If you liked the Pentax 17 half-frame film camera from last year, but are turned off by the hassle and expense of film, then Fujifilm might just have a slightly bonkers solution for you. Called the Fujifilm X Half, this is Fujifilm’s take on a half-frame film camera – but in digital form.
Styled after Fujifilm’s incredibly popular X100VI, the X Half shrinks that classic rangefinder style down into a palm-sized body that weighs just 240g. But this diminutive dynamo isn’t for spec sheet chasers, instead, Fujifilm is aiming this squarely at photographers craving a fun and charming way to get unique and characterful film-like photos.
At its heart sits a 1-inch back-illuminated sensor, although Fujifilm has rotated the sensor 90º and cropped it to a 3:4 to give the camera its signature vertical “half-frame” look – and an orientation much more friendly to social media. Likewise, the rear screen of the camera is a 2.4-inch 3:4 LCD panel, and the 3:4 optical viewfinder (without any hybrid overlays like the X100VI) also follows suit.
Images from the X Half have a 17.7MP resolution, which should be plenty good enough for social media. Also in keeping with the slow, methodical classic film-camera inspiration, there is no continuous burst. Video can be recorded in FHD 24p 4:2:0 8-bit, and there is also no in-body or digital image stabilization.
The X Half sports a fixed 10.8mm lens, or 32mm in full frame terms – the same angle of view favoured by Fujifilm’s QuickSnap disposable film cameras – and with an f/2.8 aperture. Despite the diminutive size of the X Half, it still squeezes in a manual aperture ring and focus ring onto its pancake lens.
Atop the camera is an exposure compensation dial (±3), and a film camera-inspired wind lever. Although with no film to wind, this lever takes on a different purpose – the X Half’s new 2-in-1 mode. If you wind the lever between frames and the X Half stitches two vertical shots, video clips, or a combination of the two into a single composition. In the photography art world, these are known as diptychs and are used to frame two images into a narrative.
The X Half also features a brand new film camera mode – which hopes to emulate the experience of shooting with a real film camera. In this mode, the X Half forces you to choose the number of frames (36, 48, or 72) before you start shooting; you then can’t back out, review any of your images, or change your film simulation until you have finished your “roll” – much like a film camera.
This “roll” can then be “developed” in the new Fujifilm X Half app, where you will also have the option to see all of your images in the gallery, save images to your device, and also make more 2-in-1 diptychs. The X Half will also be able to connect directly to Instax printers as well as Instax Evo cameras to directly print instant photos.
The X Half will include 13 of Fujifilm’s hallmark film simulations, including the Provia, Velvia, Astia, Classic neg, Nostalgic neg, Sepia, Classic Chrome, Eterna, Acros (Std/Ye/R/G), and the latest Reala Ace. Film simulations are displayed in the X Half’s secondary screen on the rear – designed to look like a roll of film as seen through the window on a film camera. You can swipe up and down on the screen to cycle through film simulation options.
Film simulations can also be combined with digital filters, including light leaks, expired film, halation, date stamp, canvas, retro, vignetting, blue, fish-eye, double exposure, and film grain for unique film-like photos.
To access all the options, the X Half has a new menu design that features the most touch-oriented design of any Fujifilm camera to date, with the two screens working in combination alongside swipes and taps to navigate through menus.
Fujifilm is also promising a very impressive up to 880 shots on a single battery, with the X Half using the same NP-W126S battery as the X100VI (which can only dream of getting that many shots).
The X Half is set to land on 12 June for $849 / £699 / AU$1,349, which, if you’re playing the specs comparison game, is quite a steep price to pay – but with nothing else out there like the experience the X Half is bringing, I think this little camera is going to have a big appeal.
You might also like...
- Check out all our picks for the best Fujifilm camera in our guide
- If you are looking to shoot some real film, then take a look at our guide for the best film cameras.
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