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| Fujifilm Finepix X100 Hybrid Viewfinder, in OVF mode. |
Sony is setting a precedence for the future of the mirrorless camera market with its NEX-7. I hope however that this doesn’t encourage Fujifilm to rest on their laurels with the Finepix X100. If there wasn’t already, this puts pressure on them to give the next model interchangeable lens capability. But if they do, will they copy Sony, and include only an electronic viewfinder, or will they break new ground and keep the hybrid viewfinder? They could go from, “The World’s Only Hybrid Viewfinder…” to “The Camera That Fits the Paradigm Prescribed by Sony” in a heartbeat.
As it stands now, with very little retooling, they’ve got everything they need. All they need to add are multiple brightlines to the optical portion of the hybrid viewfinder to accommodate interchangeable lenses of different focal lengths. The user can then choose which method to use, the electronic viewfinder which displays an accurately framed composition at the expense of resolution and refresh rate, or the optical one which shows a real image with no resolution limitations cropped by the brightlines. With the ability to switch between the two at will, it’s the best of both worlds.
Recently, I had the opportunity to see the Finepix X100 in the flesh at a local dealer. I held it in my hand, and it felt solid and well-balanced. The controls were equally camera-like. The viewfinder was a dream come true. The manual focus I didn’t get, but I’m sure a few moments with the user manual would clear that up. I was expecting to switch to manual focus mode, turn the focus ring on the lens, and see some sort of focus confirmation in the optical viewfinder overlay. Perhaps manual focus only works with the electronic viewfinder, which I could accept. If the possibility of interchangeable lenses didn’t loom on the Horizon, I might have bought it right then and there. They even had the leather case.
I have high hopes for this camera, Fujifilm; don’t mess it up!
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