I took the Fujifilm X half out for a proper test of its Film Camera mode — the mode that’s meant to make this little digital compact behave like a film camera: pick your “film”, choose a roll length, shoot your frames, and you can’t chimp your photos on the rear screen until you “develop” the roll in the companion app.
On paper, that’s exactly my kind of thing. I’ve been shooting more film recently, and I wanted to see how close this gets to the real experience — not technically, but emotionally: the commitment, the limitation, the slower pace, the anticipation.
After one “digital roll”… I’ve got mixed feelings.
What the X half is trying to be
The X half is basically Fujifilm leaning hard into the half-frame vibe: a small, lightweight camera with a vertical-first shooting experience, a deliberately “analogue-ish” interface, and a big emphasis on JPEG-only simplicity.
And Film Camera mode is the heart of that idea: you give up screen review and you’re supposed to shoot with intent, like you would with a real roll of film.
How Film Camera mode works (and why I was excited)
The process is genuinely cool:
- choose a film simulation (“film”)
- choose roll length (e.g. 36 exposures)
- rear screen changes into an “analogue style” interface
- you shoot without seeing results until the roll is complete
- then you “develop” the roll in the X half app, complete with contact sheet / negative-style presentation
That last part is actually brilliantly done — I’ll come back to it.
The reality: it didn’t feel like film… it felt like a pricey point-and-shoot
1) The “wind-on” lever was a miss (for me)
Yes, Film Camera mode makes you “wind on” between shots, but it didn’t feel like winding film at all — no resistance, no mechanical satisfaction, just a plasticky slide. That was my first ugh moment. (Some reviewers like the concept more than the feel.)
2) The optical viewfinder is the biggest problem
This is the deal-breaker for how I shoot.
In Film Camera mode you’re pushed to use the optical viewfinder, but without useful framing guides I felt like I was guessing — especially close-up. And when the framing is off, you don’t find out until the roll is “developed”.
If this were a £30–£50 beater camera, you’d laugh it off. At around £699 new in the UK, I don’t think you should have to.
3) It can’t replicate the real film limitation
Here’s the weird psychological bit:
Even with Film Camera mode switched on, I still shot too freely because I knew each frame didn’t cost me anything. With real film, you naturally slow down because every click has a price attached — and that mindset is a huge part of the “film experience”.
A digital camera can mimic the workflow… but it can’t fully replicate that internal restraint.
4) It sometimes gives you the worst of both worlds
At points I felt like:
- it wanted to be film (limitations, uncertainty)
- but it also didn’t give me the best bits of digital (control, confidence, quick correction)
So it lands in a bit of a no-man’s land.
The best part: the app “developing” experience is genuinely fun
Credit where it’s due: transferring and “developing” the roll in the X half app is slick and satisfying — the negatives, the contact sheet vibe, the whole presentation. It’s the closest part of the process to a “ritual” that actually worked for me.
But even there… it’s instant. And I realised I actually like waiting for film results. That delay is part of the magic, and this removes it.
My conclusion after one roll
Film Camera mode is fun. It’s a novelty. It absolutely delivers a different experience.
But for me, at this price, it’s too hit-and-miss — mainly because the viewfinder/framing experience isn’t reliable enough to justify committing to the “no review” approach.
If you want a proper film experience, I still think the best answer is simple:
Buy a cheap film camera, stick a roll through it, and enjoy the real thing.
If you want a playful, restrictions-based creative tool and you’re happy treating it like a toy (in the nicest possible way), the X half’s Film Camera mode will probably make you smile.
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