FUJIFILM X-S20 Reviews
Took a Little Work to Get it To Work, But....
By Timothy
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2023-09-03
I bought this camera because I wanted the option to shoot true 4K video (4096 x 2160) in addition to Ultra HD, or consumer 4K (3820 x 2160) for future indie shorts and features. Having gone straight to B&H to purchase, I took it with me to a convention in Florida, turned it on...and it worked for five minutes or so before shutting off and never working again! After trying several possible fixes I found online, I called B&H and purchased a replacement, which they overnighted to me. This one worked out of the box, although I had a devil of a time getting it to record audio before resetting everything to factory settings, whereupon the audio worked fine and continues to do so.
(I have no idea if I mis-set something while going through Setup, or if somebody else who'd tried out the camera in-store set something so the audio wouldn't record. I have no idea what went wrong, but a factory reset fixed it....)
Once everything worked, I'm very happy with the results. Since I'd just gotten the camera and was using my laptop for storage and editing I limited my shooting to 1080p, and I was extremely happy with the results.
I had originally not wanted to purchase the more expensive 18mm-55mm manual zoom lens, but after talking with other Fujifilm X series camera owners I was grateful I did, as it's a good starter lens for stills and video!
With my Deity D4 shotgun (actually supercardiod) mic attached, the audio quality was much better than I expected. I also tried a few short clips with the Deity taken off and using the internal mic-it...performed as well as I expected it would, and if sound isn't your priority you'll probably be fine with it. (Someday...SOME day they'll have built-in smart microphones that shape their polar pattern to whoever's talking....)
Overall, I really like the camera during its first outing. Had I not had a couple of very bad days to start with, I'd have given this model 5 stars.
Great B Cam
By Taka
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-08-09
I do real estate photos and videos professionally and I was intrigued for this camera X-S20 for B cam. It doesn't have two slots for memory cards so I'm afraid to use this for only camera to record videos. Having said that, this camera has a lot to offer:
- wonderful focus from eye focus to animal eye focus or airplane etc object focus. This improved so much compared to older Fujifilm models thanks to the new gen 5 processor.
- resolution up to 6.2K videos. Ok all I need is 4K to deliver but now I can crop. I have gigs like interviews and this will be very useful.
-newer battery giving longer life.
- people online talk about this camera overheating but I picked the option of higher temperature and I never had an issue. I was talking clips like 5 mins long though but you can attach a fan if you're concerned for longer recordings.
-new film simulations are pretty and fun.
So. It's a great one to buy. Fuji doesn't have too many on stock though.
Great camera for smart people
By Marek
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2023-07-31
This new FUJIFILM camera XS20 has all you need every day
The Pros and Cons Balance Each Other... to a 3 star
By Han Videography
Rated 3 out of 5
Date: 2023-07-19
Immediate take on the Fujifilm X-S20: it is a capable and full-featured camera with big problems.
This camera is not user-friendly, but Fuji has gone lengths to market this camera towards content creators who don't really know camera gear. Some of the best features, like auto subject detection is locked behind AUTO mode because those casual users can't set it up, whereas camera fanatics can. But why not just have that as a feature that works... anywhere? And then if we want to set it up manually for a specific subject, we can then set it? Plus, if there's multiple people or animals, etc. on scene, you can't focus on one by touching -- an issue brought up even in PetaPixel's review.
The pros is that, this is a well-budgeted camera with many features that feels like XT-4 + X-H2S has, like internal 10-bit video and the X-Trans 4 for photos.
But all the cool features, even if you include Product Priority, vlog mode, simplified touch menu all point to why this camera is meant for the wrong person. I don't think 90% of content creators want to spend this kind of budget, and if they do, they might as well go all the way and get a ZV-E1. There doesn't need to be a midrange vlogging camera.
Instead, Fuji needs to focus this camera as a midrange semipro camera below X-H2S properly with weather resistance, 120/240fps shooting native, not auto baked into 24/30/60fps and with the stacked chip from the X-H2S.
Add those features and even if it's priced alongside XT-5, it will be the video centric camera to fill the midrange for Fuji.
I am enjoying this camera but currently it just has no focus, and it's been very buggy. And this gets so hot even in 1080p shooting, the fan accessory should've just been included OR not cost $200...
So I really like my X-S20. It just has problems. I think 3 stars is a fair evaluation -- based on its current merits. If they add/fix things with firmwire updates, well hopefully someone will write a relevant review then and there.
Lots of power and features in a small package.
By Michael
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-07-16
Decided to buy the X-S20 as my first fuji camera. I was looking for a hybrid camera system that had ibis and a great autofocus system and I settled on this. I've shot a few thousand photos (Mainly sports) through this body in the last two weeks and I've been impressed with the photos. In only rare circumstances were the photos out of focus. I also really like the grip on this compared to when I was testing out the XT-30 and the XT5. I always felt very secure holding the camera without a strap. I don't really do video, so i can't speak much about the video capabilities. Overall, I've been really happy with how much they've packed into this small system. This camera has simply been a joy to shoot on.
Competitive pricing and value in the APS-C world
By Michael
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-07-13
The X-S20 is a considerable performance upgrade from the pervious generation of Fujifilm cameras (I am coming from the X-E4).
To understand my use case, I am primarily an enthusiast photographer, but I do some paid photo and run-and-gun style video work, providing social media content to a big name client. The capabilities of the X-S20 are definitely within the scope of that work, especially on the video side of things. The upgrade to 10-bit color and UHS-II speeds has increased the perceived production value my videos; more colors and faster frame rates at higher resolutions.
The speed and computation of the autofocus and processing power has noticeably improved. I am confident that I can switch the dial to Auto, hand the camera over to someone, and the photo will come out looking good more times than not. The AF tracking is sticky. And there are less false-positives with the face tracking; the camera is not seeing faces in the background foliage ;) .
To be critical and objective, the AF system is still lagging behind the other big companies (I have used Sony cameras). There is a bit of dialing in the settings to get it working right. But with that said, I still get a lot of keeper shots (i.e., my baby, fast action shots, and insects). Admittedly, I am not doing high burst shots in low light, so take what I am saying with a grain of salt. But for what I am capturing, it is more than acceptable. I have not gotten frustrated with missed shots.
The IBIS is good. Coming from a non-IBIS camera, it is definitely a welcomed addition. My f/2 primes are realizing a new potential. And my video work is a lot smoother. Not much to say other than it is good for me. However, I do not do walking/vlogging style videos; I have seen that style of footage and admittedly, it is shaky.
The biggest disappointment with this camera is screen resolution, especially with the LCD screen. It is a little difficult to tell if you are in focus if you are not punched in (I use focus peaking). However, other cameras in this price range are similarly spec'd.
Overall, when you compare this camera to other APS-C cameras in the same price range, it is really competitive. As an enthusiast and semi-professional, this camera gets the work done and I do not have many complaints.
Note: I have read the poor reviews on the LCD screen. I have not had that issue. The product was received and performed at a high standard, as expected.
Outstanding compact camera
By Carol
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-08-26
This camera makes me want to shoot! It's honestly my favorite fujifilm camera! Love it!
Everyday carry camera
By David
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-08-13
Returning to my hobby in photography after over 5 years of non-shooting, the X-S20 has brought back my love for photography and the Fuji colors. The camera is light and small enough for me to bring it to me when I go out for some street photography walks. The body is ergonomic and most of the buttons are intuitive.
What I would say is that I do miss dedicated dials that I had on my X-Pro 1, and yes, you can change the functions for most of the buttons and dial. As someone who does mostly photography and some videography, I really just need to alternative between A-priority, Manual, and Video. That being said, I prefer if the Mode dial was just in the menu/LCD options and instead, that dial was for shutter speed or ISO.
As someone already mentioned in another review, aside from Vlog mode, the settings are not intuitive and easy to understand, which IMO definitely does not make this camera beginner-friendly. After not holding a camera for that long, I must admit that I'm still exploring the capabilities of this camera via all the different options the settings provide but as of now, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the camera and love the images that have been produced thus far.