johnvanr wrote:
Yep, but the difference in shape is what makes the XT5 'large' and keeps the XE5 'small.'
I have the XE5 but I'm selling it, since I don't see the point of having Fuji APSc when I already have MFT and FF. I do like the film simulations and especially bracketing them, but in reality I never end up printing those versions and just start from scratch in Lightroom anyway from the RAW file.
I can’t address your thoughts about the value of having a APS-C camera. (I do have a APS-C system and a FF system, for reasons…)
About size: I had the XPro2 before I had the XT5. By some measurements the XPro is smaller than the XT5 — the XT5 “bump” makes it taller and the more substantial key piece (along with the moveable rear screen) make it thicker. But in the hand the XT5 feels smaller and tighter to me.
There’s matter of comfort for long bouts of shooting, too. I have used both XE and XPro bodies (and briefly a X100 series body), and their squared off shape, while small, is not comfortable for lengthy shooting. (In my case, for street I carry the camera, typically with a small prime, in my hand with a wrist strap attached, sometimes for hours at a time.) I actually get numb finders and hand cramps with the XE and XPro bodies, but I have far less of an issue with that using the XT5.
If you are more of a “pull that camera out of the bag to shoot it” photographer, that probably isn’t as big of a deal as if you are a “camera is always out and ready to shoot” photographer.
While the XE is the “smallest” here, the XT5 is still quite small, especially when outfitted with a pancake prime.
joychris wrote:
I don't use BBAF because its a clunky and outdated method of focusing on Sony's AI bodies, and most of the time I don't even use the joystick - I take advantage of the AI capabilities. I use the expand flexible box with lock on activated by a back button stab to engage tracking on whatever I put the focus box on. I also have tap to track on the LCD. Point, hit the button or tap the screen, and fire away at will. It tracks everything until you disengage or plant the focus box on something else and hit the button again. It's really amazing. Accuracy is almost perfect, and more importantly in video the tracking is just unbeatable. It's so sticky, makes it painless to chase a small child or kingfishers zooming around. I've owned the R5II and rented a XH2s to see if the other's are close - they aren't. Neither is my Nikon.
But that's ok since I already have those bases covered.
The XPro4 rumors have been around for years, and given Fuji's current prices it'll probably be well over $2000 and hard to find since they don't have the foresight to slow production of the other 428 bodies they sell in order to ramp up production of anything before releasing creating artificial shortages. I may have exaggerated the number of X Mount bodies by 5 or 6 though !
The XE5 seems to fit the bill nicely. Again appreciate the time.
Well Chris I like my focusing method, been using it with my first DSLR since 2001 and with film bodies long before that since my first AF camera in the early 80's.
Not interested in AI anything, AI to me means Artificial IDIOT, probably a result of watching too many SciFi flicks where the robots took over and tried to kill everyone. Even touch screens are turned off on my cameras..... OK, I am set in my ways, I want to be in full control of my photos, but have never been called Clunky and Outdated before, not even by my 1 generation younger, beautiful Thai wife….ha ha. Suppose you like self-drive cars too... me I will keep my 4WD off-road Jeep for backcountry travel and 6 speed manual shift Boxster for roadside fun, for as long as I can. To each their own...
Actually tried the A7CR tracking method, but I found is a bit slow and not always focusing on what I wanted, and with no joystick it was ineffective for me at times. OK, you can press the center button on the 4-way pad and then hit the outer rings to move the focus, but what a time delay and PITA, just give us a joystick next to the af-on button instead Sony.
Below is a 2 shot sequence, 1 second apart, I took 2 days ago that I captured because by moving the XT5 joystick it was possible to quickly grab AF in a moving situation. Was focusing on the long row of tiny flowers up close with my XF 35 f1.4 lens (the classic, slow focusing one ) when she walked into the distant view, I panned the camera while moving the AF point to 30 feet away, got the shot and went back to shooting the flowers without her ever knowing. My A7CR most likely yes, but my XE5 with no joystick or 4-way pad it's highly unlikely it would have got this in focus in the time allotted, imho. Just saying the XT5 works better for me then you give it credit for, with really no downsides.
X-T5XF35mmF1.4 R lens35mmf/1.61/1500s125 ISO0.0 EV
X-T5XF35mmF1.4 R lens35mmf/1.61/2400s125 ISO0.0 EV
gdanmitchell wrote:
I can’t address your thoughts about the value of having a APS-C camera. (I do have a APS-C system and a FF system, for reasons…)
About size: I had the XPro2 before I had the XT5. By some measurements the XPro is smaller than the XT5 — the XT5 “bump” makes it taller and the more substantial key piece (along with the moveable rear screen) make it thicker. But in the hand the XT5 feels smaller and tighter to me.
There’s matter of comfort for long bouts of shooting, too. I have used both XE and XPro bodies (and briefly a X100 series body), and their squared off shape, while small, is not comfortable for lengthy shooting. (In my case, for street I carry the camera, typically with a small prime, in my hand with a wrist strap attached, sometimes for hours at a time.) I actually get numb finders and hand cramps with the XE and XPro bodies, but I have far less of an issue with that using the XT5.
If you are more of a “pull that camera out of the bag to shoot it” photographer, that probably isn’t as big of a deal as if you are a “camera is always out and ready to shoot” photographer.
While the XE is the “smallest” here, the XT5 is still quite small, especially when outfitted with a pancake prime.
- what APSc seems to do for you, MFT does for me.
- other than the GFX cameras, I have never found a Fuji body comfortable without a grip, be it the XT, the X-pro, the X100 or the XE lines. I assume the XH cameras would be fine, but never tried those.
- I find the X-pro cameras very large and bulky for what they are and offer; hence, I’m not a fan at all;
- I generally don’t carry a bag at all when I’m out shooting, so I’m very much a guy with one or two cameras over my shoulders ready to go
I do like the X-E5 actually (with a grip) but the only reason to keep it over MFT as my small system would be the resolution. But then I may as well stick with my Leica M11, which has even more MP and is also small. And I’m selling that and ‘replacing’ it with the Canon R8, which is resolution-wise close to my MFT cameras.
gdanmitchell wrote:
There’s matter of comfort for long bouts of shooting, too. I have used both XE and XPro bodies (and briefly a X100 series body), and their squared off shape, while small, is not comfortable for lengthy shooting. (In my case, for street I carry the camera, typically with a small prime, in my hand with a wrist strap attached, sometimes for hours at a time.) I actually get numb finders and hand cramps with the XE and XPro bodies, but I have far less of an issue with that using the XT5.
YMMV.
Dan, I use a PD wrist strap on almost all my camera bodies, including the XE5 and XT5. To make them both more comfortable I added a SmallRig 1/2 Leather case to both, see below. The grip has a full bottom with tripod threaded receptor, access doors for the bottom and side slots, plus a partial grip improvement for both bodies-more so for the XE5. All works well with no issues so far. I routinely carry these for 3 to 4 hours without discomfort with my primes (OK not the XF 90mm f2), the grips do help. Both were in the $40 range.
XE5 left with Voigtlander 18mm f2.8 Color Skopar and XT5 right with Voigtlander 27mm f2 Ultron. OK... I am partial, but a dang good looking setup
! 
