Fuji X100s Review

As much as I loved my Fuji X100, the X100s is that much better and is quite possibly the best camera I own. Fast, responsive, amazing color, tack sharp, great handling, spectacular low-light capabilities, flash sync to 1/4000 sec, all in one amazing little package. As most of you know, I’ve been an X100 fanboy for some time. It’s been my go-to camera for everything from portraits, to streetshots and a lot in between. It was always with me and now it’s been replaced! As great as the X100 was, the X100s is just that much better. Every gripe that I had with the X100 has been addressed with the X100s. It’s nimble and quick. Okay, not Nikon DSLR quick, but so much quicker and more responsive. The focus is fast and tack sharp. This was a huge problem with the X100. Many people were turned off with the slow and quirky focus, but Fuji nailed it with the X100s. Close focusing. I can now focus within 18 inches of my subject!!! This may be the single best feature of the camera for me! The X100 was cool for portraits – so long as you were at it’s minimum focus distance of 2.6 feet. Not quite ideal for portraits with a fixed 35mm equivalent lens.

Previously, it was considered the poor-man’s Leica. I think now it’s the modern man’s Leica! Many journalistic Leica shooters favored a Leica with 35mm lens. Tack sharp and good for most type of shooting from portraits to environment. Now, the Fuji with reliable auto-focus, extreme ISO sensitivity, tack sharp optics affordable price tag may just be the replacement. I don’t want to piss off any red dot enthusiasts, but there is something sweet about having all of that AND auto-focus! However I don’t want to digress, so lets stay on topic.

Right now, I’ve got just 3 digital cameras. My Nikon D3s for when I need to shoot and focus really fast – whether it be stopping action or shooting a lot of frames quickly. My Hasselblad for when I want that insane resolution and that medium format three-dimensional look. My Fuji X100s for everything else. I had the Fuji X-Pro 1 for a little bit. As great as that camera system may be, I only liked the 35mm f/1.4 lens. So, to just have that body and lens, it was too much to carry around. That and I found the focusing system to be a bit odd and not as intuitive as the X100s. So I let it go. Just like I felt the D4 was only an evolution to the D3s and let that go. Sometimes you need to put a camera to use to get a sense of how it works in your shooting style. I am not a collector and really only have gear that I need and use. I will use the X100s for just about anything and everything. Would I use it on a job? Absolutely! It’s that outstanding of a camera. Will it replace my Nikon or Hasselblad? No, it’s just different, but fills a very important niche. Can I live without it? Hell no!

So… the price tag. It’s not inexpensive. For that price you could get into a used D700 or 5DMKII. But the X100s is just a different animal. I know for a lot of you guys, it’s tempting. For the enthusiasts out there, it’s a must have. If you’re on a tight budget and don’t need the latest and greatest, you can pick up a used X100 for half the price of an X100s now.

I’m not sponsored by Fuji. I have nothing to gain by singing their praises, but man, I am shouting from the mountaintop because the Fuji X100s is amazing. I popped over to my friend Tim’s motorcycle garage with the Fuji X100s. Take a moment and check out HarneyBoyBikes.com. Tim’s an amazing bike builder and beside being featured on Cafe Racer TV, his bikes have been featured in countless magazines. I fired the very first frame with my X100s of Tim in his shop knowing that I wanted to break in the camera with a proper portrait shoot and wow am I impressed with the results. Tack sharp focus, spectacular bokeh, gorgeous skin tones, and what’s not to love about flash sync up to 1/4000 sec!

For me, it’s the perfect camera. Amazing that all of that capability is in such a small package. Sure, the X100s isn’t for everyone, but for any of you guys who are ready to pop on one, you won’t be disappointed. If you were a fan of the X100, then you will love the X100s. The Fuji X100s is THE camera and for anyone who’s been considering one or anyone who’s got the X100 and loves shooting with it, then the X100s is a must-have.

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Here’s the BTS of the lighting setup:

NOTE: You will need to update your Adobe Lightroom to 4.4 in order to open and edit RAW files from the Fuji X100s.