Fujifilm X100 vs Olympus Stylus 1s

The Fujifilm FinePix X100 and the Olympus Stylus 1s are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2010 and April 2015. Both the X100 and the Stylus 1s are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on an APS-C (X100) and a 1/1.7-inch (Stylus 1s) sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 11.8 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X100		Olympus Stylus 1s
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
35mm f/2.0		28-300mm f/2.8
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor		11.8 MP – 1/1.7" sensor
720/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-12,800
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
2.8" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
300 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
126 x 75 x 54 mm, 445 g		116 x 87 x 57 mm, 402 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm FinePix X100 and the Olympus Stylus 1s? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X100 and the Olympus Stylus 1s. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus Stylus 1s is notably larger (7 percent) than the Fujifilm X100. However, the Stylus 1s is markedly lighter (10 percent) than the X100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the X100 nor the Stylus 1s are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the X100 gets 300 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-95 battery, while the Stylus 1s can take 450 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X100	126 mm	75 mm	54 mm	445 g	300	n	Sep 2010	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	450	n	Apr 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X20	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	353 g	270	n	Jan 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X100S	127 mm	74 mm	54 mm	445 g	330	n	Jan 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X100T	127 mm	74 mm	52 mm	440 g	330	n	Sep 2014	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
11.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	118 mm	66 mm	55 mm	405 g	300	n	Sep 2014	US$ 1 195	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3000	126 mm	97 mm	64 mm	536 g	500	n	Jul 2009	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	410	n	Oct 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX100	115 mm	66 mm	55 mm	393 g	300	n	Sep 2014	US$ 899	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The Stylus 1s was launched at a markedly lower price (by 42 percent) than the X100, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Fujifilm X100 features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus Stylus 1s a 1/1.7-inch sensor. The sensor area in the Stylus 1s is 88 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 4.5. The sensor in the X100 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the Stylus 1s offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 12.2MP, the X100 offers a slightly higher resolution than the Stylus 1s (11.8MP), but the X100 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.53μm versus 1.91μm for the Stylus 1s) due to its larger sensor. However, the Stylus 1s is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 6 months) than the X100, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Stylus 1s has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Fujifilm FinePix X100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus Stylus 1s are ISO 100 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the X100 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the Stylus 1s uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X100	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/30p	22.9	12.4	1001	73
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.2	11.3	-111	47
3.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
5.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
6.		Fujifilm X20	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.1	10.9	-462	46
7.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
8.		Fujifilm X100S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.3	12.5	1329	75
9.		Fujifilm X100T	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.6	12.8	1483	78
10.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
11.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.4	12.1	607	67
12.		Nikon D3000	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.1	563	62
13.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.7	11.6	179	51
15.		Panasonic LX100	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.3	12.5	553	67
16.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the Stylus 1s provides a better video resolution than the X100. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the Fujifilm is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The X100 and the Stylus 1s are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 1440k dots. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Fujifilm X100 and Olympus Stylus 1s in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm X100	1440	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Fujifilm X20	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Fujifilm X100S	2360	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Fujifilm X100T	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
11.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
12.		Nikon D3000	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic LX100	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The Stylus 1s has a touchscreen, while the X100 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Olympus Stylus 1s has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The Stylus 1s is equipped with a zoom lens, while the X100 comes with a built-in prime. The Stylus 1s has a 28-300mm f/2.8-2.8 optic and the X100 offers a 35mm f/2.0 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Olympus provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Fujifilm. The X100 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the X100 and the Stylus 1s write their files to SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Fujifilm FinePix X100 and Olympus Stylus 1s and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X100	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Fujifilm X20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X100S	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X100T	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Nikon D3000	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Panasonic LX100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the Stylus 1s offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the X100 does not provide wifi capability.

Both the X100 and the Stylus 1s have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The X100 was replaced by the Fujifilm X100S, while the Stylus 1s does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the X100 and Stylus 1s can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus Stylus 1s Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Fujifilm X100 and the Olympus Stylus 1s? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm FinePix X100:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.0 vs f/2.8).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2010).

Advantages of the Olympus Stylus 1s:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/30p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.50x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (450 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (42 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 6 months of technical progress since the X100 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Stylus 1s is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Fujifilm X100 and the Olympus Stylus 1s place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the X100 or the Stylus 1s perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X100	3/5	..	..	75/100	4/5	5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
2.		Olympus Stylus 1s	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X20	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X100S	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X100T	5/5	+	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
11.		Leica D-LUX Typ 109	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 195	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3000	..	+	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus Stylus 1	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 899	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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