44 http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
‘When I’m not under pressure to capture a
shot in the moment I o en fi nd myself
fl icking the camera into manual focus’
Testbench IN THE FIELD
down to f/16. And what
about the sharpness
wide-open? Countless shots
taken at f/2 show it produces
tremendous levels of sharpness,
with a delightful depth to portraits
and other subjects worthy of
isolation. Fuji lm has worked
wonders on the lens and the fact
it’s no larger means it accepts all
existing conversion lenses and
accessories. Having tried a
friend’s wide conversion lens
(WCL-X100) with great success,
I’m eyeing up a used example –
which, at £144 in good condition,
seems a bit of a bargain for
times when I’d like a focal length
equivalent to 28mm to squeeze a
bit more in the frame.
My lasting impression of the
X100V’s autofocus is that it’s
extremely accurate. I’d be lying if
I said it has found focus every
time in low-light situations or
when I’ve been shooting towards
the light, but generally speaking it
can be relied on to acquire focus
where it’s needed when it’s
needed with extensive coverage
to the edges of the frame.
Acquisition speed isn’t as rapid
What is refurbished?
FUJIFILM, like some other camera manufacturers, offers the option to
buy refurbished cameras at reduced price from its online shop
(https://shop.fuji lm.co.uk). But what exactly is a refurbished camera
and can you expect a good example in return? Now and then, limited
quantities of cameras are returned to manufacturers from retailers
and it’s these models that trained technicians extensively inspect and
test before they’re sold on. Refurbished products may exhibit minor
cosmetic imperfections but these in no way impair operation. There
are some great savings to be made choosing a refurbished camera
and in the case of my X100V I picked one up in as good as new
condition and saved £250 on the guide
price. Fuji lm refurbished
products come with the
same contents as a
brand new product,
including a 12-month
warranty covering any
failure that occurs due
to a manufacturing
defect, which is the
same warranty as
buying new.
as some DSLR or mirrorless
users may be used to, but it’s still
pretty hasty for a lens that shifts
in and out during focusing. This is
the only weak point in the entire
construction, as it requires the
use of an adapter ring and lter
to make it 100% weather-sealed.
Those who want to make their
X100V weather-sealed for less
than the cost of Fuji lm’s
weather-resistant kit (£99) should
check out NiSi’s UHD UV lter
(£32), which still lets you use the
original lens cap. The y-by-wire
focus ring lacks the beautiful
tactile feel of one that’s
mechanically coupled, but by
using the rear command dial and
the joystick together to magnify
and inspect focus, I’ve found my
hit rate of sharp manually
focused shots to be extremely
high. When I’m not under
pressure to capture a shot in the
moment I often nd myself
icking the camera into manual
focus for the reason it seems to
slow me down to think about the
photograph I’m taking in a more
deliberate and considered way.
And that’s the beauty of the
X100V in a nutshell. It has
everything you want, placed
where you want it to take precise
manual control when there’s no
rush, but with the option to set all
the dials to their ‘A’ setting when
there’s no time for re nement
and you just need to capture the
special moment that’s in front of
you with no faff.
Delightful images
Another reason for wanting to
shoot more with camera and less
with a smartphone was the
attraction of improved image
quality from an APS-C size
sensor. The quality of the
X100V’s images are exquisite for
a camera that comfortably ts in
my jacket pocket, or my medium-
size saddlebag when I’m out
riding my bike. I’ve been so
impressed by the detail and
colour straight out of the X100V
I rarely nd myself editing images,
which has encouraged me to be
more thoughtful about getting the
shot right in camera at the point
of capture. To accentuate warmth,
contrast and vibrancy in my shots
I’ve started experimenting by
using different lm simulation
modes and white balance
settings. Who knew that the
Fluorescent light white balance
mode with a warm white balance
shift, combined with the Velvia
lm simulation mode, creates
gorgeous tones that are well
suited to sunsets and autumnal
scenes? I’ve also found the Acros
mode with a hint of warming
monochromatic colour and gentle
lift to the tone curve works
particularly well with vintage
subjects to create a real sense of
nostalgia. Most impressive of all
from an image quality perspective
has to be the quality of its JPEGs.
Unlike some cameras that lay
their automated processing down
thick, the X100V doesn’t. I
haven’t hesitated to print and