Fuji X100V - The Liberator

It’s an odd proposition… $1,400 USD for a fixed lens camera when you can get an interchangeable one for the same (or less). Who is the Fujifilm X100V for and is it worth the price? I was lent this camera by Fujifilm for about a month - I’ve naturally made a mini film to share my thoughts. I hope you enjoy.

The Camera that Changes How You Shoot

This is where things start to sound pretentious and artsy - but I promise this isn’t my intention. So how did the camera change how I shot?

It’s Small AND Capable

It was easy to have it strapped to me everywhere I went and with such a tiny pancake lens, it’s not intimidating to those around you. You don’t feel the burden of the weight and size of a mirrorless or DSLR camera whenever you’re considering taking a snapshot. And unlike our phones or a point-and-shoot, you’re carrying a camera with the same sensor as an X-T4, Fuji’s flagship APS-C camera.

I mean it when I say “capable.” Here’s an experiment with a beautiful Porsche 993, the Godox AD200 Pro and the Fuji X100V.

It’s Beautiful

I’m not a watch guy, but many are. I don’t understand the allure of collecting analog watches because they serve little to no actual utility, they’re predominantly a fashion and status statement which doesn’t speak to me. That being said, the aesthetic of the products you use regularly does matter. I’m generally not a fan of retro design for the sake of being retro but I find it hard to not enjoy having this little slab of metal around me. And when you enjoy the appearance and feel of a product, it makes it that much more inspiring to carry it with you wherever you go.

Film Simulations

To add to the conveniences and fun factor of the Fuji, you have access to Fujifilm’s renowned film simulations directly in the camera. There are websites, forums and Facebook groups filled with enthusiasts sharing “recipes” to achieve different creative looks when snapping pics.

The idea of accepting the JPEG as the final product and shooting ‘in-camera’ is another point for the liberation of the photographer. You’re not capturing a RAW file knowing you’ll be spending potentially hours in Lightroom or Photoshop tweaking it to a desired state. You CAN shoot raw, but the idea with X100V is the embracing of its limitations. Bake in the colours and be done with it.

Becoming Less Precious

All of the above compounds to a camera that’s at your side always reminding you it’s there to capture a moment if you come across it. That’s what I was referring to in the video when I mentioned your ‘radar’ somehow always turns on. You start looking for textures, light, people, locations, landscapes etc all around you. What you would have possibly captured with your phone you now have a massively capable sensor to utilize. I found myself capturing and sharing more images that I had in the last few years. I was less conscious about the images ‘looking perfect’ but rather capturing moments, which is what I originally fell in love with when I picked up my first camera (the Nikon D40).

Shot by my son (he’s 4 and insisted on shooting in black and white):