It’s extremely moveable. At 4.2 by 2.5 by 1.8 inches and simply 8.5 ounces (together with its battery and a reminiscence card), the X Half is lower than 0.25 inch bigger than our favourite point-and-shoot digital camera, the Sony RX100 VII, in every dimension. Nevertheless it’s additionally greater than 2 ounces lighter.
Once I wasn’t utilizing it, I largely saved it on a bit of furnishings close to the doorway to my house so I’d keep in mind to seize it at any time when I went out.
It matches effective in a sweatshirt pocket, and also you’ll barely discover it hanging in your shoulder in case you use it with a conventional strap. It comes with a easy wrist strap, although I used the skinny, light-weight Stroppa Flat Digital camera Neck Strap, which we suggest in our present information for photographers.
In good lighting, its photos look nice. The X Half’s 1-inch sensor is vertically oriented, so while you maintain the digital camera naturally, you make vertical (or portrait) photos. Fujifilm calls this digital camera the X Half as a result of it’s meant to evoke half-frame movie cameras just like the Pentax 17, which use half of a 35mm body of movie for every image. In the identical means, the X Half’s sensor is about half the bodily dimension of the APS-C sensors that Fujifilm makes use of in its mirrorless cameras and the point-and-shoot X100VI.
Though the X100VI’s photos comprehensively outshine these from the X Half, this little digital camera nonetheless makes very good 18-megapixel images in good mild. The picture high quality is almost nearly as good as that of the Sony RX100 VII, which makes use of the same-size sensor, regardless of that digital camera costing about twice as a lot. However the RX100 VII additionally offers you way more management, has a zoom lens and picture stabilization, and is supposed to deal with a greater variety of images than the X Half.
In vivid mild, the X Half’s photos are sharp and detailed. Capturing them could be very a lot level and shoot: Simply body your topic up, time issues excellent, and also you’ll get the shot. No have to fuss with settings.
In dim circumstances, you should use the built-in LED flash, however you shouldn’t anticipate it to work miracles. It will probably fill in shadows and make portraits extra flattering when your topic is within the shade, however utilizing it at night time produces a harsher look (albeit one which evokes images made with previous movie compact cameras).
Its interface is easy and enjoyable. The X Half has solely two buttons: the shutter launch and playback. As well as, it has a few management rings, a dial, a swap, a lever, and two touchscreens.
The 2 screens work in tandem to navigate by menus. The smaller one selects submenus or allows you to again out or cancel an motion, whereas the bigger reveals choices and allows you to dig deeper or choose a setting.
When you’re taking pictures, the smaller display shows the movie simulation or filter you’ve chosen. A fast swipe up or down strikes to a unique one. The X Half doesn’t present as many movie sims as you get with Fujifilm’s fancier cameras, and you may’t customise them, however all of the fan favorites (like Basic Chrome, Acros, and Velvia) are there. You’ll be able to select from 13 in complete.
The X Half additionally has an array of 26 filters you should use so as to add results like double exposures, random mild leaks, or the look of expired movie. We cherished utilizing them.
The lever, discovered on the rear of the digital camera the place your thumb sits, is an sudden design contact. In movie mode (extra on this under), it advances to the following body, and in regular taking pictures, it allows you to be part of two photos collectively as a diptych. It additionally stands proud slightly while you flip the digital camera on, and urgent it inward brings up the final picture you captured on the bigger display.
Like a lot concerning the X Half, this contact helps preserve you within the second as a result of it allows you to verify in case you bought the shot you needed whereas stopping you from wanting by different photos you’ve just lately made. You should utilize the playback button in case you completely want to try this.
Its autofocus is fundamental however efficient. When you choose to make use of extra than simply the central AF space, you’ll be able to solely choose from a grid of 9 focus factors. The reside view on the principle touchscreen is so small that it’s powerful to focus manually, regardless that the digital camera allows you to strive.
Handbook publicity is an choice, however like handbook focus, it feels out of step with the ethos behind this digital camera. We most loved utilizing the X Half in program mode, which is absolutely computerized while you use auto ISO, as we did. From time to time, we as an alternative shot in aperture precedence, the place you choose the aperture with the ring on the lens to manage how a lot of your scene is in focus.
Movie mode retains you centered on making photos. The X Half features a movie mode, which mimics the expertise of taking pictures movie. It asks you to decide on a movie simulation, what number of frames you need (36, 54, or 72), and an publicity mode — and that’s what you may have till you end the “roll.”
The whole lot else could be very locked down while you’re taking pictures in movie mode:
- You’ll be able to solely use the central autofocus level.
- The LCD reside view is disabled, so it’s important to compose all photographs utilizing the optical viewfinder.
- You’ll be able to’t transfer on to the following shot till you flick the lever to “advance” the roll.
In movie mode, the principle LCD display turns right into a fundamental data show that reveals what number of photographs are left, plus your battery degree and a fundamental focus distance scale.
Till you end the roll and “develop” it by sending it to the app in your cellphone, you’ll be able to’t assessment the pictures you’ve made. At first we discovered this jarring, however we rapidly bought used to it and saved our eyes and thoughts on the world round us, in search of the following photograph to seize.
When you flip the digital camera off mid-roll, it’ll keep in movie mode. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to end your roll prematurely by eradicating the battery or reminiscence card or by double-tapping the small touchscreen. The digital camera takes this choice critically, making you verify your alternative twice earlier than accepting your choice. Plus, the app reminds you that you just stopped with out ending by together with clean photos within the contact sheet it generates.
Pictures you seize in movie mode are saved in a separate folder on the reminiscence card, so you can even pop it in a card reader and examine photos that means, in case you desire. However the place’s the enjoyable in that?
Making diptychs is addictive. Diptychs (Fujifilm refers to them as 2-in-1s) aren’t a daily a part of my taking pictures course of with most cameras, however with the ability to pair photos immediately with the X Half has introduced me an sudden quantity of pleasure.
To make a diptych, you merely flick the lever in-between photographs while you’re not in movie mode. You’ll be able to select whether or not you need the primary picture you seize to be on the left or the proper, relying on the way you need your photographs to work together.
That is one place the place the incorrect finder would possibly make you need to use the LCD for framing, so to higher align the sides of the 2 photos.
Its battery life is spectacular. The X Half’s battery is rated for 510 photographs, or 880 in case you solely use the optical finder. I by no means managed to empty the battery, even after a protracted day of taking pictures, however in case you do, you’ll be able to cost it on the go utilizing a moveable energy financial institution by way of USB-C.
The app works properly. The X Half has its personal app, and in testing it paired with the digital camera as simply as the very best digital camera apps we’ve used. After you’ve paired it for the primary time, you simply want it to be in shut proximity to the cellphone and faucet join on the prime of the app display to hyperlink up once more.
Transferring photos and rolls is intuitive. The app reveals a movie strip because it ingests the pictures on a movie mode “roll,” which is fairly amusing to look at. It even has an amber hue evocative of unscanned movie, and frames change to paint (or black-and-white, if relevant) and brighten as soon as they’ve been saved on the cellphone.
On the iPhone 14 Professional Max we used, it moved alongside at an honest clip, taking 2 minutes 7 seconds to obtain a roll of 36 photos.
Picture switch apart, the app is fairly fundamental. It allows you to make diptychs from any photograph you’ve added to the app, and it maintains separate galleries for single photographs, diptychs, and every roll of movie. We discovered it helpful to verify which movie simulation we used for numerous photos, as that data doesn’t present up in your digital camera’s photograph roll. You can too use the app to replace the digital camera’s firmware.
