Fujifilm X-E2 Review

November 18, 2013 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The Fujifilm X-E2 is a new compact system camera that offers a number of significant improvements on its predecessor, the X-E1. At the heart of the X-E2 is a new 16.3 megapixel APS-C sized X-Trans CMOS II sensor, which has a colour filter array that mimics film grain and no optical low-pass filter for higher resolution images, and a Lens Modulation Optimiser which automatically corrects diffraction blur. The X-E2 also has a 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder, 3-inch LCD screen with 1.04 million dots, EXR Processor II, hybrid auto-focus system with fast AF speeds of 0.08 second, 7fps burst shooting, a built-in flash, wi-fi connectivity, in-camera raw conversion, a range of film simulation modes, multiple exposure and panoramic shooting modes, Digital Split Image and Focus Peaking for easier manual focusing, and Full HD video recording capabilities at up to 60fps. The Fujifilm X-E2 is available in all-black or silver and black and costs £799 in the UK and $999 in the US body-only, or £899 / $1399 with the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS kit lens.

Ease of Use

At first glance the Fujifilm X-E2 looks virtually identical to it predecessor, but Fujifilm have been hard at work making the X-E2 faster and delivering even more features and better image quality. The Fujifilm X-E2 remains a classically styled interchangeable lens camera that recalls film rangefinders from the past, with a stunning retro design that draws admiring glances from everyone that sees it. Smaller, lighter and less expensive than the range-topping X-Pro1, the X-E2 dispenses with the innovative Hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder, replaced instead by same high-resolution OLED electronic viewfinder as the X-E1. The X-E2's rear LCD screen is now bigger and has significantly more resolution.

The Fujifilm X-E2 is an amazingly well-built X-series camera, with absolutely no flex or movement in its chassis thanks to the die-cast magnesium alloy top and base plates and machined control dials. At the same time, it's actually much lighter than a first glance might suggest, weighing in at 350g body only with the battery and memory card fitted, a full 100g lighter than the X-Pro1. Measuring 129 (W) mm x 74.9(H) mm x 37.2(D) mm, it's very similar in size to the X100/S cameras.

The X-E2 has a subtle but effective hand-grip at the front and a space at the rear for your thumb, with your grip helped in no small part by the textured faux-leather surface that runs around the full width of the camera. Two small metal eyelets on either side of the body are used for connecting the supplied shoulder strap, which isn't quite as luxurious as the rest of the package. A metal tripod mount is positioned slightly off-centre from the lens and next to the memory card / battery compartment, so you'll have to remove the camera from the tripod to change either of them.

At the heart of the X-E2 is the 16.3 megapixel APS-C sized X-Trans CMOS sensor, which is also used by the X100S camera. APS-C is a sensor size that's more commonly used by the majority of DSLR cameras, rather than by compact system cameras - Sony's NEX range and Samsung's NX series are the others. Fujifilm actually claim that the X-E2's sensor will deliver image quality that surpasses most APS-C DSLRs and even some full-frame ones, and as our test photos and sample images on the next two pages show , the X-E2 actually does live up to those claims. We won't say any more at this point other than to recommend that you take a look at our Sample Images for yourself.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Front Rear

Helping to keep the image quality high is the 18-55mm standard zoom kit lens. This offers fast maximum apertures of F/2.8 at 18mm and F/4 at 55mm, with the added benefit of built-in optical image stabilisation to help keep your images sharp. There are aperture and manual focus rings on the lens barrel, which in conjunction with the shutter speed and exposure compensation dials on top of the camera body makes it straight-forward to set the exposure. We did find though that the aperture ring is easily moved, particularly when taking the lens on and off the camera, so watch out for an incorrectly set aperture. The 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS is a really nice standard zoom that's certainly a cut above the kit lenses that ship with most interchangeable lens cameras.

The 18-55mm lens' fast maximum apertures in conjunction with the large APS-C sensor make it easy to throw the background out of focus and achieve some really nice bokeh effects. The combination of the fast apertures and the extensive ISO range of 100-25600 makes the X-E2 very well suited to low-light shooting, allowing you to hand-hold the camera in places where you'd usually be reaching for a tripod (if allowed) or other support. The clever ISO Auto Control setting allows you to set a maximum sensitivity (now up to 6400) and a minimum shutter speed (1/30th is a good starting point), with the camera over-riding your ISO choice if it thinks you're being too ambitious whilst maintaining a shutter speed that won't introduce camera shake.

With its focal-plane shutter, the X-E2 has a very adaptable top shutter-speed limit of 1/4000th second in all shooting modes. Consequently there's no built-in ND filter as on the X100/S, so if you want to use the 35mm lens at F/1.4 in very bright sunlight, for example, then it's a good idea to buy an actual glass ND filter (52mm).

The Fujifilm X-E2's auto-focusing speed is further improved on the previous model, with a quoted fastest auto-focus time of just 0.08 seconds when using the 18-55mm zoom. The X-E2 has an ultra-fast hybrid AF system with both a conventional contrast-detection system and built-in Phase Detection pixels which enables the camera to achieve a focus lock so quickly and accurately. If you mostly use auto-focus rather than manual then this one improvement alone is reason to upgrade from the X-E1. The X-E2 has 49 individual AF points laid out in a 7 x 7 grid, with the ability to change the size of the focus point via the rear command dial to achieve more precise focusing.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Pop-up Flash Top

Manual focusing is activated by setting the focusing switch on the front of the camera to Manual and using the ring that encircles the lens to focus. The X-series lenses have an electronically coupled focus-by-wire manual focusing ring, rather than a physical one. We criticised the X-E1 for taking a lot of turns to change the focus from 0.1m to infinity, commenting that it was a much better idea to use the AFL/AEL button on the rear of the camera to set the focus automatically, then use the focusing ring to micro-adjust the focus manually, if required. This is still a viable technique, but is perhaps no longer required as Fujifilm have cleverly made the focusing ring more sensitive to how you use it - turn it slowly and the focusing distance changes slowly, but turn it more quickly and the camera quickly moves through the distance scale. It now takes less than 2 full turns and a couple of seconds to jump from the closest focus distance to infinity, a big improvement on the X-E1.

The X-E2 also now offers not one, not two, but three ways of manually focusing. Firstly, there's a handy blue distance scale along the bottom of the viewfinder (both the OVF and EVF) and on the LCD screen if you're using that for composition, with a red bar indicating the the focusing distance and a white bar showing the depth of field, which actually changes in line with the current aperture - very clever. In addition to the AFL/AEL button, the X-E2 has another trick up its manual focusing sleeve in the shape of the rear command control (the dial which sits under your right thumb). You can press this in to magnify the view in the electronic viewfinder, with the ability to then pan around the frame by pressing the AF button and spinning the command dial. This makes it much easier to judge precise focusing.

The second manual focusing method is the new Digital Split Image feature. Harking back to film cameras of the past, this displays dual images on the left and right which then need to be lined up together for accurate manual focusing, enabling accurate focusing especially when shooting wide-open or for macro shooting. It's much easier to understand in practice than written down. The third and final method is the Focus Peak Highlight function, which displays a white line around the subject when it's in focus, something that Sony NEX users in particular have been enjoying for a while. Both of these additions make manual focusing on the X-E2 more of a pleasure than a chore, although the revised fly-by-wire manual focusing ring operation is arguably more important.

The X-E2 utilises a focal-plane shutter rather than the leaf shutter that the X100/S has, much like a regular DSLR camera. This results in slightly noisier operation and a much slower flash-sync speed of 1/180th second (versus the X100's 1/400th second). To make the camera less obtrusive there's a Silent menu option which turns off the speaker, flash, AF-assist lamp and most importantly the artificially-created shutter-release sound, instantly making the X-E2 perfectly suited to candid photography.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Front Side

The Fujifilm X-E2 offers two ways of composing your images. In addition to the bigger and higher-resolution 3 inch LCD monitor on the back, which offers 100% scene coverage and 1.04 million dots. The LCD screen has a handy Info view which presents all of the key settings at once, or you can switch to the Standard or Custom Live View modes, with the latter offering 14 customisable options (these are also used for the electronic viewfinder).

There's also an excellent electronic viewfinder, which has 2,360,000 dots and provides the same exact 100% coverage as the rear LCD screen, plus a parallax corrected view, accurate preview of exposure and depth of field, and the ability to see all of the information that you can view on the rear LCD. The Fujifilm X-E2's EVF is one of the best that you'll find on any compact system camera to date, and is so good that we hardly missed the X-Pro1's admittedly superb Hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder. The X-E2 also has a built-in eye sensor so that you only have to hold the camera up to eye-level to switch between the rear LCD and the electronic viewfinder (or you can press the View Mode button).

In terms of operational speed, the Fujifilm X-E2 is much faster than its predecessor. Shutter lag is virtually non-existent on this camera (0.05 second), so once you have set the focus, you'll never miss the moment because the camera can't fire the shutter quickly enough, shot-to-shot time of 0.5 second, and it starts-up in just 0.5 second too. The write speeds from pressing the shutter button to recording to the SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card are faster too. Shooting a single RAW + Fine JPEG takes about 1.5 seconds to record to the card, a big improvement on the X-E1. Continuous shooting speeds have been slightly improved, with a faster top rate of 7fps for around 28 JPEGs or 8 RAW files, depending on the speed of your memory card, with a slower 3fps speed with AF tracking also available. Note that both the focus and the exposure are set according to the first frame in each series, so it's not a particularly good system for tracking fast-moving subjects in varied lighting conditions, Thankfully the camera doesn't lock up completely for a long time if you shoot the maximum number of images in a burst, allowing you to continue shooting after just a few seconds.

One area in which the Fujifilm X-E2 excels is its handling, thanks in no small part to the numerous external controls that make changing the key settings a breeze, especially when holding the camera at eye-level. Surrounding the 18-55m lens is a circular aperture ring, although it has no markings due to the variable aperture. This dial also allows you to choose third-stop apertures. On top of the X-E2 is a large, tactile control dial for setting the shutter speed, with settings ranging from 1 second to 1/4000th second, an Auto option, a T setting for longer exposures (2 to 30 seconds, set via the circular command wheel) and a Bulb mode for exposures up to a whopping 60 minutes in length. Alongside the shutter speed dial is another tactile dial for changing the exposure compensation, now with an expanded range of +-3EV - together these three controls make it extremely easy to set the exposure.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Memory Card Slot Battery Compartment

Four other controls complete the X-E2's top-plate. The small but responsive shutter release button is encircled by the On/Off switch, which in turn has a thread for a very traditional mechanical cable release - there's no need to buy an expensive dedicated accessory for this camera. Alongside is the Fn button, which by default provides quick access to the ISO speeds, but can be customised to suit your own needs from 12 different settings. Further customisation is available via the 7 Custom Menu options, which let you create, save and recall up to 7 sets of user-defined settings. Finally there's an external flash hotshoe for suitable dedicated external units, and the handy built-in pop-up flash which has a guide number of 7 at ISO 200. This is released via the Flash button on the rear of the camera, and its clever hinged design positions it above the lens and helps to reduce red-eye.

The X-E2 is the third X-series camera to feature built-in wi-fi connectivity, although it's rather restricted in use as it has to be paired with a smartphone. Install the FUJIFILM Camera App and you can transfer your pictures immediately to a smartphone or tablet PC and then edit and share them as you wish, transfer stills and video onto the camera, and embed GPS information in your shots from your smartphone. Note that you can't control the camera remotely, only transfer images. The FUJIFILM PC AutoSave software provides a simple means to back up your photos to your home PC.

The Fujifilm X-E2 can record full HD 1080p movies at 60/30fps with stereo sound and a high bitrate (36Mbps), with the option for turning this mode on curiously buried at the bottom of the Drive menu (you can, as with most things on the X-E2, customise this and assign the Fn button to the movie mode). It's fair to say that the X-E2's movie mode isn't overly advanced. You can set the aperture and shutter speed before recording begins, but not during, and you can also set the Film Simulation mode, so black and white footage is possible, and the exposure compensation. Continuous auto-focusing is possible, although it still tends to hunt around before locking onto the subject, and manual focusing is also available (with the same caveats as for stills). There is a HDMI port for connecting the X-E2 to a high-definition TV, although as usual there's no cable supplied in the box. Also missing is a paper copy of the otherwise helpful manual, which is supplied on CD-ROM instead, along with the consumer MyFinepix software the slow and rather unintuitive RAW convertor (essentially a specially customised version of the commercial Silkypix application).

The X-E2 has a logical rear control layout. There's a vertical row of four buttons on the left of the LCD screen for choosing image playback, the drive mode, exposure mode and the customisable Fn2 button. Above the LCD are the Flash Release button and the Q button. This provides quick access to lots of frequently used shooting settings including the ISO speed, White Balance, File Size and File Quality, with the 4-way controller and command dial used to quickly change them. To the right are the rear control dial, separate AF-L and AE-L buttons, and two activity LEDs. A 4-way controller is used to change the shutter speed and aperture, toggle the macro mode on and off, and set the AF point. In the middle of the controller is the Menu button, which accesses the eight Shooting and Set-up menus. Underneath is the Disp/Back button which is used for changing the LCD display or going back.

The Fujifilm X-E2 may look virtually identical to the previous X-E1, but it contains a number of major operational improvements focused on speed and performance that make it a more enjoyable camera to use. Now let's find out what the X-E2's image quality is like...

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 16 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 5Mb.

The Fujifilm X-E2 produces images of outstanding quality. It recorded noise-free JPEG images at ISO 100 all the way up to 6400, with a little noise at ISO 12800 and more visible noise and slight colour desaturation at the fastest setting of ISO 25600, an amazing performance for a camera with an APS-C sensor. The RAW files were also excellent, with usable images throughout the entire range of ISO 200-6400.

The images were a little soft straight out of the Fujifilm X-E2 at the default sharpening setting and ideally require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds being long enough for most after-dark shots, and the Bulb mode allowing much longer exposures if required.

The Dynamic Range settings subtly improve detail in the shadows and highlights, while the Film Simulation modes hark back to a bygone era. Motion panoramas are the icing on the proverbial cake, although they didn't work very well in mixed lighting conditions or with moving subjects in the frame. The Advanced Filters provide some creative control over your JPEGs before taking the shot.

Noise

There are 9 ISO settings available on the Fujifilm X-E2 for JPEGs, and 6 for RAW files. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and RAW files.

JPEG RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

 
iso100.jpg  
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

 
iso12800.jpg  
   

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

 
iso25600.jpg  

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little soft and ideally benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. You can also change the in-camera sharpening level.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
   
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

Focal Range

The Fujifilm X-E2's 18-55mm kit lens provides an effective focal range of 27-83mm in 35mm terms, as demonstrated below.

27mm

83mm

focal_range1.jpg focal_range2.jpg

File Quality

The Fujifilm X-E2 has 2 different image quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

16M Fine (4.79Mb) (100% Crop) 16M Normal (2.97Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_fine.jpg quality_normal.jpg
   
16M RAW (32.2Mb) (100% Crop)  
quality_raw.jpg  

Flash

The flash settings on the Fujifilm FinePix X-E2 are Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro, Red-eye Reduction Auto, Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash and Red-eye Reduction & Slow Synchro. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Suppressed Flash - Wide Angle (27mm)

Forced Flash - Wide Angle (27mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Suppressed Flash - Telephoto (83mm)

Forced Flash - Telephoto (83mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are some portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Forced Flash setting or the Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash option caused any red-eye.

Forced Flash

Forced Flash (100% Crop)
flash_on.jpg flash_on1.jpg
   

Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash

Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash (100% Crop)

flash_redeye.jpg flash_redeye1.jpg

Night

The Fujifilm X-E2's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds in the Time shutter speed mode, and there's a Bulb mode which allows exposures up to 60 minutes long, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 30 seconds at ISO 200.

Night

Night (100% Crop)

night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Dynamic Range

The Fujifilm X-E2 has three dynamic range settings - 100% (on by default), 200%, and 400% - and an Auto setting if you want to let the camera take control. These settings gradually increase the amount of detail visible in the shadow and highlight areas, with the side-effect of more noise appearing in the image. Note that you can't actually turn this feature off.

100%

200%

dynamic_range1.jpg dynamic_range2.jpg
   

400%

 
dynamic_range3.jpg  

Film Simulation

The Fujifilm X-E2 offers 8 different film simulation modes to help repliatce the look of your favourite film stock from the past.

Provia / Standard

Velvia / Vivid

film_simulation_01.jpg film_simulation_02.jpg
   

Astia / Soft

Pro Neg. Hi

film_simulation_03.jpg film_simulation_04.jpg
   

Pro Neg. Standard

B&W

film_simulation_05.jpg film_simulation_06.jpg
   

Monochrome + Yellow Filter

Monochrome + Red Filter

film_simulation_07.jpg film_simulation_08.jpg
   

Monochrome + Green Filter

Sepia

film_simulation_09.jpg film_simulation_10.jpg

Advanced Filter

The Fujifilm Finepix X-E2 offers 13 different filter effects which can be previewed on the LCD screen.

Toy Camera

Miniature

advanced_filter_01.jpg advanced_filter_02.jpg
   

Pop Color

High-Key

advanced_filter_03.jpg advanced_filter_04.jpg
   

Low-Key

Dynamic Tone

advanced_filter_05.jpg advanced_filter_06.jpg
   

Soft Focus

Partial Color (Red)

advanced_filter_07.jpg advanced_filter_08.jpg
   

Partial Color (Orange)

Partial Color (Yellow)

advanced_filter_09.jpg advanced_filter_10.jpg
   

Partial Color (Green)

Partial Color (Blue)

advanced_filter_11.jpg advanced_filter_12.jpg
   

Partial Color (Purple)

 
advanced_filter_13.jpg  

Panoramas

Just like Sony's Cybershot range, the Fujifilm X-E2 can create motion panoramas, either 120 or 180 degrees in length. Exposure is set on the first frame, which caused some problems indoors where different light sources caused areas of vertical banding. Watch out also for moving subjects in the frame as the X-E2 won't compensate for this.

120 Degrees
panorama1.jpg
 
180 Degrees
panorama2.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Fujifilm X-E2 camera, which were all taken using the 16 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Fujifilm Finepix X-E2 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Fujifilm RAW (RAF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 21 second movie is 97.3Mb in size.

Product Images

Fujifilm X-E2

Front of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Front of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Front of the Fujifilm X-E2 / Pop-up Flash

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Side of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Side of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Side of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Side of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Side of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Side of the Fujifilm X-E2

 

Fujifilm X-E2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-E2 / Image Displayed

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-E2 / Turned On

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-E2 / Info Screen

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-E2 / Main Menu

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Rear of the Fujifilm X-E2 / Quick Menu

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Top of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Bottom of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Side of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Side of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Front of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Front of the Fujifilm X-E2

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Memory Card Slot

 
Fujifilm X-E2

Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The new Fujifilm X-E2 offers more features, better handling and importantly faster performance than its predecessor, which we already loved, making it our favourite X-series camera and one of the best compact system cameras around. Fujifilm have clearly listened to their users and produced a camera that may look very much like the original X-E1, but which improves on it in virtually all ways.

Speed is one of the key improvements. The X-E1 suffered from slightly sluggish auto-focusing and generally slow performance, whereas the X-E2 with its new hybrid AF system offers satisfyingly quick focusing coupled with much improved start-up and shot-to-shot times, as well as slightly faster burst shooting.

The X-E2 also benefits from a much improved LCD screen, addition of wi-fi connectivity, improved video recording, and Digital Split Image and Focus Peaking for easier manual focusing - just a few of the many ways that Fujifilm have updated this new model - while retaining the original model's excellent electronic viewfinder and sublimely intuitive control layout.

Image quality has not been neglected either. Noise is noticeable only by its almost complete absence throughout the ISO range for both JPEGs and RAW files, and the removal of the optical low pass filter produces slightly more detail in the image. The 18-55mm lens is also worthy of mention, with the fast maximum apertures making it easy to creatively throw the background out of focus, and delivering sharp results throughout the focal range. The X-E2 is certainly right up there with the best APS-C sensor cameras on the market, and some full-frame models too.

Time stands still for no man in the camera world, and with the recent launches of the pro-level Olympus OM-D E-M1, full-frame Sony A7/A7R, and compact Panasonic GX7, the Fujifilm X-E2 certainly has a lot of competition. We feel that the X-E2 offers something genuinely different, though, that's certainly more than enough to hold its own.

5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 5
Ease-of-use 5
Image quality 5
Value for money 4.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Fujifilm X-E2.

Canon EOS M

The Canon EOS M is a new compact system camera that boasts 18 megapixels, full 1080p high-definition videos with continuous auto-focusing, and a touch-screen interface. Other key features of the EOS M include a 3-inch LCD screen with 1,040k dot resolution, ISO range of 100-25,600, and a flash hotshoe. Is Canon's new mirrorless model a real contender? Read our Canon EOS M review to find out...

Fujifilm X-E1

The Fujifilm X-E1 is a new premium compact system camera. The retro, rangefinder-styled X-E1 offers the same image sensor and lens mount as the flagship X-Pro in a smaller, lighter body, with a new electronic viewfinder, built-in flash, 18-55m kit lens and more affordable price tag. Read our Fujifilm X-E1 review to find out if it's a viable alternative to the X-Pro1...

Fujifilm X-M1

The Fujifilm X-M1 is a new compact system camera that's designed to expand the appeal of the X-system. The retro-styled X-M1 offers the same image sensor and lens mount as the more expensive X-Pro1 and X-E1 cameras in a smaller, lighter body. The X-M1 has a built-in flash, new 16-50mm kit lens, wi-fi connectivity, tilting LCD screen and of course a more affordable price tag. Read our Fujifilm X-M1 review to find out if it succeeds in bringing Fujifilm's mirrorless range to the masses...

Fujifilm X-Pro1

The Fujifilm X-Pro1 is a new premium compact system camera. Building on the popularity of the X100, the retro, rangefinder-styled X-Pro1 offers a brand new sensor that's claimed to rival full-frame DSLRs, an improved hybrid viewfinder, and a new X lens mount with three prime lenses available on launch. Read our Fujifilm X-Pro1 review to find out if it can emulate the runaway success of the X100...

Nikon 1 V2

The Nikon 1 V2 is a second-generation compact system camera that's clearly been redesigned to appeal to the serious enthusiast. In addition to a more direct control layout with shooting mode and control dials, a chunky hand-grip and built-in pop-up flash, the Nikon V2 also sports a new 14 megapixel sensor, faster 15fps burst shooting with continuous focusing, and improved Best Moment Capture and Motion Snapshot Modes. Read the World's first Nikon 1 V2 review to find out if this new mirrorless model can capture the attention of the more discerning photographer...

Olympus E-P5

The Olympus E-P5 is a new compact system camera that's both old-fashioned and cutting-edge, with a gorgeous retro design that harks back to the 1950s and the very latest digital technologies. Read our expert Olympus E-P5 review to find out if this is the best PEN camera yet...

Olympus OM-D E-M1

The Olympus O-MD E-M1 is a new professional compact system camera. Targeting its DSLR rivals, Olympus are promoting the E-M1 as a smaller and more capable camera. Read our expert Olympus E-M1 review to find out if it really can beat the competition...

Olympus OM-D E-M5

Olympus have expanded their Micro Four Thirds family with the launch of the OM-D E-M5. Boasting the World's fastest autofocus system, the E-M5 brings the original design ethos of the 1970's film OM series kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Read our expert Olympus E-M5 review to find out if it's the best compact system camera on the market.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 is an exciting new compact system camera aimed firmly at keen photographers. With a built-in tilting electronic viewfinder, 16 megapixel sensor, 3 inch tilting LCD touchscreen, pop-up flash, 60/50p high-definition video, integrated wi-fi and NFC connectivity, both lens and in-body image stabilization, and a stylish design, is the GX7 the ultimate interchangeable lens camera? Read our expert Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7 review to find out....

Panasonic Lumix G6

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Specifications

Model FUJIFILM X-E2
Effective Pixels 16.3 million pixels
Sensor type 23.6mm x 15.6mm (APS-C) X-Trans CMOS II with primary color filter
Total number of pixels: 16.7 million pixels
Sensor Cleaning system
Ultra Sonic Vibration
Storage media SD memory card / SDHC memory card / SDXC (UHS-I) memory card*1
File format
Still image
JPEG (Exif Ver 2.3)*2, RAW (RAF format), RAW+JPEG (Design rule for Camera File system compliant / DPOF-compatible)
Movie
Movie File Format: MOV
Movie Video Compression: H.264
Audio: Linear PCM Stereo
Number of recorded pixels L: (3:2) 4896 x 3264 / (16:9) 4896 x 2760 / (1:1) 3264 x 3264
M: (3:2) 3456 x 2304 / (16:9) 3456 x 1944 / (1:1) 2304 x 2304
S: (3:2) 2496 x 1664 / (16:9) 2496 x 1408 / (1:1) 1664 x 1664 <Motion Panorama>
L: Vertical: 2160 x 9600 / Horizontal: 9600 x 1440
M: Vertical: 2160 x 6400 / Horizontal: 6400 x 1440
Lens mount FUJIFILM X mount
Sensitivity AUTO (Control available up to ISO6400)
Equivalent to ISO 200 - 6400 (Standard Output Sensitivity)
Extended output sensitivity equivalent ISO 100, 12800 and 25600
Exposure control TTL 256-zone metering, Multi / Spot / Average
Exposure mode Programmed AE, Shutter Speed priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual exposure
Exposure compensation -3.0EV - +3.0EV, 1/3EV step
(movie recording : -2.0EV - +2.0EV)
Image stabilisation Supported with OIS type lenses
Face detection Yes
Shutter type Focal Plane Shutter
Shutter speed (P mode) 1/4 sec. to 1/4000 sec.,
(All other modes) 30 sec. to 1/4000 sec.
Bulb (max. 60 min.)
Time 1/2 to 30 sec.
Synchronized shutter speed for flash : 1/180 sec. or slower
Continuous shooting Approx. 7.0 fps (JPEG: max. approx. 28 frames, RAW / RAW+JPEG: max. approx. 8 frames
Approx. 3.0 fps (JPEG:up to the capacity of the card, RAW / RAW+JPEG: max. approx. 8 frames)
  • * Use a card with SD Speed Class with  or higher.
  • * The frame rate varies with shooting condition and the number of images recorded.
Auto bracketing AE Bracketing (±1/3EV, ±2/3EV, ±1EV)
Film Simulation Bracketing (Any 3 types of film simulation selectable)
Dynamic Range Bracketing (100% · 200% · 400%)
ISO sensitivity Bracketing (±1/3EV, ±2/3EV, ±1EV)
Focus
mode
Single AF / Continuous AF / MF Distance Indicator
type
Intelligent Hybrid AF (TTL contrast AF / TTL phase detection AF), AF assist illuminator available
AF frame selection
Area (EVF / LCD: 49 areas with 7 x 7) / Multi
  • * Changeable size of AF frame: among 5 types
White balance Automatic scene recognition
Custom / Color temperature selection (K)
Preset : Fine / Shade / Fluorescent light (Daylight) / Fluorescent light (Warm White) / Fluorescent light (Cool White) / Incandescent light / Underwater
Self timer 10 sec. / 2 sec. Delay
Flash Manual pop-up flash (Super Intelligent Flash)
Guide number: approx 7 (ISO200 · m)
Flash modes
Red-eye removal OFF
Auto / Forced Flash / Slow Synchro / Suppressed Flash / Rear-curtain Synchro / Commander
Red-eye removal ON
Red-eye Reduction Auto / Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash / Red-eye Reduction & Slow Synchro / Suppressed Flash / Red-eye Reduction & Rear-curtain Synchro / Commander
  • * Red-eye removal is active when Face Detection is set to ON.
Hot shoe Yes (Dedicated TTL Flash compatible)
Viewfinder 0.5-in., approx. 2.360K-dot OLED color viewfinder
Coverage of viewing area vs. capturing area : Approx. 100%
Eye point : approx. 23mm
Diopter adjustment : -4m-1 to +2m-1
Built-in eye sensor
LCD monitor 3.0-inch, aspect ratio 3:2, Approx. 1,040K-dot, color LCD monitor (Approx. 100% coverage)
Movie recording Full HD 1920 x 1080 60p / 30p, Continuous recording: up to approx. 14 min.
HD 1280 x 720 60p / 30p, Continuous recording: up to approx. 27 min.
  • * Use a card with SD Speed Class with or higher
Film Simulation mode 10 type (PROVIA/STANDARD, Velvia/VIVID, ASTIA/SOFT, PRO Neg Hi, PRO Neg. Std, MONOCHROME, MONOCHROME+Ye FILTER, MONOCHROME+R FILTER, MONOCHROME+G FILTER, SEPIA)
Dynamic range setting AUTO (100-400%), 100%, 200%, 400%
Advanced filter Toy camera / Miniature / Pop color / High-key / Low-key / Dynamic tone / Soft focus / Partial color (Red / Orange / Yellow / Green / Blue / Purple)
Photography functions Auto Red-eye Removal, Setting (Color, Sharpness, D-range, Gradation), Select custom setting, Motion panorama, Color space, Framing guideline, Frame No. memory, Histogram display, Preview depth of focus, Lens Modulatioon Optimizer, Pre-AF, Focus check, Focus Peak Highlight, Digital Split Image™*3, Electronic level, Multiple exposure, Fn button setting (RAW, Movie, etc)
Playback functions RAW conversion, Image rotate, Red-eye reduction, Photobook assist, Erase selected frames, image search, Multi-frame playback (with micro thumbnail), Slide show, Mark for upload, Protect, Crop, Resize, Panorama, Favorites
Wireless transmitter
Standard
IEEE 802.11b / g / n (standard wireless protocol)
Access mode
Infrastructure
Wireless functions Geotagging, Wireless communication (Image transfer), View & Obtain Images, PC Autosave
Other functions PictBridge, Exif Print, Language selection, Time difference, High Performance mode, Silent mode
Terminal
Video output
-
Digital interface
USB 2.0 High-Speed
  • * connectable with Remote Release RR-90 (sold separately)
HDMI output
HDMI mini connector (Type C)
Others
Microphone / shutter release input: ø2.5mm, stereo mini connector
Power supply NP-W126 Li-ion battery (included)
Dimensions 129mm (W) x 74.9mm (H) x 37.2mm (D) / 5.1 in. (W) x 2.9 in. (H) x 1.5 in. (D)
(Minimum depth: 30.9mm / 1.2 in.)
Weight Approx. 350g / 12.3 oz. (including battery and memory card)
Approx. 300g / 10.6 oz. (excluding accessories, battery and memory card)
Operating temperature 0°C - 40°C
Operating humidity 10 - 80% (no condensation)
Battery life for still images Approx. 350 frames (When XF35mmF1.4 R is set)
Start-up time Approx. 0.5 sec., when High Performance mode set to ON
Approx. 0.92 sec., when High Performance mode set to OFF
  • * Fujifilm research
Accessories included Li-ion battery NP-W126
Battery charger BC-W126
Shoulder strap
Body cap
Metal strap clip
Protective cover
Clip attaching tool
CD-ROM (Viewer software, RAW File Converter etc.*5)
Owner's manual

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