I have owned my Fujifilm X100F since December 2020. I was originally going to buy the X100V (there were stocks available then) but I had already purchased the X-T4 during that year so I decided to buy a second-hand silver X100F instead. It was my first silver Fuji camera and I loved its look. So much so that when the X-T5 came out I also purchased that in silver.
I purchased the X100F from Wex and it arrived in superb condition – it looked like it had yet to be used. One downside though was that the lens adaptor ring was missing which was strange as the blurb on Wex said it would have everything in the box. I didn’t contact Wex (couldn’t really be bothered) but instead ordered a JJC Silver Lens Adapter and Hood and fitted that.
I later replaced the square lens hood with a Haoge round one which I think suits the retro look of the camera better.
I also added a JJC Soft release button set ( I have them on all my Fuji cameras). I find that I have that little bit more control over the shutter button with a soft release screwed into the top of it.
The final item I bought from the get-go was a JJC Aluminum Arca-Type Camera Hand Grip. Once again I have these grips on all my cameras (not all JJC though) and I find them so useful both for the Arca tripod mount and the extra grip it gives me whilst holding the camera.
Having set the camera up like my other Fuji’s in terms of settings and buttons (as far as possible) I found the X100F a joy to use. The autofocus is quick and responsive for the third-generation X-trans sensor but obviously not as good as the X-T4 and now my X-T5. There is also an issue if you ever wear Polaroid sunglasses in that turning the camera into portrait mode whilst wearing Polaroids means that the EVF goes black – you can’t see anything. You could still use the OVF but you will not see any markings or readings. This doesn’t happen with the X-T4, X-T5 or the X100V or with non-Polaroid sunglasses.
I am left-eye dominant and wear glasses so all camera controls and buttons pose some problems for me as I hold the camera to my eye, but I have always managed to get the functions I need on the buttons that I can reach without my face blocking access. The button I use for “back-button focus” is the one in the centre of the OVF lever (on my X-T4 and 5 I have it in the same position, so I suppose I should call it “front-button focus”.
The one issue I did have was my thumb hitting the Quick Menu button as I grabbed the camera out of my bag and put it to my eye. It was irritating but I couldn’t see what I could do about it. I could lock all the D-pad buttons and the Q button by holding down the “Menu OK” button for a couple of seconds, but then that would mean I would have to do the opposite before I could change the DRIVE mode setting or the ISO and exposure-lock both of which I have on the thumb-pad—hoping to solve the problem, I bought the JJC Hot Shoe Thumb Grip which fits into the flash socket and provides a grip for the thumb to push against to avoid accidentally hitting the “Q” button. Unfortunately, I found that the grip pushed against the right lens of my glasses when I held the camera to my eye and it caused small scratches on my spectacle lens, so it had to come off.
A small modification I have on all my Fuji cameras is one I have found so useful . The button on the top right of the top plate is where I set my photometry control. I have this set on all of my cameras the same way and I use it all the time to switch between the metering modes as required.
What I found was that a small blob of Sugru on the button meant I could easily find it with my right index finger when shooting. I have this on all my cameras. It is only a tiny blob of Sugru but is easily felt with the fingertip and makes the button easy to find in a hurry.
The Fujifilm X100 series is a classic line of cameras. Each iteration has seen the camera get better. The last released, the X100V was widely applauded with its version 5 sensor and excellent auto-focus. However, the strain that Covid put on the supply of components has meant that it has been hard to come by and used models are very rare. The X100F and the X100T can still be found though in good used condition, and the “F” in particular is an excellent camera.
Below are some images taken with my X100F:
A Sensored-View 