The Fujifilm X100VI Hands-On First Impressions - Worth It?

1. What's New?

You now have a 40MP APS-C X-Trans Sensor, which you'd find in the Fujifilm X-T5 and X-H2. There's in-body image stabilization now, which should compensate for all that coffee you can't stop drinking. There's an upgrade to the X-Processor 5, which brings along many software updates but, most notably, a substantial improvement to autofocus performance and subject tracking. I'm also happy to see the inclusion of the Reala Ace film simulation introduced with the Fujifilm GFX 100 II last year.

Looking at the body, you'd have to get closer to spot the differences. At 521g, it feels slightly heavier. There's a tiny design change to the front toggle switch. And overall, the camera is just a smidge thicker. Other than that, it's not much different. You get the same lens, the same flash, the same ND filter, the same hybrid viewfinder, the same tilting display, and even the same battery.

So, if we take all the upgrades with what's being carried over from the predecessor, what can you expect from the photographer's experience? I decided to spend a few weeks across several environments to find out.

2. What Will People Enjoy?

What makes this camera so enjoyable is how effortless it feels in the hand. At well under 600g, it's light and feels like more of an extension of your hand. You don't have to fight it to take a photo. You have direct access to the key photography settings, and as I've said in the past, a layout like this makes for an easier path to learning photography.

The film simulations reinforce the "enjoyment loop" of this camera. I decided to revisit my recipes and create a new set for my current tastes, and yeah, it's still fun to craft a unique look on camera. While I'll always have a RAW copy for serious work, a good recipe makes the JPEG plenty good for sharing casually.

The new Reala Ace film simulation is based on the (now discontinued) color-negative film stock of the same name. As I said in my GFX 100 II video, this one has a good amount of contrast but offers a more neutral color palette than the standard color profile. It serves as a versatile starting point to create a new recipe.

As mentioned, this camera uses the same sensor as the Fujifilm X-T5 and X-H2. At 40MP, you have plenty of resolution; if you're asking me, it's more than an X100VI customer will ever need. This sensor should deliver incredible results and even fair well in some professional environments. Whether for BTS work or tackling the actual shot list, you have an extremely capable sensor and processor that'll keep up in all environments.

I'm looking forward to test-driving the RAW files for an upcoming review.

I hope we see tethering support soon, but what's arguably better is that this camera offers Frame.IO support. You can build a solution on a set where this camera captures images and transfers them to the cloud, where your team can review the files and add notes almost instantaneously. Really cool sh*t.

3. What Do I Love?

I might be in the minority here, but I love using the optical viewfinder on this camera. I see the world with zero latency, where I can use the parallax-corrected frame lines to anticipate my subject. And most of all, it just makes for a shooting experience I enjoy. But here's the thing: you still get the option to use the electronic viewfinder if that's what you want. Or the back LCD if that feels more comfortable. Or the hybrid option that's an optical window with a tiny EVF display if you're a psychopath.

A key benefit of the 40MP sensor is that you can crop or skew your image and still have much resolution and detail left over for post-processing. A camera like this will land well with customers who often need to realign/skew buildings or landscapes in post.

What makes the X100 series unique is that you have this leaf shutter system with a 4-stop neutral density filter and a built-in flash. It's just three things, but together, they exponentially improve what a camera can do, and you start to wish it was included with every camera on the market. It's like when the British discovered chili, saffron, and turmeric. There was no going back.

If it's too bright outside and you want a wider aperture, toggle the ND filter to cut the light. If your subject is moving quickly and you like to freeze the moment, turn on the flash because it'll work at any shutter speed. If you're 100 hours into Hogwarts Legacy and starting another play-through as Hufflepuff, for the love of god, please touch the grass. The X100VI can't solve every problem, but when it comes to photography, it gives you just about everything you need.

4. What About Accessories?

A healthy ecosystem of accessories has been built for the X100 series, and many of you will be happy to know that anything that worked with the X100V will work with X100VI. Something that everyone should invest in right away is the filter ring adapter and a filter of some kind. These additions are necessary if you want to complete the weather resistance of the camera.

You can use the digital converter in the camera to punch in for a 50mm or 70mm equivalent perspective. But if this is your only camera, consider the wide or teleconverters. If you're asking me, 35mm is still the GOAT, but some people might want a 28mm option. Or a 50mm perspective without a digital crop. These pieces do a great job of bringing more value to an already capable camera.

Add a second battery to the cart if you're buying this camera. The battery life has slightly improved, but with how much you'll use this thing, you'll need a second battery for those long photography days.

5. What About Video?

If you ask me, this is more of a photo camera than a hybrid solution, but that didn't stop Fujifilm from including some robust video features. You can shoot up to 6.2K video at 30P. If you're going to capture short clips that may be resized for different resolutions and orientations, this feature will prove helpful.

As with most modern Fujifilm cameras, you can capture in F-Log or F-Log2, depending on what works best. Fujifilm claims you can get up to 13 stops of dynamic range in the best-case scenario.

The in-body image stabilization promises up to 6-stops of compensation, making video capture smoother in the field. Or going back to the photos for a second where I think this shines, being able to capture a steady shot at a tenth of a second. You have a mic jack, micro-HDMI, and USB-C that can double as a headphone port with the correct adapter. You have all the ports you need to flesh this into a video capture tool if you want to. Or, use it as a webcam.

Will most X100VI customers capture enough video on this camera to warrant these features? I don't think so. But it sure looks good on the spec sheet. And for those who do take the time to play with the Log files and develop their skills to expose correctly in the field, you can create some truly stunning clips. It brings some work, but there's no denying that these files can deliver exceptional moments.

6. What Are Your Thoughts?

In my long-term review of the Fujifilm X100V, I called it the perfect companion camera where it just keeps photography fun. And now, there's a lot to be excited about with this new version. It's a better X100V on paper, which will make many people happy.

But I can also hear the die-hards and skeptics arguing that Fujifilm didn't do enough.

I've shared my first impressions, and in my upcoming review, I want to explore what this camera means for the market, test how the UHS-I card slot impacts performance, push the limits of video production, and ultimately, figure out who's going to benefit most from a camera like this.

But until then, let me know what you think about this camera in the comments below. Did Fujifilm do enough to secure your pre-order? Or are you planning more of a wait-and-see approach? I'm genuinely curious how you view this camera.