And then there was one - the X-E2!

Well, it is indeed official. I am now a complete Fujifilm X shooter! And the winner once the dust had all settled? Ok, it's no surprise if you've been following along (or if you've read the title). I've kept the X-E2.

Lone Tree, West Coast. Fujifilm X-T1 and Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/320th, ISO 200 

In my last post I talked about using the X-T1, and the things I didn't like about its ergonomics. After picking it up for the first time I knew I probably wasn't going to keep it - which was something of a surprise to me. It's positives didn't outweigh its negatives (for me at least), and the fact that it has exactly the same sensor as in the X-E2 didn't help its chances of me keeping it. So it's gone.

Lake Mahinapua reeds. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 17-80mm. f/11 @ 1/6th sec, ISO 200

In another recent post, I took my other recent purchase, the Nikon D300, out for a trip to Lake Mahinapua. I enjoyed the experience of shooting with the DSLR (see the post here), and got some decent images on the morning despite the overcast conditions. I finished that post by saying that I might keep the D300 around to scratch my DLSR itch - but that the Fujifilm X-E2 would be my main system. Well, I didn't - keep it, that is. Upon reflection, I couldn't really justify having the gear just sitting around for when I might want to use it one day. So it's also gone.

Motukeikei Beach, Low tide. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/11 @ 1/5th sec, ISO 800

This left me with the Fujifilm X-E1 - the body that kicked of this whole love affair to begin with - and the X-E2, the 'upgraded' model with a few extra bells and whistles. I outlined this dilemma in this post, concluding that the X-E2 was the 'practical' choice over the X-E1, since it does offer a few helpful software related tweaks over the X-E1. I've since followed through with this decision, and now the X-E1 is also gone (along with the Fujinon 16-50mm XC lens).

So as it stands today, as I write this, I literally just have the X-E2 body left. Nothing else. Not even a lens! Although a lens is coming. With all this selling, I've got a tidy sum together to blow on a lens - right!? So what am I getting? The Fujinon XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 maybe? Or, what about really splurging on the Fujinon XF16-55mm f2.8! I could probably afford one. Oh, I know. Let's really make use of the X-E2's small form factor and get a couple of primes. The 23mm f2 and 35mm f2 maybe?

Nope. Haven't gone for any of those. What I've done, instead, is get another Fujinon 16-50mm XC f3.5-5.6 - plastic fantastic kit lens! I kid you not. Am I crazy? Maybe. Maybe not. I'm actually going to write a post about this lens soon, so stay tuned for my reasoning's to stick with the 'inferior' XC lens lineup.

The lens should arrive soon, along with a grip attachment for the X-E2, and then my 'kit' will be complete (for a while). It will feel a little strange just having one camera body though. I've had the 'back-up' body mentality for such a long time, I may have to relent and get another X-E2? Maybe an all black one to go along with the black and silver I have at the moment? And then again, there is a black X-E1 body going very cheaply online at the moment...

B&W Landscapes with the Fujifilm X-T1

The Fujifilm X-E2 (and briefly the X-E1) is quickly becoming my go-to camera - for everything! Trust me, this is a huge surprise to me - so much so that I can't quite believe it and am starting to second-guess myself.

How so? Well, as much as I like the look of a range-finder style camera like the X-E2, I've always actually preferred the handling and feel of a more traditional SLR styled camera body. So I figured that if I like the X-E2, I'll love the X-T1!? So yes - you guessed it. I brought one.

Carters Beach tree stump. Fujifilm X-T1 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/240th, ISO 200. Polariser

I've had it for a couple of weeks, but haven't had a chance to get out and shoot with it until yesterday (as I write this). The X-T1 uses a more 'traditional' SLR design, with a few more knobs and dials (it has a dedicated ISO dial), but as can be seen in the comparison photo, it's not actually that much bigger than the rangefinder-esque X-E2.

And actually, that's my first gripe with the X-T1. It feels a bit cramped, and not quite big enough. It's been a regular complaint of mine with all mirrorless systems, not just Fujifilm. When I had the Olympus OM-D E-M5 I had to attach the grip before it felt comfortable in my hands, and I ain't got big hands! I feel exactly the same way with the X-T1. I'm sure it would feel better with the vertical grip attached. Oddly enough, the X-E2 doesn't feel as cramped. It actually feels more comfortable in my hand. Partly I think, due to the thumb grip I have attached. But also partly because it doesn't feel crammed with knobs and dials that are all squashed in together.

Carters Beach driftwood. Fuji X-T1 with 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/480th, ISO 200

My second gripe is with said knobs and dials. While I understand what Fuji has done with the SLR styled X-T1 - giving us all the main exposure controls directly on the camera itself - they are a bit too fiddly for my liking. The ISO dial on the top left annoys me because it's automatically locked, and has to be unlocked every time you want to change the ISO! (Arrgghhh).

Also, the front and rear control wheels are very small, and quite recessed. I have difficulty accessing them simply by 'feel' with my eye up to the camera. Whereas the control wheel on the X-E2 seems a bit 'chunkier' and falls nicely under my thumb.

Carters Beach Driftwood 2. Fujifilm X-T1 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/105th, ISO 200

On the far right on both cameras sits the exposure compensation wheel. I use this wheel often, flicking it around to add or subtract exposure while my eye is at the viewfinder. The dial on the X-E2 has just the right amount of resistance (to me). Just enough that it spins freely, but not too much so that it could be knocked and changed accidentally. The X-T1's exposure compensation wheel is a little tighter, requiring just that little bit more effort to move. Not a big thing, and I get why they may have made it slightly stiffer, but as I said, the compensation dial on the X-E2 just feels better (again, to me).

Truman Track Beach, Punakaiki. Fuji X-T1 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/550th, ISO 200. Polariser

Wow, that sounds like a bit of a dump on the Fuji X-T1! And I guess, in some ways, it is. I really do find it a bit cramped and too small, even for my smallish hands - especially without the vertical grip attached (which I don't have). Oddly enough, on such a compact SLR, the one thing I really love about the X-T1 is its evf (electronic viewfinder). It's massive! I mean really. It puts most full frame camera viewfinders to shame. I thought the viewfinder on the Olympus E-M1 was big, but the X-T1's in next level. So there's that.

And also, take a look at the black and white images in this post. Of course they were all taken with the X-T1. But they were also all taken in the middle of the day, when the lighting was pretty harsh and not the best for landscape photography. The dynamic range in most of these was off the chart, so I exposed for the highlights and let the shadows block up in the harsh lighting conditions. Surprisingly, there was still plenty of shadow detail left that I was able to recover later in Lightroom - even though these are all jpegs!

Truman Track Blowhole. Fuji X-T1 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/5.6 @ 1/550th, ISO 200. Polariser

All the landscape images for this blogpost were shot using my 'Acros' film simulation recipe (click here for a previous post on this setup). Yes, there has been some post-process tweaking of shadows and highlights (plus my usual Clarity and Dehaze adjustments), which I would expect even with the RAW files. The point is, there was enough data to recover, even with the jpegs, in less than ideal lighting conditions. So I've got no complaints about the x-trans II sensor used in the X-T1 - which really isn't surprising, since it's the same sensor as in my X-E2.

Punakaiki Coastline. Fuji X-T1 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/8 @ 1/140th, ISO 200. Polariser

Of course I wouldn't suggest that anyone shoot landscape photos in the middle of the day, in full sunlight. But sometimes, when you are a 'tourist', you are only in the location once in your life and you can't control the time of day. It is what it is. If this was the only time I was ever going to be at this location (fortunately for me it's not), I'd be very happy with the photos I was able to get with the X-T1.

Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki. Fuji X-T1 with Fujinon 16-50mm XC. f/8 @ 1/125th, ISO 200. Polariser

So absolutely no complaints with the images that you can get with the X-T1 and the Fuji x-trans II 16MP sensor. They are brilliant. Even as jpegs processed in-camera. I've been incredibly impressed with the x-trans sensor from the very first image I took with the X-E1, and I continue to be impressed.

What it boils down to for me, in the end, is handling. Pure and simple. And, as much as it surprises me to say it, I much prefer the handling of the range-finder styled X-E1 and X-E2, that I do the SLR styling of the X-T1. And that really is a shock to me, since it was exactly the opposite with my Olympus mirrorless gear. With the Olympus cameras, I much preferred the E-M5 and E-M1 over the compact Pen series, especially with battery grips attached to the OM-D's. I get the feeling that I would like the X-T1 better with a grip attached too. But then there would still be the issue of the cramped and fiddly knobs and dials, which just feel a bit too small.

Rock Stack, Punakaiki. Fuji X-T1 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f/8 @ 1/220th, ISO 200. Polariser

Having gone a bit mad initially, buying up everything I could find that had 'Fujifilm' on the front of it, I've now had a little time to use the gear and for the dust to settle. The X-E1 has given way to the X-E2 - which wasn't a straight forward decision in the end. You'd think 'upgrading' to the newer model would be a no-brainer, but I actually really struggled to justify keeping the X-E2 over the X-E1. In the end, it really just came down to one or two extra features that the X-E2 had that I would make occasional use of (wi-fi and intervalometer).

I was very keen to get my hands on the X-T1, since SLR style camera bodies have always been my 'thing'. I grew up with cameras like the Minolta X700 and Canon AE-1, so the Fujifilm X-T1 looked the bees kness 😉

Surprisingly, the reality turned out to be somewhat disappointing. Please don't get me wrong though - the Fujifilm X-T1 is a fantastic camera. Of course it is. It just doesn't feel quite right in my hands. Stick a grip on there and I'm sure things would feel better. But then size, weight, and price, would go up. And it still wouldn't fix the 'fiddlyness' issue.

So yes, I'm going to be selling the X-T1 and keeping the X-E2. That will now be my only camera! For everything! And trust me, there's no one more surprised about that than me...