Retro compact with distinctive vertical sensor and LCD display
It reimagines the half-frame movie digicam expertise
It’s out there globally from June 12 in three colours, priced $849 / £699 / AU$1,349
Fujifilm has outdone itself with the brand new X half – a retro compact digicam that packs a few of its wackiest and outright funnest concepts but, all impressed by movie pictures.
There’s a clue to the X half’s inspiration within the identify – it’s a digital reimagining of half-frame movie cameras just like the Pentax 17. I’ve already tried the X half, and it was a a lot wanted dose of enjoyable – take a look at my X half hands-on overview.
To facilitate half body, the X half’s 18MP JPEG pictures are taken in 3 x 4 vertical format, recorded onto a vertical 1-inch sensor, and composed utilizing the distinctive vertical LCD.
Alongside that fastened display is a secondary display that mimics the movie canister window you see on many movie cameras, and there’s a enjoyable shock right here – it’s contact delicate, and permits you to swipe up or down to pick out one in every of Fujifilm’s Movie Simulations. If this charming function doesn’t make its means into future Fujifilm cameras, I’d be shocked.
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Movie Simulation shade results are well-known – they’re impressed by Fujifilm movie inventory, and have helped to cement Fujifilm’s recognition during the last 10 years by cameras just like the X100VI. The X half gives a stripped-back choice of 13 widespread Movie Simulations, together with Provia and Astia.
You’d assume all the above can be sufficient to safe the X half’s distinctive standing, however Fujifilm has actually let free, with much more options for movie pictures followers to take pleasure in.
The LCD emulating a movie cannister window with Velvia Movie Simulation, and the vertical LCD (Picture credit score: Tim Coleman)
Simulating movie to a different degree
Going one step farther from that twin-screen combo and vertical taking pictures, there’s a Movie Digicam mode. This locks in your chosen Movie Simulation and digicam settings akin to ISO, and disables the display preview, leaving you to compose your photographs by way of the optical viewfinder as an alternative, as for those who’re taking pictures with movie.
As soon as your ‘film’ is used up – both 36, 54 or 72 photographs – you’ll be able to exit the mode and examine the display as soon as extra, and make modifications to settings once more.
Movie Digicam mode is such a enjoyable function, and for me is the closest expertise to movie pictures that I’ve had utilizing a digital digicam – and it’s non-compulsory.
The movie wind lever tucked in with the digicam off. Within the on place, the lever stands proud for a simple attain. (Picture credit score: Tim Coleman)
Then there’s what’s in impact a movie wind lever, which on this case, by ‘cranking’, is used to create diptychs – that’s two vertical photographs aspect by aspect. These are recorded individually by the vertical 1-inch sensor, however then composited afterwards and displayed identical to you’d get with a half-frame movie digicam on a roll of 35mm movie.
Once more, you’ll be able to take or go away the diptych function. I reckon it’s a pleasant to have – figuring out how picture pairs complement one another stretches your artistic muscle tissues.
We additionally get some fully new image results, nearly all of that are movie photography-inspired and embody mild leak, expired movie and halation.
Full HD video seize can also be attainable, and the diptych impact will be utilized to each pictures and movies, which is absolutely neat.
That is all packaged in a palm-sized, premium-feel compact that includes a fastened 32mm f/2.8 lens with a mechanical aperture, plus the identical battery as utilized in cameras just like the X100VI for an 880-shot life, and which weighs simply 240g.
Fujifilm X half in charcoal (left), silver (center) and black (proper). (Picture credit score: Tim Coleman)
Fujifilm has created a devoted app for the X half, which can be utilized to make diptychs, and add and examine pictures, plus the digicam can join wirelessly to one in every of Fujifilm’s Instax printers for on-the-go printing.
The app wasn’t out there once I examined the digicam, however will probably be downloadable from early June. In the meantime, the Fujifilm X half itself will probably be out there globally from June 12 in silver, charcoal and black, and prices $849 / £699 / AU$1,349.
I’ve been reviewing digital cameras for 15 years, and the Fujifilm X half must be one of many funnest but – a compact digicam with a distinction. You’ll be able to configure it in a means that’s as near a movie digicam as you’re going to get with digital, plus it packs the retro appear and feel that we’ve come to anticipate from Fujifilm.
What do you consider the Fujifilm X half? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
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