Last Updated on 04/28/2017 by Chris Gampat
Today, I’m really happy to say we’ve got Fujifilm X100F samples in our first impressions post. I’ve been super busy as of late, but I’m pretty glad to finally have the Fujifilm X100F in for review. On paper at least, the camera has a whole lot going for it. And it’s also fair to say that after a really long time, many users are going to be very happy with the camera and the progression it’s taken. Indeed, photographers like Rinzi Ruiz are doing some fantastic work with it. Overall, it’s pretty difficult to take a really awful photo with the camera.
What I’m finding so far in my assessment is that the macro focusing abilities are sometimes really off. To clarify that statement, I’m very aware of how depth of field works when in the macro ranges but I feel like there could be some sort of autofocus accuracy issue even when using the smallest autofocusing point possible. But then it’s also still pretty tough to get a camera shake free image. The sad part: shooting macros with this camera is so incredibly freakin’ fun! So at this point, a part of me is starting to believe that the sensor needs image stabilization.
Then we come to something a lot of photographers are saying: why is there no weather sealing? I have to agree. At this point, premium compacts need to be weather sealed in order to survive. Using this camera in the rain would open up so many more possibilities.
Lastly, I’m starting to think this lens isn’t taking the fullest advantage of the sensor. It was originally developed for a 12MP sensor, then a 16MP sensor was put behind it and now there’s a sensor with twice the original megapixel count. We talked to Fujifilm a while ago about the difference between the 23mm f2 on this camera and their weather sealed version. And I’m starting to believe that if we got an image stabilized sensor, we got a bigger and better lens, the camera got weather sealing, and the camera size increased as a result of all this, that we’d be totally okay with that. If not making it weather sealed, at least some sort of resistance would be very welcome at this point.
I am in many ways the perfect target market for this camera. I’ve always wanted a nice compact to tote around with me and before the X100 was announced, I bought a Yashica GSN Electro 35. Now I own that camera, a Leica CL and a Hexar AF. The Fujifilm X100F takes a lot of design cues from the Hexar–which is a larger camera. And I have no issues taking around a larger camera if it’s everything I need.
At the price point, that’s also a pretty fair deal.
And now for the good stuff: most people will really like the image quality here. I’ve been shooting a lot with actual Provia 100, Pro 400H, and Acros, so personally I’m torn on the image quality and the film simulations. It’s a very fair statement to say that if you’ve actually shot with the films in both 120 and 35mm, it’s hard to go back to anything else. Acros 100 in 120 format is so incredible clean and sharp. That’s not to say that the Fujifilm X100F’s rendition of Acros isn’t either, but there’s a bit of a different look at feeling. Luckily for Fujifilm, most people won’t be able to tell the difference when looking at an image as a whole.
Film
Before we go on, I’m going to show you a sample from each of the films that I’ve been working with recently.
Fujifilm X100F Image Samples
For more, be sure to check out our first impressions; where we’ve got a fuller report. We’re working on our review and so there’s going to be a whole lot more massaging of the Fujifilm X100F raw files.