[Keithwee] Preview of the Fujifilm X70 : The Petite Powerhouse

[keithwee]

After testing the much awaited (3 years!) top of the line Fujifilm X-Pro2, I must confess I wasn’t very interested in the Fujifilm X70.

In fact the conversation went like:

Fujifilm rep: Keith, the pre-production unit for the X70 just arrived, will you be interested in testing it?
Me: How’s the specs like?
Fujifilm rep: It’s X100T, but smaller and without the hybrid EVF.
Me: meh, I have the X100T and love it. Why should I be interested in the X70?
Fujifilm rep: It sports the same X100T XTrans II sensor, all packed in a body more compact than the Ricoh GR and ya , like the size of the Sony RX100IV.
Me: !!!!! You are joking right?
Fujifilm rep: And it has a 180 degrees flip LCD, a 28mm F2.8 lens in front and yes, touch AF and touch to snap.
Me: [O_O]” let’s meet up!​

And here's presenting the Fujifilm X70 APSC sized sensor compact.

Yes, it’s so compact that Kei, an 18 months old toddler is holding it here snugly. :bsmilie:

 

[keithwee]

Before we move on, some of the previews/reviews I’ve done previously for Fujifilm Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd are:

1. Fujion XF16mm F1.4 R WR at http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1514916

2. Fujifilm X-T10, Fujion XF90mm F2 R LM WR at http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1523181

3. Fujifilm X-A2, XC 16-50 II kit at http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1513374

4. Fujifilm Year Album Service at http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1563394

 

[keithwee]

And of course, let’s go through a summarised specs list of what everyone wants to know lol.

New FUJINON 18.5mm F2.8 lens, yes – the X70 sports a 28mm F2.8 equivalent glass.

Compact with the high quality build of the X100 series cameras - weighing approximately 340g, the X70 is the lightest X-Series camera with an APS-C sized sensor sporting full aluminium milled dials and an aperture ring with 1/3 or 1 stop increments.

APS-C sized X-Trans CMOS II sensor and EXR Processor II image processing engine complete with on sensor phase detection.

The first 180-degree tilting touchscreen LCD in an X-Series camera. Yes, and one gets touch focusing and touch to snap options too, allowing even greater versatility in shooting and further discreetness.

Accessories for the X70 include a LH-X70 lens hood, a 21/28mm VF-X21 optical Viewfinder, a WCL-X70 wide angle adapter giving a 21mm view plus a BLC-X70 half leather case.

And last but not least, a built in Digital tele-converter giving one options of 28mm, 35mm , 50mm options allowing one the option of choosing 3 focal lengths.

amongst all the other list of features one can easily find at the official Fujifilm X70 site.

[video=youtube;pddlfd3jr2s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pddlfd3jr2s[/video]
the X70 video, credits to the owners.

 

[keithwee]

I have the GR II and love it, and I used to own the RX100 M3 just because it was the smallest 1 inch sensor camera around.

Maybe the simplest way to describe this is that Fujifilm has looked hard at what people love about the:

Ricoh GR (discreetness and built in flash),
Sony RX100 series (minute size and tilt LCD),
Olympus E-M10 (Touch focus)
Fujifilm X100 series handling
of course, the Fujifilm film simulations and colors.

And engineered all these into the X70, and at a similar price range – and now Fujifilm can proclaim they have a APSC X-Trans II sensor pocketable camera, and one with the full works equipped with tilt LCD, touch focus/snap, physical manual control dials and built in flash.

top: Apple iPhone 6, bottom: Fujifilm X70

 

[keithwee]

Handling:

Let’s get this out of the way, if your love your cameras huge, heavy, bulky and attention grabbing and overpriced – the X70 is not for you. This is a camera made to be pocketable, and as usable and accessible to everyone as much as possible, and that’s why the final bonus is :

It comes with Fujifillm’s Auto mode (its called SR+) and its accessible with a simple flick of a physical switch.

On the front, one will find the familiarity with the X100 series, from the placement to the MF/AF/AFC selector to the physical aperture control ring.
And yes, you get a built in flash. No need to plop a bulky or obstructive separate flash to add light to your shots.

As shared, one gets a 28mm F2.8 lens equivalent in the X70.

Why not 35mm? Why not F1.4? Well, the idea is about discreetness which means as compact but yet as usable as possible. If Fujifilm had made the X70 a size similar to the X100T, I would be the first one disappointed and I am glad they made all the right design decisions with the X70.

On the top, physical dials for Shutter speed, Exposure, on/off + shutter button are all designed for the Fujifilm user to get to speed immediately.
The ‘Drive’ button has been moved from the back panel to the top for a simple but best of reason – you now get a 180 degrees flip LCD, one that allows you to do touch AF and snap.

The camera handles well, I have no difficulty in using it in Manual mode. I could even shoot by placing the camera at waist level, flipping up the LCD to 90 degrees and using the touch screen to shoot for even more discreetness.

 

[keithwee]

One of the most value added functions the X70 has must the 180 degrees tilt LCD. If you are asking why, it probably means you haven’t explored shooting from all the weird angles yet.

A tilt LCD can be most useful in many situations. For example if u r doing a ground shot or wish to be shooting top down etc etc.

The Play and Delete buttons are also built onto the tilt LCD with the goal of minimising the X70’s size and they are more accessible now.

 

[keithwee]

A 180 degrees LCD brings to mind a selfie camera and so how about the X70 effectiveness as a selfie camera?

In a nutshell: very well implemented with a 100% WYSIWYG implementation.

Shot hand held with screen flipped upwards.

And above all, the X70 comes with USB charging capabilities like the X100T, an extra option is always great and yes, I charge it with a powerbank I bring along. Its that simple.

 

[keithwee]

Size comparisons and battery:

The X70 uses the same NP-95 battery as the X100 series, which means one doesn’t need to start any line of batteries lol.

Next to the NP-95 charger.

 

[keithwee]

A few more X70 photos.

Got feel wor lol.​

 

[keithwee]

I’m expecting someone will ask for a size comparison with the Ricoh GR / GR II so here it is.

 

[keithwee]

No preview/review is complete without sharing some shots from the X70 and here’s to share some

Disclaimer:

1. the X70 I was loaned was a pre-production model running pre-production firmware ver 1.27.
2. All are JPEG SOOC only cropped and adjusted for highlights/shadows in LR. There was no support for the X70 RAW files during the period of the loan.
3. the camera was returned to Fujifilm Asia Pacific at the end of the loan period and I was not paid at all in any form for the preview. All I got was the use of the camera in December, one month before the official embargo date of Jan 15.
4. I shot almost 100% using Fujifilm’s film simulations, mostly in Standard, ProNegH, Classic Chrome and B&W and I have my own preferred in camera settings for them.

 

[keithwee]

Though not of the typical portrait focal lengths, I had not much issues shooting portraits with the X70. One thing to note is that the X70 comes with a built-in digital teleconverter - allowing one to shoot at 28mm, 35mm and 50mm focal lengths.

 

[keithwee]

Architecture and wide shots were great with the X70

 

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[keithwee]

again, the details and ability of the X-Trans II sensor never fails to impress.

 

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[keithwee]

This is one of my favorite shots out of the whole series, because the camera managed to capture everything in this moment the way I wanted it - and it was a circumstance where the flip LCD saved me from having to lie down on the concrete floor lol.