Happy 10th Anniversary Fujifilm X100 series!
A little history, the first generation of Fujifilm X100 was initially shown at the Photokina show in September 2010. It’s been a 10 years of journey, and God bless 2020, the X100V was born as the most perfect X100 ever made. Personally, also the most perfect camera for street photography use, period.
Thankfully, even after a decade Fujifilm still decides for the cool retro looks and the same “fun factor” of the original X100! If you had read my previous review about Fujifilm X100F, you would know that I praised that camera so much about its user experience. Ergonomic, tactile, lightweight, and silent are the main keywords. Kind of camera that I (really) want to carry everywhere and keep shooting all the time despite when not in hunting mood for street scenes.
Fujifilm apparently does listen to their user about how to improve their product, and now they create X100V as the better version of X100F with many advantages, and literally zero downside.
Note: As usual, this blog post is all about how I share my experience with a camera through street photographer eyes. Not technical review about a product. For more detail technical information please check at Fujifilm official website.
I have been using X100V since March 2020. With pandemic around I could not shot as much as what I wanted, but still tried my best for it though.
Additional note: Shot photo above while I was on restaurant, enjoying my lunch. I looked outside, and suddenly an imaginary “frame” came to my mind. Scenes do happen when we least expect it. Always bring your camera everyday is the key.
“The Impossible X100”
As a X100 series, the V bring “impossible” improvements to the table. The Fifth able to bring significant upgrade from the predecessor X100F, that people hardly thought it was possible or would happen in the future of X100 series camera:
New Pancake Lens
The very first time in X100 series that got upgrade lens! With MK II lens, it remove the “weakness” of old lens that produce soft focus, when shot on maximum aperture in close distance. Now its result is much sharper, that dare I say, even more than the excellent Fujifilm XF23mm f/2 lens. Also, another refinement over MK I lens is at distortion matter, as MK I tend to create a little barrel distortion even on medium distance, but it’s gone on new MK II lens.
One the most important enhancement: When use for low light, now it works more precise, as the lens on X100V does much (!) less hunting than lens on any other X100 series. Thus, bigger chance to capture decisive moment when shot at night.
As a bonus part: Despite the improvement here and there, the pancake lens remain exactly the same size as before!
Weather shield
Street camera = weather shield. A lovely synergy that we all gladly accept! A street photographer just want to be able shot everywhere, and we all know capture rain scenes are precious. Who doesn’t like to capture all of those umbrellas on action? Or to snap all of reflections when little rain still pouring? They are lovely!
There is a little requirement to make X100V completely weather resistant though. The main body itself is already WR, but the lens is not because there are some moving parts when doing focus. However, by just add a little Fujifilm filter in front of lens, voila, the lens becomes WR too. Now it is ready to take on the world out there!
Tilt screen
Who ever thought about this? The X100 “should be” the purist style, just like an old analog camera. The Fujifilm designer apparently able to snatch the tilt feature, while still create the screen as flat as possible, that many will not think the screen actually is a tilt screen.
Personally, I always like the tilt feature, one important thing that I miss from the old X100F. It makes life much easier, especially to compose more accurately when in extreme angle.
Like on photo above, tilt screen helped me so much to composed while chased the cat’s shadow. I lifted my hand a bit high, and my camera was 90 degrees face down. Without tilt screen, I simply “blind” to composed anything when shot that walking cat.
And of course, when shot with extreme low angle, it is just much more convenient to be able framing accurately with tilt screen. Especially when we under the bright Sun that make it a bit hard to see screen clearly.
Ergonomic
When X100V is about to release, people already predict this camera is the little brother of Fujifilm X-Pro3 without the “hidden screen”. Means, they share almost everything from processor, sensor, rangefinder style with similar type of dials and buttons.
Fortunately, Fujfiilm never cease to surprise us. X100V utilize the newest type of shutter speed dial, that easier to work with than the one on X-Pro3 and X100F. At the older generations we need to pull and rotate the dial at the same time. When we release the dial, it will auto lock the setting. On X100V, now we simply lift the dial, and it will stay that way. We can adjust the shutter speed freely after that.
Difference may seems small, till we face the real life experience. No one can truly predict what happen on the street. When we need to chase a moment, and need to change the shutter speed setting to create more surreal effect, like to create slow shutter speed “movement” effect, or suddenly need to raise is to 1/1000s when freeze a subject’s action. The new dial is better and more tactile to use here.
Just like X100F, the Fifth generation also use “one handed” configuration for button/dial layout. Quite convenient to use when change settings on the fly. All button/dial easily to reach here.
Classic Negative
The newest Film Simulation that focus on create most analog feel from all of Fuji’s simulation. It is not about accuracy, but more about artistic feel inside photos.
I do still use my favourite Classic Chrome for most of street projects, but there are few times when Classic Negative could become my first choice to create a different mood. Especially when I shot something with orange, red and green colours involved.
Burst shots up to 30 fps
X100V able to shot 30 fps with Electronic Shutter. Some may said, this is a gimmick feature, that no use for street photography. Well, for a street photographer who loves to use analog camera that could be true. But, not for me. While I do not always use it, but there are times burst shots could become a handy tool.
Like on photo above when I wanted to captured people’s gesture (while running) from close distance, would be freaking almost impossible to use one shot one kill method.
So my take is, 30 fps burst shots could become additional weapon to create more creative images, and that is the main purpose to have this feature on X100V.
The useful features
Here some features that we can find on X100F, but I will still write them because they are just simply amazing to have as our additional “weapons” on the street:
Digital Teleconventer
A fix lens camera that has its own way to “cheat”! Digital teleconverter able to create new angle of view of 50 mm and 70mm (full frame equivalent). It is not zoom. Because Digital Teleconverter still produce full resolution of 26 Megapixels. Useful when we want to shot something that we can not simply walk nearer to get close up to the subject/object.
Internal Flash (!)
One of the useful feature in street photography to create images with unique looks, or simply to add more contrast into the scene. Thanks to leaf shutter on X100V, that able to do crazy fast flash speed. On photo above I shot under expose, with speed 1/2400s and flash on to create the “grim reaper” effect from the cat.
Size
Not much to write here. Fujfiilm does all of the upgrades and additional features here, while still retain the almost exact same size as the other X100 series. Uh, how cool is that actually?
User Experience
This could be the summary of my article. One of the best reason why I keep come back to X100 series, despite already had/own the interchangeable body. The “Fun” factor! A camera that purely joy to use, that make me fall in love with the process of creating images itself.
Of course, after got loaned the original X100, had X100F, and now use X100V for the last seven months, I start to think with my logic where the “fun” parts were actually came from.
The very first thing is because of the ergonomic. The size and weight of camera when I hold it on my hand. It is compact, not too small, not too heavy. Grip is there, secure enough without create bulky looks. All buttons and dial position exactly match my logic. Easy to reach, and not easily got pressed by accident. Also, big bonus is now X100V has the flip screen to create shots with extreme angle easier.
Secondly, this camera is literally fast and silent. A synergy that I really appreciate for street use. Autofocus is blazing fast, combine with up to 30 fps burst shots when needed, responsive menu when changing settings, and On/Off time at almost instant. Leaf shutter works like a charm that stay “silent” all the time without me need to use electronic shutter. Also, the leaf shutter enable me to shot flash up to 1/4000s which make me able to experiment more with my images.
Third part, the last but definitely not the least: Design! Have I ever told you that X100 series have one of the most beautiful camera design out there regardless the price? I think the Fifth generation bring the perfection in beauty a bit more than the older generations. It looks more edgy (thanks to top/based plates milled from single pieces of aluminium), with less button (no D-Pad). It creates more striking looks and at the same time more minimalist too.
All of these three factors, really create “stealth” effect perfectly for X100V. It is hard to imagine people on the street would feel intimidate by the presence of X100V, and that is the perfect “stealth mode” to create street photos.
Creative tools
X100V may has limitation due to use single focal length. A feature that “force” us to being creative because of constant angle of view. We can not just shoot what we want to shoot (like with zoom lens). We should to think deeper what we can do with this particular focal length. Believe it or not, this kind of process usually lead to create more unique and creative photos.
That is all about my finding of Fujifilm X100V. I did want to wrote more and more glorious things, but I realised this article already longer than all of my other blog post. Guess I just a bit too excited when talk/write about X100V!
Stay sharp and keep shooting everyday!
Nico Harold