Fuji X-E2 Firmware Update

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fuji fujifilm x-e2 xe2 firmware ver4.jpg

The choice between a new X-T10 and the X-E2 has become a little more tricky. At least, it will be sometime soon-ish. Fujifilm has confirmed another firmware update for the X-E2. In my comparison, I posited that the X-E2 was probably end-of-life as far as firmware upgrades are concerned. Turns out I was wrong, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

My Versus piece saw a minor update to reflect the firmware news, and will be overhauled once the firmware’s feature set is at least officially announced. What’s of particular interest to me is how early days this is. All Fuji has said in any sort of on-the-record format is they’re planning an update, and will determine what is included in the update based on requests from users. I think it’s pretty safe to say the new AF features (multi-point, zone, wide/tracking, eye detection) will be included, but what about a UI update? Or a rotating EVF UI? Can Fuji please, for the love all that is good and pure, make the left and right function buttons customizable, and set playback to the LCD even when EVF-only has been chosen for composition?

Timing

While the early nature of this announcement pacifies X-E2 owners and gives them something to look forward to, it also leaves us with no sense of when this update will be available. Most of the internet seems to think Fuji will intentionally impose a long delay as they will not want to cannibalize sales of their new X-T10, but I think a bigger reason for the wait will come down to the engineering resources Fuji has to put on the project. Would Fuji really be disappointed if people buy one Fuji camera body over another? Hardly.

Pricing & Decisions

As of this writing, the X-T10→ is preorder only for $799 (USD), while the X-E2→ can be had for just $699 (USD). Either way, buyers today have a bit of a wait in front of them. The purchase decision will in part come down to format preference (rangefinder-style vs. DSLR-style), but also which immediate gratification is most enticing:

  1. Having an X-E2 today with an untold wait time for the latest features at $100 less.
  2. Having an X-T10 in a few weeks with the latest features, and a few additional hardware niceties (tilt screen, dials and buttons) for $100 more.

It’s nice to have these kinds of tough decisions.