Five years ago, I humorously "leaked: a rumor that Canon was about to release the RiP, a camera with a vertical sensor designed for Instagram influencers. Sadly, the RiP never came to market, but the concept may have inspired Fujifilm’s intriguing new camera.
The RiP would have been groundbreaking; my article explained how its 5:4 sensor, mounted for portrait orientation images, was designed to allow influencers to produce Instagram-ready content more efficiently. Creator bundles of the RiP would ship with a yellow anorak and a string of fairy lights, with the premium option featuring a wide-brimmed hat, a canoe, and a white Land Rover Defender.
Suddenly, this daft idea might not be as ludicrous as it first seemed, assuming you believe the rumors that surround Fujifilm’s new teaser video. The 20-second clip doesn’t give much away, but the “Half the Size, Twice the Story” tagline has led to speculation that this is either a half-frame film camera that will compete with the Pentax 17, or a digital camera with a small sensor — in portrait orientation.
The rumor site Fujirumors started making noise about the half-frame camera a few months ago. The latest claims are that the forthcoming “X-Half” will feature an f/2.4 aperture fixed lens, an optical viewfinder, an exposure compensation dial, and, most importantly, a vertical LCD. Given that the vast majority of images today are shot in portrait orientation, would it make sense to make a digital point-and-shoot that matches today’s scroll-ready aesthetic?
My dumb satire article might not have been so dumb after all. Five years is about the right timeframe for taking a concept and bringing it to production, so maybe I should get in touch with Fujifilm and let them know where to send my check.
Personally, I’m with those Fujifilm fans hoping for a half-frame film camera. I’ve been playing with the Pentax 17 over the last month, a camera that initially got me excited on the screen but has proven a bit frustrating now that it’s in my hands; I’ve lost count of how many images I’ve ruined by having accidentally bumped the mode dial, and the zone focusing never makes me feel comfortable that a shot is going to be sharp. I love half-frame, and I dream of a compact rangefinder with a fast prime — something like the Olympus PEN EED.
I doubt Fujifilm will go analog, however, so my dream will have to wait. However, if a vertical sensor isn’t a stupid idea, maybe a digital camera with manual rangefinder focusing isn’t so stupid either, especially if the optical viewfinder rumor proves to be true.
So, what is Fujifilm planning? We’ll find out on May 22. Until then, leave your best guesses in the comments below.
