Which camera is right for you?

• Fujifilm

  Fujifilm X-S20

  Great for hybrid shooters

  The Fujifilm X-S20 is the successor to the X-S10 for 2020. It has a hybrid design with a screen-out, similar to the XH series but at a cheaper price. The sensor is slightly inferior to the X-T5 but when it comes to other specifications, the cameras go toe-to-toe.

  Goodness

  • Low cost
  • A quick burst of electricity
  • Flip-out LCD for video recording
  • Similar videos

  evil

  • 1.17x crop at 4K60
  • Missing the signature retro dials

• 

  Fujifilm

  Fujifilm X-T5

  Great for photographers

  Fujifilm X-T5 is probably the most famous mirrorless model. It has classic Fujifilm styling, complete with retro dials and a tilting screen that’s perfect for street photography. This design puts photography first, but doesn’t compromise when it comes to video.

  Goodness

  • High quality sensor
  • No grain at 4K60
  • Tactile retro dials
  • Good EVF

  evil

  • There is no mobile socket
  • Tilting the screen can slow down the video

Fujifilm has just released its latest APS-C body, the X-S20. It comes in at $1299, but even that is one of Fuji’s cheapest camerasit has the features it provides X-T5 the speed of his money.

On the outside, the two cameras look very different, and the price difference is huge, too. However, similar skills tell a different story.

So, should you save money and go for the new X-S20 or should you stick with the tried and true X-T5? We’ve searched the web, and here’s what we found.

Description, price and availability

The Fujifilm X-S20 was announced on May 25 2023, is available to order now and will arrive with customers on June 29 2023. behind himwhich is set at $999 in 2020.

The Fujifilm X-T5 was released in November 2022 and has been available for purchase ever since. It costs $1699 as a body only.

• 	Fujifilm X-S20	Fujifilm X-T5
  Sensor Size	APS-C	APS-C
  Video Editing	6.2K30 / 4K60	6.2K30 / 4K60
  Image editing	26.1MP	40.2MP
  Battery	Price of NP-W235	Price of NP-W235
  Growing up	127.7×85.1×65.4 mm	129.5x91x63.8 mm
  Weight	491g per	557g per
  Lens	X-hill	X-hill

Creation

• X-S20: The output screen and advanced hybrid controls
• X-T5: Screen tilt and old ISO, Shutter and EV comp dials

The design of the two cameras is very different. For starters, the X-S20 is significantly smaller than the X-T5 and about 70 grams lighter. It’s not a huge difference in the world, but it’s worth considering if you want to carry light.

The look is very different, too. The X-S20 has a much slimmer body, with a handle that protrudes more, while the X-T5 is thicker all over, and the handle protrudes less.

Some differences are obvious. The X-T5 has Fujifilm’s retro signature on top of the camera, allowing you to manually select your ISO, shutter speed and EV ratio with their dedicated controls.

The X-S20, on the other hand, opts for a modern hybrid mode – which will feel more comfortable for shooters from other brands. This means you get a custom dial and three adjustable wheels elsewhere.

The rear button design is the same on both cameras, but the X-S20 streamlines things a bit, removing the control buttons found on the X-T5. Both models have a fun selective AF function and a built-in photo assistant.

Another major difference between the two bodies is the LCD design. The X-S20 offers a full-frame LCD, which we’ve seen on most modern hybrid cameras. The X-T5 opts for a three-way tilting system, instead.

Some people prefer flip-out screens, which are great for street photography, but we’d say the flip-out mode is the most versatile. Especially if you like to record videos, and record yourself as a kind of vlog.

Compatibility and appearance

• X-S20: 3-inch 1.84 million dot LCD, 2.36 million dot OLED EVF
• X-T5: 3-inch 1.84 million dot LCD, 3.69 million dot OLED EVF

In most cases, the connection is the same for both cameras. Both have a USB-C port, micro HDMI, a 3.5mm microphone socket and use SD cards for recording – although the X-T5 has two SD card slots, while the X-S20 only has one.

There is another big difference. The X-T5 doesn’t have a headphone jack, and if you want to control audio, you’ll need to use a USB-C dongle, while the X-S20 has a dedicated headphone port. However, it removes the remote start port, instead it is built into the same 3.5mm socket, and you can choose between them in the menu.

We think this is a smart move, because you won’t need to use the remote trigger and the headphones at the same time, so the design saves space without offering too much functionality.

The X-S20’s USB-C port is a little different, too. It can be connected to a computer and used as a webcam, up to 4K60, with no software or graphics card required. The X-T5 has built-in webcam functionality, too, but you have to use Fujifilm’s X Webcam software, which is a little more complicated.

The LCD screens are the same on both cameras, apart from their specifications, which we explained in the last section. Electronic displays, however, are very different.

The X-S20 has a 0.39-inch OLED EVF with 2.36 million dots, a 100Hz refresh rate, and a 31-degree diagonal field of view. The X-T5 has an advanced EVF, which is 0.5 inches in size, has 3.69 million dots, 100Hz refresh and 39-degree FOV.

In practice, this means the X-T5 EVF will look sharp and large through the eyepiece, so it’ll be easier to nail your handheld shots in use. However, the increased flexibility also means that the battery drains faster when in use.

Pictures

• X-S20: 8 fps burst shooting, 30 fps video (1.25x crop)
• X-T5: 15 fps burst shooting, 20 fps desktop (1.29x crop)

The main difference between the two models, when it comes to photography, is that the X-T5 can shoot at a higher resolution – 40.2MP compared to just 26.1MP.

So if you know you need large print images, or you like the flexibility of later cropping, then the X-T5 is the one to go for.

However, elsewhere, the difference is not so clear. The X-T5 offers faster shooting when using the mechanical shutter, but the X-S20 is slower when using the electronic shutter.

The X-S20 can shoot bursts up to 20fps with no crop, while 30fps bursts rely on 1.29x crop. In comparison, the X-T5 can shoot up to 20fps burst, with a 1.29x crop, and up to 13fps if you want to avoid cropping.

It’s also worth noting that the X-T5’s higher-resolution sensor means it has more autofocus points, even though the X-S20 debuted with a more modern full-autofocus system. The X-T5’s firmware can be updated to take advantage of the new autofocus modes, however, there won’t be much of a real difference.

Video formats

• X-S20: Up to 6.2K 30fps / 4K 60fps (1.18x crop) / 1080p 240fps video
• X-T5: Up to 6.2K 30fps / 4K 60fps / 4K HQ 30fps / 1080p 240fps video

On paper, it may seem like the two cameras can shoot the same videos, but there is more to the story than that. It’s true that both output at 6.2k 30fps (open gate) and both output at 60fps in 4K, but the X-S20 needs a 1.18x crop at 4K rates above 30p, while the X-T5 has no crop.

The 1.18x crop is manageable, for us, but what might be more important is that the X-S20 loses 4K HQ resolution. On the X-T5, this feature oversamples from 6.2K, to deliver a clean and detailed 4K image.

The X-T5 has a digital zoom function that uses its high-resolution sensor to allow up to 2x zoom with minimal loss when shooting in 4K. The X-S20, with its slightly inferior sensor, cannot do this.

What the X-S20 does offer, however, is a new vlog mode. This supports controls for new shooters, and changes many of the controls to the touchscreen so you can find them while shooting yourself. It also adds a Product Priority autofocus feature, which makes it easier to focus on objects when shooting reviews.

Otherwise, both cameras offer up to 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording and can output ProRes RAW and Blackmagic RAW over HDMI. The IBIS system is the same on both cameras (and the X-H2 and X-H2S).

The end

So which one should you get? As always, it depends on what you want from the camera, and how you like to shoot. We are hybrid shooters, shooting videos as well as photos, and for us, the X-S20 is the most interesting camera.

It comes at a lower price, has controls and a display that focuses on video recording, adds a headphone jack, and even quick burst shots with an electronic shutter.

However, we can also see the appeal of the X-T5. Especially when it comes to photography. There’s no competition when it comes to resolution, and if you want photos of that size, there’s little the X-S20 can do to compete.

The classic style controls and tilting feature will also appeal to many shooters. Not only do they look cool, but they are very functional, especially when you build muscle memory to change them on the fly.