Fujifilm X100VI could become our favorite compact camera if these sensor rumors are true
The Fujifilm X100V became a phenomenon in 2023, with its mix of film-era charm and digital convenience making the compact camera a sleeper hit on TikTok. If you’ve been struggling to find one, there’s good news: some reliable new rumors suggest the successor will land soon with an improved sensor.
According to Fuji Rumorsthe Fujifilm X100VI (as it will apparently be called) will be announced on February 20. This has been given extra credence thanks to Fujifilm’s revelation that its next X Summit event (where it usually announces new products) will take place in Tokyo on… February 20.
So that date sounds like a shoo-in for an X100VI announcement. But there’s more: Fuji Rumors has also claimed that the compact camera will have the 40 MP APS-C X-Trans V sensor from the Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujifilm X-H2.
That certainly seems likely, considering it’s Fujifilm’s newest sensor. And if true, it would theoretically make the X100VI more versatile than the current version, as that 40MP resolution would provide additional cropping power over the 26.1MP sensor in the X100V.
Apparently Fujifilm is sticking with the same fixed 23mm f/2 lens (or 35mm on full-frame) as the one on the X100V. That would make sense, as the lens has been updated for that current model and so should have the resolving power needed for that demanding 40MP sensor.
The 40MP sensor should also come in handy for the ‘digital teleconverter’ options you’ll see on the X100V. These give you two additional focal lengths (50mm and 70mm equivalents on full frame) by cropping the image and then upscaling for the final image, just like the extra focal length options on the iPhone 15 and now the Samsung Galaxy S24.
For now, these are the rumors surrounding the Fujifilm
Analysis: Does the X100VI get IBIS?
The Fujifilm X100VI will be one of the biggest camera launches of the year, given the popularity of its predecessor.
The series has been around for more than a decade, but seems to have struck a chord with new audiences following the resurgence of film cameras in recent years. Although the X100V is a digital camera, its design and hybrid optical-electronic viewfinder have strong references to the classic cameras of the past.
But the question for most potential buyers is how many modern bells and whistles will the X100VI get? As a Fujifilm X-T5 owner, I can certainly vouch for the quality of its 40MP
Unless the X100VI has a larger chassis than its predecessor, it will likely be too small to fit the X-T5’s IBIS system. But like the Ricoh GR III, it could potentially use a more limited 3-axis stabilization system to make your footage more stable. The X100 series is primarily designed for handheld shooting, so that would certainly be useful at night.
Those stabilization specs and the X100VI’s price tag are probably the two biggest outstanding questions: at $1,399 / Β£1,299 / AU$2,249, the X100V wasn’t cheap at launch, and cameras have largely become more expensive since then. But those questions will likely be answered in the coming weeks as we head to the X Summit and CP+ camera show in Tokyo.