Dissastisfied xt20 owner thinking of switching brands

[robdmarsh]

Hi everyone 

I'm new to the forum and as can be seen in the title of this post a Fujifilm xt20 owner but not a very happy one.

When I got the camera I thought it would pretty much perfect: small, discreet, solidly made with an emphasis on still photography rather than video. But I find myself being reluctant to take it out and use it; I find it a bit fiddly to use even though I don't have large hands, and the handling in general just feels a bit odd - it's a bit awkward to hold, it feels rather unbalanced with the 18-55 IS lens on it and I don't appreciate the small viewfinder.  The images I've got with it have also been rather disappointing and not even all that sharp.

So I know this is a Fujifilm forum but I wonder if I wouldn't get on better switching to another brand. The other day I handled a Nikon Z5 in a store and thought it just felt good in the hand, a bit an old Olympus dSLR I had. The Nikon is also full frame, which I know has advantages over the APSc sensor. My question is do you guys think I should switch to Nikon or give the xt20 another chance. I have also got the 27mm pancake and though I haven't really used it yet, I hear that this can be a fantastic combination for street photography.

[Greybeard]

Cameras have moved on since the XT20 was released at the beginning of 2017

[robdmarsh]

Thanks for your reply. I'm sure they have but does that mean they are better? I've just spent some time watching a couple of videos about user settings and menus from Omar Gonzalez on Youtube. I think I've now got a better handle on the buttons and dials. What Fujifilm camera do you use yourself?

 

[Astigmatism]

I'm sympathetic. My first Fuji was an X-T30 ii, and I would have preferred that it be a little larger, with more room to operate controls.

Then I bought an X-T4. It is bigger and the controls are easier for me to operate with my clumsy hands. It also put more settings on dedicated knobs and switches rather than in menus. Moreover, the Q menu on the X-T30 operated from a button that was too easy to activate accidentally, and the X-T4 has a much better placed button so this issue went away. Since then I got an X-T5 which I like even a little more (besides the huge pixel count increase).

I still use the X-T30 occasionally when I need the smallest camera possible, especially with the same 27 mm pancake you mention, or when I think there's a slight chance it will get damaged, and I lend it to my spouse to use in full AUTO mode. But my main camera is the X-T5, or sometimes the X-T4, and I'm quite happy and impressed.

23 hours ago, robdmarsh said:

do you guys think I should switch to Nikon or give the xt20 another chance

Neither. I think you should try the X-T5.

[Greybeard]

7 hours ago, robdmarsh said:

Thanks for your reply. I'm sure they have but does that mean they are better? I've just spent some time watching a couple of videos about user settings and menus from Omar Gonzalez on Youtube. I think I've now got a better handle on the buttons and dials. What Fujifilm camera do you use yourself?

 

I went in a slightly different direction from Astigmatism - I have both the X-H2S and the X100VI.

Both are enjoyable - the X100VI is more discrete and better as a wander around camera but I really enjoy using the X-H2S with its larger grip, forward shutter button and lots of controls.

[pw-pix]

My first Fuji was the X-E3, it was bad to hold and I was often accidentally actuating buttons and controls.

I purchased the Fuji metal handgrip for it and found it was significantly improved. Then I disabled the Q button as I was often accidentally pressing it, I also disabled the touch screen.

I still own and use the camera 8 years later and it's been a great photographic tool.

Maybe look into a handgrip and some adjustments to the controls before you jump ship.

[Sleeping Dog]

Nothing is perfect and everything is a compromise so other brands and other FF cameras will have their own issues. For myself on my XT30, I've disabled the touch screen and the various function buttons so I can simply concentrate on exposure and composition. My only wish is, and a feature that I'd get a new camera for, is to be able to set a double or triple push requirement for the menu button.

[thelostkiwi]

I came from Nikon D3 to an X-T4. Yes it was a bit small (almost anything is after a D3) so I added a SmallRig grip. Dramatic improvement in how it felt in the hand. It also added slightly to the height making it all a bit more manageable. I then decided I wanted something very small and compact for street or discrete photography and bought an X-E2. Ergonomically its a bit of a disaster but the images are lovely and I'm happy to forgive it because of that. I can drop it in a pocket and snap off a couple of shots in a few seconds and put it back in a pocket nice and quickly. 

Since then I've moved on to a GFX100s II and that is simply in a different league. Ergonomics are very good (especially if you are used to PASM dials and finger and thumbwheels for shutter and aperture. Buttons are all programmable and you can customise to your hearts content. The only thing is the joystick control is a bit random in how it operates - especially when pixel peeping and the touchscreen operation is inconsistent - it works with some things but not others. Fort example scrolling an image about or selecting focus points but doesn't work when in the menu system. 

 

If you're having issues with the X-T20 try a grip and give it a little more time to get used to. 

 

As for whats best for you it depends entirely on what you shoot. For example I'd never use my GFX for street photography or sports photography but conversely I wouldn't use the X-E" for landscapes or wildlife. The X-T4 is a jack of all trades and well suited to sports photography (very high frame rate and crop sensor) where the other two aren't. Horses for courses.