DON'T Buy A MIRRORLESS Camera - Until You've Seen This! Fujifilm X-100S Full Review! 

I have the original x100 and it’s probably the same for the “s,” If you move the switch on the side of the camera up to manual then go in the settings and for the AFL/AEL button set to SWITCH and AF ONLY. Now you have back button auto focus which give you full control of the auto focus. If you look through the optical view finder there’s a blue strip along the bottom with a distance scale and a red bar where the lens is focused to.

FYI: X100S has XTrans II, not a XTrans I !!!!!

My X100T was my first Fujifilm camera, sort of a gateway drug into that system. The combination of built-in ND filter and leaf shutter are powerful tools, and the image quality is outstanding. I became addicted and now I have way more Fuji gear than I care to admit. It's pretty much all I shoot these days. But it was not that way at the start. For the first week or two I considered selling the camera because I was so unused to a fixed prime lens and the lack of a PASM dial. But once I got used to the tactile controls, I never want to go back to menu diving for basic camera functions.

Thanks, your channel is a little gem, i love the way you show cameras and lenses ... very "english", instructive and professional !!!

I was a NIkon shooter for years, between 2012-2016 I lost my photography mojo. Early in 2017 my friend let me use his 100s and I feel in love with photography again. Luckily he was selling it so obviously I bought it. I still use this camera now 5 years later and really enjoy the whole process it makes me slow down and actually think about the end result. The reason I won’t be buying the 100v are two reasons. 1. The price I would rather spend the money on new lenses. 2. If you get dust on the sensor it’s really difficult and expensive to get it cleaned. I also have the wide conversion lens which gives you some room for new ideas and let’s not forget the ND filter and leaf shutter.

I just took my good ol' X100S out of its bag for a walkabout. I completely agree with your assessment, and I would also say it was really a lot of fun to shoot with this old camera. There is something about the combination of the size, shape, and control surfaces that makes it enjoyable to use.

I have never used an X100S, but my X100T is an absolute favourite of mine. They corrected some of the shortcomings in the S without the camera losing any of its innate appeal. Confession, I might be a Fujifilm fan boy even though I ceased to be a boy many decades ago. The X-Pro2 is my most capable digital camera, and a great performer. My X-E1 is still with me because of its X-Trans 1 sensor. My X100T makes me smile every time I pick it up.

I have been a subscriber for many months and your advice has helped me in introducing me to, discovering, navigating and investing (!) in the fascinating world of vintage lenses on mirrorless cameras. I once used to argue vehemently that I was not at all a visual person, but your videos open a door to me into a world that although 'foreign' to me as a sound oriented mind, fascinates me tremendously. Thank you so much for your videos, I enjoy them immensely and I look forward to many more. I have both the X100F and the X-E3, but I find I never use the X100F because of its fixed lens, though it is a great camera and I like what it does. On the X-E1 I get to try out and compare all my Zuiko, Super Takumar, Helios, Canon FD and Industar lenses that I have acquired. I'm not a photographer and it's the ability to compare lenses that I like.

Hi Nigel! Thank you for another really great video! I really like the x100 lineup, so much so that I own the S, T , F and V but not the original one, but I argue that it is “acquired taste”. At the start of my x100-journey (x100S) I found it quirky and love-hate-d the little machine! I found it to be just like you describe it! But it grew on me and, well, now I own four of them! Fuji has step by step fixed most of the negatives in the S-Model: T gained a small extra focusing patch in the optical viewfinder and suddenly manual focusing became possible in practice, F got much faster, albeit still not lightning fast, AF and a focus joystick, and the V another lens not that sensitive to light sources in the frame and without the haze at large apertures close up! The close-up capabilities together with the leaf shutter and flash sync at all speeds make me choose an x100 more often than any of my other cameras - it is truly versatile! One more thing: yes it is fiddly until you get the hang of it - it is a two hand camera. You use both your left and right fingers to control aperture and focus! You grab the camera with your right hand (with the strap between the index finger and middle finger) and support it with your left. Then use left hand index finger together with the right hand ring finger for the aperture ring and then use the left hand middle finger to adjust focus on the underside of the lens! Keep up the good work! Regards Rikard

A very nice episode again, Nigel! I considered the X100 when I ended up with buying the x-e2, since it's both much more versatile, and cheaper. Low iso could have cured the exposure problem. Back in the days, we could just load Kodachrome 25 for those really sunny days.

Great review again. Glad I decided on the XE4 for extended features along with my XE2 which I'm going to keep no matter what.

I absolutely love my X100S. My walking-around camera used to be the Sony A7 II with the Tamron 35mm f2.8 lens, which is really enjoyable to shoot, but it's pretty hefty. Then I got the X100S, and it's perfect for a jacket pocket. The Sony obviously wins for autofocus, and it's AF-C tracking is very very good, but none of that really doesn't matter to me if I'm just out taking snapshots on a sunny day in the park. Like all the beefs in this video are true (though I don't find the AF _that_ bad, and I don't usually miss focus when using the OVF), but it being a second camera just makes me not really care about those limitations as much. The Fuji takes fantastic and sharp images, and the jpegs are usable straight out of camera with Fuji's fantastic film profiles (where I only really shoot RAW with the Sony).

I have the X100S and I'm very happy with it. I acknowledge everything you say, your review is accurate and fair. Nonetheless, it's a great companion and suits my purpose just fine. I'm not put off by the constraints, in fact I love them. I don't want option paralysis from a camera, or from my other (main) passion, guitars. Its the equivalent of a simple guitar, a couple of effect pedals and a straightforward valve amplifier. To me that analogy makes perfect sense. Pull everything you can from what you have because it's not all about the gear but what you're able to do with it. So far the little fuji is more capable than I am and I'll continue to squeeze everything I can from it, limitations and all.

Nice video, I dont know when this video was made but in my x100s i have the focus indicator in the optical view finder and i do get the conformation focus sound when i press half way the shutter perhaps was fixed with an update!

Great Video man🎉

Absolutely love the fact that you recognise the quality of that sensor. I bought into the Fuji system after owning an X100s. I have an X-T2 which you would think being slightly more modern would eclipse the image quality, and it's still amazingly good, but does miss some of that magic from the sensor in the X100s, which I still own and will never sell.

On my X100S, using the optical viewfinder and the single autofocus feature, I find that when I press the shutter halfway a green rectangle shows up showing that the focus is set and ready to go. Great video. Thanks!

Thanks for this great review! I have a love/hate with the X-100S for exactly the reasons you describe: love the sensor look and controls, love *looking* through the OVF but don't love the results when things are out of focus due to the issue of confirmation that you described. I appreciate your statements about your experience with that which I have not found elswehere. It is true that the camera technically confirms that it has focused on something in the frame with a green square and beep (as others have pointed out), but you can't be sure what it was until after the fact, and in my experience it is often the trees beyond my subject's shoulder. Luckily I have an old Zorki lying around which can better satisfy the mechanical rangefinder urge - so thanks much for your reviews of the real rangefinder cameras as well!

I love the X100S. I've never been troubled by the constraints you mention.

I have the x100v. Not sure if this is on earlier models, but you can set the camera so you can see a distance scale in the optical viewfinder. When you focus, a little indicator on the scale shows you the exact the distance you are focused at. You can also tell how close you're focused by how much the frame-lines change for parallax correction, but that takes a bit of practice.

Wonderful video, Mr. Z- I’ve always had my eye on the compact X100 series as a step up from my beloved X70… Last year I acquired an XT-1 primarily to utilize my old Nikkor lenses and that’s been truly a blast. I really appreciate your take on the gear and enjoy your beautiful example photos- keep up the good work, best regards

I love it. I use Cannon for my model work. But I am beginning street photography and it’s invaluable.

I bought my Fujifilm X-100S just when it came out 2013 and I have been using it since then (besides Canon full frame DSLR cameras). The one thing that bothered me from time to time was the slow autofocus, but it just isn't a sports camera. The electronic viewfinders at that time were not very good. So I've always used the optical viewfinder and I love the feel of it, the frame where you can see what is around your photo. I use the camera for street photography, architecture and travel. I just love the pictures out of this camera. I don't know what it is, but the pictures are somehow different from all my other cameras I have used. And that is the reason why I still love this camera 😀

I own the X100f after shooting with it I sold my Nikon DSLR's and most of the lenses. It took me back to when I loved photography and made it fun again. Then I bought the X-E3 and didn't like it much so traded it for the X-T1 and love it. You're right the sensor is amazing.

Have both the original X100 (with Bayer sensor) and the X100F, absolutely love them both. Thank you for the video! PS. Please double check but AFAIK the X100S has the X-Trans II sensor. There is no X100 series camera with the original X-Trans I sensor, those were used only in X-Pro1, X-E1 and X-M1.

I jumped in with F iteration. It is a photographers camera, the fixed lens forces you to think and zoom with your feet, be a bit more creative if you want your shot. I love the hybrid viewfinder, AF is fast enough for street, parades etc. The joystick is useful re changing focal points. It's clearly not a sports camera, but it's 35mm FF equiv focal length is incredibly versatile, interiors that aren't too cramped, street, architecture, landscapes. I thought the grip was a little small, but the addition of an aftermarket half case sorted that, along with a nice aftermarket hood. I don't like that fill flash casts a shadow from the filter/ hood. You have to take the whole lot off, or use a speedlite. But aside from that it's an almost pocket wonder.

Superb!!

I’ve owned the X100V for a year now as an upgrade from the iPhone and it’s brilliant! My first Fuji and I’m really liking the Acros monochrom JPEG experience! Ta very much. 📷🙂 PS: I really like the form factor and ruggedness taking it on road bicycle rides. Using the PS Bagworks rider strap, I hardly know I’m carrying a camera while I’m on the bicycle!

I agree the images are very special from the Fujifilm x100S The portrait shots I have taken on this camera are truly magical. I have the X100F as well. The images this produces are not as as special as the X100 S. Will not be ever letting this camera go. It’s definitely a keeper 😅

Looking back at this with your troubles using the optical viewfinder and focussing, I think you have to use focus peaking., which was added to the firmware around 2013.

I think I have owned four different x100 models. The one I had the longest was the x100S. When I come across the x100S images now, I realize just how good the lens and sensor combo was and I regret selling it. In fact I looked up the cost of a used one about an hour before seeing this video. You clearly found the leaf shutter’s limitations very frustrating. My experience is that you can learn to live with the issues and appreciate the leaf shutter’s advantages (flash sync at 1/1000 of a second, silent shooting). The shutter speed is only limited at faster apertures (the maximum goes up go 1/4000 at around f/4). If you have the ND filter assigned to the one and only function button, you can get around it easily and quickly. Also, I cannot check because I do not have one right now, but I doubt you can really set the shutter speed/ aperture combinations in manual mode to get around the limitation. My issue was autofocus misses. The way around it was to set manual focus and press the AF On button. Miraculously, it would autofocus in manual mode! every time! The only problem is that it was easy to forget to hit the AF On button on the next shot and now you have out of focus shots. It happened to me a few times on important shots. Of course I blamed the camera for my user error and sold it. If I get another one, I will just leave it in manual focus mode all the time and use the AF ON button on every image.

I enjoyed your presentation. Have you found any of the same limitations with the X100T/F/or V models?

I love your reviews I've been following your channel for many years, thanks for all the hard work. I own the x100t and I also have a love hate relationship. For different reasons. No1. Every single time I pick the camera up or put it down I turn it on by accident. 2. It is possible to assign most of the buttons to whatever feature you like. I hate it. I spend half my time trying to find the features because I can't remember which button I assigned them too. Because they are assigned they are not marked. Basically far too many options. 4. I often turn off the autofocus by accident and I miss the shot. To solve these problems I have made a leather half case that covers every single button including the screen. So basically I only have access to the the exposure compensation dial and the shutter speeds. I only ever shoot in optical view finder mode which does have focus confirmation. I love the image quality but hate the vast amount of options available. I use the camera rarely now as a result. My main camera is a mint Contax iia with zeiss sonnar f1.5 or an Exakta vx with Zeiss Biotar 58mm f2. I specialise in repairing Rolleiflex and Exakta so as I'm servicing them daily I tend to shoot b+w film.

You have helped me make up my mind that no matter how much I fancy owning a X100 series camera my XPro3 with the 27mm lens is a better option for me. Interesting to note your comments using manual focus with the OVF, I hadn't thought of that but then again I don't use manual focus with the OVF anyway, focus peaking with the EVF does it for me.

Hi Nigel. Another good video from you. I am a Fuji user, with several bodies and lenses. I have never considered any of the X100 series for one reason alone - fixed mount lens. However, you have now given me other reasons to not consider them. In my opinion, a good X-E1 with the 27mm f2.8 pancake lens mounted is a much better option. With regard to the OVF, I bought a second-hand X-Pro1 just to find out what all the OVF hype was about and I was disappointed. Although the Fuji OVF is a technical marvel as far as OVFs go, it can not match the function of the EVF, particularly in relation to focusing. I had to abandon trying to use vintage lenses on the X-Pro1, and I am still looking for a situation where the OVF might offer an advantage. Oh, and the X-E1 will do aperture priority at ALL available shutter speeds.

I am a 73 year old VERY amateur, albeit passionate, photographer, since my first 35mm SLR, a Nikkormat in 1971. I was and am a diehard Nikon boy since then. CAMERAS:, Nikkormat, Nikon F2, Nikon D200, Nikon D300s, Nikon D750. CURRENT LENSES: Nikon Ai or AiS MF lenses; 28mm, 55mm micro, 105mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm. I can manual focus, and I really like the look of vintage Nikon lenses. In addition, I have the Tokina 100mm, f2.8 AF macro, and the 58mm, f.1.4 Voigtlander lens. With my retirement, I have started to travel more with my wife, and she likes Las Vegas. Carrying around my D750 and lenses is becoming too much to handle. So, about 3 years ago, I found a local Fuji X100s used on sale for $200 and I snapped it up. It has become my go to camera, particularly when I need to carry it. Do I get as good images as I could with my Nikon gear, NO. Do I get images that are great to my eye, with the X100s, YES. I wish I knew how to link images into this comment, but for me the X100s made taking tons of more images to someone who is walking with a cane MUCH better. If you set your X100s to Manual Focus, set the AF/AE button to AF only, you can focus close enough for practically anything, by just hitting the AF/AE button (back-button focus). For me, the X100s is the best camera I have ever used, according the to rule, "The best camera, is the camera you have with you." It is the camera I always take with me (I even take it when walking my dog), because it is small, light, and takes GREAT images. When I have a REALLY important image, I pull out my D750 and lenses, but that is less than 10% of my shooting. Thank you for your channel. I always learn a lot from it. Mark. I don't use much social media, so I do not know how to link images into this reply. But they are images from the X100s I am proud of.

Oddly, the only version of X100 l have never owned is the X100S. I loved the original and kept it until the X100T arrived - the upgrade in the X100S wasn't sufficient for me to change. I loved the original. Certainly, it drew many admiring comments from passers by, mainly concerned with it looking like a film camera. I can remember the green focus squares lighting up in Optical viewfinder mode when focus was confirmed. I assume it does the same on the X100S? Anyway, l moved on every couple of years as the X100 series evolved. Now, l use the X100V on a regular basis. It's a little bit larger than the older models but is still very comfortable to carry around. The X100V is, in my view, the best of the series. The new lens is faster and sharper. The latest X-Trans IV sensor - as used in all the current X series models - is superb. (I can still see the magic!) The screen now tilts for those cheeky, waist-high shots and the extra film simulations just add to the fun. As you mention, the X100 series of cameras are for photographers. However, l have never felt compromised or restricted when using one. Indeed, l've used them as part of my gear on professional shoots with great results. Maybe, being old enough to have learnt photography on film cameras, l can use that discipline with the X100 line. Whatever the version, the X100 is a camera l always want to have available to me.

According to the color-coded chart at the bottom of the "Fujifilm X Series" Wikipedia page, the X-100S has the X-Trans II sensor. DP Review at the time said the II was similar to the sensor used on the X-Pro1 and X-E1 (X-Trans I), but with the addition of on-sensor phase detection for better autofocus.

Well as a long time Fuji film shooter , I was impressed with the colours on my x100 when set on velvia. The greens ,reds and blues are almost like the real Fuji film colours which I love hence buying the x100.Not bad for a digital compact zenica look a like. That ranks 4th in my camera rank of my other cameras . My 1st is my fathers Rolleiflex 2.8 f planner, 2nd my Nikon FE2 ,3d my Nikon D500.A great video of the in depth on the x100 and I do agree of what you stated about it. Best regards Will.

Completely agree. Those early version X100s had much nicer image quality than the newer ones. The newer ones look way too "digital".

I have that same Nikon rangefinder. L35AF2. Still perfect for my film shooting needs in this day and age.

I have the original X100 - the slightly rarer black body version that came as a special edition with some accessories in a presentation box. This is the camera that reawakened the joy of photography for me because it felt so natural to use. This was probably because I learnt the craft as a youth in the 1970s on manual cameras. I like it so much to use that I have gradually moved away from the Nikon system to shoot all Fujifilm. I love the controls, size and image quality of the X100. And I prefer using the the optical viewfinder. I rarely use the EVF on this camera - it's novel and clever but serves little purpose for me. The only limitation for my style of photography is the fixed lens so I treated myself to an X-E1 which I can use with the many old manual lenses gathering dust in my cupboards. But I still love the X100 as a quality carry around camera and it still draws admiring comments from other photographers.

Late to the party here; had this camera from 2020 to January 2022. It reignited my passion for photography because it was so small and light. The mechanical dials and rings felt more like shooting film but without the developing or film costs. The colours are so vibrant and contrast is spectacular. The only downside was the 2010 tech; poor high ISO handling and the lens could be a bit faster. I got mine for £200 and exchanged it for a Fuji X-T1; it made me a Fuji fan and I wanted to step up my digital photography by being able to use different focal lengths.

I have an original x100 and it provides green box as confirmation of the area of focus AND it shows the DOF scale with the focus distances in focus. So it provides all kinds of confirmation. Now the focus box for the OVF is a bit large for my tastes but if it says something is in focus then it is. Now moving objects are indeed a problem unless you trap focus, and if I were concerned I could switch to the EVF. Now in the manual focus mode when I use back button focus, I think the box stays white but you do get DOF and can hear the lens move and see the DOF change so I have never had an issue with it, I do turn off the beep noise so I never tried that as an indicator in manual mode. But then I am not manually focusing the lens per se, I use back button so it locks, so maybe that's what you are saying, if you twist the lens focusing maybe there's no indication for that? Even then I would think DOF would show, but accuracy may be iffy for that method. If you are never getting any indication regardless of focusing method then I would say it's defective.

I have the X100T. It most definitely has the AF "Green Square" and confirmation beep, even in optical viewfinder mode. Presumably, other people complained and they added it to the X100T. Having said that, I rarely if ever use the optical, I much prefer the EVF. Also, with Fuji-X bodies, "Boost mode" speeds up AF, at the cost of more battery of course.

I have the X100S. I've been using it for the last year, for street work. AF is not as fast as my updated X-Pro1, and nowhere near as good my X-T2. I don't think any of the X100S firmware updates made the AF any faster. AF seems a little faster when using the EVF instead of the OVF, especially in low light. However, I've not had any issues with the reliability of the AF. It has always nailed the focus. Mind you I learned way back in 2015 that, for best results, I needed to make the AF zone small, just a couple of focus points across. I did find that with a large AF zone, this camera, and my X-Pro1, tended to focus on areas of high contrast within that larger zone. That often meant the AF locked onto an object behind, or in some case in front of, the main subject. And using the Multi AF setting was totally hit and miss. I never use it, and stick to Area AF.

Greetings. Loved the form factor of the X100s, all the usual, the size, build, look and not forgetting the portability of the the thing, oh and the ability of the fast shutter sync with flash, due to the leaf shutter, but after much use, I just couldn't leave my dSLR's. They are heavier and a lot more bulky, but for me at least, it all comes down to day to day, daily use. I would find the autofocus way to ponderous compared to my D3 & D4. The 'Fly by Wire' manual focus was also so irritating and like you experienced the 'Hobbled' approach to the limitation of the exposure/fstop and shooting wide open, was very problematic on bright, sunny days. It was a shame as the I loved the thing too. In the end I couldn't justify keeping it, and for the days when I need an ultra compact machine, I just use a Ricoh GR11, and that actually fits in my pocket better. But for now, the dSLR approach, just works better for me. Thanks again for the effort you apply to the videos as they are very informative, and good look and respect for the future. Kind regards. Gav.J

Got a XPro 1 but acannot get along with it, I still love my X20.Have you had a play of the X10, X20 or the X30?

Thank you for your excellent review. Just a couple of comments for you to check out. (i).The X100s uses an Xtrans 2 sensor not the original Trans 1. (ii). It is easy to focus with the optical viewfinder by simply turning the focusing ring on the lens and checking with a long push of top left/right push lever above the AFL/AEL button. The long push on the lever them gives you the option of Standard or Digital or Focus Peaking. Hope this helps to stop pulling your hair out!

Looks like a great camera unfortunately I’ve only a lowly Fuji X20 but I love it ,like your love of the X100 👌😎

Hello again! Yet another whole episode with a Fuji camera. There has been a bit too much Fujis the last 12 month in my opinion. Best regards!

The option of using the non digital viewfinder could surely be useful to conserve battery power if needed. Added to that a lot of the photography I do needs the lens to be focused to infinity anyway. I still like the hybrid viewfinder on my x pro I. Despite using Panasonic and Sony cameras I still prefer the Fuji range for their proper controls.

I have the first iteration of the X100. That one is wonderful for moments, when I don't want to carry my huge 5d mk2 around.

Just a friendly tip, When I watch this video I had to get out my 100s to see about focusing on subjects with the optical viewfinder, indeed there was no focus point, that is when I realized that I was in macro mode where you don't get the overlay, once I switched from macro mode I had a center focus point where I could pick my subject and know exactly what I was focusing on, so my tip is to make sure you're not in macro mode to get the full function of the optical viewfinder. 🤓

Hello friend ! I shoot the original X-100 only with the optical VF. I must disagree with you concerning what you said about the lack of focus confirmation when using the optical VF because there is a distance scale which you can display at the bottom of the finder. There is also the parallax compensation reticle. Using the two displays shows you very precisely where the focus has been set, and i never had a focus issue. If i shoot a subject 2m away and the needle on the scale stops at 10m or infinity, i know that something is wrong and i can either refocus by recomposing the image or by overriding the autofocus with the manual ring. Hope my explanation makes sense and was helpful (my mother language is french). Congrats for your valuable contribution to the photography world on the Zenography Channel.

I can’t speak to the X100S, but my X100F does have a focus indicator overlay while using the OVF. I guess that’s why in the 10 years since the X100 was announced it has evolved. Fuji listens to their user base better than most, and it shows.

The Fujifilm X100V has 7 custom user presets which you can put in kodak recipes etc, how many does the X100S have.

It was the X100S that brought me to the Fuji system, and, like you, I was knocked out by the image quality of this sensor and the discretion of the camera when used for street photography, especially in comparison with the lumpy Nikon DSLR I was using at the time. I fully concur with your experience, with two exceptions. Firstly, I believe you have a fault: the green focusing confirmation box should appear in your optical viewfinder. These cameras can go wrong. I took mine to the Sahara in 2017 as a backup to my X-T2, and the autofocus and the lever to switch between optical and digital viewfinder immediately failed (heat? dust?). I sent it back to Fuji on my return, and it has worked fine ever since. Secondly, it is very slow! It's pretty much pot luck when you are shooting action in the street. As you say, I guess this is mainly down to the autofocus, but it is a pain, given how nice it is to carry about and use in the street. I thought the X100T a little too big, but I bought the X-T1 to replace my Nikon. I admit that its sensor isn't quite as magical (your "porcelain" is a good description), but I wish I hadn't sold it nonetheless. I now use an X-T3, which, in overall terms (i.e. the compromise between handling, size and weight, autofocus performance, flexibility and image quality) is certainly the best camera I have ever used. It's just that the X-T1 is smaller and neater (and cheaper): put an Industar 50 on it, for example, and.......! We live in interesting times, it strikes me, when people are moving back to earlier iterations of current digital cameras, rather than buying the latest model, recognising that they are good enough, and even provide idiosyncrasies and characteristics that can make particular images unique.

This was my first fujifilm camera! Coming from a leica, i hated this model with gusto lol. The camera that made me fall in love with the fujifilm system was the xe2, that camera has magic in them and seems to call me to go out and shoot.

Interesting video for me as a new X100S owner. As for the shutter speed in relation to aperture, the numbers showing the shutter speed turn red if you go below 1/1000 at aperture 2.0, so it's probably not so good for the shutter to run at faster speeds than Fuji says - even if you can use these shutter speeds in manual mode.

The first X100 had beautiful color reminiscent of films like Agfa. I then actually got the X10 because of the zoom hoping to get the same color.

I just bought a Like New X-100S from KEH, so, I look forward to taking it for a spin in a few days. Since I mainly share my images on social media, I might just try shooting JPG's around town. I have too many Fujifilm bodies and lenses, X-T1, X-T2, X-H1 and X-T30II. I will probably sell off or trade 2-3 bodies, after making some comparisons. I do have another 23mm f2 lens I use on my X-T30II body and it performs great. Perhaps, my lens hood will fit on this built in 23mm f2 lens, I will have to see when it arrives. Since I started on Pentax K1000 Film in the 70's, shooting in complete Manual Mode, well, that will not be hard for me to do, in fact, I do enjoy doing that from time to time to see if I can get sharp pictures. I will have to give that a try with this X-100S. As far as the slow focusing, since this video is 2 years old, I bet there was at least one firmware update to the body, perhaps to the lens as well. My X-T1 focuses quickly and it has the same sensor. Even the Menu System looks pretty much the same.

A good, and fair review, as always Nigel. As with most things in life, it is each to their own of course, but after seeing this review, and comparing it to last weeks review of the superb Yashica Electro 35, this camera, as with lots of digital cameras, seems to me, to be complexity personified, worrying about which button to press, what it's assigned to, etc etc, not for me. The Yashica is on my shopping list.

Not sure what you think about "Electronic Shutter?" As an old film camera purist, I swore I would never use it when I went to digital cameras. But about 3 years go, I drunk the Kool Aid. Since then I choose MS+ES. It uses the MS by default- The ES only kicks in, if the situation exceeds the 1/4000th MS shutter speed. I've never had any image quality issues, although people say don't shoot super-fast moving objects, with ES.

May i say something about cameras , Sony A5000 , first camera i had that hits White Balance better then Photoshop /Lightroom , literally , so i dont need White balance button tho it has some adjustments for it , actually better then Canon ones , but you have dig for it .

I am afraid I must differ from your comment on AF on two counts: (1) you can place a scale that shows the distance to your focus point by going to the display setting menu - it will give you the depth of field as well by changing the colour of the scale around the focus point and (2) if you prefer to inspect the focus point more closely you can press the dial just above the AF-L/AE-L button - this will put you into enlarged electronic mode where you will be able to see what is in focus. When you press the shutter button it will go back to optical. Aids to focus like focus peaking are not very bright though. AF-speed is slow because it requires good lighting as it is a contrast only mechanism -phase based ones are still in the future. On your defense though I must say I prefer the electronic projections on top of the optical viewfinder used in the Xpro2 as focusing aids. This is something future x100 models would share with the Xpro2. To me the X100S was the bait to the fuji X system which I have enjoyed ever since with som experimentation of vintage lenses as per your accurate recommendations.

Hi Nigel ! I had the XE1, XE2, and XH1 from Fuji. And a few bodies from Olympus. Olympus gives me better features than Fuji and Fuji gives me simple magic and simplicity. BTW, big learning curve for Olympus. I sold all my Fuji bodies and now I only have the XE-1 that I bought a few days ago. That's all about SENSOR. For me the XE1 is the best Trans1 body. Better than XPRO1 that I did not like at all and more magical than XE2. The perfect body to relax and take wide angle primes. 5O mm max. Finally, and that's the main point of my comment, the EX1 is for me the X100s revanped. Decent evf, choice of lens, decent AF, more programable buttons, same beautiful looks, small and light. FN button for AF, Arrows for iso and "Q" for all the rest like C1, C2, C3, etc. Menu for flash, I wonder I had just one more FN button or dial, but it's ok, I have trans1. Grab it with the Fuji 27mm or Speedmaster mitakon 35mm. All the rest that I want I get in Olympus in a better way... A modest EM10 MarkII (for example), will make it, but that's another story. So I quit Fuji for olympus but I had to come back to my first love : The XTrans1. It had to be the XE1, not the Xpro1, not the X100s. Thank you for the nice video !

I hadn't realized that the earlier hybrid OVF models don't have the corner focusing overlay that my x100v and xpro3 have. The leaf shutter/ND filter/flash combo really make x100 powerful.

I have the x100t and I find using the back button af I have less missed shots, I agree sometimes it is annoying when missed the focus but it is a trade off for having a ovf and leaf shutter. What bother me the most is the exposure compensation dial that hasn’t enough grip and more than one time I missed the exposure due the exposure were off by 2 or 3 stops.

The autofocus was the Achilles heel with the original X100, and even with the firmware upgrade, it only made things marginally better. I guess Fujifilm ironed this out by the time the X100T came onto the market.

I occasionally use an X100F to complement my film M Leicas as painlessly as possible. By and large it does well for that purpose. There is a long list of silly gimmicks I could complain about (starting with the chimping display on the back). Fortunately you can switch off most of them. But there is one complaint you make that I do not understand at all. Adorning the lense front with a protective filter and not using a lense hood is just asking for flare in your pictures. Just look at the reflections in your video when you swing the camera around. The X100* lense has a rather small front diameter and can be very easily shielded with an effective hood. Strong recommendation, Nigel! As to another complaint: In the X100F (which, incidentally, also has a very good AF) you can display in the right lower corner of the optical viewfinder a small centre crop of the digital image, thus giving you perfect focus control. A substantial improvement over the S (and already present in the T). So my recommendation: Get an X100T or, for better AF, an X100F.

I have one and it's my favourite camera, the limitations such as they are, don't bother me. I only use the central area for focusing, recomposing as required and check with the distance scale if I feel the need. I once saw a museum display of cameras through the ages and realised I had owned and used most of them, right back to a drop plate box with a friction shutter, any recent camera is a little marvel to me. :-)

I love my 'F' but the one little niggle, and it is a small one, i wish the exposure compensation dial had some sort of locking pin. I have my dial on C and use the front wheel to control exposure but i'm forever knocking the wheel and often don't notice. Not a biggy.

I have a Fuji X10. I love it although it has its weaknesses. It doesn’t really provide background blur, autofocus is slow and although you can set the camera to macro, it doesn‘t focus properly when trying to take close-up images. The optical viewfinder does only cover 80% of the frame, but once you get used to it, you can compose the image properly. But all in all, what the camera can do, it does very good. And although the camera is now tens years old, I find the image quality great.

Not sure that you understood how the OVF works on x100 or x-pro 1? When you switch ON parallax compensation you will have minimum and infinity focus point (full square and bracket square). The delta between them (70cm minimum to infinity on X-pro 1) is your focus are and if you have AF lens you can switch also focus scale to ON in menu which will give you distance and also depth of field preview.You can also see the minimum distance when looking to the frame lines,they will move to the right side of the OVF.It take some practice thought.

Have you tried the X-Pro series? Love mine (X-Pro3). Sounds like it solves a lot of the issues your having with the X-100S.

Hi Nigel. I have an X100s and there is focus confirmation when using the Optical viewfinder. I'm sure many other viewers of this camera will concur. Please have a look at the manual if you can access it. I'm really dumbfounded as to why your copy cannot confirm focus. By the way, thanks for all the amazing content you produce.

I've honestly just been looking at the X100 series and which one to get, is this some sort of Zelepathy?

Ive had the finepix x100 and i had the S. Sold the S kept the original. The S handled much better but theres just somethin about that 12mp bayer. Recently bought an Xpro1 and have to admit the original Xtrans sensor is a little nicer. So i bought the Xe1 because its smaller etc... not to mention it has a great sounding shutter !!

13:20 I do not get what you're talking about. My X100S has focus confirmation, I see what I am focusing on. Yes, the focus area I can select is very large, but for that it gives me focus confirmation. Maybe check the menu and manual?

I have a fujifilm fine pix s6500fd. 6 to 7 megapixel. Looks like an slr but not its image generated. Even has a flash unit. 28 tp 300mm lens. Takes nice photographs however you cant change the lens its fixed. There is no hot shoe so you cant put a speed light on it. You can take photo eith with view finder or rear schreen, even has a diopter.and lens hood.

I would like you do a comparison between Fuji and the RCOH GR as both are high end point and shoot APS-C cameras

Seems like an interesting camera, though does seem weird to force limitations on the user. It does seem like a good camera for street photography though. I like using 35mm for street photography. I've been using my Olympus E-m5 with a 17mm pancake lens when I do street photography. Small cameras seem to hardly get noticed around busy streets but pull out a big DSLR and people seem to get intimidated or offended.

This guy can sell me any camera.

What abot a Fuji GFX100S as a point and shot?

Still have my Pentax K3 to use with vintage glass in freezing weather, but I have the X100V and that was it for me. The A7R3 is collecting dust.

About manual focus and AF speed: From Steve Guff interview with Fuji rep at roll-out: The new Fuji X100s is the new update to the X100 that fixes all that was wrong with it! The speed and the manual focus abilities! The new X100s has an all new X-Trans sensor, has the fastest AF in the world thanks to the new Phase Detect AF, has a new split image and focus peaking manual focus feature and even accepts an external mic for video. About assigning function buttons: From the Fuji manual, to change button function go to this menu: MENU > Setup Menu > BUTTON/DIAL SETTING About the aperture priority shutter speed limit: From "the original" Fuji X-forum: It seems that although you can force the leaf shutter to 1/4000 at F2, Fuji won't allow the camera to do that because: "...the leaf shutter can't cover the distance of the wide open aperture in 1/4000th of a second. However, it will reach 1/4000th upwards of f/8 and of course you can use the ND filter if you need to manage depth of field." (Looks like the S is head and shoulders more featureful than the X100 Classic.)

Im happy with my XE1 yeahhh ;)

You shouldn't have asked, this will be long. :) I still use the original x100 and love it to death, even though it's in many things probably one of the worst cameras I used. But it was a lifechanger when I found it used for €500 in 2012, even in it's "special edition" with leather strap, half case and hood. I didn't look for a camera, quite the opposite, back then I worked for a professional photographer as a Photoshopper and HATED all digital cameras, mainly because I didn't understand them, and was sick of "pro" photography. I had a Pentax K1000 from my school days, that one I understood, but certainly not any kind of DSLRs, and all I had was a small cheap pocket camera for parties (that I hated most of the time too). So I went to my photo dealer to get printer ink, when I saw that pretty thing on the "used" shelf, and looking at it I immediately knew how it worked, love on first sight, and bought it on the same day. And what can I say, it was unusable... as soon as the sun was behind a cloud the autofocus was unusable, otherwise it was just slow as f... - but I still loved the look and feel of the camera so much that I found workarounds for everything. And after almost a year I was tought something I didn't know from any of my digital pocket cameras: That there was something called "firmware updates", and that my x100 was still at v.1.0 - while everyone on the internet had long thrown the biggest parties because v.2.0 basically turned the x100 into a brand new camera. Since then the camera was usable enough for me and has never left my side until today, although I bought a lot of Fujis in the meantime and also completely revived my film photography. But I wouldn't be a photographer without the x100 today, not because it was the best but because I sooo wanted to use it and fought with it, and I will always thank Fuji on my knees for that. BTW - I also learned later that while I always thought 35mm would limit me and I needed a portrait camera, nowadays I actually prefer it. Unfortunately, I never found a good deal on a x100* anymore, and given that the optical viewfinder is wasted on me too it was always hard to justify getting a newer one when I could get a X-T* or the like for cheaper, but one day I want a more modern one with reliable autofocus and that combined shutter/ISO dial, that will be my perfect camera. Edit: Not sure what you mean with the focus confirmation, but it has the focus square turning green and (if not in silent mode) a confirmation beep.

Somehow a local shop ended up with a broken X100T. The screen that has to pop up and block the optical viewfinder so you can use the electronic viewfinder no longer works. Fuji said the repair was worth more than the camera was, so the store virtually gave it to me. It still has the same problem, But I just put a piece of gaffer tape over the optical viewfinder and use the EVF, and if I want to change I remove the tape. I got a great camera almost free!

The xt100 is great also. No xtrans sensor, but allows interchangeable lenses. To my eye, the jpegs look xtrans-ish

You say that you have no indication of what's in focus in the optical viewfinder (OVF). I apologize if I have perhaps misunderstood your comment but as far as I can tell, you have to have MF Assist or Focus Check (auto magnify in MF) on. What happens is that when you start to turn the focusing ring, the OVF changes to the EVF zoomed in. This changes back to OVF when you half press the shutter button.

I do believe my X-M1 has the same sensor...that with my choice of lenses has worked out. But if you have a T body and take a break from the X-M1, then go back,you will go nuts remembering some basics...

Leaves behind leaf shutter, talks about street photography and shows flowers with branches :D

A better option could be the Olympus OM10 mk iv coupled with the 17mm prime. No restrictions at all!

If you can afford it, get the V. The sensor and lens upgrade is worth it. Otherwise a used S is a great bargain.

I have come close to buying one or another X System camera several times but something has always stopped me. They are known for sub-par auto focus which for someone with eyesight as manky as mine is not good. Also, I have never got away from the feeling that the retro styling and handling is no more than a gimmick.

The X100S is the world's best digital camera for travel, family and candid photography. It is so much better handling and gives far better images under a far broader range of conditions than any DSLR, mirrorless, compact or even LEICA camera. There is no contest, the X100S wins. The X100S, complete with a superb lens and flash, sells for half the price of a lensless full-frame DSLR, which most of the people reading this site buy every other month as they are introduced. This Fuji is a masterpiece, and much better made than a $3,000 DSLR, for a fraction of the price. If you're thinking about it, just get an X100S. I did! If you already own the X100, there's no need to go buy the X100S unless you want more speed. It's essentially the same thing, with many things fine-tuned or fixed from the original flawed X100 design. The original X100, while loaded with idiotic design flaws like a battery that goes in four ways (three of them the wrong way), is still such a superior camera that it sings even with all its flaws, and now the X100S rectifies many of the flaws that the X100 never should have had in the first place - like resetting all your menu selections every time you update the firmware. If you use your X100 all the time as I do, it's a no-brainer that you'll love the new X100S as much as I do simply because of the nicer electronic finder and everything running faster. See also Is It Worth It. There are so many small to moderate improvements, like the better AF switch and closer real-world focusing without needing the macro mode, that makes the X100S is a gotta-have for those of us who shoot it all the time. I don't own any of the other interchangeable-lens Fujis anymore; they serve no real purpose when the X100, and now X100S, do what the other Fujis do, but better. The X100S is simpler and has a built-in flash and all the lenses you need already built in with no need for twiddling. Bravo! www.kenrockwell.com/fuji/x100s.htm

not x trans one but x trans two,,,well thats what my research has thrown up,,,I love your videos btw

I had the original X100 for a few years. A wonderful machine. I had only two criticisms. First the silly filter thread design, which Fuji unfortunately continue to use and secondly the lens. There is nothing wrong with the lens, except that it is a 23mm rather than a 27mm. I just can't seem to get on with the wider lens. But that's me not the camera. I ended up selling the X100 and going down the XE line with the 27mm pancake attached. The X100 line are better cameras than the XE line in every respect., but it's just that I am not a wide angle guy.