This is my Fuji XE-5 review and is not like standard type of online review! Just my thoughts after owning for a few months.
I bought this for a number reasons, small compact, second body to my XT-3 for the few jobs I do these days. My initial trials did not feel good so soon after getting it, I loaned it to my Great Niece who is studying photography at GCSE level.
Not I did note clean the camera before photographing – this is what they really look like after a bit of use!
The Camera Returns
Having got it back after a few months it was time to try it again! Absence make the heart grow fonder, so they say….. Size is still good but camera has a tendency to change settings seemingly on it’s own! Most buttons and touch screen are now turned OFF! Problems seem solved. I use the aperture ring, shutter speed dial and the focus selector switch – centre point focus.
Unlike most reviewers I find the film style dial a total waste, I want consistency in my pictures not every one with a different look. I only shoot RAW and make my adjustments in Lightroom. Dial would have been great as an ISO dial!
Top exposure compensation dial set to C as I prefer to use the front wheel for exposures compensation.
Call me old fashioned but ‘intelligent’ focus modes are very clever but always seen to focus on the wrong thing at the important time!
So with all those features turned off could I have just bought an XE-4? No, I wanted the flippy screen and image stabilisation (which I am still not sure where/how it starts!), the extra pixels also allow more cropping.
Battery – same as a number I have for my XT-3, perfect – This is alone for me makes it better than XT4 or XT5!
Viewfinder – small and slightly low-res but OK.
Shutter sound – horrible but I can live with it.
Paint – sharp corners mean the paint will chip easily. Not a camera for heavy use.
Video – not something I use so I can not comment.
Focusing seems fast and accurate.
Sell or Keep?
Looking at my overall Fuji XE-5 review now the camera is mostly neutered, (almost to Leica M level!) it has been moved from the ‘I am going to sell it” to “I might keep it”. If I keep it I’ll buy a Viltrox 75 or 90mm EVO so I can leave the heavy 50-140 at home and just crop in. Jury is still out!