First Look

As well as announcing the X-E2, Fujifilm has also launched the XQ1, a premium compact camera that shares the same 2/3in X-Trans CMOS II sensor and EXR Processor II as the X20. Featuring an ISO range from 100 to 12,800, the sensor does away with the need for an anti-aliasing filter in favour of greater detail from its 12MP of resolution.

Rather than follow the collapsible manual zoom lens we saw in Fujifilm’s other most recent premium compact, the 4x optical zoom features a more popular electronic mechanism. With a coverage from 25-100mm, it offers a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8 at the wide end, while there’s a control ring round the parameter of the lens that can be programmed to adjust a range of settings. It’s also possible to directly access preferred functions via the expansion function button on the rear of the camera.

Also included is a Lens Modulation Optimiser, which corrects optical defects and diffractions that result from using narrow apertures and therefore provides edge-to-edge image clarity. The lens comes with 3-stop optical image stabilisation for shooting in low light

The XQ1 is exceptionally speedy, boasting AF of 0.06 seconds, a shooting interval of 0.3 seconds and a microscopic shutter lag of 0.015 seconds. It incorporates Fujifilm’s Super Intelligent flash technology, which automatically assesses a scene and adjusts the flash output to compensate.

There’s a 3in screen at the rear with a 920k-dot LCD display with
anti-reflective glass, while as you’d expect from Fujifilm, there’s also a host of Film Simulation modes as well as Advanced Filter options. Multiple Exposure mode also provides the option of laying multiple images over a single frame. You can also use the LCD screen for Focus Peak Highlight, which highlights the outline of a main subject when high contrast might make it difficult to see.

While the XQ1 shoots Raw, it also has the capacity to convert to Jpeg in-camera, meaning it’s easy to share an image instantly if you think you nailed it first time. To do this there’s built-in Wi-fi, with instant sharing possible via the Fujifilm Camera Application app.

Full HD movies shooting at 60fps is possible on the XQ1, and you can apply the Film Simulation modes to video footage to give movies a distinctive look.

The XQ1 is priced at £349, available in black or silver, and should be on sale from the beginning of November.