The Fujifilm X100V is one of the best-looking compact cameras out there with stunning retro design and solid ergonomics. In this post, we will give you a detailed Fujifilm X100V review to know more about this camera.
Fujifilm X100V Review
1. Design
From the outside, it’s hard to spot the difference between the newest X100 model and those that have come before it. Most of the changes have been made to the internals – a sensible choice considering just how much of a classic design the X100 series has always used.
There’s a “hybrid” viewfinder on offer here. You can use either an optic or electronic finder depending on your preference – or perhaps depending on the subject you’re shooting. You can switch between the two by using a lever on the front of the camera – the optical finder is particularly useful for spotting subjects about to walk into the frame.
Although the idea of having a hybrid viewfinder isn’t new for the X100V, it has been improved. The optical finder now offers greater (95%) coverage, while the electronic device has a huge 3.6-million dot resolution.
The button layout of the X100V also sees a few changes when compared to its predecessor. There’s no longer a four-way navigation pad, while the Q button – which leads to a quick menu – has been moved to sit to the right of the thumb rest. These are fairly slight changes that don’t take too much getting used to if you’re moving from an older model, and make more sense to those who are new to the line-up.
On the top plate, you’ve got all the dials and controls that have made the X100 cameras appealing to enthusiasts. There’s an ISO dial plus an exposure compensation dial, while the aperture can be adjusted via a ring around the lens itself. Dials to the front and rear of the camera are used for shutter speed or other functions, and can also be depressed inwards to access user-defined settings.
2. Features
The Fujifilm X100V is the 5th version of the X100 series, with the X100 series famous for being a premium compact camera, with classic styling and an optical viewfinder. The X100V benefits from the latest 26mp APS-C CMOS sensor, the same X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor as found in the Fujifilm X-T3, X-T4, X-T30, and X-Pro3.
The camera has a new design, with top and bottom plates milled from individual pieces of aluminum, and finished with a satin coating, giving the camera a new, more serious look, as well as a more premium finish.
Fujifilm has redeveloped the 23mm f/2.0 lens for better resolution, lower distortion, as well as improved close-focus performance. The close focus distance is 10cm, but the lens has been improved to give much better image quality. The camera is still compatible with the WCL/TCL (wide and teleconverter) adapters, turning the 35mm equivalent lens into a 28mm or 50mm equivalent.
Auto Focus has been improved, with a new focusing algorithm, which lets the camera focus in low-light down to -5EV. The camera also benefits from phase-detection built-in to the sensor, as well as face and eye detection AF. A focus limiter function has been added so you can set the distance for when you know where your subject will be.
The X100V retains the analog controls, and external dials, so that you can directly control the aperture, shutter speed, ISO speed, even when the camera is switched off.
4K video recording is now possible, with 30fps possible. You can also record FullHD video at 120fps. There’s also the possibility of 10-bit 4:2:2 output using the HDMI output from the camera.
3. Connection and battery
The official battery rating of the Fujifilm X100V is 350 shots, with it being likely that you’d get more from it than that in real-world scenarios.
Either way, it should generally last a whole day of normal stills use. If you shoot 4K or spend a lot of time transferring pictures to your smartphone, then it’s likely you’ll see the battery level drop. In which case, being able to charge via USB with a portable battery pack is a good idea – it might also be worth investing in a second battery for those who like to spend a day pounding the pavements in search of the perfect street shot.
As well as the USB-C connector for charging the camera, other connections include an HDMI micro connector, plus a microphone input, which might appeal to videographers and vloggers – though it’s unlikely to be a camera which is particularly high on the shopping list of that type of user.
The camera also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for transferring your shots to your smartphone, which can be done quickly and reliably using the free app available for Android and iOS.
From this Fujifilm X100V review, we hope that you will find the necessary information to choose a good one.
