Cell phone cameras are damn good these days. The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max听make stunning images that you can鈥檛 believe came off the communication device听that fits听in your pocket, especially when you鈥檙e shooting with Apple鈥檚 new ProRAW format.
But here鈥檚 the thing: cell phone cameras are still pretty limited. Even with all the software wizardry that Apple uses to enhance photos, the iPhone image sensors are still relatively small compared to what you鈥檇 find inside a more purpose-built听camera. And sensor size really matters when it comes to things like low-light photography and resolution.听
The iPhone is also a pain to use if you want manual control; all you can do is point and shoot and rely on听Apple鈥檚 preset software. Many of us who grew up with film cameras or have experience with DSLR or mirrorless cameras听still like being able to quickly and easily control things like ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. These functions allow for more creativity, and often听better photos.
All of this is why听mirrorless Sony cameras have听been widely adopted by听the pros recently. Its听cameras come with giant, full-frame sensors that drink in tons of light, produce extremely high-res files, and perform听great in low-light situations. They鈥檙e intuitive to use and there鈥檚 also a huge line of high-quality Sony lenses听to pair听with them.听Of course, a Sony mirrorless camera is significantly larger than an iPhone and doesn鈥檛 fit in your pocket, so portability becomes an immediate issue when听you鈥檙e听out adventuring. You have to haul along a camera bag and the extra weight,听which听can bog you down if you鈥檙e trying to cover a lot of ground.
All of this back and forth is why I was so excited to test the new 听($1,399), which perfectly splits the difference between a Sony mirrorless camera and a smartphone. About the size of two iPhone听12 Pro Maxs laying on top of each other, the X100V doesn鈥檛 quite fit in my pocket, but it does fit in my bike鈥檚听handlebar pouch, and is small enough to stuff into a fanny pack or small sling instead of needing a camera-specific bag.听It鈥檚 ideal for those of us who like to adventure鈥攆rom skiing, to gravel riding, to climbing, to overlanding鈥攁nd want to make beautiful photos along the way without being weighed down by a giant camera body.
Inside, it has an APS-C听26.1 megapixel sensor that鈥檚 smaller than Sony鈥檚听but bigger than what you find in an iPhone. That sensor makes rich, sharp files that can easily be turned into 20-inch prints. (With the iPhone, I won鈥檛 go beyond 11 inches听because the resolution from its smaller sensors results in graininess.)
Apple does a nice job of combining multiple photos to help users shoot low-light photos, but the X100V still performs better when it鈥檚 dark. I鈥檝e shot a ton of clear photos of my kids in my dimly-lit house with it听and can听easily听bring out the shadows in Adobe Lightroom听to reveal details, which don鈥檛 get too grainy or pixelated.
The X100V does not come with an interchangeable lens, but instead has a fixed, sharp 35-millimeter听equivalent that goes as wide as 茠/2. A fixed lens limits range, sure, but 35-millimeter听is my favorite focal length听anyway. It鈥檚听wide enough to capture a landscape but makes a nice portrait and can grab a solid action shot听as long as my subject is close by. At 茠/2, the lens also听creates a beautiful, consistent .听
I love looking through the viewfinder of the X100V (as opposed to just looking at the screen of an iPhone), which I think helps make听better photos. That鈥檚 because a viewfinder focuses听your attention and your gaze, allowing you to take in the full frame of what the camera will capture.听This often results in听better composition. Up top, the X100V has a dial that allows you听to quickly adjust shutter speed and ISO, and the lens has an aperture ring.听I听don鈥檛 always shoot in manual mode, but if I want to nail a tricky exposure, these features really help.听
In this portable category,听I鈥檝e also tested the . That camera comes with a full-frame sensor so it beats the X100V in terms of resolution. But I鈥檇 still rather carry the X100V for two reasons. First, the X100V听is more compact than the a7C with one of Sony鈥檚 pancake lenses, so it fits better in my bags. Second, the X100V is over $1,000 cheaper than what you鈥檇 pay for a Sony a7C with a decent 35-millimeter听lens. Sony also makes the , which has a fixed 35-millimeter lens, is just as portable as the X100V, and comes with a full-frame, 42.4-megapixel sensor. But that model is听several years old and comes in at a full $2,000 more than the Fuji. makes many high-end portable cameras but they鈥檙e wildly expensive.听
As a photo mentor once told me, 鈥淪top talking about all your gear, and go make a damn picture.鈥 With the X100V, I know I鈥檒l do that more.