Fujifilm X-E5 camera fixes my biggest issue with its predecessor
Fujifilm has made a lot of fantastic cameras in recent years, but it's fair to say 2021's X-E4 isn't widely regarded as a modern classic. Few could find fault with its retro style, compact size or general image quality, but the fact that it lacked in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) was a bit of a shocker for a mirrorless camera in its price bracket.
The X-E4 was quietly discontinued in 2023, but it's now been given a successor in the gorgeous form of the Fujifilm X-E5. Launched today, the X-E5 has a striking rangefinder-style body (with silver or black accent colour), the very same 40.2MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor as found in the X-T5 and X100VI and, finally, IBIS. The new five-axis in-body stabilisation gives the X-E5 up to 7 stops of compensation, delivering sharper shots and steadier video when shooting handheld.
And it's not the only first the Fujifilm X-E5 brings to the series, either. Construction quality has been given a glow-up too, with a new machined aluminium top plate replacing the plastic one of past X-E models. Formed from a single slab of metal, the top plate's new design not only looks a little more premium than that of older X-Es, but should make the twiddling the dials a more tactile and pleasing experience.
There are three dials up top: one for shutter speed, one for exposure compensation and one enabling users to swiftly flick between Fujifilm's signature Film Simulation modes, immediately altering the look of photos and videos. The Fujifilm X-E5 can shoot 6.2K video at up to 30fps, features AI-assisted tracking autofocus and a tilting rear monitor capable of flipping up 180 degrees.
In keeping with the X-E5's retro styling, the tiny EVF now features a stripped-back Classic Disply mode, which Fujifilm says replicates the simplified, clutter-free viewfinder experience of a 35mm film camera (it's still a tiny and outdated EVF, though – seemingly the very same one as was used on the 13-year-old X-E1).
There's also a user-customisable control lever on the front, which can be set to adjust things like the view mode, digital zoom or image aspect ratio. And even the supplied shoulder strap is retro, with its fetching rope-style texture.
Fujifilm is also launching a new ultra-compact and weather-resistant pancake lens alongside the camera: the XF23mm F2.8 R WR. The two together form a lightweight and highly portable team, with a combined weight of only 535g.
The Fujifilm X-E5 will be available from August 2025, priced at £1299 body only or £1549 in a kit with the 28mm lens. US pricing is $1699 body only and $1899 in the kit, which seems to be a quite a premium over the UK price; perhaps that's a sign that the Trump administration's tariffs are beginning to have a marked effect on imports. For more information, head over to the Fujifilm site.
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Stuff.tv
2 days ago
- Stuff.tv
Fujifilm X-E5 camera fixes my biggest issue with its predecessor
Fujifilm has made a lot of fantastic cameras in recent years, but it's fair to say 2021's X-E4 isn't widely regarded as a modern classic. Few could find fault with its retro style, compact size or general image quality, but the fact that it lacked in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) was a bit of a shocker for a mirrorless camera in its price bracket. The X-E4 was quietly discontinued in 2023, but it's now been given a successor in the gorgeous form of the Fujifilm X-E5. Launched today, the X-E5 has a striking rangefinder-style body (with silver or black accent colour), the very same 40.2MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor as found in the X-T5 and X100VI and, finally, IBIS. The new five-axis in-body stabilisation gives the X-E5 up to 7 stops of compensation, delivering sharper shots and steadier video when shooting handheld. And it's not the only first the Fujifilm X-E5 brings to the series, either. Construction quality has been given a glow-up too, with a new machined aluminium top plate replacing the plastic one of past X-E models. Formed from a single slab of metal, the top plate's new design not only looks a little more premium than that of older X-Es, but should make the twiddling the dials a more tactile and pleasing experience. There are three dials up top: one for shutter speed, one for exposure compensation and one enabling users to swiftly flick between Fujifilm's signature Film Simulation modes, immediately altering the look of photos and videos. The Fujifilm X-E5 can shoot 6.2K video at up to 30fps, features AI-assisted tracking autofocus and a tilting rear monitor capable of flipping up 180 degrees. In keeping with the X-E5's retro styling, the tiny EVF now features a stripped-back Classic Disply mode, which Fujifilm says replicates the simplified, clutter-free viewfinder experience of a 35mm film camera (it's still a tiny and outdated EVF, though – seemingly the very same one as was used on the 13-year-old X-E1). There's also a user-customisable control lever on the front, which can be set to adjust things like the view mode, digital zoom or image aspect ratio. And even the supplied shoulder strap is retro, with its fetching rope-style texture. Fujifilm is also launching a new ultra-compact and weather-resistant pancake lens alongside the camera: the XF23mm F2.8 R WR. The two together form a lightweight and highly portable team, with a combined weight of only 535g. The Fujifilm X-E5 will be available from August 2025, priced at £1299 body only or £1549 in a kit with the 28mm lens. US pricing is $1699 body only and $1899 in the kit, which seems to be a quite a premium over the UK price; perhaps that's a sign that the Trump administration's tariffs are beginning to have a marked effect on imports. For more information, head over to the Fujifilm site.
Stuff.tv
03-06-2025
- Stuff.tv
I had my doubts about Marshall's first soundbar, but the Dolby Atmos-equipped Heston 120 blew me away
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It's a high-end one-box soundbar with full Dolby Atmos and DTS-X support and as such takes on the Sonos Arc Ultra but boasts a slightly lower price. That's by far from an easy task. But Marshall believes that enough of its devotees will want a soundbar that looks a little different than the norm and that is equally suited to music as well as TV. Is it enough? The company is certainly hoping so and more products will follow – a Heston 60 soundbar with virtual Atmos is coming later in the year to go up against the Sonos Beam. There are two big selling points of this soundbar. Firstly, that it supports pretty much everything under the sun in addition to the aforementioned Dolby Atmos and DTS-X. Naturally there's HDMI eARC support. But there's also HDMI passthrough, Bluetooth (including LE and Auracast), AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. There's even analogue RCA so you can hook up a turntable for example. And then there's the physical knob controls (just like on Marshall's amps and speakers) for volume, treble and source select. More on those shortly. You can order Heston 120 in the US for $999 or Europe for £900/€999. How we test home cinema equipment Every prjector, sound bar and home theatre separate reviewed on Stuff is used for a minimum of a week's worth of daily watching and listening. We use a playlist of test footage made up of multiple genres to assess picture and sound, and use our years of experience to compare to other models. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Design: not the most in-your-face, but it will be too much for some The design of the Heston 120 is unmistakably Marshall but is more subtle than it could look. The large Marshall logo might put some off, but it doesn't stick out as much it could. The physical controls (more on them opposite) only stick out a little above the top of the soundbar, so you won't be bothered by them when you watch TV. While some will view the physical knob controls (just like on Marshall's amps and speakers) as gimmicky I found it were genuinely useful for volume, especially when you're listening to music. You can also change source this way should you want. Changing the source between streaming (from a phone) and your TV was actually the only thing I didn't find worked so well about this soundbar. If you're listening to some music over AirPlay for example, then changing back to HDMI as a source didn't stick. And that's a shame, because the theory of it is good. Physically, Heston 120 was designed to have a low-enough profile to sit under most TVs, but it can also be wall-mounted easily. Happily there are also replaceable parts including the fret, end caps, drivers and even the circuit boards. Connectivity: so many options and a well-designed new app As we mentioned before, connectivity is king here and it really shows just how much effort Marshall put in. The company's design team obviously sat round a table and mused what the ideal bar would include. And they've pulled off a blinder in that regard. Naturally there's HDMI eARC support (and there's an included high-speed HDMI cable). But there's also HDMI passthrough, Bluetooth (including LE and Auracast), AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. There's even analogue RCA so you can hook up a turntable, for example. A redesigned Marshall app also debuts alongside the Heston 120. You can set up the bar initially using this and you can optionally calibrate the sound to suit your room. This uses a simple test that takes just a few minutes. Naturally, you can use third-party apps to control music while HDMI is naturally auto-switching so it's unlikely you'll use the app much after initial setup which is swift and works well. Indeed, we've had numerous issues in the past setting up devices with Apple's AirPlay. Not so here. Wi-Fi settings are also shared easily. You can also select presets for quick access to a favourite playlist or internet radio station should you wish using the physical controls and you can flick between the sound modes – Music, Movie, Night and Voice. Sound quality: superb for both music and movies As you'd expect at this price, the audio hardware inside the 7kg bar is hefty in both weight and power. There are a huge 11 individual speakers and associated amps (2 x 50W, 9 x 15W, 150W peak power) arranged in a 5.1.2 configuration. So what does it sound like? When watching TV, the bar is adept at movies in particular, while I also enjoyed watching the sport and the F1 in particular. Dolby Atmos obviously takes it to a new level. I found some softer voices require you to raise the volume, even in the Voice mode is selected. But it's a great all-rounder, which you obviously need from a soundbar. Heston comes into its own when listening to music. The impressive range of sources and codecs should suit everyone and it is powerful. It's unsurprisingly happier with rockier tracks though bassier dance tunes are well catered for. And it's a warm, high quality sound that can easily fill a mid-sized room . If you want even more powerful audio, an additional Heston Sub 200 is coming later in the year for those who want even more bass punch. There's no word on pricing yet though. Marshall Heston 120 verdict Marshall has created a wonderful box of tricks here and the wide variety of streaming formats is a real boon for full music flexibility. The sound quality is exceptional and bass especially is a real strength. You really won't be disappointed by it, even if it's hard to recommend it against the Sonos Arc Ultra, especially if you want any kind of multiroom possibilities. And even though the physical controls are super, some won't like the look of the Heston. It's certainly a contrast to many sleeker soundbars. But overall, I really love how the Heston 120 sounds and performs. Like all great TV sound gear, it just works seamlessly with your TV and everything that plugs into it. And it's a real bonus that this bar just happens to be great for music, too. Stuff Says… Score: 5/5 A cracking Dolby Atmos one-boxer with huge sound, powerful bass and so many streaming options. But the retro look won't be for everyone. Pros Surprisingly useful physical controls Superb sound quality Really powerful bass Standout design So many streaming options Cons Different sources, quite different volumes No remote control Big competition – especially from Sonos The look won't be for everybody Marshall Heston 120 tech specs Output 150W; 2 x tweeters, 2 x mid-woofers, 2 x subwoofers, 5 x full range Connectivity HDMI 2.1 eARC, HDMI in (passthrough), Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, RCA stereo, RCA mono (for sub), USB-C, Ethernet, Streaming Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect Dimensions 110 x 14.5 x 7.6cm Weight 7.04kg
Stuff.tv
22-05-2025
- Stuff.tv
An hour with the Fujifilm X-Half left me nostalgic for analogue film
Fujifilm has done more to make compact cameras cool that just about any other camera brand, but the new X-Half might just make them sub-zero. Sitting somewhere between modern mirrorless camera and retro toy, it's is a true love letter to a niche form of analogue film – just one that was written in the digital age. The underlying hardware might not be much to shout about, but for sheer fun factor it's going to take some real beating. No prizes for guessing which camera Fuji took design inspiration from; the X-Half looks just like an X100VI that shrunk in the wash. You can get one in the same Silver or Black colours, as well as a new Charcoal option. It's about as big as a disposable film camera (if you're old enough to remember one of those) and almost as light. Chalk some of that up to the polycarbonate construction, which avoids feeling cheap. That's appreciated, as this isn't a pocket change camera. It'll set you back $850/£699, or only a little less than the interchangeable lens X-M5. It's not like you're getting high-end hardware for your cash, either. There's a 1in sensor at the X-Half's heart, which is half the size of Fuji's APS-C norm. Pixel count maxes out at 18MP, and it's paired to a 10.8mm, f/2.8 fixed focal length lens with no image stabilisation or even a filter thread. The rest of the camera is pretty basic, with just an exposure compensation dial on the top plate. Aperture and manual focus controls are built into the fixed lens. There's a cold shoe for accessories (though I'm not sure which ones would actually prove useful) and an LED flash. A single SD card slot handles storage. Fuji says the battery is good for up to 880 shots, and charges over USB-C. The focus is very much on the shooting experience here. You can only take JPEGs (no RAWs), so the firm's trademark film simulations are baked in once you press the shutter button. There's a second screen on the back of the camera dedicated to showing which simulation is active; it looks like a window highlighting an analogue film canister inside the camera. There's an optical viewfinder for composition, but it doesn't have the fancy hybrid gubbins as seen on the X100 VI; just a green LED to indicate when the single-zone autofocus has locked onto a subject. With the sensor oriented for 3:4 vertical shooting, the X-Half fully embraces the niche half-frame format – named because each shot is half the width of an image shot on 35mm film – for the social sharing era. The rear touchscreen is even styled to match, with a refreshing lack of buttons next to it. Everything is controlled with swipes and taps. The UI has been simplified greatly, too, so there aren't hundreds of menus to sift through – just the essentials. A film winder next to the shutter button is the icing on the cake. Pulling it takes a 2-in-1 diptych, or side-by-side shot, while pushing it in previews the last shot. You can mix and match stills with video in a single diptych, too. I wish the winder had a ratcheting feel, but the way it springs back after every pull is very satisfying. The shutter has the soft click of a film camera, rather than the heavy thunk of a mirrorless digital one. Even more fun is the Film Camera mode, which lets you take 36, 54 or 72 shots before 'developing' them – along with a contact sheet – via the X-Half smartphone companion app. Image previews are disabled until you complete the 'roll', and you can also apply a handful of analogue effects like light leak and expired film. You've got to remember that the optical viewfinder is offset from the lens, though; the few shots I framed precisely didn't line up after developing. Whichever mode you're in, the shots the X-Half takes are full of Fuji's signature colour science. There's real warmth and contrast on display, and I was pleasantly surprised at how crisp some of my test shots came out; the lens may be more 'characterful' than Fuji's usual optics, but that doesn't mean it's bad. There may be fewer film simulations here than you'll get on the firm's regular X-series cameras, but the big hitters are all present and correct, including two of my favourites, Classic Chrome and Reala Ace. Each gives your shots a distinctive feel, and I liked being locked into one for an entire 'roll' at a time. I don't shoot in portrait very often, so being forced into it here meant not relying on my usual compositions, and thinking more about framing each shot. It's a world away from today's multi-talented mirrorless cameras, which can tackle pretty much any conditions. Walking around East London with the camera gripped between thumb and forefinger felt freeing, too; I wasn't constantly reviewing each shot, but looking for my next subject or location. I'll have to withhold judgment on how well the 1in sensor holds up in low light, although outright image quality isn't the ultimate goal here; like an analogue film camera, a lot of the appeal is how imperfect images still convey the mood and intention of the photographer. Having spent an hour with the X-Half, I'm convinced its limitations are part of the charm. This is a fun camera that makes you think about composition rather than the minutiae of ISO values and the like; and with no option for RAW editing later, what you shoot is what you get. That will surely make it a hit with social media sharers who want to get their pics live ASAP. At $850/£699 it's hardly an impulse – but if you're willing to pay for retro charm, this camera has plenty of it. The Fujifilm X-Half is up for pre-order now. Cameras start shipping from June 12.
