Let me set the scene.

I’m walking down the road in central London with the Fujifilm X‑E5 around my neck when I suddenly feel the camera slip to one side. Within a second, it’s dropping towards the ground.

Broken strap attachment lug on Fujifilm X-E5 camera

Fortunately, I managed to catch it before it hit the concrete but it very easily could have been a destroyed camera.

At first, I assumed the strap had failed. Instead, I realised one of the actual strap attachment lugs on the camera body had snapped off.

Now, after near to 10 years of shooting I have never experienced an issue like this. The camera attachment lugs should be the last thing that comes off given how most people carry their cameras.

After getting back home I had a look online to see if anybody else had experienced something similar and to my surprise I came across a statement from Fujifilm admitting the fault and offering repairs on the X-E5. (https://www.fujifilm-x.com/en-gb/news/important_notice_fujifilm_x-e5)

While, I'm glad Fuji are offering repairs, there are a couple of issues here.

First, unless you see this issue or experience it, the likelihood that you will come across this statement is really low.

Second, Fujifilm hasn’t specified which X-E5 units are affected. There’s no serial number range or production batch listed, which means any X-E5 could potentially be impacted.

After posting a video about this on YouTube, I was surprised by how many X-E5 owners got in touch describing similar experiences. A recurring theme in the comments was concern about Fujifilm’s declining build quality in recent years.

It’s a point of view I do agree with. When you compare older cameras like the Fujifilm X‑Pro2 to Fujifilm’s more recent releases, the difference in build quality is noticeable. The X-Pro2 still feels like a camera built to last.

I genuinely enjoy shooting with the X-E5, and I think it’s a great camera in many ways. But it’s very hard to recommend while this issue potentially hangs over every unit sold.

Hopefully, Fujifilm can either fully resolve the problem or clearly communicate exactly which X-E5 cameras are affected.

If you are thinking of getting the Fuji X-E5, I’d strongly recommend purchasing from a retailer with a solid returns policy or taking out extended warranty for peace of mind.