The Fujifilm X100VI appears to be getting close to its official launch – and the first leaked images of the premium compact camera suggest it won't compromise on its classic retro design.
Some pixellated images shared with Fuji Rumors appear to have given us our first glimpse of the Fujifilm X100V successor, and the physical differences between the two appear to be very minor indeed. That's good news for fans of 1950s film camera looks, which appears to include most of TikTok.
The only tweaks we can see so far are that the camera's 'drive/delete' button is now more centered below the hotshoe, and the 'disp/back' button now also functions as a Bluetooth button (like on the Fujifilm X-T5) for quickly connecting the camera to your smartphone. That should make it play nicely with Fuji's new X app.
The X100VI may well bring other changes, but those are the most physically obvious ones from the leaked images so far. One other likely design difference, according to a separate Fuji Rumors post, is that the X100VI will be 1mm thicker than its predecessor. This is apparently so the camera's body can house in-body image stabilization.
Like the X100V, this new version appears to also lack a d-pad on the back of the camera, which may disappoint fans of tactile buttons and shortcuts. But we didn't mind its absence on the existing model and there appears to be the same joystick as before to let you shift your focus point around the frame.
Unfortunately, the leaked images have pixelated the shutter/ISO dial, so we'll have to wait to see if Fujifilm has made any more tweaks to the top plate. But the wait shouldn't be too long, given the X100VI has been tipped to launch at Fujifilm's next X Summit event in Tokyo on February 20.
A familiar retro face
Since the Fujifilm X100 series launched back in 2010, a key part of its appeal has been its retro, compact looks – so it's no surprise to see that, according to these leaked images, Fujifilm won't be messing with that formula.
If Fujifilm has (as the rumors suggest) been able to cram modern features like a 40MP APS-C X-Trans V sensor and in-body image stabilization into its relatively compact shell, that would be a huge bonus. But we'll have to wait for its official launch to see if that's the case.
The current X100V measures 128x75x53 mm, so the latest rumors suggest the X100VI will be 54mm thick. While that wouldn't exactly see it slip into a tight pocket, it would still be fine for jacket pockets and long days out taking street or travel snaps.
One feature that Fujifilm may not be able to squeeze into that body, though, is its latest NP-W235 battery. Those are significantly fatter than the older NP-W126S batteries used by the X100V, so we may have to accept a slightly more limited battery life than Fujifilm's mirrorless cameras. All will likely be revealed, though, at Fujifilm's launch event on February 20.
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