ISSUE 122
32 / GEAR
TESTED: FUJIFILM X-E5
Old-school styling with a contemporary twist
£1299
fujifilm-x.com
Classic charm meets modern image-making in Fujifilm’s latest mirrorless X-E5
The global camera sales success story in recent years hasn’t been
cutting-edge flagship models with full- frame stacked sensors and ridiculously high-speed capture, but the very retro- styled Fujifilm X100VI. It’s a fixed-lens compact that apes the rangefinder cameras of yesteryear that has sparked the imagination of young and old alike. But what makes it marginally less attractive for the keenest of keen photographers is that fixed 23mm f/2 lens, which makes it just too limited as an all-rounder. Fujifilm now has the answer for those who yearn for a light, compact rangefinder-style retro cam that takes X Mount lenses. That camera is the X-E5, and it’s available bundled with a new pancake lens – the Fujinon XF23mm f/2.8 R WR. That makes the whole set-up roughly the same size and just 15g heavier than the fixed-lens model, but with the massive advantage of being able to fit X Mount glass in all focal lengths.
STEALTH STYLE The new X-E5 might look like a rangefinder camera or a Fujifilm X100VI compact, but it’s a modern interchangeable-lens mirrorless packed with tech
The X-E5 doesn’t skimp on spec, as it uses Fujifilm’s most up-to-date X-Processor 5 and the 40-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor – of course in APS-C size – as used in the X100VI, X-T5, X-H2 and X-T50. The X-E5 is a dream come true for anyone who focuses on travel or street photography, with the huge benefit of working well for pretty much any type of image making just by using different lenses. From fast primes or portraits to super-wide lenses and speedy long telephotos, Fujifilm has you covered. It’s a very different proposition to its predecessor, 2021’s X-E4, which drew criticism over its stripped-back ergonomics, with no handgrip and less-than-premium build quality. While that camera seemed to target less-experienced image makers, the X-E5 has been seriously beefed up – including its price. At £1299 body- only or £1549 with the new 23mm lens, it’s in a much higher-end niche and has the build to back it up. It has a nicely contoured grip for the right hand, while the machined aluminium
top-plate gives a feeling of quality and robustness. And while the camera isn’t heavy, at 445g compared to the X-E4’s 364g, it’s perfectly portable while still having a reassuring heft to it. Sadly, the big miss is that there’s no weather sealing, which does seem odd for a travel-oriented camera. Even the X100VI can be made weather resistant with its optional adapter ring. While the design of the X-E5 means that it’s going to be compared to the X100VI, internally it’s identical to the X-T50 and uses the same IBIS system. But there’s an improved algorithm that claims up to seven stops of compensation in the centre of the image and six on the edge. Our tests showed that claim is a little ambitious, as we found a maximum of around five stops for stills. In video mode, IBIS works in combination with Optical Image Stabilisation on certain lenses. And if you don’t mind a slight crop, you can add in Digital Image Stabilisation, plus there’s a boost mode too. It’s freakishly smooth – simply incredible.
Powered by FlippingBook