It’s been nearly four years since the launch of the Fujifilm X100V, a unique compact camera with a retro design, sharp sensor and a fixed 23mm lens. It’s still our favorite compact camera, and one of the best travel cameras you can buy. Which only makes the prospect of a follow-up more enticing.
If the rumors are true, a successor called the Fujifilm X100VI is close to launching. And Fujifilm is certainly fueling that speculation, with a teaser (below) for its next X Summit on February 20 showing a silhouette that looks very much like a member of the X100 series.
See you in TOKYO! Please stay tuned for X Summit TOKYO 2024.#XSummitTokyo2024 pic.twitter.com/eLKhosXG3OFebruary 7, 2024
To give you an overview of what might be in store, we’ve gathered together all of the information that’s currently circulating online about the Fujifilm X100VI. From potential release date to price and features, you’ll find all of the latest X100VI news below.
We’ve also given our verdict on which upgrades we think are most likely to make it into production, and what features we’d most like to see.
Fujifilm X100R: Rumored release date and price
The Fujifilm X100V hit shelves at $1,399 / £1,299 / AU$2,349. Adjusted for inflation, those figures are pretty much equivalent to the launch price of its predecessor, the X100F.
The bad news is that the latest rumors suggest that X100VI will get a price hike. On January 29, Fuji Rumors reported that the X100VI will cost $1,599 (which would likely equate to around £1,499 / AU$2,649). And the site has since reiterated that price point, which means it’s a pretty good guide.
This means the X100VI would again cost around the same as a mid-range mirrorless camera like the Nikon Z6 II. Still, that price rise is largely in line with inflation since the X100V arrived in February 2020.
And while that might sound like tough competition for a premium compact, the enduring popularity of the X100 series – fueled in part by recent TikTok trends – means it doesn’t sound like an excessive price tag to us.
As for a release date, Fuji Rumors – which has a relatively good track record when it comes to predictions – has reported that the X100VI will be launched on February 20.
This fits the pattern of the camera’s last two iterations: the Fujifilm X100F launched in January 2017, followed by the Fujifilm X100V in February 2020. It also now seems likely that X100VI will be the model name. While many sources had speculated that X100R (derived from roku, the Japanese word for six) might be the name, all of the leaks since have pointed towards X100Vi instead.
Fujifilm X100R: Design and build
Two things have always been true of Fuji’s X100 series: the retro-inspired design and the fixed 23mm prime lens. According to Fuji Rumors, both will make a return on the X100VI, with the lens being identical.
The series has always championed premium build quality and excellent physical handling, with plenty of direct-access dials and buttons. That’s unlikely to change with the X100VI, although this time the camera will apparently be made in China rather than Japan.
This isn’t anything new for Fujifilm and it should hopefully ease the supply-chain problems that dogged the X100V and made it difficult to find in some regions.
So far, we’ve only seen one leaked image for the X100VI (below), which again landed courtesy of Fuji Rumors on February 4. While it doesn’t show the whole camera, it does suggest that the X100VI will be physically very similar to its predecessor.
The only minor tweaks suggested by the image above are that the camera’s ‘drive/delete’ button will be more centered below the hotshoe, and the ‘disp/back’ button will also function as a Bluetooth connectivity button (like on the Fujifilm X-T5) to help you quickly connect it to your smartphone. This should hopefully make it play nicely with the Fuji X app.
Otherwise, a separate Fuji Rumors post has suggested that the X100VI will be 1mm thicker than its predecessor, so that it can apparently house in-body image stabilization. But it’ll seemingly continue with a two-way tilting touchscreen rather than a fully-articulating display, which makes sense for a stills-focused camera.
While earlier rumors in September 2023 suggested that the X100VI could bring a “new” lens, that now looks unlikely according to the latest speculation. According to the latest leaked Fujifilm X100VI specs, the camera will stick with the same 23mm f/2 lens as the X100V – and that’d be fine by us.
Fujifilm X100R: Sensor and performance
The latest Fujifilm X100VI rumors suggest that the camera’s sensor and overall performance will be among its main upgrades. That’s because it’s been tipped to combine both the 40MP APS-C X-Trans V sensor and X Processor 5 seen on the Fujifilm X-T5.
That wouldn’t be a huge surprise, because the current X100V used the same 26.1MP X-Trans IV sensor and X-Processor 4 chip as the Fujifilm X-T4, which was Fuji’s flagship camera at the time. But it would mean a significant jump in resolution, with 40.2MP being the highest ever seen in an X100 series camera – and also a potentially great boon for cropping images.
The main benefit of that X Processor 5, assuming the X100VI gets it alongside that 40MP X-Trans V sensor, would be improved autofocus. You could expect to see improved face/eye detection for portraits and street shooting. There could also be subject detection (for animals, birds, cars and more).
Veterans of the X100 series (and film cameras) may shrug their shoulders at autofocus improvements, given some traditionalists like to use ‘zone focusing’ to avoid relying on autofocus. But a boost to autofocus would broaden the X100VI’s appeal and its ability to offer a more point-and-shoot experience alongside manual shooting.
As for video, the X100 series has always been about photography first. But according to Fuji Rumors, the X100VI will get improved video-shooting skills in the form of a 6K/30p and 4K/60p modes (up from a 4K/30p maximum on the X100V). We’re yet to hear if either of these modes will have a crop or bit-rate limitations, but both would be very welcome additions.
Fujifilm X100R: Features
Another hallmark of the X100 series is the hybrid viewfinder, which allows you to switch between a traditional optical viewfinder and a modern EVF. It’s a clever party trick that bridges the gap between old and new, reflecting the camera’s approach as a whole.
The latest spec rumors again suggest that this viewfinder will be identical to the one on the X100V, with a 3.69-million dot resolution. There’s no word yet on magnification, but it looks like to remain at 0.66x (like the X100V).
One feature that’s been absent from all X100 series cameras has been in-body image stabilization (IBIS). But that could be about to change – a Fuji Rumors post on January 24 claimed that the X100VI will have IBIS, which would be a major boon for the handheld shooting the series is designed for.
In short, IBIS means being able to shoot at slower shutter speeds when you’re holding the camera, which means keeping your ISO lower – and that typically means cleaner images, particularly at night. It’s also ideal for high-resolution sensors like the 40MP one rumored to be in the X100VI, because those can struggle more than lower-res sensors at high ISO settings.
On the downside, it looks unlikely that the X100VI will get a bigger battery than its predecessor. There just doesn’t seem to be room for the newer NP-W235 batteries seen in the X-T5 and X-H2, but hopefully there are software-driven ways to eke out more shots from a single charge.
Film simulation modes are another established feature of the X100 family, and the final big rumor for the X100VI is that it’ll have 20 Film Simulations (up from 17 on the X100V).
These will apparently include Reala Ace (the one introduced alongside the Fujifilm GFX 100 II), plus Nostalgic Negative and Eterna Bleach Bypass. We’re particularly keen to take Reala Ace for a spin again, as it looks like a punchier take on the standard Provia simulation on Fuji cameras.
Fujifilm X100VI rumors round-up
The current rumors about the Fujifilm X100VI have got us pretty excited about the camera overall. The inclusion of a 40MP APS-C X-Trans V sensor, X Processor 5 and in-body image stabilization would make it a signficant upgrade on the X100V and a real contender for the top spot in our guide to the best compact cameras.
On the other hand, it’s a shame that the battery, single UHS-1 slot and 3.69-million dot EVF all seem to have been left untouched, according to the latest rumors at least. Either way, the official announcement appears to be coming soon, with Fujifilm’s teaser lining up with the rumors that X100VI will land at the Tokyo X Summit on February 20. We’ll be on hand to give you all of our first impressions if it does.
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