Fujifilm X-E3: Why veterans and newbies will love this camera

Veterans will love the nostalgic feel of manual controls, while the autofocus mode will be comforting to newbies, says Abhik Sen

Photograph: Courtesy fujifilm.com

The Fujifilm X-E3 (₹70,999, body only) mirrorless camera, despite being built with a plastic and metal body, looks and feels solid.

The review sample was paired with a 35mm lens (₹ 42,999), which also had an aperture ring.

The clickable control rings are easy to use and, in combination with the 3-inch touchscreen display, offers plenty of wiggle-room for customisations.

I went out one afternoon and clicked a lot of pictures in auto mode, simply because it was so easy.

The jpeg results were outstanding -- punchy colours and detailing, as well as life-like skin tones; at high ISO settings, there was a lot of detailing and not a lot of noise.

The AF joystick is a godsend and the camera's fast auto-focussing ensures you don't miss those precious split seconds.

It's also a decent low-light shooter.

A caveat: If you're a left-eyed shooter like me, you could inadvertently change controls if your nose bumps into the touchscreen.

Photograph: Courtesy fujifilm.com

Manual mode is pretty accurate and offers a lot of control, provided, of course, that you're comfortable with manual controls.

I loved the 15 film simulation modes, which added to the retro appeal of the camera.

The Fujifilm X-E3 is for those who love shooting lots of jpeg images.

Veterans will love the nostalgic feel of manual controls, while the autofocus mode will be comforting to newbies.