Fujifilm X half – digital camera in retro style body

Fujifilm announced the release of a compact digital camera X-half, which combined the aesthetics and principles of operation of old film cameras with the capabilities of modern equipment. The novelty received a vertical 3:4 screen and an optical viewfinder, designed to remind the user of the usual hand movements: the click of the shutter, the rustle of the mechanism, the pause before the next frame.

The 32 mm F2.8 lens in combination with a touch-sensitive electronic phase control withstands the viewing angle of old half-format cameras for 72 frames. At the same time, the camera implements 13 imitations of film styles, light leak and expired veil effects, as well as an additional film reel emulator screen, which allows you to load virtual cassettes directly in the case. In the “film camera” mode, frames are not displayed until the full cycle of “shooting” and “developing” through a mobile application has passed.

Fujifilm has equipped the X-half with hybrid controls: traditional buttons and a lever are adjacent to multi-touch swipes. Using Bluetooth, frames are automatically transferred to a smartphone and, if desired, immediately sent for printing to Instax, and one charge provides up to 880 frames through the viewfinder. At a weight of 240 grams, the device retains the feeling of a “tactile” shooting process, as if you were holding a film camera with mechanics in your hands again.

According to Fujifilm, the X-half is not about technical characteristics, but about engaging and slowing down the process: the camera seems to ask the photographer the question “do you really want to take this shot?”, bringing back the spirit of the era when each photo was created with character. The new product will go on sale for $850 in the USA