As I said in the X-T5 review, the real power here is the new X processor, which decodes the sensor data. There are a few things I like here that weren’t as evident on the X-T5. The first is reduced power consumption. The battery is unchanged from the previous model, but Fujifilm claims it captures 450 images per battery, up from 420 before. It may not seem like a big deal, but remember that the sensor size has almost doubled and, frankly, any improvement in this regard is a big win.
That said, in practice I didn’t get anywhere near that amount of shooting. The problem lies with Fujifilm’s wonderful film simulations, which I use a lot. These “recipes” allow you to simulate the look of old film (I’m partial to the Tri-X recipe here). Playing back these JPEGs in-camera takes some time, which reduces battery life. From my tests, the main culprit seems to be the clarity settings, but whatever the case, if you plan to use them (and you should!), expect shorter battery life.
Battery life aside, the other thing I love about the combination of the X-Trans 5 sensor and X processor is the colors. There’s some really wonderful tonality with great color contrast. The golden hour light, in particular, is reproduced really well in these images.
Probably the most common complaint about the X100V is the autofocus, which, let’s face it, is not good. I have some good news and some bad. First of all, the autofocus is much better. It’s faster and more precise. I found this to be more true when using the new object tracking and recognition modes. I was especially impressed with the eye and face recognition modes, which were excellent at keeping even fast-moving kids sharp in the frame.
Suffice it to say that the improvements to autofocus are welcome. They may not be up to the standards of high-end, professional-grade mirrorless cameras, but the X100VI is not that nor is it its intended audience. The autofocus here is perfect for an everyday camera.
