FUJIFILM X-E2: My Review

It has been ages since my last blogging about photography but this new babe I acquired recently is worth to blog about it. The search of a perfect travel camera might just end here… The FUJIFILM X-E2. I always have a craze over digital camera with retro touch. This is how I get hooked into micro four third by OLYMPUS OM-D E-M5. However, the image quality of micro four third system is close but not as good as my trustworthy NIKON D300s due to the smaller image sensor. I have tried FUJIFILM X-E1 more than two years ago in an exhibition and the auto focusing really puts me off : it struggled to hunt in low light and bright condition and took a real long time to focus.

Fast forward to the present, the launched of the new FUJIFILM X-E2 with the new X-Trans Image sensor and second generation of image processor EXR Processor II promises a faster focusing speed, better image quality and a whopping 60 plus changes from its predecessor. It’s impressive right?

 THE SPECIFICATION

16MP X-Trans CMOS II Sensor (APS-C)

ISO 200-6400 expanded 100-25600

EXR Processor II

Lens Modulation Optimizer

2.36M Dot OLED EVF

3” 1.04M Dot LCD (Fixed & Non Touch Screen)

Top Analogue Shutter Speed and Exposure Compensation Dial

Digital Spilt Image & Peak Focusing for Manual Focus

Built-in WIFI for image transfer

And more… I’m just naming a few interesting or important features. You can find out more from FUJIFILM website.

 
THE FEEL
 

Oh boy! Once I grab and hold the camera, it feels so right with my small palm and short fingers. The 18mm-55mm F2.8-4 kit lens matches the body not like the smaller OLYMPUS OM-D E-M5 pair with the awful looking long slim 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 kit lens.  I have to specifically mentioned here the kit lens come with XE-2 is one hell of a fantastic kit lens I’ve ever own before. The build quality of this kit lens is excellent; the image produce is sharp and with F2.8-4.0 aperture setting it is bokehlicious!

This is my first FUJILM X-Series camera but I have no problem with the operation and handling. The setup and shooting menu is simple and easy to operate and just it just took me few hours to familiarize. Although the M,A,S and P mode at the beginning will be a bit confusing cause not like DSLR with dedicate mode dial to set but X-E2 with button at the lens and shutter speed dial to set, you will be fine after understand the setting combination.

The size is perfect for me, much smaller than my NIKON D300s and slightly bigger than my OLYMPUS OM-D E-M5. This size is ideal for my travelling while extra luggage space is always come with a price. The FUJIFILM X-E2 scored a distinction by saving spaces of your luggage but does not sacrifice the quality of image at all. This is why I mentioned earlier that the search for my perfect travel camera is over.


MY RECOMMENDATION

During my teens, I occasionally get to shoot photos with an analogue FUJIFILM camera owned by my elder brother. The color and tonal quality produce by the Fuji Film was so vibrant, realistic and nice that I can never forget till today. The Film Simulation featured in FUJIFILM X-Series camera promise to reproduce such color and tonal quality image and I would say they did a real fine job. So, for us the PREVIA, ASTIA and VELVIA lovers, how can you resist the temptation to own a FUJIFILM X-Series camera?

 Having written so many good things about X-E2, needless to say, there are also some shortcoming of the camera or rather the system. There are not much choices for lens, about 10 available thus far and no third party lens except 2 from Carl Zeiss and the price is exorbitant! The focusing speed is fast but could be faster and with a touch screen control will make it even better.

 So if you are a traveler, a retro style camera lover who likes the color and tonal quality images of FUJIFILM, dislike big and bulky DSLR but demands good image quality, this FUJIFILM X-E2 might be the camera you are looking for and those who has a bigger budget can consider the newly launched FUJIFILM X-T1. Happy shooting!

 

FUJIFILM X-E2 18-55mm F18 1/750s, ISO 200, WB Auto