Anyone moved from the X100V to the X-E4?

[Jeff Biscuits]

As a serial gear changer/experimenter (because I nearly always buy used and I tend to gain rather than lose money) the X-Pro2 that I bought last summer has really been the cat amongst the pigeons and has made several other bodies a bit redundant. First it replaced an X-T2, then I sold my X-E3, and now it’s eyeing up the X100V.

The only issue is, if I replace it, then unlike previous gear changes I’ve made, the state of the market means there’s no going back. So I’d better not get seller’s remorse this time.

I realise this is all highly subjective. (And I also realise there are plenty of “X100V vs X-E4” videos on YouTube.) I could explain my reasoning as to why the X100V feels a bit redundant (essentially: whatever the X100V does, the X-Pro2 can do with only minor penalties at most, but I could use a second body in some situations) and why the X-E4 has some niggles that make me cautious (including those that resulted in me selling the X-E3), but they’re lengthy and subjective and not all entirely rational. So it’s perhaps better to find the people who made the change and either loved it or regretted it, and see where we overlap.

So, with apologies for basically just thinking out loud, help me kick the tyres on this…

(And yes, I should probably take advantage of the free two-day loan—but even that won’t quite be the whole picture.)

 

[vcxz]

I had an X100V, sold it, and got two XE4s. These are my personal reasons. I'd say the overall theme is I enjoy minimalism in the shooting process, so I did like the fewer controls of the XE4. But also I like having at least two lenses, so couldn't get quite as minimal as the X100 series.

• Focal length: I personally felt smothered at 23mm. I liked being a bit wider. The 18 F2 and 16 F2.8 are still pretty small. Lately I like to use the distortion corrections so being a bit wider is better. Could never get the 27 pancake to work, the photos just looked like someone's bad cell phone pic gallery.
• Second body: I took the XE4 with the 18 F2 on a 10 day trek in Nepal. It was really nice to have a second XE4 with the 50-230 or 50 F2 in my bag. Overall it was pretty lightweight and I didn't have to worry about lens changes in dust or how two different cameras worked. The XE4 with a light lens weighs less than many bodies or lenses alone.
• Minimalism in shooting: The new XE4 is quite a bit different than the XE3/X100V and it's probably polarizing. I personally liked the more simplistic design of the XE4. When I'm shooting with the XE4 I often have one hand and snapping on the go with the LCD.
• Weight: I already had an XS10 but decided to go for XE4s because of lower weight and longer battery life for hiking trips where I might not have electricity. I was surprised four batteries lasted my entire trek, but I was judicious about turning it off when not in use. Some of the treks I've been on like Machu Picchu and Everest Base Camp have strict weight requirements for the porters.

Ever since I got the XH2S though I haven't used the XE4 very much. The XH2S feels big and clunky by comparison but I'm thinking maybe the world is right and video is the next step from stills. The XH2S has gotten me beautiful 4K slow motion footage of gulls flying in front of mosques in Istanbul and handheld shots of waterfalls. But I do miss being able to hold a camera with a small prime up in one hand and quickly snap a street shot.



















--
Instagram: @vcxz_photos

 

[toktik]

I have an X100V and an X-E4. Both cameras are useful, but I shoot with the X100V most of the time. I keep the X100V, along with a WCL and TCL, in an Ona Bowry that I take with me everywhere. I prefer using a single focal length instead of zoom lenses, so I switch between 19mm (WCL), 23mm, and 33mm (TCL) as needed.

For what I do, there are four main benefits of the X100V:

1. I can bring the X100V into live performances because it is a fixed lens camera. Some of the venues I go to prohibit interchangeable lens cameras, so my choices are a smartphone or the X100V (along with the teleconverters). I have shot several concerts with my X100V kit, and have been very pleased with the image quality. Some of the bands, as well as the venues, have used my photos for advertising purposes.

2. Since the X100V uses teleconverters, I don't have to worry about getting the sensor dirty when changing to a different fixed focal length. Sometimes I shoot in very windy weather and there is a lot of dust or sand in the air.

3. I live in an area where weather resistance is helpful. While I don't think the weather resistance of the X100V is as good as what is available on other Fujifilm cameras, it has worked fine for me in moderate rainy/windy weather.

4. I like making use of the minimum focus distance (MFD) with the X100V. It is a handy feature, and although the MFD changes when you add a teleconverter, the MFD stays very short. I have used the MFD for some creative shooting, and I would not want to lose that feature.

 

[MrSee]

Great shots

 

[Jeff Biscuits]

I had an X100V, sold it, and got two XE4s. These are my personal reasons. I'd say the overall theme is I enjoy minimalism in the shooting process, so I did like the fewer controls of the XE4. But also I like having at least two lenses, so couldn't get quite as minimal as the X100 series.

• Focal length: I personally felt smothered at 23mm. I liked being a bit wider. The 18 F2 and 16 F2.8 are still pretty small. Lately I like to use the distortion corrections so being a bit wider is better. Could never get the 27 pancake to work, the photos just looked like someone's bad cell phone pic gallery.
• Second body: I took the XE4 with the 18 F2 on a 10 day trek in Nepal. It was really nice to have a second XE4 with the 50-230 or 50 F2 in my bag. Overall it was pretty lightweight and I didn't have to worry about lens changes in dust or how two different cameras worked. The XE4 with a light lens weighs less than many bodies or lenses alone.

These are two factors that sort of overlap for me. There are times when I want a second body (two focal lengths; or one AF lens and one fully manual; or when hiking a zoom and an ultrawide). And whilst the 23mm is the ideal do-it-all focal length, the flip side of that is it also doesn’t pair well with much. It makes sense to pair my 16 with either the 27 or the 35 (which is generally the longest lens I use), but a 23 doesn’t pair up usefully with any of them.

This is where I find I keep ending up: If I take the X-Pro then I can usefully bring a second body with a different lens. But there’s never any sense in carrying the X100V plus any other camera. And if I’ve got enough space to carry the X100V on its own, I’ve almost certainly got enough for the X-Pro2 with the 27, and probably enough for the 23.

Nice shots by the way (all threads are better with pictures!), looks like a great trip.

 

[Jeff Biscuits]

2. Since the X100V uses teleconverters, I don't have to worry about getting the sensor dirty when changing to a different fixed focal length. Sometimes I shoot in very windy weather and there is a lot of dust or sand in the air.

Oddly, I’m broadly of the opposite view (though I can see both sides). There are times when I don’t want to be changing lenses, for sure, but on the whole I’m more paranoid about getting dust into the X100 because you can’t get at the sensor. (And I’ve briefly had an X100S with a dirty sensor so I know it can get in.) I might be paranoid because I’ve used a number of collapsible fixed lens cameras which are prone to dust (the Ricoh GR, for example, although unlike the X100 the GR is fairly straightforward to access the sensor), but I’m quite comfortable with cleaning a sensor once in a while.

I did have the teleconverters, but I found the screw threads far too cumbersome to be dealing with in the middle of the street; bayonets are much easier.

 

[toktik]

2. Since the X100V uses teleconverters, I don't have to worry about getting the sensor dirty when changing to a different fixed focal length. Sometimes I shoot in very windy weather and there is a lot of dust or sand in the air.

Oddly, I’m broadly of the opposite view (though I can see both sides). There are times when I don’t want to be changing lenses, for sure, but on the whole I’m more paranoid about getting dust into the X100 because you can’t get at the sensor. (And I’ve briefly had an X100S with a dirty sensor so I know it can get in.) I might be paranoid because I’ve used a number of collapsible fixed lens cameras which are prone to dust (the Ricoh GR, for example, although unlike the X100 the GR is fairly straightforward to access the sensor), but I’m quite comfortable with cleaning a sensor once in a while.

I did have the teleconverters, but I found the screw threads far too cumbersome to be dealing with in the middle of the street; bayonets are much easier.

I can't speak to the issue of getting dirt inside the X100V, because it hasn't happened to mine. I did have some problems getting the teleconverters attached until I realized that if I position the "MADE IN JAPAN" text directly at the bottom of the X100V, the teleconverters screw on easily. I now find getting them attached or removed is about as easy as working with a lens.

 

[Jeff Biscuits]

I realized that if I position the "MADE IN JAPAN" text directly at the bottom of the X100V, the teleconverters screw on easily. I now find getting them attached or removed is about as easy as working with a lens.

Ah, nice trick

 

[xb70fan]

Will be following this thread with interest.

I’m in a similar situation, except I own an XE-3. I find I’m not using my X100V much since I got my Ricoh GRlllx. The XE-4 looks compelling as it saves individual WB shift with each preset, plus it has additional film sims the XE-3 doesn’t have.

But yeah, once you sell the X100V, there’s no going back … for now, anyway.

 

[Flying Fijian]

As a serial gear changer/experimenter (because I nearly always buy used and I tend to gain rather than lose money) the X-Pro2 that I bought last summer has really been the cat amongst the pigeons and has made several other bodies a bit redundant. First it replaced an X-T2, then I sold my X-E3, and now it’s eyeing up the X100V.

I started with xe3 then xt4 followed by the X100V and now xh2s. Since getting the XH2s and also the sigma 18-55, the other cameras were not getting much use (if any).

The only issue is, if I replace it, then unlike previous gear changes I’ve made, the state of the market means there’s no going back. So I’d better not get seller’s remorse this time.

I realise this is all highly subjective. (And I also realise there are plenty of “X100V vs X-E4” videos on YouTube.) I could explain my reasoning as to why the X100V feels a bit redundant (essentially: whatever the X100V does, the X-Pro2 can do with only minor penalties at most, but I could use a second body in some situations) and why the X-E4 has some niggles that make me cautious (including those that resulted in me selling the X-E3), but they’re lengthy and subjective and not all entirely rational. So it’s perhaps better to find the people who made the change and either loved it or regretted it, and see where we overlap.

So, with apologies for basically just thinking out loud, help me kick the tyres on this…

(And yes, I should probably take advantage of the free two-day loan—but even that won’t quite be the whole picture.)

I think the X100V works best as your only camera. You fall in love with it and take it with you everywhere...I did love mine but the newer xh2s is so much better. Having a good compact fast zoom is great too.

With the X100V I had the wcl and tcl too. The tcl was sold without any use. The wcl is great but kinda defeats the purpose of a fixed lens camera.

Long story short I sold my x100v for a great price last week and haven't missed it. It's the coolest camera I've owned with some unique features but if I really miss, the new one isn't too far away.

Also, the X-E4 (which I initially hated) is not a bad replacement as it you can share your lenses with it. I would personally wait for the xe5 though and then sell my xe3 and xt4. Xh2s and xe5 should be enough for me and my family.

X-E4 seems to be hard to get too btw at least in my area.

Bottom line is that it's a great time to sell the X100V unless you're truly deeply in love with it and you have no other camera.

 

[Jeff Biscuits]

I think the X100V works best as your only camera. You fall in love with it and take it with you everywhere...I did love mine but the newer xh2s is so much better. Having a good compact fast zoom is great too.

I think this is largely true. It’s probably also a great companion to an X-Tx or an X-H (and when I bought it, I was largely using the X-T2). Alongside an X-Pro or an X-E I think it makes less sense.

I would personally wait for the xe5 though and then sell my xe3 and xt4.

Well, this is the thing… in a way I’d be interested in waiting for an X-Pro4, an X-E5 or a GR IV. But you can wait for along time (especially these days) and in any case the chances are that none of those may evolve quite the way I hope they might,

Bottom line is that it's a great time to sell the X100V unless you're truly deeply in love with it and you have no other camera.

I seem to be talking myself round to that

I think my main reservation is that I’d have to use the X-E4 in a completely different way to how I use the X-Pro2 and the X100V, but that may b pe a good thing in many ways (though not so much for muscle memory…)

 

[Flying Fijian]

I think the X100V works best as your only camera. You fall in love with it and take it with you everywhere...I did love mine but the newer xh2s is so much better. Having a good compact fast zoom is great too.

I think this is largely true. It’s probably also a great companion to an X-Tx or an X-H (and when I bought it, I was largely using the X-T2). Alongside an X-Pro or an X-E I think it makes less sense.

Yes a great companion to a larger body or even work gear of another brand.

I would personally wait for the xe5 though and then sell my xe3 and xt4.

Well, this is the thing… in a way I’d be interested in waiting for an X-Pro4, an X-E5 or a GR IV. But you can wait for along time (especially these days) and in any case the chances are that none of those may evolve quite the way I hope they might,

I have a feeling it we may get something this year...X100V is almost 3 years old. It's great to be able to sell it for more than we paid lol.

Bottom line is that it's a great time to sell the X100V unless you're truly deeply in love with it and you have no other camera.

I seem to be talking myself round to that

I think my main reservation is that I’d have to use the X-E4 in a completely different way to how I use the X-Pro2 and the X100V, but that may b pe a good thing in many ways (though not so much for muscle memory…)

Well good luck with your decision haha. If I could find an X-E4 right now, I would sell my X-E3. All these smaller Fujis seem to be in high demand atm with people looking for X100V alternatives. Surely things will settle soon...or at least with a new release?

However, I'll be patient and see what's coming this year (if anything). XH2s is keeping me occupied for now.

 

[Jeff Biscuits]

Ah…



Got a trial period from the local shop so I can check it out alongside the X100V. Nice.

Initial impressions? Feels nice with the 27/2.8, a bit unbalanced with the 23/2. Would like an extra button to the right of the AEL/AFL button (which I can’t use without smearing my thumb across my glasses, unfortunately). Lots more things in the custom settings than I expected—lots more—so I will have to see if I can embrace that. Surprised to see ISO missing from the custom settings, which actually might not be a bad thing. Still don’t like the 1/180 position on the shutter speed dial. Very much liking the ability to configure and name six manual lenses (but would like the aforementioned additional button for the focus magnifier). Eager to try out Eterna Bleach Bypass, which is right up my street. Need to find a wrist strap and a neck strap that will work well with the silly lugs. Overall, seems quite promising as a more useful companion to the X-Pro2…

 

[Holden75]

I did. I did like the x100v but found the focal length too limiting. I like 18 and 35. I know I could get these with converters but an xe4 with the 18/2 and 35/1.4 is smaller, lighter, cheaper, and quicker to change. There was a lot in the x100v that I just didn't use, like the ovf! Not to ention the 35/1.4 gives me better portrait pictures than the 35/2 converter would.

Personally, the xe4 is the best camera.fuji makes for me. Just enough buttons and dials to change what I want easily in the smallest package. I love it

 

[Jeff Biscuits]

This thing is driving me a bit nuts.

On the one hand, I love the size and the handling. I’m fine with the lack of grip. The performance is great, and Eterna Bleach Bypass is a delight. The curious absence of ISO from the custom settings means it’s usable as a manual exposure camera, which is great—though the 1/180 position is an annoyance.

BUT the custom settings… good grief. I had no idea Fuji had put this much stuff into custom settings. It’s absolute madness. I tend to change frequently between single-area and 9-area AF, and now it’s a mess: every time I select different custom settings I get whatever I last used in that setting—unless I turn the camera off, in which case I get whatever I used when I saved the settings. Neither of which make any sense because what I want is what I’m currently using.

It seems there are other things that will behave the same way. Lens profile? So now every time I change custom settings it’l reset my lens profile?

So if I’m using an AF lens I’ll constantly have to reapply my focus settings, and if I’m using a manual lens I’ll constantly have to tell it which one I’m using? (Clearly I won’t, I’ll never remember to do that let alone want to faff about with the menus between shots. I’ll just do what I always did and set one of the options at 999mm—so I can at least filter shots in Lightroom to “some sort of manual lens”—and use that for everything, so the six profiles are now actually less useful than the two customisable ones on older cameras.)

What we’re they thinking? They made the best JPEG processor ever and then decided that every time you wanted a new style you’d have to reapply a bunch of functional settings, which discourages you from using custom settings at all and means you’re probably better off shooting one style and processing g raw files later, this not using the best JPEG processor ever. Why? Because if I want to shoot in high contrast B&W then clearly I’ll be using a 12mm lens. And when I use Velvia I must be wanting 9-point AF, the sports finder and spot metering? Jeez, my XF10 makes far more sense by simply not supporting custom settings at all.

I get why some people like this. It’s how lots of PASM cameras work. People who only ever use raw files probably love it. But when Fuji have spent 10 years making cameras that support 7 custom film recipes, it’s an odd decision to then basically set fire to that way of using the camera.

Argh!

 

[toktik]

This thing is driving me a bit nuts.

On the one hand, I love the size and the handling. I’m fine with the lack of grip. The performance is great, and Eterna Bleach Bypass is a delight. The curious absence of ISO from the custom settings means it’s usable as a manual exposure camera, which is great—though the 1/180 position is an annoyance.

BUT the custom settings… good grief. I had no idea Fuji had put this much stuff into custom settings. It’s absolute madness. I tend to change frequently between single-area and 9-area AF, and now it’s a mess: every time I select different custom settings I get whatever I last used in that setting—unless I turn the camera off, in which case I get whatever I used when I saved the settings. Neither of which make any sense because what I want is what I’m currently using.

It seems there are other things that will behave the same way. Lens profile? So now every time I change custom settings it’l reset my lens profile?

So if I’m using an AF lens I’ll constantly have to reapply my focus settings, and if I’m using a manual lens I’ll constantly have to tell it which one I’m using? (Clearly I won’t, I’ll never remember to do that let alone want to faff about with the menus between shots. I’ll just do what I always did and set one of the options at 999mm—so I can at least filter shots in Lightroom to “some sort of manual lens”—and use that for everything, so the six profiles are now actually less useful than the two customisable ones on older cameras.)

What we’re they thinking? They made the best JPEG processor ever and then decided that every time you wanted a new style you’d have to reapply a bunch of functional settings, which discourages you from using custom settings at all and means you’re probably better off shooting one style and processing g raw files later, this not using the best JPEG processor ever. Why? Because if I want to shoot in high contrast B&W then clearly I’ll be using a 12mm lens. And when I use Velvia I must be wanting 9-point AF, the sports finder and spot metering? Jeez, my XF10 makes far more sense by simply not supporting custom settings at all.

I get why some people like this. It’s how lots of PASM cameras work. People who only ever use raw files probably love it. But when Fuji have spent 10 years making cameras that support 7 custom film recipes, it’s an odd decision to then basically set fire to that way of using the camera.

Argh!

Is Auto Update Custom Settings set to Enable or Disable?

 

[Flying Fijian]

Yes it sounds like a half baked attempt to copy the C1-C-7 dial settings from the recent psam bodies. I think they did the same with the new XT5...hopefully they can come up with a better way of implementing this or just leave it the way it was.

 

[Jeff Biscuits]

Is Auto Update Custom Settings set to Enable or Disable?

It doesn’t really matter. The settings are retained when switching between C1-7 regardless, it’s only when you turn the camera off that they’re lost if auto update is off.

In any case, the issue is that selecting C1-7 applies the settings from that bank, regardless of when they were set in that bank. So if you switch to a new picture style (as it used to be) then it applies focus areas, manual lens profiles, all sorts of absurd stuff. Thankfully a lot of the settings are things I don’t use, but obviously some I do, and the whole thinking behind it is completely misguided and frustrating.

I knew before I got the camera that the focus mode moved to custom settings when they removed the MCS switch, but I had no idea it had gone this far.

 

[Jeff Biscuits]

Ok, so I managed to take it for a quick walk round the local pond.

I was wrong about ISO: it is stored in custom settings, I just hadn’t noticed it buried in its weird new position at the bottom of page 2 of the camera setup menu, instead of its usual place on page 1 of the image menu. So this renders it an AE-only camera in my book (YMMV)—which is a shame, but I had expected that.

Beyond that… utterly infuriating. Switching between settings banks I ended up getting caught out by ISO settings, AF settings and more all changing under my feet. Even when faced with a slow-moving swan I couldn’t get a picture because I’d been served up some settings that I needed to find and change before it was a usable exposure.

This would be a little easier if I only ever used Auto ISO, one focus point, and so on—but that’s overly restrictive, and other things would still catch me out anyway.

Shame, because aesthetically and ergonomically I love it—and I really, really like Eterna Bleach Bypass—but this hot mess of settings makes it flat-out unusable for me. To those who live with the E4, I salute you

Shortlist of potential replacements for the X100V is now down to one: the X-Pro3. The only issue is that to afford that, I’d need to sell the X-Pro2 as well and I’d be back to one body.

 

[RichThomasTacoma]

Jeff, I feel your pain about the custom settings!

I recently received an X-T5 and it’s custom setting system seems to be similar to what you have with the X-E4. As I found out and you’ve discovered, the custom settings no longer are tied only to what can be accommodated on the Q menu, but contain many more screen pages of variables which can be configured differently for each Custom bank. Fuji ought to do a better job of explaining how the Custom setting banks work.

On my X-T5, I have 7 custom setting banks, each with it’s own multipage list of variables which were configured by default at the factory, and are governed by an Auto Update Custom Setting value, which on my X-T5 was set to Disable. This meant that any time I made changes to any values in a Custom Setting bank through the Q menu or the regular menu system, those changes were not saved to the bank after I turned off the camera.

It drove me nuts until I was able to dis what Fuji was trying to do with this new paradigm. What I’d suggest with a new X-E4 is to start this way:

Set Auto Update Custom Setting to Enable until you’re sure you’re satisfied with the custom settings, then change the value back to Disable. This is in the Image Quality Setting menu tab (see pg 122 in your user manual PDF version).

In addition to the seven custom settings banks, you have a setting in the Q menu for “Nothing Selected” (pg 118 in the User Manual). This seems to work like the older Fuji Q menu system, and I used it to work with the X-T5 for a few days to determine what values I wanted to use across all the custom banks. With Nothing Selected as a memory bank, what I change in the Q menu and the regular menu is persistent when restarting the camera.

When you’ve had a chance to work with the camera using the Nothing Selected bank in the Q menu and the main menus, set values you want to keep across all your custom banks and put those values (pg 119) into Custom 1 bank and save the bank. As an example, I have three Auto ISO settings that I use for all my photos; they are saved across all my Custom banks in the X-T5. I then copy the Custom 1 bank to Custom 2 (pg 120), make changes you want to carry in only Custom 2 bank and save Custom 2 bank. Do the same for each of the banks you want to save. I also rename the bank to something that hints of the values in that bank (pg 122).

I do this for all my Custom banks, and know that if I want to do something really unusual, I can always go back the Nothing Selected bank, shoot my photos, and decide if the changes are worth saving to it’s own custom bank. I currently have three saved banks on my X-T5.

I hope this helps, and that you find your hardware combination that works for you. Have a great week.