48 hours with the fujifilm x-e4

Recently I was lucky enough to spend a weekend with the Fujifilm X-E4, however unfortunately, and i really do mean unfortunately I’ve had to send it back now but this post covers my initial impressions as a someone who shoots a lot of Fujifilm cameras.

The most obvious camera that I have to compare it with is the Fujifilm X100V and in many ways as surprising as it might sound the X-T4. So throughout I will be making comparisons to these! This is a photography focused post as I didn’t have the camera long enough to be able to test the video features too.

The X-E4 is one of Fujifilm’s newest cameras, and is the cheapest and most compact way to get Fujifilm's x-trans 4 sensor that Fuji it shares across its pro model range. RRP comes in at £799 and we will discuss the price and where it fits into the range later in this post. The main take away here though is that you can spend just £799 and get the exact same sensor and therefore in many ways the same performance as the XT4 and XPRO3 which both are over 2x more expensive!

It maintains a somewhat rangefinder style body, but does lack the optical viewfinder of its more expensive siblings of the same style. So it does loss out a little on the analog feel. However I imagine for many this isn't something of concern as many will favor the electronic viewfinder anyway. Unlike other models the screen on the rear of the camera flips all the way up as it has an extra hinge meaning you can get some selfies! or potentially vlog with this camera assuming you didn't mount a mic on the hot shoe....

Surprise was my immediate impression taking this camera out the box. It feels nice and solid in the hands, however a noticeably loose battery door which seems out of place compared to the rest of the build, quickly reminds you that unlike it’s more expensive siblings this camera is not weather sealed.

If you haven’t used any of the more expensive Fuji cameras then I’m sure you will be very happy on the build quality front. However the x100v is essentially my daily driver and I personally instantly noticed some very minor build quality differences.

For example the buttons on the back feel noticeably spongy they don’t really click and offer no feedback as to whether they have been pressed. I quickly noticed that the dial on the top doesn't go all the way around meaning you cant go from Program to Bulb.

Switching it on its exactly like you'd expect, the usual Fuji interface, one which i actually really like compared to other brands I've used. Pressing the shutter almost shocked me! I’ve become so used to very quiet shutters that the XE4 feels loud. It isn't loud in the grand scheme of things, and you're hardly going to be disturbing anyone outside, but in quiet situation you might consider the electronic shutter. Its definitely louder than the XT4 and of course the near silent x100v

The weekend with the camera took Clare and I on two different trips! One to a viaduct we’d seen on Instagram called Ouse Valley Viaduct and a national trust spot of Wakehurst . The a second day a simple family trip to the beach. Its these kind of trips that I think is exactly where this camera will shine. Its small compact size combined with a pretty busy weekend where lugging around a large camera would be a bit of pain.

Lets get a quick grumble out of the way as there is one thing about this camera that above all I do not like and it took some adjusting too over the weekend. If this is your first Fuji then you likely wont even notice, but if you already have Fuji cameras then maybe it'll effect you too and that is this cameras lack of physical controls, for many the clean aesthetic of this camera will be one of its biggest wins but for me, one of the reasons I buy Fuji cameras is for physical controls! and there's two controls missing on this camera that drove me a little insane

First up is the switch that changes the focusing mode between single, manual and continuous. I’ve become so used to having this physical control on different Fuji cameras that I felt a little lost without it. Now the slightly odd part is that the X-E4 doesn't have this but the previous model.... the XE3 did. The other physical control that the X-E4 lacks is the rear thumb dial, I use this a lot on my x100v and X-T4 for various settings and again.... the previous model did have this. As this is one of Fuji's newest cameras I do worry if this is a sign of the future.... are all Fuji's from this point onwards headed this way? I hope not.

Beyond this pretty minor physical control issue that is likely only a issue as I'm a somewhat seasoned Fuji shooter this camera is a joy to shoot. Its small size actually fits very nicely in my hands even if it is missing any kind of grip on the body. If I was keeping the camera long term I think id consider a little thumbs up grip for use with slightly bigger lenses. Its small compact size and clean aesthetic is very unimposing and I was able to take some photos of my grandparents at times without them really noticing, which to some you cant put a price on.

Over the weekend I tried pretty much every Fuji lens I own, the most obvious lens choice for this camera would be primes. I tried both the 23mm and 35mm f2. Both of these like you’d expect performed flawlessly. Autofocus is quick and snappy probably better than the x100v.

The ability to use different lenses is one of the most obvious wins for this camera over the x100 series. I was surprised how balanced the 10-24mm f4 and 16-55mm f2.8 felt on such a small body.

Now there is one other lens I own and its very easy to dismiss it as being a bit stupid but hear me out because its a combo i felt myself reaching for on more than one occasion. The X-E4 and the 70-300mm.

Yes it looks a little ridiculous but this is a very capable combination, the X-E4 lacks IBIS but the lens has pretty incredible optical stabilization that somewhat balances that out. This is a very small small compact package that has a full frame equivilent reach of 450mm. Wildlife and birding is often something that requires huge cameras and lenses while this fits into a tiny little bag, and its not even that bad on you neck if you just wear a strap! If you follow me over on Instagram you’ll likely know that all winter I've been trying to get a Christmas card worthy shot of a robin and well this combination finally got it for me!

Lets quickly compare the XE-4 and X100V, It’s easy to think that the price difference makes these two cameras a non worthy comparison but the X100v at £1300 has a lens. The cheapest way to get the X-E4 with a lens is the bundle with the 27mm which comes in at £945. Which is still a considerably cheaper but far closer

The elephant in the room is if you need the flexibility of zoom lenses then the X-E4 wins and that’s the end of the comparison. However if you are going to be using primes on the X-E4 then remember that using Wide Angle and Telephoto adapter you can cover 28mm 35mm and 50mm with the X100V. These adapters are cheaper than the 28mm and 50mm lenses you’d need to buy for the X-E4.

Having seen the XE4 in photos I was expecting it to be considerably smaller than the X100v, but they are actually surprisingly similar. The pancake style lens of the X100V means that if you are interested in 35mm full frame focal length then the X100v is actually lighter. The XE4 with 27mm does come in a little lighter but its very close. If one of your considerations is size then I'm not sure the differences here are worth worrying about. I would say that the minimalistic exterior makes it less imposing the the X100v even though they aren't dissimilar in size. As previously mentioned the X100V is the noticeably better built camera, with weather sealing, buttons that provide far more feedback, a built in ND, leaf shutter, and bigger and hybrid viewfinder.

So then after the weekend what are my thoughts! In short this is an incredibly capable camera, the fact that Fuji even offer you a way to get their best sensor at a cheap price is game changing. The small little size of this camera makes it perfect for an everyday carry. More seasoned Fuji users might have some complaints around physical controls that people fresh to the Fuji ecosystem will likely never even notice. this is likely what Fuji is trying to do with this camera, get people into the Fuji ecosystem and have them wanting to move to the more expensive models over time. I’d say be careful when it comes to price, as if you don't already have one you need to factor in a lens.

There's a lot of videos and articles out there that point out how good this camera is at street photography, but at the same time its way way more than that! I used it for wildlife photography and ended up with some images I'm, very happy with.

Personally though its not a camera I’m looking to own, it overlaps too much with my other cameras and weather sealing has become a must for me. So the X100V is safe for the time being....