Fujifilm's FinePix X100 compact, announced on September 20, has added a new dimension to the challenge posed to traditional DLSRs by mirrorless digital cameras – It features a 12.3 MP APS-C sized sensor without interchangeable lens! Fujifilm has been thinking out of the box lately, as it proved with its FinePix F300EXR compact super-zoom – a compact camera that boldly forayed into traditional DSLR territory by offering phase detection autofocus! The F300EXR actually features a hybrid focus that automatically switches between contrast detection and phase detection depending on the light conditions.
With the FinePix X100, Fujifilm is yet again thumbing its nose at DSLR vendors like Nikon, Canon, Olympus and Panasonic by offering a compact with a APS-C sized sensor.
So far high end compact cameras have featured puny sensors, at best sized 7.6 x 5.7 mm. In comparison, the X100 sensor measures a massive 23.4 x 15.6 mm.
Sensor size is critical to a camera's ability to take photographs in low light, as well as the quality of its photographs. The larger the sensor, the greater is its light gathering ability, and better is its low light capability. Compact cameras have featured small sensors to keep costs low. The larger the sensor, the more expensive it is. But that is not all. A large sensor can only be leveraged by using an expensive large diameter lens, which not only pushes up costs but makes the compact camera...well not so compact. You can read more about Digital Camera Image Sensors here. Coming back to the FinePix X100, the camera features a 23mm fixed focal length bright (f/2.0) lens and a newly developed Hybrid Viewfinder. Hybrid Viewfinder The Hybrid Viewfinder combines a "bright frame" optical viewfinder found in DSLRs with an electronic viewfinder system typical of mirrorless digital cameras. Using an integrated prism, the X100 can project either the image on its 1.44MP viewfinder LCD panel or the view from the illuminating window into the viewfinder. You can switch between the two modes with a "one touch" control. The Hybrid Viewfinder can show both the shooting frame and a variety of shooting data. You can use it to compose or playback shots. The X100 also features a EXR processor that leverages the capabilities of its high performance lens and APS-C sensor to offer the highest definition, sensitivity and wide dynamic range image quality of any digital camera produced by Fujifilm. Other camera features include: ISO range of 200-6400 The camera is due for commercial release in early 2011. Press Release 
5 fps continuous shooting
A 2.8-inch rear LCD
A full featured manual mode
SD / SDHC / SDXC card support
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