Update: Check out our x20 full review, homemade macro test, Photoshow gallery, Advanced mode test, and high ISO test.
Nothing could have delighted us more than the phone call we received this morning in Mat’s studio. A single copy of the Fujifilm x20 had just arrived at our local camera store, and it was waiting for us to pick it up and take it home. (Yes, we anthropomorphise our cameras!)
Unfortunately, Mat was knee-deep in work for his studio, so I decided to take our new Fuji friend out for a inaugural stroll myself.
I have to say that, for a camera with a small sensor, the image quality is very good. I have yet to see the colours and dynamic range in RAW format as Lightroom has not yet released a software update for the X20 and X100S, but the colours of the JPGs that come straight out of the camera seem natural and pleasant. Shadows seem a little bit too dark in some shots, but we will see the true potential of the camera in the RAW files.
Autofocus is very fast and accurate in daylight but it has more difficulty in low light situations.
Continuous shooting was also snappy. You can shoot up to 12 fps, but I found that 6 fps was more than enough to capture a train rushing past, or a bicycle zooming by.
Finally, my hour’s walk with the Fujifilm x20 showed me that, above all, this camera is fun and easy to use. With its lightweight build, easy-to-use controls, and ergonomic shape, it almost felt like the extension of my arm. As I photographed those around me, I never felt like I was being intrusive. In fact, hardly anyone paid me any notice. That would have been a different story if I’d had a DSLR in hand!
Later on, Mat joined me for dinner and took the opportunity to take a few shots to see the high ISO performance of the camera and the macro mode.
To see some of the photos we took, have a peek below. They aren’t much but it’s the best we could do in the time given to us. Expect some beautiful photos and more rigorous testing of the X20 in the days to come!
