The Fujifilm X-E5 continues the tradition of compact rangefinder cameras and particularly appeals to photographers who like to travel light. As with almost every new camera, the question of suitable accessories quickly arises here too. While some things are pure gimmicks, other helpers prove incredibly practical from the very first day of use.
Screen Protector
In a backpack, a keyring or zipper can quickly rub against the surface, and before you know it, the glass is scratched. A protective film or, better yet, a tempered glass screen protector should therefore be among your first purchases. Solid models like those from K&F Concept can be applied bubble-free, with a bit of skill, of course, and neither impair image quality nor the monitor's touch function. The financial outlay is small, but the peace of mind when stowing the camera in a jacket pocket is all the greater.
Memory Cards
When buying memory cards, caution is advised these days, as numerous counterfeits circulate on the internet that offer far less capacity and write speed than the labeling promises. A reputable dealer is half the battle here. So far, SanDisk cards have always served me faithfully, and it's easy to stick with what works. Nevertheless, even with renowned manufacturers, a storage medium can unexpectedly give up the ghost.
For this reason, I personally prefer to use several smaller memory cards rather than one single huge card. A card with gigantic capacity seems convenient at first glance, but it carries an unnecessary risk. If the card fails after two weeks of travel, in the worst case, all your vacation photos are lost. If you spread the days across different cards, a defect still hurts, but it costs you at most the results of a single afternoon.
Memory Card Case
If you swap cards on the go, you need a place where the small storage media neither gather dust nor get lost. The safest option remains, of course, a timely interim backup to an external hard drive. If there's no time for that while traveling, organized storage is a must.
The flat memory card case from JJC has proven itself very well here. It has the dimensions and thickness of a standard credit card. While this case doesn't offer the tank-like protection of sturdy hard plastic boxes, it takes up almost no space. You can easily store it together with spare batteries in a tiny pouch and carry it in your jacket or pants pocket without it being bulky.
Batteries
The Fujifilm X-E5 is a compact camera, and it's precisely this design that takes its toll on battery life. A single battery rarely lasts for an extended day of shooting, so you can hardly avoid two or three spares. Fujifilm makes decent batteries, but it's surprisingly often worth looking at third-party options.
Some third-party manufacturers have implemented ideas that the camera maker could certainly learn from. Some of these batteries have a directly integrated USB-C port on the housing. If you run out of power on the go, you can easily charge the cell from a power bank without having to carry a separate charger. A small LED status indicator directly on the battery is also present on some models, so you can immediately see which unit is fully charged and which goes back into the bag empty.
Chargers
If you travel with multiple power sources, you quickly lose patience when each battery has to be charged in the camera one after another. An external charger provides noticeable relief here. The camera battery charger from llano is a very well-thought-out solution in this context. It takes three batteries at once and is powered via a standard USB-C cable. This means that on trips, your smartphone charger is enough to have all batteries ready to go again overnight.
Grip
A major appeal of the X-E5 undoubtedly lies in its handy form. Adding an extra hand grip might initially seem like a contradiction. However, practice quickly shows the strength of this accessory: you stay flexible. If you're only out with a small pancake lens, the grip stays in the drawer. But if you attach a larger zoom lens, the camera's balance noticeably tips forward.
A grip with a wooden accent not only gives the camera an attractive look, but above all ensures noticeably better grip security. A practical side effect: many of these grips allow the camera to be attached directly to a tripod without an additional adapter plate. Additionally, the base plate protects the sensitive underside of the camera from scratches when setting it down.
There is, however, a small catch in everyday use. The battery compartment can still be opened, but the memory card now sits quite deep in the slot. You can no longer grip it from the sides as comfortably as usual, but have to grab it more deliberately to pull it out.
UV Filter
To protect the front lens of expensive lenses from mechanical damage, many photographers use a UV filter. Brands like Walkingway offer precisely fitting screw-in filters that reliably keep dust, sand, and fingerprints away from the actual glass of the optics. A filter is quickly replaced or cleaned, while a scratch on the front lens means permanent loss of value.
Further Accessories
With a screen protector, suitable memory cards, reliable power supply, and a flexible hand grip, the foundation for relaxed work with the Fujifilm X-E5 is laid. Of course, the system can be expanded further. Topics such as compact clip-on flashes for evening hours, well-padded carrying straps for long city trips, and the search for the ideal, inconspicuous camera bag each deserve their own consideration.
