Fujifilm X-E5 and XF 23mm F2.8 review – the "Quiet One" steps up

By Keith Wee on September 1, 2025

Introduction

Every camera family has its hero models. For Fujifilm, the spotlight falls on the X-Pro with its rangefinder inspired looks, the X-T with its ergonomics, or the X100 series with its cult-like following. But tucked quietly in the lineup has always been the X-E series, a rangefinder-style body that spoke softly, but meaningfully, to those who wanted portability and perhaps, a bit of the X-Pro essence without breaking the bank.

And 2025 feels like the moment when the quiet sibling named X-E finally steps into the light. There has been chatter about the approximately 50% to 70% price increase from the X-E4 to X-E5 but one thing is sure,

The X-E series is no longer "the budget entry" model into Fujifilm's system, it is now a mid-range option housing the current 40MP X-Trans 5 HR sensor with in-body image stabilization capabilities.

(not to forget we now have the revived X-M series as the new entry level)

Versus the 2021 X-E4, the X-E5 comes with an approximately 50% to 75% increase depending on region with US leading the increases. In Singapore, the price of the camera has gone from $1449 to $2099, a 45% increase.

Though the Fujifilm X-E5 is an interchangeable lens camera, I will focus on the kit XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR lens in this review.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

Let us take a deeper look.

Technicalities: Fujifilm X-E5 - what matters

For spec sheet lovers, I welcome you to pop by Fujifilm's official site here as I find it a waste of your time copying stuff you can find elsewhere.

The Fujifilm X-E4 (my review here) was Fujifilm's attempt at going minimalist, and this round they have gone the other direction, packing inside the Fujifilm X-E5 the 40.2MP APS-C X-Trans 5 HR sensor and X-Processor 5 found in the flagship Fujifilm X-H2. This is not just incremental and transforms how the X-E line is perceived.

The X-E is not a "step down" series, but one that delivers flagship image quality with some features unique to it.

The addition of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) is equally significant. With 5-axis correction offering up to 7 stops (centre) and 6 stops (periphery), the X-E5 gains more usability while shooting handheld night scenes or low-light indoor shots. For a street shooter walking around city nights, this is liberating.

The Fujifilm X-E5 is the 1st model in the X-E series to include IBIS.

The body itself has also been reworked ergonomically wise. The top plate is machined from a single block of aluminium, giving it a much more solid, quality feel at 445g. A front grip bulge and rear thumb rest make it far more comfortable in the hand, giving confidence that was missing from the flat-slab ergonomics of the Fujifilm X-E4.

For anyone coming from another Fujifilm X-series camera, the layout of physical dials and buttons will feel very much at home, including the "Q" button that gives us quick access to menu options.

The workings of the electronic viewfinder has been improved, with Fujifilm's new 'Classic Display' and Surround View modes that mimic a traditional rangefinder's awareness of the scene around your frame lines. The rear 3-inch tilt touch-LCD display works well for low- and high-angle shots, though vloggers will miss a vari-angle option.

The manual switch at the side allowing one to select AF-S, AF-C or manual focusing makes a come-back, with the EVF diopter adjustment flush on the same side of the camera.

You might not have noticed it, but the front control dial which switches between the hybrid OVF/EVF on the X100 series is actually a 5 button setup which can be pushed left or right to select a function or held (for >2 sec) in either direction to access a further two. There's a button at the center of the switch to access a fifth function, with all five options being customizable.

And then there's the new physical Film Simulation Dial. It may seem like a small detail, but it fundamentally changes how you shoot. Three custom recipe slots (FS1–FS3) alongside Fujifilm's built-in classics mean that your favourite looks are just a dial-turn away. This dial alone makes the camera more playful, more tactile, more Fujifilm-spirited.

General performance wise, it is quite expected the Fujifilm X-E5 will perform similar to its siblings (Fujifilm X-H2, X-T5, X-T50) which houses the same 40MP X-Trans 5 HR sensor and X Processor 5 combination.

Technicalities: XF23mm F2.8 - what matters

The XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR* was announced and released together with the X-E5, providing users with a pancake lens option similar to how the XF27mm F2.8 was paired with the X-E4 in 2021. The full specifications can be found here.

(*Fujifilm XF 23mm ƒ2.8 onwards for short)

A pancake-style, weather-sealed prime lens tailored for Fujifilm's X-series, this 35mm equivalent lens comes in at a light 90 g, making the Fujifilm XF 23mm ƒ2.8 the most compact and portable XF prime to date.

The Fujifilm XF 23mm ƒ2.8 design comprises an eight elements in six-group optical construction with two aspherical elements. There are a total of 11 aperture blades with a minimum focus distance of 20cm.

The lens comes with a 39mm filter thread and very compact Φ61.8mm x 23mm dimensions.

Despite its featherweight design, the lens sports thoughtful ergonomics: a knurled grip, a snappy aperture ring (with a handy "A" lock) for easy manual control, and a slim focus ring, though some may find it a bit cramped for precise manual focus.

With the supplied hood installed

One can adjust the aperture in 1/3 steps, complete with full aperture markings running from ƒ2.8 to ƒ16. A tiny metal dome-shaped lens hood (LH-XF27) is included as part of the package.

Handling and Performance

This pairing feels like it was meant to be. The Fujifilm XF 23mm ƒ2.8 is small and discreet, making it an ideal match for the Fujifilm X-E5's design ethos.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

Together, the X-E5 and XF23mm ƒ2.8 duo echoes the simplicity of the X100VI, but with the freedom to switch to a 35mm, 50mm, or even a vintage adapted lens when the mood strikes.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

Optically, the lens impresses with clean sharpness, particularly when stopped down, delivering crisp detail across the frame. Its control over distortion and chromatic aberrations is excellent. As seen in the first sample all the way up, you can achieve pleasing sunstars at ƒ16.

Nonetheless, there is some light vignetting at ƒ2.8 which dissipates with stopping down by two stops.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

Close focus sharpness can be a tad soft when shot wide-open but yet surprisingly, can be quite characterful in terms of output.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

More on this later, but overall the internal focusing mechanism powered by a DC motor delivers quick and generally accurate autofocus, though it will be good to note there is audible noise that may be noticeable in video recording, making the XF 23mm ƒ2.8 better suited for stills.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

This is a set-up which while not truly pocketable, is as snugly compact as it gets within the Fujifilm X-system. If one is open to third-party lenses, there are even more compact lens choices such as the Viltrox AF 28mm ƒ4.5 (my review linked)

5 key points where Fujifilm has done right and could do better:

1. Power in a Small Frame

The 40MP APS-C X-Trans 5 HR sensor and X Processor 5 alone in the X-E5 makes the value proposition strong, and this was correct of Fujifilm to do so. Given the price point, there will have been little point with this camera If Fujifilm had gone with the 26.1MP X-Trans IV sensor instead.

For street, travel, and documentary shooters, it means the freedom to crop more aggressively while retaining resolution. Pairing it with the XF 23mm ƒ2.8 is particularly sweet, wide enough for context, yet sharp enough that you can comfortably crop into a tighter framing later without regrets.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

2. Creative design touches, the Fujifilm Way

And then there's the Film Simulation Dial. It may seem like a small detail, but it fundamentally changes how you shoot. Of course one can still change the film simulations in menu or using the Q button but this dial makes the camera more playful, more tactile, more Fujifilm and will change the way you shoot.

Given that we now have 20 film simulations, the dial gives access to a limited number of film simulations which is fine since we can assign any film simulation (and our personal recipes) to the FS1/FS2/FS3 options.

I very much like Fujifilm's clever new Classic Display and Surround View modes in the EVF display that mimic a traditional rangefinder's awareness of the scene around your frame lines, it does an excellent job in simplifying the frame one looks at.

And the sum of these creative little additions often translates into more frames, and ultimately, more frames, more moments captured.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

3. Autofocus system - very good but still with room for growth

The Fujifilm X-E5 has the same autofocus system that Fujifilm has used in many of its recent cameras, I am glad that these modes can be used in conjunction with the camera's AI-derived subject recognition system.

However a slightly frustrating point is for some reason, humans and their faces/eyes are separate from the rest of the subject detection modes (if subject detection is switched on, face/eye detection must be switched off).

The autofocus system can still hunt while trying to capture low contrast surfaces and this was a surprise to me given the plenty depth of field on the XF23mm ƒ2.8, but I am sure that Fujifilm will improve on the autofocusing capabilities with firmware updates.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

The X-E5's autofocus system is generally quick and reliable, doing a good job of focusing on whatever you've put your focus point over. While most shots were on point, I had a few coming out out of focus despite the focus box showing green over the subject.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

4. Weather Sealing

For a body of such compact portability, the lack of weather sealing is undoubtedly a tad sad. I found it quite hard to accept that Fujifilm made a conscious choice to build the XF 23mm ƒ2.8 lens to be weather resistant, but not the X-E5 body.

Even if the lack of weather resistance was an attempt to differentiate between the X-E5 and the X-H2 and X-T5 models, this decision was undoubtedly a disappointment.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

5. The EVF & LCD that could have been better

The Fujifilm X-E5 comes with a relatively small 0.62x finder with the same 2.36M dot resolution as the X-E4, while the back LCD comes in at a 1.04M dot resolution. Comparatively the Nikon Zf is weather resistant, equipped with a 3.68M dots EVF, a 2.1M dots LCD and a full frame sensor at a slightly higher price point.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

My opinion is that while the EVF and LCD are there working well at functional level, they certainly could have been improved for a better user experience, especially given that the Fujifilm X-E5 has now crossed the SGD2000 (USD1500) mark in terms of pricing.

The Fujifilm X-E5 uses the same NP-W126s battery as most of Fujifilm's smaller cameras. Rated to 310 shots per charge, this is pretty good for a camera of this size. On camera USB-C charging now a norm is also supported with the Fujifilm X-E5.

Conclusions

To start, I am going to reiterate that the Fujifilm X-E5 is now a tad different in its design philosophy and ready to step out of the shadows of its older reference as the cheaper and lesser-built 'X-Pro" model. The Fujifilm X-E5 with XF 23mm ƒ2.8 duo encourages exploration and allows one to treat photography as more than just "capturing the shots", all the while moving towards a more premium build and product placement in the hierarchy.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

It lacks weather sealing and costs more, but it makes up for these in terms by providing the best of image quality and autofocus capabilities Fujifilm can provide at this moment, all in a size that one can easily slip into any bag or a large pocket.

It is not perfect, but the Fujifilm X-E5 is the hands down the best iteration out of the whole X-E line, maturing into its own character of a power packed compact.

Fujifilm X-E5, XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR

On the streets or for the daily candid moment, the Fujifilm X-E5 and XF 23mm ƒ2.8 combination balances well. The 35mm equivalent view is perfect for storytelling, wide enough to capture environment, yet intimate enough for portraits and lastly, the IBIS means even more versatility.

This is the X-E line maturing into its own identity, and the Fujifilm X-E5 in its own way feels like a X100VI unlocked, giving one the valuable possibility of a change of lens, making this imo an excellent camera worth one's consideration.

In fact, instead of the usual loaned review set, I have bought and am using my personal set for this review.

Thank you for reading.

Disclaimers:

All product photos and samples here were photographed by me. I believe any reviewer with pride should produce their own product photos.

2. All images were shot with my personal set of the Fujifilm X-E5 and XF 23mm ƒ2.8 R WR.

3. This review is not sponsored.

4. I write as a passion and a hobby, and I appreciate that photography brands are kind enough to respect and work with me.

5. The best way to support me is to share the review, or you can always help support me by contributing to my fees to WordPress for the domain using the Paypal button at the bottom of the page.