Landscape photos with the Fuji X-E2

I've fallen in love with the Fujifilm X cameras! Having recently purchased a used X-E1 to get a 'taste' of the system (to replace my Pen E-P3 as my mirrorless travel camera), I'm now gorging myself on all the x-trans Fujifilm goodness I can handle!

Motukeikei Beach, West Coast. Fujifilm X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f8 @ 1/140th, ISO 800.
(RAF file processed in Lightroom)

I'm definitely in the 'honeymoon' phase, willing to overlook any faults that the system may have (surely not), to focus instead on all the amazing positives. Of which, I believe, there are many.

As I said earlier, and wrote about recently here, the Fujifilm X-E1 is my 'toe in the water'. I've used it on a couple of landscape outings so far, and have been so amazed and impressed by the images it produces, that I've gone and got an X-E2! They are so cheap (relatively speaking) body-only, that I just couldn't say no - and to be honest, I was also curious to see how the E2 improved on the E1.

Motukeikei Beach low tide. Fuji X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f5.6 @ 1/20th, ISO 800

So is the X-E2 an improvement on the X-E1? Yes - and No. What's that supposed to mean? Let me try to explain...

In terms of technology upgrades, the X-E2 is an improvement over the X-E1 - as to be expected. It has a bigger, clearer (higher resolution) rear lcd screen, much faster write-times (much faster), a 'better' autofocus system, more exposure compensation latitude (+/-3 compared to the X-E1's +/-2), a less laggy evf, wifi capability, and a few more customisable function dials than the X-E1. So all-in-all, it feels like a newer, more responsive, camera. And as I've said already, so it should.

Motukeikei Beach Sunset. X-E2 with 16-50mm. f/11 @ 1/2sec, ISO 200

BUT - (here it comes), in terms of IQ (image quality), the two cameras are as close to identical as to make the differences irrelevant. Yes, the X-E2 is 14bit RAW where the X-E1 is 12bit. But the difference in real-world terms is negligible. The sensor is exactly the same in terms of megapixels (16MP), although as mentioned, processing speed has been greatly improved with the x-trans II sensor on the X-E2. It would have been nice to get a resolution bump from the 1 to the 2, but it was not to be. Not that I'm complaining about the 16MP x-trans sensor in either camera - far from it. Both are outstanding.

I have read that the x-trans II sensor has an 'issue' with waxy looking skin tones shooting at high ISO's (1600+), whereas the original x-trans sensor doesn't. But I could count the times on one hand where I've shot portraits above ISO 1600, so I don't see it as being an issue for me.

Motukeikei Sunset 2. Fujifilm X-E2 with 16-50mm. f/11 @ 2 secs, ISO 200

One thing that does bug me about the X-E2, is the movement of the 'Q' button away from the thumb area and up to the middle-back of the camera. Aaarrgghhh!!! The X-E1 placement makes way better sense to me, and obviously to others as well - since Fuji reverted back to the original position of the 'Q' button on the X-E3! It's not a deal breaker, and something that I'm sure I'll get used to. But it's annoying nonetheless. All the other buttons are identical - if not a little smaller to accommodate the larger lcd screen - and as mentioned previously, more programmable. The only function button I've actually changed on the X-E2, again so that it's more in-line with the X-E1, is the wifi button. I've programmed this to be the ISO selector instead. If I want to engage wifi, I'm quite happy to go into the menu system to do it.

Motukeikei Beach tow tide 2. Fujifilm X-E2 with Fujinon 16-50mm. f/11 @ 1/8th sec, ISO 800.

So apart from a few software upgrades and an annoying button switch, the X-E2 is alarmingly similar to the X-E1. It's a year older, faster and more 'refined' maybe, but the image output from the two cameras is so similar as to be basically identical. I can't justifying keeping both (I don't think), so which one will go?

Surprisingly, it's not been an easy decision. My heart says keep the X-E1 and embrace its beautiful first gen x-trans sensor - while my head says keep the newer X-E2 to enjoy its hardware and software refinements. IQ is, as I've said, a non-issue for me.

I 'think' I've decided to keep the X-E2. For a couple of reasons. First - for its wifi capability. It might not be a feature I'll use a lot, but it is handy to have, and I can see it being useful in certain scenarios. It sucks battery juice like there's no tomorrow, but I have a heap of spare batteries, so should be fine.

Second - for its intervalometer capabilities - which is really only a software upgrade, but something they haven't added to the X-E1. Time lapse photography wasn't on my radar until relatively recently, but I've been doing a few of late and really enjoying it. So having a camera with a built in intervalometer is a bonus for me.

And that's ultimately what it boils down to. Some software/processing upgrades that makes the X-E2 a 'newer' feeling camera - surprise, surprise. I will be sad to see the X-E1 go, but I really don't need two X-E bodies.

My sexy X-E2 pimped out with thumb grip and leather case

As you can see from the photos above, image quality with the X-E2 isn't an issue (certainly not for landscapes). Its 16MP x-trans II sensor produces gorgeous files, with plenty of dynamic range, and a lot of flexibility in post from the RAF (Fuji's RAW) file. And surprisingly (for me at least), even though it's a smallish camera, the ergonomics are actually pretty good. With the Fujinon XC 16-50mm 'kit' lens attached (more on that in a future post), a Lensmate thumb grip attached, and leather case adding a little bulk, the XE-2 is very comfortable in the hand. And hey, let's not deny it, it looks damn sexy!

I said right at the start of this post that I've fallen in love with the Fuji X system - and I have. So much so, that what began as a 'trial' to find an occasional use travel camera, has turned into a serious contender for becoming the only camera that I own!

I have also very recently invested in the Nikon system again (a D300), but I am already trying to sell this on. When I do, the Fuji X-E2, and a Fuji XT-1 that is also a recent purchase (more on that soon as well), will be my only digital cameras. And whereas having something small like the Olympus Pen E-P3 as my only camera would have freaked me out, contemplating an X-E2 being my only digital camera for everything has me actually very excited! Bring it on!