Fujifilm X100VI
Fixed 23mm f/2 ASPH (35mm eq.), 40MP APS-C, ISO 125-12,800 (64L-51,200H2), DCI 6K/30, 4K/60, Frame.io
The Pro's Fun Camera (2024-)
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
Fujifilm X100VI (reversed metal 49mm filter thread, 18.4 oz./521g with battery and card, 4 inch/10 cm close focus, $1,599). bigger.
I'd order mine at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay an average of $2,375 for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used. This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
Fujifilm X100VI in black. bigger.
March 2024 Fuji Sony LEICA Zeiss Nikon Canon All Reviews
New: SmallRig Grips for X100V & X100VI.
Ken Rockwell's Fuji X100V User's Guide
Why Fixed Lenses Take Better Pictures
Fuji X100V (2020-2024)
Fuji X100F (2017-2020)
Fuji X100T (2014-2017)
Fuji X100S (2013-2014)
Fuji X100 (2011-2013)
Fuji X100VI (there's no rear four-way controller as on the X100F; you get Touch Functions instead). bigger.
Introduction top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
Fuji X100VII MANIA!
As I predicted, people are ordering the X100VI on speculation at $1,599, and they now are actually reselling at an average price of $2,375 at eBay!
It's so simple: people order the X100VI and place a listing on eBay. Assuming they get their camera and that their listing sells for more than $1,599, they'll get paid back even before their credit card comes due. Heck, these guys can order 100 cameras and not have to pay the credit card until after they've pocketed the profits — they're using the credit float to bankroll all this speculation. It's like buying a stock option, with no cost by using the float.
The only gotcha may be that the X100VII is now offshored to China for mass production rather than precision domestic craftsmanship, so hopefully Fuji will have plenty of them for all of us and actual prices will come down.
This X100VI (X100 six) is the replacement for the X100V that no one could find (the old X100V is still backordered today!).
This new X100VI adds six stops of internal stabilization, a 40 MP sensor, a base ISO of 125, a 1/180,000 electronic shutter, some new film simulation modes, 43g of added weight and it's 2mm deeper.
The X100VI is otherwise the same as the old X100V, with the same lens, same great mechanical leaf shutter that makes this X100VI completely different from any other interchangeable-lens camera with its 1/4,000 flash sync, the same flash, the same controls, same LCD (that flips down a little further), same battery and slightly better battery life (rated 450 versus 420 shots).
As we saw with the X100V (as well as with the X100, X100S, X100T and X100F) that were often so unavailable that people paid much more for used ones than those of us smart enough to order them the instant they were announced (that's now!), I expect the same will happen with the X100VI.
I just checked at eBay, and people have actually been paying an average of $1,550 for old used X100Vs, which sell new for just $1,399! To see what people actually have paid on eBay, click the SOLD ITEMS option.
In fact, the unavailability of the original X100 which I had months before anyone else in 2010 is what spurred me to write my classic How to Get It article back in 2011.
Order your new X100VI now and it may start to ship on 28 February. Wait a week and maybe you'll be able to get one for $1,999 used at eBay — in a month. Order ten and maybe turn a profit reselling them even before your credit card comes due; you never know.
I've owned all of the X100 series since each came out starting in 2010, and have always chosen them as my favorite family and people camera because of their unbeaten image quality for people photos in every light. The X100 series has an uncanny ability to nail the perfect exposure, fill-flash, auto white balance and skin tone on the very first shot every time - almost as good as an iPhone. I can get similar results with other cameras, but too often they may need a second adjusted shot to get it right, and with people, there is often no second chance.
The Fuji X100VI is a handsome all-metal camera with real knobs and dials which makes it very easy to set and control from shot to shot.
The X100VI is an excellent compact camera for people, group, animal and family photos because of its superior skin tones and because it uses a nearly silent leaf shutter which synchronizes all speeds up to 1/4,000, allowing the built-in flash to have far more range than with the 20-times-slower sync speeds of focal plane shutters of interchangeable-lens cameras. This special leaf-shutter system allows its tiny built-in flash to balance with any harsh light, day or night. Its fill-flash performance is superior to any interchangeable-lens camera also because its firmware and tiny flash are so well designed that it always seems to give great results.
The X100VI also has a selectable, completely silent electronic shutter. The completely silent electronic shutter goes to 1/180,000 — but flash only works with the leaf shutter. The X100VI has a Mechanical + Electronic Shutter Mode which swaps seamlessly between them as needed for speeds above 1/4,000.
The X100VI is crafted of all metal to the same or better standards as a LEICA. The X100VI is a jewel of precision, not a plastic turd like most cameras today. It looks like an old 35mm camera; people are always asking me "Is that a film camera?" which is good because camera-shy people aren't afraid of it.
The X100VI's fixed 23mm f/2 ASPH II lens and APS-C sensor do the same thing as a LEICA 35mm f/2 SUMMICRON-M ASPH does on the LEICA M11.
The X100VI is smaller than an interchangeable-lens camera, and most importantly already comes with the one superior, fast, all-purpose lens you need: the extraordinary FUJINON 23mm f/2 ASPH II with the same sharpness and better bokeh than the LEICA SUMMICRON-M 35mm f/2 ASPH!
The X100VI has a dual optical and electronic finder (EVF). The front lever lets you swap between these, and even crazier, you have the option of putting a small, live, electronic focus-assist window in the corner when using the optical finder! This innovation leaves LEICA back in the 1950s.
The X100VI's fast face recognition lets it select autofocus points magically as you shoot from any position, so even though it sports a new AF point selection nubbin, you don't need it: just point and shoot!
Fuji's image sensors are unique in using a special pixel arrangement that eliminates sharpness-robbing anti-alias filters, and genuinely leads to sharper pixel-to-pixel images than Sony, Nikon, LEICA and other camera sensors using a traditional pixel layout. The disadvantage is that not many software programs can decode the raw files from Fuji cameras.
Fuji's cameras, and this X100VI, have color palettes strongly optimized for skin tones and portraits. People look great in any light with the X100VI, but I dislike the Fuji's rendition for places and things, for which I prefer bolder colors not available in the X100VI. This is as I shoot JPGs straight out of the camera; if you shoot raw then you most likely can create any look you like in your software.
The X100VI is so wildly popular at introduction in February 2024 that you won't ever find it "in stock," but it's easy to get your X100VI. Order it at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient for it to arrive, otherwise you'll be paying much more for it used at eBay from someone who thought ahead to order it earlier.
Most people don't realize that these come in and go out to people like me who have them on order all the time, without ever showing as "in stock" because they never make it to "stock." Order yours and be patient, or be prepared to pay much more for it used at eBay. The X100VI is this good!
I'd order my X100VI at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay an average of $2,375 for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
New since 2020's X100V intro top
This X100VI is 2024's version of 2020's superb X100V. New are:
40 MP sensor.
Image Stabilization, rated six stops improvement.
Frame.io integration.
Electronic video stabilization.
Base ISO of 125.
1/180,000 electronic shutter.
Still shot buffer effectively about twice as deep.
Some new film simulation modes, 20 total.
HEIF (4:2:2 10-bit) still format.
8- or 16-bit TIFF (16-bit TIFF only with in-camera development).
New 4:3, 5:4 crop modes.
1.5 oz (43g) heavier.
2mm deeper.
LCD flips down 45º (was 35º in the X100V).
More film simulations, including REALA.
Two F-log video options.
.MP4 video file option holding
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video and AAC audio.
Slower 50 Mbps data rate options at 4K and 6K.
17:9 1,080p options.
240 FPS and 200 FPS for 1,080 slo-mo.
Made in China.
Good intro top
Fill-flash performance is superior to any interchangeable-lens camera because it uses a special leaf shutter which synchronizes with flash at all speeds up to 1/4,000, allowing the built-in flash to have far more range than with the much slower sync speeds of focal plane shutters of interchangeable-lens cameras.
Dedicated Aperture ring.
Dedicated Shutter Speed dial.
Dedicated ISO dial.
Dedicated Exposure Compensation dial.
Dedicated AF-S / AF-C / MF slide switch.
Rear LCD can select AF areas while shooting with the viewfinder.
Incredibly beautiful skin tones under any lighting; Fujifilm's skin tones are the best in the business.
Excellent power management; I leave mine leave turned on all the time and it turns off by itself when unused, exactly like a DSLR.
"Digital Teleconverter" gives 50mm and 70mm-equivalent images with the turn of the lens' ring.
1:1 square, 4:3, 5:4 and 16:9 crop modes.
In-camera B&W images can both simulate using a Yellow, Green or Red contrast filter, and can save them as warm/cool and magenta/green-toned images. Sorry, no in-camera split-toning yet.
Takes same filters, hoods and lens adapters as all X100-series cameras.
Accept a standard threaded cable release, as well as the RR-90 electrical remote.
Silver-painted hot shoe cover may seem trivial, but adds a nice look and feel to this aluminum X100VI.
Bad intro top
No rear 4-way controller. Touch functions are slower than clicking a button.
No FLASH ON/OFF switch; you have to set that in a menu.
The four rear black buttons are flush to the surface so they're nearly impossible to find by feel.
Missing intro top
No rear 4-way controller; use the maddening "touch functions" instead.
No FLASH ON/OFF switch; you have to set that in a menu.
No rear VIEW MODE button.
No ISO 64, ISO 80, ISO 100, ISO 25,600 or ISO 51,200 settings on the top ISO dial — so what good is having a dial if half the time you'll be going to the menus anyway?
No way to select among the three different Auto ISO settings using the ISO dial; the dial has but one "A" setting and you have to go back into menus to select which of the three Auto ISO settings you want.
No way to select among the three different Auto ISO settings when using the camera's rear dial to set ISO when the ISO dial is set to "C."
No ISO dial detents; it turns freely without clicks when lifted to set ISO.
No second card slot.
No ability to save and recall camera settings to and from a card.
No 720p, 640 × 480, 525 NTSC or 625 PAL video options (4K and 1,080 only).
No GPS.
Zoomed images don't fill the 4:3 aspect-ratio electronic finder; they only fill the top 3:2 aspect-ratio section while leaving the bottom black.
Auto Dynamic Range function only selects between 100% and 200%; to get 400% you have to set that manually in a menu.
No headphone jack, but does have a 2.5mm Mic In jack and you can use a USB-C to headphone adapter.
No flash ON/OFF buttons or slide switch like the Nikon 35Ti; instead you have to fiddle with flash modes with a control button and dial that takes too many clicks just to turn the flash ON or OFF.
BC-W126 charger no longer included; charge via USB.
The lens and compensation dials have the same clicks at all settings; sadly the full stops don't detent more deeply than the third stops and there is no deeper detent at 0 or A.
Focus Mode Switch on right, Fuji X100VI. bigger.
Specifications top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I'd order my X100VI at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay an average of $2,375 for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
Type specifications top
Fixed-lens digital camera.
Completely silent electronic shutter and/or nearly silent electronically-controlled mechanical leaf shutter.
Optical and electronic viewfinders, and a flipping rear LCD, any of which may be used for shooting and for playback.
Machined billet-aluminum top and bottom covers.
"X-Processor 5."
Lens specifications top
Subject on left, image plane on right:
Fujinon 23mm f/2 II. Conventional and Aspherical elements.
Permanently attached, fixed 23mm f/2 lens. (35mm equivalent.)
8 elements in 6 groups.
Two aspherical elements.
A little different from the extraordinary lens used in the X100F, X100T, X100S and X100.
HT-EBC Super EBC (Electron-Beam Coated) multi coating.
Reversed (male) 49 × 0.75mm filter thread; demands an adapter to use regular filters.
4-stop (16× or 1.2 D log10) selectable ND filter.
Sees the same angle-of-view with the X100VI's sensor as a 35mm lens sees with a full-frame sensor or on 35mm film.
The lens moves in and out several millimeters inside the outer barrel to focus.
DSP compensates for diffraction at small apertures.
Focal Length
This 23mm lens sees the same angle-of-view on this camera's sensor as a 35mm lens sees on a 35mm or full-frame camera.
In its square crop mode, the X100VI just happens to have the same picture shape and angle-of-view as a 6 × 6cm Hasselblad has with its classic 80mm f/2.8 Zeiss Planar.
Close Focus
Rated 4" (10 cm).
Diaphragm
9-blade rounded.
Electronically-controlled.
Third-stop clicks via the aperture ring
Stops down to f/16.
Stabilization
No lens stabilization, but there is sensor-shift stabilization.
Autofocus specifications top
Focus mode switch. bigger.
Contrast detection and phase detection.
25 × 17 (425) AF point array.
Phase detection rated down to LV -5, contrast detection rated down to LV -2.
LED AF illuminator.
Single and Continuous modes.
One can use the rear touch LCD to select AF areas as one's shooting with the viewfinder.
Image Sensor specifications top
40 MP "X-Trans CMOS V HR with primary color filter."
15.7 × 23.5mm "APS-C."
1.5:1 aspect ratio.
1.52× crop factor.
Ultrasonic cleaner.
ISO
Sets on top dial: lift shutter speed dial collar and turn — or set the "C" position on the dial to set it in a menu.
Auto and ISO 125 ~ 12,800 sets right on the top dial with any shutter selection.
Also allows ISO 64 (L), ISO 80 (L), ISO 100 (L), ISO 25,600 (H) and ISO 51,200 (H) set in the menus.
White Balance
Automatic (scene recognition).
Daylight.
Shade.
Incandescent.
Fluorescent (Daylight, Warm White, Cool White).
2,500 ~ 10,000º Kelvin.
Underwater.
Custom (gray card).
Image Stabilizer specifications top
Rated 6 stops.
5-axis sensor-shift.
Still Images specifications top
sRGB or Adobe RGB color spaces.
JPG EXIF v2.32 and/or RAF raw.
NORMAL or FINE JPGs.
HEIF (4:2:2 10-bit) and 8- or 16-bit TIFF, too. (16-bit TIFF only with in-camera development)
Uncompressed or losslessly compressed 14 bit RAF raw.
Still Image Sizes
Full Gate 3:2
Large: 7,728 × 5,152 pixels native (39,814,656 pixels on 39.8 MP).
Medium: 5,472 × 3,648 pixels (13.00 MP).
Small: 3,888 × 2,592 pixels (6.5 MP).
1:1 Square, 4:3, 5:4 and 16:9 Crops from above.
Swept Stitched Panoramas
Large: 2,160 × 9,600 (vertical: 9,600 × 1,440).
Medium: 2,160 × 6,400 (vertical: 6,400 × 1,440).
(no Small setting).
Still Image Frame Rates specifications top
11 FPS with leaf shutter.
20 FPS at 1.29x crop with electronic shutter.
Video specifications top
Fuji suggests using an SD card with UHS Speed Class 3 or higher.
Recordings keep going and make new files when the file sizes reach 4GB.
File Formats
.MOV file holding MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 video and 24-bit, 48 ksps linear PCM stereo audio.
.MP4 file holding MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video and AAC audio.
Resolutions & Frame Rates
6K (6,240 × 3,510)
29.97p, 25.00p, 24.00p or 23.98p
200 Mbps, 100 Mbps or 50Mbps
DCI 4K 17:9 (4,096 × 2,160)
29.97p, 25p, 24p, 23.98p
200 Mbps, 100 Mbps or 50 Mbps.
4K (3,840 × 2,160)
29.97p, 25p, 24p, 23.98p
200 Mbps, 100 Mbps or 50 Mbps.
17:9 2,048 × 1,080
59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 24p or 23.976p.
200, 100 or 50 Mbps.
1,920 × 1,080
59.94p, 50p, 29.97p, 25p, 24p or 23.976p.
200, 100 or 50 Mbps.
17:9 2,048 × 1,080 Slo-Mo
240, 200p, 120p or 100p.
200 MBPS.
1,920 × 1,080 Slo-Mo
240, 200p, 120p or 100p.
200 MBPS.
Audio specifications top
Recorded only along with video.
Stereo microphone built in, but sounds like bad mono due to a lack of spacing or directionality.
Mic-in jack with plug-in power overrides built-in mic.
Finders specifications top
The X100VI has a brilliant dual hybrid finder system with one peephole that sees through either of an optical, electronic, or combined finder!
It has an eye sensor to select the appropriate finder depending on if your eye is at the eyepiece.
Optical (OVF)
Reverse Galilean.
0.52× magnification.
Framelines show about 95% coverage.
Framelines are very cleverly generated electronically to correct parallax and magnification, displayed using the EVF's OLED, and then optically composited to show as the framelines of the optical finder. Brilliant!
Electronic Finder (EVF)
0.5" OLED.
3,690,000 dots.
0.46× magnification.
4:3 aspect ratio.
100% coverage.
-4 to +2 diopters.
15mm eyepoint.
Auto brightness control.
32º diagonal, 27º horizontal apparent angle.
Light Meter specifications top
256 zones, multi, spot, average or center weighted.
Shutters specifications top
Selectable Leaf ("mechanical") and/or Electronic shutters.
Leaf Shutter
The leaf shutter is electronically timed. Fuji refers to it as the "mechanical shutter" to differentiate it from the electronic rolling shutter below.
1/4,000 top speed from f/4.5 to f/16.
1/3,200 top speed from f/3.6 to f/16.
1/2,500 top speed from f/2.8 to f/16.
1/2,000 top speed at all apertures.
As we expect from a leaf shutter, flash sync at all speeds (to 1/1,000 at all apertures, 1/2,000 f/4~f/16 and 1/4,000 f/8~f/16.)
1/4,000 to 4 seconds in Program mode.
1/4,000 to 30 seconds in Aperture-priority mode.
To 15 minutes Shutter-priority and Manual modes, to 60 minutes (3,600 seconds) in Bulb.
"Time" (T) mode on dial is really only a way to set shutter speeds from 2 seconds to 15 minutes.
Electronic Shutter
Flash does not work with the electronic shutter.
The Electronic shutter is completely silent. It isn't a "flash" capture like the leaf shutter, it's effectively a rolling slit just like a focal plane, so pictures with motion may look bent.
1/32,768 top speed.
Fixed at 1s at Bulb setting.
30 seconds maximum time.
Mechanical + Electronic Shutter setting
This setting uses the mechanical shutter all the time, only working in electronic mode if the shutter speed needs to go above the current limit of the mechanical shutter.
Frame Rates & Buffers
Plenty. From Fuji:
CH, electronic shutter at 20 FPS with 1.29x crop: JPEG 117 images, Compressed RAW: 52 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 35 images, Uncompressed RAW: 17 images, Compressed RAW+JPEG: 25 images, Lossless compressed RAW+ JPEG: 22 images, Uncompressed RAW+JPEG: 17 images.
CH, electronic shutter at 13 FPS with 1.29x crop: JPEG 146 images, Compressed RAW: 57 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 36 images, Uncompressed RAW: 17 images, Compressed RAW+JPEG: 38 images, Lossless compressed RAW+JPEG: 33 images, Uncompressed RAW+JPEG: 17 images.
CH, electronic shutter at 10 FPS with 1.29x crop: JPEG 163 images, Compressed RAW: 59 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 36 images, Uncompressed RAW: 18 images, Compressed RAW+JPEG: 36 images, Lossless compressed RAW+JPEG: 33 images, Uncompressed RAW+JPEG: 17 images.
CH, electronic shutter at 13 FPS: JPEG 80 images, Compressed RAW: 38 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 24 images, Uncompressed RAW: 17 images, Compressed RAW+JPEG: 25 images, Lossless compressed RAW+JPEG: 18 images, Uncompressed RAW+JPEG: 17 images,\.
CH, electronic shutter at 8.9 FPS: JPEG 84 images, Compressed RAW: 38 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 24 images, Uncompressed RAW: 17 images, Compressed RAW+JPEG: 29 images, Lossless compressed RAW+JPEG: 25 images, Uncompressed RAW+ JPEG: 17 images.
CH, leaf shutter at 11 FPS: JPEG 38 images, Compressed RAW: 33 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 21 images, Uncompressed RAW: 17 images, Compressed RAW+JPEG: 28 images, Lossless compressed RAW+ JPEG: 23 images, Uncompressed RAW+JPEG: 17 images.
CH, leaf shutter at 8 FPS: JPEG 76 images, Compressed RAW: 35 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 21 images, Uncompressed RAW: 17 images, Compressed RAW+ JPEG: 28 images, Lossless compressed RAW+JPEG: 23 images, Uncompressed RAW+JPEG: 17 images.
CL, leaf shutter at 6 FPS: JPEG 97 images, Compressed RAW: 36 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 23 images, Compressed RAW: 18 images, Compressed RAW+JPEG: 29 images, Lossless compressed RAW+JPEG: 22 images, Uncompressed RAW+JPEG: 18 images.
CL, leaf shutter at 5 FPS: JPEG 110 images, Compressed RAW: 42, Lossless compressed RAW: 25 images, Uncompressed RAW: 18 images.
CL, leaf shutter at 4 FPS: JPEG 184 images, Compressed RAW: 48 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 26 images, Uncompressed RAW: 19 images.
CL, leaf shutter at at 3 FPS: JPEG 504 images, Compressed RAW: 57 images, Lossless compressed RAW: 29 images, Uncompressed RAW: 20 images.
Pre-shooting electronic shutter at 20 FPS with 1.29x crop: 20 during half-press, 135 after full-press, total: 155.
Pre-shooting electronic shutter at 13 FPS with 1.29x crop: 13 during half-press, 177 after full-press, total: 190.
Pre-shooting electronic shutter at 10 FPS with 1.29x crop: 10 images pressing halfway; 240 images after full press; total: 250 images.
Pre-shooting electronic shutter at 11 FPS with 1.29x crop: 11 images pressing halfway, 79 images after pressing fully, total: 90 images.
Pre-shooting electronic shutter at 8 FPS: 8 images pressing halfway; 102 after pressing fully, total: 110 images,
Remote Release
Standard threaded cable release (mechanical and the best way).
Remote Release RR-90 (electrical).
Third-party 2.5mm remote controls (electrical).
Self Timer
2s or 10s.
Only found as a menu option and in the Quick Menu.
To stop, tap shutter halfway or hit DISP-BACK.
Intervalometer
1 second to 24 hours.
Up to 999 frames.
Double Exposures
Two-shot multiple exposure option. It can display the first shot on the LCD so you can check how it will blend with the second frame.
Flash specifications top
Synchronization
Sync speed: syncs at every speed up to 1/4,000 with the mechanical leaf shutter.
Open or closing sync (there are no first or second curtains; it's a leaf shutter that opens and closes).
Works only with mechanical (leaf) shutter and only in Still Image Drive Mode.
Doesn't work at all with the electronic shutter.
Doesn't work at all at high frame rates (Continuous Drive Mode).
Built-in Flash
GN 14'/4.4m at ISO 100.
Effective range 1~24' (0.3~7.4m) at ISO 1,600.
External Flash
TTL hot shoe only for Fuji shoe-mount flashes like the EF-X20, EF-20, EF-42 and EF-X500.
The hot shoe must be activated in a menu for use with non-Fuji flash.
Uses different contacts than Nikon, Canon or LEICA.
No PC sync terminal; use a hot-shoe adapter if you need one.
Flash Modes
TTL (Auto on/off, Standard or SLOW sync).
±2 stop compensation adjustment in TTL.
Manual power setting in full stops only from full power to 1/64 (-6 stops).
Commander.
Flash off.
LCD Monitor specifications top
3" (75 mm) diagonal.
1,620,000 dot TFT.
100% coverage.
1.5:1 aspect ratio.
Swivels up 120º and down 45º, but not left or right.
Connectors specifications top
Socket for standard threaded cable release in the shutter button on top.
From the top:
2.5mm stereo mic jack, also works with RR-90 remote release (set in menus).
USB-C 3.1 Gen 1; also for charging.
Micro-D HDMI
WiFi specifications top
IEEE 802.11b/g/n.
WEP, WPA and WPA2 mixed mode.
Infrastructure Access mode, works with Fuji's app for geotagging, image transfer, remote camera control, PC Autosave and printing to Fuji's Instax instant printers.
Bluetooth specifications top
Version 4.2.
2.402 ~ 2.480 GHz.
Storage specifications top
One SD slot.
Takes up to 2 GB SDHC, 32 GB SDXC or 2 TB UHS-I.
Body specifications top
Machined billet aluminum top and bottom covers.
Plastic battery door.
Metal everything else.
Quality specifications top
Made in China.
Environment specifications top
Operating
0 ~ 40º C (32 ~ 104º F).
10 to 80% RH, no condensation.
Power & Battery specifications top
Eco mode rated 360 shots with EVF, 450 with optical finder — or — about 45 minutes of video, without face detection.
Normal mode rated 310 shots with EVF, 450 with optical finder — or — about 45 minutes of video, without face detection.
Fuji NP-W126S.
NP-W126S Li-Ion. Same as used with most of Fuji's current cameras; it's a newer version of the NP-W126 of the X-Pro1 and X-E1.
Charger
The X100VI can charge its battery internally via USB, or externally with the optional charger:
Optional Fuji BC-W126 Charger.
BC-W126 (same as comes with X-T2, X-Pro1 and X-E1).
Corded, uses common "∞" shaped plug end.
100~240V, 50-60 Hz.
Made in China by JET.
Rated 13~21 VA input, 8.4VDC 0.6A output.
Size specifications top
2.94 × 5.04 × 2.18 inches HWD (1.29" minimum depth).
74.8 × 128.0 × 55.3 millimeters HWD (32.7 mm minimum depth).
Weight specifications top
Rated 18.4 oz. (521g) with battery and card.
Rated 16.1 oz. (471g) stripped.
Environment specifications top
Operating
0 ~ 40º C (32 ~ 104º F).
10 to 80% RH, no condensation.
Included specifications top
X100VI camera.
Lens cap.
Hot shoe cover.
NP-W126S Li-ion battery.
Shoulder strap and rings.
Metal lens cap.
Metal strap clip and clip attaching tool.
Owner's manual.
Announced specifications top
20 February 2024, 1 AM NYC Time.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
19 March 2024
$1,599 at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black and at Adorama in silver.
Offered at about $2,200 used at eBay and the most recent several have resold at an average price of $2,200 — even if you know How to Win at eBay.
They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
12 March 2024
$1,599 at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black and at Adorama in silver.
Offered at about $2,375 used at eBay and the most recent ten the past 24 hours have resold at an average price of $2,375 — even if you know How to Win at eBay.
26 February 2024
$1,599 at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black and at Adorama in silver.
Offered at about $2,500 used at eBay and two listings have sold at an average price of $2,650 — even if you know How to Win at eBay.
20 February 2024
$1,599 at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black and at Adorama in silver.
Offered at about $4,900 used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Optional Accessories top
Introduction New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Performance
Compared User's Guide Recommendations
I'd order my X100VI at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay an average of $2,375 for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
The X100VI largely takes the same filters, adapters and accessories as earlier X100 series cameras.
New: SmallRig Grips for X100V & X100VI.
Full Leather Case
Fuji offers a LC-X100V full leather case that allows the side and bottom doors to open for battery, card and charging access.
It's only $80, so seeing what we pay for this camera and how expensive these cases usually are, I'm going to get an LC-X100V since it adds less than 6% to the price.
Caps & Filters
NEW: NiSi dedicated front protective filter for all Fuji X100 series cameras, also in silver.
Weird but true; this is a protective filter in a special backwards mount, so no adapters are needed.
Hoods
Straps
I use the LEICA 14312 strap which has quite a few benefits:
1.) Ingenious design that allows the strap to be attached and removed immediately without tools and without scratching the camera. This is great for me, since I'm constantly being loaned new cameras to test, and then need to remove the straps when I photograph the cameras to illustrate my reviews.
2.) Ingenuous design that incorporates rash guards to prevent brassing or other wear to the camera from extended use.
3.) Narrow strap materiel doesn't get in your way as you hold the camera to your eyes.
4.) Perfect width and grip permanently fixed shoulder pad. It's not too big and not too small. It's not too slippery and not too grippy. It feels perfect for light cameras.
5.) Much suppler than other strap material. The strap lays across your hand like a soft shirt; not at all like most other stiffer straps.
6.) Ingenious design that has no loose strap ends to poke you in the eye or chafe your hands.
7.) Ingenious design that can't possibly loosen or untie itself. The strap is sewn back into itself.
8.) Ingenious design that makes it fast and easy to adjust the length.
9.) Ingenious design that keeps the strap at the length you set it.
10.) No junk hanging off the strap or your camera: it's just a strap, a small pad, and ingenious fixation devices on each end.
11.) Even if you break one of the plastic buckles, no problem: they were just strap-end keepers. If one breaks, no big deal, since the clips at each end are what hold the strap.
12.) Even if you break one of the plastic clips at each end, no big deal, since the camera will be held by the plastic buckle in the middle of each side.
As you can see, the brilliant simplicity of this strap means you have to break at least two different things before you drop a camera.
External Flash
I use no external flash. Why would I want to crud-up my camera with more junk I don't need? The built in flash is flawless.
If you must,
The EF-X20 is a tiny flash designed for the X100VI. It takes 2 AAA cells with a guide number of 65'/20m.
The EF-20 is a small flash that takes 2-AA cells with a guide number of 65'/20m. If I got a flash for my X100VI, I'd get this EF-20 since I prefer common AA cells to the puny AAAs. This is the same as the Sunpak RD2000.
The EF-42 is a huge DSLR flash that takes 4 AA cells with a guide number of 42m/137' and a zoom head. We don't need a zoom head with the X100VI, I wouldn't put this thing on my X100VI — but it will do a great job for heavy-duty daylight fill.
The EF-X500 is even bigger!
Lens Attachments
I don't ever use these; they don't do much and spoil the simplicity of a compact camera:
 |
 |
WCL-X100 II 0.8× converter. |
TCL-X100 II 1.4× converter. |
Screen Protectors
Stereo Microphone MIC-ST1
Remote Release
I use a standard $10 threaded cable release.
Tripods
Performance top
Sample Images Introduction Specifications
Accessories Performance Compared
User's Guide Recommendations More
Overall Autofocus Manual Focus Breathing Bokeh
Auto ISO Auto White Balance Color Rendition
Distortion Ergonomics Exposure Falloff
Film Simulations Filters Finder Flare & Ghosts
Lens Corrections Macro Sound, Noise & Vibration
Spherochromatism Sunstars Teleconverters
I'd order my X100VI at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay an average of $2,375 for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
Overall performance top
The X100VI is a handsome camera with real knobs and dials which makes it very easy to set and control from shot to shot.
Just like all the older models in the X100 series, the X100VI continues the series' reign as the world's best digital camera for people, group and family photos because of Fuji's images being uniquely optimized for people photos, as well as this camera's small size, exquisite build quality, people-optimized autofocus performance, super-close focussing and superior fill-flash performance with its built-in flash.
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is fast enough, but not fast. Like all mirrorless cameras other than Sony, this is not a camera for action or sports.
One can use the rear touch LCD to select AF areas as one's shooting with the viewfinder.
Manual Focus performance top
Manual focusing is entirely electronic; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.
Focus Breathing performance top
Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers that the image not breathe because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.
The image from the X100VI gets slightly larger as focussed more closely. I doubt anyone will ever notice it while shooting movies with the X100VI.
Bokeh performance top
Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is pretty good, but not perfect. It's soft, but not exactly velvety, either.
The X100Vand X100VI use the same lens, so bokeh is the same.
Here are photos from headshot distance wide-open:
Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6357 Wireless Sensor Suite (use with 6351 Vantage Vue console), 09 March 2020. Fuji X100V, no flash, at f/2 at 1/5,800 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 12.8), 200% Auto Dynamic Range. bigger or camera-original © file.
Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6357 Wireless Sensor Suite (use with 6351 Vantage Vue console), 09 March 2020. Fuji X100V, no flash, at f/4 at 1/1,500 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 12.9), 200% Auto Dynamic Range. bigger or camera-original © file.
Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6357 Wireless Sensor Suite (use with 6351 Vantage Vue console), 09 March 2020. Fuji X100V, no flash, at f/8 at 1/350 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 12.9), 200% Auto Dynamic Range. bigger or camera-original © file.
Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6357 Wireless Sensor Suite (use with 6351 Vantage Vue console), 09 March 2020. Fuji X100V, no flash, at f/16 at 1/105 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 13.1), 200% Auto Dynamic Range. bigger or camera-original © file.
As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at f/2 and get as close as possible.
Auto ISO performance top
Auto ISO has three settings: Auto 1, 2 and 3.
For each the default (lowest) ISO may be set in third stops from ISO 125 ~ ISO 12,800.
The maximum ISO is set from ISO 400 ~ ISO 12,800 in full stops.
The minimum shutter speed is set from 1/4 to 1/30 in full stops, and from 1/30 to 1/500 in third stops, with the curious exception of 1/50, which cannot be set.
Auto White Balance performance top
Auto White Balance works great in any light. The X100VI's low color saturation, optimized for people as are all Fujifilm cameras, helps here.
Color & Tone Rendition performance top
Fujifilm's cameras, shot as JPG, are highly optimized for people and skin tones at which they excel. Otherwise their colors are much more muted than other brands when you try to set them for vivid colors as I prefer. Even with COLOR set to +4 I find Fuji's colors and contrasts very dull for other kinds of photography.
If you shoot raw then your colors and tones aren't created until you process the raw data later in software, and your choice of software will have as much effect on your images as the camera itself.
Color rendition is how pictures look in the real world. Real-world color rendition has nothing to do with color accuracy measured in a lab. Color rendition is dependant on how a maker programs all the color matrices, curves, and look-up tables to generate color from the data read from the sensor, and varies widely between makers once you set a camera away from its defaults. I never shoot at defaults.
It's like pianos: anyone can talk forever about how pianos are made, but to most ordinary players the subtle variations between different samples of a Steinway Model D are eclipsed by their own limitations in playing, but when you're a virtuoso even subtle differences become obvious to the seasoned master. That's why when you buy, or choose a Steinway for your tour as a Steinway Artist, you go to Steinway's Astoria factory and pick from among several samples of the same model which suits your style best. To a master, the subtle details are everything, just like subtle differences in color rendition between different brands of camera. Art is not the duplication of reality; art is the expression of imagination.
I'm a working artist, not some online tweaker, YouTuber or tech blogger. Color is critical to my work. I'm pickier about color than almost anyone; I see things most people don't. I can get photos that get oohs and ahhs with my X100VI, but I don't get to WOW! as often with my X100VI as I do with my Nikons and Canons.
That's just me; this is art and your preferences and results will vary.
Distortion performance top
I can't measure any distortion shot as JPG, for which the X100VI may or may not be correcting the lens.
There is the possibility if you shoot raw and use other brands of software to create images from the X100VI's raw data that there might (or might not) be residual distortion.
Ergonomics performance top
Fuji's cameras excel for having real control knobs, dials, levers and cable release sockets for standard threaded cable releases, but are flawed in having a horribly tedious, disorganized, mislabeled and confusing menu system.
So while it may take a while to go through all the menus and get your X100VI ready to shoot, once you do it's super-fast to make on-the-fly changes and adjustments with its dedicated dials as you're shooting.
Some specific observations:
It wakes from sleep at least as fast as other cameras, and excellent power management means I can leave it on all the time and it never runs down, waking whenever I tap the shutter just like a DSLR.
Menus always start at the top; if you wait more then a moment to go back into a menu you have to find it again from scratch.
The four rear black buttons are flush to the surface so they're nearly impossible to find by feel.
You have to move the rear dial backwards when making settings in the Q screen.
It could use a bigger rear thumb grip.
The bottom card and battery door doesn't latch when you close it because the lock isn't spring-loaded; instead you have to remember to slide the lock to lock it.
The card and battery door is so close to the tripod socket that you can't open it while on a tripod.
The lens and compensation dials have the same clicks at all settings; sadly the full stops don't detent more deeply than the third stops and there is no deeper detent at 0 or A.
The front dial is ignored when setting flash mode or Q screen items; only the back dial works.
Oddly the finder and rear LCD show 2/3 stops as ".6" rather than ".7" in decimal form.
The shutter button is wobbly, unlike the LEICA M3's zero-play shutter release button.
There's no one place from which you can set every manual and Auto ISO. Some places, like the ISO dial, omit the H and L settings, while setting ISO with the front dial omits the Auto settings. Grrr.
Exposure performance top
Like most mirrorless cameras, exposure is usually right-on, and if not, easily rectified with the dedicated exposure compensation dial.
Falloff performance top
Falloff is invisible at all apertures.
The X100Vand X100VI use the same lens, so falloff is the same.
I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:
Fuji X100V Light Falloff
© 2020 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
Film Simulations performance top
I'm not a fan of the film simulations. I love the look of real Fuji VELVIA film, but the electronic simulations in this X100VI (or any of the Fuji cameras) just don't do it for me. Here are samples from the X100F, which should be largely the same as this X1000VI.
It's like a rotary-dial phone simulation in an iPhone for dialing — why would I want to waste my time emulating (poorly) an inferior system (film)? I haven't shot any 35mm film since digital cameras hit 24MP back around 2013.
Finder performance top
The combined optical and electronic finder sets world standards for flexibility. Push and pull the front lever to select which you see. It's so smart you can shoot optically and playback magically appears electronically.
Electronic Finder
Like almost all mirrorless cameras, the OLED panel is superb, while the tiny finder optics limit the finder's sharpness.
Zoomed images don't fill the 4:3 aspect-ratio electronic finder; they only fill the top 3:2 aspect-ratio section while leaving the bottom black.
It has pretty good auto brightness control.
Optical Finder
The optical finder is tiny, with low 0.5× magnification very different form the huge finders of the 0.91× LEICA M3 or life-size 1.0× finder of the Nikon SP.
The X100VI's graticules are generated electronically with the OLED.
Its frame lines compensate for both parallax and magnification at close range.
What's really nifty is that you can still see electronic magnification and playback and menus though the optical finder, it switches magically — and you can have electronic inserts appear for things like focus magnification while still viewing everything else optically!
Flare & Ghosts performance top
There's no problem with flare and ghosts. See samples at Sunstars.
Flash performance top
As I've been saying all along, fill flash performance is wonderful, but it can overexpose at close distances in the SLOW SYNC mode — so I use NORMAL sync and just set the shutter speed dial slower if I need it and all is well.
The built-in flash also recycles quickly, but it won't work in any of the fast frame rate modes. Like all cameras, it won't work in Silent mode, either.
Lateral Color Fringes performance top
There are no color fringes as shot in JPG, which probably by default corrects for any that may or may not be there.
There is a little spherochromatism, which can cause color fringes on things that aren't in perfect focus. Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration in a different dimension than lateral color fringes.
Lens Corrections performance top
The Lens Modulation Optimizer is always active. There's no way to turn it off or alter its settings.
Macro Performance performance top
There's no need for a macro mode; the X100VI just focuses very close, all in one range.
The X100VI gets ultra-close, and the digital teleconverter feature (just turn the lens ring) give an image 1.4× (50mm setting) or twice (70mm setting) as large as shown below.
The X100Vand X100VI use the same lens with the same close-focus performance.
At f/2 (Wide Open)
At f/2 at these extremely close distance this newest X100VI is significantly more contrasty than the lens in the previous X100~X100F cameras, but still suffers from a little lower contrast due to a small amount of the same spherical aberration which plagues the X100~X100F to a much larger extent.
The X100VI's bokeh is other-worldly beautiful at f/2 at these distances:
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance at f/2, 09 March 2020. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
The texture you're seeing is on the watch face, not camera noise.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your phone, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 11 × 16" (0.9 × 1.3 feet or 25 × 40 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).
At f/4
Stopped down, the spherical aberration goes away and it sharpens up nicely, still with great bokeh:
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance at f/4, 09 March 2020. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
The texture you're seeing is on the watch face, not camera noise.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your phone, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 11 × 16" (0.9 × 1.3 feet or 25 × 40 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).
Sound, Noise & Vibration performance top
The mechanical "leaf" shutter is almost silent, and the electronic shutter is completely silent.
There is no vibration.
The lens has a stepper motor that hums softly as it focuses.
Spherochromatism performance top
Spherochromatism, also called secondary spherical chromatic aberration, is an advanced form of spherical and chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral chromatic aberration. It happens in fast lenses when spherical aberration at the ends of the spectrum are corrected differently than in the middle of the spectrum. Spherochromatism can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes on backgrounds and magenta fringes on foregrounds. Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.
The X100Vand X100VI use the same lens with the same spherochromatism.
The 23mm f/2 ASPH II lens has some traditional spherochromatism, but it's only visible if you go out of your way to show it as I've done here. As always it goes away stopped down.
Mondaine A132.30348.11SBB at f/2 at 1/10,500 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 13.8), 200% Auto Dynamic Range, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © 6 MB LARGE NORMAL JPG file.
1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © 6 MB LARGE NORMAL JPG file.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your phone, then the complete image printed at this same high magnification would be about 11 × 16" (0.9 × 1.3 feet or 25 × 40 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same very high magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).
Sunstars performance top
With a 9-bladed rounded diaphragm I get soft sunstars at best on brilliant points of light mostly at the smaller apertures.
The diagonal smear seen at f/2.8 and f/4 is an artifact of the scissor-bladed leaf shutter. This smear isn't seen at f/2 because I needed such a fast shutter speed that I had to use the electronic shutter, and it goes away at the slower speeds at smaller apertures.
Ignore the crazy rainbow dot effects at small apertures; these are sensor artifacts caused by taking a picture directly of the sun and exposing for the dark underside of the palm tree. Likewise the vertical smear at f/2.8 is another sensor artifact called interline transfer smear; it's not a lens defect.
The X100Vand X100VI use the same lens with the same diaphragm, sunstars, ghosts and flare.
Click any to enlarge:
Click any to enlarge.
Digital Teleconverter 50mm & 70mm performance top
The X100Vand X100VI use the same lens and the digital teleconverter modes.
Porsche Panamera Turbo in GT Silver and Gloss Black (with bugs on bumper), 5:24 PM, 02 March 2020. Fuji X100V, 50mm digital teleconverter mode, flash ON, f/3.2 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 8.0), 200% Auto Dynamic Range, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © 5.8 MB LARGE NORMAL JPG file. I LOVE the fill flash! This is shooting into the sun for atmospheric lighting effect, and without the fill flash the car would just be a shadow.
The digital teleconverter works great; just turn the lens ring and voilà!, you can get 50mm and 70mm equivalent lenses. In this case I used the 50mm equivalent digitally converted lens.
The digital teleconverter (turn the focus ring without pressing the shutter) is just a digital zoom, but if you 're shooting at the lower resolution settings the X100VI is smart enough not to lose sharpness.
I find it super helpful in getting perfect files direct from my camera I can send directly to clients without having to crop them later in a computer. Try them; you may like them.
I haven't tried the screw-on optical converters; I think those are silly wastes of time. They don't do much (they don't get much wider or longer at all), but you still have to pay for them and carry them around and fumble with them to get them on and off your camera.
Playback performance top
It's slow to scroll around an image at lower magnifications.
Autorotate is just "rotate tall" to rotate verticals 90º from horizontals into little vertical images with big black sides on the horizontal screen on playback. It's not a real autorotate like an iPhone that's smart enough to rotate the playback of everything as you rotate the camera.
One click of PLAY gets you back to to playing a just-shot image-review image. You don't have to hit it once to get out of review and a second time to get back to playing that image, at which time you may now use all the controls to see all its data.
Images swap fast, but they are not perfectly sharp for the first fraction of a second (not annoying), but what is annoying is that the shooting data always takes a moment too long to pop-in as you swap playback images.
Data performance top
Cards are not properly titled. They are formatted as "Untitled," not as something meaningful like "FUJIX100," so it looks stupid in your Mac finder and you have a card in a card reader.
Like 99% of vertical digital camera images they are not really rotated, but simply flagged with rotation. The good news is that the rotation sensor and flags even work 180º upside down!
Power & Battery performance top
Mine draws 487 mA while charging from a regular 5V USB source.
It continues to draw 35mA even after the battery is full.
I haven't clocked quite what my battery will do, but I seem to get about 1,000 shots per charge, which is great. The number will vary wildly depending on how you shoot. You'll get more shots if you do more shooting, and less if you do more setting, fiddling and playing back.
Compared top
Sample Images Introduction Specifications
Accessories Performance Compared
User's Guide Recommendations More
I'd order my X100VI at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay an average of $2,375 for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
See also All Fuji Cameras Compared and All X100 Series Compared.
Versus earlier X100 versions
The X100 (2000-1013), X100S (2013-2014), X100T (2014-2017), X100F (2017-2020), X100V (2020-2024) and this newest X100VI (2024-) are all very similar, with essentially the same lens, same great flash performance and great image quality optimized for people photos in any light.
While Fuji constantly updates details, most basic things, like foolish menu organization, only one card slot, great construction quality, the world's first combined EVF/OVF and great shooting controls, have remained absolutely the same since 2010.
Most of Fuji's updates aren't to anything that really matters; what really needs updating isn't adding more crazy viewfinder modes, but basics like organizing the menu system so it makes sense and to get the AF Lock button to work. It's weird but true that Japanese camera companies seem to have real problems and take many years to get their menu systems to make sense. Worse, Fuji removed the 4-way rear controller from the X100V and this newest X100VI, which I consider as a real step back
Versus the X100V (2020 ~ 2024)
See what's new in the X100VI since the X100V.
40MP is the same as 24MP (they look exactly the same due to Pixel Dumping) and both have the same lenses. The extra resolution will help when using the digital teleconverter.
The real difference is the availability; as of February 2024 used X100V sell for the same price as ordering a new X100VI, so I pity the fools buying used X100V.
See Is It Worth It and All Fuji Cameras Compared.
Versus the X100F (2017 ~ 2020)
See also What's New Since the X100T. While there are many little changes, the X100F is 95% the same camera, with a superior control system which includes a direct 4-way rear controller instead of the foolish "touch functions" of the X100V and X100VI.
26MP is the same as 24MP (they look exactly the same due to Pixel Dumping) and both have excellent lenses. Neither is sharper than the other, except in the singular case of shooting at 4 inches (10 cm) and then shooting wide-open at f/2, which in all the years I've owned X100s since 2011, I never noticed until I actually was silly enough to shoot at f/2 at 4 inches because one of you people asked (nothing is in focus at f/2 at 4 inches; you have to stop down to get any depth of field and then the lens of the old cameras sharpens right up).If you already have the X100F I'd stick with it unless you really need something new on the X100VI like 4K video or a flipping LCD; having a programmable 4-way push button controller on the back is about as important to me for taking pictures than the other new items on the X100VI.
See Is It Worth It and All Fuji Cameras Compared. To me, it's potato, potatoe.
Versus the X100T (2014 ~ 2017)
While there are many little changes, the X100T is 95% the same camera as the X100F, albeit with 16 rather than 24MP. I love the new digital teleconverter of the X100F and X100VI, but otherwise unless that or some other feature really grabs you, the X100T is the same as the X100F minus a few pixels — and the X100T has a 4-way controller lacking in the X100VI.
The X100T has the same great face recognition AF system. While the X100F and this X100VI also show you which eye it's selected, I see no difference in performance between the two.
If you already have the X100T there's no reason you need theX100F or X100VI, but if you shoot it every day, you ought to. See Is It Worth It and All Fuji Cameras Compared.
Versus the X100S (2013 ~ 2014)
The X100S lacks facial recognition, which means you have to select AF points manually for best results. Facial recognition in the X100T, X100F and X100VI is a huge time saver since you can point and shoot with no AF locking, recomposing or AF point selection needed. Since all the Fuji cameras are optimized for people photos and the lack of facial recognition really slows real-world people photography, I'd pass on the X100S.
See also All Fuji Cameras Compared.
Versus the original X100 (2011 ~ 2013)
The original X100 lacks facial recognition, as does the X100S.
The X100 works more slowly overall than the newer cameras and has less sensor resolution, but honestly even the original X100 has the same great lens, the same great flash system, the same great leaf shutter, and makes the same great images with superb exposure and fill-flash performance in any light.
While the original X100 takes a bit longer to get the shot, if you get it, it's still essentially the same camera and gives the same great results — if you're on a budget.
See also All Fuji Cameras Compared.
Versus Fuji's Interchangeable-Lens Cameras
The interchangeable-lens cameras are completely different. They are bigger and clumsier and have much poorer flash performance due to a completely different kind of shutter.
All I need is the fixed 23mm f/2 ASPH lens of the X100VI. I have much less interest in Fuji's interchangeable lens camera because they (like Sony, Nikon and Canon) use an inferior focal-plane shutter and much larger and clumsier lenses.
While the X100 series all have combined optical and electronic finders and great built-in flashes, many of Fuji's interchangeable lens cameras lack optical finders or lack a built-in flash.
I prefer the X100VI's superior leaf shutter for ultra fast flash sync to 1/4,000. Fill flash is critical to people shots in every kind of situation, and the ultrafast sync of the X100VI lets its tiny flash significantly outperform every other Fuji interchangeable-lens camera, every DSLR and every other mirrorless camera brand.
Because the interchangeable-lens cameras use a focal plane shutter they can't sync flash any faster than 1/250, so their built-in flashes rarely have enough power for daylight fill and thus give inferior results unless you also lug a big shoe-mount flash.
All the Fuji cameras are optimized for people photos and people photos need flash to lighten faces and put catchlights in the eyes under every kind of lighting. I don't see much point in the interchangeable lens Fujis, but others love them.
Versus Sony
Sony's cameras are completely different. They have the best autofocus of any mirrorless camera and better color for everything other than people, bot they have much poorer ergonomics due to no shutter dials.
Sonys handle much faster for action and sports, and can focus and set exposure for each frame when running at high frame rates. The X100 series' high frame rate options are sort of a hoax, since their autofocus is so slow.
Fuji's images are superior for people photos. Skin tones look fantastic in any light, while Sony's skin tones are about average.
The X100VI does fill-flash better due to the unique leaf-shutter of the X100VI not seen in Sony cameras.
Versus Canon Mirrorless and Nikon Mirrorless
For everything other than people photography, I prefer the JPG color rendition I get from Nikon or Canon.
Nikon and Canon handle much faster for action and sports, and can focus and set exposure for each frame when running at high frame rates. The X100 series' high frame rate options are sort of a hoax, since their autofocus is so slow.
If most of what you do are photos of places and things, I prefer and LOVE the Canon EOS R10, which is smaller and lighter and much less expensive.
Fuji's images are excellent for people photos. Skin tones look fantastic in any light, while Nikon and Canon's skin tones are about average, but for vivid colors for photos of places and things and everything else, Canon and Nikon are superior while Fuji's colors are downright boring and dull.
Ultimately the question isn't about ISOs or any of the things that concern the less experienced; ultimately it's all about how the pictures look, which is all about color rendition.
Versus Canon and Nikon DSLRs
DSLRs are completely different kinds of cameras.
DSLRs handle much faster for action and sports, and can focus and set exposure for each frame when running at high frame rates. The X100 series' high frame rate options are sort of a hoax, since their autofocus is so slow.
Canon and Nikon DSLRs have superior color rendition for every kind of subject other than people. I get brilliant, bold eye-catching colors right out of my DSLRs as camera-original JPGs when I set the DSLRs to high saturation, while Fuji's people-optimized cameras only output relatively dull colors. The Fujis are superior for people photos, but inferior for everything else.
Fuji's images are superior for people photos; skin tones look fantastic in any light, while Nikon and Canon's skin tones are good to excellent, depending on how you choose to set them. The Fuji gets great looks automatically under any light, while it takes more fiddling as conditions change with my DSLRs.
Due to its ultra high speed synchronizing leaf shutter and superior programming, the X100 series has superior fill-flash under a broader range of conditions than any DSLR. While I can get the same great results with my DSLRs, I need to fiddle with their settings under many conditions to get what the X100 series always gets automatically in the first shot. With people photos, often the first shot is the only one that matters.
User's Guide top
Sample Images Introduction Specifications
Accessories Performance Compared
User's Guide Recommendations More
I'd order my X100VI at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay an average of $2,375 for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
See Ken Rockwell's Fuji X100V User's Guide, which is essentially the same as the X100VI.
NEW: Fuji's X100VI Owner's Manual PDF.
Recommendations top
Sample Images Introduction Specifications
Accessories Performance Compared
User's Guide Recommendations More
Order your X100VI now at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay much more for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
I've owned all of the X100 series as each came out, and have always chosen them as my favorite family and people camera because of their unbeaten image quality for people photos in every light. The X100 series has an uncanny ability to nail the perfect exposure, fill-flash, auto white balance and skin tone on the very first shot every time. I can get similar results with other cameras, but too often they may need a second adjusted shot to get it right, and with people, there is often no second chance.
My iPhone 15 Pro Max is almost as good, but sadly has no real fill flash under most conditions. Fill Flash is critical to people photos, and the X100 series has the very best fill flash performance of any camera.
Unless you already have an X100F or are stuck on the rear 4-way controller as I am, this Fuji X100VI is the best camera you can get for fixed-lens people, family, group and travel photography.
If you already own an X100F there's no immediate need to update unless you deserve the best, but the earliest X100 and X100S lack facial recognition. The X100T, X100F, X100V and this X100VI are able to lock-on to faces magically anywhere in the frame and just nail the shot, even shot overhead or underhand from strange angles where we can't see or set AF areas manually.
I find the JPG color rendition of all Fujis fantastic for people, but too dull for everything else. If I want a light camera for nature, travel and landscape shots I'll use my ultralight Canon EOS R10, which is smaller and lighter and much less expensive.
I'd order my X100VI at B&H in black, at B&H in silver, at Adorama in black or at Adorama in silver and be patient, or be willing to pay an average of $2,375 for it used at eBay even if you know How to Win at eBay. They're also sold through Amazon in silver and in black for the same prices as used.
This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Fuji does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, store demo or used camera. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken.
© Ken Rockwell. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Help Me Help You
I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.
The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places always have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.
If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.
If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!
If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.
As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
Ken.