Fujifilm Announces X-E1, potential street photography camera with high image quality, for under $1,000

Fuji today announced the  Fujifilm X-E1, a camera that has the potential to bring uncompromising image quality to a street-smart camera that is expected to sell for just under $1,000. The X-Pro 1, which is built around the same outstanding 16MP sensor with a film-like, semi-randomized pixel array, is generally fast enough to handle most street shooting situations (and as a street photographer you know that no shutter lag is a necessity) after updating the firmware, and isthe second-highest rated camera on the Resnick Digital Camera Street Cred Index.  Well, Fuji claims the X-E1's shutter lag time (assuming AF is turned off) is 0.05 seconds—which is virtually a non-event. If this claim holds up in street tests (which I hope to do as soon as the camera becomes available) this camera becomes an exciting new option for fast, unobtrusive street photography.

One possible objection is that the camera uses an electronic viewfinder rather than an optical one. This needs to be put to the test, as the finder's resolution is over 2 million dots, which may help overcome resistance to the whole EVF idea. However, since it also has a hot shoe, you could always trick it out by installing an optical finder such as this Voigtlander 28mm Brightline Optical Viewfinder.

As I wrote in today's First Look article about the Fujifilm X-E1 for the Adorama Learning Center, it carries the same sensor as the Fujifilm X-Pro1, which in my review I found delivered outstanding image quality. Imagine ISO 400 quality in ISO 2000 images! That's what I got with the X-Pro 1 and I expect similar results from the X-E1.

I can't wait to get my hands on this camera!