X100 · 2011 · discontinued
Fujifilm X100 review
Launch price 1,199 USD · 12.3 MP Bayer sensor · 720p 24p video
The camera that started the line: 12MP Bayer sensor, fixed 23mm f/2 and the first hybrid viewfinder.
Verdict
The original X100 that started the line, with a 12.3 MP Bayer sensor, fixed 23mm f/2 lens, and the first hybrid OVF/EVF on any Fuji. Discontinued, 720p/24 video, 5 fps burst, no weather sealing.
Collectors and Fuji historians who want the camera that started the X100 line of cameras.
In detail
If you have ever held an X100, you know the feeling. Photographers tend to pick it up for a Bayer sensor (unusual for Fuji) and the price it launched at. Released in 2011 at 1,199 USD, the body is no longer in production. It sits in the X100 line, Fuji's fixed-lens compact line with a 35mm-equivalent prime built in.
At 12.3 MP, native ISO is 200 to 6400, modest by modern standards, but the sensor still has the distinctive early-X100 rendering. Burst at 5 fps is conservative, this is a camera aimed at slower work. Video tops out at 720p 24p.
The body has typical Fuji fit and finish: light, plastic-heavy in places. There is no IBIS, so for low light you lean on stabilized XF glass. At 445g it sits in the comfortable middle. There is a single SD UHS-I slot. Bottom line: the used market is where this camera makes the most sense now.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Original X100 that started the line
- First hybrid OVF/EVF on any Fuji
- Fixed 23mm f/2 lens design
- Collector favorite, full stop
The headline win is the original X100 that started the line, the camera that made Fuji cool again. Film simulation count is 4, the older but still solid lineup. Pair that with the first hybrid OVF/EVF on any Fuji, and you have a real piece of camera history that still takes lovely pictures.
Trade-offs
- 12MP Bayer sensor, 720p/24 video
- No IBIS, no weather sealing, 5 fps burst
The honest trade-off is 12MP Bayer sensor, 720p/24 video. Burst rate is conservative, fine for portraits, street, and landscape, but rules out serious sports work. The EVF at 1.44 million dots is on the lower-resolution side. The fixed lens is the whole point, but you cannot swap focal lengths.
Who is this for
Collectors and Fuji historians who want the camera that started the X100 line. Light enough to make a great second body or a daily-carry option. Street, travel, and everyday-carry photographers tend to fall in love with this format.
X100 release date and lifecycle
| Announced | |
|---|---|
| On sale | |
| Launch price | 1,199 USD |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Replaced by | X100S |
Announcement and on-sale months are from Fujifilm’s launch announcements. Launch price is MSRP at release, not a used-market price.
Full specifications
| Release year | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Launch price | 1,199 USD |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Megapixels | 12.3 MP |
| Sensor generation | Bayer |
| Processor | EXR Processor |
| ISO range | 200–6400 |
| AF points | 49 |
| Subject detection | none |
| Burst (fps) | 5 |
| Max video | 720p 24p |
| Codec | H.264 |
| Log profile | No |
| Stabilization | None |
| Viewfinder | Hybrid OVF/EVF (1.44M dot) |
| LCD | 2.8" fixed |
| Weather sealed | No |
| Weight | 445g |
| Card slots | 1 |
| Card types | SD UHS-I |
| Battery | NP-95 |
| Battery life (CIPA) | 300 shots |
| Film sims | 4 |
Highlighted rows are class-leading within the current Fujifilm APS-C lineup.
Film simulations (4)
- PROVIA
- Velvia
- ASTIA
- Monochrome
Compared with
Fujifilm X100 vs siblings
How the X100 stacks up against the closest siblings in the current Fujifilm lineup.
Fujifilm X100 vs X100VI
The Fujifilm X100 and Fujifilm X100VI are both Fujifilm X100 bodies. The X100VI is the newer of the two, arriving in 2024. At launch the X100 was 1,199 USD and the X100VI 1,599 USD, making the X100 the more affordable of the two.
Fujifilm X100 vs X100V
The Fujifilm X100 and Fujifilm X100V are both Fujifilm X100 bodies. The X100V is the newer of the two, arriving in 2020. At launch the X100 was 1,199 USD and the X100V 1,399 USD, making the X100 the more affordable of the two.
Fujifilm X100 vs X-E2
The Fujifilm X100 and Fujifilm X-E2 are Fujifilm APS-C bodies from different lines — the X100 and the X-E. The X-E2 is the newer of the two, arriving in 2013. At launch the X100 was 1,199 USD and the X-E2 999 USD, making the X-E2 the more affordable of the two.
Further reading
Where to buy
The link below runs an Amazon search for this camera rather than pointing at one listing, because stock and sellers move around. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you.
See it in the wild
Owner impressions and real-world photos from the Fuji community.
