Review: Fujifilm X Half
Some cameras beg you to pixel-peep; the Fujifilm X Half begs you to play.
It’s a pocket-sized time machine that drops you straight into the wobbly, light-leaky memories of disposable film, then hands you a USB-C cord and says, “Okay, now post it.”
Fujifilm’s vertical-frame curiosity exists to remind jaded shooters (myself included) that photography can still feel like kicking a stone down the street just to see where it skitters.
At its core is a 1-inch type, backside-illuminated sensor with 17.74 megapixels positioned vertically to match the camera’s native 3:4 aspect ratio. It’s a strange and specific choice, like designing a stage for only one kind of performance, but it makes perfect sense in a world ruled by portrait-mode everything.
The X Half doesn’t just acknowledge the rise of vertical content; it embraces it with open arms. This isn’t just another retro-styled compact—it’s a purpose-built creative tool that feels like a bridge between analog daydreams and digital immediacy.
The build
The Fuji X Half (RRP $1,349 AUD) features a plastic body complemented by what appear to be aluminium accents, giving it a modern yet understated aesthetic.
While plastic often gets a bad rap, here it doesn’t feel like a compromise thanks to the camera's minimalist and retro design, it actually feels quite solid in the hand.
The build quality might not scream premium, but it’s lightweight and compact, and the metal touches help elevate the overall impression making it feel like more than just a basic point-and-shoot.
Also worth noting how tiny this thing is, weighing only 240g, it disappears in a jacket pocket (that’s lighter than an iPhone 15 Pro Max in a case).
The Frame Advance Lever is equal parts nostalgia and novelty. When Film Camera mode is on, you crank it after each frame and hear a polite click. The experience is fun, at least until it started ignoring the occasional wind-on, forcing three cocks before the camera registered the action.
Control real estate is sparse with a shutter button and exposure compensation dial up top, one rear vertical format LCD, which happens to also be a touch screen with swipe control/menu options on screen.
I spent an hour poking menus before muscle memory kicked in, but once it did the swipe system worked flawlessly well in use. Everything was responsive and quite enjoyable while shooting and adjusting things settings.
On the rear of the body, you’ll also find a switch for switching between still and movie mode and a playback button, that’s it.
Much like a traditional half-frame film camera, the X Half lets you create diptychs, two photos side by side, stitched into one image. This is easily done in-camera using the Frame Advance Lever, or later using the new X Half app.
I liked doing it on camera and cranking the lever. If you do use the app, you can adjust the dividing space between each image, however there’s no external border around the two images which would have been nice to finish off the effect.
Surprisingly the diptychs ended up becoming my favourite thing about the X Half. It also made me look for subjects that could work side-by-side, making me more focused and in the moment.
Viewfinder & display
The X Half draws its name and inspiration from classic half-frame film cameras like the Fujica Half and Olympus Pen, which shot vertically using half of a 35mm frame.
With its 3:4 aspect ratio mirroring those vintage cameras, bringing a vertical shooting experience into the digital era.
The reverse-galilean finder is more suggestion than precision at around 90 % coverage, 0.38× magnification, and a framing box that floats like a postcard in a shoebox.
It’s reminiscent of pressing your eye against a cheap Instax or Lomo viewfinder: liberating if you’re in the mood, frustrating if you’re lining up for critical work. The tiny 2.4” rear touchscreen LCD hides until you ask; in Film Camera mode it blacks out completely, severing your tether to instant gratification.
I like this about the X Half as it really does feel like an analog experience with such a small and almost unusable screen for viewing your images.
Film camera mode and the app
This is the heart of the X Half with 36, 54, or 72 pretend “frames” - no chimping, and a forced slow dance with your subject.
It did make me more selective; although I burned through 35 shots around home quickly in an afternoon but felt pleasantly rationed. However, the process to view the images was a bit underwhelming. Transferring the ‘roll’ of images to the dedicated X Half app felt like watching a microwave tick down, no chemical smell, no dark-room magic, just a progress bar.
After an hour I toggled Film Camera mode off and went back to regular JPEGs, removing the SD card from the camera and importing my files into Lightroom the old-fashioned way.
Instagram shooters may adore the app; I got bored quicker than you can scroll to the next reel.
Image quality
Under the hood is a 17.7 MP, 1-inch sensor paired with a 32 mm-equivalent f/2.8 prime which works as you’d expect.
The X Half only shoots JPEGs, which may sound like a deal-breaker, yet Fuji’s colour science lends these files in a warm richness up to ISO 6400. For party snaps, travel journaling, or casual Instagramming, it sings.
Metering in P mode nailed daylight exposures and handled contrasting light better than I expected. Manual control is bare bones, but honestly, I embraced the snapshot philosophy and let the camera steer with some pleasant results.
If you’re open to adjusting your expectations then I’m sure the results will be satisfactory, although if you demand the highest possible image quality then the X Half isn’t the camera for you.
It’s worth noting that unlike other Fujifilm cameras you cannot use film simulation recipes with the X Half and not all of the film simulations are included.
Fujifilm has selected 13 film sims and a bag of analog-inspired filters, which is more than enough to give you the experience of shooting ‘film’.
Out of the filter effects, light leak is my favourite, as it gives random streaks that look almost accidental, the way sunlight once sneaked past the foam seals of my dad’s Canonet.
The three expired film effects were fun to use, my favourite with the Red filter applied for an earthy warm tone. I also enjoyed the halation, which sometimes nailed the glowing-highlight vibe and then it sometimes looks like your lens fogged over.
I guess that’s how film is though, it's unpredictable and a surprise.
Film grain can be applied in camera too; I prefer to go with subtle grain so ‘weak’ and ‘small’ were my settings. Whenever I shoot other Fujifilm cameras, I tend to disable the grain and apply it in Lightroom if I want it, which I think may be a sensible choice with the X Half given the camera only shoots in JPEG so whatever settings you set are baked into the final image.
Autofocus
Contrast-detect AF is serviceable in bright light and works well enough. Face/eye detect lands more often than it misses, but as I’ve learnt with Fujifilm in general it’s still quite average, however I don’t think this is the sort of camera that users care too much for focus performance so that’s probably good enough for what it is.
I was happy setting the camera to auto and letting the camera take the wheel, with photos focused enough for my liking about 85% of the time, and as a point and shoot ‘film’ camera experience it does just that.
As there’s no EVF you don’t get any indication of focus while composing through the viewfinder, however you can use the rear LCD screen which does have a focus indicator.
I didn’t bother with the rear LCD for shooting as it seems somewhat redundant and takes away from the ‘film’ approach, so I opted for the viewfinder to get the full X Half experience.
Video
If video is a main course for you, the X Half is a soggy side salad. Full-HD (1080x1440) at 24p, wobbly IBIS lacking footage and audio that sounds as if it’s trapped in a Milo tin.
It exists, but so does my phone which outperforms the X Half for video.
Wrap-up
Shooting with the X Half felt like strolling barefoot on warm asphalt: imperfect, a bit risky, but strangely liberating.
It slowed me down, made me think, and occasionally left me cursing its fickle advance lever. Will it earn a permanent slot in my pro bag? Maybe, maybe not.
Will I pack it for a music festival or a mate’s birthday? Probably, because sometimes you need a camera that trades precision for presence and that’s what the X Half is about.
It also made the experience of picking up a camera fun and I liked that a lot. It’s almost lomography-esque feeling really does make photography spontaneous and fun and that makes it a decent offering for something new in the world of digital/film photography.
It most definitely doesn’t replace a professional camera, but there’s no saying that professional photography cannot be done with the X Half.
The results
HANDLING ★ ★ ★
Feather-light, fits any pocket; lever nostalgia is fun but occasionally flaky. Does give a sense of shooting film but is by no means going to itch the film itch.
FEATURES ★ ★ ★ ★
Film mode, diptychs, nice array of filter effects especially the light leaks. The main con is the lack of RAW and a so-so app experience. In saying that, JPEG is totally sufficient for the type of photography intended.
AUTOFOCUS ★ ★ ★
Nothing fancy but it works good enough.
IMAGE QUALITY ★ ★ ★ ★
Fuji colours are gorgeous as usual in JPEG; limited flexibility for heavy editing without RAW but great for the type of photography the camera was designed to do.
VALUE ★ ★ ★
Pricey for a “toy,” but if you crave film vibes without lab fees, it delivers. Despite a niche market, I believe it’ll sell really well.
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