Fuji X-E1 review

A smaller and sleeker Fuji X-Pro1... what's not to like?

Fuji X-E1 review
The Fuji X-E1 builds on the success of the X-Pro1

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Overall, the Fuji X-E1 is an extremely interesting proposition that we can see being incredibly successful.

Combining the fantastic technology of the Fuji X-Pro1 with a more consumer-friendly price and a smaller, more streamlined CSC body will surely appeal to a wide range of people.

Adding a new 18-55mm kit lens to the lineup of the X range is also a smart move, which is again likely to appeal to a new crowd looking for something a little more versatile.

It's nice to see that Fuji's premium quality and build has gone into the design of the kit lens, elevating it far above the realms of the usual bundled optic.

We liked

The improved autofocus speeds that Fuji's new firmware brings, coupled with the 18-55mm kit lens, make this a fantastic camera to easily take on its DSLR rivals.

We disliked

There's not many things to dislike about the camera, with just a few small niggles keeping it from perfection. It would be nice to have seen a touchscreen, while the autofocus speed when using other lenses could do with being improved.

Final verdict

The premium end of the compact system camera market is now looking extremely interesting. This new camera competes much more closely with the Olympus OM-D and Sony NEX-7 than the Fuji X-Pro1 was able to. As such, other manufacturers are likely to carefully watch Fuji's proposition.

Currently, Nikon and Canon don't have anything in this niche segment of the market, while Panasonic's cameras arguably sit just underneath. It'll be interesting what kind of responses we see to the camera in the coming year.

With the X-E1, Fuji has brought the next evolution of the X series of interchangeable lens cameras. As the system is set to grow in the coming year, we can see this camera appealing to a large group of people.

Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar.