The Fujifilm X Half merges the trend for retro tech with the vertical shots dominating social media feeds – and the camera is quickly becoming an iconic compact. But while the retro-inspired X Half deserves a place in Fujifilm’s lineup, there’s still a gap in the catalog. The camera that I really wish Fujifilm would bring back from the dead? The budget X100 series alternative, the Fujifilm X70.
The Fujifilm X100VI has been topping best-seller lists, remaining hard to find in stock even more than a year after the compact camera launched, thanks to a mix of both social media trends and the revival of the compact camera.
The Fujifilm X Half is a compact camera, yes. It is more affordable than the X100VI and is even outselling the pricier high-end compact camera in some regions. But the X Half isn’t really a pared-down version of the X100VI.
The Fujifilm X Half is a concept camera and an experiment in mixing the retro trend with the latest digital capabilities. The X Half has a film mode that doesn’t let photographers look at the photos or swap film profiles until an entire “roll” of film is finished, complete with a retro film wind lever.
But the nostalgia-driven design of the X Half prevents it from being a true X100VI budget alternative. The X Half has a smaller sensor, yes, but there’s also no RAW capabilities and no burst mode either. The X Half may be a highly entertaining nostalgic camera, but it’s not exactly the pocketable camera that serious photographers want to reach for to pack something lighter than a mirrorless camera.
The Fujifilm X70, launched in 2016, however, felt far closer to a cheaper variant of the X100 series. The X70 still used an APS-C sensor and a bright, fixed f/2.8 lens. The X70 still shoots RAW as well.
There are a few sacrifices that the X70 made to get to the lower list price, which was $700 / £549 in 2016. The biggest one was that it lacked a viewfinder, but the X70 at the time was the smallest Fujifilm camera to use an X-Trans sensor.
I’m glad the Fujifilm X Half exists. But the X Half’s retro, film mode focus isn’t quite a budget X100VI alternative. Older discontinued cameras like the X70 fit the description a bit better as a pocketable camera that still has an APS-C sensor.
I would love to see Fujifilm bring back a camera like the X70 with a pocketable design and a price point a bit lower than the X100 series. I think a modern remake of the X70 would sell well, considering the success of the X100VI and the X Half.
The bigger question is likely will Fujifilm ever bring back a budget X100VI alternative like the X70? Fujifilm told investors that it's not done making experimental cameras like the X Half and GFX100RF – and that’s a great thing. But if a camera like the X70 does return, the price of the X Half (and rising prices in the US thanks to tariffs) makes me certain of one thing: if Fujifilm did bring back the X70 series, it probably wouldn’t have the same $700 / £549 list price the 2016 camera did.
You may also like
Explore the best retro cameras or the best compact cameras.
