Fujifilm, gear

Fuji X-T1 vs Fuji X-E1

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I have wrote many times on this blog how I’m not going to upgrade to a new camera. I am anti G.A.S. But I recently ran into a deal where a X-T1 was $400 off. I could not pass that up so I decided to get it.

When you shoot a lot, you know when you need to upgrade. I was getting to that point with my X-E1. I was shooting about 5000 photos a month. The X-E1 felt sluggish. I knew I had to upgrade, but the prices felt too high for me.

I remember upgrading from a X100 to a X100s. That was a mistake.  The X100s did not seem like a big upgrade to the X100. I felt like I wasted my money.

How is the X-T1 compared to a X-E1? It’s a huge difference. It seems like a worthy upgrade to me. I could not believe how fast it was. Everything felt lighting quick.

When I first turned on my X-T1, my mouth dropped when I experienced how fast the AF was. I realized I didn’t even have High Performance mode on. I also didn’t get the latest lens firmware to take advantage of the Phase Detection pixels. Once I did those, the AF became even faster.

So if you have an older Fuji model, like the X-E1 or X-Pro 1, and are wondering if it’s worth it to upgrade to the X-T1, it is. It is absolutely worth it.

However, there are some cons about upgrading to the X-T1:

  • The AF is too fast. When I’m shooting models, sometimes I worry if I’ll get the shot at the right moment. Now, I don’t even have to worry. Shooting seems more mechanical for me instead of a challenge. Now I have no excuse of missing a shot.
  • The RAW files are bigger. I notice I run out of space fast on my SD cards.
  • The batteries drain fast. I never had to replace a battery during my shoots, but with the X-T1, I had to. I now have to carry batteries and charge them often.
  • It’s a bit heavier. Oh well, I guess I’ll just get bigger muscles.
  • I thought I would like the ISO dial, but I don’t. It’s not really needed. Using the fn button to change felt faster in my opinion. But it is a nice to have though.

That’s about all the negatives I can think of with the X-T1. But in the end, it’s a great camera. I love it.

Here are some photos I took with my X-T1:

UWM-11UWM-18UWM-10

 

UWM-17

18 thoughts on “Fuji X-T1 vs Fuji X-E1”

  1. Pingback: Fuji X-T1 vs Fuji X-E1 | JWC › By TOMEN

    1. Who cares about grammar, it’s a photography blog. And the pictures are phenomenal, not “good”. I rather see 4 amazing shots than 40 uninteresting pictures.

      If you really analyze the pictures they are flawless. Really amazing. The first is not luck.

      20 year pro here.
      Worked with 4×5, mamiya c220, 6/4.5, hassi’s, both pro canon and pro nikon film gear, fuji s1,s2, all canon pro digital cameras since they made the 10d,20d, 40d, 5d, 5dii, 5d3, all canon primes and lots of l series zooms. Now working with the fuji’s. What have you been up to Mr. I have proper grammer. Grammer is a limitation, a non growing or moving thing. It implies properness in an improper world. I bet the inquisitors based some of their delusional visions of grandeur on the fact that they understood proper grammer.

      Grammer how boring……..zzzzz

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  3. Thanks for your comparision of the two cameras. I expect a lot of people with the X-Pro and X-E1 must be toying with upgrading and would find your comments helpful.

    Personally, I am especially disappointed that after all this time the auto exposure bracketing remains so limited for all X cameras, leaving handheld HDR impossible and bracketing with a tripod unnecessarily fiddly.

    I was wondering if you noticed any improvement in the photos, or would you say its limited to issues such as focusing speed, the better view finder, drop down screen, etc?

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  4. Hi,
    I have the xe2 and am seriously thinking of changing it for an xe1 or an xpro1 because I find their raw files much better giving better detail and colour, I seriously dislike the look of xtrans II files. Have you any thoughts on this? Thanks, Paul

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    1. What RAW processor do you use? Have you tried Capture One, Iridient or PhotoNinja? They definitely bring out more detail compared to LightRoom. I haven’t done any formal testing though to see if X-E1’s looks look better than X-T1’s. Also, I haven’t shot enough of X-T1 to get a good conclusion. Right now, they look the same to me.

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      1. I have tried Iridient and it is better but it still doesn’t achieve what I’m able to get with LR and the xpro1. It is also a much more work intensive. I find the xtrans II sensor is much more aggressive and contrasty in a bad way. It is especially noticeable in skin tones.

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      2. That’s interesting, I would have to look out for that. Have you tried Capture One? I found their skin tones more pleasing. I almost ditched Lightroom to Capture One until Lightroom release the Fujifilm film simulations.

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  5. Thanks for the review and comparison. I only wish all these feature advances would be put into another E type body. If I wanted another DSLR type body, even a mini one, I’d go get a small DSLR.

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    1. A funny story is when I first picked up the X-T1, I put my eye to the left side of the camera because I was so used to the X-E1. I’m like, “oh yeah, the viewfinder is in the middle.” Perhaps you can wait for the X-Pro2. I was going to until this deal came along.

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    2. I agree Steve. I much prefer the clean lines of the X-E1&2 than the mock SLR-mirror body of the XT1. I wonder if it’s just marketing or necessary to fit the new EVF?

      I’d like an X-E3 with flip screen with touch focusing as in the Lumix GX7, and the EVF of the XT1, plus a sensible exposure bracketing range and greater customisation of the C1and C2 settings.

      Am I asking too much? It’s all out there.

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