X-S20: Portrait x Julia Trotti

The FUJIFILM X-S20 is a compact and lightweight camera body with a 26.1 megapixel sensor. This is a fully capable camera body suitable for both professional and casual photographers. The X-S20 features a fully articulating LCD screen which makes this camera a great option for vlogging and content creation as well as being able to photograph from challenging angles. The LCD is clear and vibrant. I made use of the LCD for the entirety of my portrait photoshoot with the X-S20 and I was able to see it from every angle, even with glare in the sky from the overcast weather.

Although it’s a small design, the camera body fits comfortably in the hands. It’s an extremely small setup when paired with lenses such as the XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR, XF33mmF1.4 R LM WR and XF16mmF1.4 R WR. The X-S20 is still easy to hold and use even when paired with larger lenses such as the XF50mmF1.0 R WR. All buttons and dials sit comfortably underneath your fingertips while using the camera body. I enjoyed making use of both the touch screen and joystick to move around my focus point when needed. The customisable buttons and dials let you recall shortcuts to your preference. Out of the box, I find the film simulation dial to be extremely convenient and intuitive for on the go photography and videography.

The Fujifilm X-S20 photographs up to 8 frames per second with a mechanical shutter. There are times I create extreme movements with my subject Megan, where she is spinning or running away and towards the camera for the photo. In these scenarios, I tend to shoot a higher number of images to capture the decisive moment. Even with my images set to record RAW + JPG, the X-S20 was able to keep up with a high volume of photos in a short span of time. For a fast paced portrait session, it has a more than adequate buffer.

One of my favourite features of the X-S20 as a photography camera is the eye tracking and autofocus. Paired with the XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR lens, I relied on the eye tracking of the FUJIFILM X-S20 for the entirety of my portrait session. The eye tracking is fast and accurate, as the majority of the photos I captured had critical focus on the iris or eyes. It was also extremely sticky on my subject. I am impressed the camera is able to keep track of Megan’s eyes when they are obscured by hair, when the eyes are closed or when she looks away. If the eyes are lost because the person is faced away from the camera, as soon as they turn back it finds them and focuses instantaneously. The autofocus of the X-S20 is snappy and impressive. As a portrait photographer, it’s great being able to rely on quick autofocus so I can focus on directing my subject and being creative.

The X-S20 has superb image quality. Paired with the XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR, the X-S20 produces clear and sharp imagery, while still maintaining flattering skin and hair texture which is so important for portrait photography. The 26.1 megapixel files produced are a great size to work with as a portrait photographer. It means I have enough freedom to crop in post while still maintaining good image resolution. The files are large enough for online use and print.

The colours straight out of camera from the X-S20 are vivid and true to life. The skin tones look smooth and neutral which makes this camera very easy to work with for portraits but also a variety of different photography genres as well. With it’s in-built film simulations, you have many straight out of camera options you can utilise in either RAW or JPG file format. Whether you are a professional photographer who intends to edit your photos afterwards, or a more casual photographer who enjoys capturing perfectly edited JPGs straight out camera, the X-S20 covers both scenarios.

Due to my style of photography utilising natural light and capturing environmental portraits, I am able to take full advantage of the wide dynamic range of the X-S20. I made the most of this dynamic range while capturing portraits of my subject inside the Kombi van during my photography session. I directed Megan to sit in a location inside the van to have enough natural light illuminating her face. However, the darkness inside the van in contrast to the bright landscape out of the windows was quite severe. I connected the X-S20 to my computer and used the Fujifilm X RAW Studio application to edit my photos. I was easily able to recover highlights and shadows to help balance the tones, while still retaining clean and sharp images. I decided to use Classic Chrome with my own recipe to edit all the photos from the photoshoot.