TikTok’s Favorite Camera for Taking Film-Like Photos Is Getting a Huge Upgrade
Say hello to the highly anticipated Fujifilm X100VI.
Four years after Fujifilm released the X100V camera to critical acclaim, the camera maker is back with a successor called the X100VI (pronounced six).
Fujifilm’s X100 series has always bucked the trend of other mirrorless digital cameras. Instead of supporting interchangeable lenses like Sony, Canon, Nikon, or even its other cameras, the appeal of the X100 series has always boiled down to a winning formula: a beautiful retro-inspired digital camera with a fast fixed lens, a unique hybrid electronic and optical viewfinder, the most satisfying tactile dials and buttons for adjusting exposure settings, and built-in “film simulations” that reproduce the look of analog film.
The combination of the retro design and lo-fi film aesthetic has been so potent that as soon as TikTokers learned about X100V, the camera was sold out worldwide for years (and the aftermarket prices double or even triple the MSRP), even though it launched in 2020.
With the X100VI, Fujifilm isn’t just giving it a few major internal upgrades, it’s also improving availability by making them in China instead of Japan.
X100VI Camera Specs
The dials and buttons should feel just as satisfying on the X100VI as on the X100V.
As an X100V owner, I can attest to what most people who also own or look into the camera already know: the specs really don’t matter. How many megapixels or whether it has in-body stabilization (IBIS) or whatnot is not why you buy this camera. You buy it because its design, its JPEG film simulations, or its controls make you want to go outside and shoot more photos and improve your craft. It is a “pure” camera in that sense and more akin to shooting with an analog film SLR camera.
But four years is a long time in the camera world, and what might have been non-essential features are requisites for new shooters or existing users looking to upgrade. So Fujifilm’s done just that. The X100VI has a 40.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, a major resolution increase over the X100V’s 26 megapixels, and an X-Processor 5 that’s two times faster at processing images than the X100V’s X-Processor 4. The new sensor is the same one in the very popular Fujifilm X-T5 interchangeable lens camera.
The other big upgrade is IBIS with up to six stops of stabilization. Almost every new camera has built-in stabilization for steadying video recording and less shaky still photos for shooting fast-moving subjects like cars or animals, so it’s only natural that the X100VI comes with it too. And speaking of fast-moving subjects, the X100VI also has the same improved autofocus algorithms as the X-T5, which can better track birds, animals, automobiles, motorcycles and bikes, and airplanes.
The X100VI shoots 6.2K video at 30 fps and you’ll look cool making a movie with it.
A few less notable (but very welcome) upgrades include an increased ISO sensitivity (ISO 125 vs. ISO 160 on the X100V), a 1/180,000 high-speed shutter when using the electronic shutter and not the mechanical one, and high-resolution video recording that now tops out at 6.2K resolution at 30 fps (4K now supports 60 fps vs. 30 fps on the X100V and 1080p can be slowed down to 240 fps vs. 120 fps). There’s also direct integration with Frame.io for more efficient workflows.
The rest of the X100VI specs are pretty much identical to the X100V. Don’t change it if it ain’t broke, right? The fixed lens is the same 23mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) f/2.0 with eight elements and four stops of ND filtering. That also means the lens supports the same second-gen wide and telephoto converter lens adapters you can screw over it. The hybrid viewfinder has the same 3.69-mil dot electronic display, and with a flick of the switch on the front, you can change it into the optical viewfinder with 95 percent frame coverage. The touchscreen is the same 3-inch LCD with 1.62-million dot 2-way tilt; the only small change is that it tilts downward to 45 degrees versus 30 degrees on the X100V. Additionally, the X100VI sticks with the slower UHS-I speed memory card slot.
The 3-inch touchscreen on the X100VI tilts to 45 degrees compared to only 30 degrees on the X100V.
Even the camera body is virtually unchanged between the X100VI and X100V. The width and height are the same; only the thickness has increased by 2mm (1.5mm on the front and 0.5mm on the back). The only visual changes are the slightly repositioned Drive/Delete button that’s now farther away from the viewfinder and more below the hot shoe, the red accent on the X100V’s front flick switch is no longer red, the tripod mount on the bottom has moved a little bit forward, and the number of screws on the base plate is less than before.
Fujifilm says it does feel weightier in the hand, though, because of the 43g increase. Batteries are the same NP-W126 as the X100V, but the new sensor does mean you get a few more shots per charge (450 shots versus 420 on the X100V).
New Film Simulation: Reala Ace
As I said, one of the most appealing reasons to shoot with an X100 camera is the built-in JPEG film simulations. You can make and save your own custom film “recipes” and get exactly the picture look you want, but the ones included straight out of the box are purposely crafted to resemble old Fujifilm film like Velvia, Acros, Eterna, etc. It’s what gives the photos such a unique look that’s the opposite of the crisp and sterile shots from a Sony or Canon.
In addition to all the film simulations included in the X100V, the X100VI also has a new one called Reala Ace, modeled after the Reala 100 film. Fujifilm says the color profile will give you pictures that look like the Classic Chrome setting, but with more saturation.
X100V Price and Release Date
Hopefully more people will be able to buy the X100VI at retail price.
The X100V, which is officially discontinued (available at retail until stock is gone), sold for $1,399.99. The X100V is retailing worldwide for $1,599.99, a $200 increase, which is fair for the higher-resolution sensor and IBIS, in my opinion. It’ll be available at retail starting in early March 2024.
Fujifilm wouldn’t outright confirm supply improvements, but the fact that the X100VI is being produced in China instead of Japan suggests the camera might be in more abundant supply than the X100V. Producing the predecessor in Japan was one of the big bottlenecks to getting cameras shipped out, and why resellers have been able to scalp everyone.
The limited edition X100VI celebrates Fujifilm’s 90th anniversary.
There is one more thing... to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Fujifilm, the company is releasing a limited edition X100VI. The camera sports the original 1934 logo of Mt. Fuji on the top of the camera and on the lens cap. It’ll come in a special box (duh!), include a special strap, a unique soft release button for the shutter, and come with two commemorative history cards chronicling the company’s history. Each of the 1934 limited models will be numbered from 1 to 1934. It’ll be available for $1,999.99 starting at the end of March.
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