Today, at Fujifilm’s X Summit in Bangkok the company made a few big announcements for videocentric Fuji fans. It seems like you can’t get too far these without having a dedicated camera for vloggers and Fujifilm delivered on the long-rumored X-S10 replacement, the Fujifilm X-S20. Along with the newly announced camera, Fujifilm also announced a new ultrawide lens, the XF 8mm F/3.5, and a much-asked-for update to their camera app. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s jump right into it.
The Fujifilm X-S20
First up, the successor to the X-S10 was finally made official in the FujiFilm X-S20. The X-S20 is the latest in a growing number of cameras aimed specifically at vloggers and hybrid (photo and video) content creators of the YouTube/TikTok generation. The X-S20 sports the 4th generation X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor paired with the Hybrid AF in the X-H2S – which while we miss out on the 40-megapixel sensor of its higher-end siblings, X-S20 users will get the benefit of improved AF speeds and subject detection thanks to the inclusion of the X-Processor 5; the same processing engine in the X-H2S.
Key Features
- 26.1-megapixel APS-C X-Trans 4 CMOS Sensor
- X-Processor 5 image processor
- Subject Detection AF including Insect and Drone modes – new to the X-series cameras – even in AF-C mode
- AUTO mode with AUTO Subject Detection – allowing for automatic detection and tracking of your subject
- 19 Film Simulation modes
- Video Specs: 6.2k/30P 4:2:2 10-bit video internally and supports up to 12-bit ProRES RAW/Blackmagic RAW with an external capture device
- Webcam Support via USB-C or direct OBS support – allowing for 4k/60P direct to live stream
- F-Log 2, allowing for up to 13 stops of dynamic range
- 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks
Pricing & Availability
Overall, the Fujifilm X-S20 offers several upgrades from the original X-S10 but these improvements come at a cost – specifically a monetary cost. While the X-S10 offered a (barely) sub-$1000 hybrid camera option, the X-S20 is more expensive at an estimated MSRP of $1299. There are kit options with an XC15-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS PZ kit at $1399 and an XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS kit for $1699. All three are expected to be available at the end of June 2023. For more info, click here.
Fujifilm XF8mmF3.5 R WR Lens
Also coming out of the X-Summit Bangkok was the announcement of a new, ultrawide lens for the X-mount, the Fujifilm XF8mmF3.5 R WR lens. This ultrawide lens stands apart from the crowd thanks to a compact design (not much bigger than the existing F2 R WR series of lenses) that makes it compact enough to be part of your daily carry kit. The 12mm equivalent lens offers a wide range of uses including vlogging, astrophotography, or capturing action sports. Thanks to Fuji’s dust and weather-resistant coatings, you can shoot with confidence in some more challenging environments.
Key Features
- 8mm focal length (12mm in 35mm equivalent)
- 112-degree field of view (horizontal)
- Inner Focus system allowing autofocus speeds up to 0.02 seconds
- 12 lens element construction with two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements to reduce lens distortion
Pricing & Availability
The XF8mmF3.5 R WR is also expected to be available starting in late June 2023 with an MSRP of $799.
XApp – A Very Nice Update for Camera Connectivity
If you’ve ever used or really needed Fuji’s camera app for smartphones to just work, chances are you experienced some… challenges. In today’s announcement, I’m very pleased to see that they took some of that constructive criticism from reviewers and owners alike and announced a new way to connect your Fujifilm cameras to your phone – the all-new Fujifilm XApp. The XApp has been designed from the ground up putting an emphasis on speed, an enhanced UI, and enhanced image transfer capabilities.
One standout feature, the “Image Transfer Order” function, makes it possible to transfer images from a compatible Fujifilm digital camera to a Smartphone or tablet device even when the camera is powered off – allowing you to share images on social media directly from the XApp. Additionally, the Backup/Restore function allows you to save camera settings – shooting menu and setup menu options – in the app and get them back whenever you might need them.
Lastly, the Activity and Timeline functions act like an automatic digital photography journal – keeping geolocation, metadata, and subject data, in a chronological database that allows you to quickly view everything from where you’ve been shooting to how many images you created in a day. If you’re serious about keeping track of where and when you’ve been shooting these two features will scratch that itch for actionable data.
The XApp is expected to hit the Google Play Store and Apple App Store later this month but you can get more information here.
Wrapping Up From the X-Summit
There’s quite a lot that came out of this year’s X-Summit and if you’re a fan of the more video-centric Fujifilm offerings, this one did not disappoint. I’m looking forward to spending some time with the new XF 8mm F3.5 R WR lens and hopefully getting to do a full review of the X-S20. Let us know what you thought of the announcement in the comments or on socials.
