Cameras

Half a frame, full of feeling

A week with the Fujifilm X-Half showed me love, loss, and light

Published

June 16, 2025

MJ Jucutan

They say healing isn’t linear. I say healing is made of light, color, and fleeting moments that feel like film. That’s what the Fujifilm X half (X-HF1) captured for me.

I was staying in Shangri-La Mactan for a week — not to escape, but to find something again. Myself, maybe. Or at least what was left of me after a heartbreak that still hurt to name.

I needed quiet and distance. I needed something to hold without shattering in my hands. Picking up the X half didn’t feel like pressure, but an invitation.

To see things differently. To remember that beauty still exists in between the ache.

Nostalgia, reimagined

There’s something incredibly comforting about the X half. Inspired by the FUJICA Half from the ’60s, this little camera — only 240g — feels like a whisper of the past. It’s compact enough to slip into a small tote or hang from your wrist without weighing you down.

I loved its vintage look, especially the Charcoal Silver finish that reminded me of my grandpa’s old film camera (which he never let me borrow).

There’s a tactile satisfaction to the Frame Advance Lever. It feels nostalgic yet new. Pulling it was meditative, like turning a page you’re not yet ready to close.

Somehow, the X half didn’t ask for big moments. It just waited. For a laugh over breakfast, for sunlight breaking through white curtains.

A different way to see the world

Built around a 3:4 aspect ratio, the photos are in vertical orientation. It felt strange at first, like writing with your non-dominant hand. But quickly, it made sense.

Vertical compositions made everyday scenes feel like they were made for storytelling — ready to be posted online, yet coated in the softness of film. I took portraits, my feet in the sand, coconut drinks in hand, and the mundane beauty of life by the beach.

This format mirrored how I was seeing the world: upright, trying to stay steady, reaching toward something more.

There’s also a 2-in-1 feature where you take two vertical shots, and the camera stitches them together.

It can be two photos, or a photo and a video. At first, I just had an inkling to try it. But the more I used it, the more it felt like journaling with light.

The scenes evolved beyond being just two frames. They became a feeling — two moments bottled up into one photograph. When mixed with a video, it felt like seeing the story behind the photo you took. It felt alive.

Finding warmth in a frame

Cebu, for all its postcard beauty, became even more alive through the filters on this camera.

I used Light Leak the most — not just as an effect, but as an emotional layer. It gave my photos the kind of softness that matched the state of my heart: fragile, hopeful.

My photos looked like little accidents, a reminder that everything doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

Switching to Film Simulation modes felt like flipping through old love letters written in different inks.

I spent a lot of time on Nostalgia Neg. and Classic Neg. to match how I was feeling. That’s the beauty of having options: you choose what reflects your mood, right after capturing something real.

When I reviewed the photos I took, I caught myself smiling. They were nowhere near perfect, but they felt real. I was surrounded by people — from close friends to strangers — with comfort in the air. I captured a lot of candid moments, people’s laughter bouncing off bottles of beer, completely unaware of the camera.

Seeing those photos, I told myself: this is what healing looks like. You don’t have to be alone to be whole.

There is peace in not knowing

Halfway through the trip, I turned on Film Camera Mode. It disables the LCD screen, teaching you patience. You take a shot, and then you wait. No previews, no retakes, no deleting.

You wait until you finish 36, 54, or 72 shots before seeing anything. It’s a reminder that some things take time to develop like trust, love, and healing.

Then, you move forward by pulling the Frame Advance Lever, like how life pushes you on, whether you’re ready or not.

It reminded me of the magic of not knowing. Of surrendering to peace. Sometimes, you just have to trust that what comes next will surprise you. No obsessing over the perfect shot, just capturing the moment for what it was.

When I finally transferred the photos to the X half app, it felt like opening a letter from a past version of myself. Sometimes shaky, sometimes bold — but always trying.

The app’s minimalist look made it easy to organize photos and create collages. I even printed one with the instax mini Link 3. I made contact sheets and framed some moments, and I didn’t delete any of them.

Because even the blurred ones told the truth: I was there, I laughed, and I healed, little by little.

Candid, compact, and completely mine

The 32mm f/2.8 lens and 1-inch sensor captured Cebu’s warmth in full detail. It’s not a loud camera. It doesn’t demand to be noticed. But it sees you — and everything around you — with a tenderness that surprised me.

I watched my friends grow more comfortable as the days went on. I took portraits when they weren’t looking, and every shot became a secret I got to keep. That’s what made it special. Even the most mundane things looked like poetry through this camera.

I held a lot of things that week, trying not to break: emotions, expectations, silence. But in between, this tiny camera held me. It made me slow down. It reminded me that every small thing can be worth remembering.

There’s joy in anticipation, in imperfection, in capturing something just for yourself. There’s still beauty to be made — and I can still make it, even in the middle of healing.

Is the Fujifilm X half your GadgetMatch?

The Fujifilm X half is a modern reinterpretation of the classic half-frame camera: compact, creative, and intuitive.

With its vertical-first 3:4 sensor, 32mm f/2.8 fixed lens, and an optical viewfinder, it makes slice-of-life photography simple, expressive, and deeply personal.

Film Camera Mode and the Frame Advance Lever simulate the feel of analog shooting, while built-in Film Simulations, Light Leak, and Halation effects allow you to create artistic, memory-soaked photos straight out of camera.

Seamless app integration, collage tools, and Instax printing support make it easy to relive and share your moments that are raw, romantic, and real.

If you’ve ever longed for a camera that sees the quiet beauty of your life and turns it into something lasting, the X half might just be it.

The Fujifilm X half retails for PhP 44,990. It’s available at official Fujifilm stores and authorized dealers.

Accessories

OBSBOT’s Meet Flip is your next best pocketable 4K webcam

Fold the Flip for further protection

Published

July 29, 2026

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Several months ago, you might remember that OBSBOT revealed the Tiny 3 series of web cameras.

Six months after, they also unveil the all-new Meet Flip. From the name itself, it’s the company’s latest foldable 4K webcam that puts hardware privacy front and center.

Foldable and pocketable

Despite weighing just 37.7 grams, the Meet Flip aims to deliver premium webcam features for all types of users. Be it remote workers, professionals, or content creators.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Undoubtedly, the biggest highlight has got to be the webcam’s folding design. Not only it’s portable, it protects your privacy too.

Closing the device physically blocks the lens, giving users a visual confirmation that the camera is no longer active. When it’s time for a meeting, simply unfold it and it’s ready to go.

That lightweight body also features a built-in mounting clip that works with laptops, monitors, and tripods. Users can mount it in landscape, portrait, or even upside-down orientations depending on their setup.

Despite that absurd amount of lightweightness, the OBSBOT Meet Flip is still able to house a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology. That’s something more commonly found among bigger and higher-end web cameras.

Other camera features include:

4K video recording / 30fps
1080p recording / up to 60fps
HDR support for challenging lighting
Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)
4x digital zoom
f/1.8 aperture with ISO 100-6400 support for low-light environments

Beyond just video calls

The OBSBOT Meet Flip isn’t just packed with serious camera hardware, it’s seriously intelligent as well.

The Meet Flip supports AI Auto Framing. This automatically keeps users centered during meetings — regardless if they are presenting alone or with a group. Gesture controls also let users activate framing or adjust zoom without touching the keyboard or mouse.

Another standout feature is AI Magic Notes which provides real-time meeting transcription and automatically generates summaries, action items, and key discussion points.

The feature works with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams through OBSBOT Center. Every webcam includes complimentary transcription of 120 minutes.

With that being mentioned, OBSBOT Center also makes users gain access to software features such as background blur, virtual backgrounds, beauty mode, and picture-in-picture overlays for presentations.

Those who want more advanced controls can enable Smart Eye Tracking, teleprompter support, and manual image adjustments.

Audio also gets an upgrade through an intelligent dual-microphone system that offers four recording modes:

Directional Mode / solo calls
Dual-Directional Mode / interviews
Smart Omni Mode / group meetings
Pure Audio Mode / unprocessed stereo recording

AI Noise Reduction and Automatic Gain Control are also available across most modes to help improve voice clarity.

OBSBOT’s Meet Flip is also compatible with mobile devices through the OBSBOT Live app and supports integrations with accessories including Elgato Stream Deck, Nintendo Switch 2, and UVC-to-NDI/HDMI adapters.

Pricing and Availability

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is available starting today for US$119 through OBSBOT’s online store, Amazon US, and select retailers worldwide. Regional pricing may vary.

Cameras

Sony announces new FX5 full-frame camera

Newly-developed sensor, Open Gate recording, more enhanced capabilities

Published

July 23, 2026

GadgetMatch

Sony has launched the new FX5 full-frame camera in its Cinema Line series with enhanced capabilities.

The camera is equipped with a newly-developed fully stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor and the latest high-speed BIONZ XR2 image processing engine, which includes a dedicated AI processing unit.

When shooting in S-Log3, the camera achieves 15+ stops of dynamic range. The broad latitude and low-noise performance enable seamless roll-off from highlights to shadows and natural texture reproduction, even in high-contrast scenes.

Three Base ISOs of ISO 800, ISO 4000, and ISO 12800 enable low-noise image expression under a wide range of conditions.

Moreover, Dual Gain Shooting function, supported for the first time in the FX series, maximizes the performance of the image sensor to enable smooth gradation reproduction with even wider latitude, while effectively reducing noise without compromising shadow detail.

For the first time in the Cinema Line FX series, the FX5 supports Open Gate shooting, as well as in-camera recording in X-OCN, Sony’s proprietary RAW format.

This includes a variety of scan modes like 17:9, 16:9, and super 35mm. This allows for flexible angle-of-view selection for the user’s creative intent.

The camera is capable of shooting in 5K at up to 60 frames per second, in 4K up to 120 frames per second and in FHD up to 240 frames per second.

These features bring together the Cinema Line look and operability designed to meet the needs of production environments in a compact, highly portable body.

The Sony FX5 will also include two new optional accessories: a detachable OLED viewfinder and an XLR Handle that enables recording in-camera at up to 96 kHz, 32-bit float.

The camera system incorporates expertise that Sony has cultivated through the development of Cinema Line cameras, which have earned high praise from cinematographers and video creators around the world.

Price, availability

The ILME-FX5 with XLR Handle Unit (SG$ 7,199) and ILME-FX5B Body Only (SG$ 6,399) will be available for pre-order until August 9.

The DVF-EL1 OLED Detachable Viewfinder (SG$ 899) and VMC-BNCU1 Timecode Adapter Cable (SG$ 129) will be available after Mid-August.

Meanwhile, the XLR-H2 XLR Handle (SG$ 1,099) will be available by special order.

On July 28, the FX5 will also be on display atThe Arts House At The Old Parliament from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., giving creators the chance to experience it for the first time.

Cameras

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P launches with dual lenses and a 1-inch sensor

The biggest upgrade yet to DJI’s compact gimbal camera

Published

June 29, 2026

MJ Jucutan

The original Osmo Pocket launched in 2018 as a pocket-sized gimbal camera for people who wanted smooth footage without carrying a full rig. DJI has been building on that idea ever since, and today, with the Osmo Pocket 4P, they made the biggest jump yet.

A significant change

The most significant change in the Osmo Pocket 4P is the introduction of a dual-lens system. While previous Osmo Pocket models limited creators to a single, fixed field of view, the 4P provides two distinct options.

The camera features a wide-angle lens backed by a new 1-inch CMOS sensor alongside a 60mm medium-telephoto portrait lens boasting an f/1.8 aperture and 3x optical zoom. This second lens fundamentally changes how creators shoot on the ground.

At the 60mm focal length, backgrounds compress naturally to separate the subject from the environment without relying on artificial software rendering, offering an invaluable tool for capturing people at events, during travel, or throughout daily life.

The wide lens captures 17 stops of dynamic range through what DJI calls LOFIC technology, which handles high-contrast scenes like backlit windows or golden hour without blowing out the sky or burying the shadows.

Advanced sensor tech, color latitude

For high-contrast environments, the wide-angle lens captures an impressive 17 stops of dynamic range utilizing DJI’s new LOFIC technology.

This hardware addition allows the camera to effortlessly manage difficult lighting scenarios, like backlit windows or golden hour horizons, keeping the sky intact while preventing shadows from turning muddy.

On the color processing side, DJI has introduced a 10-bit D-Log 2 profile capable of recording over a billion colors. This shift provides editors with significantly more latitude to grade footage in post-production, avoiding the limitations of a baked-in, in-camera look.

High-speed motion, smart framing

In terms of capturing motion, the 4P supports 4K slow motion at 240fps, making it ideal for fast-moving subjects that benefit from a stylized, slowed-down perspective.

A slow shutter video mode is also included, allowing users to organically capture light trails in low-light environments. Physical stabilization continues to rely on a mechanical 3-axis gimbal, drawing directly from the heritage of DJI’s professional Ronin systems.

Weighing just 230 grams, the compact unit incorporates ActiveTrack 8.0 to handle automated subject tracking, maintaining precise focus through the entire 12x digital zoom range — a feature that proves essential for solo creators who need the hardware to handle framing duties.

Practical updates for daily use

DJI has also focused heavily on the realities of on-the-go shooting. The 4P introduces gesture controls, letting users trigger subject tracking or start recording without physically touching the device.

A new 4K Live Photo mode automatically captures a 1.5-second clip alongside every still image, while the main sensor allows for high-resolution 37-megapixel photos that offer plenty of room for cropping in post-production.