Hot Shot

For everyday picture taking, a modest point-and-shoot — or even an iPhone — will do. Traveling, however, is an occasion for a technology upgrade. It’s also a chance to get artistic, to experiment with effects and angles that might imbue the story you tell with a little more color. The new Fujifilm FinePix X100 has a balance of good looks (think mid-century Leica) and high performance (comparable to today’s larger SLRs) that no camera before it was able to achieve. And it’s getting the buzz it deserves.

Holding the X100 feels good. It has enough heft to suggest that it will take a good — if not great — picture, but it’s light enough to be taken out without a second thought. But more than that, the X100 feels good to the touch. It has a manual aperture ring and top-level dials rather than buttons, which means you can see the camera’s settings even when it’s powered off. The body is wrapped in a pebbled faux-leather finish that may as well be the real thing.

The camera’s standout design feature is definitely the hybrid viewfinder. Photographers, both amateur and pro, have grown accustomed to viewing their compositions on a small LCD screen. In fact, many cameras have abandoned the optical viewfinder altogether. But the X100 reintroduces the concept in a very compelling way, with a digital overlay that quite clearly displays all the important details — shutter speed, aperture, ISO, exposure compensation and shooting mode.

So if your photography knowledge ends at disabling your Coolpix’s auto-flash mode, this camera might not be for you. Some users may find the its non-zooming 23mm lens, which is the equivalent of 35mm for an analogue camera, too wide and even potentially limiting. But given the upside, which is that its fixed lens makes it smaller, lighter and faster, it can be a one of very few points of compromise.

The fact that this innovation comes from Fujifilm may come as a surprise; Canon and Nikon are the heavyweights in the market, and Leica has its own high-end niche. But in the retro sprit of the X100 itself, the camera could mean a comeback for the Japanese brand. We hope so.

Why not trip-test the X100 and report back? If you’ve snapped a good photo at one of our hotels, send it the editors to be considered for our weekly Just A Moment feature. The winning shot earns its taker a Tablet Plus membership.