Fujifilm X100VI Could Win Our Hearts as the Ultimate Compact Camera if Sensor Rumors Prove True

The Fujifilm X100V became something of a phenomenon in 2023, with the compact camera’s mix of film-era charm and digital convenience making it a sleeper hit on TikTok. If you’ve been struggling to find one, there’s good news – some reliable new rumors suggest its successor will be landing soon with an improved sensor.

According to Fuji Rumors, the Fujifilm X100VI (as it’ll seemingly be called) will be announced on February 20. This has been given added credibility thanks to Fujifilm revealing that its next X Summit event (where it usually announces new products) will take place in Tokyo on February 20.

That date sounds like a shoo-in for an X100VI announcement, then. But there’s more – Fuji Rumors has also claimed that the compact camera will have the 40MP APS-C X-Trans V sensor from the Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujifilm X-H2.

That certainly seems likely, given that it’s Fujifilm’s latest sensor. And if true, it’d theoretically make the X100VI more versatile than the current version, because that 40MP resolution would give extra cropping power over the 26.1MP sensor in the X100V.

Apparently, Fujifilm will be sticking with the same fixed 23mm f/2 lens (or 35mm on full-frame) as the one on the X100V. That would make sense, as the lens was updated for that current model, so should have the resolving power needed for that demanding 40MP sensor.

The 40MP sensor should also come in handy for the ‘digital teleconverter’ options seen on the X100V. These give you two extra focal lengths (50mm and 70mm equivalents on full-frame) by cropping the image and then upscaling for the final image, much like the extra focal length options on the iPhone 15 and now Samsung Galaxy S24.

Right now, that’s about it for Fujifilm X100VI rumors, but we can expect to hear a lot more in the next few weeks given that the potential February 20 release date is approaching fast.

Analysis: Will the X100VI get IBIS?

The Fujifilm X100VI is shaping up to be one of the biggest camera launches of the year, given the popularity of its predecessor. The series has been around for over a decade but has seemingly struck a chord with a new audience following the resurgence of film cameras over the past few years. While the X100V is a digital camera, it has strong nods to the classic cameras of the past with its design and hybrid optical-electronic viewfinder.

But the question for most potential buyers is how many modern bells and whistles will the X100VI get? As a Fujifilm X-T5 owner, I can certainly vouch for the quality of its 40MP X-Trans V sensor, but I’m also very glad that it has in-body image stabilization (IBIS).

Unless the X100VI has a larger body than its predecessor, it’ll likely be too small to fit the X-T5’s IBIS system inside its shell. But it could, like the Ricoh GR III, potentially squeeze in a more limited 3-axis stabilization system to help steady your shots. The X100 series is very much designed for handheld shooting, so that would certainly be beneficial at night.

Those stabilization specs and the X100VI’s price tag are probably the two biggest unresolved questions – at $1,399 / £1,299 / AU$2,249, the X100V wasn’t cheap at launch, and cameras have largely gotten pricier since then. But those questions will likely be answered in the next few weeks as we head towards the X Summit and CP+ camera show in Tokyo.