In her Fuji X100S review video, our head of testing takes an in-depth look at what this X100 replacement has to offer.

While Fuji has promised 70 improvements on the X100S, the the big news is that its APS-C format X-Trans CMOS II sensor boasts the same colour filter arrangement as the Fuji X-Pro1.

In her Fuji X100S review video, Angela Nicholson takes a look at the new Fuji camera’s image quality, performance and and key specs to see if it’s the right camera for you.

Fuji X100S Review Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Angela Nicholson, head of testing for Future’s photography portfolio and in this video I’m going to be looking at the Fuji X100S.

Like the X100 it replaces, the Fuji X100S has an APS-C format X-Trans CMOS II sensor inside it, however it has 16.3-million effective pixels instead of 12.3 million and Fuji has used the same sensor design as is in the X-Pro1.

This sensor doesn’t have the standard Bayer colour filter, but uses a random arrangement of colour filters within each block of 36 photo receptors, and this makes the images less prone to suffering from Moire interference.

As a result Fuji has left off the the anti-aliasing filter that is normally used to avoid moire patterning, and this enables the camera to capture sharper details.

As it’s a so-called compact camera the 23mm f/2 lens on the Fuji X100S is fixed and it gives a 35mm focal length equivalence of 34.5mm – which is a great choice for street and documentary photography.

As you can see the Fuji X100S has the same retro design as the X100 and exposure is set using this aperture ring, shutter speed dial and exposure compensation dial.

When the dials are both set to A, the camera takes control over the exposure. When just the shutter speed dial is on A, the camera is in aperture priority mode, while shutter priority is selected by setting the aperture dial on A and selecting the shutter speed you want to use.

Fuji has worked on improving its automatic focusing for the X100S, and although there’s usually a small, but noticeable backwards and forwards adjustment, the hybrid focusing system usually gets the subject sharp pretty quickly. It even copes well with quite low light.

The continuous autofocusing is also reasonably fast and smooth, but it’s rather hampered by the fact that the AF point is limited to the centre of the frame.

The X100S can be set to focus manually via this switch, and there are a couple of new features available to help you get the image sharp.

First off, the X100S is the first camera to feature a digital split image and when this option is selected the centre of the screen or viewfinder is turned monochrome and divided into bands.

When the image in these bands aligns, the subject is in focus. It’s reasonably effective, but it’s not always easy to see what’s going on.

I prefer to use the focus peaking option. When this is active, the focused areas are outlined with white and black. I find this pretty easy to use, but there are times when it would be helpful to be able to choose different highlight colours.

The X100S can record images as raw or JPEG files or both simultaneously. There’s also a collection of 10 film simulation modes that give JPEG images a particular look. Provia, for instance is the default or standard setting, its a good choice for many situations, but there’s also Velvia when you want more vivid colours with higher saturation, and Astia for a more subtle, natural result.

Though the film simulation modes can be used when shooting raw and JPEG images, the Advanced filters can only be applied to JPEGS. However, it’s nice that the camera automatically switches to shooting JPEGs when a filter is selected, and you don’t need to delve into the menu to change file format.

Like the X100, the X100S has a nice solid build and although the grips are fairly minimal, it feels reasonably secure in your hand. The control arrangement is the same as on the X100, but this button is now marked with a Q rather than Raw and gives access to the quick menu. This menu provides a quick route to 16 of the most useful features for speedy adjustment. You just navigate to the one you want and select the setting using this dial.

Although the direct-view optical finder can display key information like the exposure values and AF point, I prefer the electronic finder as it shows the image as it will be captured – and it gives a nice clear view with plenty of detail.

While the X100S might intimidate novice photographers, enthusiasts will find there plenty to get excited about and the exposure controls are a joy to use. Perhaps even more importantly, its also capable of capturing superb, well-exposed images with lots of sharp detail and pleasant colours.

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When our testing team took a look at the Fuji FinePix X10 it really impressed them, so naturally they were pleased to learn that the Fuji FinePix X20 that replaces it is fundamentally the same, but with a sensor based on the one in the superb Fuji X-Pro1.

However, while the Fuji X100S and the Fuji X-Pro1 have APS-C format sensors, the Fuji X20 uses a 2/3-inch X-Trans CMOS II device with 12 million effective pixels.

In her Fuji X20 review video, Amy Davies takes a look at what this new Fuji camera has to offer.

Fuji X20 Review Video Transcript

This is the Fuji X20, the upgrade to the popular and well-respected X10.

If you’ve seen or used the X10, you probably won’t see much of a difference between the two cameras, as they use pretty much the same body design.

Fuji says that there have been over 50 improvements made to this camera, most of which take place inside. Probably the most notable is the sensor design, which, has a random colour filter array that means the sensor doesn’t need an anti-aliasing filter, like the X100S and X Pro1.

This is quite a chunky compact camera, and because of its protruding lens, you’re unlikely to be able to fit it in a trouser pocket. As with the other cameras in the X range, Fuji has gone for a retro design, with a textured coating and a protruding grip here that makes the camera feel very secure in the hand.

It’s via the lens that the camera is powered on, by twisting it around like this. It’s great for capturing quick action, but, on the downside, when the camera auto-powers off, you need to twist it off and on again to reactivate the camera.

Here on the top of the camera we’ve got two mode dials, one for switching between the various modes the camera offers, and another for adjusting exposure compensation. This dial is easily reached by the thumb and is handy for making quick changes.

On the mode dial you’ll find fully automatic modes, semi automatic modes – such as aperture priority and shutter priority – and, usefully, two slots for custom functions. You can save groups of settings to these, handy if you often find yourself shooting particular types of scenes.

Also on top of the camera is a small function button. By default this is set to ISO sensitivity, but there’s a number of options you could assign to this – such as Film Simulation.

The back of the camera is pretty similar to many other digital compact cameras on the market. Here we’ve got a four way directional pad, with a Menu button in the centre and surrounded by a jog dial.

One small change from the X10 is that this button, which was previously marked with RAW, is now the Quick Menu button.

This scrolling dial here can be used to alter aperture or shutter speed, depending on the mode you’re in. When in fully manual mode, you can either push in the dial to switch between the two, or use this dial for altering one and the scrolling dial for the other.

Several of the key options have direct access buttons. For instance, white balance can be accessed here, drive mode here and metering – called photometry by Fuji – here. When you need more extensive settings, the Quick Menu is a great way to access them. Use the arrow keys to scroll around these options, and then scroll with the thumb dial to make changes.

There’s no touchscreen on the X20, so to change the autofocus point, first you’ll need to hit the up key, then use either the scrolling dial or the arrow keys to move around to the point you want to use.

The thumb dial can then be used to alter the size of the autofocus point for more precise focusing. Macro focusing is activated via the left key, and you can choose between standard macro and super macro which allows you to get as close as 1cm from the subject.

The X20 has an optical viewfinder. There’s a sensor here which detects when you’ve lifted the camera to your eye, switching off the rear LCD screen.

One of the more noticeable improvements to the X20 has been made to the finder, which now includes a Digital Trans Panel to display key information such as aperture, shutter speed and focus area.

This 460,000 dot screen is the same as that found on the X20. It’s a reasonably good performer, not suffering too badly from glare and reflection in all but the brightest of light. It also has a good angle of view, helping when you want to shoot from slightly awkward positions.

We had very high hopes for the X20, since the X10 performed so well. Happily, we have not been disappointed with the image quality from the camera. Images are bright and punchy, and the new sensor design means it is capable of resolving more detail.

The X20 makes a great standalone camera, but it is also worth considering for owners of larger cameras looking for an excellent backup, or everyday, camera.

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The latest Fuji mirrorless camera to hit the market is the Fuji X-E1, a retro rangefinder-style body which is in many respects another version of the popular Fuji X-Pro1, only without the hybrid viewfinder.

The Fuji X-E1 boasts 16.3-megapixel resolution and uses the same X-Trans CMOS sensor as the X-Pro1, which managed to out-resolve many full-frame DSLRs in our test of that camera.

The Fuji X-E1 also shares the X-Pro1’s EXR Pro image processor. Along with a host of other solid features on its spec sheet that have led many to speculate that the Fuji X-E1 could be the first Fuji camera to bring the manufacturer wider mainstream appeal.

Amy Davies of our testing team recently got hold of a post-production model of this new Fuji camera. Watch her Fuji X-E1 review video below to find out whether this latest offering from Fuji is in a league of its own.

Fuji X-E1 Review Video Transcript

This is the X-E1′s, Fuji’s latest compact system camera. It’s an addition to Fuji’s premium X range and is the second camera in the series to feature interchangeable lenses. It features the same 16 million pixel sensor, processor and lens mount as the popular X Pro1.

Looking at the two cameras side by side reveals lots of similarities, but the X-E1 is smaller, partly due to the lack of the hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder found on the X Pro1.

Instead, the X-E1 uses an electronic only device. While some may object to not having the option to use an optical viewfinder, in practice we’ve found that the high resolution device is more than adequate, and in fact even preferable in some cases to using the optical finder which is a part of the X Pro 1’s hybrid device.

There’s no mode dial on the X-E1, instead you control various parameters via an aperture ring on the lens, shutter speed dial on the top of the camera and an exposure compensation dial here.

Although there’s no “fully automatic” mode, you can get pretty close by setting both the aperture and shutter speed wheel to automatic.

The body of the camera is fairly large, with a nice chunky grip and an imitation leather covering. These make it pretty easy to shoot with the camera one-handed if you need to.

On the back of the camera there’s also a fairly extensive range of buttons. The majority of regularly used settings can be accessed via this Q button. It’s recessed into the grip, which makes the camera nice and sleek but unfortunately can make it a little tricky to find the button when using the camera with the EVF.

You can change the drive mode via this button – so you can choose between single shooting, the various bracketing modes and continuous shooting. Right at the bottom here you’ll also find video mode – there’s no direct buttons on the body to activate video shooting, which may be a little frustrating if you like to shoot movies often.

This button on the bottom is what you need to use to change the autofocus point. After pressing it, use the arrow keys here to choose the point you want. It’s fairly easy to use – even when holding the camera up to the eye – but a touchscreen would have made selecting a point much quicker.

The rear LCD screen is slightly smaller than the X Pro1′s, and a has a much lower resolution at 460 thousand dots. That said, it’s still a good performer with reflections and glare kept to a minimum, even in bright light.

It can also be seen from a wide range of angles, so although it’s not a vari-angle or articulating screen, you can still shoot reasonably well from awkward positions.

An eye sensor next to the EVF recognises when you lift the camera to your eye to automatically switch off the LCD screen and activate the EVF. Handily, if you hit this View Mode button, you can switch the Eye Sensor on or off, meaning if you only want to use the EVF or the LCD screen for some reason, it won’t keep switching between.

One of the key criticisms of the X Pro1 was its focusing speed. Fuji has addressed that issue with a new firmware version, available for both the X-Pro1 and already installed on the X-E1 as standard. This significantly improves focusing time, making it as quick and easy to use as many other compact system cameras on the market.

We anticipated great things from the Fuji X-E1, since it shares the same sensor as the excellent X Pro1. Happily, we’ve found that the camera is capable of producing images which are punchy, sharp and full of detail.

The new high quality kit lens – an 18-55mm optic with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at the widest end – is a great addition to the line-up and makes the whole system a lot more flexible for use everyday.

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Inside Fuji’s first compact system camera (CSC), the Fuji X-Pro1, is a 16.3 million pixel X-Trans CMOS that produces images of up to 15.89MP.

This means that when images are printed at 300ppi, they are just a small fraction short of full A3 size – ideal for most enthusiast photographers.

Although this sensor is APS-C sized, Fuji claims that its cunning design enables the X-Pro1 to produce images that are superior to those from a full frame DSLR like the Canon EOS 5D Mark II or Nikon D700.

The secret is in the arrangement of the pixels.

Unlike most cameras that use a Bayer pattern of red, green, green and blue receptors (usually referred to as RGGB) arranged in a 2 x 2 grid, the X-Trans CMOS device uses a 6 x 6 RGGB filter array pattern, with a random arrangement of colour filters within each block of 36 photo receptors.

Fuji claims this avoids the issue of moiré patterning, which can occur as a result of the fine grid structure that makes up the average Bayer pattern sensor.

As a result, Fuji hasn’t fitted X-Pro1 with an anti-aliasing filter, which means it should be able to produce sharper images from the outset.

The Fuji X-Pro1 is the brand’s first interchangeable lens camera since the Fuji FinePix S5 Pro, which dates from September 2006. While the S5 Pro is a DSLR that accepts Nikon F-mount lenses, the Fuji X-Pro1 is a compact system camera debuting Fuji’s X mount.

Read the full Fuji X-Pro 1 review on our sister site TechRadar

UPDATE: our testing team has posted their full Fuji X-Pro 1 review over at TechRadar. They like. They really like!

The Fujifilm X Pro 1 compact system camera has beaten the Leica M9 and some of the top full frame DSLRs, including the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, in resolution tests conducted by our testing team.

When the Fuji X Pro 1 was announced back in January, a ripple of disbelief spread around the globe after Fuji claimed that its APS-C sized sensor was capable of producing better results than full-frame cameras.

It does this by arranging the colour filters in a way that allows for the low-pass filter to be removed.

Naturally, the team here at Digital Camera world was very excited to receive the X-Pro 1 so we could put it through our rigorous testing to see if it managed to live up to the hype.

We are extremely pleased to report that the X Pro1 doesn’t disappoint.

Our analysis pitted the Fuji camera against the full-frame Leica M9 and two full frame DSLRs: the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Nikon D700.

Shot using the Fujinon XF60mm f/2.4 Macro lens, it was only the 5D Mark II that had a better signal to noise ratio result for raw files.

Our testing team has also been out shooting real world images with the X Pro 1, and again we have been pleased with the initial results.

We will be putting the camera through even more extensive testing over the coming days, to bring you a full in-depth analysis. In the meantime you can read the Hands On: Fuji X Pro1 review by our testing team over on our sister site TechRadar.

As soon as we are able we will compare the X-Pro1 with the latest generation of full-frame DSLRs, the Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon D800.