X-T20 | FUJI X WEEKLY

5 Reasons To Choose The Fujifilm X-T30 & 5 Reasons To Choose The Fujifilm X-T20

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Fujifilm just announced the upcoming X-T30. It’s expected to be released in late-March for $900 for the camera body. This camera replaces the X-T20, which was my top recommended Fuji camera. What’s new? What’s improved? Which should you buy? I will attempt to answer those questions by listing five reasons to choose each one. Only you can decide if either of these cameras are right for you, but hopefully I can help add some clarity to your decision.

5 Reasons To Choose The Fujifilm X-T30:

#5 – Joystick

Fujifilm chose to replace the D-Pad that’s found on the X-T20 with a joystick and touch-screen controls. This is the same setup that’s on the X-E3 and other Fujifilm cameras. If you like the focus joystick, the X-T30 has it and the X-T20 doesn’t.

#4 – Charcoal Grey

Besides all-black and silver-and-black, Fujifilm has made a third color option for the X-T30 camera body: grey-and-black. I’m on the fence if I love it or hate it, but if you love it, it’s available on the X-T30.

#3 – New JPEG Features

The X-T30 has a few new features not available on the X-T20, including Color Chrome effect, Eterna film simulation, and color toning of Acros. If you shoot JPEG, these are nice options that Fujifilm has included to help you achieve your desired look in-camera.

#2 – Improved Auto-Focus

The X-T30 has the new X-Trans IV sensor and processor, which produces less heat that in turn allows for quicker operations. The X-T30 is a faster camera than the X-T20, and it’s most prevalent in the improved auto-focus. If you shoot fast moving subjects, the X-T30 will be the better choice.

#1 – Impressive Video

Perhaps the biggest improvements found on the X-T30 are with regards to video. Things like DCI 4K 30fps, H.264 4:2:2 10-bit external, and F-Log make this a better option for video than the X-T20. It’s not quite as good as the X-T3, which is to be expected, but it’s definitely a step up from the camera it is replacing. No doubt, the X-T30 could be used for serious videography.

5 Reasons To Choose The Fujifilm X-T20:

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#5 – D-Pad

While some people might prefer the joystick on the X-T30, others will prefer the D-Pad on the X-T20. If that’s you, you might appreciate the X-T20 more. Want both the joystick and D-Pad? You’ll have to get an X-T3 or other high-end model.

#4 – It’s Essentially the Same Camera

Aside from some small changes and improvements, the X-T20 and X-T30 are not much different from each other. The X-T20 has a good auto-focus system and decent video capabilities, and if you don’t need them to be better, there’s not a big advantage to owning the new camera.

#3 – You Have Another X-Trans III Camera

Although still image quality is nearly identical between X-Trans III and X-Trans IV sensors, there are still some very minor differences that might require processing exposures slightly different. If you already have a different X-Trans III camera (say, and X-T2, X-Pro2 or X100F) you might want to choose the X-T20 just to keep post-processing the same.

#2 – X-T20 is Cheaper

While the MSRP is the same between the X-T20 and X-T30, the X-T20 has been discounted for several months now. In fact, at Amazon, the X-T20 is currently $700 for the body and $1,000 bundled with the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens. That’s $200 cheaper for what is 95% the same exact camera. With the imminent release of the X-T30, the X-T20 might see even bigger discounts in the coming weeks.

#1 – You Can Buy the X-T20 Now

The X-T30 won’t be released until late-March. It’s not even available yet for pre-order (although it should be soon), and if you don’t pre-order you won’t likely get your hands on one until sometime in April, and, depending on how popular it is, maybe not even until May. The X-T20 is in-stock and could be in your hands within a couple of days.

My Fujifilm X-T20 Fujicolor Pro 400H Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on December 23, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Taking Out The Trash – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Fujifilm Pro 400H is a color negative film that was first introduced in 2002 (originally named NPH400). It’s a popular print film that has survived the digital era, as Fujifilm continues to manufacture Pro 400H to this very day, while many other films have seen the chopping block. It’s a fine-grain (for ISO 400), natural-color, versatile film that’s especially good for weddings and portraits. I have used it a couple times myself, although not anytime recently. I do remember some of the idiosyncrasies of the film. Interestingly, the “H” in the name stands for “high speed,” which is the designation that Fujifilm gave to all their ISO 400 films.

I’ve tried in the past to create a Pro 400H recipe for Fujifilm X cameras, but I was never happy with the results. In fact, you might recall that I suggested Fujifilm include this as a new film simulation in future cameras. Recently a Fuji X Weekly reader, Mauricio, shared with me his settings for Pro 400H, and he asked my thoughts on it. I was able to try it out and I liked it! His settings were indeed close, although I felt it needed some tweaking to better mimic the film.

Anytime that you are attempting to recreate the look of a certain film with a digital camera, there are variables that make it difficult. How was it shot? How was it developed? Was it printed, and how so? Was it scanned, and how so? Those are common challenges, plus more. With Pro 400H, there is an additional challenge: the film can look much different depending on the light and exposure. There are several distinct looks that can be achieved using the film, and it’s not possible to recreate all of those aesthetics with a film simulation recipe. Despite all of the challenges, I do feel that I was able to create a look that is in the ballpark of the film, thanks to the help of Mauricio.

There were several compromises that I had to make. I tried many different things to get the aesthetics as close as I could. For example, the film is known for cool blueish shadows and a warm pinkish highlights. Split toning is not possible on Fujifilm X cameras. I could get the shadow color cast more accurate but at the expense of the highlight color, or I could get the highlight color cast more accurate but at the expense of the shadow color. The white balance shift that I settled on, which is the same one that was suggested to me in the first place, isn’t spot-on accurate for the shadows or highlights, but it’s a nice middle ground that’s close enough to both to be convincing. What you get is a cool color cast showing through in the shadows and a slight red color cast showing up in the highlights. The light and exposure of an image will change the look of it in a similar fashion to the actual film, although not completely the same. It’s as close as I could get it.

Holiday Decor – S. Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Fujifilm Pro 400H film has a huge latitude in the highlights. You can overexpose it by three stops easily (maybe four) and get a good print. In fact, a lot of people purposefully overexpose the film because the colors turn pastel and the images become more warm and vibrant. The X-Trans III sensor has a lot of dynamic range, but it cannot hold up to a three stop overexposure. I found that DR200 is a good setting in many circumstances, but in high-contrast scenes, DR400 might be a better option. I used DR200 for all of the pictures in this article, but some might have benefited from the higher dynamic range setting. I think in high contrast scenes, in order to prevent clipped highlights, if you aren’t going to select DR400, perhaps set highlights to -1. I debated on whether +2 or +3 is the best setting for shadows. I think a +2.5 option would be most correct, but unfortunately that doesn’t exist. My recommendation would be to use +2 in higher contrast scenes and +3 in lower contrast scenes. I used +3 for all of the photos here.

Another setting that I debated on was color saturation. I settled on +4, which I think is the most correct for simulating slightly overexposed Pro 400H. An argument could be made that +3, +2 and +1 are also correct, depending on how the film was exposed and handled. If you think that +4 is too saturated for your tastes, simply find the color setting that works best for you. Pro 400H is definitely a tough film to make a recipe for. I think these settings are going to be your best bet for achieving a look straight out of camera that mimics the film’s aesthetic. Even though I captured these photographs using an X-T20, this film simulation recipe is compatible with all Fujifilm X-Trans III and IV cameras.

PRO Neg. STD
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +3
Color: +4
Grain: Weak
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
White Balance: Auto, +2 Red & +1 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +2/3 to +1 (typically)

Example photographs, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured using my Fujifilm X-T20 Fujicolor Pro 400H Film Simulation recipe:

Red Chairs In Snow – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Up From The Snow – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Second Day of Winter – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Frosted Trees & Winter Sun – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Cold Neighborhood Morning – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Some Lady’s Book Store – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

TV Fiasco – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Pierre’s Miniature Bakery – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Christmas Decoration – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Faith – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

FED 5c Rangefinder – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Bolsey Behind Bars – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Fake Grass In A Box – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Lavender & Twine – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Pentax & Fujifilm – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Three 35mm Film Canisters – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Vase Arm – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Red Fire Hydrant – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Neighborhood Window – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Dead Rose Bush Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Frozen Leaf – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Moon Rise Over The Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Snow Dusted Peak – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Mountain & Cloud – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Brick Wall Boy – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Car Play – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Girl By The Window Light – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

Green Night Shed – Layton, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Pro 400H”

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My Fujifilm X-T20 Kodak Ektachrome 100SW Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on December 2, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

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Ektachrome was a line of color transparency (slide) films made by Kodak that used the E-6 development process. Some people preferred it to Kodachrome because of the faster ISO (100 vs 64 or 25), more saturated colors and easier development (although Kodachrome had finer grain, a larger dynamic range and didn’t fade as easily). A lot of National Geographic photographs were shot on Ektachrome back in the day.

There were a number of varieties of Ektachrome produced over the years, and I’ve used five of them myself. My favorite was Ektachrome 100VS (VS = “very saturated”), which was Kodak’s attempt at Fujifilm Velvia. Occasionally I used Ektachrome 100SW (SW = “saturated warm”), which was introduced in 1996 and produced vivid photographs with a warm color balance. Kodak stopped production of Ektachrome 100SW in 2002 and all Ektachrome film in 2012. Just a few months ago a brand new Kodak Ektachrome film was released, although I have not tried it yet.

A Fuji X Weekly reader, Ilya Struzhkov, took my Kodachrome II recipe and made a simple modification: he used Velvia instead of Classic Chrome. He shared the results on Instagram and I immediately felt like the images had a Kodak Ektachrome 100SW aesthetic. I had to try it out myself! Sure enough, the results looked a lot like the film: saturated colors (not as much as Velvia but more than most films), a warm color balance, and shadows that easily turned black. It’s amazing that this one change to the recipe could transform it from 1970’s Kodachrome to 1990’s Ektachrome.

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The title of this film simulation recipe says “Fujifilm X-T20” but it can be used on any X-Trans III or IV camera. In fact, at the bottom of this article you’ll find some Fujifilm X100F examples. The only other change I made (besides Velvia instead of Classic Chrome) is that I set sharpening to 0 instead of +1 on the X-T20, but it’s set to +1 on the X100F. That’s just how I set up the cameras, and there really isn’t much of a differences between 0 and +1 sharpening, so either one is fine. Because the settings are essentially the same as my Kodachrome II recipe, it’s super easy to toggle between the two when out shooting. Really, it’s just brilliant!

Velvia
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: +1
Shadow: +2
Color: -1
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
Grain Effect: Weak
White Balance: Auto, +3 Red & -4 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

Example photos, all camera-made JPEGs using my Fujifilm X-T20 Kodak Ektachrome 100SW Film Simulation recipe:

Light Dust of Snow – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Frozen Fall – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Frosty Leaf & Grass – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Sandstone Peaks – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Evening Moonrise – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Zion Sun – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Evening On The Cliffs – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Amanda & Ritchie – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Still Water & Rocky Shore – Antelope Island SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Old Dry Lavender – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Boots – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Ektachrome 100SW”

Fujifilm X100F:

Autumn Tree Below Bridge Mountain – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektachrome 100SW”

View From Mount Carmel Tunnel – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektachrome 100SW”

Juniper – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektachrome 100SW”

Sandstone Trees – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F “Ektachrome 100SW”

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Travel: Snow Canyon State Park – St. George, Utah

Posted on November 24, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Crevasse Tree – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Earlier this week my family and I traveled to southern Utah. One place that we visited was Snow Canyon State Park, which sits just outside of St. George. This place was new to us. I saw it on a map and thought it might be interesting, so we went. I knew nothing about Snow Canyon State Park other than how to get there. I didn’t have any expectations, but if I did they would have been blown away. This is a really neat state park!

Despite the name, Snow Canyon doesn’t receive much snow. It was named after the Snow family, who were early settlers to the area. The park features beautiful red sandstone, petrified sand dunes, a couple of small arches and different lava formations. It’s a place that begs to be explored. It’s a great location for hiking, camping and rock climbing–oh, and definitely photography!

We arrived about 30 minutes before sunset and stayed for about 15 minutes after. We didn’t have a long visit, which is a shame because it seems like an awesome park! In the short time that we were there we had a lot of fun. The kids ran around and explored as much as they could. From what I can tell the park has a lot to offer, including some large lava tubes that would have been fun to find. I didn’t know about the lava tubes until after we left, so we’ll have to find them the next time that we visit.

There are most certainly some great photographic opportunities in Snow Canyon. The place has something worthy of your camera’s attention at every turn! The quintessential red rocks of the region and the unusual land formations create the potential for great images. I was there for less than an hour and created the pictures in this article, which were captured using a Fujifilm X-T20. Zion National Park, which isn’t far away, get’s a lot of attention, but Snow Canyon State Park shouldn’t be overlooked! It is definitely worth your time to see.

Color

Last Light On The Cliffs – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Cliff Hanger – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Petrified Sand Dune – Snow Canyon, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Overcoming Adversity – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Crevasse Tree in Color – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fuji X-T20

Autumn Tree – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Autumn Tree In Snow Canyon – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Exploring Kids – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Moon Over The Rocky Ridge – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

B&W:

Rock Hills – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Monochrome Moon, Snow Canyon – Snow Canyon, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Using A Phone Because I Had Her Camera – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Small Arch In Monochrome – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Wood In The Sand – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Window Rock Joy – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Alone At The Top – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Monochrome Moonrise – Snow Canyon SP, UT – Fuji X-T20

My Fujifilm X-T20 Aged Color Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on November 17, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

White Duck – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 “Aged Color”

During World War II there was a shortage of rubber, and an effort was put forth to create synthetic rubber. There were many ideas and experiments to create rubber in the lab, most of which failed. One of those failures was a silicone-based elastic substance that could bounce, float in water, and lift print off of newspaper. This substance was created by mistake while trying to invent something else. It was a twist of fate. It was a happy accident. It was Silly Putty.

Recently I was experimenting with the JPEG settings on a Fujifilm X-T20, trying to replicate the look of some different films. I’ve been working on four different film simulation settings for several months, only hitting dead ends. I haven’t been able to achieve the desired results, but I did stumble across an interesting look. Like the discovery of Silly Putty, I made a happy accident! Even though I used an X-T20 for this recipe, you could apply these settings to any X-Trans III camera and get the same exact results.

This look doesn’t quite resemble any specific film that I’m aware of. I think it produces an analog film aesthetic, even though I couldn’t tell you which one. There are a couple of films that I can see maybe some resemblance, but overall it’s not an exact match. Actually, what it reminded me of is a group of four Alien Skin Exposure presets under the “Color Films – Aged” tab called Color Photo. These presets are similar to each other but each one has a slightly varied look. My new film simulation, which I’ve named Aged Color, produces a look that resembles those Exposure presets, although I will admit that it’s more of general aesthetic than a carbon copy. It’s just what I think it most closely resembles, by coincidence.

Below are three pictures of mine that were edited with those Alien Skin Exposure Color Photo presets:

Hidden Waterfall – Lava Hot Springs, ID

South Pasadena – Pasadena, CA

Three Kids In The Water – Carlsbad, CA

While Alien Skin Exposure gives you four preset options for this look, and each of those can be heavily customized, I only have one Aged Color recipe, but you are more than welcome to tweak it to your liking. I find that it produces muted yet lovely colors and slightly faded shadows. If the scene doesn’t have a lot of contrast the images can come out a little flat. The skin tones in the pictures below show a lot of red, but some of that can be attributed to cold temperatures, and I think that under normal conditions skin will look a little more natural. This film simulation recipe is an interesting option to achieve a look that is perhaps unexpected from a digital camera and looks a bit more film-like. I doubt that it’s everyone’s cup of tea, but I think some of you will really appreciate it.

PRO Neg. Std
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: +2
Shadow: +3
Color: +4
Noise Reduction: -3
Sharpening: 0
Grain Effect: Strong
White Balance: Auto, +5 Red & -3 Blue
ISO: Auto up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 (typically)

Example photos, all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs captured on a Fujifilm X-T20 using my Aged Color Film Simulation recipe:

Brother & Sister Fun – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Playground Play – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Joshua Throwing Leaves – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Evening Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Swingset Post – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Oak Tree Autumn Sun – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Last Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Sunlight Through The Branches – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Ducks Swimming In A Pond – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Late Blooms – Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Dry & Yellow – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Old Town Clock – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Little White Pumpkin On The Mantel – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Lego Food Stand Creation – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Boy Reading – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Hot Coffee Brew – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Potted Succulent – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

Asahi Pentax SLR – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20

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Fujifilm X-T20 Impressions

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

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Back in June I bought my wife, Amanda, a Fujifilm X-T20 for her birthday. She’s a little more into video than stills, and her interest in photography has been fairly recent. This is her first interchangeable-lens camera. I promised that I would not take over her X-T20, which I’ve stayed true to, but I have used it on several occasions, and I have formed a few opinions based on those experiences.

This is not a review of the Fujifilm X-T20, but more of a discussion of who this camera is for. I will share my impressions and talk about the things that I believe others might want to know. What differentiates this article from a review is that this won’t be nearly as in-depth, as I won’t talk about many of the technical aspects of the camera, but I will offer several opinions. This will be a fairly short article. I hope that it will be helpful to those who are trying to decide if they should buy this camera or not.

The Fujifilm X-T20 is an X-Trans III camera, which means it has a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor. It has the same sensor and processor as the X-T2, X-Pro2 and X-E3 and is capable of the exact same image quality, which is nothing short of excellent. What differentiates the different camera models are the features that are and are not included. There’s also the X-T100, which is the closest camera in design to the X-T20, but it has a different sensor and processor, which means that it differs a little in image quality.

I’m actually quite impressed with the X-T20. It has a lot of great features! There are a few things that are missing, such as weather sealing, the focus joystick and a dedicated ISO dial on the body. The first one may or may not be a deal breaker, depending on the conditions you plan to use the camera in. The later two can be worked around fairly easily, and, while they’re nice to have, I doubt anyone would dislike this camera because they’re missing.

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What is included on this camera is a tilting touch screen. It’s not quite as adjustable and has more limited touch options than the one found on the X-T100, but it is definitely a nice addition. It makes the camera easier to use in certain situations. There’s a knob on top of the camera that allows quick access to some of the functions that you might not often use but would otherwise have to dig through menus to find. I don’t find it particularly handy for myself, but if you do panorama pictures or video or use the advanced filters this makes it a tad quicker to access.

If you are familiar with Fujifilm X-Trans III cameras, you will feel right at home using the X-T20. It’s a solid choice for a second camera body to backup an X-T2 or X-Pro2. The learning curve will be extraordinarily small and the images will look just like what your other camera produces. If I was in the market for a second camera body to go along with another Fujifilm camera, this is one I would look very closely at. Between the X-T20 and X-E3, you have two really great options that won’t break the bank.

The X-T20 is a great camera for the hobbyist photographer, or someone who thinks that they might become a hobbyist photographer. There are plenty of tools to help you improve your photography yet some great auto-features that will allow you to capture nice pictures even when you don’t really know what you’re doing. It’s a good camera to learn on. If I was looking for my first interchangeable-lens camera, I think this is an excellent choice but I would also take a look at the X-T100, which might be a slightly better option because it is more designed for beginners. If this wasn’t my first interchangeable-lens camera, but I was upgrading from an older camera, I would definitely recommend it. The X-T20 is a great value as it really does delivers a lot for the price!

If you are looking for a camera that is great for both still photography and video, the X-T20 is an excellent option because it’s good at both, which is the reason I chose it for my wife. It creates beautiful exposures, and the different film simulations are great for those who prefer JPEG over RAW. The 4K video quality is quite good, and all of the different film simulations can be applied to video. If you are primarily a videographer you might want to consider the X-H1 or X-T3 instead, which are Fujifilm’s two best cameras for video, but if you are interested in a budget-friendly camera that is capable of high-quality video recording, the X-T20 is a fine choice.

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The Fujifilm X-T20 seems like an all-around good camera for everyday use. It’s small and lightweight enough to carry around all day without feeling cumbersome. It’s quick. It functions very well. It captures very nice still photographs and video. It does everything well! It’s the jack-of-all-trades camera. It’s a camera that you could recommend to anyone and feel good about it. It’s simple enough for inexperienced photographers and advanced enough for professional use. I think anyone could buy this camera and be happy with it.

The X-T20 does have some minor shortcomings, and that’s why it has an MSRP of only $900 for the body. It can be found for less on sale ($700 at Amazon as of this writing), which is a heck-of-a-deal for what you get! It doesn’t feel like it’s a camera that should be at that price point when you are using it. It’s a quality camera that is versatile yet affordable. There are better cameras, such as the X-T2, X-T3, X-H1 and X-Pro2, but they also cost more, and they’re not significantly better, just slightly better in a couple of ways.

My wife loves her X-T20! She uses it for still photography and video. She’s still learning (aren’t we all?), but I can see that her photography has improved quite noticeably in the five months that she has had the camera. It turned out to be a great decision to buy this particular camera for her. I think that she will use her X-T20 for several years to come.

Below you’ll find 10 photographs captured by my wife, Amanda, and I using her Fujifilm X-T20. I think that her four pictures included here are quite nice!

Counters – McKinney, TX – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Amanda

Lone Hiker – Great Sand Dunes NP, CO – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Amanda

Iced Iced Coffee – Waco, TX – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Amanda

Jonathan’s Smile – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

Fog On The Ridge – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

November Rain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

Mueller Hike – Bountiful, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Amanda

Last Leaves – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

Autumn Morning Sunlight – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

Fallen – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T20 – by Ritchie

My Wife Is Now Shooting Fujifilm X

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Double Selfie – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & Fujinon 16mm

My wife, Amanda, had a birthday last month. When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she said, “A camera!” I was a little surprised because for most of our marriage (soon to be 17 years) she has not had much of an interest in photography, but also I wasn’t all that surprised because she has taken an interest in it beginning this year. In fact, I’ve been teaching her photography here and there on the Fujifilm X100F.

Last year for Amanda’s birthday I got her a GoPro because she was making home movies using her iPhone. She’s had a lot of fun over the last 12 months making some pretty epic home videos of our vacations with the GoPro. The kids love them! I think that they’re awesome. This might be where her recent interest in photography stems from, as video and still pictures are in the same general ballpark.

She had told me that, if I did buy her a camera for her birthday, she didn’t want it to be Fujifilm because she was concerned that I would be buying it for myself more than for her. She thought that I might try to take it over. That’s a valid concern because I do love Fujifilm cameras. I suggested that, if I did buy her a Fujifilm camera, we could share lenses. That idea didn’t seem to impress her much.

I ended up buying Amanda an Olympus OM-D camera. It arrived in the mail before her birthday and I set it up the day before so that it would be ready to go. Except that it didn’t work. It was broken! Brand-new, right out of the box, and it was a bust. Talk about a let down! This was supposed to be a big surprise for her.

The next day, on her birthday, I explained what had happened and showed her the non-functioning camera. She was excited that I bought her a camera but disappointed with the camera that was sitting in front of her. I felt bad about it, so later that day I took her to Best Buy, which is right down the street, and told her to pick out a camera.

My Wife, The Photographer – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Amanda tried the different models that they had on display and picked out a Sony A6300. The clerk informed us that they were out of stock but could have one delivered to our house in a couple of days. My wife was okay with that, so we made the purchase and left.

A couple of days later the package arrived from Best Buy. There was a note inside informing us that they were out of brand-new A6300 cameras, that it was an open-box model they had sent us–if we liked it we could keep it and they’d give us $100 off, and if we didn’t like it simply return it to the store. It wasn’t “open-box” so much as it was non-existent-box, with important pieces missing and scratches all over. Obviously we returned it to the store, and the customer service person apologized extensively, shaking his head and saying, “I can’t believe they sent you this piece of junk!”

My wife was ready to give up at this point, but I was not. I told her not to worry, that I’d take care of it. This time I did what I should have done in the first place and purchased her a Fujifilm X-T20. This camera is basic enough for her to feel comfortable using yet advanced enough that she can grow into it. There’s a lot of carryover between the controls of the X100F that she has used several times, so she was able to start shooting pretty quickly. And it has 4K video, something that was important to her.

She seems to be very happy with the X-T20. She’s carrying it around and using it frequently. She’s told me several times that she really likes this model. We’ve even had a few photo walks together, her with the X-T20 and me with the X-Pro2, X100F or X-E1. And I haven’t taken over her camera. I’ve only handled it a few times to show her how to do something when she’s had a question. The X-T20 is Amanda’s camera, while I have my own Fuji X cameras.

I’m very excited that we can share the photography experience together. I’m glad that she wanted a camera and that I purchased her one. It was a frustrating experience at first, but once I purchased the X-T20 all has been well. I look forward to seeing the photographs that she will capture and the adventures we’ll have in the coming months and years.