My Frustrating Experience With the Fujifilm X-E5

The Fujifilm X-E5 looks like a fantastic option on paper, essentially being a Fujifilm X100VI with interchangeable lenses. Sadly, my initial experience with the Fujifilm X-E5 left me confused by some of their design choices.

I picked up the X-E5 with the new XF 23mm f/2.8, which essentially makes it very close to the Fujifilm X100VI in size and weight. The X-E5 uses the same sensor and the image quality is essentially the same, so I knew what to expect when using my Fujifilm recipes. A really great addition to the X-E5 is a dial that allows you to set three recipes in the field. This is similar to the dial you'll find on the Fujifilm X-T50 and allows you to control recipes without needing to set custom settings, which lose their settings every time you use them.

The issue is the dial to adjust these is next to the proximity sensor for switching between the EVF and LCD. That means anytime you want to change your recipe out in the field, it turns the LCD off. You can reach around it awkwardly, but the experience was frustrating to say the least. I showcase this within the video and am truly curious if they actively tested this in their design.

Of course, there is much more to the camera than just this dial, and I address a number of those in the video. It's entirely possible you would never even use the recipe dial and this issue is irrelevant to you. Have you tried this camera? Would love to know if you've found a solution.