Camera Reviews / Fujifilm Cameras / Fuji X i Now Shooting!

26.10 Megapixels	Non-Zoom	APS-C size sensor

Fuji X100V Review -- Now Shooting!

by Dave Pardue and William Brawley
Preview posted: 02/04/2020

Updates:
02/21/2020: First Shots added
05/01/2020: Gallery Images added
05/07/2020: Field Test added

Click here for in-depth Fuji X100V Product Overview.

 

 

Fujifilm X100V Field Test

A beautiful camera inside and out: The best X100 yet

by William Brawley • Posted: 05/07/2020

f/2, 1/7500s, ISO 160

At long last, the compact Fujifilm X100-series camera gets the upgrade to Fuji's latest imaging pipeline: a 26MP X-Trans sensor and a speedy X-Processor 4 chip. Plus, the X100V also gets a long-awaited refresh to its pancake-style fixed 23mm f/2 lens. While the focal length and aperture remain unchanged, Fuji claims they've updated the lens' optical design, notably improving its close-focusing image quality -- a notable flaw in previous X100 models -- and I've taken a closer look at this claim for you here.

The exterior design of the X100V, meanwhile, remains mostly and pleasantly unchanged for the most part. It maintains its distinctive retro styling, rangefinder-esque design and low-profile, fixed lens. However, there are some notable differences, both in terms of build quality and construction, and also with regards to the controls and the rear screen.

Personally, I fell in love with this camera series back when I reviewed the predecessor, the X100F, in 2017. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up purchasing one later that year. I love small, compact cameras, especially with large sensors. There's just something I find really clever about them; a lot of image quality performance inside a really small formfactor. And with the X100-series in particular, the bright f/2 lens and APS-C sensor, as well as hybrid phase-detect AF (since the X100S), all combine to offer a lot of versatility, excellent image quality and impressive performance.

Indeed, there's a lot of camera here with very little bulk.

f/2.8, 1/1700s, ISO 160

And with the X100V, Fujifilm aims to take the already-fantastic X100F and make it even better. Naturally, though, we expect each newer generation of a camera model to see improvements over the previous one, and with the X100 series, that seems to be the case. Each new version offered noticeable improvements over the model before it. For me, the 4th-gen X100F hit pretty much all the nails on the head: the higher-res 24MP sensor put it more in-line with other modern cameras, the addition of a joystick control was wonderful, and the upgraded hybrid AF system made the camera quick and snappy for all sorts of subjects. It really was, and still is, an excellent camera that's surprisingly versatile and capable, despite just having a fixed 23mm (35mm eq.) lens.

So, where can Fuji go from here? How can they top the X100F with the X100V? Will the X100V replace my X100F? Let's see how this new model performs out in the field to find out.

Design & Handling

As mentioned, from an initial glance, the new Fuji X100V looks a lot like its predecessor. And for that, I'm thankful. The design of this camera is iconic, blending classic film-camera styling with modern digital amenities. Back in the day when we were allowed to see people in public, folks would often ask me if my X100F was a film camera. The X100V will be no exception to that experience. Sure, there's a bit of novelty to the styling of this camera, but it adds to the user experience. The camera looks great and feels great in the hands, and with that, it becomes a pleasure to use.

Before we get to the more notable new physical features of the X100V, I want to briefly talk about some of the subtle design tweaks to this new model compared to the predecessor. As with the X100F, the X100V is constructed primarily, if not entirely, out of metal, and the overall build quality remains just as impressive. The camera feels wonderfully solid and well-built in the hands, with a nice, quality heft to it. Like its predecessor, the X100V is still made in Japan, in case you're wondering.

Fujifilm has, however, slightly changed the top plate design; the top now remains completely flat out towards the left side of the camera, while the X100F had a little sliver sliced off the corner. The edges all along the top plate also feel more precise and sharper, whereas the X100F had softer, more rounded edges. It's a subtle effect, but it makes the X100V look more like it was carved out a block of metal. As I said, these are really minor changes, ones that in no way affect the functionality of the camera, but to me, the X100V just looks better. To my eye, the X100V is the best-looking X100 model Fujifilm has made.

I'm also reviewing the two-toned silver and black model, and I'm usually not a fan of this style of the camera (hence why I got an all-black X100F). At least the X100-series are actually made of metal. But with the X100V, I'm actually starting to come around to its two-toned silver and black style. I don't have a silver X100F to compare side-by-side, but the X100V seems ever-so-slightly more on the gray side than the usual silver color, and a with a slightly more matte finish. It's not as gray as, say, Apple's "space gray" color, but it's a really pleasing silvery-gray that looks fantastic -- modern and classic at the same time!

Now, on to the more important design updates to the X100V

For starters, on the rear of the camera, you will see that Fujifilm has, once again, removed the 4-way directional buttons just like they did when going from the X-Pro2 to the X-Pro3. This change is, as I said in my X-Pro3 field test, frustrating. It makes the camera slightly less customizable and not as easy to use, in my opinion. It just doesn't make sense. The X100V camera body is essentially the same size as the previous model, and there seems to be plenty of room on the back to fit the 4-way control. Instead, Fuji leaves a big blank spot for your thumb -- though they have added a slight bump along the back edge to give you the tiniest bit of thumb-rest. But, to be honest, I'd rather have my 4-way controls back over a little bump. Now, all menu navigation is done via the joystick control, which feels clunkier and less precise. You also lose four customizable function buttons, which I rely on heavily with my X100F. In place of these buttons, Fuji's added swiping "touch functions" to the rear touchscreen; you can customize four swiping directions to correspond to various functions. However, I find it easy to accidentally activate these touch functions -- and, to be honest, I often forget this feature even exists when out in the field. So I typically disable these Touch Function settings altogether (for which I'm glad Fuji gives you the option).

As for the button placement, the X100V borrows a similar layout to the recent X-Pro3 rather than mirroring the X100. This isn't a major hindrance to usability, I found, though it's something be aware of if you're upgrading from a previous X100 model -- the menu, delete and playback buttons are all in different locations now. Outside of this, the rest of the controls remain the same as they do on previous models. The front and rear dials are the same, and both still can be pressed as buttons for additional functions. The large dual-function dial for shutter speed and ISO setting remains, though a pull-up dial for ISO is no longer spring-loaded. On the X100F, if you pull up on the outside ring to adjust ISO and let go, it will snap back down into place.

Now on the X100V, if you pull up the ring, it'll remain in its "unlocked" position, letting you freely adjust your ISO setting without having to keep pressure on the ring. I initially thought the ISO ring was broken, but I quite like this little change, as it makes changing ISO a tiny bit easier. And finally, as before, the X100V keeps the same dedicated +/-3EV exposure compensation dial (if you set it to the "C" position, you have a full +/-5EV exposure compensation adjustment range). The EC dial doesn't lock, but like on the X100F, it's a fairly stiff dial, so I don't find myself accidentally bumping it.

Another major change to the camera's design and functionality is the addition of a tilting touchscreen display. The X100F rear screen was both fixed in place and offered no touch-functionality whatsoever. The screen resolution, too, gets a little upgrade here as well, going from a 1036K-dot display to a 1620K-dot resolution. The diagonal size remains the same, however, at 3.0-inches. It's not a huge increase in resolution, but the rear screen on the X100V does look really nice, and does appear sharper and clearer than the screen on the X100F.

I am also glad they included tilting articulation to the rear screen, and am supremely happy that the camera features a more traditional LCD design than the rather strange flip-down design seen on the new X-Pro3. Furthermore, the LCD sits flush inside the rear of the camera when not tilted, which I think is a nice touch. It doesn't feel like they just tacked-on a moveable LCD, but rather purposefully designed it to fit within the clean styling of the camera and hide away when not needed. The X100V is slightly thicker than the predecessor, perhaps in part, to make room for this flush tilting LCD. One of the downsides I found with the earlier X100F is that its fixed display not only made it more difficult to use when shooting at awkwardly high or low angles, but it was also hard to see out in the bright sunlight. The viewfinder, of course, helps combat that later issue, but having some articulation to the screen also helps when needed.

I've also said before that I prefer a tilting design for the rear screen, especially since I take more still photos rather than shoot video. Given the X100V's focus is more on still photography, the tilting LCD here makes more sense. It should also be noted that the X100V's screen cannot be flipped up or down completely to face forward for selfies, which is totally fine in my book.

The touchscreen functionality is a nice addition, offering a fast way to quickly move the AF point. In-use, the touch responsiveness is decently quick, but it mimics my experience with the X-T3. It's not the most responsive, and there's a slight delay in my tapping and the AF point moving. I also noticed that the screen would ignore or not respond to light taps on the screen, and I had to be a bit more deliberate when using the various tap-to-focus functions. All that said, the touchscreen works fine for the most part, and tap-to-focus is a helpful feature to have in your arsenal for certain situations -- and the ability to swipe through images in Playback mode is a nice touch. However, given the excellent EVF and the joystick control, I find myself shooting much more often with the viewfinder (and adjusting AF with the joystick) than I do with the rear screen. I'm now so accustomed to shooting with the viewfinder on my X100F that I don't think I'd mind much had the X100V shipped without a touchscreen.

And speaking of the viewfinder, the hybrid optical-meets-electronic viewfinder gains some pleasing upgrades over the previous model, especially for the EVF mode. As mentioned in my X100F Field Test, I'm not a huge fan of the optical viewfinder mode in the X100-series. For one thing, the parallax compensation required -- since you're not looking directly through the lens -- makes precise framing trickier, I find. The frame lines shift around depending on focusing distance. Further, the AF point/area moves around, too, according to the parallax correction, which makes precise focusing more difficult as well. Plus, with the OVF mode, you don't get as many selectable AF point/box positions as you do with the EVF mode. With the EVF (and rear LCD) you have up to 425 AF points to choose from.

But, for an EVF shooter, the X100V offers some nice specs and usability improvements, essentially borrowing the same updated EVF as in the X-Pro3. The electronic viewfinder screen gets an upgrade from an LCD panel to a higher-resolution OLED panel, offering 3690K dots of resolution compared to the 2360K-dot LCD of the X100F. The result is a sharper, crisper, more responsive and slightly larger EVF (display is now 0.5-inch compared to 0.48-inch). Personally, I never had any complaints with the EVF in the older model, so the improvements here are really just icing on the cake.

The usability of the X100V's EVF also gets a subtle, but pleasant, update, as well. Just like in the predecessor, the X100V's EVF will "pop up" into place when the eye sensor detects that the camera is up at your eye. However, like the X-Pro3, the EVF mechanism/panel will now remain in place as long as the camera is powered on. On earlier X100 models, the EVF panel would hide away once more when you remove the camera from your eye, thus causing a noticeable (albeit brief) delay in the camera being ready to fire off a shot. Now with the EVF already in-place on the X100V, the camera feels more responsive and is ready to shoot the moment I bring it up to my eye, if I've already engaged the EVF once before.

Lastly, I'd be remiss not to mention the fact that the X100V now has weather sealing. Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Fujifilm. I've said this many times over the years, but having weather sealing is one of the key features I look for when choosing a camera. Sure, I realize weather sealing is not the be-all-end-all of camera protection, it's not infallible, and that different manufacturers and different camera models have a varying degree of weather-resistance and robustness. But, I really enjoy the peace of mind that my often-expensive piece of equipment has at least some protection against the elements. More and more cameras these days are including it, and I felt it noticeably lacking on the X100F. Thankfully, Fuji remedied this for its successor. Mostly.

In order to have a fully weather-sealed X100V, you'll need to purchase the optional adapter ring that screws onto the front of the lens, and then also add some form of protection filter. Here, I added a B+W Circular Polarizing Filter (the only 49mm filter I own.)

The camera body itself is nicely sealed, but you'll need to use (buy) the lens adapter ring and add some form of sealed protection filter, such a clear filter, a polarizer or the like, in order to make the entire camera weather resistance. It's a shame that the X100V isn't fully sealed out of the box, but it's also rather annoying that the adapter ring isn't simply included in the box with the camera. The official Fuji AR-X100 adapter ring costs about $45, which is pretty steep for a simple screw-on metal ring. And then you have to factor in the filter itself, which can be pricey depending on the brand. (Pro tip: I would spend the money on a good filter, however. Best not to put a cheap piece of glass in front of your nice, sharp lens and high-res sensor.) In the grand scheme of things, it's not a huge cost to create your own weather-sealed X100V, and I'm delighted that Fujifilm's added at least some level of weather-resistance to this X100 line.

f/2.2, 1/1400s, ISO 160

Image Quality

When it comes to image quality, seeing as how the X100V shares the same 26MP APS-C X-Trans sensor and image processor as the X-T3, X-Pro3 and X-T30, the overall image quality here is vastly similar, and therefore excellent, at both low and higher ISOs. Fujifilm's other 26MP X-Trans cameras have proven to be excellent performers in the image quality arena, and the little X100V is no exception. Going from 24 megapixels in the X100F to 26 megapixels in the X100V isn't a drastic jump in resolving power, but in my opinion, the 26 megapixels on an APS-C sensor offers plenty of resolution for all but the most demanding applications and strikes a great balance for detail and high ISO performance.

f/2, 1/180s, ISO 160

In my time with the camera, I found that the X100V's 26MP APS-C sensor and the sharp 23mm f/2 lens capture images with fantastic detail and vibrant, rich colors across a wide range of ISOs. Images display tons of fine detail, especially at lower ISO (as one might expect), yet even as the ISO rises, the X100V does an excellent job at controlling noise while preserving a nice level of fine detail. Higher ISO images, indeed, show noise upon close inspection, but there's a fine-grained quality to the noise that's not terribly distracting. As such, I have no qualms letting the ISO float up to ISO 3200-6400 if need be (thankfully, the bright f/2 aperture helps keep the ISO level in-check in many situations). ISO 12,800, the camera's native high ISO, can also make for usable results in a pinch, but, as I'd experienced with the X100F, I try to avoid the expanded high ISOs of 25600 and 51200. The image quality certainly takes a hit at these expanded high ISOs; the noise is very strong, as is the noise reduction processing in JPEGs files. The overall image quality here isn't awful by any means, but I'd recommend steering clear of these ISOs for any serious picture-taking endeavors.

f/5.6, 1/340s, ISO 3200

f/5.6, 1/350s, ISO 4000 RAW edit (Click for original)

In addition to excellent high ISO performance, I am also rather impressed by the dynamic range performance, despite the camera "only" having an APS-C sensor. A lot of my field testing took place during the bright midday sun, and as such, images displayed strong contrast with bright skies and deep, dark shadows areas. In many cases, the JPEG images (at the default "Provia" Film Simulation preset) display a pleasing amount of dynamic range; shadows could be dark, but you can still make out detail, and highlight areas remained pleasingly well-exposed. In situations where the sky was blown out, bringing the RAW into Capture One let me easily bring down the highlights and regain lost detail. Unless I severely failed on getting a proper exposure, I found the RAW files from the X100V to be sufficiently flexible with tonal adjustments. Most of the time, too, I only needed minor exposure adjustments in order to bring down highlight hotspots and lift darker shadow areas.

f/5.6, 1/340s, ISO 160

RAW edit (Click for original)

f/2, 1/2000s, ISO 160

RAW edit (Click for original)

Updated 23mm f/2 lens fixes issues with prior models

One of the primary changes to the imaging system in the X100V is an updated 23mm f/2 Fujinon lens. In generations past, the 23mm pancake lens on the X100 has remained practically unchanged. In most situations, the older lens performed very well, offering very good sharpness (especially in the center), even at f/2, as well as minimal chromatic aberration, distortion and vignetting.

f/2, 1/500s, ISO 160

However, the earlier version of the lens had a weakness when used at closer focusing distances and at a wide-open, or nearly wide-open, aperture. The 23mm f/2 lens wasn't (and still isn't) a macro lens by any mean, but you can still focus decently close for a 35mm-eq prime lens (10cm). But, if you tried to shoot a close-up shot an f/2-f/2.8, the image quality was significantly degraded. Images took on a very soft, almost dreamy quality to them. It could be a pleasing artist effect in some situations, but if you a wanted crisp, sharp subjects, you needed to stop the lens down to at least f/4. It turns out this was simply down to the optical design of the lens; perhaps a compromise or trade-off in order to achieve that thin, pancake design.

 

X100V vs. X100F: Close-Focusing Image Quality Comparison (Click each image crop below for the full-resolution image)
X100V: f/2, 0.3s, ISO 160
Fuji X100V	Fuji X100F
f/2.0
f/2.8
f/4

Thankfully, the Fujifilm optical engineers went back to the drawing board for the X100V and fixed the close-focusing image quality issue with this new version (while maintaining the same bright f/2 aperture and tiny, pancake-lens design). Now, when shooting wide-open at close distances, the image quality is significantly better than with previous models. As you can see in the side-by-side comparison shots below against the X100F, image quality at f/2 and f/2.8 when shooting close-up is now drastically improved in the X100V. Despite the optical changes to the X100V, however, you still see improved sharpness by stopping down the lens a few stops. That said, shooting close-up at f/2 is now totally usable, in my opinion, which is fantastic.

X100V: f/2, 1/15s, ISO 160

Autofocus & Performance

As expected, not only does the X100V inherit the image quality performance of other 26MP APS-C Fujifilm cameras, like the X-T3, but it also gains similar autofocus and performance features -- though it's not exactly the same. The X100V does bring over the same 425-point hybrid AF system as in the X-T3, for example, which is a nice bump up from the 325 points in the predecessor. While the X100F has 325 selectable AF points, only 169 of them clustered towards the center utilize phase-detect AF, whereas the full array of 425 AF points in the X100V are phase-detect compatible.

As with other Fuji cameras, the X100V defaults to a broader grid of AF points, with only 117 selectable points in a 13 x 9 array. You'll need to dive into the first page of AF settings and switch to the 425-point option (a 17 x 25 array of AF points) if you want the full range of selectable AF points. In addition to simply more AF points to choose from, you can now really really shrink down the side of the AF area box to a single AF point among the 17 x 25 array, which gives you a very small AF point, and thus very precise control over focusing.

f/2, 1/5000s, ISO 160

In terms of AF performance, I don't have much, if anything, to complain about considering this class or style of camera with its fixed wide-angle prime lens. The AF speed of the X100V is excellent in the types of situations for which you'd use this a style of camera. By and large, the X100V feels and performs like my older X100F for the most part. In bright lighting, I did a quick side-by-side comparison between the X100V and my X100F, and in AF-S mode and focusing from close to infinity focus, AF speeds seem practically identical. I wouldn't call the AF speed here, from either camera, "instantaneous," but it is still very fast, taking about one second to rack through the full focus range (or thereabouts).

However, a more noticeable difference -- and improvement -- comes with AF performance in lower light situations, which corresponds to Fuji's claim of better low-light AF. The X100V is noticeably faster in both acquiring focus on a darker or dimly-lit subject and in a similar near-to-far rack-focus test. Having used my X100F in numerous low-light situations, sometimes even shooting events with lots of candid-style photos, having fast AF in unpredictable, and sometimes poor lighting conditions is critical, and I'm very happy to see the X100V perform noticeably better in this area.

f/5.6, 1/850s, ISO 4000 RAW edit (Click for original)

A quick aside about the focusing motor in the lens: as mentioned, the AF speed of the X100V in general remains just as fast, if not faster in some situations, than the predecessor, however, it seems that perhaps Fuji changed the focusing motor in the X100V? One that's noticeably noisier than in the previous model. In-use as the lens is adjusting for focusing, as well as when you power-up the camera and the lens "whirs" to life, I definitely noticed the lens' operating noises much more than on my X100F. This doesn't really affect the usability or operation of the camera. The camera focuses quickly, but the lens is just somewhat noisy, which could potentially be mildly distracting in really quiet or sound-sensitive situations.

When it comes to continuous AF and burst shooting, the X100V is spec'ed for better performance and faster burst rates. The X100F topped-out at 8fps, while the X100V now offers both a faster 11fps with the mechanical shutter or a whopping 20fps with electronic shutter (as well as up to 30fps with a 1.25x crop mode). Those sound like impressive figures, and they are, but when you realize that the X100V's buffer depth isn't as beefy as the X-T3's, for example, the super-fast burst shooting rates become less useful. With either the 11fps (Mech. Shutter) or 20fps (Elec. Shutter), the buffer depth for just RAW files is only 17 frames, according to Fuji's specs. That's not even two seconds of continuous shooting time for just the 11fps mode. In an unscientific timing test with RAW+JPEG mode, I saw similar continuous shooting times, with the camera taking about 1.5-1.6 or so seconds before the 11fps burst rate began to slow down once the buffer filled.

f/2, 1/3000s, ISO 160

As for buffer clearing times, they are decent, but it can take a while before the camera stops writing to the memory card, especially after an extended burst sequence (and even with a fast 128GB UHS-II SD card that I was using). Thankfully, the camera doesn't lock you out while it's writing, so you can dive into the menus, change settings, review images immediately (which I like) as well as continue to capture images (though obviously at a slower burst rate until the buffer is cleared).

So while the X100V offers higher performance numbers than its predecessor, it's hampered somewhat by a shallower buffer than its bigger sibling cameras. That being said, you need to consider the type of camera here. The X100V is not designed for extensive burst sequences; you're not going to bring the X100V along to capture a long bird-in-flight sequence or the running back careening down the sideline. This is the wrong tool for that job. However, for capturing street photos, fleeting moments, or quick candid portraits, for example, the Fuji X100V offers plenty of speed and ample performance.

f/2.2, 1/2500s, ISO 160

Fujifilm X100V Field Test Summary

What I liked

• Fantastic, improved styling and build quality
• Weather-sealed (with a caveat)
• Excellent image quality
• Sharper lens with better performance wide-open
• Faster AF speeds, especially in low light
• Tilting rear screen (that doesn't tilt-swivel)
• Good battery life & USB-C in-camera charging

What I didn't like

• Fairly shallow buffer depths
• Lack of 4-way buttons
• Focusing motor in lens seems noisier
• No IBIS -- though not a surprising omission given the history of the line and the fast f/2 lens.

Given how much I enjoyed the previous model, it should come as no surprise that I've come to the same conclusion about the new Fuji X100V. Unlike the design changes seen on the new X-Pro3, Fujifilm didn't go wild here with the X100V, and for that, I'm thrilled. Essentially, they took the already-excellent X100F and made some minor, yet important tweaks to make it the best X100 model yet. The styling changes are subtle, but to my eye, the X100V looks even more gorgeous than its predecessor. The tilting, touchscreen display is a nice touch, but I'm more pleased about the upgraded EVF. And with the addition of some degree of weather-sealing, the X100V is even more of a versatile, carry-it-all-the-time camera.

f/2, 1/6000s, ISO 160 Re-touched slightly (Click for original)

On the inside, the new imaging pipeline and updated performance offer pleasing upgrades for the most part. Once again, image quality is excellent pretty much across the camera's entire ISO range, just like we see with Fuji's other 26MP X-Trans cameras. Dynamic range, color reproduction and high ISO performance are all very good for this class of camera. The optically-improved 23mm f/2 lens is a very welcomed change, as well, as it fixes one of the major flaws of previous generations. Autofocus gets a nice upgrade with more AF points, phase-detect AF across the full array of points, and faster performance in low-light. Burst shooting is now faster, although the super-fast continuous shooting options feels both unnecessary for this style of camera and is also hampered somewhat by shallow buffer depths.

So, will I upgrade from my X100F? Well, that's hard to say. Sure, the newer sensor and processor are nice, but the image quality, in and of itself, is almost the least interesting thing about this camera. It's great, yes, but so was the IQ of the previous model. I wouldn't upgrade just for the subtle increase in resolution or the extra frames-per-second in the burst modes. Instead, I'd consider upgrading because of everything else. Because of the improved design, the weather-sealing, faster low-light AF, the tilting screen and the better EVF. And of course, because of the improved 23mm lens. I'd say, if you have an X100 series model before the X100F or you're looking for your first large-sensor, fixed-lens camera, the X100V is practically a no-brainer. Yes, just get it. The entire package that is the Fuji X100V is a nicer, more refined experience. But when compared to the X100F, it's a bit of a tougher sell. Are you shooting in foul weather a lot? Do you shoot close-up at f/2 often? Do you need a tilting screen or can make do without the 4-way buttons? For me, I might hold off until my X100F is a little more worse for wear, but the X100V is still oh-so-tempting.

• Fujifilm X100V Gallery Images •

 

 

• • •

 

Fuji X100V -- Product Overview

by Dave Pardue and William Brawley
Posted: 02/04/2020

For enthusiast photographers who crave the combination of sleek and portable in a retro-styled, old-school package that's loaded with terrific image quality, the Fujifilm X100 series has stood at the top of the podium since the initial launch of the line almost nine years ago. And yet, while the line was initially laden with some fairly major quirks and drawbacks in areas such as autofocus, the fourth model (X100F) saw the line coming truly into its own and addressing all previous setbacks, becoming one of the best overall cameras we've ever shot with at IR for versatility combined with the overall cool-factor.

And now just two years later the line continues with the X100V. Now, if you're perplexed by the naming conventions, we understand it to follow thus: X100 (first); X100S ("S" for second); X100T ("T" for third); X100F ("F" for fourth); and now X100V ("V" for roman numeral five since "F" was, well, already taken). Given the enormous popularity of the line, we're certainly not going to find fault with the quirky naming convention. In fact, if anything, it just adds to the interesting allure of the overall line!

And as popular as this line has been for street shooters needing a "primary" imaging tool, you just wouldn't believe how many people we talk to who shoot with "Brand X" but who *also* have an X100 series camera tucked in their bag as a "do almost anything" kind of back-up, or as the camera they grab for travel, or whatever else. It's just that cool... that versatile... and that good!

But... we're getting ahead of ourselves here, as this is about the latest model that we've yet to even see for ourselves, so here goes with the reported upgrades to the line itself in this fifth iteration.

Fujifilm X100V: What's New?

• Weather Resistance

Let's start with the biggest news here... weather resistance! Yes, this model finally has Fuji's robust weather resistance, which makes shooting on those drizzly days in London or Manhattan (or Boise for that matter) sound a lot more appealing.

But there's a catch. Albeit a minor one.

It doesn't sound like a deal-breaker to us, but you'll need to attach the optional AR-X100 adapter ring and use a protective filter on the lens itself to achieve the full weather resistance package. It seems that rugged camera body itself is nicely sealed, but the lens needs a little shoring up with a filter to truly keep out dust and moisture. As we said, this doesn't seem like much of a deal-breaker, as you gain some additional shooting versatility with the filter adapter, not to mention added lens protection.

And then, finally, you'll get weather resistance on an X100-series camera!

• New sensor, new processor & an updated 23mm prime lens

Fujifilm has wisely kept a good thing going by retaining the 23mm (35mm eq.) f/2 fixed lens, but they've redesigned the lens itself to provide additional image quality upgrades in a few key areas. The first reported upgrade is higher resolution potential, which should certainly help make the most out of the newer, higher-res 26MP X-Trans CMOS 4 chip inside and the latest X-Processor 4 (the same imaging pipeline as found in the X-T3 and X-Pro3, for example).

Additionally, the lens is reported to offer lower distortion to previous X100-series lenses.

And last but not least, the newly-designed lens is said to offer improved close-focusing performance. It's not yet clear if the new 23mm f/2 lens can focus closer than prior models, or if perhaps the image quality performance at close-focus distances has been improved, but we'll find out and report back here soon. On previous X100 models, the 23mm f/2 lens was noted for excellent image quality in most situations, but it was notorious for being very soft when shot wide open at close-up distances. We're eager to see if this has been improved on this updated version.

Of course, the lens is also designed with the wide-angle and telephoto teleconverters in mind as well, so anyone already owning these will be able to port them over to this model just fine. We've found the teleconverters to really shine on this line, especially the TCL-X100 (also now with Mark II versions of each). And the on-board ND (neutral density) filter now sports a 4-stop reduction, up from 3-stops on the X100F, which is handy for remaining at f/2 on those brighter days.

We'll naturally be checking out these characteristics in the lab and our comprehensive Field Testing once a sample arrives at our headquarters, so stay tuned for more to come as we begin to put this model through its paces!

• Newly designed, two-way tilting LCD

Sitting flush against the rear of the X100V is a new two-way tilting touchscreen LCD, which is a nice usability upgrade over previous models' LCD screens, as they offered neither touch functionality nor any articulation. The rear screen on the X100V has a simple two-way tilting design, allowing for easier shooting from low or high angles. It is, however, not like the new X-Pro3, with an obscured rear screen in its "closed position" -- you can still use the screen when placed flush against the camera. Also, the screen does not offer a portrait-orientation tilting position like that of the X-T3.

Specs-wise, the rear screen on the X100V is a 3-inch LCD touch panel that offers a higher-resolution display than the previous model at 1062K dots (up from 1036K-dot dots of the X100F).

• Classic hybrid viewfinder, expanded

One of the neatest and most classic features in the X100 line dating back to the original model has been the old-school "hybrid" viewfinder that offers the best of both worlds: electronic and optical viewfinding experiences at the flick of a toggle-switch. Varying photographic situations may call for one or the other in order to achieve the best composition or exposure, and the X100 is one of the few digital cameras to maximize the experience of offering both. The optical viewfinder (OVF) offers .52x magnification and allows a classic optical experience, while the 3.69M dot OLED electronic viewfinder delivers a more modern representation of the image as it will appear post-capture.

You can even opt to choose both worlds at the same time, as an ERF (Electronic Rangefinder) function can be engaged which displays a small version of the EVF in the lower right corner of the OVF, furthering your ability to fine-tune composition and exposure simultaneously. EVF, OVF, ERF... just take your pick at the flick of a switch!

• Expanded video capabilities including 4K!

While the X100 line has not historically been what a photographer might think to grab when trying to record video, the line has steadily been beefing up its video chops. The X100V now at last offers 4K, both UHD and DCI Cinema 4K, recording at up to 30fps, bringing it on par with modern video standards for stills cameras. It also offers 120p capture at 1080 (FHD) resolution, which provides the ability for effective slow motion video.

In addition, the X100V can record 10-bit 4:2:2 externally via the HDMI port, which adds some flexibility for high-end creators using this model, especially when combined with their video-centric "Eterna" Film Simulation. This model is not a video powerhouse like the Fuji X-H1, but it is certainly keeping in stride with other enthusiast cameras in similar price ranges in keeping up-to-speed on the latest and greatest in its class.

So there's a brief look at the newer highlights to the line. Now let's dive into more of the overall details!

Image Quality

As mentioned, the Fuji X100V sports an all-new imaging pipeline for this line, bringing over the 26MP X-Trans CMOS 4 APS-C-sized sensor and fast X-Processor 4 chip seen in the X-T3, X-Pro3 and X-T30. Alongside updated image resolution, the X100V sports a new native ISO range of 160-12800, with expanded ISOs down to ISO 80 and up to 25,600 and 51,200. The shutter mechanism gets a bit of an upgrade, too, offering long exposure times down to 900sec (15 minutes). The same faster speeds remain as on the predecessor, with the mechanically shutter topping out at 1/4000s and the electronic shutter offering a faster 1/32000s. And of course, the X100V offers the full selection of popular Fujifilm Film Simulations, including Acros and Eterna.

As with the previous model, the X100V captures stills in RAW and JPEG formats. RAW files are 14-bits and can be recorded in either lossless compressed or uncompressed varieties.

Autofocus & Performance

Much like the predecessor, the X100V uses a hybrid autofocus system, incorporating both contrast-detection and on-sensor phase-detect pixels. With the new 26MP sensor, the X100V offers a similar overall AF system to the X-T3. Using the smallest AF point size, the user-selectable number of AF points jumps from 325 in the X100F to 425 in this new model. The 425-point number relates to the smallest AF point size provided, but by default, you'll instead have a choice of 117 AF points in a 13 x 9 array. Low-light focusing is also improved, with a the AF system rated down to -5EV. Also, thanks to the new image processor and updated AF algorithm, the X100V's face and eye detection focusing performance is said to be improved and more precise.

Continuous shooting is also improved, offering up to 11fps compared to the 8fps of the predecessor. At this fastest burst rate, the X100V is stated to capture 38 frames with JPEG mode or 17 frames with either lossless compressed or uncompressed RAW format. Dropping the burst rate down to 8fps increases the buffer capacity, with 76 JPEG images, though the RAW buffer only increases to 18 frames, according to Fujifilm's specs. Decreasing the continuous shooting rate further will increase buffer capacity, with the two slowest burst rates of 4fps and 3fps having practically unlimited buffer capacity with JPEG images.

Like the X-T3, there's a 1.25x Crop mode that lets you increase the burst rate significantly up to 30fps using the electronic shutter. (There are also 20fps, 10fps, and 8fps options in the 1.25x crop mode.)

Battery, Storage & Connectivity

Like its predecessor, the Fuji X100V uses SD storage media, but there's still only a single card slot, unlike the X-Pro3 or X-T3. The X100V's SD card slot remains only UHS-I compatible.

In addition to built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, the X100V now also offers Bluetooth 4.2 Low Energy to help quick pair devices and maintain low-power connectivity for easier media transfers and sharing. Further, remote shooting is also possible with the FUJIFILM Camera Remote smartphone app.

The camera features a micro-HDMI (Type D) connector and also offers an updated USB port: a USB Type C connector with faster USB3.1 Gen1 speeds. While there's no headphone jack on the camera, the X100V does offer an external microphone jack, though it remains the less-common 2.5mm size rather than 3.5mm. The camera also keeps the hotshoe on the top for flash, mics or other accessories.

For power, the X100V uses the same larger NP-W126S rechargeable lithium-ion battery as the predecessor and other recent Fujifilm X-Series cameras. According to Fujifilm's specs, the X100V, in Normal mode, is rated for 350 shots per charge with the EVF, or 420 shots/charge with the optical viewfinder.

Pricing & Availability

The Fujifilm X100V will be available in both black and silver and is expected to go on sale in late February 2020 with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $1,399.95 USD and $1,799.99 CAD.

Stay tune for much more from IR as soon as we receive a sample into our lab!