The Fujifilm X half: The Case for Weirdness
As a photography enthusiast, its hard to admit that a new camera, especially from a brand you love, isn’t meant for you. But that’s exactly where I find myself with the new Fujifilm X half.
Fujifilm was an easy choice when I first wanted to get back into photography. I’m into film simulations. I like old school dials and the vintage aesthetic. So when I saw the X half, my first thought was: is this for me?
Weird in All the Right Ways
There’s a lot to like here. The metal body looks premium. The manual controls—aperture ring, focus tab, exposure comp dial—are spot-on. It even includes an optical viewfinder (OVF), which they didn’t need to include, but they did. These are all non-trivial touches to include.
But the name? Lowercase “h”? Odd.
And the specs? Straight up weird: a vertically oriented one-inch sensor, a tiny fixed lens that makes the forehead of the camera look awkwardly large, and a strangely implemented fake film advance lever that just creates diptychs. It’s quirky, and that’s what makes it interesting.
This is not a parts-bin camera cobbled together from older X models (hi Sony). Fujifilm put real R&D behind this. It’s a bold move in a world where a lot of companies put out a “blogger” camera to play it safe, repackaging tech for new SKUs and calling it innovation.
Not Made for Me, and That’s the Point
I recently picked up an Instax Evo, and while it’s fun, it’s more of a toy than a real camera. The build quality was meh and feels a bit hollow. The X half is more premium, but it still seems designed for someone chasing the aesthetic of film, not the experience.
And honestly, that’s okay.
Shooting film is a genuine pain. It’s expensive. And it’s slow. For someone who wants that look without the hassle, this camera might be perfect.
But for me it falls a little flat. If I’m going to carry around a digital point-and-shoot, I want a bigger sensor. Better low-light. A usable flash. Maybe more physical controls on the back. If it’s going to be digital, I want a good digital experience.
A Suddenly Competitive Space
For $850, the X-Half sits in a strange market space. On the one hand, it’s competing with used point-and-shoots that are getting trendier (and more expensive). On the other, it’s brushing up against Canon’s and Sony’s modern compact offerings that come with superior sensors, better lenses, real video capabilities, and far better flash options (the X half LED flash is just gross).
It even edges into Ricoh GR territory—where you can get APS-C sensors and real street photography cred. If you’re already spending nearly a thousand dollars on a camera, the leap to something more capable isn’t far.
So what’s the X half actually offering?
It’s Chasing Trends—and That’s Fine
Let’s not kid ourselves: the X half is trend-chasing. Film’s hot, compact cameras are trendy again, and the aesthetic-first shooter is a lucrative market. The faux “film roll” display on the back? Gimmick. The diptych function tied to the lever? Gimmick. The LED flash? Sadly, not even good enough to be a gimmick—it’s just bad.
But there’s nothing wrong with chasing trends. Fujifilm is a business, I don’t need them to pass a photography purity test. If this camera helps them continue making the things I love, excellent lenses, sensors, and traditional X models, then I’m here for it.
Final Thought: Weird Wins
Here’s what I do love about the Fujifilm X-Half: it exists. It’s weird. It’s clearly not built by committee. It isn’t safe, and it isn’t for everyone.
And in a shrinking digital camera market, that kind of creative risk is refreshing. It’s not for me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate what Fujifilm is trying to do.
In the end, we are better off with more weird cameras.
