Fujifilm’s X half is a tiny retro compact that’s big on wacky film photography features, and I love it

hoangbre@gmail.com May 23, 2025 0

Retro compact with unique vertical sensor and LCD screen
It reimagines the half-frame film camera experience
It’s available globally from June 12 in three colors, priced $849 / £699 / AU$1,349

Fujifilm has outdone itself with the new X half – a retro compact camera that packs some of its wackiest and outright funnest ideas yet, all inspired by film photography.

There’s a clue to the X half’s inspiration in the name – it’s a digital reimagining of half-frame film cameras like the Pentax 17. I’ve already tried the X half, and it was a much needed dose of fun – check out my X half hands-on review.

To facilitate half frame, the X half’s 18MP JPEG photos are taken in 3 x 4 vertical format, recorded onto a vertical 1-inch sensor, and composed using the unique vertical LCD.

Alongside that fixed screen is a secondary screen that mimics the film canister window you see on many film cameras, and there’s a fun surprise here – it’s touch sensitive, and allows you to swipe up or down to select one of Fujifilm’s Film Simulations. If this charming feature doesn’t make its way into future Fujifilm cameras, I’d be shocked.

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Film Simulation color effects are well known – they’re inspired by Fujifilm film stock, and have helped to cement Fujifilm’s popularity over the last 10 years through cameras like the X100VI. The X half offers a stripped-back selection of 13 popular Film Simulations, including Provia and Astia.

You’d think all of the above would be enough to secure the X half’s unique status, but Fujifilm has really let loose, with even more features for film photography fans to enjoy.

Fujifilm X half compact camera in the hand

The LCD emulating a film cannister window with Velvia Film Simulation, and the vertical LCD (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Simulating film to another level

Going one step further from that twin-screen combo and vertical shooting, there’s a Film Camera mode. This locks in your chosen Film Simulation and camera settings such as ISO, and disables the screen preview, leaving you to compose your shots via the optical viewfinder instead, as if you’re shooting with film.

Once your ‘film’ is used up – either 36, 54 or 72 shots – you can exit the mode and view the screen once more, and make changes to settings again.

Film Camera mode is such a fun feature, and for me is the closest experience to film photography that I’ve had using a digital camera – and it’s optional.

Fujifilm X half compact camera in the hand

The film wind lever tucked in with the camera off. In the on position, the lever sticks out for an easy reach. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Then there’s what is in effect a film wind lever, which in this case, through ‘cranking’, is used to create diptychs – that’s two vertical shots side by side. These are recorded individually through the vertical 1-inch sensor, but then composited afterwards and displayed just like you’d get with a half-frame film camera on a roll of 35mm film.

Again, you can take or leave the diptych feature. I reckon it’s a nice to have – working out how image pairs complement each other stretches your creative muscles.

We also get some completely new picture effects, almost all of which are film photography-inspired and include light leak, expired film and halation.

Full HD video capture is also possible, and the diptych effect can be applied to both photos and videos, which is really neat.

This is all packaged in a palm-sized, premium-feel compact that features a fixed 32mm f/2.8 lens with a mechanical aperture, plus the same battery as used in cameras like the X100VI for an 880-shot life, and which weighs just 240g.

Three Fujifilm X half compact cameras side by side, each a different color

Fujifilm X half in charcoal (left), silver (middle) and black (right). (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Fujifilm has created a dedicated app for the X half, which can be used to make diptychs, and upload and view images, plus the camera can connect wirelessly to one of Fujifilm’s Instax printers for on-the-go printing.

The app wasn’t available when I tested the camera, but will be downloadable from early June. Meanwhile, the Fujifilm X half itself will be available globally from June 12 in silver, charcoal and black, and costs $849 / £699 / AU$1,349.

I’ve been reviewing digital cameras for 15 years, and the Fujifilm X half has to be one of the funnest yet – a compact camera with a difference. You can configure it in a way that’s as close to a film camera as you’re going to get with digital, plus it packs the retro look and feel that we’ve come to expect from Fujifilm.

What do you think of the Fujifilm X half? Let us know in the comments below.