The charming Fujifilm X Half compact camera mixes the fun and unpredictability of film with digital convenience, and is enjoyable to use if you can get past its flaws.
The Fujifilm X Half ($849.95) is a digital pocket camera with an analog soul. It draws its inspiration from half-frame 35mm cameras like the Pentax 17 by aligning its image sensor vertically, so it’s more natural to take portrait-orientation photos. It leans into the film aesthetic with an optical viewfinder, frame advance lever, and a clever Film Camera mode that restricts photo playback until you’ve finished a virtual roll of film. The X Half looks fantastic and proves to be a fun camera to use, even though it is on the slow side and can’t compete with the computational imaging features found on flagship smartphones. The fun factor carries a cost, though; the X Half is priced higher than many mirrorless cameras, but to put it in perspective, our most recent Editors’ Choice among Type 1 sensor point-and-shoot models, the Sony RX100 VII, is $1,700 after a series of price increases.Design: It Looks Like a Shrunken M Rangefinder
The X Half qualifies as a small camera measuring just 2.5 by 4.2 by 1.8 inches (HWD) and 8.5 ounces. It’s thicker than a smartphone, but still fits into the side pocket of a pair of jeans. It’s similar in size to other compact cameras like the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS99 (2.7 by 4.4 by 1.7 inches, 11 ounces) and the Ricoh GR IIIx (2.4 by 4.3 by 1.4 inches, 9.2 ounces). The X Half is a far different camera than either, though. The ZS99 is an old-school 30x superzoom, while the GR IIIx captures photos that look like they came from a mirrorless camera because of its oversized APS-C sensor and background-blurring 40mm F2.8 prime lens.
The size of the Type 1 sensor inside the X Half positions it between the ZS99 and GR IIIx. It’s a fairly common choice for pocket cameras and photo-focused smartphones, including the Sony ZV-1 Mark II, DJI Osmo Pocket 3, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Fujifilm positions it vertically rather than horizontally inside the camera, copying the aspect ratio from half-frame 35mm cameras like the Pentax 17 and Kodak Ektar H35N.
I found it most natural to take vertical images with the X Half, though it’s easy enough to turn the camera sideways for a horizontal composition if you prefer, with one wrinkle: the X Half does not have an orientation sensor inside, so you’ll need to manually rotate images after the fact in Photoshop or another image editor for them to display properly.
Fujifilm’s designers are brilliant when it comes to retro designs that are as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing. I’m more than impressed with the X Half’s design. The camera looks like a Leica rangefinder that’s been run through Rick Moranis’s shrink ray. Its optical viewfinder and prime lens play a big part in that, but it’s the Fresnel-covered LED flash that really matches up, as it looks just like the frame line illumination window in early Leica digital rangefinders like the M9 and film bodies like the M6.
I think Fujifilm misstepped when it opted for an LED flash, however. While fairly bright, the LED doesn’t have the same type of reach or power as the xenon gas flashes that most dedicated cameras use. It does an OK job adding light to a portrait or other near subject when using the camera in dim conditions, but doesn’t have the pop to freeze motion or fill in shadows against a sunny backlight like a traditional flash. And while the camera has an accessory shoe, it does not include any sort of electrical contacts, so you can’t even attach a basic manual flash like the Godox Lux Elf. I have to wonder if external flash support was planned at one point, because as it stands, the cold shoe is purely ornamental, as there’s no reason to mount accessories on a camera that does not support them.
The X Half is available in three colorways. I received the Charcoal Gray version, but it’s also available in two-tone silver-and-black or an all-black finish. While it looks classy and professional, understand that the X Half’s body is all plastic and omits any sort of dust or splash protection. I expect the plastic to hold up over time, and the material feels more sturdy than the flimsy (but super cheap) Camp Snap Screen Free Digital Camera. Even so, the plastic exterior is a reminder that the X Half is a toy camera at its heart.Controls: Is That a Film Advance Lever?
The X Half relies on a mix of physical and touch gestures for on-camera control, and pairs with the X Half App (available for Android and iOS) to support some additional features. On the tactile front, the camera includes a flash toggle switch on its left side, an aperture ring around the lens, and an EV dial, power switch, shutter release, and frame advance lever on the top plate. The controls all work as expected, and I like that the shutter release has a thread that works with a soft release button. However, the shutter does not work with an old-school mechanical release cable.
The Still/Movie toggle switch and Play button are on the rear, along with the X Half’s two touch screens. The camera has a 2.4-inch vertical aspect (3:4) touch screen that works for live view, along with a skinny secondary screen with rounded edges that lets you swipe through the sundry Film Simulation profiles or filters, and also works in conjunction with the main screen to help you navigate menus.
