The Fujifilm X half isn’t your typical camera—it prioritizes a unique shooting experience over flashy specs. Its appeal lies in capturing a vibe, making it ideal if you're drawn to creative photography that goes beyond pixels and autofocus points.
Coming to you from Dustin Abbott, this straightforward video covers what the Fujifilm X half brings to the table and what it intentionally leaves behind. Abbott points out that this camera isn’t built to impress with specs like autofocus speed or dynamic range, but instead emphasizes a stylish, compact design and user experience. It’s half the size of the X100 series, weighing just 8.5 ounces with battery and memory card, making it perfect to carry everywhere. The unusual vertical LCD encourages vertical compositions, a thoughtful touch if you're tired of rotating cameras sideways. But be warned: the optical viewfinder offers limited magnification, making manual focusing challenging, especially under tricky lighting conditions.
Abbott finds the camera's “Film Camera Mode” interesting, letting you simulate shooting on rolls of film with between 36 and 72 shots, adding date stamps and film-like aesthetics directly in-camera. You won't get previews here; the images only reveal themselves after you digitally "develop" them through Fujifilm’s X half App. The intentional limitations may either charm or frustrate you—there’s no raw shooting or sophisticated autofocus tracking, just nine autofocus points and somewhat leisurely performance. While Abbott struggled with accurate focus in this mode, he acknowledges it captures the unpredictable feel of film photography—mistakes included.
Key Specs
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Sensor: 17.74 Megapixel CMOS (1"-type, 13.3 x 8.8 mm)
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Lens: Fixed 10.8mm (32mm equivalent), f/2.8-f/11 aperture range
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ISO range: 200 to 12,800
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Video: Vertical format, MOV/MP4 at 2160 x 1440 (23.98 fps) and 1080 x 1440 (23.98 fps)
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Display: Fixed 2.4-inch touchscreen LCD (920,000-dot)
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Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C charging and data transfer
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Battery life: Approximately 880 frames per charge
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Dimensions: 4.2 x 2.5 x 1.8 inches
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Weight: 8.5 oz (including battery and memory card)
Despite the appealing retro looks and pocket-friendly size, Abbott admits the X half’s autofocus and manual focusing performance leave room for improvement. It doesn't excel in challenging lighting conditions, and manual focusing relies heavily on guesswork, especially without digital magnification or a high-quality EVF. Abbott suggests aperture priority mode with exposure compensation as the most practical shooting setup, bypassing the cumbersome manual shutter speed adjustments.
This camera targets a niche: those craving a stylish, experience-driven photographic journey rather than high performance or flexibility. It's tailored for capturing candid moments, spontaneous portraits, and everyday snapshots with built-in film effects like grain, light leaks, and nostalgic color profiles. Fujifilm’s expertise in delivering pleasing JPEG colors is evident here, although image quality declines quickly at higher ISO values. Video performance mirrors this simplicity, offering limited resolution and minimal controls—ideal for quick social media posts but not much else.
Abbott believes the Fujifilm X half is slightly overpriced for its feature set at around $849, but acknowledges Fujifilm’s track record in successfully marketing lifestyle-oriented cameras. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Abbott.
