The Digital Split Image screen displays dual images on the left and right side, to be lined up for manual focusing.

‘This enables accurate focusing especially when working with an open aperture or macro shooting,’ claims the firm.

Also on board is a Focus Peak Highlight function designed to highlight high-contrast areas for ‘smoother and more precise fine tuning of focusing’.

Due out in March, the X100S houses a 16.3-million-pixel, APS-C size, X-Trans CMOS II imaging sensor, a step up from the 12.3MP sensor on X100.

Combined with a new imaging processor, EXR Processor II, this is claimed to reduce noise by more than 30% and boost resolution by around 25% compared with the X100.

Sporting a 23mm f/2 lens (like the X100), the X100S boasts more than 70 improvements over its predecessor.

For example, the burst rate has been increased to six frames per second, from 5fps, according to Fuji.
Also improved is the EVF resolution, jumping from 1.44m to 2.36m dots.

However, the 2.8in LCD monitor features a 460,000-dot resolution, the same as the X100.

Engineers says they have removed the low-pass filter to allow the sensor to maximise the amount of direct light its receives. This is designed to optimise resolution levels and capture finer detail.

And, for the first time, Fuji has incorporated a Lens Modulation Optimizer, designed to cut optical effects such as lens diffraction.

The imaging sensor includes ‘built-in phase-detection pixels’ – claimed to deliver the world’s fastest AF, for an APS-C-category, fixed-lens, compact camera, at 0.08secs.

Other trumpeted tweaks include a faster, ‘0.5sec’ start-up time and a full HD movie option.

Like the X100, the Hybrid Viewfinder combines an optical and electronic viewfinder.

Borrowed from Fuji’s X-Pro1 CSC is a ‘Q’ button which allows photographers to access frequently used menu options.

The camera is expected to cost around £1,099, £100 more than the launch price of the X100 which went on sale in March last year.