RSS
 

Fujifilm X100F Review

17 Mar

The X100F is the fourth iteration of Fujifilm’s well-respected X100 series. It still uses the same 35mm equivalent 23mm F2 lens, still has the ‘classic’ design cues, but almost everything has changed under the surface.

The biggest change between the X100F and its predecessors is the move to the use of the 24MP X-Trans sensor. We’ve been very impressed with this sensor when we’ve encountered it in the X-Pro2 and X-T2. We think it’s a much bigger step forward than the pixel count hike implies.

We looked in more depth at the difference between the two models in this article, but here are the key features of the X100F:

Key features

  • 24MP X-Trans CMOS sensor
  • Hybrid Optical/Electronic viewfinder
  • 35mm equivalent F2 lens
  • Joystick for setting AF point
  • ISO control via dial (lift and turn the shutter speed dial)
  • Twin push-in control dials, front and rear
  • Focus ring customizable when not in MF mode
  • Revised menus
  • Finer-grained image parameters
  • Higher voltage NP-W126S battery with percentage usage indication
  • Digital Teleconverter Mode (offers 50mm and 70mm equiv crops, resized to 24MP)

The X100 series, perhaps more than any other camera, has seen the results of the philosophy of continuous improvement. Whether it’s in the firmware updates that turned the original, fascinating but deeply flawed X100 into a likeable, usable camera, or the iterative approach that has seen across-the-board improvements with each successive model.

In its fourth incarnation, it’s increasingly likely that a lot of the people who might want an X100-type camera already own an X100 model of some sort. Which leads to the question: has Fujifilm done enough to make it worth upgrading, from the X100, from the X100S and from the X100T?

Generations of iteration

The X100 series has been the result of an iterative process of continuous development. This has prompted a thousand internet wags to snipe that ‘I’d rather wait until they make a finished camera.’ But, other than the original model running initial firmware, which fell heavily on the wrong end of the endearing/unusable end of the ‘quirk’ spectrum, each model has been an excellent camera in its own right.

The defining feature of the X100 series: its hybrid viewfinder. This, along with the small body, large sensor and fixed focal length lens, is core to its shooting experience and its appeal.

Technology improves and Fujifilm has, step-by-step, reworked, tweaked and refined most of the camera. The length of this table alone should point to how many changes have been made, and that’s without mentioning smaller details such as the more precise focus ring sensor, automatic detection of wide/tele conversion lenses (if used with the Mark II lenses) and revised user interface.

However, many of the core features have remained: variations on the original optical/electronic hybrid viewfinder and a leaf shutter in a 35mm-equivalent 23mm F2 lens. This allows shutter speeds (and flash sync) at up to 1/1000th of a second when wide-open, increasing to 1/4000th of a second by the time you stop down to F8.

  X100F  X100T X100S X100
Lens 23mm F2 23mm F2 23mm F2 23mm F2
Sensor 24MP X-Trans 16MP X-Trans 16MP X-Trans 12MP Bayer
Wi-Fi? Yes Yes No No
Autofocus Hybrid Phase and Contrast Detection Hybrid Phase and Contrast Detection Hybrid Phase and Contrast Detection Contrast detection 
Selectable AF points / PDAF points 325 / 169 91 / 49 91 / 49 49 / 0
AF Joystick? Yes No No No
Viewfinder Hybrid OVF/EVF Hybrid OVF/EVF Hybrid OVF/EVF Hybrid OVF/EVF
EVF resolution 2.36M-dot
LCD
2.36M-dot
LCD
2.36M-dot
LCD
1.44M-dot
LCD
Preview tab in OVF Yes Yes No No
Custom Fn buttons 7 (inc 3 posn. on 4-way controller) 7 (inc 4 posn. on 4-way controller) 2 2*

*with f/w 1.2

Dials Shutter Speed
Aperture
ISO
Exp comp
Front/Rear dials (Clickable)
Shutter Speed
Aperture
Exp comp
Rear dial (Clickable)
Shutter Speed
Aperture
Exp comp
Rear jog switch (Clickable)
Shutter Speed
Aperture
Exp comp
Rear jog switch (Clickable)
Exposure comp range +/– 3
+/– 5 in ‘C’ position
+/– 3   +/– 2  +/– 2
Apeture ring precision 1/3EV 1/3EV 1EV 1EV
Rear LCD 3.0″ (3:2)
1.04M dots

3.0″ (3:2)
1.04M dots
2.8″ (4:3)
0.46M-dot
2.8″ (4:3)
0.46M-dot 
Max ISO
(JPEG/Raw)
ISO 51,200/
ISO 51,200
ISO 51,200/
ISO 6400

ISO 25,600/
ISO 6400

ISO 12,800/
ISO 3200

Max shutter speed (mechanical/
electronic)

1/4000
1/32,000
1/4000
1/32,000
1/4000
n/a 
1/4000
n/a

Continuous shooting

8 fps
(60 JPEG)
6 fps
(25 JPEG)
6 fps
(31 JPEG)
5 fps
(10 JPEG)
Film simulations 8, including
Classic Chrome and Acros
7, including
Classic Chrome
6  6
Movie capability 1080/60p  1080/60p 1080/30p 720/30p 
Mic input Yes (2.5mm) Yes (2.5mm) Yes (vis USB) No
Battery
(Voltage)
NP-W126S
7.2V 
NP-95
3.6V 
NP-95
3.6V 
NP-95
3.6V 
Battery life (Viewfinder/CIPA) 390  330 330 300
USB charging? Yes Yes No No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Fujifilm X100F Review

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Tags: , ,

Comments are closed.