The Fujifilm X100V is the biggest update to any camera I have ever seen. So much has changed in comparison to the X100f and there are so many new features, it’s really in a whole new class of camera.
Granted, we are paying for it with a slightly higher MSRP.
In this article, I’ll break down all the specs, as well as all the subtle title details that only a regular x100 shooter would catch.
Fujifilm X100V | The Biggest Update To Any Camera Ever
I am a nerd for Fujifilm of course, so maybe I have some bias towards their system, but I have to say that the X100V is the best, most interesting, and meaningful update to a camera system I’ve ever seen. Seriously, Fujifilm improved everything. I’ve never seen a camera company hit an update so hard as with this camera.
They gave everyone everything they were asking for. It’s kind of unbelievable and it’s sort of my dream camera now.
Let’s look at the awesome improvements starting with the specs.
Fujifilm X100V vs X100F
A comparison chart between theX100F and X100V specs.
| Camera Features | Fuji X100V | Fuji X100F |
| Sensor | 26.1 MP X-Trans CMOS 4 BSI | 24.3MP X-Trans SMOS 3 |
| Lens | 23mm f2, 2 Aspherical | 23mm f2 1 Aspherical |
| AF | 425-Point Hybrid AF | 325-Point Hybrid AF |
| Optical ViewFinder | 0.52x Mag | 0.5x Mag |
| EVF | 0.5″ 3.69m-Dot OLED | 0.48″ 2.36m-dot OLED |
| Display | 3.0″ 1.62m-Dot Tilting | 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot |
| Video | 4k 30p, 1080p120 – 10m limit 4k | 1080p60 |
| Connectivity | USB 3.1 Type-C | USB 2.0 Micro-USB |
| Wireless | Wifi + Bluetooth | Wifi |
| Battery Life | 350/420 Frames | 270/390 Frames |
| Weather-Sealed | Yes, with lens UV filter adapter | No |
| ND Filter | 4-stops | 3-Stops |
Besides just the specs, there are also many small little things that make a huge difference.
X100f vs X100v The Hidden Changes
WB-Shift Holds To The Custom Profiles – If you like making custom looks in your Q menu, C1-C7, you can now apply white balance shifts to your custom looks. And they will change as you change the look. Previously you could not save the WB shift as part of the presets.
This is a big deal for people that shoot JPG and have various looks setup with different film simulators. However, I often use them even when I’m shooting RAWÂ because the WBÂ shift will carry over into the RAW file.
New Film Simulators – New Classic Neg Film Simulator. I don’t love it, but there are some nice looks you can get out of it if you R: -2 B -5 shift with a lot of contrast on the tone curves.
D Range Priority – There is a new Dynamic Range Priority setting. It’s somewhat similar to the Dynamic Range 100%-400%, but it creates more of an HDR effect. It’s pretty cool for landscapes or shooting into the sun since it lifts your shadow tones more aggressively.
Visual Tone Curves – The ability to change the highlights and shadows has not changed but they’ve added a visual curve so you can see what the effect does to the tone curve.
The New Lens – The new X100v lens is so much sharper at close distances and sharper in general at f2. However, the bokeh is sometimes a little strange.
AF Range Limiter – There is a new tool called the AF Range Limiter (click that link to see a full breakdown). How it works, you can set up a range where the camera will only look for subjects within that range. Say you want to only focus on something .5Â meters to 3 meters, you can set that up and the camera will hit that zone and not look outside for a faster AF experience. By doing that, they got rid of the macro setting. So the camera will always be able to focus on the macro.
Color Chrome, Color Chrome FX Blue – Fujifilm also brought over all the color chrome effects from the X-Pro3. The X100f did not have these. If you like JPG shooting, these make a pretty big difference.
Clarity & Grain – If you like shooting JPG, they’ve introduced the clarity and grain effects from the X-Pro3. Keep in mind that these do slow down your camera since the effect has to be processed after each shot. Especially clarity. The Clarity effect kind of looks like shooting with a Black Mist filter.
They Removed The D-Pad in the X100v – IÂ thought I would hate this, but it turns out that it’s totally fine. The joystick pretty much replaces it when you’re in the menus and when you hit the Menu button, it defaults to the My Menu setting to allow you to program in any quick changes you might need.
The Design
I like the design. Some people like the old design. I like that Fujifilm keeps mixing up their designs. I think this is super important since we’ve had the retro-looking X100 camera for a long time now and for people that have been in the system for years, it’s nice having a new modern sleek look. It just looks amazing, especially in black. I don’t know how they did it but it’s one of the coolest cameras I’ve ever seen. Also, the black looks cooler in person.
I also keep an active list of the various Fuji X100V accessories and of course, it’s still just using UHS-I memory cards. Check out the X100V memory card guide here as well.
Fuji X100V – What’s Still Missing
Fujifilm of course didn’t give us absolutely everything. They still need to leave open some room for improvement on future models.
Here are the issues or things that are missing with the X100V.
Camera Gets Hot, Limited Video Record Times – The camera gets hot and you are limited with your video recording times. 10 minutes for 4k, and 15 minutes for 1080p.
No IBIS – Everyone would like a little 3-axis (at the minimum) IBIS system. The Ricoh GRIII has one in its smaller body, the tech definitely exists and it would be possible for Fujifilm to implement something like this.
Slow AF Lens – The lens still struggles a little with AF-C. I don’t know if it’s the lens itself, or the communication between processor and lens. But it jumps around way more than it should and you really need to use your AF Range Limiters or just leave the camera in AF-S.
Because the problem that happens with all Fujifilm cameras is there is sometimes this 1-second delay from when you push the shutter release, to when the camera actually triggers. And on the X100V, you’ll have it half-pressed, then the AF jumps to the background right before the shutter engages. So it’s still an AF-S camera. And Fujifilm needs to still improve its AF across their whole lineup to eliminate these quirks.Â
That’s all I could ever really want out of a future X100 series camera. I’m sure they’ll increase the sensor resolution at some point, and as these ARM processors get more efficient they’ll be able to do more with video. I don’t mind if they introduce a higher-res sensor to meet the new 8k video spec, but honestly, if they jump to a 37MP Bayer sensor, and don’t have some type of IBIS system, the system will be a motion blur machine.
17 comments
Would you say this or an xt30 with the 23mm f2 prime would be a better choice as a second camera to my Nikon Z? I’m torn, your view is usually very insightful in other blog posts.
i have a xt30 and used to have 23f2. If i were you, id totally go with this one. It’s smaller than xt30+23f2. it comes with a built in nd filter. it does pretty much everythign that xt30 does. I don’t see any reason for having interchangeable lens system when i already have that set up (nikon z). I guess my answer would be different if im using the second body along with the first body, eg wedding.
Yeah, I agree. But I think that would depend on if you’re using other lenses ever. If you’re just going with 23mm then I like the X100 cams the most. Built-in ND, you can use that leaf shutter for some crazy flash sync, etc. They’re just so fun. Also this camera now has some weather proofing and a new lens.
I do have the 23mm f2 and 35 f2 which my wife uses with her xt-20.
When I used to shoot Fuji I used to shoot 80% with the 35mm FF focal length. I do like the idea of constraining myself with the X100V.
I think the XT30 is a much cheaper package though. The WR on the X100V is very appealing.
Thanks to both of you for input by the way!
No prob!
I hope some of these improvements will make their way to the X-E4.
Yeah, were is that camera, we are all waiting! Maybe they’ll wait for the sales spike to simmer on the X100 before announcing that one.
So much marketing. I hope the anticipation for the new X-Mount roadmap pays off for them. Big opportunity with the new cameras and Olympics.
I know, I hope the lenses don’t disappoint. I’m hoping new fast 35mm and 23mm lenses.
What do you think about the XE Vs X100 range? When I was eyeing up the X100V I was looking for rumours on the XE4 but it’s not talked about!
If they brought out new updates to their fast primes I’d be in love. It’s partly why I moved to the Z.
You know how Fujifilm is. They’ll keep that so quiet until sales of the X100V sales simmer down, they’ll act like it’s never going to happen to get people to jump into the X100. They did this with the X-Pro3. So many people were waiting for the X-H2, then they said they killed the X-H2, so people would jump into the X-Pro3. After about a month after that camera came out, boom rumors of an X-T4 with IBIS. Now people that bought the X-Pro3 that were waiting for IBIS are going to be tempted by the T4. They are very tricky. I bet you, a month after the X100V is released, maybe two, when the sales are done spiking, you’ll see X-E4 rumors, likely leaked by Fujifilms marketing team.
That’s so true. I’ve never used one of the XE before, how have you found them?
They’re ok. I like the X-Pro cameras more but some people like those small cameras. I personally don’t like it when cameras are too small. They also would overheat.
I mean in some ways I WANT them to have good marketing. They aren’t the incumbent camera company and have generally been an underdog, I certainly want them to succeed as a company!
Yes, they have absolutely brilliant marketing strategies. They are one of the best I think and I’ve worked in advertising for almost 15 years. Canon just dumps money into things, Nikon doesn’t know how to market, and Sony wines and dines the influences which is expensive. Fujifilm is so grass roots and so good at it. Like pulling that video of Tatsuo was almost as good of a move as the way Tesla embraced the steel ball that broke the Tesla Cyber truck window. Everyone covered it in the photo world and now everyone knows about the X100V. So smart.
Grabbed one yesterday at my local store. I must say. It’s my first fuji and it’s “very nice” as Borat would say.
lol. Very nice! I finally have mine now too.