Fujifilm X-E2S review – Great photos but can it beat the X-T10?

Photo quality

As with the X-E2, photo quality is the X-E2S’s strongest asset. The 16-megapixel sensor captures enough detail for A3 prints and its noise levels are lower than any other CSC range bar the full-frame Sony a7 series. The 18-55mm kit lens plays a useful role in low light, too with an f/2.8-4 maximum aperture that captures twice as much light as most kit lenses with their f/3.5-5.6 apertures. In practice, that means smoother, more detailed shots in low light where rival cameras struggle with grainy or smeared colours. Automatic exposure settings proved to be reliable — particularly with the added benefit of faster shutter speeds for moving subjects. JPEG colour processing is a matter of taste but Fujifilm’s rich colour palette does it for me.

^ This wide-angle shot is jam packed with detail from corner to corner, and there’s no hint of chromatic aberrations on the backlit branches. (1/420s, f/6.4, ISO 400, 27mm equivalent)

^ Exposure, details and colour reproduction are impossible to fault in this shot. (1/400s, f/7.1, ISO 200, 36mm equivalent)

^ The kit lens is just as sharp at the long end of its 18-55mm (27-83mm equivalent) zoom range. (1/350s, f/9, ISO 400, 83mm equivalent)

^ Pin-sharp focus and sumptuous colour in this macro shot. (1/125s, f/5.6, ISO 200, 83mm equivalent)

^ Shooting in low light is what this camera does best with its low-noise sensor and unusually bright kit lens. (1/100s, f/4, ISO 2500, 83mm equivalent)

^ The camera has detected a moving subject and pushed the shutter speed up to 1/180s to freeze motion. There’s barely any evidence of noise at ISO 1600. (1/180s, f/4, ISO 1600, 64mm equivalent)

^ Skin and hair textures are holding together well at ISO 3200. (1/30s, f/3.6, ISO 3200, 47mm equivalent)

^ Heavy noise reduction gives skin tones an airbrushed quality at ISO 6400 but the results look great at modest sizes. (1/56s, f/4, ISO 6400, 83mm equivalent)

Conclusion

I love the photos that come out of the X-E2S, and I’m just as fond of the exposure controls. Video quality and subject tracking are both a bit iffy; if these features are important, go for the Sony a6000 or Panasonic G7. I suspect most people won’t be too concerned either way. Autofocus and shot-to-shot times are up to scratch for the vast majority of shooting conditions.

For me the X-E2S’s biggest threat comes from its sibling. The Fujifilm XT-10 is very similar but has a tilting LCD screen, dual command dials, a dedicated drive mode dial and a more substantial handgrip. At current prices it’s £35 less with the same 18-55mm lens, or £100 less body-only. As such, the X-T10 remains my favourite compact system camera (CSC) in this price bracket, but the X-E2S isn’t far behind. Buy Now from Amazon.