Fujifilm X100V Review

Fujifilm X100V Review: The Cult Classic, Redefined

The Fujifilm X100 series has always occupied a special place in the hearts of photographers. It’s a line of cameras that transcends mere specifications, offering an experience—a blend of retro rangefinder aesthetics, tactile controls, and phenomenal image quality. With the X100V, the fifth iteration, Fujifilm hasn’t just tweaked the formula; it has meticulously refined it, addressing long-standing critiques to create what might be the ultimate premium compact camera. It’s a device that begs to be picked up, carried everywhere, and used to document the world with style and substance.

Design and Build: A Sharper Edge

At first glance, the X100V is unmistakably an X100. The classic silhouette remains, but the execution is sharper and more refined. Fujifilm has replaced the stamped top and bottom plates of previous models with single pieces of machined aluminum. This change lends the camera a more solid, premium feel, with crisper edges that evoke the precision of a classic film camera. The other game-changing addition is a two-way tilting touchscreen that sits almost perfectly flush with the body when closed. It’s a brilliant piece of engineering that adds modern versatility for high- and low-angle shots without compromising the camera’s iconic design ethos. The one caveat is weather sealing; while the body is now sealed, you must purchase and attach a specific adapter ring and filter to make the lens weather-resistant, which feels like a slightly awkward extra step for a premium product.

Performance and Optics: The Upgrade That Matters

Under the hood, the X100V receives the heart of Fujifilm’s flagship cameras: the 26.1MP X-Trans IV sensor and the X-Processor 4. This combination delivers a significant leap in performance. Autofocus is faster and more reliable, with vastly improved face and eye detection that makes capturing portraits a breeze. Image quality is simply stunning, with the beautiful color science and film simulations Fujifilm is renowned for. The addition of the “Classic Negative” simulation is a highlight, producing rich, cinematic tones straight out of the camera.

The most crucial upgrade, however, is the redesigned 23mm f/2 lens. For years, a known weakness of the X100 line was its lens’s softness when shooting wide open at close distances. The new lens design completely resolves this issue. It is now critically sharp from corner to corner, even at its minimum focusing distance and widest aperture. This single change elevates the X100V from a great camera to a truly exceptional one, allowing photographers to fully exploit the potential of its high-resolution sensor without compromise.

The Shooting Experience: Modern Meets Classic

Shooting with the X100V is a joy. The unique hybrid viewfinder remains a central feature, allowing you to switch between a bright-line optical viewfinder (OVF) with a digital overlay and a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) with the flick of a lever. It’s the best of both worlds: the immersive, real-world connection of an OVF and the what-you-see-is-what-you-get precision of an EVF. The new tilting screen adds a layer of convenience that is genuinely useful for street photography and creative compositions. While Fujifilm did remove the four-way D-pad in favor of a cleaner design, relying on the joystick and touchscreen for navigation, the tactile dials for aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation ensure the core manual shooting experience remains intact and deeply satisfying. Video capabilities have also been improved, with the ability to shoot 4K at 30fps, making it a competent, if not primary, tool for hybrid creators.

Final Verdict: A Niche, Perfected

The Fujifilm X100V is not a camera for everyone. Its fixed 35mm-equivalent lens is a creative constraint that some will find liberating and others will find limiting. It is an investment, positioned as a premium tool for photographers who value design, user experience, and image quality above all else. For the street photographer, the traveler, the documentarian, or the enthusiast looking for an inspiring “everyday” camera, the X100V is nearly perfect. It successfully marries timeless design with modern technology, correcting the flaws of its predecessors while retaining the soul that made the series a legend. It is, without a doubt, the best camera in its class and a modern classic in its own right.

Where to Buy:

Check it out on Amazon