much photography experience? Also, how do I download the hi-res copies of your pics on this website?