Review of the Fujifilm X100V
Like many people, I spent many months going back and forward between camera reviews on YouTube, in blogs and on manufacturers websites. Choosing the right camera is difficult, but I arrived at the Fujifilm X100V for several reasons, mainly the positive reviews and cool features it offers as a stills camera.
The Fuji X100V is a compact digital camera that has gained a lot of attention and praise from photographers since its release. As someone who has had the pleasure of using this camera extensively since release, I can confidently say that it truly lives up to the hype.
One of the standout features of the X100V is its image quality. It is equipped with a 26.1 megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor and a X-Processor 4 image processor, which combine to produce sharp, detailed, and noise-free images in a wide range of lighting conditions. The dynamic range of the camera is also excellent, allowing for the capture of a wide tonal range in a single exposure.
Another notable feature of the X100V is its fixed 23mm f/2 lens, which is equivalent to a 35mm lens on a full frame camera. This lens is sharp, fast, and produces beautiful bokeh when shot at wide apertures. It is also capable of close focusing, which allows for the capture of detailed shots of small subjects.
The X100V also has a hybrid viewfinder, which allows the photographer to switch between an electronic viewfinder (EVF) and an optical viewfinder (OVF). The EVF is useful for previewing exposure and white balance, while the OVF provides a more traditional shooting experience. The camera also has a tilting LCD screen, which makes it easier to shoot from difficult angles.
One of the things that sets the X100V apart from other compact cameras is its build quality. It has a solid, premium feel to it, with a metal body and high-quality controls. The camera is also weather-sealed, making it resistant to dust and moisture, which is a great feature for outdoor photographers.
In terms of performance, the X100V is very responsive and fast. It has a relatively short startup time, and the autofocus is quick and accurate. The camera is also capable of capturing continuous bursts of up to 11 frames per second, which is impressive for a compact camera.
One thing that may be a drawback for some photographers is the X100V's limited lens selection. Since it has a fixed lens, you are limited to the focal length of the 23mm lens, which may not be suitable for all types of photography. However, the lens itself is very high quality, and the camera's excellent image quality and performance more than make up for this limitation.
Overall, the Fuji X100V is an exceptional compact camera that is perfect for photographers looking for a high-quality, portable option for their work. It has excellent image quality, a versatile lens, and a solid build, making it a great choice for street, travel, and documentary photography. If you are in the market for a compact camera, the X100V is definitely worth considering.
Here are my top 9 reasons why I think this camera is awesome.
9. Rock Solid
This camera has a premium build quality, there’s no questioning it. The top and bottom plates are single pieces of milled aluminium and the camera itself has a satin finish. The engineers have done a fantastic job at bringing together a solid made camera which will stand the test of time.
In the past year I’ve had two major incidents, I dropped it on concrete in Canada! And I got hit by a rogue wave at the Norfolk coast. Both things could have killed the camera, but it lived!.
When I dropped it, my shoulder strap snapped, thankfully it just damaged the UV filter I had on it and left it with a few scratches on the base.
At the coast although it got wet, I had a filter on the lens making it a bit more watertight and secure. I feel like I can take this camera anywhere, it’s tough!
Here is that very mental wave moment that was caught on camera…
Waveageddon, the camera survived, just.
Disclaimer, you don’t want to find yourself in this position too often. The Fujifilm X100V isn’t waterproof, it’s 98% weather-sealed upon purchase. Your going to need the Fujifilm AR-X100 adapter ring and a 49mm UV filter of your liking to get to 100%.
8. Compact
For travelling and street photography it’s great, it’s small and lightweight meaning that it’s not too obtrusive and not too heavy to carry around. There’s no messing about with lenses due to the fixed lens and it can be carried around as a point and shoot without getting too much attention from passers-by. Carrying large cameras and lenses about can make people feel uneasy so the X100V is the perfect size in my opinion.
In terms of weight, its 478g which is not a lot of weight considering how good the camera is. I bought the straps to carry it over the shoulder when travelling around. I wasn’t too happy with these though, they snapped which led to my camera falling on concrete whilst in Canada.
I’ve found that this camera fits into camera bags with ease, it’s also small enough to fit in the coat pocket in crazy winter conditions. Overall, it feels small and lightweight in the hand and so it becomes the perfect travel companion.
7. Film Simulations
This was something new for me being it the first time I’d shot on Fuji cameras. You have some options of in camera film simulations which you can set and play around with at ease. I like that there’s an option to choose a few films simulation looks at once and have camera shoot in all three at once.
Once you play around with them some more you realise that you can customize them or download Fuji weekly app where you can have free access to loads of different simulations for free. It’s a matter of adding them to your custom slots and there you have it you have a load of new looks to play around with.
Getting the right look in camera is always a challenge but I find that these simulations are helpful if you’re looking for a particular look. Of course, you can always shoot raw and use the Fuji X studio editing software to get to the same destination.
The first time I tried the simulations I was in Cape Verde messing around with the camera. I decided I wanted some sort of a film/cinematic look, so I opted for the Bright Summer film simulation. This was the result:
Cape Verde, Bright Summer Film Simulation.
6. Fixed lens
Film cameras that I’ve used in the past most of them had interchangeable lenses, it’s just always been a thing for me. Moving to a fixed 23mm F2.0 lens was a little bit of an initial concern for me until I realised it wasn’t an issue at all. The lens is sharp and offers close focus performance. I’ve found this camera working best with people and faces, it does an excellent job in high resolution detail. That said, I’ve had it out taking landscape photography too and it just performs time and time again.
I’ve not had a camera before that does so many different things so well. There’s always been some areas of compromise in some of the older digital cameras I have. You’ll find yourself falling in love with this camera. Not having to worry about lens changes is also quite refreshing, you tend to find more time focusing on the subjects that you’re trying to shoot, less messing about and more time being creative.
5.Point and shoot
If you are a total beginner, I wouldn’t be put off this camera. Yes, it is stacked with a tonne of professional features but essentially you can configure it as a nifty little point and shoot. For beginners you can stick it in auto, throw it in the bag and away you go. You’ll get many great pictures.
Once you get a bit more confident with it, you’ll start to realise that there is so much more you can do with it. It all comes down to time. If you want a speedy point and shoot this does it, if you want something you can take your time with and get more of a professional look this does that too.
4. Button Customisation
Once you get familiar with the camera you start to set it up in a way that works for you best. It’s easy to change and customise the actions that each of the buttons has. If you want aperture priority, want to flick between film simulations, change the focus mode, this can all be done using different buttons. I would suggest having a think about the things that are most important to your shooting style and customizing them to the buttons that feel most comfortable.
3. Tilting screen
I’ve never had a tilting screen before so I can only go off my experience with the X100V. The two-way tilting touchscreen is a cool feature of the camera. I never realised I needed it until I had it. It’s handy in the city when your framing different shots and allows you to get some cool unique perspectives. It also allows you to change your shooting style a bit if you want to get lower down in the moment without killing your back. If this was a vlogging video camera then you would have liked a rotating screen to be able to frame yourself but this camera is not that, I would say it’s for the stills photographer.
2. Designed for the Street Photographer
One thing I like about this camera is its unique design. It’s got its own personality, blending old style camera dials with a new modern aesthetic look. When you’re out on the street a lot of things unfold in front of your eyes, and you only get seconds to get the shot. This is where the design of the camera comes in. It’s intuitive and easy to setup at speed meaning you won’t miss the split second you have to get the shot.
The exposure compensation and shutter dials make it easier than ever to grab the right settings on the go without even having to think about it. I think this camera really suits the street photographer style of run and shoot. As a travel companion this camera holds up well and is the perfect city break camera for travellers.
Full Send at a coastal skate park.
1.Reliability
This camera is an all-action beast that can literally be taken anywhere with the objective of capturing amazing sharp pictures and it will always deliver. If you’ve got this far in the blog, you’ll already understand the key reasons why I think it’s the best travel camera out there. Granted, I haven’t tested them all, but this is ticking all the boxes for me. I’ve read a lot of comments from other photographers that have said it gave them ‘more confidence to shoot’ and that is a sign of a good camera.
It’s easy to get caught up in the marketing of cameras, the subtle differences in features and the number of accessories that you can buy these days. When it boils down to it you need a camera you can trust when you’re in the moment and this is it. I haven’t been let down by it yet, so it gets a gold star from me. This camera seems to be like a cat with nine lives, you can’t kill it, although I have come close on a few occasions. This camera is a travel photographers dream to shoot on.
Final thoughts.
For me as an amateur photographer it’s the best camera I’ve owned by a country mile. There’s no point at which I feel that this camera has under delivered when I’ve needed it. It’s an absolute workhorse that you want to take with you everywhere and gives you the confidence to shoot more. If this is a thing, it gives you ‘photographic confidence’.
It’s so feature rich which is great for the pros but at the same time it’s perfect for an amateur or beginner to pick up and shoot with. Sometimes a product comes along that hits the spot and this is certainly it. There are a large number of positive reviews and backorders on this camera which certainly tell a tale, I’m not alone in my analysis. It’s a must have for anyone considering a new stills camera.
