X Series · 2012
Fujifilm X-E1
The cheapest way to shoot the first X-Trans sensor.
Short answer
The X-E1 is the smaller, cheaper sibling of the X-Pro1, using the same first-generation 16.3MP X-Trans sensor. It has 10 film simulations, no Classic Chrome and no ACROS, and it is the least expensive route to the original X-Trans look.
The X-E1 arrived a few months after the X-Pro1 and stripped away the hybrid viewfinder to hit a lower price. What it kept was the sensor, and the first-generation X-Trans has a following that has outlived several newer chips.
Key specs
- Sensor
- 16.3 MP X-Trans CMOS
- Processor
- EXR Pro
- In-body stabilisation
- No
- Viewfinder
- 2.36M-dot OLED corner viewfinder, 0.62× magnification
- Video
- 1080/24p
- Weight
- 350 g
- Battery life
- 350 shots
- Launch price
- $999
Specifications
- Released
- November 2012
- Sensor
- APS-C · 23.6 × 15.6 mm
- ISO range
- ISO 200–6400 (100–25600 extended)
- Burst
- 6 fps
- Screen
- 2.8-inch fixed LCD, 460K dots
- Lens mount
- Fujifilm X
- Card slots
- 1× SD
- Dimensions
- 129 × 74.9 × 38.3 mm
Dimensions
- 129 mm wide
- 74.9 mm tall
- 38.3 mm deep
Body drawn to scale from the dimensions Fujifilm publishes. Depth is listed, not drawn.
The first X-Trans
The original X-Trans sensor has no optical low-pass filter and a colour filter pattern designed to prevent moiré. Files from it are frequently described as painterly, and older converters handled them badly, which built the myth of X-Trans being hard to process.
Modern versions of Lightroom, Capture One and darktable all handle these files well now.
What to expect
Slow, hesitant autofocus. A 2.8-inch screen at 460K dots. Ten film simulations with no Classic Chrome and no ACROS. Video that is not worth using.
What you get in return is a camera body with real dials for the price of a used phone.
What is good
- First-generation X-Trans rendering Real dials and a corner viewfinder Very light at 350g The cheapest X-mount body worth owning
What is not
- No Classic Chrome or ACROS Slow autofocus and a poor screen 1080/24p video only
Verdict
Buy an X-E1 if you want to see what the first X-Trans sensor looks like without spending real money. Do not buy it expecting a modern camera.
Film simulations on this camera
10 film simulations
Common questions
Does the X-E1 have Classic Chrome?
No. Classic Chrome was never released for first-generation X-Trans bodies.
Are X-Trans I files hard to edit?
They were, a decade ago. Current versions of the major RAW converters handle them properly.
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Last updated August 25, 2026