FujiFilm X half review: an almost perfect gimmick (ad-free)
Added 2025-06-10 18:27:04 +0000 UTCI'm still waiting on an ad approval for this to go live on YT, but everything else is ready, so here you are, bud! Can't wait to hear what you think!
I had a lot of fun with the X half, but I don't think anyone should pay $850 for such limitations and slow processing speeds. Thoughts?
Here are some of my favorite shots from it (straight out of camera, of course):
Comments
chuuto-hanpa for sure!
Becca Farsace
2025-06-11 15:13:10 +0000 UTCZero need.
Becca Farsace
2025-06-11 15:02:56 +0000 UTC"Why do we even HAVE that lever?"
Emmet Kowler
2025-06-11 14:36:12 +0000 UTCI have been having this debate with myself all week... on one hand the X Half and its point and shoot nature is absolutely comparable to a GR, but on the other, the quality and sharpness of the GR is far superior. Plus the GR is not nearly as usuer friendly - as in my mom could pick up the X Half and probably understand how to use filters and such, but she would be lost with the GR. Completely different user bases imo. What do you think?
Becca Farsace
2025-06-11 13:40:13 +0000 UTCI’m guessing a Ricoh GR IIIx or IV would not be comparable as well?
Ricky C
2025-06-11 13:27:00 +0000 UTCI'm so conflicted about this. It *looks* nice, I really like the app and the faux-contact sheets, but aside from the price a lot of things are just... meh. We have a word in Japanese called "chuuto-hanpa" which means "half-done" or just kind of in between, neither here nor there. and I feel that a lot with this. It's not quite pocketable. Not quite the Fuji image quality, but not quite the disposable vibe. Not quite premium but too expensive to be a fun toy. And I fully agree about the lever - give it that ratchet feel and make it line up with the processing time.
Phil Knall
2025-06-11 03:31:25 +0000 UTCI do think the vertical format is meant to invoke the half-frame film feeling rather than tik tok (well probably 60-40), since that has been quite popular over here in Japan these few years. But all of this would have made so much more sense if it was a film camera. As a digital one, at that price, it does not make sense.
Phil Knall
2025-06-11 00:46:28 +0000 UTCthanks for the video as always. However, I find this camera so freaking ironic. They crafted this fake analogous mode because they embrace legacy, but it shoots vertical photos because it's the most modern format that be. I personally don't appreciate either of these choices, but combined together it's just math not mathing to me. Also, I'm no photographer, but I bet you could buy both a used real film camera (for that analogue feeling) *and* a semi-decent dumb digital camera (for quick okayish photos) for the same price. also, fully agree with your rule of travelling. I am typically a bit more liberal, I allow myself to take the same street twice—in different directions, but on different days.
Pronichkin
2025-06-10 20:29:51 +0000 UTCYes! I think I might host a sort of photo-walk thing on the night of the 17th. Will you be around?
Becca Farsace
2025-06-10 18:44:32 +0000 UTCAre you going to the Bild Expo? If so would love to say hi. I will be in town for that and a few meetings.
Stacy Howell
2025-06-10 18:34:03 +0000 UTC
