REVIEW: Fuji X100S v Fuji X100
Anyone who reads this blog will know that the Fujifilm Finepix X100 is my favourite walkabout camera. It can produce images that rival the much larger Nikon D800, it is beautiful to look at and is so well screwed together that I'm sure it will last me years. My X100 is a limited edition 'black' version and came with a few special extras in the box when I bought it last October.
In March 2013 Fuji unveiled the X100S, an updated version of the X100 with improvements in several areas including the use of a 16mp X-Trans sensor from the X-Pro1 / XE-1, full 1080P HD video and a faster AF system. I played with an X100S at the Focus on Imaging Show in March but last week I was able to get my hands on one for a long term test.
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| X100 on the left and the new X100S on the right |
REAL WORLD TESTING: Like all my tests on this blog there is nothing scientific about how I go about assessing a camera. I use it in real world situations and then report how I found using the camera. How I use a camera might not be the same as another photographer but I feel that a real world test is more beneficial than comparing numbers on a lab sheet.
BUILD QUALITY: First thing I noticed is the body of the X100S is the same high quality construction as my X100, in fact anyone owning an X100 and then picking up a X100S would have no problem with the layout of the controls, they are almost identical.
The 'S' only comes with a silver finish rather than the black finish of my limited edition model and I think that is a shame because I really like the camera in black. Perhaps Fuji will bring out a LE version of the 'S' later but at the moment the silver finish is the only option. However it still looks like a modern take on a classic camera and the 'S' is still a joy to use and to be seen with. One thing that hasn't changed and didn't need changing was the superb Fujinon 23mm f2 lens, which is identical on both models. This is one of the sharpest lenses available anywhere and because it is a fixed focal length there is no compromise when it comes to producing stunning image quality from f2 up to f16.
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| The same high quality feel is carried over from the X100 |
ERGONOMICS: The layout of the controls is largely the same with the big shutter, exposure compensation and shutter release knobs and buttons still in the same place. These are beautifully machined items and have a tactile feel to them. The function button is also on the top plate, which can be set for several different options but I prefer to have this set for changing the ISO quickly.
One item that has been changed and is a big improvement is the AF/MF selector on the side of the camera. On the X100 this is MF/AF-S/AF-C with AF-S in the middle. I never use continuous AF on the camera, I only use Servo AF or Manual Focus. The problem is the slider is quite fiddly and when moving back to AF-S it slides from MF to AF-C and it is a faff setting it back to AF-S. This has been changed on the X100S by swapping the AF-S and AF-C selections around so it is easy to move from MF to AF-S and vice versa.
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| The focus selector - on the left is the X100 and on the right is the X100S |
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| AF-S is now at the bottom on the X100S - a small but significant change for X100 users |
FOCUSING: The AF seems to be quicker and the Manual Focus, which is the one thing on the X100 that I really do not like, is a big improvement on the 'S'. While the system is still a 'fly by wire' manual focus, it is a lot smoother and easier to use than the older model. I would still prefer to have a direct manual focus system, like on the Nikon lenses, but the new system is a welcome improvement.
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| The menu on the X100S - you can select each page and then move across to select what you want. A lot quicker! |
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| The menu on the X100 - you have to scroll through four pages to find what you are looking for |
MENUS: Another big improvement is the menus. On the X100 you have to scroll through the four pages on the shooting menu to find what you want. On the X100S each page has a tab and you can select the page before selecting the item. A small but very welcome improvement. Another addition is the 'Q' button or Quick Menu button. This is another carry over from the X100S's bigger brothers and it allows quicker access to the menus.
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| The Q button for Quick Menu |
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| The Quick Menu |
VIDEO: While the X100 has 720P video, the 'S' has full 1080P HD video and I tested it at Le Mans when I conducted some driver interviews. The video is not a massive leap forward but the inclusion of full HD is welcome. The sound is still recorded by the internal microphones, there isn't an external mic socket on the 'S' like there is on the XE-1, and this is a shame because using an external mic improves the sound quality on my Nikon D800.
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| Full 1080P HD video |
SENSOR: The 16mp X-Tran sensor produces some stunning images but I had to download the latest update for Lightroom 4 (4.4) to be able to read the RAW files from the camera. Photoshop Elements 11 can't read the RAW files from the 'S' but I'm sure there will be an update soon. The file size of 4896 x 3264 is significantly larger than the 12mp files from the X100 (4288 x 2848) but as I have said in previous blogs, unless you are blowing images up to bigger than A2, a 12mp camera is more than enough. What the 16mp camera enables you to do is crop into the image more and that is a good thing to be able to do on a fixed lens camera.
Other changes are subtle, including the moving of the AF selector to the command dial, swapping with the Drive selector which is now one of the four buttons to the left of the rear screen.
ACCESSORIES: The X100S can also take all the current accessories that are available for the X100, so my EF-20 flash gun, the WCL-X100 wide angle converter and the spare batteries all fit the new camera. A big plus point if you are considering moving from an X100 to an X100S.
Other changes are subtle, including the moving of the AF selector to the command dial, swapping with the Drive selector which is now one of the four buttons to the left of the rear screen.
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| The drive selector is on the command dial of the older model |
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| The drive selector button has moved to the 3rd button on the X100S |
CONCLUSION: Over the coming weeks I am going to be doing some back-to-back tests of the X100S alongside the X100. My first impression after using the camera at the weekend at Le Mans is the X100S is an improvement in several key areas but I am still not convinced that the improvements are significant enough to warrant me selling my current camera. Perhaps that is because the X100 was a superb camera from the get-go but after a couple of months with the 'S' maybe I will change my mind. However I will give the 'S' a thorough workout over the coming weeks and report back on my findings on a regular basis.
Quick Run Down of the Improvements
X100S X100 Black LE
Sensor 16mp 12mp
Video 1080P 720P
AF Faster response
MF Faster response
Q Button Yes No
Menu Layout Quick find Scroll through
Quick Run Down of the Improvements
X100S X100 Black LE
Sensor 16mp 12mp
Video 1080P 720P
AF Faster response
MF Faster response
Q Button Yes No
Menu Layout Quick find Scroll through
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Jeff Carter is an Official Fujifilm X Photographer and was named as a Fujifilm brand ambassador in June 2015. In 2016 he worked with the company on the launches of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 in Tokyo and the Fujifilm X-T2 in Paris in July 2016. You can view his profile and gallery on the Fujifilm website HERE
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