X-E4 command dial

Orangorill wrote:

There are already dozens of cameras with deep grips and buttons all over the place out there. On the other hand, there are hardly any solidly built minimalist cameras available at all.

Amen.

I think Fujifilm realized this and will capitalize on it.

I’ve owned probably a dozen brands over the years, and each one has taught me something new. And although it has led me to Fujifilm for the last few years (and I _bleed_ Fujifilm right now), I’m not averse to trying new approaches. A little over a year ago I bought a Canon M6II. What a joy to shoot. And, oh, that flexible priority mode (Fv). I wish all my cameras had it.

The point is, without trying it I never would have discovered it.

Of what I see on the pictures, the X-E4 has lower dials On the top than the x-T2 which will probably make the Q dial easier to reach.

Orangorill wrote:

So the rear dial is essential because, on a camera with dedicated dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation, people assign two more dials to control shutter speed and exposure compensation? I figured people might be using them for film sims and ISO, but I think I'll echo that other user and say that if not bizarre, this is at least pretty niche.

I find this take... Bizarre. You are aware that the SS dial on these cameras go in fixed stops, and if you want to change settings for more precision you still need to use the other dials. You dont gave 200th or 80th of a second in that top dial.

Miguel-C wrote:

Orangorill wrote:

So the rear dial is essential because, on a camera with dedicated dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation, people assign two more dials to control shutter speed and exposure compensation? I figured people might be using them for film sims and ISO, but I think I'll echo that other user and say that if not bizarre, this is at least pretty niche.

I find this take... Bizarre. You are aware that the SS dial on these cameras go in fixed stops, and if you want to change settings for more precision you still need to use the other dials. You dont gave 200th or 80th of a second in that top dial.

Yep it seems like some people are not aware of these things or trying to justify the changes because the camera looks pretty... Also the rear dial is very useful for scrolling through menus than the joystick..joystick is good for moving af point but feels a bit flimsy.

The rear dial is also useful for changing the size of focus point...

El Jeffe wrote:

I have a bit of advice to everyone worried about the lack of a rear dial. Don’t buy the camera.

Lol great advice, vote with your wallet...the problem some of us have is why they were removed in the first place!

What's next...no front dial either...aren't the top dials enough? Just don't buy it & say nothing...🙄

Orangorill wrote:

So the rear dial is essential because, on a camera with dedicated dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation, people assign two more dials to control shutter speed and exposure compensation? I figured people might be using them for film sims and ISO, but I think I'll echo that other user and say that if not bizarre, this is at least pretty niche.

This view does not distinguish between essential and desire. Is the rear dial essential in so much that one can achieve the same outcome by some other route? No.

Is it desirable because one can achieve the desired outcome faster by having two dials? Yes.

For those who desire to use aperture priority, wish to change aperture from shot to shot, chose to adjust exposure compensation frequently, I am one such person, sometimes use XC lenses (no aperture ring), and prefer the faster EC adjustment using the front dial (with the EC dial set to 'c') then yes, the rear dial to adjust aperture is desirable. I do not yet know what functions on the front dial the XE4 will accommodate or whether they will be customable, but if it mimics my XE3, which as SS, ISO and EC to which would be added AP (aperture priority) and one has to scroll around them to get to the desired function and then adjust it to the desired setting then this may be slower. We shall see when the manual is released.

So, yes, I desire a rear dial; I failure to understand why such a desire is bizarre (probably because my desire differs from yours). Given the number of views supporting a rear dial I question whether this is also a niche desire .

Maybe the question Fuji's designers asked themselves was this: How large is this group of people who prefer a Leica style minimalistic look, but at the same time feel they need a maximalist set of control options? Then they decided, probably not enormous.

None of us knows, I agree, but is there not an issue of ergonomics too? Is minimalism adversely impacting on ergonomics good? Sometimes, but not always.

El Jeffe wrote:

I have a bit of advice to everyone worried about the lack of a rear dial. Don’t buy the camera.

Ill follow your advice, but it still shouldn't stop people from having conversations about ergonomics.

Miguel-C wrote:

El Jeffe wrote:

I have a bit of advice to everyone worried about the lack of a rear dial. Don’t buy the camera.

Ill follow your advice, but it still shouldn't stop people from having conversations about ergonomics.

Maybe this is why the X-E4 is bundled with a 27mm F2.8 Mark II lens:  the lens has an aperture ring.