DPRTV Fujifilm X-E4 Review: Did Fujifilm Go Too Minimalistic? And Dreaming of Lovely Nostaligic Negative on X-E4 via Firmware Update

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DPRTV has published its Fujifilm X-E4 review.

Below is a summary of what they say and some of my thoughts about it.

  • internally very similar to the Fujifilm X-S10, but X-S10 has more SLR look with bigger grip, chunkier controls, lots of customizable buttons, PSAM dial
  • the X-E4 instead tries to go a more minimalist way
  • X-E4 is compact and lightweight with slight plasticy feel to it, not WR, no bump-off on the camera. You can buy a thumb rest or hand grip
  • Fuji went a step to minimalistic with the X-E4. There is a front dial with push-in function, but he wishes it had a back control dial
  • most Fuji lenses have aperture ring, but those who have not, it would be nice to control aperture with a rear command dial
  • he prefers a rear dial also for functions like zooming in in playback mode. With the front dial you first have to push the front dial to activate the zoom function. He forgot that often and simply turned the dial, making him jump ahead in the pictures instead of zooming in
  • he wishes he had more customizable controls
  • he misses also the focus mode selctor
  • the X-E4 has latest firmware of X-T4, hence has excellet face and eye AF and decent AF tracking. Better than on X-T30. Not yet on par though with Sony’s real time AF tracking
  • pretty decent LCD display, better than anything the competition offers in that price range
  • EVF resolution is in line with what you get with competitors
  • he likes to have the offset viewfinder, but there is not a big eye-relief, hence he still occasionally hits the screen with his nose as the EVF is also so flush to the body
  • decent touch screen interface. You get also 4 FN swipe functions for more customization. He also uses the touch screen a lot to review and zoom into images
  • 50 shots JPEG before buffer fills. in RAW+JPEG you get 30 shots before buffer fills
  • Decent burst rate for family pictures and street photography
  • same excellent 26MP X-Trans sensor of other Fujifilm cameras
  • Fast readout speed for good electronic shutter performance
  • the X-E4 has not nostaligic negative film simulation of GFX100S, although it came out the same day. Nostalgic Negative mimics beautiful classic american style film stock
  • he hopes nostaligic negative will come to X-E4 via firmware update
  • pretty impressive video for a rangefinder style body. Better video specs than X-T30 and it has Eterna, beautiful internal camera profile if you don’t like to color grade your videos
  • UBS-C to headphone adapter to monitor your audio
  • has no IBIS and no selfie screen, so if you are into video, the X-S10 is better
  • X-E4 with 27mm is basically same size and weight of an X100 camera
  • maybe Fujifilm went too minimal with the controls and it should have also some sort of grip
  • if you buy the dedicated X-E4 thumb rest and the dedicated X-E4 grip, the camera becomes bigger and more expensive
  • with accessories, you get close to X-S10 territory. And X-S10 gives you IBIS

Let me add three notes to the above review:

Will I buy it?

Honestly, if I would not already own a 26MP camera (the X-T4) as well as an X-E3, I’d go for the X-E4 right away. But my major investment this time around was my pruchase of the Fujifilm GFX100S plus at least one lens, as well as the Fujinon XF27mmF2.8 MKII. That’s enough gear for the start of 2021 I think.

But let’s say I’d own only the X-E3, I’d upgrade to the X-E4 immediatly in order to get the better sensor and processor, the latest firmware… and… yes, that “invisible” tilt screen! :) And yet, the X-E4 is and remains on my radar. Let’s see if I can resist to it once I can check it out on my local camera store.

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