TechCamerasFujifilm X-S20 review (early verdict): one of the best enthusiast-level camerasNot yet ratedMore battery, better stabilisation, and great vlogging features: the Fuji X-S20 steps up its entry-level appealWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)T3 VerdictNot yet ratedWith the X-S20, Fujifilm has delivered a camera for the masses, one that eschews the popular design aesthetic of cameras like the X100V and X-T models. It’s not a camera people will buy because they want to be seen with it, but rather because it is packed full of great hybrid camera features for the price point, without compromising on image quality.Reasons to buy+Up to 6.2K/30p video (FHD to 240fps)+Plug-and-play live streaming+Great stills quality+Vlog modeReasons to avoid-Single UHS-II card slot-No weather-sealingWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechCamerasFujifilm X-S20 review (early verdict): one of the best enthusiast-level camerasNot yet ratedMore battery, better stabilisation, and great vlogging features: the Fuji X-S20 steps up its entry-level appealWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)T3 VerdictNot yet ratedWith the X-S20, Fujifilm has delivered a camera for the masses, one that eschews the popular design aesthetic of cameras like the X100V and X-T models. It’s not a camera people will buy because they want to be seen with it, but rather because it is packed full of great hybrid camera features for the price point, without compromising on image quality.Reasons to buy+Up to 6.2K/30p video (FHD to 240fps)+Plug-and-play live streaming+Great stills quality+Vlog modeReasons to avoid-Single UHS-II card slot-No weather-sealingWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Not yet rated
More battery, better stabilisation, and great vlogging features: the Fuji X-S20 steps up its entry-level appeal
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)T3 VerdictNot yet ratedWith the X-S20, Fujifilm has delivered a camera for the masses, one that eschews the popular design aesthetic of cameras like the X100V and X-T models. It’s not a camera people will buy because they want to be seen with it, but rather because it is packed full of great hybrid camera features for the price point, without compromising on image quality.Reasons to buy+Up to 6.2K/30p video (FHD to 240fps)+Plug-and-play live streaming+Great stills quality+Vlog modeReasons to avoid-Single UHS-II card slot-No weather-sealing
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
T3 VerdictNot yet ratedWith the X-S20, Fujifilm has delivered a camera for the masses, one that eschews the popular design aesthetic of cameras like the X100V and X-T models. It’s not a camera people will buy because they want to be seen with it, but rather because it is packed full of great hybrid camera features for the price point, without compromising on image quality.Reasons to buy+Up to 6.2K/30p video (FHD to 240fps)+Plug-and-play live streaming+Great stills quality+Vlog modeReasons to avoid-Single UHS-II card slot-No weather-sealing
T3 VerdictNot yet ratedWith the X-S20, Fujifilm has delivered a camera for the masses, one that eschews the popular design aesthetic of cameras like the X100V and X-T models. It’s not a camera people will buy because they want to be seen with it, but rather because it is packed full of great hybrid camera features for the price point, without compromising on image quality.
T3 VerdictNot yet rated
Not yet rated
With the X-S20, Fujifilm has delivered a camera for the masses, one that eschews the popular design aesthetic of cameras like the X100V and X-T models. It’s not a camera people will buy because they want to be seen with it, but rather because it is packed full of great hybrid camera features for the price point, without compromising on image quality.
Reasons to buy+Up to 6.2K/30p video (FHD to 240fps)+Plug-and-play live streaming+Great stills quality+Vlog modeReasons to avoid-Single UHS-II card slot-No weather-sealing
Reasons to buy+Up to 6.2K/30p video (FHD to 240fps)+Plug-and-play live streaming+Great stills quality+Vlog mode
Up to 6.2K/30p video (FHD to 240fps)
Plug-and-play live streaming
Great stills quality
Vlog mode
Reasons to avoid-Single UHS-II card slot-No weather-sealing
Single UHS-II card slot
No weather-sealing
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Creative enthusiasts are arguably the fastest-growing cohort of potential camera purchasers. So it made a lot of sense when brands like Fujifilm decided to make a concerted effort to producethe best cameramodels tailored to that audience, with models such as the X-S10 and, now, its follow-up on review here, the X-S20.
Features ideal for Vlogging, flexible video recording formats and speeds, simplified shooting functionality, all packed into a lightweight, compact body was the name of the game. Enthusiasts who may not have the technical know-how, but do have the creative vision to capture great content are looking for cameras just like this.
However, given how many similarities the X-S20 shares with its predecessor, you could be forgiven for asking why Fujifilm has released the camera. It shares the same 26.1-megapixel X-Trans APS-C-size backside-illuminated CMOS sensor for starters. But the X-S20 takes things a few key steps further to justify the update, even for owners of the X-S10. Let’s dive in and take a look at what’s new and significant about the X-S20.
Fuji X-S20: PRICE & AVAILABILITY
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
The X-S20 is expected to ship towards the end of June, with prices starting at £1,249 / AU$2,349, body-only. There are also two kit options available: one with the XC15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, priced £1,349 / AU$2,499; the other with the slightly more high-end XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens, priced £1,599 (TBC for Australia).
If you already own some X-series glass, whether you’re stepping up from a previous X-series camera or want a travel companion to one of its more advanced models, the X-S20 is competitively priced. However, the X-S10 is available for a few hundred less now, as you can see in the shopping widget below:
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Fuji X-S20 REVIEW: WHAT’S NEW?
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
The body of the X-S20 is also a fraction larger than its predecessor, but the difference is barely noticeable. This is because X-S20 uses the higher capacity NP-W235 battery (shared with the GFX, X-H and X-T camera lines). In practical terms, the additional cell capacity sees an almost two-fold increase in the number of shots you can capture over its predecessor, rated to last for roughly 800 frames.
The X-S20 boasts an improved in-body image stabilisation system, too, which offers up to 7-stops of equivalent stability when paired with the XF35mm f/1.4 R lens. This is ideal for handheld situations where you might choose to use a slow shutter speed, as well as when recording video.
Appealing to advanced video shooters, the X-S20 is impressively capable of recording up to 6.2K/30p video (in 4:2:2 10-bit) at a maximum data rate of 360Mbps, with no artificially imposed time limit. It also now has both a 3.5mm headphone and a microphone connector, uniquely placed separately on either shoulder of the camera.
Lastly, the X-S20 also deploys AI-based subject detection, with preset modes for recognising a range of animals and vehicles, as well as humans, faces and eyes. You will likely be hearing a lot more about artificial intelligence in relation to cameras, it’s not a new thing, but it’s the word du jour, so get used to it.
Fuji X-S20 REVIEW: DESIGN & BUILD
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
To the untrained eye, the X-S20 and X-S10 are almost indistinguishable. Even once you hold the two and look closely, the differences are reluctant to present themselves.
Measuring 127.7 x 85.1 x 65.4mm, the X-S20 is imperceptibly wider (1.7mm) and exactly the same height and depth as the X-S10. The weight gain isn’t even obvious, with the XS20 weighing 491g, including the supplied battery and a memory card. The Fujifilm XS10 tipped the scales at 465g, making the new model 26-grams heavier, roughly the equivalent of a single AA battery. So it’s not much.
You will notice that the X-S20 has a pleasingly substantial grip, along with a nicely textured rubber surface. To make holding the camera extra comfortable, the shoulder of the camera protrudes along its right side, providing for a thumb rest.
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
Despite lacking premium finishes, such as a metal frame or weather-sealing, the X-S20 does still feel solidly put together. It’s not a camera that I would be concerned about slinging over my shoulder and going on a rocky hike. It’s designed for travellers, so its tough polycarbonate body should be able to take the odd knock and scratch, which will only add character to its otherwise generic exterior.
The rear monitor of the camera flips out and rotates 270-degrees to face forwards, for vlogging and selfies, or face down so that it can be held above head height when capturing overhead content. The display uses a 3.0-inch LCD touch-panel with a resolution of 1.84m-dots (an upgrade over its predecessor’s 1.04m-dot screen). The OLED viewfinder remains unchanged: the X-S20 utilises the same 0.39-inch 2.36-m-dot OLED EVF that we saw in the X-S10.
The look of the X-S20 is functional and distinctly lacking in flair, but that’s kind of the point. It’s a camera that’s designed to be a companion for creative people who are passionate about capturing content and want a tool that simplifies the process without compromising on image quality.
X-S20 REVIEW: PERFORMANCE & IMAGE QUALITY
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(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
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(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
The 26.1-megapixel sensor at the core of the X-S20 is a proven winner, having been deployed in a number of Fujifilm cameras since 2018. It can produce typically stunning images in a range of scenarios, particularly when you have high-contrast sunlight to filter through one of its 19 creative film simulation modes. Fujifilm has cornered the market on these filtered looks and while I would typically avoid them on most cameras, film-emulation filters like Velvia and Eterna can genuinely add a special dynamic to images.
For the most part, capturing pictures with this camera is simple and intuitive and it doesn’t take much effort to achieve beautiful results. I would happily use this camera in Auto or Programme mode for the majority of shooting situations (capturing in JPEG Fine + RAW, just in case I wanted to make any adjustments in post-production). But reviewing the images, as you can see from the gallery above, there was very little that I would change in the out-of-the-camera JPEGs.
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(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
Again, I did notice some slight AF issues when recording video that I hope can be ironed out in the final launch firmware. When recording footage without people in it, of general landscape scenes with no obvious focal point or subject to detect, the AF would pulse, looking for something to detect, even with subject detection turned off.
Fujifilm X-S20 review: Early verdict
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
(Image credit: Future / Jon Devo)
There’s no denying the quality of the Fujifilm X-S20’s images' colours and details. The company’s X-series models often produce richly toned, pleasing image files straight out of the camera, with little-to-no editing needed – and the X-S20 is no exception in this regard.
Priced notably lower than the highly competitive £2000/$2000 camera segment, but a few hundred higher than the sub £1000/$1000 cameras, the Fujifilm X-S20 sits in an interesting position. It offers more than most beginners and enthusiasts will need. But it does lack some high-end features, such as dual card slots and weather-sealing. There’s also the argument over whether you’d want larger a full-frame sensor (a market area that Fujifilm isn’t involved in), which you could acquire if you had a much larger budget to spend.
But for a creator who has progressed from a flagship smartphone and perhaps dabbled with a DSLR or entry-level mirrorless camera, the Fujifilm X-S20 will deliver a significant step up in the quality of content you can produce. Sharing many of its key components and functions with Fujifilm’s flagship cameras that cost almost double its price, the X-S20 is one of the best enthusiast-level cameras that you could consider right now.
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