- Fujifilm teases new camera with tagline ‘Half the Size, Twice the Story’
- Hints at new half-frame digital camera, possible called the X-Half
- Silhouette appears to show a secondary film preview display
Fujifilm’s rumored half-frame camera appears to be one step closer to reality. Weeks after leaked images gave us our first look at the ‘X-Half’, an official teaser has now all but confirmed its existence.
Shared on Fujifilm’s YouTube channel on April 22, the 19-second clip teases the new camera with the tagline ‘Half the Size, Twice the Story’. That leans heavily into speculation that the model will play on the half-frame format.
The clip doesn’t confirm a launch date or name for the new model. It simply says ’See you soon’, hinting that we won’t have long to wait to find out more.
The video also gives us a silhouette of the camera, which looks consistent with images that circulated online earlier in April. The shadowy preview shows a camera that apes the retro design language channelled by other Fujifilm models, including a textured control dial and circular viewfinder.
Another detail in the teaser has fuelled further speculation: a blue Provia logo on the left side of the camera, beneath the viewfinder. This sits where the canister window would traditionally be positioned on a film camera. So what does that mean for the X-half?
A window to simulation
The half-frame format comes from analog photography. It traditionally refers to a camera that can capture two vertical exposures on a single frame of 35mm film, allowing you to get twice the number of stills from a roll. It’s also a natural fit for today’s content creators, producing portrait images that are easily shared on social media.
New film cameras such as the Pentax 17 and Kodak Ektar H35 have helped the half-frame format return to popularity in recent years. The question is how Fujifilm’s new camera will tie into this revival.
As we reported earlier this month, online sources suggest the X-Half will be a modern take on the half-frame format, combining the convenience of digital with the charm of analog. That’s a recipe familiar to Fujifilm, as seen in models like the virally popular X100VI.
Leaked specs suggest that the X-Half will continue that trend, with a vintage design featuring a manual exposure dial and an optical viewfinder. Fuji Rumors has also reported that the new camera will have a vertical LCD display on the rear, to help with composing shots.
Fuji Rumors has further speculated that the X-Half will have a 1-inch sensor. It’s not clear whether this will be oriented vertically or horizontally, but many believe it will allow users to create ‘diptych’ images, combining two side-by-side photos in one frame. The teaser clip adds weight to this, with the line ‘Twice the Story.’
Where will film come into that story? As above, the trailer shows a blue Provia banner on the rear bottom left of the camera. Provia is a type of 35mm film that was made by Fujifilm. It’s also one of the many Film Simulation recipes available on recent Fujifilm cameras, which digitally emulate the look of classic film.
Some analog cameras featured a canister window which showed the roll fitted inside. As several commenters have suggested online, this could be mimicked by a secondary LCD display on the X-Half. It’s something we’ve seen before: the X-Pro 3 featured a mini display on the back panel which could show the selected Film Simulation.
A film preview screen would certainly fit with the X-Half’s rumored blend of analog and digital, putting a contemporary twist on a design hallmark of 35mm cameras. It could also be a divisive one. As with the X-Pro 3, nostalgic flourishes can be seen as gimmicks by purists. Then again, the X-Half isn’t necessarily targeted at a purist audience.
We’ll only how Fujifilm’s half-frame camera is pitched when full specs and pricing are confirmed. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to find out.
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