The Fujifilm X-E5 sees its first discount – but is it the smarter pick than the X100VI?

A £50 discount on the Fujifilm X-E5 doesn’t sound dramatic at first, but given how rarely Fuji bodies get meaningful price cuts, it’s enough to make you stop and ask the real question: is this the smarter buy over the hugely popular Fujifilm X100VI? For many photographers, the answer might be yes.

The X100VI is the camera everyone wants; it's a cult classic, a design icon, and a street/travel photographer’s dream. But it’s also a camera that comes with one potentially huge creative limitation: you’re locked into its fixed 23mm f/2 lens. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a stunning lens, but the moment you want more reach, more width, or more subject separation, the X100VI becomes restrictive.

And this is exactly where the X-E5 begins to shine. With access to the full Fujifilm X-mount ecosystem, the X-E5 becomes whatever you want it to be. Pair it with a compact 23mm pancake lens for an X100VI-like experience, swap to a fast 56mm f/1.2 for portraits, or pack a super zoom for travel. You’re buying into a system rather than a camera.

Save £50

Fujifilm X-E5 with XF23mm f/2.8 pancake lens: was £1,549 now £1,499 at London Camera Exchange

New cameras often don't see sales like older models, but the new Fujifilm X-E5 has dropped by £50 for Black Friday. I'd pick it up with the tiny 23mm f/2.8 pancake lens, but if you already have a good assortment of lenses, you can get the body only for £1,200 at Wex.

View Deal

Internally, there isn’t much to separate the two. The X-E5 uses the same excellent 40MP X-Trans 5 sensor as the X100VI, meaning you’re not giving up image quality to save money; both cameras have in-body image stabilization and share the same video specs.

The two models only diverge when it comes to looks and handling, despite the two cameras sharing the same rangefinder-style DNA.

The X100VI has a more premium charm; its hybrid OVF/EVF is a huge part of the experience, and it just has an elevated level of craftsmanship. The X-E5, by contrast, is lighter and feels a little less luxurious, with a straightforward EVF that doesn’t look quite as cool.

The X100VI might always be the camera people lust after, but the X-E5 is the camera many people actually need. If you want Fuji colours and film simulations but with the freedom to build a kit for different shooting scenarios, the X-E5 might well be the smarter buy.

You might also like...

Check out more of the best Fujifilm cameras or the best compact cameras in our guides.