Fujifilm’s X Half is an $850 digital digital camera with an analog movie aesthetic

Fujifilm has already launched one uncommon digital camera this yr within the GFX100 RF medium format compact, but it surely’s newest mannequin stands out as the most offbeat but. The $850 X Half is an 18-megapixel digital compact digital camera, but it surely makes use of half of a 1-inch sensor to shoot 3:4 vertical photographs. To drive house the retro vibe, it has a rear display devoted to displaying the digital camera’s 13 movie simulation modes and may solely shoot JPEG and never RAW photos.

The title comes from “half-frame” cameras widespread within the ’60s, just like the well-known Olympus Pen F, that use a 35mm movie body sawed in half (18mm x 24mm in measurement). The backside-illuminated sensor on Fujifilm’s X Half is, effectively, half that measurement in each dimensions (8.8mm x 13.3mm) or 1 / 4 the realm. It is also the smallest sensor on any latest Fujifilm digital digital camera, because the X-series makes use of the APS-C format and GFX fashions medium format. In truth, the X Half has the identical 3:4 vertical ratio as Fuji’s Instax Mini immediate cameras — so you can also make prints utilizing an Instax Mini printer through the brand new devoted X Half smartphone app.

The X Half naturally makes use of Fujifilm’s movie simulation and grain impact modes. Among the many new ones are “mild leak” for a blown-out high quality that occurs when movie get uncovered to mild inadvertently, “expired movie” and “halation,” an impact attributable to mild bouncing off movie emulsion layers. To actually get you into that analog movie temper, you possibly can change to the brand new Movie Digicam Mode that limits your view to the optical viewfinder, makes you pull a body advance lever for every new shot and solely enables you to see the photographs as soon as they’re “developed” by way of the X Half app. It even produces a “contact sheet” format for 36, 54 or 72 photos.

One other function is 2-in-1 photos that allow you to mix two nonetheless photos or films into one composition in-camera for additional inventive potentialities (utilizing the movie advance lever once more). That additionally means the X Half can shoot video in addition to photographs, with a vertical or sq. measurement (as much as 2,160 x 2,160) that appears preferrred for social media — particularly with movie simulations utilized. Additionally exuding nostalgic vibes is the “Date Stamp” perform that allows you to imprint dates within the backside proper of photos, identical to on old-school Kodak-style movie digital camera.

On prime of the principle rear 2.40inch LCD 3:4 monitor, the X Half has an optical quite than an digital viewfinder, including one other analog contact (and the accompanying parallax distortion errors). The digital camera itself is sufficiently small to slip right into a pocket and weighs simply 210 grams (7.4 ounces). Different options embody a built-in flash, large 880 body battery life and SD UHS-I card slot.

The X Half appears prefer it may very well be coveted by social media customers or anybody searching for a enjoyable social gathering or trip digital camera. Nonetheless, it is costly contemplating that you would be able to simply get an Instax (or common movie digital camera and loads of movie) for lots much less. Fujifilm has undoubtedly captured the pictures zeitgeist earlier than with fashions just like the X100 VI, although, so I would not be stunned if it turns into a success. The X Half is now on preorder for $850 (in black, charcoal silver and silver) with transport set to begin on June 12.