Fujifilm announcements:
X-Pro2 – X-Pro1 vs X-Pro2 – X70 – X-E2s and X-E2 firmware 4.0 – XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
It had long been speculated that Fujifilm would release a smaller version of the X100T and today, rumour has officially become fact. Meet the Fujifilm X70, a premium compact with the same X-Trans II APS-C sensor found inside the X100T and a fixed 18.5mm f/2.8 (28mm equivalent) lens.
The most significant feature of the X70 is its 28mm lens, a focal length many street photographers use and love. It joins the ranks of other premium compacts with the same focal length – namely the Ricoh GR / GR II and Nikon Coolpix A. Around the lens is a customisable control ring and two tabs to facilitate turning the aperture ring, which goes from f/2.8 to f/16 with an additional automatic (A) option. It has a close focusing distance of 10cm.
A couple of differences to note besides the 28mm lens are the lack of a viewfinder, electronic or otherwise, and the addition of a 3-inch 1.04 million dot touch screen, the first of its kind within the Fuji X series. The touch function can be used to select your focus area of choice or to take a shot. The screen can also be tilted down 45 degrees and up 180 degrees. Since tilting touch screens are very useful for shooting at awkward angles or at waist level, it is encouraging to see that Fujifilm has opted to give the technology a go.
The design of the X70 is reminiscent of the X100T is many ways. It has the same shutter speed and exposure dial on top, and the on/off switch and shutter button are identical. Two new additions are the Auto/Manual switch adjacent to the shutter speed dial and the Drive button beside it. Given its very compact form, the grip has been made slightly smaller and less prominent than that of the X100T but it is textured and supported by an extra thumb grip on the rear. In the place of the viewfinder is a built-in flash, below which you’ll find the focus mode selector.
To compensate for the lack of a viewfinder, Fujifilm has introduced an external optical viewfinder (VF-X21) that attaches to the hot shoe. For those who don’t want to shoot at 28mm all the time, the X70 has a digital teleconverter that lets you essentially crop your image to the equivalent focal length of 35mm or 50mm in-camera (like the Leica Q). There will also be a 21mm wide-angle converter that you can purchase separately.
Of course, the X70 comes with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a modern X series camera, including the latest hybrid AF system, WiFi capabilities, remote control shooting, film simulation modes, a silent electronic shutter, full HD video at 60p and a top speed of 1/32000s. It comes in both black and silver and will be available for just under $800 US.
Below you can check out a few sample images (click on them to open the full res version).
