Fujifilm X-T10 OR Fujifilm X-E2S

Oldstyle1

We have been looking at investing in a good family camera but don't feel we need a DSLR.

We want something with excellent and outstanding image quality and a camera that is very efficient to use at whatever the event we are attending, family, birthday, weddings, capturing images out on farm that we would love to display in our house!

These are two camera's we were looking at from Fujifilm and would love to hear what camera enthusiasts would have to comment about them.

Thanking you

fret_wimp2

Both good cameras with the xtrans aps-c sensor. They are both mirrorless cameras which has pros and cons:

Pro:
-small & light
-inconspicious

Con's
-Slower than a DSLR to focus
-Electronic viewfinder
-harder on batteries.
-designed for people who want more control(at least the fujis are, this is a pro for me!)

I absolutely hate electronic viewfinders, the lag is always awful, particularly in active situations such as taking pictures of the kids or family events where there is a lot going on. They can still do the job but its just a bit of a handicap.

I have a fuji x100T which is similar to both but just with an opitical viewfinder & fixed 35mm lens. I love it and its my main camera now, having replaced my Canon 5D Mk2. It (and i assume these cameras) takes great pictures, is excellent in low light and is just simple to use.

One thing to note with these cameras though is they are designed for people who want to move away from full automatic. they have full auto but its not where they shine. If you will just be letting the camera make all the decisions, id probably go for a camera designed for that.

Also, the mirrorless cameras in general are demons on batteries. My old x100 could get maybe 150-200 pics on a battery, or a few hours walking about.
My 100T is much better getting 300+ on a single battery but i still wouldnt leave the house without a spare battery.
This isnt a just a fuji issue its a mirrorless issue, so make sure to check out battery performance of whatever cmera you go for.

Oldstyle1

Thanks fret_wimp2

You gave a really good detail of them both so a lot for them to ponder over.

How long have you the X100T and would you still rate the X100T over both of these camera's overall. What do you usually use the X100T for also?

Thanks

fret_wimp2

I had the Fuji x100 for about 2 years and the x100T for about a month at this point.

The X100 series is a bit of an odd camera as it has its nuances but it still has gained almost a cult following. How it rates against the other two depends on what you want really.

If you want interchangeable lens's then it wont suit you at all, it has a fixed 35mm equivalent lens and that's it.

For me, I enjoy the fixed lens. I work better under restrictions. It means I can frame a picture better as I know what a scene will look like at 35mm and i don't have to factor in zooming.

It also forces me to "manually"zoom by either walking towards my subject to get closer or walking away. In the process of walking around and exploring a subject I can almost guarantee il find a much better composition within 30 seconds, so although you work a little more, the results are also better.

The Optical viewfinder is also a joy to use, it lets yous see a massive amount of the scene you are taking a picture of, including area outside the field of coverage so you can plan and anticipate action entering the field of view.

The lens is really really sharp also. I use zone focusing which can be hit and miss, but at F8 its almost bang on focus all the time with the x100.

The issue of parallax can be sneaky ( where what you see through the viewfinder is not what the lens sees, and it gets worse the closer your subject is to the camera), but you can work around that and even use the little pop up electronic viewfinder if you are very stuck.

Its also light that i carry it everywhere. seriously, it comes to work with me everyday and on any walks i take. When i used the Canon 5D Mk2, id have to plan a day out with that camera, and it involved a large backpack, at least 2 heavy lens's, possibly a big tripod. It was an ordeal. I used the canon a few weeks ago on a stroll about town, with just one lens and even after an hour my wrist was very sore carrying the camera the whole time. Its unfortunate, its an amazing camera but just doesn't get a look in anymore.

The x100 and both Fuji's you mention also have whats called "auto ISO". you set the preferred ISO & slowest shutter speed you are willing to use & the camera tries to stay to those settings, upping the ISO to ensure it can give the fastest shutter speed. It works brilliantly and gives you a lot of freedom and range for taking shots in manual mode without mucking with camera settings and taking tons of test shots.

I love it for family shots also as again, its super sharp, quick to use, deals well with a lot of situations without needing me to mess with settings and forces me to examine a scene for the best viewpoint, but i can see where someone with kids may want a dslr with a zoom as it will focus quicker and give more leeway to capture "the shot" when the kids are doing something they wont repeat again.

Kent Rockwell has a great review of the camera and he uses it for almost all family occasions.

I'm very biased but i would recommend playing with one for a few days. if you have used a DSLR, its very liberating and feels like your more connected to the scene with less in the way ( i know how airy fairy that sounds!)