Compact mirror-less cameras seem to be the order of the day. Brands are ensuring that while keeping their cameras compact, quality and performance of the device shouldn't be compromised. A good-looking camera which doesn't click impressive images is hardly going to find any takers. Fujifilm seems to have blended compactness and performance in its latest X-E3 camera which is a powerhouse that comes in a small body. We got our hands on Fujifilm's latest offering the X-E3 and this is what we think of it:
Design and Performance
The Fujifilm X-E3 sports a retro look and comes bundled with all the latest features. Like most mirror-less cameras these days Fujifilm has made sure that its new offering had everything to fair well against its competitions. Fujifilm first introduced the redesigned camera body with the X-E2 back in November 2013, and following the small form factor, the X-E3 can be considered a significant upgrade from the X-E2 and the X-E2S.
Weighing about 337 grams, the petite camera body comes with silver top and rubber body which definitely looks good and feels premium and sturdy at the same time. The top panel comprises of two dials; one for shutter speed and one for exposure composition and auto-mode selector lever. The power on/off switch is in-between the two dials.
It sports a 3.0-inch display with 3:2 aspect ratio, 0.39-inch OLED colour viewfinder and Fujifilm X lens mount on top. The rest of the control buttons are located above and on the right side of the screen. Toggling between these buttons is very convenient with one hand. The bottom houses the battery slot while the memory card slot is located on the left side. One thing you'll notice in the camera is that the X-E3 does not have the standard navigation button which you could control with your right thumb. What it has got is a joystick , which can also be used to change your focus. While it does take some time to get used to the joystick, it is a handy addition.
The touch screen display also allows you to set up a virtual 4 buttons navigation control on the screen. It's very convenient when one has to change basic settings, however, it doesn't work for navigating through the menu. The camera also has gotten rid of the in-built flash just to make it more compact. The absence of an in-built flash hardly registers.
The X-E3 features an APS-C 24.3 megapixel X-Trans CMOS III sensor and the X-Processor Pro image processing engine. It features a 325 autofocus system and 15 colour profile modes, which is similar to what the X-T20 has to offer but the algorithms have been enhanced and it is supposed to be at least 30% faster. We used the X-E3 with a 35mm f2 r wr lens and the, daylight pictures were very impressive, very sharp with an incredibly balanced bokeh effect. The 325 autofocus system does work really well. The shift in focus is great, so when you're capturing moving objects you wouldn't have to worry about blurred unwanted pictures. You might notice a slight lag when you shift to viewfinder mode but a there's nothing a firmware update can't fix.
Like most cameras in this price bracket, the X-E3 can also shoot 4K videos. The quality is great and colour composition is a treat to the eyes. Lighting conditions will definitely play a major role while shooting videos, if the area isn't properly lit; the colour composition turns out to be quite dull.
The device also supports wireless connectivity and Bluetooth for transferring files more efficiently. All you have to do is download the Fujifilm camera remote app and connect your smartphone to the camera. Once you're all setup, the pictures taken on the camera can be viewed on the phone itself. Although it's a nice feature on board, the app does seem a bit slow. It takes time to connect both the devices and receiving the images isn't always quick. So, if you're not really fond of buggy apps, you might as well leave this one alone and wait for the company to update the app. The X-E3 uses a NP-W126S Li-ion battery and has a decent battery life.
Verdict
The X-E3 is priced at Rs 70,999 (body only), with 18-55mm kit it comes for Rs 102,999 and with 23mm F2 kit it is priced at Rs 89,999. The X-E3 definitely has ticked all the right boxes in terms of image quality, design, and the focusing speed. With new control buttons and few new features, for those still using older DSLR cameras, shifting to this one might be learning curve. For those looking for alternatives, you can also check out the Sony A6300 which definitely offers better video quality.
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