Introduction
Fuji’s X range of cameras has proven incredibly popular over the past couple of years. Now the company seems keen on expanding that popularity into the mass market of consumers, with a new range of cameras designed to appeal to a wider audience.
Once again, high-end design makes an appearance for the Fuji X-F1. A light and durable aluminum body is covered with synthetic leather that imitates the feel of genuine leather.
The lens is also a newly developed optic. The 4x optical zoom lens is capable of reaching a maximum aperture of f/1.8 at the widest angle of the lens.
It features seven lens elements in six groups, to include four aspherical and three extra low dispersion. All elements have been coated with Fuji’s special coatings which are designed to help reduce ghosting and flare.
An EXR processor is also included. This promises fast autofocusing, even in dark conditions. Also facilitated by the processor is Full HD video recording and a high burst mode for stills.
At the back of the camera you’ll find a 3-inch, 460k dot LCD display made of tempered glass. There’s no electronic (or optical) viewfinder included as standard with the camera, so all image composition must be carried out via the screen.
The good news for anyone wanting to explore photography further is that the Fuji X-F1 also features full manual control and the capability to shoot in raw format.
Keen to appeal to the Instagram and Hipstamatic crowd, Fuji has elected to include a number of creative digital filters on the X-F1. These include Pop Colour, Toy Camera and Dynamic tone.
Although we don’t yet have an official price for the camera, it is expected that it will be cheaper than Fuji’s other premium compact camera, the Fuji FinePix X10. It seems likely that it will compete with the likes of the Panasonic LX7 and Sony RX100.
Build quality and handling
The biggest selling point of the Fuji X-F1 is its incredibly compact size. Because it uses a small (2/3-inch) sensor, Fuji has managed to keep the camera down to very sleek dimensions.
It’s also somewhat surprising that a 4x optical zoom lens can be housed inside the tiny body. To keep it sleek, the lens fully retracts into the body of the Fuji X-F1 when the camera is not in use.
The camera itself can also be switched on via the lens, much like the Fuji FinePix X10. All you need to do is twist the lens to activate the camera for use.
Unlike most traditional compact cameras, the Fuji X-F1’s lens is zoomed by rotating the lens manually, rather than via a switch or button on the camera body. This gives the camera a more serious feel, and is likely to appeal to traditional photographers.
Although it probably won’t appeal to everyone, the synthetic leather finishing adds a stylish touch, and also helps with gripping the camera – especially when shooting one-handed.
At the top of the camera, a mode dial enables quick access to the different functions of the camera, including P/A/S/M modes. Because the camera is so small, you won’t find the same dials and buttons that can be found on the more advanced cameras in the Fuji X range, but the ability to shoot with full manual control is nevertheless provided.
On the back of the Fuji X-F1 is a sensible selection of buttons, including a dedicated video record button and a customisable E-Fn button for quickly accessing the most commonly used settings.
Two dials can be used for changing parameters such as shutter speed or aperture (depending on the shooting mode). One at the top of the back, and the other that doubles up as a four-way directional pad.
If you’re used to using any of the other Fujifilm X range cameras, the menu will be familiar. It’s sensibly arranged in the most part, with functions being easy to access and change.
Although there’s no EVF, the screen itself has been designed to make composing and shooting images easy. Any changes made to parameters, such as aperture, or adding a digital filter, are displayed on the screen, which is handy for judging whether you need to make further changes.
Performance
Although we have not yet been able to assess image quality from the Fuji X-F1, we have high hopes for the camera.
It uses the same sensor and processor as the Fuji FinePix X10, which has already proven to be a very capable camera. The fact that Fuji has managed to squeeze its fantastic technology into a smaller body is pretty astonishing, and we can see it greatly appealing to a wide range of people.
Fuji is very keen to keep the same high quality of the rest of the X series for its new premium compact camera. The newly developed lens should help you produce some fantastic pictures, while the f/1.8 maximum aperture means that you can capture low light images without having to raise the ISO setting and introduce the risk of image noise.
Although Fuji has decided not to introduce a large sensor, such as the 1-inch device found in the Sony RX100, the company believes that it is able to offer the best compromise with the Fuji X-F1.
The Fuji X-F1’s sensor is larger than those found in the Panasonic LX7, Olympus XZ-2 and the Canon S100, which all use 1/1.7-inch sensors. Fuji’s maximum aperture of f/1.8 at the widest angle of the lens isn’t the widest available of all manufacturers, but it is also able to offer a good wide angle of 25mm on a larger sensor.
Needless to say, we’ll be keen to pit the Fuji X-F1’s sensor against other competitors in the range when we get a full sample in for further testing for our full review.
Since the LCD screen is relied upon for composing images, it needs to be a good one. Our initial impressions are that it can cope well in fairly bright, albeit indoor, lighting. We’ll be keen to see how well it fares outdoors.
Many manufacturers are now including digital filters in their camera offerings, and Fuji is no different. As this is perhaps less of a serious camera than others in the X range, the company has increased the range available for the Fuji X-F1.
Here, we’ve got options such as toy camera and partial colour. The good news is that the camera can shoot in raw format while using these filters, though it’s not clear at the moment whether this means the filter can be removed in post-production – we’ll be keen to find that out, though.
You’ve also got the option to use Fuji’s film simulation settings, a feature which is also present in the rest of the X range. So, if you’re hankering after the days of Astia and Provia, you can find these in the settings of the camera too. We’ve had a lot of fun using those effects on the Fuji X10, Fuji X100 and Fuji X-Pro1 in the past.
Early verdict
It’s always difficult to give a verdict on a new camera without being able to assess image quality. But, like the Fuji X-E1 – announced a couple of weeks ago – we feel pretty confident in saying that the Fuji X-F1 will be a good performer.
The Fuji FinePix X10 received a five-star rating in our review, so barring any major catastrophes, we can’t see the Fuji X-F1 receiving a low score.
That said, its ultra stylish exterior won’t be to everyone’s tastes, although it is undeniably a very pocketable camera.
The fact that it also manages to pack in full manual control, raw format shooting and a 4x f/1.8 optical zoom lens is a little astonishing, and is testament to what the engineers at Fuji have been able to achieve in the past couple of years.
Look out for our full review of the Fuji X-E1 when one becomes available for testing.
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