Review: Fujifilm X100VI | The Ultimate Fixed-Lens Compact Camera?

The Fujifilm X100VI builds upon the popular X100 series, combining the classic rangefinder-style design with two major features: a 40-megapixel sensor and an in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) system. This Fujifilm X100VI review explores how the megapixel increase and the addition of IBIS transform this compact fixed-lens camera's capabilities for street and travel photography.

We'll examine everything from its refined design and handling to its improved autofocus capabilities, putting it through its paces in real-world shooting scenarios. For X100V owners considering an upgrade or photographers looking to invest in their first X100 camera, we'll break down what makes the X100VI both familiar and revolutionary.

Connor Redmond reviews the Fujifilm X100VI with contributions from Amy Moore and Hermann Furin.

Quick Verdict: 

The Fujifilm X100VI delivers on a specific photographic philosophy, one that celebrates its fixed-lens limitations and style of photography. The camera also provides Fujifilm's exceptional colours and image quality. For travel photography in particular, the X100VI’s purposeful design and occasional quirks aren't roadblocks but features that make the camera more engaging and rewarding to use.

X100VI Features

The X100VI brings two significant features: in-body image stabilisation and a 40-megapixel sensor. The IBIS system provides up to 6 stops of stabilisation during regular shooting, though this drops to 5.5 stops when you use the optical viewfinder. 

Fujifilm has also added improved subject detection autofocus, much-improved video specs and a new film simulation called Reala Ace, among other minor improvements.

40-megapixel Sensor

The jump to 40 megapixels might seem excessive for a street photography camera, but it offers surprising versatility. The added resolution provides more cropping flexibility, and Fujifilm has added two digital cropping modes that simulate 50mm and 75mm focal lengths without significant quality loss: a 1.4x crop at 20 megapixels and a 2x crop at 10 megapixels. This is a nice feature for those who want to compose in tighter focal lengths. However, many of us at MPB prefer the traditional approach of cropping in post-production.

In-Body Image Stabilisation

The addition of IBIS, offering up to 6 stops of stabilisation, transforms the X100VI's low-light capabilities. This feature proves invaluable for a camera designed to be your constant companion when shooting in moody lighting conditions or when you want to experiment with slower shutter speeds to capture movement. 

See the picture below, which was shot at night with a small amount of ambient light on the flowers. This picture simply wouldn’t have been possible without the new IBIS, or, it would look like a blurry mess at 1/3 second, no matter how steady your hands are. Consider that it was also shot at 12,800 ISO yet handles the grain very well. These sorts of shots never used to be possible without a tripod. But now we have these possibilities with a little street photography camera, just marvellous! 

Again, in the image below, you can see an even more extreme example of the IBIS in action. This was taken at a shutter speed of 1.5 seconds, completely handheld. The scene is rendered with predictable motion blur, but it adds to the ethereal atmosphere of the shot. 

The IBIS is helpful when making creative choices. Yes, it is good practice to bring a tripod in some environments. But that’s not always possible. And some photographers simply don’t want the extra burden of a tripod to carry around.

Design and Handling

Fujifilm has managed something quite remarkable here—they've squeezed the IBIS into a body that's barely changed. The X100VI is merely 2mm thicker and 43g heavier than its predecessor, differences you'd be hard-pressed to notice in person. 

The camera retains that gorgeous retro aesthetic that's become synonymous with the series, complete with the brilliantly engineered tilt screen, which sits flush with the body when not tilted.

The weather sealing is good, we were able to use the X100VI in heavy, wet snow conditions. But we always recommend caution in bad weather conditions, no camera is 100% protected against the elements. 

There's one crucial caveat: the front lens area around the autofocus system isn't weather-sealed by default. You'll need the optional filter adapter and a filter to achieve full weather sealing. This feels like a slight oversight, particularly for a premium camera today.

Fixed 23mm f/2.0 Lens

A mainstay of the X100 series cameras is their excellent 23mm (35mm equivalent) f/2 lens. A focal length renowned for the ‘human eye-like’ perspective it can evoke,  35mm is a popular choice for street and travel photographers. Certainly, this is the reason Fujifilm decided to choose a fixed-lens camera aimed at that audience, and it has proved to be a popular design choice. 

The lens on the Fujifilm X100VI is still just as good as that of its predecessors. It handles the extra resolution perfectly well and produces a sharp image from the centre, with a slight fall-off in the corners. Shooting wide open at f/2.0, the lens is not quite outstanding — unlike the Leica Q3, which produces tack-sharp images even at f/1.7. But the X100VI excels when you stop down the lens to f/2.8 or f/4.0. 

If you are used to zoom lenses or changing lenses frequently, you’ll need to adjust the way you shoot. It takes a little time to get comfortable being locked into one field of view. However, limitations are often one of the best ways to foster creativity. 

One bonus of the fixed-lens route is that it contributes to the camera's compactness, because there are no zooming elements, the lens can be small. Plus, it has a leaf shutter design, meaning the shutter is built into the lens itself, which allows for a quieter shutter and flash sync at any shutter speed. It is a nice little bonus that opens up shooting with flash in broad daylight. 

Adapters and Teleconverters 

Fear not, fixed lens hesitant people, because Fujifilm does make conversion lenses for the X100 series. If you’d like a wider focal length, then you can use the Fujifilm WCL-X100 II 0.8x Wide Conversion Lens. This attaches to the front of the X100VI and widens its equivalent focal length from 35mm to 28mm with no discernible quality loss. If you want a longer focal length, then there’s also the Fujifilm TCL-X100 II 1.4x Tele Conversion Lens, which increases the equivalent focal length to 50mm. So, if you don’t like the 35mm focal length but love the X100VI shooting experience, there are options open to you.

Shooting Performance

Shooting with the Fujifilm X100VI is a joyful experience. The X100 cameras have always been fun to use, but with the sixth generation of refinement in the X100VI, we almost have a perfect camera for a good many photographers. 

Focus and Autofocus 

The X100VI introduces a new predictive algorithm, which notably improves autofocus accuracy with moving subjects. Beyond the enhanced human and eye autofocus from the previous model, the X100VI now offers detection for animals, birds (including insects), aeroplanes (including drones), cars, motorcycles, and bikes. While this might seem excessive for a fixed-lens camera, it proved surprisingly helpful when tracking skiers against the contrasting snow.

Subject Detection

While the X100VI's subject detection system accurately identifies what you're pointing at, there's a practical limitation at play here. The fixed lens, while excellent optically, uses an older focus-drive system that simply can't keep pace with fast movement. So, despite sharing similar autofocus interface features with cameras like the Fujifilm X-H2S, the X100VI’s real-world performance is notably different.

Yes, the camera will quickly recognise and focus on any bird or animal in your frame. But will the autofocus track their movement? That's another story entirely. It's best to think of these detection features as helpful aids, they're simply not as transformative as they are on Fujifilm's flagship cameras.

Seasoned X100 photographers will feel right at home here. Success largely depends on traditional street photography techniques, like zone focusing and anticipating your subject's movement, rather than continuous autofocus. While the X100VI does focus a bit quicker than previous models, it's still a camera that rewards methodical technique over spray-and-pray approaches.

Film Simulations

The X100VI introduces three new film simulations. We have Reala Ace (previously seen in the Fujifilm GFX 100 II), designed to look similar to the old Fujicolor Superia Reala Ace 100 film stock. 

We also have added Nostalgic Neg and Eterna Bleach Bypass. You'll find 14 base film simulations, with 20 in total when counting the monochrome variations with their colour filter effects.

Fujifilm film simulations have become something of a phenomenon in the photography world. Since their introduction, a thriving community of Fujifilm shooters has come together to share ‘recipes’. These use a film simulation preset—along with custom settings—to achieve an interesting look straight-out-of-camera

Among Fujifilm enthusiasts, the Fujifilm X100VI has become a sensation due to recipes shared on social media. There are now so many film simulations and settings to choose from that the possibilities for different looks seem endless.

Plus, if you prefer not to play around with your camera settings much, these recipes handle everything for you. So, you can concentrate on your framing and other aspects of photography.

Or, once you are familiar with some pre-made recipes, try customising and experimenting with the parameters—like film simulation modes, white balance, sharpness and more—to create your own recipes.

Adjust the settings to match your specific preferences and artistic vision. It becomes highly satisfying by tweaking them for different lighting scenarios.

Recipes are a great way to quickly get good results and colours before any post-production editing. Learn how to install and use Fujifilm recipes. 

Image Quality

The image quality is exceptional. The files show excellent dynamic range, minimal distortion and remarkably well-controlled chromatic aberration—even in challenging scenarios, like dark subjects against bright snow. 

The camera offers both JPEG and HEIF formats. The latter provides 10-bit colour depth compared to JPEG's 8-bit, making it a compelling option for those who want to avoid dealing with larger RAW files.

It is hard to fault a camera of this size when it produces wonderful images, even in JPEG. The dynamic range is there to play with, the colours are always pleasing, and the camera itself is just fun to use. It becomes a big motivator to go out and shoot, which is a very hard quality to find in modern cameras. For these reasons, the X100 series has become such a popular choice to take while travelling, among many other situations. 

ISO and Low Light Performance

The X100VI strikes a good balance between its high-resolution sensor and new IBIS in low light conditions. While packing more pixels into the same APS-C area than its predecessor, the sensor handles challenging lighting conditions impressively well. This stands out because higher pixel density typically increases noise at higher ISOs.

The IBIS addition transforms the camera's low light shooting capabilities, allowing for significantly slower shutter speeds while maintaining sharpness. For street photographers working in twilight conditions or moody evening scenes, this means (​​in theory) being able to keep ISO values lower while still achieving sharp results. 

In real-world use, we found that you can use the X100VI comfortably at shutter speeds as slow as 1/8th second—while maintaining crisp images. This is something that would have been challenging with previous models.

For those shooting JPEG or HEIF, Fujifilm's noise reduction algorithms show a good balance between detail retention and noise suppression, though some might find the default settings a bit aggressive at higher ISOs. RAW files provide plenty of latitude for noise reduction in post-processing, with files remaining quite workable up through ISO 6400, and usable even higher depending on your tolerance for grain and your requirements.

X100VI Video Performance

The X100VI's video capabilities mirror those of its interchangeable-lens sibling, the Fujifilm X-T5, offering flexibility for hybrid shooters. You can capture 6.2K footage at 30p at the highest quality setting, though this comes with a 1.23x crop factor. For full-width recording, the camera provides 4K 30p. 

Although it is unlikely the person buying this camera will predominantly be shooting video, it is a welcome addition by Fujifilm to include modern video features to capture scenes in a pinch. We didn’t test the camera much for its video quality, but like the rest of the range of X-Trans V cameras Fujifilm has made, it performed well enough and could be considered a decent backup camera. 

X100VI vs X100V

In brief, the biggest difference between the Fujifilm X100V and the Fujifilm X100VI is the new 40-megapixel sensor (up from 26.1), better predictive autofocus with broader subject detection, 6-stop in-body image stabilisation and more versatile video capabilities.

Compare the entire X100 range in our Guide to Fujifilm X100-series Compact Cameras. 

Is it worth upgrading from the Fujifilm X100V to the X100VI?

If you already own the X100V, upgrading will likely depend on how much you value the IBIS and additional resolution. For first-time buyers, the X100VI represents the most capable X100 series camera to date—though you might find the previous model offers better value for money.

If you are interested in a deep dive, then read our Fujifilm X100V review. 

Fujifilm X100VI Alternatives

With the enormous popularity of the X100V and X100VI, Fujifilm has struggled to keep up with demand.  So, you might want to look at Fujifilm X100V & X100VI alternatives. 

X100VI Sample Pictures

Fujifilm X100VI: Our Verdict

After extensive testing in challenging Alpine conditions, the X100VI is more than just an incremental upgrade to the X100V. It's a thoughtful evolution that maintains everything photographers loved about its predecessor while addressing key limitations and adding meaningful improvements.

Is it perfect? Not quite. The weather-sealing solution for the lens feels like a compromise, and the 40-megapixel sensor might be overkill for some users. But these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a remarkably well-rounded package.

The X100VI isn't just a street photography camera—it's a versatile tool for any photographer who values creative flexibility in a compact form factor. Whether you're capturing twilight cityscapes or snow-covered mountains, it's a camera that consistently delivers while being an absolute joy to use.

FAQs

What battery does the Fujifilm X100VI use?

The Fujifilm X100VI uses the Fujifilm NP-W126S battery.

What is so special about the Fujifilm X100VI?

We enjoy the retro rangefinder design inspired design special among modern cameras, along with its impressive image quality, lens and compact size. 

Is the X100VI sharp?

The Fujifilm X100VI 23mm lens is very sharp. To achieve the sharpest results, shoot between f/4 and f/8.

Is the Fujifilm X100VI a fixed lens?

The Fujifilm X100V is an APS-C compact camera with a 23mm f/2 fixed lens, which is broadly equivalent to 35mm on a full-frame sensor. 

How long does an X100VI battery last?

The Fujifilm X100VI uses the Fujifilm NP-W126S battery, which—in the X100VI—is rated for 450 shots (CIPA). 

Is the X100VI weather sealed?

The Fujifilm X100VI is not completely weather sealed, it is only weather resistant. 

When did the Fujifilm X100VI come out?

The Fujifilm X100VI released in February 2024. 

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