Mirrorless

Fujifilm X-E5

£1,299/$1,699 (body only)

This could be the best camera yet in the brand’s X-E line

www.fujifilm.eu

1 The X-E5 is easy to hold with the new XF 23mm F2.8, but isn’t designed for larger lenses. 1

2 The new model weighs 445g, versus 364g for its predecessor, but is still pocketable.

3 This new lever adds five controls, with short and long tilts to the side and a button in the middle.

Specifications

Sensor: 40.2MP APS-C, X-Trans CMOS 5 HR

Lens mount: Fujifilm X

Processor: X-Processor 5

Image size: 6,240 x 4,160px

ISO range: 160-12,800, exp to 80-51,200

Stabilisation: Up to 7.0 stops

Max burst: 8fps (mechanical), 20fps (electronic)

Viewfinder: EVF, 2.36m dot OLED

LCD: 3in, 1.62m dot, 2-way tilt touchscreen

Video: 6.2K30P, 4K60P, 1080/240P, 4:2:2 10-bit F-Log2

Storage: 1x UHS-II SD card slot

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, HDMI Micro Type D

Battery: NP-W126S (390 shots)

Dimensions (W x H x D): 121 x 73 x 33mm

Weight: 364g (with battery and SD card)

When Fujifilm unveiled the X-E1 in 2012, it distilled the then-new X-Pro concept into a trim, rangefinder-style body that cost and weighed far less than the flagship X-Pro1, yet kept the same dial-driven shooting experience. The X-E2 and X-E3 continued to shave more millimetres and buttons, but the X-E4 pushed minimalism to the limit, and its slim, grip-less body became both a selling point and a sore spot for street and travel shooters.

That polarising design, combined with pandemic-era supply woes, saw the X-E4 vanish from retailers after a short stint on store shelves. However, demand for the X-E line was still there, though, with pre-owned prices soaring, so it was only a matter of time before Fujifilm revisited the concept.