My Fujifilm X100VI journey – the start.
Introduction
This was going to be an initial review of the Fujifilm X100VI once I had got it, but there’s going to be thousands of those, so I thought I would try and write something slightly different.
The start.
Well, I guess it really starts back in the early 1970’s when I first got into “cameras” and then “photography”. Yes, there is a difference, but that’s for another article (maybe).
But we will ignore that and go all the way up to Jan 2023 when Amateur Photography (the magazine) published a review of the Fujifilm X-T5 (amateurphotographer.com/review/fujifilm-x-t5-review/ ). They gave it 5 stars and it caught me at exactly the right time – when I was fed up with Canon’s lack of progress with their M series cameras. So, off I toddle to Wex and purchase one. And then more lenses. And then another one. And then more lenses. Yes, I was hooked on Fujifilm. I loved the old style shutter, aperture and ISO dials. Much easier to regulate than PASM which I’d grown up with since I started with Digital in 2000.
There were issues with the X-T5, mainly to do with AF and high ISO. But I persevered and, with later firmware and advanced AI noise reduction software, my photos started to come out OK.
During 2023, I went on some Fujifilm photo walkabouts where I was starting to learn about street photography. Very interesting, if a little odd for me, coming from a landscape background where the last thing I wanted in my picture was people. The Fujifilm crowd were very patient with me (and still are) and I’m having a great deal of fun (oh, and I got another lens for that).
Rumours begin.
On those walks, Carol (Fujifilm guru and all round nice person) had an X100V which she showed me. Looked very nice and perfect for street – unobtrusive, but powerful. I could see the advantages, especially when going into areas where having ILC cameras round your neck might not be the best idea. I looked around for them, but they were unobtainable – and it didn’t have IBIS, which I had decided was one of my essentials (one reason I changed from Canon).
Late 2023, the rumours of a replacement started. So, I kept my eyes open and followed the reports and forums to see how true it might be. 2024 came and the Fujifilm summit was announced and even more rumours – 40mp (same as my X-T5) and, yes, IBIS. I was getting hooked.
By the time the Fujifilm Summit came, I was convinced it would be announced – and so was everyone else. I was expecting a large crowd of people to be ordering it based on what I’d read.
The day of reckoning.
On the Summit day, I set my alarm for 5:30am and went to bed with my laptop next to me (wife sleeping in a different room!). Woke up and watched/listened to the announcements. Yep – there it was. Wonderful. Everything I wanted. So, onto the Wex site at 6:00am – no, nothing. 6:05 – nothing. Oh, what’s going on? 6:10 – nothing. Starting to panic. 6:15am – yes, there it is. Now, do I want Black or Silver? Both nice. But Silver is “classic” – and that’s what I chose. 6:20, I got the PayPal confirmation. From Wex, nothing. It took them another 10 minutes to confirm my order. Which, I think, shows the level of ordering from the site.
Waiting and waiting.
And now I waited. I did ring up Wex to see if (a) they could redirect it to Manchester, so I could pick it up when it arrived (no they couldn’t) and (b) did they have any idea whether I would get it before I went on holiday (no they had no idea). So, it was just a wait and hope game.
During the remainder of the week, the forums were full of how many pre-orders there were and how each country and store would manage. Number varied from 350,000 to over 400,000 in China alone (that one was false). But even the most conservative estimates were huge. Fujifilm announced that they could initially make 15,000 a month. Which meant it could take 2 years to clear the pre-order backlog.
Meanwhile, those who had been given one for testing published their findings. Mostly very good (although one reviewer did slag it off something terrible and we have no idea why). Amateur Photographer gave it 5 stars – which made me feel better about my purchase. Have a read here amateurphotographer.com/review/fujifilm-x100vi-review/
On the 26th Feb, reports starting coming in that Fujifilm were allowing shipments to be delivered ready to arrive on the 28th. This was good news for those in the first ‘batch’ of deliveries. But would that be me? On the 27th Feb, I got an email from Wex informing me that my camera was shipping. Oh YES! Good news indeed.
Interestingly, other UK Wex customers, even those who ordered within 10 minutes of me, did not get that message. So, how many did Wex (one of the largest UK photo stores) get? And how many people ordered? We may never know.
So, while I was waiting and I knew I was getting it, I ordered some spare batteries, a charger (both third party), an Op-Tech wrist strap, a 128Gb memory card and a 2.5mm to 3.5mm converter for my Sennheiser mic. They should all be arriving in the next day or so.
Arrival day.
Got the message this morning that it would be here between 15:40 and 16:40. That’s a long time to be pacing up and down the hall waiting for the doorbell to ring!
And, of course, the doorbell didn’t ring because the battery was flat. Luckily for me, the delivery man (thank you DPD) knocked hard, and I heard him. So, that was it – delivered.
And the unpacking and viewing. Yes, it’s nice. Slightly larger than I was expecting, but still easily manageable (but see below).
So, downstairs to the study, put the battery and a memory card in and start it charging. And get the neck strap put on. Oh dear, it looks like cheap leather. But, in the absence of anything else it will have to do (I get paranoid about dropping my cameras and always try and have some sort of strap around me when playing). It’s got a leather back to the metal triangle and the instructions are all there in the basic manual. So, I fit it all up and add on a temporary wrist strap as well. No, I don’t like that. The leather backing to the eyelet gets in the way of me holding it – that’s coming off once I decide what straps I will end up with. In fact, it’s already come off and a wrist strap put on. That’s better for it (and me).
Once it had finished charging, it was firmware upgrade time. Yes, the day it was released, Fujifilm had a firmware update. Can you believe it? Well, there it was – and then it was done. I hope that’s all for a while.
I then spent a while playing with and setting the menus to how I like it – including turning off the touchscreen’s ability to take a shot just by touching it (which annoys me).
And that’s about it for now. Tomorrow, I will start using it ‘in anger’ and see how it behaves.
Starting the review
And so, a new day dawns and it’s time to try out my new toy. So, here goes.
Controls and handling.
I’ve mentioned above that the standard strap fixings got in the way of my holding the camera how I like. Well, I’ve taken that off and put on some Op-Tech straps that I had lying around. Much better. Here’s a quick picture of what I’ve done.
I spent much of the first hour setting the function buttons and menus to the way I like them. So, photometry set to a button, ND filter on/off set to a button. I wanted to set the digital zoom to a button, but apparently that can only be set to the focus control ring – which seems a bit strange. But I’ve done that for now (and emailed Fujifilm asking why) as I don’t use a focus ring on my other cameras.
While we are on the subject of handling, whose stupid idea was it to put the USB 3 port on the same side as you hold it. Which means it is awkward to hold if you have external power plugged in.
And then, outside onto the balcony to take some pictures. The sky was grey and overcast, but at least it wasn’t raining. Wrist strap on and a picture from over the balcony. Yes, not bad. Everything auto – and it chose F3.6 – I wonder why? Still, the focus is OK, if a little bit slow. But I was warned about that – the lens is now a 4 year old design (at least).
So, out the front to try and do some “street” photography – well, take pictures in the street.
Walking out, I was thinking that I could do with a little bit more of a grip. But nothing I wouldn’t get used to.
And so, a picture of some bins (yes, the bin men had been. And then some of my house.
All seemed good. Focus edge to edge is very acceptable.
Walking around
Later that day, I went into some woods (doing a recce visit for a walk that night), took the camera with me (of course). It was very comfortable around my neck, and I had no problems with weight. Picking it up, switching it on, putting it to my eye and clicking was all very natural.
So, straight out of the camera, here’s a few samples (all Reala Ace simulation):
OK – let’s try out this hybrid viewfinder. Normally I use the EFV, but trying out the optical is quick and easy and seems to work well. I can see that being a blessing at night times and when using the flash.
IBIS? It’s on continuous. That’s how I have my X-T5’s and I don’t see any reason to change. It does use more battery that way but I am not that bothered.
Focus is also continuous – it means the camera picks up my focus points as I point it. Just something I am used to!
Back to the car to go home and I put the camera down in the passenger footwell and drive off. Get home and realise I did not have the lens cap on. I am so used to having some sort of hood to protect the camera. So, that decides it – I’m getting a lens hood. [One is on order from Amazon now – see later].
Download the pictures and check them out. No issues with sharpness edge to edge. So, I seem to have a good copy. Phew!
Rereading this report, I did say above, it was slightly hard to hold, but I’d get used to it. Well, I have. I didn’t think about that once on the walk.
Battery and memory card
Battery life seems to be OK – about the same as my old Canon M50. Which means I should get between 200 and 300 shots from it. But I am only estimating that for now – only time will tell. I do have 2 spare batteries (3rd party) but I doubt I will need them.
I’ve put a 128Gb UHS-1 V30 memory card in the camera, which should be OK for around 1,800 shots (I always take Raw + Jpg). I tried a UHS-II card in it and that worked as well (but obviously, in UHS-1 mode).
There were reports on the web, that the memory slot should have been elsewhere as the battery/slot cover can be blocked by a tripod mount. But as I normally extract my pictures via USB, that’s not something I worry about.
Other stuff.
I’ve found the built in flash control. Obviously, not something I had on the X-T5. I’ve assigned a button so I can quickly turn it on and off (push, rotate, press shutter).
What I didn’t try.
I haven’t yet tried out the video settings or taken any movies. That’s not something I am currently interested in.
I haven’t done any night photography. But I don’t see how that can go any differently from my X-T5’s, apart from being a little more discreet (which is why I bought it in the first place).
Follow up to my Lens Hood issue.
I’ve purchased a 49mm UV filter (K&F concept) and a lens hood (JJC) to try and keep the lens safe. Fit is good and I find the lens cap now fits better. The hood came in two parts and I found if I didn’t fit the second part it was much thinner.
This is the whole thing fitted (looks horrible to me):
Then, without the front part (much better):
Finally, with the lens cap on as well:
Summary.
The Fujifilm X100VI is not perfect – I don’t think any camera can be. But it’s pretty good. Yes, it has some irritating bits (some of which I have sorted out), but at the end of the day, it will take excellent pictures and is easy to hold and use – and that is what really matters.
Not so good points:
• The neck strap and it’s mounting feels cheap and gets in the way (fixed with an Op-Tech strap)
• The lens cover is hard to mount, and I am unsure whether I will lose it (but see the previous page for the solution).
• Some of the menu decisions are hard to fathom.
• Having the power input on the RH side seems counter intuitive for holding the camera while it is being powered by an external device.
• Focussing is slower than my X-T5 lenses (but still accurate).
Good points:
• Image quality is superb.
• 40mp files are great – so much potential for cropping.
• RAW is compatible with most of my existing software (but not Capture One v 16.1) , so no need to wait for updates.
• IBIS works well. I wouldn’t have a camera without it now. It makes taking low light pictures so much easier.
• The Reala Ace simulation is very nice. That may become my new default standard.
• Focussing is accurate and fast enough for my type of photography.
• Camera is easy to hold and use.
• It’s lighter than my X-T5 with any of my existing lenses.
• It will fit in the pocket of my jacket.
• Hybrid viewfinder is fun.
Overall rating (out of 100)
At least 90. Which is gold star standard. And that is what my gut says – this is a camera that I am going to enjoy for a while. Feels good, takes good pictures and looks classic.
This initial short review is only the start of my X100VI journey. I’m no expert, but I can recommend it to anyone (if you can find one).
