Two years ago, FUJIFILM launched the prestigious X100 with a FUJINON 23mm f/2 fixed prime lens and superb image quality, in a beautifully designed compact camera body. Its unique style and international acclaim has carved out a niche for a new genre of Premium Compact Camera, designed in pursuit of optimum operability. Today, FUJIFILM is proud to announce the launch of the FUJIFILM X100S, the successor to the FUJIFILM X100, inheriting its elegant design and high-performance lens, whilst evolving further to meet customers’ demands with the introduction of a higher-definition Hybrid Viewfinder and a new sensor and processor.
The X100S has the ability to capture high resolution images, comparable to those taken on full-frame sensors. This is down to a combination of its newly-developed 16.3 megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor and EXR Processor II, which together increase resolution by approx. 25% (*2) and reduce noise by more than 30% (*3). Clear images with minimal graininess, even at high ISO settings, can also be produced, thanks to the removal of the optical low pass filter and the introduction of a more powerful processor.
The newly-developed X-Trans CMOS II sensor has built-in Phase Detection pixels which provide the X100S with the world’s fastest AF in as little as 0.08 seconds (*1). Additionally, the EXR Processor II offers very speedy response times with a start-up time of approx. 0.5 seconds (*4), and a shooting interval of 0.5 seconds. Plus with its shutter time lag of only 0.01 seconds, it allows you to react quickly and capture each precise moment you want to with no missed photo opportunities.
Also new to the FUJIFILM X100S is the world’s first (*5) “Digital Split Image” feature, which displays dual images on the left and right to be lined up for manual focusing. This enables accurate focusing especially when working with an open aperture or macro shooting. What’s more there is a handy Focus Peak Highlight function, which shows you precisely which area of your composition is in focus.
Depending on the subject and scene, users can switch between two viewfinder options: optical or electronic. The Optical Viewfinder (OVF) is useful when users want to see their subject in the same bright clarity that they see with the naked eye, or when time lag is an issue. The high resolution 2.36 million dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) is useful when you want to be able to visually check focus, exposure, white balance and depth of field whilst composing the shot.
Main Features
(1) Sensor performance comparable to full-frame output
The X100S features FUJIFILM’s newly-developed 16.3 megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor with a unique, highly randomised, colour filter arrangement. The benefit of the new array is the elimination of the need for an optical low-pass filter; these are used in conventional sensors to reduce false colour and moiré effects but they also reduce image resolution. The removal of the optical low-pass filter allows the X-Trans CMOS II sensor to maximise the light it receives directly, enabling users to capture much finer detail and optimise resolution levels.
The X100S uses a Lens Modulation Optimiser to reduce optical effects such as lens diffraction, which occurs when light passes through a lens. Even when stopped down to f/16, the X100S retains sharpness and texture in the smallest details, demonstrating the extent of the sensor and lens combination’s capabilities, perfectly.
The excellent sensitivity of the X-Trans CMOS II sensor is coupled with the new EXR Processor II’s advanced signal processing capacity, which can reduce noise by more than 30% (*2) compared to its predecessor. Even when shooting in low-light, at a high ISO setting, the FUJIFILM X100S will produce crisp images with minimal grain.
(2) The World’s fastest Auto Focus and High-speed EXR Processing
With built-in Phase Detection, the X100S offers the world’s fastest AF speed of just 0.08 seconds(*1). The Intelligent Hybrid AF can switch to Contrast AF, dependent on the demands of the subject or scene, to ensure that the camera always auto-focuses quickly and with precision.
The EXR Processor II delivers processing speeds twice that of FUJIFILM’s previous generation processor (*6). The fast responses result in an impressive start-up time of approx. 0.5 seconds (*4), and a shooting interval of 0.5 seconds. In addition the X100S delivers a burst shooting rate of up to 6 frames per second (max. 29 frames) at the full resolution of 16.3 megapixels and the shutter time lag is a mere 0.01 seconds.
(3) Enhanced manual focus performance with the world’s first (*5) ‘Digital Split Image’ display
Making use of the built-in phase detection pixels for AF action, the X100S is the world’s first (*5) camera to offer a “Digital Split Image” feature, which displays dual images on the left and right to be lined up for manual focusing. This enables accurate focusing especially when working with an open aperture or macro shooting.
In addition, the X100S offers a handy Focus Peak Highlight function, which emphasises the outline of the subject focus plane. It provides the photographer with a guide, even in situations where it is difficult to calculate focusing accuracy, allowing users to enjoy manual focusing comfortably, however challenging the conditions.
(4) Premium Hybrid Viewfinder for easy image composition
Offering users freedom when composing photos and adaptability for a range of shooting conditions, the X100S’s Hybrid Viewfinder combines both an Optical and an Electronic Viewfinder.
The electronic viewfinder uses a 100% coverage, extra high resolution, 2,360K-dot High Definition LCD panel. It shows depth-of-field during macro shooting, as well as white balance settings, allowing users to accurately compose their shot while continuously looking through the viewfinder.
The premium quality optical viewfinder offers an easy-to-see magnification of 0.5 at a 23mm focal length and a horizontal apparent field of view of 26 degrees. The all-glass construction uses high-refractive index glass to minimise chromatic aberrations and distortion.
While in the optical viewfinder mode, users can make adjustments to shutter speed, aperture, ISO and other settings without having to take their eye off the viewfinder. The shooting frame (Bright Frame) and text brightness automatically adjust according to the ambient light available, to ensure that the information on the display is easy to see at all times.
The system features an OVF Power Save mode, which activates the power-saving function in the optical viewfinder mode to double the maximum number of images per full charge from 300 (*7) in normal operation.
With FUJINON’s proprietary coating, the viewfinder cleverly resists fingerprints and can easily be wiped clean, so that users can enjoy the optical viewfinder’s clear display without compromise.
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