Thread: X-E1 vs E-M5

I will take the VF-2 or OM-D's built in viewfinder any day over the one that is in my NEX-7. The refresh rate is better on the Olympus and somehow the image seems more bright and definitely less harsh (tones/contrast seems more accurate). I am guessing one area Fuji could have improved the implementation is with the eyecup - I have found the NEX-7's EVF to be tough to use outdoors in bright sunlight, and pretty much impossible with any kind of sidelight (dawn/dusk).

Tonight I was sitting in the car with both cameras and popped off two shots, one with each camera. Both on ISO800, the XE1 with the 35mm lens and the EM5 with the 12-50 @ 30mm. The XE1 is opened wide and at 1/50th, the EM5 is 5.6 @ 1/5th. These aren't apples and apples, but more what it takes to make an ISO800 night shot with each camera.

The EM5 shot

EM5 by Photos By 夏天, on Flickr

The XE1 shot

XE1 by Photos By 夏天, on Flickr

Both shots were imported via LR4.2 and each one had it's own camera custom color profile I created with X-Rite's ColorChecker Passport. Both were RAW shots.

Got my black XE1 + 35/1.4 this morning! I placed the order on Monday, and it arrived from HK in two days.

I was expecting the XE1 to feel really light. But with the 35/1.4 on, it feels just slightly lighter than the OMD with the PL25 on.

For my hands (medium size with skinny fingers), both the XE1 and OMD can benefit from a bigger grip. The XE1 is slightly nicer to hold, because it is slightly bigger.

The EVF of the OMD is DEFINITELY better from a "smoothness" standpoint when panning. But the XE1 has better contrast and colors.

I haven't updated the firmware on the 35/1.4 yet. As it stands right now though, the AF speed of the OMD + PL25 wipes the pants off the XE1 + 35/1.4. The OMD also locks AF on subjects that the XE1 refuses to lock on. Maybe things will improve after I update the firmware on the 35/1.4. The AF of the OMD + PL25 is nearly silent. Whereas the XE1 + 35/1.4 is noisier -- although (thank goodness) without any of the aperture blade chatter on the early XPro1.

I have not taken any photos with the XE1 yet. But I'm sure it'll be every bit as good as the XPro1. :)

I have a 550D, 5D2, EM5 and the XE1 and the most pleasurable one to shoot with seems to be the Fuji.

I don't know why people get so hung up on EVF IQ? It's just a composition device. Surely the most important thing about any camera is image quality and if the camera does what you need it to do like burst shooting etc. From my experience the Fuji is pretty hard to beat IQ wise and that is for me THE most important thing. I guess other things are more important for others but I would not choose one camera over another just because it had a better viewfinder. Horses for coarses i guess

Originally Posted by tdp

I have a 550D, 5D2, EM5 and the XE1 and the most pleasurable one to shoot with seems to be the Fuji.

I have the feeling that the XE1 will be more enjoyable for me as well, given that it's more or less a XPro1. I like aperture rings and shutter speed dial. And I am totally biased towards cameras that look like rangefinders.

As of now, the only thing it's missing for me that I really hoped for was face detection AF. It makes off center portraits much easier, especially if I hand the camera to someone else who does not know how to focus and recompose.

EVF IQ is important so that it doesn't feel like you are watching crappy TV. A crappy EVF is no different than using a small dark tunnel like OVF. That's the beauty of cameras like the Xpro1's hybrid VF.

It doesn't make the images you take any better/worse

Originally Posted by tdp

I have a 550D, 5D2, EM5 and the XE1 and the most pleasurable one to shoot with seems to be the Fuji.

Could you explain why ? :)