Fujifilm XQ1 Review

November 25, 2013 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

The Fujifilm XQ1 is an advanced compact camera that offers a 12 megapixel 2/3-type X-Trans CMOS II sensor with built-in Phase Detection pixels and no low-pass filter, a 4x, 25-100mm, f/1.8-4.9 zoom lens with optical image stabilisation and a control ring, a Lens Modulation Optimiser which automatically corrects diffraction blur, 1080p movie recording at 60fps, fast hybrid auto-focus system (0.06 seconds), wi-fi connectivity, 12fps burst shooting and a 3-inch LCD monitor with a resolution of 920,000 dots. Other key features of the Fujifilm XQ1 include an ISO range of 100-12,800, full range of manual controls, Focus Peaking for easier manual focusing, raw image capture and development, an integrated manual pop-up flash, a range film simulation modes and creative effects, 360° motion panoramas, 3cm macro mode and an electronic level gauge. The Fujifilm XQ1 is available in black or silver priced at $499.95 / £349.99.

Ease of Use

The Fujifilm XQ1 is the smallest and cheapest X-series compact camera yet, clearly designed to take on the likes of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100, Canon PowerShot S120, and Nikon Coolpix P330. Available in a smooth silver finish or a textured black, the Fujifilm XQ1 is another classically styled camera with a subtle, appealingly retro design and an all-metal control ring and dials.

The Fujifilm XQ1 has a 4x, 25-100mm zoom lens with a fast aperture of f/1.8 at the wide-angle setting and f/4.9 at full telephoto. In combination with the extensive ISO range of 100-12,800 at full 12 megapixel resolution, this makes the XQ1 well suited to low-light shooting, allowing you to hand-hold the camera in places where you'd usually be reaching for a tripod (if allowed) or other support, especially as the camera also features built-in optical image stabilisation equivalent to 3 EV stops.

The Fujifilm XQ1 is a very well-built camera, with virtually no flex or movement in its chassis. It weighs in at 206g with the battery and memory card fitted and measures 100.0mm (W) x 58.5mm (H) x 33.3mm (D), making it eminently well suited to life in a trouser pocket. There are some plastic buttons and controls on the XQ1, most notably the memory card / battery compartment door and the rear circular control wheel and buttons, but other that that the XQ1 offers incredible build quality considering its price-tag.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Front Rear

There's no hand-grip on the front of the XQ1 just a rubber thumb-rest on the rear, so we'd advise choosing the black version which at least has a textured surface that runs around the full width of the camera to aid grip. Two small metal eyelets on either side of the body are used for connecting the supplied wrist strap. A metal tripod mount is positioned off-centre from the lens away from the memory card / battery compartment, so you don't have to remove the camera from the tripod to change either of them.

At the heart of the XQ1 is the same 12 megapixel 2/3-type X-Trans CMOS II sensor that's used by the more expensive and bigger X20 camera, a sensor size that was used by several bridge-style compacts in the past but which has recently fallen out of favour. This sensor is larger than those in most compact cameras and promises to deliver better image quality, although not the equal of a compact system camera or a DSLR, and not as big as the Sony RX100.

We ran into some issues in bright sunlight when shooting in aperture and shutter priority modes, where the top shutter-speed limit of 1/1000th second at f/1.8 often caused under-exposure. The XQ1 doesn't feature a built-in Neutral Density filter, so you'll have to stop-down the aperture and sacrifice some depth-of-field to avoid blowing out the highlights. The XQ1 does offer a close focusing distance of 3cm, so macro shooting is definitely on the cards.

The Fujifilm XQ1's auto-focusing speed is even quicker than on the already impressive X20. The XQ1 has an ultra-fast hybrid AF system with both a conventional contrast-detection system and built-in Phase Detection pixels which enables the camera to achieve a focus lock in as little as 0.06 second. If you mostly use auto-focus rather than manual then this a great reason to buy the XQ1.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Front Side

Manual focusing is activated by changing the Focus Mode to Manual in the menu system, then using the control ring that encircles the lens to set the distance, with the LCD display automatically zooming in on the subject to help you judge the sharpness. Fujifilm have also included Focus Peaking to make manual focusing even easier, which displays a white line around the subject when it's in focus, something that Sony NEX users in particular have been enjoying for a while. This addition makes manual focusing on the XQ1 more of a pleasure than a chore, with a choice of High and Low settings (you can't change the colour).

The Fujifilm XQ1 features a high-resolution 3 inch LCD monitor on the back, which has 920k dots and offers 100% scene coverage. Unlike the Sony CyberShot DSC-RX100 MK II, there's no way to add an optical or electronic viewfinder to the XQ1 - the LCD screen is the only method of composition. The LCD screen offers a handy Info view which presents all of the key settings at once, or you can switch to the Standard or Custom Live View modes, with the latter offering a multitude of customisable options. To make the camera less obtrusive, there's a Silent menu option which turns off the speaker, flash, AF-assist lamp and most importantly the artificially-created shutter-release sound, instantly making the XQ1 better suited to candid photography.

In terms of operational performance, the Fujifilm XQ1 is a real speed-demon. Shutter lag is virtually non-existent on this camera, so once you have set the focus, you'll never miss the moment because the camera can't fire the shutter quickly enough. Continuous shooting speeds are impressive, with a top rate of 12fps for 9 JPEGs. Note, though, that both the focus and the exposure are set according to the first frame in each series, so it's not a particularly good system for tracking fast-moving subjects in varied lighting conditions.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Pop-up Flash E-Fn Menu

The write speeds from pressing the shutter button to recording to the SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card are also very good. Shooting a single RAW + Fine JPEG takes about 1.5 seconds to record to the card, and you can take another shot almost straight away thanks to a delay of just 0.3 second. Taking a 12 frame burst took the camera around 5 seconds to save, during which you can take more pictures, but not at the 12fps rate.

One area in which the Fujifilm XQ1 excels is its handling, thanks in no small part to the aluminum control ring that surrounds the lens. Fujifilm won't win any awards for originality here, as we've already seen similar implementations on the Canon and Sony equivalents, but it definitely helps make the XQ1 easy to use. By default it controls the manual focusing, aperture, and shutter speed, but it can be configured to change one of seven key settings.

More originally, Fujifilm have implemented a button called Expansion Function (E-Fn) button on the back of the camera. Press this, and the navigation pad and the two buttons above it effectively offer a second set of options - so, in addition to the defaults shown on the back of the camera, with a press of E-Fn you also get Continuous, White Balance, Focus Point and ISO settings on the navigation pad and Film Simulation Focus Mode on the two buttons above - very clever. Again you can reconfigure this function to suit your way of working.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Memory Card Slot Battery Compartment

On top of the XQ1 is a tactile dial for changing the the shooting mode, a small but responsive shutter release button encircled by a push/pull zoom lever, - a tiny on/off button, holes for the stereo speaker, and finally the camera's built-in pop-up flash, which is opened via a switch located behind it and which has a range of 50cm - 7.4m at the 25mm wide-angle focal length.

The Fujifilm XQ1 can record full 1080p movies at 60/30fps with stereo sound, started with a press of the dedicated movie button on the rear. There are also several slow motion options - 30fps or 80fps at 640x480 pixels, 150fps at 320x240, and 250fps at 320x112. You can set the aperture and shutter speed before recording begins, but not during, and you can also set the Film Simulation mode, so black and white footage is possible. Continuous auto-focusing is possible, and you can manually focus too, which encourages some more creative effects. There is a HDMI port for connecting the XQ1 to a high-definition TV, although as usual there's no cable supplied in the box. Also missing is a paper copy of the otherwise helpful manual, which is supplied on CD-ROM instead, along with the consumer My software the slow and rather unintuitive RAW converter (essentially a specially customised version of the commercial Silkypix application).

The X-E2 is the latest X-series camera to feature built-in wi-fi connectivity, although it's rather restricted in use as it has to be paired with a smartphone. Install the FUJIFILM Camera App and you can transfer your pictures immediately to a smartphone or tablet PC and then edit and share them as you wish, transfer stills and video onto the camera, and embed GPS information in your shots from your smartphone. Note that you can't control the camera remotely, only transfer images. The FUJIFILM PC AutoSave software provides a simple means to back up your photos to your home PC.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 12 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 5Mb.

The Fujifilm XQ1 produces images of excellent quality. It recorded noise-free JPEG images at ISO 100 up to 800, with a little noise and slight colour desaturation at ISO 1600 and more visible noise at ISO 3200 at full resolution, an excellent performance for a camera with such a small sensor. Even ISO 6400 is worth using, although the same can't be said about the range-topping ISO 12800. The RAW files were also excellent, with usable images throughout the entire range of ISO 100-3200.

The Fujifilm XQ1's 4x zoom lens handled chromatic aberrations well, with some limited purple fringing effects appearing only in high contrast situations. The built-in flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and good overall exposure. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds being long enough for most after-dark shots.

Macro performance is very good, allowing you to focus as close as 3cms away from the subject. The images were a little soft straight out of the Fujifilm XQ1 at the default sharpening setting and ideally require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting.

The Dynamic Range settings subtly improve detail in the shadows and highlights, while the Film Simulation modes hark back to a bygone era. The Advanced Filters provide some creative control over your JPEGs. Motion panoramas are the icing on the proverbial cake, although they didn't work very well in mixed lighting conditions or with moving subjects in the frame.

Noise

There are 8 ISO settings available on the Fujifilm XQ1 for JPEGs, and 6 for RAW files. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and RAW files.

JPEG RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

 
iso6400.jpg  
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

 
iso12800.jpg  

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera JPEG images are a little soft and ideally benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. You can also change the in-camera sharpening level.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
   
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

Focal Range

The Fujifilm XQ1's 4x zoom lens provides a focal length of 25-100mm in 35mm terms, as demonstrated below.

25mm

100mm

focal_range1.jpg focal_range2.jpg

File Quality

The Fujifilm XQ1 has 2 different image quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

12M Fine (3.91Mb) (100% Crop) 12M Normal (2.54Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_fine.jpg quality_normal.jpg
   
12M RAW (18.5Mb) (100% Crop)  
quality_raw.jpg  

Chromatic Aberrations

The Fujifilm XQ1 handled chromatic aberrations well during the review, with llittle evidence of purple fringing that was only present around the edges of objects in very high-contrast situations, as shown in the example below.

Chromatic Aberrations 1 (100% Crop)

Chromatic Aberrations 2 (100% Crop)

chromatic1.jpg chromatic2.jpg

Macro

The Fujifilm XQ1 offers a Super Macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 3cm away from the camera. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

Macro

Macro (100% Crop)

macro1.jpg macro1a.jpg

Flash

The flash settings on the Fujifilm XQ1 are Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro, Red-eye Reduction Auto, Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash and Red-eye Reduction & Slow Synchro. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Suppressed Flash - Wide Angle (25mm)

Forced Flash - Wide Angle (25mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Suppressed Flash - Wide Angle (100mm)

Forced Flash - Wide Angle (100mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are some portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Forced Flash setting or the Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash option caused any red-eye.

Forced Flash

Forced Flash (100% Crop)
flash_on.jpg flash_on1.jpg
   

Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash

Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash (100% Crop)

flash_redeye.jpg flash_redeye1.jpg

Night

The Fujifilm XQ1's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds in the Manual, Shutter-priority and Aperture-priority modes, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 15 seconds at ISO 100.

Night

Night (100% Crop)

night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Image Stabilisation

Image Stabilisation is Fujifilm's name for anti-shake, which in the XQ1 works via a sensor-shift mechanism. To test this, we took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with anti shake turned off, the second with it turned on. Here are some 100% crops of the images to show the results. As you can see, with anti shake turned on, the images are much sharper than with anti shake turned off.

Shutter Speed / Focal Length

Anti Shake Off (100% Crop)

Anti Shake On (100% Crop)

1/8th / 25mm antishake1.jpg antishake1a.jpg
     
1/5th sec / 100mm antishake2.jpg antishake2a.jpg

Dynamic Range

The Fujifilm XQ1 has three dynamic range settings - 100% (on by default), 200%, and 400% - and an Auto setting if you want to let the camera take control. These settings gradually increase the amount of detail visible in the shadow and highlight areas, with the side-effect of more noise appearing in the image. Note that you can't actually turn this feature off.

100%

200%

dynamic_range_01.jpg dynamic_range_02.jpg
   

400%

 
dynamic_range_03.jpg  

Advanced Filter

The Fujifilm XQ1 offers 13 different filter effects which can be previewed on the LCD screen.

Toy Camera

Miniature

advanced_filter_01.jpg advanced_filter_02.jpg
   

Pop Color

High-Key

advanced_filter_03.jpg advanced_filter_04.jpg
   

Low-Key

Dynamic Tone

advanced_filter_05.jpg advanced_filter_06.jpg
   

Soft Focus

Partial Color (Red)

advanced_filter_07.jpg advanced_filter_08.jpg
   

Partial Color (Orange)

Partial Color (Yellow)

advanced_filter_09.jpg advanced_filter_10.jpg
   

Partial Color (Green)

Partial Color (Blue)

advanced_filter_11.jpg advanced_filter_12.jpg
   

Partial Color (Purple)

 
advanced_filter_13.jpg  

Motion Panorama 360

Just like Sony's Cybershot range, the Fujifilm XQ1 can create motion panoramas up to 360 degrees in length. Exposure is set on the first frame, which caused real problems for our indoor shot where different light sources caused large areas of vertical banding. The XQ1 performed much better outdoors, although watch out for moving subjects in the frame as the XQ1 won't compensate for this.

360 Degrees
panorama1.jpg

Pro Focus

The Fujifilm XQ1's Pro Focus scene mode creates images with a shallow depth of field, with the camera taking a rapid series of exposures at different focal points and aligning them to produce a single frame showing a sharply focused subject against a soft, out-of-focus background.

100%

200%

pro_focus1.jpg pro_focus1a.jpg

Pro Low-Light

The Fujifilm XQ1's Pro Low-Light scene mode produces better image clarity at high ISO levels, with the camera taking a series of four high sensitivity/low-noise shots in quick succession which are then combined together using in-camera processing into an image with less noise than the single exposures.

Pro Low-Light

Pro Low-Light (100% Crop)

<img data-cke-saved-data-lazy="https://img.photographyblog.com/reviews/fujifilm_xq1/pro_low_light1.jpg" data-lazy="https://img.photographyblog.com/reviews/fujifilm_xq1/pro_low_light1.jpg" "="" 200="" border="0" height="150" width="200"> pro_low_light1a.jpg

Multiple Exposure

The Fujifilm XQ1 can combine two consecutively taken shots to create a single multi-exposure

Multiple Exposure

multi_exposure.jpg

Film Simulation

The Fujifilm XQ1 offers 8 different film simulation modes to help replicate the look of your favourite film stock from the past.

Provia / Standard

Velvia / Vivid

film_simulation_01.jpg film_simulation_02.jpg
   

Astia / Soft

Monochrome

film_simulation_03.jpg film_simulation_04.jpg
   

Monochrome + Yellow Filter

Monochrome + Red Filter

film_simulation_05.jpg film_simulation_06.jpg
   

Monochrome + Green Filter

Sepia

film_simulation_07.jpg film_simulation_08.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Fujifilm XQ1 camera, which were all taken using the 12 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Fujifilm XQ1 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Fujifilm RAW (RAF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1080 at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 32 second movie is 147Mb in size.

Product Images

Fujifilm XQ1

Front of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Front of the Fujifilm XQ1 / Turned On

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Front of the Fujifilm XQ1 / Flash Raised

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Side of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Side of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Side of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Side of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Rear of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Rear of the Fujifilm XQ1 / Image Displayed

 

Fujifilm XQ1

Rear of the Fujifilm XQ1 / Turned On

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Rear of the Fujifilm XQ1 / Main Menu

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Rear of the Fujifilm XQ1 / E-Fn Menu

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Top of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Bottom of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Side of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Side of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Front of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Front of the Fujifilm XQ1

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Memory Card Slot

 
Fujifilm XQ1

Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The new XQ1 is clearly designed to take on the all-conquering Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 (our Compact Camera of the Year in 2012) and the popular Canon PowerShot S-series. It essentially offers image quality somewhere between the two at a very attractive price that is lower than both, whilst offering the same appealing retro design and great build quality that epitomises the X-series camera range. Built-in wi-fi connectivity, intuitive handling and speedy performance form the icing on what is already a very rich cake.

The image quality from the large 2/3-inch CMOS sensor with no low-pass filter is markedly better than virtually all other compacts, with the exception of the RX100 / RX100 Mk II. Noise is noticeable only by its almost complete absence from ISO 100-800, with the faster full-resolution settings of 1600 and 3200 also being very usable. The 4x lens is commendably sharp and distortion free at both ends of its focal range, while the f/1.8 maximum aperture at 25mm makes it easier than most compacts to creatively throw the background out of focus (although it does quickly slow to f/4.9 at full telephoto).

We love the innovative E-Fn menu system, which effectively makes up for the XF1's reduced number of external controls, while the control ring that surrounds the lens, whilst not so original, also plays a big part in making the XQ1 very easy to use. Even better are the XQ1's lightning-quick reflexes, with incredibly quick auto-focusing and operational speed, enhanced manual focusing that you'll actually want to use, and all-round level of responsiveness that will rarely leave you waiting.

If Fujifilm had released the XQ1 in 2012, instead of the flawed XF1, they would definitely have had a big hit on their hands. As it stands at the end of 2013, though, the incredibly popular Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100, with its bigger sensor, pretty much has things sewn up, especially considering that it now only costs a little more than the XQ1's launch price. So while the new Fujifilm XQ1 is an excellent premium compact in its own right, you should definitely compare the two side-by-side to determine which best suits you (and look carefully at our sample images for both models).

4.5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 5
Features 4.5
Ease-of-use 4.5
Image quality 4.5
Value for money 5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Fujifilm XQ1.

Canon PowerShot S120

The Canon PowerShot S120 is a new compact camera for enthusiasts. Featuring a 5x zoom lens with a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, ISO range of 80-12,800, 12.1fps burst shooting, RAW support, full manual controls, built-in wi-fi connectivity, touchscreen interface and 1080p video at 60fps, the Canon S120 is a slim and stylish camera that you can easily fit in a trouser pocket. Read our in-depth Canon PowerShot S120 review now to find out if it's the best premium compact camera...

Fujifilm X20

The Fujifilm X20 is a brand new premium compact camera with a large 2/3-type 12 megapixel sensor and a fast 4x optical zoom lens. Boasting impeccable build-quality, intuitive handling and a long-list of photographer-friendly features, is the Fujifilm X20 the ultimate pocket camera for the avid photographer? Read our Fujifilm X20 review, complete with full-size sample JPEG and raw images, videos and more to find out...

Fujifilm XF1

The Fujifilm FinePix XF1 is a beautifully designed compact camera that continues the retro feel of Fujifilm's X-series range. Find out if it offers both style and substance in our Fujifilm FinePix XF1 review, complete with full-size sample JPEG and raw images, videos and more...

Nikon Coolpix P330

The Nikon Coolpix P330 is a new compact camera aimed at prosumers. The Nikon P330 features a 12.2 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, full manual controls, 1080p HD video recording, a 5x wide-angle zoom lens with a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, a high-resolution LCD screen, built-in GPS and 10fps burst shooting. Read our in-depth Nikon Coolpix P330 review to find out if this is the perfect pocket camera for the keen enthusiast ...

Olympus XZ-10

The new Olympus XZ-10 is a serious compact camera designed to fit in your pocket. A 12 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, high-res 3-inch touch-screen LCD, 1080p movies, RAW format support and a full range of manual shooting modes should be enough to grab your attention. Read our expert Olympus XZ-10 review, complete with full-size JPEG, RAW and movie samples.

Olympus XZ-2

The new Olympus XZ-2 is a serious compact that's aimed at the enthusiast and professional user looking for a small yet capable camera. A 12 megapixel 1/1.7 inch CMOS sensor, fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, high-res 3-inch tilting touch-screen LCD, and a full range of manual shooting modes should be enough to grab your attention. Read our expert Olympus XZ-2 review, complete with full-size JPEG, RAW and movie samples.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 is the latest premium compact camera hoping to find a place in a professional photographer's pocket. With the fastest lens of any compact to date, the LX7 also offers an improved 10 megapixel sensor, full 1080p HD movies and an even better control system than the previous LX5 model. Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 review with sample JPEG, RAW and video files now.

Pentax MX-1

The Pentax MX-1 joins the growing list of premium compact cameras aimed at advanced users. Offering a large 1/1.7" 12 megapixel sensor, fast f/1.8 4x zoom lens, tilting 3-inch LCD screen and an appealingly retro design, does the Pentax MX1 offer enough to compete in this increasingly competitive market? Read our detailed Pentax MX-1 review to find out...

Samsung EX2F

The Samsung EX2F is a new pocket camera for serious photographers, sporting a super-bright f/1.4, 3.3x zoom lens, sensible 12 megapixel sensor and a swivelling 3 inch AMOLED screen. 1080p video, RAW shooting, ISO 80-12800, 10fps burst shooting, image stabilisation and full manual controls complete the EX2F's star attractions. Read our Samsung EX2F review to find out if this is the advanced compact camera for you...

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II

Last year's RX100 premium compact camera proved to be a runaway success for Sony - can the new Mark II version improve on the original? Read our expert Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II review to find out...

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 is an exciting new premium compact camera. A large "1.0-type" 20.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, 3.6x 28-100mm lens with a fast maximum aperture of F1.8, full 1080p high-definition video with stereo sound, high-resolution 3-inch screen, manual shooting modes, 10fps continuous shooting, ISO range of 100-12800, Raw support and fast auto-focusing are all present and correct. Read our in-depth Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 review to find out if it's the best pocket camera ever...

Specifications

Model FUJIFILM XQ1
Effective Pixels 12.0 million pixels
Sensor type 2/3-inch X-Trans CMOS II with primary color filter
Total number of pixels : 14.5 million pixels
Storage media
  • Internal memory (approx. 66MB)
  • SD / SDHC / SDXC(UHS-I) memory card*1
File format
still image
JPEG (Exif Ver 2.3)*2, RAW (RAF format), RAW + JPEG
(Design rule for Camera File system compliant / DPOF-compatible)
movie
Movie File Format : MOV
Movie Video Compression : H.264
Audio : Linear PCM Stereo
Number of recorded pixels L : (4:3) 4000 x 3000 / (3:2) 4000 x 2664 / (16:9) 4000 x 2248 / (1:1) 2992 x 2992
M : (4:3) 2816 x 2112 / (3:2) 2816 x 1864 / (16:9) 2816 x 1584 / (1:1) 2112 x 2112
S : (4:3) 2048 x 1536 / (3:2) 2048 x 1360 / (16:9) 1920 x 1080 / (1:1) 1536 x 1536
<Motion Panorama>
360° Vertical 1624 x 11520 Horizontal 11520 x 1080
180° Vertical 1624 x 5760 Horizontal 5760 x 1080
120° Vertical 1624 x 3840 Horizontal 3840 x 1080
 
name
Fujinon 4x optical zoom lens
focal length
f=6.4 - 25.6mm, equivalent to 25 - 100mm on a 35mm format.
full-aperture
F1.8 (Wide) - F4.9 (Telephoto)
constitution
7 lenses in 6 groups (4 aspherical glass molded lenses included)
Digital zoom Intelligent digital zoom approx. 4x (up to 16x when combined with optical zoom)
Aperture F1.8 - F11(Wide)
F4.9 - F11(Telephoto) 1/3EV step (controlled 6-blade aperture diaphragm)
Focus distance (from lens surface)
Normal
Wide : Approx. 50cm / 1.6 ft. to infinity
Telephoto : Approx. 80cm / 2.6 ft. to infinity
Macro
Wide : Approx. 3cm - 3.0m / 1.1 in. - 9.8 ft.
Telephoto : Approx. 50cm - 3.0m / 1.6 ft. - 9.8 ft.
Sensitivity AUTO (Control available up to ISO3200), Equivalent to ISO 100 / 200 / 250 / 320 / 400 / 500 / 640 / 800 / 1000 / 1250 / 1600 / 2000 / 2500 / 3200 / 4000 / 5000 / 6400 / 12800 (Standard Output Sensitivity)
Exposure control TTL 256-zone metering / Multi / Spot / Average
Exposure mode Programmed AE / Aperture Priority AE / Shutter Speed Priority AE / Manual exposure
Shooting modes ADVANCED SR AUTO / AUTO / Filter (Advanced Filter) / P / S / A / M / C / SP / Adv.(Advanced mode)
MODE DIAL
SP : Portrait / Portrait Enhancer / Landscape / Sport / Night / Night (Tripod) / Fireworks / Sunset / Snow / Beach / Party / Flower / Text, Underwater
Filter : Toy camera / Miniature / Pop color / High-key / Low-key / Dynamic tone / Soft focus / Partial color (Red / Orange / Yellow / Green / Blue / Purple)
Adv. : Motion panorama360 / Pro focus / Pro low light / Multiple exposure
Image stabilisation Lens shift type
Face detection Yes
Exposure compensation -3.0EV - +3.0EV 1/3EV step
Movie mode : -2.0EV - +2.0EV
Shutter speed (Auto mode) 1/4 sec. to 1/3000 sec., (All other modes) 30 sec. to 1/4000 sec.
* up to 1/4000 sec. at small aperture, up to 1/1000 sec. at full aperture
Continuous shooting TOP
Super High : approx. 12.0 fps (max. approx. 9 frames)
High : approx. 9.0 fps (max. approx. 11 frames)
Middle : approx. 6.0 fps (max. approx. 14 frames)
Low : approx. 3.0 fps (max. approx. 200 frames)
* Use a card with SD Speed Class with or higher.
* Max. number of frames can be shot in JPEG setting
others
Best Frame capture :
Super High : approx. 12.0 fps (max. 8 frames)
High : approx. 9.0 fps (max. 8 frames)
Middle : approx. 6.0 fps (max. 8 frames)
Low : approx. 3.0 fps (max. 8 frames)
* Max. number of frames can be shot in JPEG setting
Auto bracketing AE Bracketing : ±1/3EV, ±2/3EV, ±1EV
Film Simulation Bracketing : (Any 3 types of Film Simulation selectable)
Dynamic Range Bracketing : 100%·200%·400%
ISO Sensitivity Bracketing : ±1/3EV, ±2/3EV, ±1EV
Focus
mode
Single AF / Continuous AF / MF
type
Intelligent Hybrid AF (TTL contrast AF / TTL phase detection AF), AF assist illuminator available
AF frame selection
Multi, Area, Tracking
White balance Automatic scene recognition
Custom / Color temperature selection (K)
Preset : Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White), Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light, Underwater, Custom, Color temperature selection
Self timer 10 sec. / 2 sec. delay
Flash Manual pop-up flash (Super Intelligent Flash)
Effective range : (ISO AUTO)
Wide : Approx. 50cm - 7.4m / 1.6 ft. - 24.2 ft.
Telephoto : Approx. 80cm - 2.7m / 2.6 ft. - 8.8 ft.
Flash modes
Red-eye removal OFF
Auto / Forced Flash / Suppressed Flash / Slow Synchro.
Red-eye removal ON
Red-eye Reduction Auto / Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash / Suppressed Flash / Red-eye Reduction & Slow Synchro.
  • * Red-eye removal is active when Face Detection is set to ON.
Hot shoe -
Viewfinder -
LCD monitor 3.0-inch, approx. 920K-dot, TFT color LCD monitor, approx. 100% coverage
Movie recording Full HD 1920 x 1080 60p / 30p Continuous recording : up to approx. 14 min.
HD 1280 x 720 60p / 30p Continuous recording : up to approx. 27 min.
640 x 480 30p Continuous recording : up to approx. 115 min.
with stereo sound
Optical zoom can be used.
* Use a card with SD Speed Class with or higher.
Photography functions ADVANCED SR AUTO, Face Detection, Auto Red-eye Removal, Film Simulation, Framing guideline, Frame No. memory, Histogram display, Best frame capture, High Speed Movie (80 / 150 / 250 fps.), Electronic level, Advanced Anti Blur, Pre-AF, Control ring setting, Focus check, Focus Peak Highlight, E-Fn (extended function) Button Custom Setting
Playback functions Face Detection, Auto Red-eye Removal, Multi-frame playback (with micro thumbnail), Protect, Crop, Resize, Slide show, Image rotate, Histogram display, Exposure warning, Photobook assist, Image search, Favorites, Mark for upload, Panorama, Erase Selected Frames, RAW Conversion
Wireless transmitter
Standard
IEEE 802.11b / g / n (standard wireless protocol)
Access mode
Infrastructure
Wireless functions Geotagging / Wireless communication (Image transfer) / View & Obtain Images / PC Auto Save
Other functions PictBridge, Exif Print, 35 Languages, Time difference, Silent mode
Terminal
Video output
-
Digital interface
USB 2.0 High-Speed
HDMI output
HDMI Micro connector
Power supply NP-48 Li-ion battery (included)
Dimensions 100.0mm (W) x 58.5mm (H) x 33.3mm (D) / 3.9 in. (W) x 2.3 in. (H) x 1.3 in. (D)
(Minimum depth : 23.3mm / 0.9 in.)
Weight Approx. 206g / 7.3 oz. (including battery and memory card)
Approx. 187g / 6.6 oz. (excluding battery and memory card)
Operating temperature 0°C - 40°C
Operating humidity 10% - 80% (no condensation)
Battery life for still images approx. 240 frames 3*
Accessories included Li-ion battery NP-48
AC power adapter AC-5VT
Plug adapter
Hand strap
USB cable
CD-ROM*4
Owner's manual

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