It's happened to us all, you're out with your camera, in the middle of a photo shoot, a party, or off on a long exploration, and your camera flashes a low battery warning moments before dying. While some of us may have gotten used to big DSLR battery packs that last for days, sometimes over 1000+ shots, the compact X100 offers a much shorter battery life. During active use one can expect approximately 200-300 shots from their X100, per battery, with more on the high end if you utilize power saving settings.


Whether you've recently received your camera or are still considering purchasing one, this guide offers advice on the Fujifilm FinePix X100's battery life, power saving settings, and battery charging.

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Power Management

The X100 offers three power management options, allowing you to choose between performance or longer battery life.

1. First is "Auto Power Off" which will power the camera down after a set interval, 2 minutes by default, if no operations are performed. Unless you need your camera to be immediately responsive, this is a good option to leave ON.
2. Second is "Quick Start Mode" which reduces camera startup time to about 0.7 seconds, compared to about 2.2 seconds when OFF is selected, but at the expense of battery life. This is turned OFF by default.
3. Third is "OVF Power Save Mode" which will automatically power down the optical view finder's information display to nearly double battery life. One downside to turning this ON is that it will increase the time required for auto-focus to about 0.4 seconds, compared to about 0.2 seconds when OFF is selected.

If you're unsure what settings to choose, it's best to try experimenting with the power saving features to see if they're compatible with your shooting style. With "Quick Start Mode" turned OFF, you may miss photo opportunities while waiting for your camera to 'wake up'. It can take approximately 3 seconds for your camera to become available again, after depressing the shutter button. If you're on a long trip and need to conserve battery life, consider temporarily utilizing these features. Check the Power Management section of your X100 manual for more details.

Spare Camera Batteries

Now that you know what to expect from your X100's battery, consider carrying a spare or two. Their compact size and light weight make them easy to slip into a pocket while out on a shoot, perfect when you want to leave your camera bag behind. There are two options available for spare batteries, an OEM Fujifilm NP-95 battery, or a third party equivalent. Some people prefer to use original manufacturer equipment only with their camera; Fujifilm's NP-95 batteries are available from Fuji dealers, thought they are currently in short supply. Others find OEM batteries to be too expensive and opt for compatible 3rd party batteries.


Dozens of different companies and brands are offering Fuji X100 compatible batteries, prices ranging from $6 to $25 USD on eBay, it can be tough to know which to choose. First and foremost, if you find a deal you like, search for any user reviews of the battery you're considering. Higher quality batteries often feature battery cells manufactured in Japan, while the batteries themselves are often assembled in China. Personally I own two MaximalPower batteries that I've been satisfied with.

Battery Chargers

When it comes to charging your batteries, the Fujifilm charger included in the box will work fine, even with 3rd party batteries. That's not to say Fuji's charger is particularly good, but there are a few easy things that you can do to make it better.

If you've ever been spoiled by a camera battery charger with a built-in plug, you'll be frustrated to find that the X100 comes with a 4 foot long power cable that connects to the charger. These long cables make traveling with your battery charger a hassle, especially with a small camera bag, and can be a frustrating around the house if you don't have free space near an outlet. Fortunately Fuji's charger uses a standard connector, which happens to be shared with Apple's own charger's compact plugs. If you own an iPod, iPad, MacBook, Powerbook, iBook, or nearly any Apple portable charger from the past, you already own this part!





This solution also works with all international Apple adaptors. If you don't already own one, you can purchase them cheaply online, $1 on eBay, or use other compatible C7 plug adaptors.

You may have noticed that Fujifilm's battery charger includes a small black plastic clip on the right side of the battery bay that can sometimes be easily dislodged. This clip is an adaptor that allows Fuji to use the same charger for many different battery models. If you're having trouble with yours staying in put, you're best off supergluing it in place. You don't want to be traveling with your camera and loose this part!


If you're looking for a secondary or alternative NP-95 battery charger, there are a few to choose from. Fujifilm's replacement BC-65N charger offers an improvement over the one included, it has a folding plug, but it costs $99! The least expensive option offers a built-in plug and a DC car adaptor, as cheap as $4 USD on eBay. One kit even includes a USB charger.

If you have any tips or advice on batteries, chargers, or power saving techniques, feel free to share in the comments below!