Sometimes, or–hell–most of the time, you need something simple to remind you of life’s simple pleasures. The newly-announced X100VI camera from Fujifilm can capture some of those golden moments with some impressive depth of color. Still, the $1,600 digital camera and the return of the still-popular X100 lineup itself feels like a small treasure, one that’s both nostalgic and fully capable of capturing the small moments in full detail. If single-lens, faux physical, and all digital are your preferred ways to shoot, the X100VI has a lot going for it, especially with the new touted 40 MP sensor.
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The X100VI is a successor to 2020’s X100V, and it’s the sixth in the X100 line of compact, single-lens digital cameras first introduced back in 2010. Fujifilm proclaimed you can get excellent image quality despite the lightweight, old-school single-body design, and after a few hours shooting with it, we’re keen to agree.
The new standout change to the X100 update is its CMOS 5 HR sensor, which can shoot at around 40.2 MP. While it’s essentially the same size lens as the 2020 version, it’s still a big jump from the X100V’s max 26.1 MP. That’s easily the biggest selling point, but Fujifilm has also added in-body image stabilization (IBIS) in the form of a 5-axis stabilization function up to 6 stops. Thanks to the automatic shake detection, those internal gyros should help minimize blur for shaky shots. It has the same fixed 23mmF2.0 lens as last year’s model, but the ISO 125 extended option on the X100V is now a native option on the 6th-gen camera.
The latest Fujifilm camera uses the AF X-Processor 5, which uses AI to detect moving objects. Fujifilm says this is specifically engineered to track birds, cars, airplanes, drones, or even insects in flight. Each of these has different settings specifically attuned to those creatures or fast-moving objects. As fast as you take them, Fujifilm says you should be able to upload them to the cloud through a WiFi connection as you’re taking them.
The camera films video at 60FPS at 4K and 6.2K video up to 30FPS. As far as continuous shooting, Fujifilm claims it will hit approximately 11 FPS when using the mechanical shutter at full resolution and about 20 FPS with the digital shutter, the same as the 2020 edition. The X100VI also comes stock with 20 of the “Film Simulation” modes to add different tones to images to replicate the distinct look and feel of certain film-quality cameras.
Gizmodo did have the very short opportunity to take the camera out and about, and it’s fair to say the X100VI is a very tactile shooter. Still, the subtle joys of taking such a packed camera out on the town can’t be overstated. With the compact sensor, it simply feels strangely invigorating to take photos around Rockefeller Center, even in the dry cold of early February. We had so little time with it we shot everything with automatic settings, and while you can judge the outcome for yourselves we can say it had a solid feel and simple-to-understand controls. It still uses the LCD monitor from the X100V that can pop out to make shooting far easier from a variety of angles.
In terms of design, it looks very similar to the previous model, though with a black finish for aluminum above the classic faux leather outer shell. The X100VI camera does weigh 1.52 ounces more than the 2020 X100V. In-hand, it’s still very compact and lightweight. All the controls are just as snappy and clicky as you’ve come to expect, and it’s still using the dial design for all its functions.
There’s a reason the latest Fujifilm has been so anticipated. The X100V was a great travel camera, but the new version’s bump up to 40 MP takes it over the top, and all the extra bells and whistles will add a very unique touch to any photos or videos you upload to TikTok or Instagram. Not only that, it’s a very nice-looking camera, enough that your average wannabe influencer will like people taking pictures of them as much as they end up shooting shots.
The camera is going to be available starting next month. Though the suggested retail price sits at just below $1,600, Fujifilm has also created a run of exactly 1,934 “Limited Edition” X100VIs that cost $2,000 and come engraved with the classic brand logo from back when the company launched its first product in 1934. They also come with special packaging and a few history cards. Suffice it to say, all but the most dedicated Fujifilm collectors will opt for the far cheaper version.
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