The Fujifilm X100VI is a big step forward for the popular TikTok compact camera

It was a Fujifilm X100V the A must have game for the past 2 years (Thank you Tik Tok) The company has now released its successor, 40.2MP X100 VI, with major improvements in all areas. Keeping the same old form factor, it offers much faster shooting speeds, in-body stabilization, 6.2K 30p video and more.

The X100VI looks identical to the previous model, with the same layout and control modes. Designed as a street photography camera, the series borrows many design cues from Leica's popular rangefinder cameras. As such, it doesn't have the greatest ergonomics in the world, but at 521g it's lightweight, discreet when shooting and can fit in a jacket pocket.

Fujifilm has chosen to use the same 40.2MP APS-C sensor as the much larger X-H2, which significantly boosts resolution over the X100V. I think this is a wise choice because it gives the camera – which has a 23mm f/2.0 (35mm full frame equivalent) wide-angle fixed lens – more cropping options. The price for this will likely be a slight reduction in low-light sensitivity.

Another big new feature in the X100VI is built-in 5-axis stabilization with up to 6 stops of vibration reduction. Given the X100VI's small body, it's an unexpected but welcome feature, and will be a big help for street photographers who take candid photos on the go.

The X100V retains the same 3.69 million dot hybrid optical viewfinder and 1.62 million dot LCD screen, but the latter now tilts down an additional 15 degrees to make it easier to shoot from above. It retains the same battery as before (CIPA rating for 300 shots) and, unfortunately, the same slow UHS-I card slot.

The X100VI still shoots at 11 fps with the mechanical shutter and 20 fps in electronic mode, but the autofocus is faster and more capable, according to Fujifilm. It now offers the company's latest tracking and face/eye detection technologies, along with animal/vehicle detection and other types of target detection.

Image quality should also be improved with the additional resolution and a lower ISO value of 125. Since much of this camera's popularity on social media is based on film simulation modes, the camera comes with 20 built-in modes, including a new mode called Reala Ace, designed To deliver “faithful color reproduction and contrast tone”.

Finally, one doesn't usually think about video when it comes to this series, but the X100VI is surprisingly capable of holding a compact device. It can shoot 6.2K video at up to 30 fps, 4K at 60 fps, and 1080p at up to 240 fps. You also get 10-bit F-log and F-Log2 recording, which is surprisingly good for a small image-focused camera with a fixed lens. The only downside is the relatively low data rates (200Mbps max) due to slower cards, but you can capture ProRes on an external recorder.

The $1,600 Fujifilm It pledged to reduce the long waiting times for the previous model by manufacturing it in China like other modern models.