Like a lot of Fujifilm fans, I’ve had the X100VI circled in my mental wishlist since the rumors first started. I’ve been shooting with the X100F for years, and the idea of a refreshed version with IBIS, that beautiful 40MP sensor, and all the classic Fujifilm charm, sounded like the perfect upgrade – but then the X-E5 came along, and now I’m not so sure.
On paper, the two cameras are different beasts. The X100VI is a fixed-lens, high-end compact camera. The X-E5 is a more affordable interchangeable lens body. But spend even a little time comparing them and you start to notice the similarities; they share the same sensor, the same image engine, the same film simulations, and an almost identical size and weight.
What the Fujifilm X-E5 lacks in out-of-the-box romance, it makes up for in flexibility. Let’s be honest, the 35 mm-equivalent lens on the X100 series is great, but it’s also limiting. Yes, Fujifilm makes wide and teleconversion lenses, but they’re add-ons, not true solutions.
With the X-E5, you get to choose. Want a pancake prime to match the sleek X100 profile? Slap on the new Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2.8 R WR lens. Want a moody, fast portrait lens for something more cinematic? Go for the XF 56mm f/1.2. You’re not locked into one look, and that changes everything.
And then there’s the price. Even with a couple of SmallRig X-E5 accessories like the new optical viewfinder or leather half case, the X-E5 comes in at a significantly lower cost than the X100VI, with more room to grow into the Fujifilm lens ecosystem.
I’m not saying the X-E5 has the cult magic of the X100VI. It doesn’t have the same viewfinder or the same buzz. But it might have more staying power. It gives you the Fujifilm feel and filmic soul, but in a body that can evolve with you, especially if you’re someone who wants one small body that can do everything from street to travel to portraits to casual video.
The X100VI is still an icon, and for many, it’ll be the right choice. But if you’ve ever found yourself wishing it could just… do a little more, the X-E5 is your answer. Quietly, and without fanfare, it might just be the more versatile version of the camera everyone’s chasing.
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Check out our guides to the best Fujifilm cameras and the best compact cameras.
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