Fujifilm FinePix X100 Digital Camera - (12.3MP, APS-C CMOS EXR) 2.8 inch LCD

SUMMARY: An excellent camera in its own right or in a supporting role to a DSLR. If you can live with a 35mm fixed focal length, you won't get better quality images under a variety of lighting conditions from a package this small at any price. A handful of relatively minor irritations which are likely to be fixed with firmware updates do little to detract from what is a superlative photographic device - the most major of these include poor AF performance in macro mode, partial functionality lockup whilst writing to the SD card and almost unusable manual focus. If and when these are addressed with firmware updates, I'll gladly increase the score to 5*, but for now, I'm afraid I have to shave one point.

UPDATE JULY 2011: As of Firmware update 1.1, manual focus is somewhat improved, but still pretty much unusable for shooting anything moving. Focus lock-on in macro mode is still very poor in low light. Some functions are still disabled when writing to memory. Several other issues addressed. See the Fuji website for full details.

BUILD: My expectations of build quality had already been set fairly high, but on the basis of the shots I'd seen, I wasn't sure that I liked the finish of the metal body. It looked a little too much like silver paint rather than metal. However, I can assure you that in the flesh it has the obvious appearance of satin finished alloy; this is one extremely classy looking item. I know this will be important to some people. Also, despite some comments I've read about it being a bit `too light' I tend to disagree. It has a nice solid heft worthy of a quality camera. It does not in any way feel like a cheap plastic bodied item. The closest thing I can compare it to in terms of feel is my equally solid, metal-bodied Canon G9. Both in feel and looks, X100 absolutely exudes quality, and the dials and switches move with a precise `snick' noise. They are easy to turn without being too likely to be moved by accident. In terms of build quality, it has the edge over the Leica X1. I also disagree that the multi-select dial on the rear of the camera feels `cheap' - it may not be metal, but it's functional and does its job perfectly well. In the context of the overall design, it doesn't look out of place. All in all, this is an object of beauty, and can be enjoyed without even taking a shot.

OPERATION: People have complained about the operation of the manual focus dial, and I have to agree that the way it's been implemented in firmware does leave room for improvement. It's difficult to move focus quickly and precisely using the dial and because of the slight lag and the jumpy focus reaction of the lens, there does feel to be a disconnect between actually turning the focus dial and achieving focus. That said, I personally use manual focus for only two things - setting pre-focus so I can prepare to take a shot with a known range and DoF (the focus distance and DoF indicator proves very useful here) and macro shooting. For these purposes it's perfectly adequate. No doubt some will see this as a major drawback - particularly those used to shooting with genuine rangefinder cameras like the M9. You can expect that Fuji will be looking to update the firmware to modify the way this works and silence some of the critics. Manual focus ring aside, shooting with the X100 using Autofocus is extremely satisfying. It's able to achieve focus reliably in very dim lighting conditions even with the AF assist lamp disabled, and the only times I've had it struggle is in macro mode, where it can have difficulty unless there is good lighting and contrast. It is not as fast to acquire focus as a DSLR or even the latest Panasonic G series, but it is significantly faster than my Canon G9 and S95. Having 49 focus points to select from is a nice feature, but I typically use only the central one, focusing and repositioning to frame as desired. This is after all not a camera designed for shooting fast moving objects - for that purpose you really do need a DSLR, or to be using manual focus and a deep DoF. I would like to see a face detect feature added in a future firmware update. This may be seen as unnecessary by old school shooters, but it can be genuinely useful in certain circumstances.

The hybrid viewfinder is a great innovation either in optical (OVF) or electronic (EVF) mode. The EVF alters its refresh rate depending on available light, but under daylight conditions, its refresh rate is very fast with almost no lag. I love using this to shoot black and white, as it gives a great preview so you can judge and adjust your exposure for light and shadow before taking the shot. This is a big advantage over shooting with a traditional DSLR like my D700, where I need to try to visualise scenes in monochrome and think how they might look when exposed darker or lighter, only seeing the result when chimping after the fact. The X100 essentially has 'auto-chimp' where you see the image as captured in the viewfinder immediately after it's taken. This is far more efficient than having to move your eye from the eyepiece to look on the rear screen. The X100 is a splendid camera for people who want to shoot `street' in B&W, which covers a lot of enthusiast photographers and professionals. Note that the frame lines in OVF mode are not entirely accurate. It tends to capture a slightly larger area then the heads-up display border indicates. This is not a big problem - you always have the option of EVF if you need to be 100% accurate. The OVF also suffers from having the lens partially obscure the bottom right hand corner of the viewfinder very slightly when the filter adapter is attached - this is especially marked when using the optional lens hood. This is normal for this type of camera however, and remember you always have the option of switching to EVF if something in that part of the image is critical to your framing. Note that you can mount a 49mm filter on the adapter and still be able to fit and remove the hood independently.

Start-up time from cold is not particularly fast - from off to ready to shoot takes around 2.2 seconds, and the same when waking from sleep mode - however, enabling 'Quick Start' mode can compensate for this (when either powering-up or waking from 'sleep' mode), bringing the time down to 0.7 seconds. Quick-Start mode is relatively heavy on battery usage however. You may be interested to know that the NP-95 battery used in the X100 is the same as that used by several other cameras, and that reputable, branded 3rd party replacements are available at a fraction of the cost of the genuine article. My brand of choice has always been Hahnel, and I've never had a problem with them. I use their HL-F95 in my X100; these are rated at 1500mAh rather than the 1800mAh of the fuji items, but at 1/3 of the cost, this isn't such a bad trade. I would recommend against using very cheap generics - these may not have over-voltage or under-voltage protection circuits, which can make Lithium Ion batteries dangerous to charge and might result in them dying if allowed to discharge too far - though as the X100 will refuse to power-up if the battery falls below around 2.5v this is unlikely.

As has been discussed elsewhere, the shutter is totally silent in operation. If you are shooting in OVF mode, the only noise you hear is that of the viewfinder window curtain sliding up so the image can be previewed. This is practically inaudible unless you have your ear near the camera. If you are shooting in EVF mode, there is no noise at all besides the tiny whine of of the lens acquiring focus prior to the shot being captured. That, and the fact that the autofocus will operate in very dim conditions even with the AF assist light disabled makes this an ideal camera for discrete use. The only control I wish the camera had added is an ISO dial. Changing ISO is not especially hard, but a dedicated dial perhaps set into the back of the camera would have been a perfect addition.

IMAGE QUALITY: Very good with only slight peripheral softness at f2.0 and f2.8 (very few lenses are absolutely sharp wide open across the entire frame) - excellent sharpness and contrast at f4.0, f5.6 and f8.0 - good sharpness with slight loss of contrast at f11 and f16. Minimal distortion. Excellent colour and monochrome rendition. Bokeh highlights can be slightly busy, but not overly distracting. I've performed a direct comparison between the X100 and my D700 with the 35mm f/2.0 and 24-70 f2.8 and the X100 is equal to or better than either lens for resolution and sharpness across the aperture range, especially in the corners of the image. High ISO capabilities are absolutely superb, and on a par with the Nikon D7000 - almost as good as the D700, though the dynamic range is not as strong. A D700 will give you noticeably more latitude when editing levels in post. Good ability in low light is one of the key benefits of the X100, and gives it low light shooting ability above even the M9 unless you're shooting with f1.4 or f0.95 glass. Unlike my D700 I can take it with me anywhere, and it blows my G9 and my S95 out of the water in terms of image quality. I'm absolutely loving the ambient lit night shots I'm getting with this camera.

PRICE: This is where I depart from many commentators who say the X100 is overpriced - seemingly on the basis that it has only a fixed lens. I tend to disagree - this is an entirely new concept of camera which has been lavished with a large amount of original R&D effort, and this needs to be recouped. The build quality is equal to or better than the more highly priced Leica X1, and it features a built-in viewfinder and superior specifications in practically every department. It has low light capabilities the equal of the Nikon D7000, which sells for the same price as the X100 without any lens at all. Read more ›

Let me get these points out of the way first: if you're a novice to photography, this camera isn't for you - buy a beginner's DSLR for a comparable price (or cheaper) and learn how to use that first. If you expect to be disappointed if the X100 doesn't operate like the DSLR or compact you already own, look elsewhere - this baby is unique. If you're in neither camp, read on...

I bought this camera a few weeks ago after owning a Panasonic G3 for a couple of months, as a portable back-up to my Canon 7D. I also purchased the pancake 20mm lens, which is a nice companion, as I only wanted to shoot primes to keep the profile of the body low and leightweight. However, I was disappointed with Panasonic's offering; the image quality wasn't as good as I hoped, its low light capability was substandard and it often didn't autofocus quite where I wanted it to.

When the X100 dropped below the original £1000 retail price to £900, I began considering it. I was meticulous in my research; almost all of the reviews raved about the image quality (some saying it's almost on a par with full frame cameras, especially in low light) but criticised its handling. ALL of the reviews admired its aesthetics.

I played with one in the shop, and I was hooked; I sold my G3 and pancake lens at a small loss as soon as I could to cover most of the cost of purchasing the X100.

I have no regrets. Why? Because when you get it right, the image quality is stunning - and what else matters? In fact the images are so good that I rarely shoot in RAW, because the jpegs straight out of camera are gorgeous. I only wanted to use primes with my G3 and I shoot quite wide, so 35mm is an ideal and versatile focal length for me. You must ask yourself though what focal range you tend to shoot at before seriously considering purchasing this camera, because once you've committed to the Fuji X100's focal length there's no going back!

If I was to grade the camera with firmware v1.10, I would give it four stars - I can't comment on version 1.01 or 1.00, but from what I've read it was much worse to handle. I recently upgraded the firmware to Fuji's latest offering, v1.11, and for me it makes a significant difference. It now focuses a little faster, but more importantly I can get much closer to my subjects. One of my biggest irritations was how I had to step quite far back for portraits, for example; the latest firmware allows me to get closer and more intimate with my subjects, which is in keeping with my shooting style. If you buy this camera check the firmware immediately, and upgrade it if you need to.

The tactile controls are great to use, so it means you can change your main settings without having to move your eye away from the hybrid viewfinder, which is also a joy to use. The electronic view is sharp and bright, and the optical view has a digital overlay which is revolutionary. I mainly use the digital view, because if you want to shoot regularly at F2 it's good to see if your image is in focus immediately. At a flick of a switch on the front of the camera (again without moving your eye away from the viewfinder) you can switch between the two views.

So what are the downsides? I began this review by stating that it's neither a DSLR or a compact, so if you're used to either and expect it to operate as such, forget about it. The X100 has a fairly unique interface, and you must learn to use it for its own merits, without comparison. It's been designed to look and operate much like a rangefinder, with tactile controls that are great, but the digital menu is a bit of a mess. Like any menu, once you get used to it it's fine, but it could have been much more user-friendly. There's only one Fn button, and this is defaulted to changing your ISO, but it would be good to have another button to be able to assign the built in ND filter, for example, or to quickly change your film settings (it can mimic old Fuji film, such as Velvia and Astia).

If you like to focus manually, forget about it. I don't often so I'm fine, but using the focus ring on the lens is so cumbersome because it takes about ten or fifteen 'twists' of the ring to get something sharp! I don't think this is a big problem though, because I reckon it was designed so that one press of the AEF/AEL switch is required to get your subject in focus or close to, so it just takes a few spins of the focus wheel to get your subject pin sharp.

To conclude; it requires perseverence. Occasionally it can drive you mad. It's expensive. But it has character, and like all characters, it has its quirks. If you're passionate about photography I doubt you'd regret purchasing this beauty. The X100 takes awesome images, the viewfinder is brilliant and once you get used to it you'll never want to be without it. Oh, and it looks beautiful too, and let's be honest, that's part of the reason why you're interested, right?!

The hype surrounding this camera (or is that clever PR positioning?) was most impressive and being a sucker for hype immediately wanted one. I've made so many mistakes in that way and most of them end up either being returned or on eBay (if bought from less understanding online retailers than Amazon). Not this time. Everything the manufacturer claims for this camera is justified - even understated.

The first thing to impress is the quality packaging. All moody black and plush lined excellence. Removing the camera from its protective sleeve for the first time presents you with a surprisingly compact, but very solid feeling device. The retro design is brilliantly executed with the familiar controls of vintage cameras like the Periflex being replicated sometimes with an unexpected function e.g. what would be a self-timer on a film camera is actually the switch to flip between optical and electronic viewfinder. The mock-leather covering to the body is very well done and appears extremely hard-wearing. I agree with one of the other reviewers that the battery/memory card cover is a bit flimsy and write speeds are not the fastest. having said that, Fuji are perhaps being more honest than some makers in that they show you the progress of the buffered images being written whereas others don't.

But a great looking and feeling camera is no good unless it takes quality images. The sample shots on Fuji's web site are very impressive and so my expectations were very high. One point to note - there's no zoom or interchangeable lens capacity on this camera so you'll need to rediscover your compositional skills if, like me, you've become over-reliant on the point, zoom, shoot and crop technique. It's very refreshing to actually look at the scene you're about to photograph with a critical eye and consider the shot as a finished picture.

After a few test shots around the house and the garden, it soon became clear that this really is a special camera. The best word I can think of to describe the images from the Fuji is 'natural' and very film-like. Indeed, it has film modes that digitally replicate a number of famous Fuji emulsions. Skin tones, vegetation, architecture all are reproduced beautifully and the auto-focus is very good - if a little slow. Many of the camera's features are hidden deep in the menu system and it takes several days to fully get to grips with all of its functions and options, but stick with it and you'll be well rewarded.

Down sides of the camera; not too many, but the slow auto-focus would be one along with the need to switch to macro mode for close focussing from really quite far out. This is surprising considering the relatively wide-angle lens that's fitted. It's also annoying that the lens hood and mount are sold separately and very expensive! You will not be able to use the supplied lens cap with the hood fitted and neither does it fit securely over the lens hood mount. Fitting a UV filter can be problematic too as it can foul the auto-focus movement in macro mode.

A very attractive leather case is sold (again, very expensive) separately and while it looks great, I find it a hassle to use the camera with it on and use can't use it at all with the lens hood fitted. So now I just use the base on the case to offer some protection, but it needs to be removed to get to the battery and memory card - all a bit fiddly.

All in all, a great camera with a couple of minor irritations - but don't let that stop you buying one. The image quality alone makes it worth the investment and it looks stunning.