Fujifilm X-T100

Fuji X-T100: full review

Stylish Mirrorless, Fuji X-T100 is ideally above entry level models, but slightly below the most advances cameras. It is one of the best cameras to approach digital photography with ambition and, in Fuji, it lays halfway between X-A5 and X-T20.

Aesthetically, Fuji X-T100 has a vintage look, almost a copy of traditional reflex cameras with central viewfinder.

Fuji X-T100: the camera body

Despite being “made in Indonesia”, there’s no doubt about the quality of the camera body of Fuji X-T100: it’s solid, but it hasn’t an excellent grip due to its small size. No big deal, of course, since the texture of the camera body compensate for this issue somehow, with a surface resembling wood, despite being a mix of aluminium and polycarbonate.

The vintage features of Fuji recall the most expensive models of the Japanese company, giving the camera a quite attractive look, with a well-finished and retro 70ies aesthetics.

Weight: 448 grams

Size: 121 x 83 x 47 mm

On the front, X-T100 looks perfectly flat, without grip: you can see the joint for the lenses, the focus sign, the zoom button: minimal design, simple but elegant.

On the top side Fujifilm X-T100 has three rings: one, black for film simulation settings, below there’s the flash button. The other two rings are for selectable programs and exposure. There is also room for the Fn button, completely customizable, and for the quick video recording button.

On the left of the back side there is a small cap for the jack of the external remote control, which is not included in the kit. On the right there’s the port for micro HDMI and the input for microUSB to charge the battery.

Placed in the middle of the camera body, the viewfinder will make the reflex lovers happy thanks to its 2.36 million dots resolution and to information rotating during vertical shot.

The touch-screen display of Fuji X-T100 is not active for settings, but it can be used for Autofocus and some other preset functions. Under the sunlight it is not outstanding, but it’s not that far from other similar displays of the 500€ range.

Shooting and video recording experience

With 24.3 megapixels resolution and 100-51,200 ISO range, the quality and the dynamic range of the pictures you can take with Fuji T-X100 are not that far from better models, especially if you consider the big price difference with the most sophisticated sisters by House Fuji.

Fuji T-X100 offers many shooting modes and semi-automatic programs, besides manual settings for more autonomous and creative users. Personally I was very excited about the feature called Motion Panorama, perfect for landscape… breathtaking. Among the various film simulations, apart from the classic ones, there are also the newest ones, such as Tilt-shift, Toy Camera and HDR Art.

Having tested it for a few hours, I have to say that this Fuji X-T100 is not really lightning quick, to put it mildly. The viewfinder isn’t flawless in capturing the image in certain situations, too. The same goes for Autofocus that, despite its 91 points, is not very precise. The problem, by the way, is common for many medium-low range mirrorless cameras.

As far as ISO performance is concerned, I’d say it’s fine: the range is between 100 and 51,200 (native 200-12,800). Digital noise is visible mainly when you raise the extension to contrast low lights. In short, ISO performance of X-T100 are not glorious but they are good enough.

Mixed feelings also about video recording with Fuji X-T100, expressly 4K but actually… a fake Ultra HD, with 15 fps top rate. Of course, this does not prevent you from recording in Full HD, 60 frames per second. Videos can last up to 30 minutes. Some functions are quite interesting, especially with an eye towards social media, to capture 8MP images from a 4K video.

My opinion on Fuji X-T100

Summarizing technical features and practical experience, I can say that Fuji X-T100 is among the best entry level mirrorless, with a quite affordable price and an excellent sensor that make it a likeable but not thrilling camera. In its favor come out the contained weight and the adjustable display.

In terms of connectivity, it must be said that integrated GPS is lacking but it has WiFi and 4.1 Bluetooth. Also in this case, there is an alignment with other cameras of the same range.

Compared to some reflex models – Nikon D3400 and D3500, and Canon 1300D and 2000D – it seems to me that Fuji X-T100 is not good enough with Autofocus and, alas! ergonomics. It is slightly more expensive than the above-cited models, but it’s lighter and more manageable.

Remaining among mirrorless cameras, instead, X-T100 has to deal with Canon M100 (cheaper and more basic) and Canon M5, more expensive but with better Autofocus.