I’ve received numerous compliments over the photos on my blog and Flickr account. I’ll take a humble approach on this one and pass the successes on to my camera - the Fuji X20; almost all the photos have been taken with it, alongside my waterproof companion the compact Panasonic Lumix FT4.
Before I go into too much detail, here are some of my favourite shots, all taken with the X20.
A picture speaks a thousands words.
A young Shaolin monk performing a back-flip
Sunset over Shikoku and the Shimanami Kaido, Japan
Some surfers gather their boards on the beach just off the Great Ocean Road
The rolling rice fields of Sapa, Vietnam
Shibuya crossing at night
Those are some of my favourites. They were all taken without any enhancements in Photoshop. The Sapa rice fields photo was taken in a special mode called ‘dynamic mode’ that really gives punch to the colours and contrast.
The camera has a wonderfully retro look about it. It’s a treat to use with a good, solid feel about it whilst not being clunky, clumsy or cumbersome. I wanted something that would travel well: be robust enough to handle an adventure; light and compact enough that it would never be a burden; and versatile to handle whatever may come on my travels.
My biggest gripe is with the lens cap - I’m surprised I haven’t lost it yet - it’s not the quickest to remove nor is it useful when you don’t have a pocket or hand free to keep it. I’d also have liked the strap to be a bit more robust, professional and ‘classic’ to tie in with the retro look of the camera. It’d also be really useful if the camera could charge via USB and have a standard connection for interfacing with the PC instead of propriety Fuji socket. All in all, small issues.
TL;DR - In Conclusion
The shots speak for themselves. It feels great, looks amazing and has handled everything I can throw at it (or throw it at) on my travels. It’s only real flaws are superficial and, possibly, only personal opinion. The optical viewfinder might not be the best, but at least it has one and it’s definitely a useful plus. Navigating the menu system can be awkward at times, but with physical switches and buttons for the important stuff this rarely becomes an issue. At the end of the day it’s the photos that matter, and this camera hasn’t let me down, I can recommend it highly and without any reservation. Go for it, you won’t be disappointed.
Here’s a Flickr link to the X20 camera, including a photostream of all photos uploaded to Flickr using the camera: https://www.flickr.com/cameras/fujifilm/finepix_x20/
And some more eye candy before I leave you to your day.
A view across Lake Matheson towards Mount Cook, New Zealand
Autumn around Mount Fuji, Japan
Travelling the river-roads of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
The Trans Siberian catching the afternoon light