After one full year of shooting with the Fujifilm x100vi, there have been many things I’ve learned about the camera and about photography itself.

The x100 series is special to me.

Beginning with the x100v, these cameras felt as if they were made for my hands and the type of photography I wanted to do.

They weren’t too big, looked good, took great photos at the focal length I wanted, and didn’t scream “photographer”.

And as I immersed myself into the world of photography, I learned a lot about photography as an art form, not just what you see on Instagram.

The V played a big role in that - and yes, this was before the internet “ruined” this camera.

Fast forward many years and we now have the VI.

It’s crazy that it’s already been a year since this camera came out - I’ve taken it to festivals, road trips, and different countries trying to get a feel for it.

And it’s inevitable that I’d be making comparisons subconsciously between this camera and the V that I loved so much.

So today we’ll cover:

some of the small issues I’ve been having
the camera’s role in my travels and it’s usefulness there
what I’ve learned about photography since using this camera

And finally, we’ll talk about price, accessibility, and whether it’s worth your dollar.

Let’s get started.

The Custom Settings Issue

When using the Fujifilm x100vi, there were only a few issues I had with it.

Because most of the functions and things I liked about the V, are still present in the VI.

You can watch my first impressions video if you’re looking for a more general overview of the camera.

But here’s me nitpicking:

In my previous video, one of the issues I mentioned having with this camera was the custom settings.

When saving custom settings and changing the ND filter, the toggle wouldn’t remain on.

Meaning if you wanted to switch your custom film simulation presets, you’d have to retoggle your nd filter because it might be off.

This made switching between film simulation recipes difficult and annoying.

But those were my first impressions.

Fast forwards a few months later, I learned you can actually fix this by changing the “Auto Update Custom Setting” to Enable.

This makes it so your custom settings automatically update anytime you change something, including ND filter.

So that solves that problem.

It does however come with a caveat of its own.

The issue is, if I want to experiment with the custom setting and tweak some things in clarity or my tone curves or color, my custom setting will automatically save.

Why is this a problem?

Because sometimes I just want to try a few settings out and see how they look, not change the full preset I have.

And if I don’t remember what my settings were before I changed them, I’ll lose them.

That or I have to create a entirely separate custom setting to play with.

So that’s the give and take of this process.

It works but it’s not ideal.

Let’s continue.

IBIS and Weight

A small caveat that come with upgrading to the Fujifilm x100vi is the weight.

It’s a tad heavier than it’s predecessor.

The x100v weighs about 478g while the x100vi weights about 521g.

And although this might not seem like much, I didn’t notice this difference by reading it on a spec sheet.

I actually first noticed it when shooting with the VI and feeling my wrist get tired from the same one-handed motions I’d do with the V.

This was likely some time last year when I was taking street photos at Coachella.

When I’m doing any sort of street photography I like to be quick and quiet.

This is because in an environment like this, you only have so much time to get the right shot, you don’t wanna be obvious that you’re taking pictures, and you have other venues to go to.

Which sometimes means faster hand motions and more forearm engagement.

The weight of the x100v my body was used to, calibrated and attuned to - and this small change in weight was enough for me to notice.

Now, you do eventually get used to it and it’s only like 40 grams or so of difference, but it is there.

In fact I did switch back to the V for a trip recently (we’ll talk about this in another article) and I could tell the difference.

So I do prefer the lighter V.

This difference in weight is probably because of the new IBIS mechanism in the x100vi.

You can kind of feel it in the camera body when you shake it around.

So it makes sense - it’d be unreasonable for me to expect Fuji to add IBIS without an increase in weight.

But it is just one of those things I have to get used to.

As for the IBIS itself, I have a few mixed feelings.

For photography, I’ve experimented shooting with and without IBIS.

And maybe I’m just seeing things, but the IBIS mechanism in this camera acts differently than the IBIS and OIS mechanisms in other Fujifilm cameras and lenses.

I’ll share a few examples, but my testing is still inconclusive.

In this shot of a backflip, there’s a bit of blur on the subject.

And it’s really unnoticeable unless you zoom far in but this is the type of blur I wouldn’t get on my other cameras.

And it’s not the shutter speed - I had the setting at 1/1000 sec and that’s usually fast enough to freeze frames.

Many times I’d shoot at 1/500 sec and still not have any problems.

But in this shot there seems to be a tiny almost unnoticeable duplicity effect on the edges of my subject that appears ever so slightly blurry.

Kind of like the camera was trying to correct the motion with IBIS, but does so imperfectly.

I’ll give you another example where it’s much more apparent.

This shot I was shooting in lower light, my shutter speed was much lower, but IBIS was on and you can definitely tell in this picture.

Now, there’s a lot of motion in this picture because of the jumping and cheering, but for a shot like this you’d normally get “blur”.

This doesn’t look like blur.

With the x100vi’s IBIS, it looks more like a duplicity effect going on.

I don’t know how you’d describe it, but you’re seeing double.

It’s almost like the camera is trying to hold the image in place while the person is moving.

And I suspect this is what was happening in the other images, just on a much smaller scale.

You guys can let me know if you’ve experienced this or if I’m just crazy.

And if you’ve got any fixes, do let me know, I haven’t updated the camera in a while.

So nowadays I just shoot with IBIS off for photography.

I’m experimenting to see if the images are sharper and have less of this blur/duplicity effect.

As for IBIS in video, I don’t shoot much video with this camera anymore.

I’ve found it easier to just use the X-T4 or something else for video.

With the V I used to switch between photo and video when needed but I’ve found it too taxing to reset my settings every time I switched.

So I use the VI mainly for photography.

I have done a few handhelds shots with this camera just to see how the IBIS features work.

And it’s a bit of a hit or miss.

Sometimes if you’re holding the camera very still you’ll get a steady shot.

Other times if you’re not careful, you’ll get dodgy warpy video.

I’ll try to show you guys some examples. (check the YouTube video)

This may also depend on whether or not you shoot in 6k or 4k or what stabilization settings you have on.

But anyways, these video tests are inconclusive because I don’t have much data on it.

Let me know if you have any knowledge of how this camera’s video IBIS performs.

Lessons About Travel

One of the things I like the most about the x100 series is their usefulness for travel.

This past year I’ve taken the VI with me to cabin trips, festivals, and even out of the country.

I find that it’s size and ease of use makes it comfortable to bring around everywhere.

And the thing about photography is:

The more you have your camera with you, the more photos you’ll take, and the better photos you’ll get.

So having a camera you always want to bring around is an underrated first step to getting better photos.

This is especially so in certain scenarios where carrying a big bulky camera would be weird.

Things like places to eat, buses and trains, etc.

In those places I even feel a bit weird carrying the X-T4, which isn’t that much bigger.

The x100vi, however, looks like a camera anyone could have.

From a student on their way to school who does photography for fun, to the mom or dad who likes taking pictures of their friends and family.

It doesn’t scream “big important business”, just hobbyist.

And that I think subconsciously allows me to get more natural photos especially for street photography because people don’t have their guards up.

I can blend in more as opposed to someone with a bigger camera, they’ll stand right out.

The immediate impression is:

“Oh, he’s doing something.”

Whereas for me, people don’t even look at me.

Which is perfect.

It’s great because the nature of many of my “travel” photos is simply street photography.

One of the many things I’ve learned from going to different countries is: I don’t only like taking photos of the immersive views and landscapes.

But actually, travel photography for me is a lot of the little things.

I like taking pictures of the architecture and different looking streets of the cities I’m in.

I like taking pictures of the people that walk by and what they’re doing.

And I like capturing moments unique to my trip - random places I got lost in, random foods I’ve tried, different people I meet.

These types of photos give me a more cohesive feel for the city because they capture what the place I’m in is really about.

Not just the scenic views but also the people, the shape of the city, and every day life.

Which in turn adds a realness and more complete feeling to my overall catalog.

And then I can share these experiences with you guys or make a book or whatever.

Now you could say I’m overthinking it.

“If that’s the case why don’t you just get a Ricoh Gr?”

or

“You could just use your phone.”

And true, I’ve never tried a Ricoh, but Fuji currently has everything I want and need so, I’m fine.

As for phones, they’re great, but not the same as cameras and I’d only use them if I had nothing else.

Ask any photographer, the experience of taking a photo with a phone vs a designated camera is worlds apart.

Plus it’s nice to have something separate especially for photography.

But more on that in a different article.

Anyways the point is, if you need a travel camera, I can safely recommend the x100 series.

From documenting city life to capturing little moments with my friends, the x100 series is excellent for that.

As for whether or not you’ll be able to get your hands on one…we’ll talk about that in a bit.

Lessons About Photography

In the past there were many things I used to think incorrectly about photography.

I used to think the camera you used mattered more than it did.

I used to think there were secret things other photographers knew and did, that I didn’t, that got them better photos.

And I used to think people were weird for always taking photos of everything.

But as I learned and experienced more, many of these misguided preconceptions broke.

I found out that many of the photos I was drawn to take were pointless moments and memories with my friends.

I found out that there are many different ways of getting the same desired end result - and that you should use what works for you.

I learned that photography isn’t scientific - and it’s very much so a matter of taste and purpose.

I learned that the point was not to take photos like this famous photographer or do as the book says, but to make your version of photography better and better and better.

And ultimately, I realized that photography can be both “this just looks nice so I took a picture” and a medium for expression of something greater.

We go more in depth on this stuff in different articles, so let’s just highlight this for now:

In photography, use the cameras you want to make the stuff you want.

That’s it.

It sounds so simple it’s stupid, I know.

But it couldn’t be any more true.

You might be feeling a compulsion to buy the x100vi or x100v because everyone’s talking about it.

Or maybe you feel the opposite: you hate the camera because everyone’s talking about it.

Let go of those voices for a second and ask yourself:

“What kind of photos do I want to take?”

“Will this help me take those photos?”

Or, “Could I achieve the same result with something else?”

For me, I’ll stick with the x100 series no matter what people are saying.

Because these cameras just work for me, regardless of the hype.

And it’s true I could get similar results with another X-Series camera and the 23mm f2, but it’s just different.

The weight is different, the size is different, and the feel is different, and for me that’s enough to justify the investment.

If you’re in the market for this camera, you’ll have to answer those questions for yourself.

Find what’s comfortable for you to do what you need to do.

That’s more important than the megapixels, the sensor size, the specs, and sometimes even the price.

Was It Worth It?

After all my experiences and time with this camera, was it worth it?

I think given what I know now, I honestly could have stuck to the x100v and had still been fine.

The many features and upgrades that I had long wanted like IBIS fell short of my expectations.

Plus, I have to edit my x100vi photos through Lightroom, since I own an older version of Capture One that doesn’t support the VI, and that back and forth workflow can be annoying.

I currently don’t have access to Lightroom so many of my VI photos are stuck at JPEG - for now…

Even the upgrades in megapixels I never felt like I truly needed.

26.1 MP on the V felt like the sweet spot between image quality and file size.

And although the 40 MP is very cool, it’s not a necessity for me.

The point is, I feel like I upgraded to the VI for features that I don’t really use or need.

And I got a slightly heavier camera because of it…

However, nostalgic negative is pretty cool as a film simulation.

The updated processor speed is also quite useful, especially when shooting in film simulation recipes that adjust clarity.

And to be fair, my old V is pretty beaten up after years of abuse.

So I have mixed feelings about the upgrade.

It wasn’t fully worth it because of the things I mentioned, but was kinda worth it for other reasons.

And I did get the camera at market price on day of release so that evens things out.

If I had to pay the prices resellers using right now ($2000), I don’t think I would do it.

So instead of buying a second V, I still think it was a good idea to get the VI.

I can try new things out and share my experiences with you guys along the way, and I can still use the V if I want.

Whether or not it’s worth it for you…well, that’s up to you.

So I hope you either learned more about the camera or had an enjoyable time reading this.

If you’d like to build a solid foundation with photography, go to Photography Essentials, it’s free.

You can also support my travels by through the donation box in the website link below, or by grabbing a copy of my photography zine “The Sinking Sun”.

Thanks so much for reading, see you later.