Chapter Two: The birth of the Hybrid Viewfinder.

6The Hybrid Viewfinder 'Eureka' moment – A flash of inspiration after considering the weaknesses of the optical viewfinder.

After deciding the standards for the size and look of the optical finder, the development team tackled the next issue: overcoming the weaknesses of the bright frame.
There are 3 conventional weaknesses of the conventional bright frame viewfinder: (1) The limits on the amount of information that can be displayed (shutter speed, aperture value, sensitivity, etc.); (2) The inability to confirm the image in the viewfinder immediately after the shot; and (3) Significantly smaller viewfinder frame and a tendency toward the lower right edge influenced by parallax correction when shooting macro photos at a distance of 10cm. Using an LED to solve the problem of (1) limited information display is one of the first approaches considered; however, the LED does not offer much freedom in the content of the display and does not address the other 2 weaknesses…
This sparked an idea. If we were considering a custom LED display, why not a custom LCD panel? This would not only enhance the freedom to display information content, but also open up a broad range of display item variations such the display of histograms and 'floating' text. This concept suggested one after another display patterns and applications.
One look through the prototype confirmed the development team’s confidence in the selection of an LCD panel as they viewed the sharpness of the frame and floating text – a quality that they likened to looking at the control panel of a luxury car.
As the team’s study of this approach deepened, they found that the use of a high-resolution LCD panel could also overcome the other weaknesses, especially when it was realised that it would enable the viewing of the captured image in the finder immediately after shooting. It was decided to equip the X100 viewfinder with a high-resolution 1,440,000-dot, 0.47-inch LCD.

7The viewfinder has a shutter too!

Because the frame is reflected through the prism, and the subject image is passed through the prism and delivered to the viewing eye, the blocking of light from the originating subject image side would enable the use of the LCD image as an EVF (electronic viewfinder) with 100% coverage. In order to achieve this, a 'Finder Shutter' is necessary.
An important consideration was whether the shutter moved vertically or horizontally, and it was finally decided that a vertical (up-down) movement would best enable fast speed and eliminate the risk of sunlight entry.
The perfection of the shutter curtain enabled switching between an OVF and EVF, or in other words, the birth of the Hybrid Viewfinder.

8The final issue: Adjusting frame brightness.

As work progressed on the development of the Hybrid Viewfinder prototype, some issues related to using an LCD panel became apparent. Those issues were: (1) a decrease in the quantity of light as a result of passing through the prism, and (2) in dark situations, it can seem too bright, and in bright circumstances, the frame can be hard to see: depending on the ambient brightness at the shooting location, the quality of the viewfinder experience can differ drastically.
As a solution to issue (1), a special coating is applied to the reflecting mirror on the cemented face of the prism, maximising the amount of LCD light.
As a solution to issue (2), the LCD is driven by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), and is equipped with a function that enables automatic stepped adjustment of the display brightness in the viewfinder based on AE data from the camera.
This improvement contributed to the achievement of the Hybrid Finder’s high quality performance, completing the development of the system.

9Message to photographers from the X100 Hybrid Viewfinder development team.

Quality and ease of viewing through the viewfinder was refined throughout the film camera era. Today we are again pursuing ways to improve the viewfinder experience, and for the first time in a long time, we have gone back to the basics to create a design. While some may say that we have gone to the extremes of simplicity in the configuration of optical elements, we have been uncompromising in everything from our choice of optical material to reflective surface coating. I am proud to say that we have developed the best viewfinder on any camera that has ever borne the Fujifilm brand.

Hitoshi Miyano Senior Operations Manager, Optical Design Group, Engineering Division, Optical Device Business Division.

I believe that we have created a camera that can truly provide the pleasure of ownership and fun of shooting photos to everyone who enjoys photography. I invite you to take this camera everywhere you go and experience seeing your everyday world through this unique viewfinder. When you see the world through the X100 perspective, you can’t help but want to capture the moment. The Hybrid Viewfinder was developed to deliver this experience. It would give me the greatest pleasure if people who use the X100 rediscover the fun and wonder of photos and cameras.

Shigeru Kondo Engineering Manager, Electronic Imaging Products Development Centre, Research & Development Management Headquarters.

I think many people feel that there are few high-quality optical viewfinders that deliver good clarity and brightness. Then this new viewfinder makes its debut, boasting exceptional clarity and the beauty of an information display that seems to float above the viewfinder image. Just looking through the viewfinder is a pleasure. Including features like an EVF mode and preview viewing, this is the only viewfinder of its kind in the world.

Takashi Soga Operations Manager, Products Planning & Technical Service Division, Electronic Imaging Products Division.