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Home โ†’ Reviews โ†’ Cameras and Lenses โ†’ Fuji X100S Review

Fuji X100S Review

By Nasim Mansurov 28 Comments
Last Updated On April 11, 2020

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I spent some time evaluating the performance of the X100S’s sensor and it turns out that the X-Trans CMOS II sensor is no different than the original X-Trans CMOS sensor in terms of ISO performance. The only difference between the two is the built-in phase detection pixels on the second version of the sensor. Performance-wise, both are identical, as can be seen from the below comparison to the Fuji X-E1.

Fuji X100S vs Fuji X-E1 (ISO 200-800)

Here is a comparison between the two cameras at low ISOs between 200 and 800:

Fuji X100S ISO 200 Fuji X-E1 ISO 200

Fuji X100S ISO 400 Fuji X-E1 ISO 400

Fuji X100S ISO 800 Fuji X-E1 ISO 800

Both look about the same to me from ISO 200 to 800. There is a very slight difference at ISO 800 with the X100S grain looking smoother.

Fuji X100S vs Fuij X-E1 (ISO 1600-6400)

And here is a high ISO comparison between the two:
Fuji X100S ISO 1600 Fuji X-E1 ISO 1600

Fuji X100S ISO 3200 Fuji X-E1 ISO 3200

Fuji X100S ISO 6400 Fuji X-E1 ISO 6400

Both handle noise very well, but the X100S seems to be a tad cleaner at ISO 1600, 3200 and 6400. Note that the grain size on the X100S seems smaller, which is especially noticeable at ISO 6400.

Comparisons to Other Cameras

Since the performance of the X100S is very similar to other X-series cameras, I did not bother with providing comparisons to the Nikon D800, Canon 5D Mark III and Olympus OM-D E-M5. I have already done that in my previous reviews, so if you want to see the comparisons, please see my Fuji X-E1 review. In short, the X-Trans sensors are amazing and the image quality is pretty comparable to full-frame cameras, especially when comparing JPEG images.

Table of Contents

  • Overview and Specifications
  • Image Sensor and Autofocus Performance
  • Lens Performance, Exposure and Dynamic Range
  • ISO Performance
  • Camera Comparisons
  • Summary
  • More Image Samples
  • Reader Comments
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