Fujifilm X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Silver)

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

After several years of needing a DSLR for part-time photojournalism, I've finally cut back to shooting mostly environmental portraits for business publications. With sports and breaking news out of the picture, I decided to try to Fuji X system to see whether I could get by with a compact rig for work and for personal travel. I also wanted to take advantage of my father's wonderful collection of old Leica and Canon rangefinder glass from the 1940s and 50s.

The results have been great. If you started out shooting film, the controls are all where you'd expect them to be and are a breath of fresh air. I was extremely skeptical about the lack of an optical veiwfinder. But the EVF is the first digital system I've ever used -- in any format -- that lets me consistently nail the focus with manual lenses. And unlike a Leica, you are not limited by rangefinder base length, which means you can shoot your 90mm and 135mm lenses wide open without fear of being out of focus.

Now about Liecas. I have owned several film versions, in M and screwmount, and if you're coming from those bodies or pro-level DSLRs, this body is going to feel cheap. But you know what? It *is* cheap. It costs 11 percent of the Leica M9 and gives you, in my view, about 95 percent of the results. If you're worried about durability compared to a Leica, you can buy eight of these for less than an M9. That's right. Eight.

About manual lenses: Due to the sensor design, you will want to use Fuji glass for anything below 50mm. M and LTM glass can exhibit some corner softness at wider angles. Above that, the options are vast for glass. And don't worry if that glass isn't very fast because the high ISOs look great all the way to 6400, with 12800 being useable and 25600 OK if you convert to monochrome.

If you need to shoot your kid's sport games, this camera isn't for you. If you're dependent on all the automated bells and whistles of today's DSLRs, you will be disappointed. But if you're a long-suffering rangefinder fan who just can't bite the bullet to get into Leica digital bodies, your prayers have been answered. Given the universe of glass this body can accept and the quality of the focusing and resulting images, it's an absolute steal.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

This is a great camera for people who loves to take time taking their photos. In my experience, wich i have to say, that i bought this camera for the M mount lenses, have been very pleasant. I have used the fuji x lenses, wich are very well made and i strongly recommend them. But in my case i want it to use these legacy lenses and the results are stunning!. It feels and uses just like a film camera. I do not recommend to use this camera for sports and all that sort of things that requires fast focus. I also shall say that is a great camera for people that someday want to buy a rangefinder, because you will be buying these lenses and then when you have the money, you only have to change the body. I hope you find this useful. Buy this camera for the M mount lenses! if you dont want that, you should consider other cameras that are faster and less complicated.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

I was on the fence concerning this purchase, with the negative reviews concerning the speed of its autofocus. As long as you are not looking to shoot action, this camera performs very well. I have not missed any shots due to autofocus performance. The IQ of this camera is fantastic when matched with the 35 1.4. And like the X100, it may have it's quirks (not nearly as bad or as many), but it is just a camera that makes you want to carry it with you everywhere you go.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

Amazing camera! I was looking for a camera that was smaller and easier to take on hikes, and would provide me with excellent IQ. I use it mainly for landscapes, so I don't need lightning fast autofocus, just nice sharp and clean photos.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Silver):

I use these camera as travel camera. Excelent build quality, minimalistic retro design. Good quality of pictures.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

As an advanced amateur, I have high expectations of product quality with expensive cameras. This camera does not disappoint. It's well constructed, with controls easily accessible, and usable. The EVF is not quite there yet, but much better than the majority of other similar products. It's useable. It's light weight and compact design makes it a joy to carry...with three lenses! It closely matches my full frame DSLR camera in terms of image quality and will print 17x22 images with a little care. I'm sold on Fuji construction and lens quality. A VERY close challenger to the most famous traditional rangefinder camera, while not really being a true rangefinder.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

I was looking at upgrading from an entry level dslr to either a full frame dslr to to this camera. i'm very happy with choosing this camera. it is much lighter and easier to carry and store than my entry level dslr so i am now taking it with me a lot more places. the image quality is superb. I find the autofocus to be just as good as my old camera, but dont except it to be on par with the big boys. All in all this camera more than exceeds my needs

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Silver):

I purchased this nice looking camera thinking that I found the best camera ever. Well I was wrong!!! The EVE skips when you pan the camera left or right and the video stinks. Who wants to watch a video that is constantly trying to focus? Move the camera it has to focus. All I can say about this camera is great IQ, poor focusing on stills and video. Sent it back.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

The Fuji X-E1 is a great camera. The build and handeling are very good, and the image quality is second to none in it's price range.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Silver):

You'll know when you hold it, if it's design works for you. What I can't understand is why Fujifilm swears by the fly-by-wire foucus.
Oh, when you tap most of the camera, it sounds like hollow plastic.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Silver):

The camera should be an extension of your arm, taking it with you everywhere. This camera allows you to take it everywhere you go, where as a large canon is heavy and I'm more likely to leave it at home. Love this camera!!

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

I've had the X-E1 with 18mm and 35mm primes for about 2 weeks now and having so much fun with it that I'm already contemplating selling some of my DSLR gear! I bought the camera for a few reasons...I was finding myself bringing my DSLRs with my less often, and therefore missing out on good photographic opportunities more than I wanted to. The X-E1 is also mostly pocketable (depending on which jacket I'm wearing) and less conspicuous to shoot around town.

What I like:
*The colors! Fuji color is for real and needs to be seen to be believed. Images are so much more lifelike than my Canon DSLRs, at least without a bunch of RAW processing.
*Auto White Balance - so good that I no longer need to consider my surroundings and manually set the white balance. Of course I can if I need to, but this is a setting I'd very much like to leave alone and let the camera get right.
*Out of camera JPGs - for me its somewhat out of necessity since I still have Lightroom 3, but until I find some limitation in post processing, I personally don't plan on shooting RAW with this camera. Others may wish differently but if I can cut down on that aspect for most situations, I get way more shots per card and spend way less time at the computer.
*Manual controls - the aperture ring is a real pleasure to use, as is the shutter speed dial. Setting Fn button for ISO gives quick changes to all 3 exposure settings. I appreciated how Fuji allowed for 1/3rd stop shutter speed changes on the menu screen once you choose a full stop speed. (For example, setting dial to 1/60th lets you change down to 40 or 50 and up to 80 and 100 using the left and right arrows).
*High ISO Image Quality - blows my 7D out of the water and competes with 5D2 in this area. 5D3 beats it but I doubt any other APS-C sensors do.
*Film simulation modes - way cooler than Picture Types on the Canon cameras. These are actually useful!
*Looks - may be a silly one but this thing is BEAUTIFUL. It looks as good on a shelf as it does in action.

What could be improved:
*Exposure compensation dial moves too easily. I've accidentally changed it just by picking the camera up or taking it out of a pocket.
*Minimum shutter speed on Auto-ISO setting. You'll hear this a lot and I hope Fuji adds it. For now, I use Auto ISO in Manual mode only, which is what I'm used to doing on DSLRs.
*Exposure compensation with Auto-ISO. Not sure any camera does this but I'd like to set an aperture and shutter speed, then control my exposure through ISO changes only. ISO bracketing lets this happen but then i just throw away the other 2 images.
*Video - I didn't really plan to use the X-E1 for video but it bothers me that it's Autofocus and Autoexposure ONLY! Wouldn't it have been easier to make it manual focus only? I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the focus-by-wire setups on the lenses, but manual exposure would have been nice. Clearly the camera knows your exposure settings while in video mode.

Specific notes on Focus (auto and manual):
Note that I didn't mention AF in either above section. It's clearly not as fast as DSLRs but I find it to be more than adequate. I like that you can set the point all around the frame and change the point size. Continuous AF mode doesn't work that well, though I may just need practice.
Manual focus is growing on me too. Liking the implementation of the close-up zoom to check focus and the speed-sensitive focus wheel (faster you spin it, the faster it moves along). For higher-speed needs, manual focus is the way to go to pop off 6 fps on a static-distance subject.

In conclusion - if you need a camera with amazing image quality in a smaller body, that looks awesome and stays with you most of the time, you should consider the X-E1. It's forced me to rethink my photography and whether I need all these Canon lenses (I really don't) and just enjoy shooting again. Looking forward to Spring time and more time outdoors with it.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Silver):

Love this camera. It has great quality and lenses are great too. Love that the lowlight is as good as a high end DSLR and the video looks great compared to a DSLR as well. I will say, the one thing I do not like is that the focus points can't be changed easily to make shooting on the fly faster. Other than that it's great.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

I am completely and utterly pleased with this camera. I've had a long (very long) list of cameras in the past - from a Pentax K1000 to a Mamiya 7 to a Leica m6 to a nikon D90 - and honestly, this is my favorite. Ever.

It's the perfect blend of technology and usability. I love the manual dials, and the digital interface is simple and convenient. Plus, and most importantly, it takes amazing pictures. Color rendition and balance, sharpness, everything is spot on 99% of the time. I would say this camera is basically a Japanese Leica M9. I'd put it up against the M9 any day, and honestly I think the Fuji would win outright (yes, I've used the M9), and it's literally a fraction of the price. Plus it has more features thant he Leica has (ahem...autofocus...ahem).

That said, the only reason I'm not giving this camera 5 stars is because the autofocus is a bit lacking, even after the firmware update. It's still a bit slow and inaccurate, especially in less than ideal lighting conditions. But it does work well the majority of the time. Or you can just use the manual focus mode, which is superb (you even get a digital distance scale on the displays when activated).

All in all I'd say BUY THIS CAMERA AND DON'T LOOK BACK. I'm hoping for another, even better firmware upgrade in the future, but it's not urgent.

Well done, Fuji.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Silver):

Great Camera! Not only great to look at but great to use. Very compact for easy portability. The black and white images that this camera takes is amazing. The LCD viewfinder does hav a slight lag time but the pros of this camera out way this small set back. BUY IT, you won't regret it.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

This camera is everything you can ask for in a small, discrete, professional, street shooter. This will be the last camera I buy for some time to come. It's a dream.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

I was an early X100 adopter and fell in love with the camera despite its quirks. The X-Pro 1 was tempting but too expensive, so when the X-E1 was launched I knew I was a goner. I bought the body and the 35mm and after one morning of shooting I am sold.

Transitioning from the X100 has been very easy. Some of the controls have moved a bit but they're easy to find and re-learn. So far I don't miss the OVF. I do miss having the 23mm lens of the X100 (the 35mm is a bit tight for my taste) but I'll be picking up the new 23mm 1.4 (announced but not yet pre-orderable) as soon as it's released.

A lot of people complain about auto-focus. Honestly, I didn't use it with the X100 and I probably won't use it much with the X-E1. I always shoot in manual focus mode using the AF-L button (focus + recompose). This lets me put the focus exactly where I want. Yes, hunting does occur sometimes but for relatively static subjects, I don't care.

I agree with everyone else that lack fo RAW support in Lightroom is a bummer. But don't let that stop you--the JPEGs do clean up very nicely in Lightroom. I use the VSCO filmpack presets and really like how they work with the JPEGs.

As I was using the camera this morning, I started to feel sorry for my D700, which probably won't be getting much love for awhile. The X-E1 is incredible. If you're willing to learn to use the camera, you'll be rewarded with stellar shots.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

I liked everything about this camera ( viewfinder, lenses, shutter speed dial), but somebody between Fuji and Adobe has dropped the ball on getting the raw data files to process correctly. Evidently this new Fuji sensor is proving difficult to render outside of Fuji's own software. Processing the images with Lightromm 4.3 (or DNG 7.3) yields very soft renderings and blurring in details (they are fine, actually great, using Fuji's software) And since the Fuji X- Pro has already been out a year, and no progress has been made yet, I unfortunately feel I need to wait until this issue is corrected. Otherwise I think it's a great camera.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Black):

I'm an amateur photographer dabbling in landscapes, people, nature and astrophotography. Having only experimented with the X-E1 for the past two weeks I'm extremely happy with the accurate color rendition, sharp-tack lens and the natural feel of the camera and dials. This is the first camera I've bought in many years that wasn't a Nikon or Canon. I'm certainly sold on this quality product and look forward to purchase more lenses.

Comments about X-E1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Silver):

I was looking for a hiking/travel replacement for the big DSLR.

Yes, this camera can take incredible images. However, I like to shoot things on the fly, and the auto focus was just not responsive enough for me. The manual focus is useless unless you have PLENTY of time to work with. The body was not as sturdy as I had hoped, felt somewhat toy like.
The auto ISO feature only works up to certain high ISO, especially if shooting in RAW. Video shouldnt have even been included. Im pretty sure an iphone would do a better job.

Pluses... It is light and fun to carry. The images are great and the lenses do a nice job, although they also felt toy-ish.

Not the camera for me, back to the big DSLR.
Granted im used to working with a DSLR and too stuck on the quickness and ease of use that a more expensive and heavier camera has to offer, and shouldnt expect the same type of performance out of a compact APS-C. However I still feel like the overall cost of the body and multiple lenses is too much for the performance that this camera can achieve.
If, however, you are in the market for this type of camera, I suggest looking at the Sony NEX-7 over this model.