FUJIFILM X-E4
Fujifilm’s RF-style X-mount camera gets all the recent performance upgrades, and it’s slimmer than its predecessor, making it a very potent little package indeed.
It’s a coincidence that the compact X-E4 and medium format GFX 100S tests ended up in the same issue, but it shows just what Fujifilm is capable of at both ends of the portability and performance spectrums. The X-E4 embodies all the latest X-mount system developments – including sensor and processor – in a super-slim rangefinder-style body.
Do you think Fujifilm is keen to keep photographers happy? Take a look at the current line-up of X-mount APS-C mirrorless cameras and there’s something for everybody regardless of skill level or budget, from the flagship X-T4 to the entry-level X-T200 and all points in between. Fujifilm is even mixing up its formulas as we’ve seen with the X-S10… and now there’s the latest-generation model of the rangefinder-style X-E series, which is pretty much the X-S10 in a more compact package. In fact, the X-E4 is actually a bit smaller than the previous X-E3. It really is a pocket rocket, especially when matched with the new 27mm f/2.8 ‘pancake’ prime (equivalent to 40.5mm) that’s available as a kit lens option. We’re talking jacket pocket sizes here, of course, but the X-E4’s many upgrades make it a formidable combination of compactness and capabilities.
The key upgrade is to the current imaging stream that Fujifilm is using in everything upwards of the entry-level X-T200. This means the 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 BSI-type sensor mated with the quad-core X Processor
4 to enable continuous shooting at 20fps with the electronic shutter and 4K DCI or UHD video recording at 30 or 25fps (see the Making Movies panel for the full video rundown). However, the E4’s small size means it doesn’t have in-body image stabilisation.
THE CONTROL LAYOUT IS CLASSIC FUJIFILM X-MOUNT WHICH, OF COURSE, IS CLASSIC.
FULL STOP.
The native sensitivity range is equivalent to ISO 160 to 12,800 with extensions to ISO 80 and 51,200. Another important design aspect of the X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor is its dual-gain circuitry, which essentially sets two base ISOs, one at ISO 160 and the other at ISO 800. The low ISO circuit optimises dynamic range, while the high ISO circuit optimises sensitivity. The dual base ISOs also mean that noise characteristics at sensitivity settings above ISO 800 are essentially 2.5 stops better than would normally be the case. For instance, at ISO 800, they’re the same as at ISO 160.
If 20fps continuous shooting isn’t fast enough for you, there’s a 30fps option, but it comes with a 1.25x crop, which gives a resolution of 16.6MP. When using the electronic shutter, there’s also a ‘Pre-Shot’ function that commences continuous capture when the shutter release button is at the halfway position (i.e. for metering and autofocusing). This can be set to 30, 20 or 10fps with 10 frames captured prior to actual shutter release. Using the mechanical shutter, the maximum continuous shooting speed is 8fps, or 5fps if you want continuous AF/AE adjustment.
The image quality settings start with 14-bit RGB RAW capture as these files can be compressed, losslessly compressed, or uncompressed. JPEGs are captured at either Fine or Normal compression levels and in one of three image sizes, the maximum being 6240x4160 pixels. Additionally, there’s a choice of three aspect ratios – 3:2, 16:9 or 1:1. In-camera RAW-to-JPEG conversion is possible with a total of 20 processing parameters.
CLASSIC LOOKS
The in-camera processing functions for JPEGs are the same as those offered on the flagship X-T4. These start with the current choice of 18 Film Simulation profiles. These include Eterna Bleach Bypass – which was introduced on the X-T4 – and is an alternative to the original Eterna. This variation gives more muted colour saturation while maintaining a higher contrast, replicating the look of the bleach bypass film processing technique. Eterna is the name of Fujifilm’s cine film stock, so these are essentially profiles for video, but you can use them for still photography as well.
The X-E4’s function list also includes Classic Neg, based on Fujicolor Superia 100 colour print film, and Classic Chrome, based on… er, Kodachrome 64. It’s worth noting once again that the Film Simulation profiles can be applied to RAW files in post-production. The adjustment parameters – which are applied globally rather than to the individual profile – are for Tone Curve (highlights and/or shadows), Colour (i.e. saturation), Sharpness, and Clarity. This last parameter adjusts definition by increasing or decreasing the mid-tone contrast while leaving the highlights and shadows alone. A Monochromatic Colour adjustment is provided for B&W
Film Simulation profiles with the choice of warm-to-cool or magenta-to-green ranges, plus there are the usual contrast control filters in yellow, red, and green that Fujifilm sets up as separate Film Simulation settings for both the standard Monochrome and ACROS profiles (meaning there’s eight B&W modes in all). In case you’re new to all this, Neopan ACROS is Fujifilm’s much-loved fine-grained B&W negative film, available now as the reformulated ACROS II.
You can further tweak the Film Simulation profiles via processing functions called Grain Effect,
Colour Chrome Effect and Colour Chrome Effect Blue, each of which has the choice of Weak or Strong level settings. Grain Effect does what it says on the lid, while Colour Chrome Effect increases the range of tones within highly saturated colours, particularly when shooting in high contrast situations. Colour Chrome Effect Blue does the same thing, but only to the blue tones. There’s also a choice of eight Advanced Filter special effects which include all the staples such as Toy Camera, Miniature, Pop Colour, Partial Colour, and Soft Focus.
Dynamic range expansion can be done a number of ways, starting with the standard processing of the image to decrease the amount of contrast, with the option of either auto correction or one of three manual settings (labelled 100%, 200% and 400%). There’s also a Dynamic Range Priority function to adjust the contrast for increased detailing in both highlights and shadows. There are three settings – Auto, Weak and Strong – with the latter two based on the dynamic range expansion setting… which means the minimum ISO is also raised
(to ISO 320 and 640 respectively) to give more ‘headroom’ for adjustments. The Auto setting selects either one or the other, depending on the contrast range presented by the prevailing lighting conditions. Another way to expand the dynamic range is to use the multi-shot HDR capture mode, which records three frames with the options of auto exposure adjustment or a choice of four manual settings designated HDR200, HDR400, HDR800 and HDR800 Plus. There’s also an auto-bracketing mode for dynamic range, as well as for exposure, Film Simulation profiles, focus, ISO and white balance.
The Film Simulation bracketing is quite handy as it allows for three versions of an image to be captured simultaneously. For example, Velvia, ACROS B&W and Classic Chrome. Focus bracketing
can be set for up to 999 frames, with intervals of up to 10 seconds and the focus shift adjusted between one to 10 steps.
The X-E4 also has an intervalometer, a multiple exposure facility (a proper one for up to nine frames), in-camera panoramas, and flicker detection/correction.
The multiple exposure facility also allows for management of exposures via Additive, Average, Bright or Dark options. The intervalometer has a setting for unlimited frames or, alternatively, a specific count of up to 999.
The corrective functions comprise high ISO and long exposure noise reduction modes, and a Lens Modulation Optimiser function that operates at smaller apertures to deal with diffractionrelated softening in the corners of the frame. All corrections for lens aberrations are performed automatically and there are no options for manual adjustment.
WORKING THE SYSTEMS
Like the X-S10, the X-E4 essentially inherits the X-T4’s systems for autofocusing, exposure control and white balance correction. The AF is a hybrid contrast/phasedetection system with a total of 425 measuring points arranged in a 25x17 pattern. The PDAF uses 2.16 million pixels on the sensor and gives virtually full frame coverage both vertically and horizontally. The minimum sensitivity is quoted at EV -7.0 at ISO 100, but this is with Fujifilm’s super-fast (and super expensive) f/1.0 50mm prime so, more realistic for many users is the EV -4.0 minimum at f/2.8.
In the single-shot AF mode, the area modes extend from SinglePoint (selectable in six sizes), to Zone (in 3x3, 5x5 and 7x7 point clusters, selected from a grid of 117 points) and Wide (which uses all the points). Usefully, there’s an ‘All’ setting that allows you to cycle through every one of these options via the front input wheel. With continuous AF operation, the area modes are Single-Point, Zone and Tracking with the option of Face/ Eye Detection. Eye detection can be set to either the left or right eye, or to auto where it will select whichever eye is closer.
To better match tracking to the type of subject movement, there’s an AF-C Custom menu that provides five scenarios, each with three adjustable parameters for Tracking Sensitivity, Speed Tracking Sensitivity and Zone
Area Switching. The five scenarios are called Multi Purpose, Ignore Obstacles & Continue To Track Subject, For Accelerating/ Decelerating Subject, For Suddenly Appearing Subject and For Erratically Moving & Accel/Decel Subject. A sixth setting provides for a customised focus tracking scheme created using the three adjustable parameters.
The X-E4 also has an AF Range Limiter function that provides three
modes to preset the focusing range, primarily to enhance speed. There are two preset ranges – from 2.0 or 5.0 metres to infinity – plus a custom setting that can be configured as desired… for example, for the distance between two subjects.
Fujifilm has a couple of tricks up its sleeve when it comes to the assists for manual focusing. In addition to the standard image magnification and focus peaking displays are a couple of additional assists called Digital Split Image and Digital Microprism. The first iteration of the Digital Split Image was more a gimmick than a genuine aid, but over subsequent generations of X cameras it’s evolved into something that works quite effectively. There’s the choice of either colour or B&W displays, the latter making it easier to see what’s happening if you’re shooting in colour (and vice versa). Both these features, of course, hark back to the manual focusing aids in 35mm SLRs, namely the split-image rangefinder and the microprism collar, and the digital versions work in exactly the same way.
Exposure control is on-sensor TTL metering using 256 measuring points with a choice of multi-zone, centre-weighted average, fully averaged, or spot patterns. Unlike the X-S10, the X-E4 sticks with just a basic set of PASM exposure control modes.
The mechanical shutter has a speed range of 15 minutes to 1/4000 second, with flash sync up to 1/180 second, and a bulb timer with a 60-minute limit. There are obviously variations from mode to mode, and switching to the camera’s electronic shutter enables a top speed of 1/32,000 second, which is also available when using the hybrid electronic first curtain shutter, which makes the exposure with the sensor, but finishes it conventionally with the mechanical shutter’s second set of blades.
This arrangement isn’t totally silent, but still reduces both noise and vibrations compared to the mechanical shutter and, compared to the full electronic shutter, allows for the use of flash.
The white balance control options include the choice of auto correction modes introduced with the X-T4. In addition to the standard auto mode, there are White Priority and Ambience Priority auto settings These are designed for shooting under incandescent (a.k.a. tungsten) lighting and either correct for, or preserve, the warmer tones.
Alternatively, there’s a choice of seven presets (including one for underwater), and up to three custom measurements can be created and stored. As already mentioned, auto white balance bracketing is available along with fine-tuning and manual colour temperature setting over a range from 2,500 to 10,000 Kelvin.
IN THE HAND
Fujifilm really has gone all out to make the most of what’s possible with down-sizing when using the APS-C crop sensor. The X-E4 is very similar in width and height to the previous model, but it’s slimmer again and so goes without a handgrip. The RF style of body really doesn’t need one – Leicas have never had them – but if you really feel like you need something extra to hang on to, there’s an optional handgrip
The control layout is classic
Fujifilm X-mount which, of course, is classic. Full stop. There are dials for shutter speeds and exposure compensation, a front input wheel and a rear-mounted joystick controller that performs a variety of navigation duties, including taking over those from the now-deleted rear input wheel. Direct access to ISO settings is assigned by default to the Fn button alongside the shutter release and, frankly, it’s unlikely you’d change this (although there’s eight menu pages worth of alternatives). There isn’t a huge selection of customisation options for the external controls, probably because there isn’t a huge selection of external controls to start with. However, there are the four Touch Function Gestures – now common across the X-mount line-up – that allow you to assign a wide variety of functions to the up, down, left and right swipe actions on the monitor’s touchscreen. In each case, the list of assignable functions runs to 55 items.
The Quick Menu control panel is also customisable, so you can either change any of the 12 functions on the default screen or create up to six different ones, say for shooting a particular subject or in a particular situation. There are certainly enough customisation options for you to set up the X-E4 to work the way you want it to.
The Quick Menu function tiles can be navigated conventionally or via touch, which makes access to the various settings even quicker. The touchscreen implementation also includes autofocus (with auto shutter release if desired), a ‘touchpad’ function so you can still touch focus when using the EVF (with seven area options), and the main replay/review functions. As is the case across the X-mount range, the main menus still have to be conventionally navigated, although the joystick controller speeds this up. The menu layout is also the same – handy if you’re going to be using the X-E4 as your backup camera or as a lighter travel option – and with a straightforward right-click navigational route from chapter to page to sub-menu or settings.
The rear monitor is a 3-inch
TFT LCD panel with a resolution of 1.62 million dots and adjustment for tilt, including a 180º setting so it faces forward for selfies or vlogging. The X-E4 has the same EVF as the X-S10 and X-T30, which is a 1cm OLED panel with a resolution of 2.36 million dots and a magnification of 0.62x (35mm equivalent). As we noted with the S10, this is now a base-level spec, but it’s still acceptable even if most of the competition now offer higher-res displays. In the camera’s Boost mode, the refresh rate is increased to 100fps, which eliminates lag when shooting continuously. The Boost mode also increases AF speed, but obviously uses more battery power. Both the EVF and LCD screen are adjustable for brightness, colour saturation, and colour balance.
The live view display is also extensively customisable, so you can add guide grids (either 3x3 or 4x6), a real-time histogram, a level indicator, and a highlight warning, plus whatever read-outs and indicators you select from four menu pages of items. Additionally, you can increase the size of selected icons and also adjust the display contrast to enhance legibility in different lighting conditions. The review/replay screen options include an overlaid set of histograms or two thumbnail displays accompanied by an extensive amount of capture data (including lens details), a highlight warning, a brightness histogram and the focus point or zone used, which is very useful. Pressing the joystick controller instantly zooms in on this point so you can quickly check the focus.
The X-E4’s construction uses magnesium alloy panels over a diecast chassis, which it feels strong but, as far as we can see, there are no weather protection measures. There’s a single memory card slot – for SD UHS-I speed only – and it shares a compartment in the camera’s base with the battery pack. This is the same 1,260mAh NP-W126S lithium-ion battery pack Fujifilm is using in pretty much everything except the X-T4, and in-camera recharging is possible via USB-C.
SPEED AND PERFORMANCE
Using a Sony 64GB SDXC UHS-I Video Speed 3 memory card and the mechanical shutter, the X-E4 captured a burst of 114 JPEG/large/ fine frames in 14.355 seconds, which represents a continuous The sensor’s dual-gain circuitry provides two base ISOs – set at 160 and 800 – so noise is significantly reduced at the higher sensitivity settings (at the expense of some dynamic range). Saturation and sharpness are well maintain across the full native ISO range and the extension settings are useable too. These test images were taken in the aperture-priority auto mode with the aperture set to f/11, so the exposure time varies to compensate for the ISO adjustments.
shooting speed of 7.94fps. With the electronic shutter, it recorded 30 best-quality JPEG frames in 1.625 seconds, giving a shooting speed of 18.4fps. The test file sizes were around 15.5MB on average.
You won’t be surprised to learn that the X-E4 performs very much like the X-S10 and, in many respects, is on par with the flagship X-T4. As we’ve found previously, the hybrid autofocusing is fast and accurate, with good tracking reliability even when a subject is movement is erratic. The performance in low light/contrast situations is also very reliable.
The combination of the X-Trans CMOS 4 and X Processor 4 is already well-proven in the Fujifilm X-mount range, and again doesn’t disappoint here. Best-quality JPEGs exhibit plenty of well-resolved detailing, smooth tonal gradations and a wide dynamic range. Once again, Fujifilm’s masterful balancing of colorimetric colour – or ‘real’ colour – with expected – or ‘memorised’ – colour, makes its Film Simulation profiles superior to anything else. The standard profiles deliver a pleasing balance of saturation and realism.
The sensor’s ‘dual gain’ design gives better sensitivity at the higher settings while reducing signal-tonoise ratio. Subsequently, because less noise reduction processing is required, the image quality – in terms of both sharpness and saturation – remains exceptionally good all the way up to ISO 12,800. Even above this, the X-E4 still does a commendable job of balancing sharpness and noise reduction. As noted earlier, theoretically the image quality at ISO 5000 will be pretty much the same as it is at ISO 800, albeit with some reduction in dynamic range. The RAW files are also exceptionally flexible, providing plenty of latitude with underexposure, so you can hold onto more detailing in the highlights and brighten the shadows without unduly increasing noise.
THE VERDICT
You can’t make a camera this small without sacrificing something, but Fujifilm is to be credited for minimising the compromises, which – beyond, in-body image stablisation – are things that you can easily live without or work around. As we noted at the start, the X-mount range now really has something for everybody… you just can’t have everything. If you really want IBIS in a more compact camera, there’s the X-S10. If you want more video capabilities, there’s the X-T4.
Nevertheless, the X-E4 does still offer a lot, considering much of the X-T4 has been squeezed in there to the benefit of functionality, speed, and imaging performance. There’s competition from Canon, Nikon, and Sony in the APS-C mirrorless camera sector, but the X-E4 really brushes them all aside when you throw affordability into the mix. And, of course, the Fujinon XF lens system is now just shy of 40 models, so pretty much all the bases are covered here too. However, it’s still the user experience that makes the X-E4 something special. Fujifilm really knows how to sprinkle this fairy dust on its cameras – from the X100V to the GFX 100S – and the X-E4 is almost Leica-like in its form and feel.
It is, quite simply, a little gem of a camera.