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X-E1 as FF alternative?

nostatic

New member
ok, been away for awhile (busy playing music) but am getting back into needing/wanting to shoot. I've got a good OMD-E5 system at the moment and like working with it a lot. I had a 5D-II for a year or two but sold it in favor of the Oly and a smaller kit. In a perfect world, I'd have:

small cam (have a DLux4, S110 is coming)
mid cam (Oly)
bigger (?)

Only downside to the Oly is that my wife ends up shooting my various bands in a lot of very dark clubs. OMD does so-so there. When I look back at the best shots over the past few years, the 5D-II invariably gave the best results. I've been intrigued by the Fuji, mostly due to what appears to be very nice looking hi iso files. But the other alternative would be to get a 6D, as I've still got a 16-35L and 135L sitting around unused.

So would the X-E1 scratch that itch, or is there no substitute for (sensor) size? :ROTFL:
 

Stan ROX

Member
Hey,

I don't know to much about the XE1, but had the X-Pro1 for about five months. I really loved that small cam with wonderful results.

BUT: the AF is (in my opinion) the deal-breaker. Outside, with a lot of light, everythings fine and you get o-so-sweet pictures, even with higher ISO.

But as soon you try to use this cam im darker surrounding, the AF starts to be unreliabley, hunting and gives you wrong AF confirmation.

So, maybe I'm the only one with that problem. But for me it was the reason to get back to FF (Nikon D600, had Canon FF before).

But now, as I have a Hasselblad h4d + lenses and a FF DSLR, I'm thinking about the X-e1 again as a small addition to my tech gear...
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
One approach that I take for low light is to set the camera for MF and zone focus. It's easy on the X-Pro1/X-E1 to do this manually using the lens and the focus range indicator in the VF display.
 

David Schneider

New member
But now, as I have a Hasselblad h4d + lenses and a FF DSLR, I'm thinking about the X-e1 again as a small addition to my tech gear...
I have Hasselblad H3d2-39 + lenses, Canon 5dmk2 + lenses and Fuji X-E1 and the zoom. Zoom does focus faster and better than primes, but for dim light I'd go with 5dmk2 first. High iso is actually pretty close, but for band it's almost an "action" photo and the XE1 won't focus fast enough.

Bottom line is a camera does what it's designed to do. Can't push the Hassie to high iso, can't focus well on moving subjects with XE1, can't get the quality in a wall print from the Canon as you can from the medium format. The right tool for the right job.

Now in a couple of years I wouldn't doubt the next generation of mirrorless cameras from Fuji will be very close to doing all those things better and tempt me to rely on it a lot more than I would today. Today it's a wonderful camera for travel and a lovely lighter weight alternative to dslr's with little sacrifice in quality and great high iso performance.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
For really low light and AF, the 6D seems to be a great choice as long as you stay with the center AF sensor. The larger sensor also makes it a nice supplement to the OM-D. I would choose either m4/3 plus 35mm or go for Fuji only, but again, low light AF...
 

nostatic

New member
I always use single center point AF and recompose so the 6D doesn't scare me in that regard. The supposed -3ev capability of the center sensor is really attractive. In fact, I ordered up a 6D with the 24-105 lens as BH has $200 off and it ends up being a pretty reasonable price considering I've got two L lenses sitting around. Add a 50/1.4 and I'm set.

I have an X20 on order so that will be my Fuji fix for awhile. I think I'll wait to see how their APS-C stuff sorts out. So it kinda makes sense to my mind:

S110 for pocket (just got it - I'd forgotten how much I like the form factor)
X20 for "large pocket" and Fuji look
OMD for 4/3
6D for FF

With that I really wouldn't need an APS-C setup, but who knows if the X100s is great and the X-E2 comes out.
 
I've used the X-Pro in extremely low light concert conditions with excellent results. I also shoot an A900 and before that a Canon 5D. I would say that the X-Pro is comparable in high ISO performance to the 5D Mark II.

These shots were at 2000 ISO and many of the FF photographers I know that shot this set complained about the horrible light. These Fuji shots were actually better than my A900. I know the A900 is maligned for poor high ISO but it really isn't that bad. The Lightroom conversions put it on par with the Mark II and from first hand experience with both cameras, I did not see much difference between it and the A99 but that is another subject. So the Fuji does just fine in low light.





 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
The OP's question is "X-E1 as FF alternative"? For me, yes; and the Auto ISO sits at 6400, and gets excellent results. I think one has to practise quite a bit to get the AF to work quickly, but I am finding it works well for me. The 35/1.4 lives on the body most of the time, and it's a superb lens.
 
X-E1 as a FF alternative?

Well, I think it depends a lot on what you mean, and what aspects of a FF camera (assuming dSLR, not MFDB, or larger) you're trying to replicate...or avoid.

In many ways, the answer is yes, and in may ways, it's no.

For example, if you're trying to replicate the narrow DOF, or the AF speed or high ISO of a Nikon D4. The answer is no. If you're looking for huge numbers of native lens choices, the answer is no. And while the X-E1 can do video, it's not up to the quality of the best pro FF dSLRs. It also has no OVF, which is no small matter in my opinion.

On the yes side, it's a great alternative if you want something lighter and smaller than a FF dSLR with great image quality (great, but not the same as FF 35mm). Also great is the fact that it's hand-holdable at 1/2 second, due to its small, quiet, focal-plane shutter...so ultra-high ISO is less of an issue. It's got a built-in flash!! Yay! While it's not up AF speeds you might be used to on FF dSLRs, the latest firmware (both camera and lens firmware) updates have improved things quite a bit, and I have no trouble tracking moving subjects (in either AF or MF). It's also a size you probably won't mind carrying around with you everywhere, which might not be the case with a larger camera. For what it is, it's a wonderful camera.

I think all cameras are alternatives for all other cameras. But they're not always great equivalents. Just like a 4x5 camera is no equivalent to an 8x10, an iPhone is no equivalent to a Leica, but they are all alternatives. Personally, I think the question is the wrong one. You're asking, if A is a substitute for B, when I think you need to be asking, will A do what I need it to do. And to that, I think the answer might be YES.

I'm currently reviewing the X-E1, but for my review of the X-Pro1 have a look at:
Fashion Week with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 Digital Camera – Review

For my X100s and X20 Preview:
Fujifilm X100s and X20 Hands On Preview

And for my X10 Review:
96 hours in NYC with the Fuji X10

Hope that helps!
J R
 
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