Fujifilm just announced the X half — a digital camera that offers a unique film experience unlike any other
The X half occupies an interesting place in Fuji's extensive cameras family. The manufacturer has injected the ethos, "Specs and technology aren't everything," into the X half's inception. Could this be one of the best cameras for photography purists?
It features a 1-inch back-illuminated sensor that takes 17MP photos and records FHD/24p video. The back panel houses a 2.14-inch 0.92M-dot LCD touchscreen and a vertical touch panel that lets you swap between 13 of Fuji's most popular film simulation recipes.
A fixed lens camera (32mm f/2.8 prime) like the Fujifilm X100VI, the X half has a retail price of $849 / £699. The camera, then, offers a film-like experience at an accessible price point, unlike the pricier Fujifilm X-Pro 3 which demands more money be spent on glass. The X half is great value for money, though, as it factors in the costs of getting film rolls developed. You can snap film photos and save them directly to your SD card — or view a short simulation of them "developing" within the new X half app.
The X half has a few tricks up its sleeves. The rear LCD monitor, by default, shows you what the camera is pointing at, and you can view the photos you've taken, like on any other digital camera. But the X half has a dedicated film photography mode, where you select the film count (36, 72, etc.) and ISO value.
This also turns the monitor into a shot counter, rolling onto the next number each time you take a photo. And just like on a film camera, you can't see the photo you've taken — until you offload the SD card or use the X half app. The 17MP images the X half produces are ideal for sharing on social media.
You can create diptychs too. Pulling the lever next to the exposure compensation dial lets you take a second photo, and the camera then stitches them into one composition — and you can stitch a photo and video or two videos together too.
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Other features include Fujifilm's fantastic color science which is on full display here. The X half also features human face/eye detection unlike other half-frame film cameras, like the Pentax 17 or the Kodak Ektar H35. Alongside film recipes, there are several new filters to play with including light leak, expired film, miniature, double exposure, etc.
I had the pleasure of seeing and using the camera for a couple of hours at a pre-launch briefing, and I had a very positive experience with it. A detailed review will follow soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
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