Fujifilm has announced the X-T100, the first model in a new line in the company’s excellent but increasingly overwrought X series of mirrorless cameras.
This one is a relatively low-priced camera that blends Fujifilm’s aesthetic with more conventional, mainstream design.
The form factor is generally SLR-like, and the rear controls are nearly identical to the X-T20, often considered the best X-series entry point. There’s pretty much no grip, though, while the electronic viewfinder “dome” tilts back to reveal a pop-up flash, and there’s a horizontally tilting touchscreen.
The X-T100 also eschews Fujifilm’s dedicated shutter speed and exposure compensation dials for traditional PASM controls, like the entry-level X-A5; there are two unmarked dials on the top of the camera, but it’s not clear what they actually do.
Another thing the X-T100 shares with the X-A5 is the sensor — it’s a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor that doesn’t use Fujifilm’s own X-Trans color array, instead going for the same Bayer layout used by every other camera maker on the planet.
Opinions are generally split on the benefits of X-Trans; some swear by its effect on color and noise performance, others lament the impact on RAW processing workflows.
The X-T100, then, is a pretty unremarkable camera. So who’s it for? Well, it’ll also probably be a pretty great camera for the price, and one that doesn’t require new users to adapt to some of Fujifilm’s quirks.
The X series is getting kind of confusing, so here’s how I’d (extremely briefly) characterize the current lineup, in ascending order of price:
- X-A5: entry-level model without viewfinder, can be used like a point-and-shoot, flip-up screen works well for selfies
- X-T100: entry-level model with viewfinder, can be used like any other camera
- X-T20: entry-level model for “the Fuji way” — compact SLR-style design, X-Trans sensor, film-style controls, touchscreen
- X-E3: essentially the same as X-T20 but with rangefinder-style design
- X-T2: pro-level SLR-style model
- X-Pro2: pro-level rangefinder-style model, optical viewfinder
- X-H1: highest-end SLR-style model, in-body image stabilization, best for video
All of these cameras, of course, share attractive retro design and compatibility with Fujifilm’s best-in-class range of APS-C lenses.
The X-T100, then, makes sense if those are your main reasons for wanting a Fujifilm camera, and you know you want an electronic viewfinder. It’s basically a cheaper X-T20 that works more like something Canon or Sony could have made.
Fujifilm will start selling the X-T100 on June 18, 2018 in the U.S. It’s priced at US$599.95 body-only — US$100 more than the X-A5, US$300 less than the X-T20 — or US$699.95 in a bundle with the new 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 power zoom lens.
Credit: Tech Verge
