Choosing Fujifilm: The best APS-C system alternative to the Leica CL

For the past week, we have been examining the fallout from the discontinuation of Leica’s popular CL and the associated TL lens collection. We’ve acknowledged Leica’s innovation and its contribution to camera design, and we have shown how the TL and CL are still extremely competent tools for excellent photography. Yet, there is no denying that this is now a legacy system. For committed APS-C users, the future must lie elsewhere. We have chosen our new APS-C system-to-go.

“I am thy camera, the Leica, and thou shalt have no other camera before Me”

— from Mount Wetzlar, according to Jörg-Peter Rau

Where do we go from here, following the Leica APS-C exodus? I admit that I have never been one to cling to old technology, and remain an enthusiastic first adopter. So I, for one, pulled out of the Leica APS-C system when the CL was discontinued. I maintain that I need to feel part of a system which is very much alive and which is subject to dedicated development.

Jörg-Peter Rau is also, not without a feeling of sorrow, moving on from Leica, at least when it comes to an APS-C system. Both of us have decided on a new brand to call our own.

Macfilos ponders a new system

If we glance at the market, there are currently six contenders in the APS-C field: Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, and Ricoh. We can discount Pentax now because it is still using the DSLR model, while we prefer to concentrate on mirrorless cameras.

And when it comes to systems, we can also discount Ricoh. Despite the world-wide success of the GR compacts, they are a fixed lens design. But we’ll come back to Ricoh later.

If you are in the market for a lightweight APS-C system, however, you have a quartet of very competent brands to choose from: Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony. All do the job well, and all would fit the requirements as a successor to Leica. But which is the best choice for Leica users wishing to replace their CL/TL kit?

This is where Macfilos is going to take a stand. For many reasons, we have selected the only manufacturer that is fully dedicated to APS-C, the one that has had the longest unbroken history of organic development, and the one that almost certainly has strong prospects. That manufacturer is Fujifilm.

Fujifilm background

As a company, Fujifilm has demonstrated remarkable consistency over the past 15 years since it entered the mirrorless interchangeable-lens world. This process of organic development, of gradual improvement without drastic change, is called Kaizen in Japanese, and it is often applied to Fuji’s consistency. You can’t imagine Fuji suddenly deciding to cancel its APS-C programme, so dependability is a major factor.

The Fuji XF system is now mature and features some outstanding lenses. It is frequently overlooked by observers, but Fuji is a world-class optical specialist. The company manufactures high-end, specialised Fujinon lenses for industrial use — specifically for machine vision, robotics, and industrial inspection — that are distinct from their consumer photography XF or GFX lenses. These lenses are designed for high-resolution imaging, extreme durability, and precise, consistent performance in industrial environments.

Some systems integrators and broadcasters treat top‑end Fujinon cinema and box lenses as “industrial” optics for large‑venue, surveillance, or specialist imaging rigs. Lenses typically sit in the high five- to six-figure price range — for example, the Fujinon Duvo HZK25‑1000mm f/2.8‑f/5.0 PL‑mount cinema box lens, which costs over $250,000.

Another significant factor is that Fujifilm is one of only three manufacturers (the others are Canon and Sony) that make their own sensors. The company’s X-Trans sensor and colour technology offer a genuine alternative to the mainstream Sony sensors.

Enthusiasm

At the camera system level, Fujifilm is run by enthusiasts and, largely, used by enthusiasts. The company has a touch of the Leica about it, albeit on a larger commercial scale. Its fans are just as committed as Leica users, and the world of Fuji offers a very similar experience.

You just have to watch a few videos and read reviews, to see the hint of messianic belief that is probably rivalled only in the Leica world. Canon, Nikon, and Sony are just too big, too diversified, to satisfy a dedicated enthusiasm for APS-C. With these companies, full-frame always comes first. Good as they are, the APS-C cameras from Canon, Sony, or Nikon are always considered more of entry-level, overshadowed by their bigger brothers.

Fujifilm is different. The company has always been committed to APS-C and has avoided the full-frame market. Indeed, similarly to Panasonic, which leapfrogged APS-C in favour of Micro Four Thirds and full frame, Fuji jumped over full-frame and now has a competitive range of medium-format cameras, including the “lightweight compact” GFX100RF. These imaging meisters complement, rather than compete with, Fujifilm’s established APS-C role.

Mirrorless journey

There will be keen Sony, Canon, and Nikon users reading this article, so we need to add a proviso. Nothing in our choice of system implies that the other systems are inferior or not worth considering. All are good, and photographers have valid reasons to choose them. It’s just that Fuji is our choice for all the reasons we list.

I started my mirrorless journey with Fujifilm, owning the first generation of the X100, as well as the early XF-system cameras. Even after dabbling with Leica’s M8 and M9, I still retained an interest (and the Macfilos interest) in Fuji for several years.

Fuji’s mirrorless cameras have always been attractive, aesthetically, to Leica fans. Somehow, the current models look more Leica like than contemporary Leicas. Unlike Leica, which has gone all minimalist (albeit with an exceptional menu system), Fujifilm is a maximalist company when it comes to physical controls. All traditional dials, bells, and whistles of old-time cameras are on display and delight the fingers. With most Fujifilm bodies, you can still glance down and see all the critical exposure settings without needing to use the screen or viewfinder.

I am now back in the Fuji camp, this time accompanied by Jörg-Peter Rau. Both of us are now Fuji fans, although we have slightly different systems and requirements. We will go into that in more detail in subsequent articles. None of this means we aren’t still fully committed to Leica’s three definitive product lines in the full-frame sector. The M, the Q and the SL are still aspirational.

The Fujifilm range

Now, however, it’s a good time to look at the Fujifilm range from the viewpoint of former TL/CL owners. Fuji produces a bewildering selection of models, which can be perplexing to the outsider. Apart from the fixed-lens X100, the XF-mount models currently fall into two main camps — those that look like an old-style rangefinder and those that are modelled on the DSLR body concept. Both have their merits, and it’s good that we have the choice.

But there is now a further method of narrowing down choice, and that is sensor pixel density. Fujifilm’s cameras are now divided by the type of sensor. The first set of cameras, from both DSLR and “rangefinder” camps, retain the trusty old 26.1MP sensor that has been the mainstay of Fuji’s cameras for several years.

Pixel density

However, the new 40MP sensor is the one to go for, we believe. It offers outstanding pixel density for an APS-C sensor, equivalent to 90MP on a full-frame camera — although that is only a small part of the story and doesn’t mean that it is better than, say, a 60MP full-frame chip with its larger pixels. This is a subject for discussion elsewhere.

Nevertheless, the 40MP chip is a tremendous step forward, and we have been astounded by the results. It’s significant that the nearest challenger to Fuji’s APS-C sensor technology is Canon, with its 33MP offering. On the other hand, if you are happy with the 26.1MP sensor, there are many more Fujifilm cameras to choose from and, of course, you make considerable cash savings.

In our recommendations, then, we are limiting the choice to Fuji’s current 40MP cameras. However, once you are into the system, the older cameras with the lower-density sensor remain great buys and can be added to your family. As you will see, you can pick between a fixed-lens compact, and system cameras in either style.

Let’s look at the cameras we would recommend you consider.

Fujifilm 40MP X-Series bodies

Last week, in preparation for this article, I spent an hour at the Fujifilm House of Photography in London’s Covent Garden. All the cameras are conveniently arranged in a semicircle and allow customers to get a real hands-on feel.

Voted off the island

First to bite the dust, in my opinion, is the X-H2. It’s a great professional camera, but is edging up to full-frame size.

I liked the tiny X-M5 (not on the above list), which is even smaller than the X-E5, but it still sports the old 26MP sensor, lacks a viewfinder (a dealbreaker unless the camera is as small as the Ricoh GR) and is definitely more video-centric.

I had to keep reminding myself that the objective with an APS-C system is minimising weight and bulk. So the X-H2 is overkill for the purposes of this discussion.

There is also the possibility of a new X-Pro being launched this autumn. That camera, with its hybrid rangefinder/electronic finder, will be of interest to Leica fans and will be worth considering if you want a slightly bigger APS-C, more professional body with weather resistance. It is said to feature a new processor and a 5.6MP viewfinder and, of course, the 40MP sensor.

The band of three

So we are now down to a more realistic choice of just three 40MP models. The two lightest bodies, the X-T50 and the X-E5, are almost identical in capabilities, but differ somewhat in control layout and functions. The X-T50 has a “DSLR style” body with central viewfinder while the X-E5 is “rangefinder style” with a body reminiscent of a Leica film camera, with the electronic viewfinder to the left. Neither is weather resistant, but both have IBIS, the X-T50 has flash. That’s about it.

Both these cameras are decidedly ogleable and are extremely well-built. Get one in your hands, and you won’t want to put it down. If anything, the X-T50 is the more compelling, a virtual miniature DSLR and adds the useful feature of a flash.

And the winner is…

But our choice from the two — based mainly on a heart-over-head flip of the coin — is the X-E5, which has now become something of a cult camera, although not in such ridiculously short supply as the superstar X100VI. In fact, with a 23mm pancake lens attached, the X-E5 can easily replace the X100VI as a lightweight, dedicated 35mm-equivalent street camera. They are almost identical in size and weight. If you can afford only one, go for the X-E5. But if you can run to both, they complement one another perfectly.

The third camera in the list is the bigger brother of the pared-down XT-50. The X-T5 offers a more robust, weather-resistant body, a substantial grip, much larger viewfinder and twin SD-card slots. If you like, it’s the pro model in the 40MP lightweight range.

With its chunkier, DSLR-style body and oodles of grip, this camera has a significant advantage for more serious work, particularly if you want to use heavier f/1 or f/1.2 glass, or long telephotos. The tiny XT-50 and X-E5 are rather overwhelmed by such optics, and are best reserved for more modest glass and more gentle pursuits. Nevertheless, a handgrip or thumb grip helps both the smaller bodies.

The only caution with the X-T5 is that the X-T6 is due for release fairly soon if rumours are to be believed. So now might not be the time to buy the current camera. However, once the Six arrives, the Five will still be an attractive buy at a lower price.

The clincher

The clincher is that Fujifilm just fits as a complementary system alongside Leica. 



First, Fuji is not a competitor for Leica’s full-frame ranges. On the contrary, the other contenders, Canon, Nikon, and Sony are strong competitors and, in time, could tempt you away from Leica if you feel comfortable with their APS-C offerings. 



Second, I know that Fujifilm is well regarded at Wetzlar for its build quality and value for money, not to mention its dedication to APS-C. And Leica has a successful partnership with the Japanese company’s instant camera division. These are all reasons to feel happier choosing Fujifilm if you do want to get back into APS-C.

If you agree with our choice, dust off the spec sheets, go down the nearest YouTube rabbit hole and see which of these three Fujis would suit you best. I don’t think you could be disappointed with any of them. Jörg-Peter and I have already dipped our toes into the water and, in the coming weeks, will tell you what we have picked as our Fujifilm starter kit.

And finally a rosette for Ricoh

Before wrapping this up, let’s give a rosette to a little camera that isn’t made by Fuji or the other three big boys. It’s the only APS-C camera that truly fits in a jeans pocket and is the epitome of the “camera that’s always with you”. Despite Leica, despite Fuji, we recommend the Ricoh GR, versions III or IV (or the intriguing new monochrome version), as a camera that every photographer should own. It is not only a “just-in-case” sort of camera, it is a thoroughly competent APS-C powerhouse.

The GR is genuinely tiny and has a professional feel to it. The results are excellent, and the camera is just so useful for discreet street photography. Without a viewfinder (which we will excuse because of the small size) it has to be used like a smartphone, at arm’s length. While this doesn’t appeal to everyone, it does make the Ricoh less threatening and, dare we say, bland in a good sense? No one would accuse such an inoffensive little snapper of producing professional results. But it does.

Ever-present companion

I always take my Ricoh as a reserve whenever I travel. Whether my main camera is a Leica or a Fuji, the Ricoh always finds a little corner of the bag. Jörg-Peter takes his GRIIIx to the mountains or on cycling trips when minimal weight matters. And despite the lack of viewfinder, he likes and actively uses his GRIIIx; see his surprising review of the Ricoh GRIIIx and the historic Rollei 35. It’s a camera that can be slipped into a pocket even when you don’t want to take a camera. So buy one, even if you have a shelf full of alternatives.

The team is now divided

The European half of our editorial team — Jörg-Peter and I — have now adopted Fujifilm as our preferred APS-C brand to supplement our full-frame Leica activities. But our US-based editors, Jon Cheffings and Keith James, have resolved to soldier on with their legacy TL and CL systems. We imagine their view will be shared by many readers. But J-P and I are resolved to move on. And over the coming weeks we will be describing our starter Fuji system.

What’s your view?

Have you given up on APS-C since Leica discontinued the system? Are you plodding on with the CL and lenses until the equipment becomes unserviceable? Or are you, like half the Macfilos team, making a bold move? What’s more, do you agree with our choice of Fujifilm or do you favour another brand?

Fujifilm X100VI review	Leica v Fujifilm APS-C
Why you should visit Camden Lock (Ricoh GR)	Fujinon XF 18mm f/1.4 long-term review

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