and welcome back to another video today I want to talk about
the X100V. Its advantages and shortcomings from a first time user of a
fixed focal length compact camera and whether or not you should consider
buying one. the X100V released at a very unfortunate time. Eager
photographers either pre-ordering, or like myself, purchasing upon release
could not have foreseen the COVID-19 situation spiraling out of control;
leading to lockdown, quarantine, self isolation, and social distancing. This
greatly limited our potential enjoyment with the X100V but more importantly
held back in many prospective buyers from taking the plunge.
So should you still get this camera once the lockdown is over?
TLDR: yes of course. But if you want the extended version let's begin. I'd like to
remind people who don't already know that the X100V is a fixed focal length
camera, which means if you are somebody who came from using a camera with a zoom
lens, understand this is the single biggest drawback and potential
deal-breaker. If you are not comfortable with this limitation then I would
straight-up not recommend this camera and you can probably end the video here. So
let's talk about the first advantage. And I think the biggest pro of the camera is
to do with the X100V's overall presentation. The size, features,
performance, aesthetics and price is currently unmatched on the market, to the
point where its only competitors are the older models of itself. Sure there
are compact cameras that are smaller lighter and cheaper, but the build
quality and aesthetics aren't there, and on the other spectrum there are cameras
with subjectively better performance, build quality and aesthetics, but lose
out on size and price. The X100V is balanced and if you are the type of
photographer who doesn't like to compromise, then this is it. From here we
will look at the X100V and how it compares to its predecessors. To be fair,
any of the previous X100 series cameras are still awesome cameras especially if
you are lighter on budget, but the X100V features some pretty exciting changes
that may be worth spending extra for. The most
obvious change is the updated sensor and processor. Keeping up with Fujifilm's
other new X-series cameras the X100V comes with the latest X-trans 4
sensor an X-processor 4 CPU. This means better performance all around especially
for autofocus speed and burst mode buffering. Overall it should feel more
responsive and snappy compared to previous models. The biggest and most
beneficial change is the lens. Since its debut, the 23 millimeter f/2 lens
remained unchanged. While image quality was acceptable in the first few model
iterations, due to a lower 12 or 16 megapixel sensor, the flaws of the lens
started to show in the X100F with its 24 megapixel sensor. Images were soft
around the edges and had a hazy effect when focusing at close distance and a
wide aperture. Fujifilm rebuilt the lens from the ground up for the x100 v adding
an extra aspherical element to combat corner and close focusing sharpness at
wider apertures, and the best part is despite the additional glass element the
size of the lens remains unchanged. The next big advantage is the new touch
screen flip out rear LCD. Again Fujifilm has managed to incorporate this with no
sacrifice to its overall design and form factor. When not in use, it sits flush to
the back panel, retaining a clean seamless look. When you need to get a
lower or higher angle shot, or simply want to see what you are shooting from
the hip, the flip out screen is a godsend. The touch screen is also useful for
situations like these when using the joystick dial isn't as ergonomic. There is
one more feature added to the X100V that personally I find incredibly useful
and hopefully a lot of you out there also like as a camera feature. For the
first time in the X100 series, the V is now weather sealed... provided you follow
the disclaimers and acquire the required adapter ring and filter.
But the fact that this camera can be operated in adverse weather conditions
makes it even more viable as what the X100 series cameras have always been
popularly used for: an everyday take everywhere camera. Subjectively speaking
I value this feature the most because as a street photographer opportunities
don't wait for weather to clear so having a camera like the X100V gives me
no excuse to start shooting. Now while all these new updates are
awesome, I do want to address two important shortcomings this camera
possesses, and both of these points are trade-offs for weather sealing. First off
as I mentioned previously, in order for the X100V to be weather sealed,
you must acquire an adapter and filter for the lens. This is sold separately and
depending on what brand you purchase, may set you back more money on top of what
you paid for the camera itself. It would have been better for Fujifilm to include
these accessories with the camera and have the user decide whether to use it
or not. The second is a known issue of
overheating with the X100V. The advantage of weather sealing means no
external elements can get into the interior however the inverse also holds
true. Through use over time the camera will generate heat, and while this can be
mitigated by having a larger camera body to distribute and dissipate the heat
quicker, it is a lot harder to do for the X100V with its compact frame. This means
intensive tasks such as continuous burst mode and recording video in 4K for
extended periods of time will warm up the camera considerably. There have been
reported cases where due to high ambient temperatures and long 4K recording, the
X100V will cease operation to protect its internal parts from potential heat
damage. This is not a defect of the camera but a limitation due to hardware
constraints and should not be of concern to potential buyers. The X100V is an
all-rounder that can do it all, but it isn't necessarily the best suited for
recording video; at its core it is a photographer's
camera and it excels at taking beautiful images. So if you are someone who is
holding back on purchasing the X100V, I hope this video helped you in the
decision making process. If you like the new features the X100V has to offer, and
have the budget for it, then I would not hesitate and just say go for it. If
however you are put off by the overheating issues, or don't have too
much need for the new features, you can save a lot of money buying used previous
generation X100 models. That about wraps it up for this video.
Thanks guys and until next time