We’ve long rated the Fujifilm X-S10 as one of the best entry-level cameras, and its rumored successor, the Fujifilm X-S20, sounds like it could be a big upgrade in a few key ways. But unfortunately, a new leak suggests that these improvements will come at a huge cost.
According to credible Fuji rumorsThe Fujifilm X-S20 will cost $1,299 (body only). It’s not yet clear what that price equivalent will be in the UK and Australia, but we can get the result from the $1,299 Fujifilm X-T30 II lens kit, which comes in at £1,099 / AU$2,099.
If that price is accurate, that would mean a significant price increase of around 30% for the Fujifilm X-S10, which has a starting price of $999 / £949 / AU$1,699. And it would place the X-S20 further in the mid-range given the recent arrival of rivals such as the Canon EOS R10 ($979 / £899 / AU$1.49).
That could be quite a reasonable price increase if the X-S20 introduces some powerful new features, with rumors pointing to improved autofocus powers as well as a new X-Processor 5 (also featured in the excellent Fujifilm X-T5). However, it also suggests that cheap cameras are now becoming a rarity.
Back in the days of DSLRs, you could buy a basic camera like the Nikon D3500 with a set of lenses for $499 / £499 / AU$690. Of course, Fujifilm’s XS series is more premium than this DSLR, but cheaper models like the Fujifilm X-T200 are almost impossible to find in stock. But it would be a shame to see the X-S20 disappear so far into the kind of four-figure price territory that will be out of reach for most newbies.
The decline of cheaper DSLR and mirrorless camera models is why our guide to the best cheap cameras mainly features older models that have come down in price significantly over the years. If your budget is a little tight, it’s also worth checking out our guide to buying a used DSLR or mirrorless camera.
But what else do we know about the alleged Fujifilm X-S20 and can it finally convince us despite the apparent increase in prices? Here’s everything we know about the mid-range mirrorless camera.
To the point
- What is this? Another mid-range Fujifilm mirrorless camera
- when is it coming out? Rumors suggest that the premiere will take place on May 24
- How much does it cost? Probably around $1299 / £1099 / AU$2099
Fujifilm X-S20 release date and price
The Fujifilm X-S20 will most likely be announced at the company’s next X Summit, which starts on May 24.
Fujifilm originally planned to hold the X Summit in April, but it delayed it by a month. It’s not yet clear what else Fujifilm may announce at the event, but the recent deluge of X-S20 leaks and rumors suggests that it will almost certainly be revealed at the event.
So far, there has been no speculation about the camera’s sale date, so we’ll probably have to wait until X Summit to find out.
What about the price of the X-S20? On May 18, A Fuji rumors the post claimed the camera would be more expensive than the X-S10, costing $1,299. Based on equivalent prices elsewhere in the Fuji range, this could be around £1,099/$2,099.
In that case, the X-S20 would be around 30% more expensive than the current X-S10. This could be in direct competition with the supposedly Sony A6700 and would put it on a level above entry-level mirrorless cameras like the Canon EOS R10.
Fujifilm X-S20: news and leaks
In our Fujifilm X-S10 review, we called it “one of the best small-to-medium mirrorless cameras you can buy” due to its combination of great handling, the same sensor as the Fujifilm X-T4, and built-in image stabilization (IBIS).
The latest X-S20 rumors suggest that the camera won’t mess with the formula, instead bringing more focus to vlogging along with some spec upgrades. According to Fuji gossip post On May 15, the much improved subject-tracking AF could be key – in fact, the camera may even outperform its high-end sibling here (at least for now).
The X-S20’s automatic subject and scene recognition modes will apparently improve on the X-S10’s modes, allowing the camera to select a film simulation to match the scene. But the main improvement could be the automatic autofocus mode, which could allow the X-S20 to recognize whatever is in your scene – from people to animals or cars – and start tracking them.
This would be different from current Fujifilm cameras where you have to manually select the subject you want to track with autofocus in the settings. In theory, this could be a pretty powerful feature for budding photographers.
While the Fujifilm X-S20 is expected to feature the same 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor as its predecessor, rumors suggest it will pair it with the newer X-Processor 5. This in turn will likely help power some enhanced video features, including the ability to record 6K/30p and 4K/60p (the X-S10 peaked at 4K/30p), although it’s not yet clear if either will be available with cropping.
Speaking of video, newer Fuji gossip post May 19 claims that the X-S20’s dedicated “Vlog” mode (which will appear on its mode dial) will provide some useful, YouTuber-friendly features that are similar to what we’ve seen previously on Sony cameras like the Sony ZV-E10.
Apparently, these will include a “Product Priority Mode” (which, as the name suggests, instructs autofocus to prioritize a product that temporarily appears in the frame, even when face recognition is on) and a “Background Defocus Mode” for those who want some beautiful bokeh but you don’t necessarily know what settings to manually use to get it.
In terms of design, the X-S20 looks almost identical to the X-S10. The main change will apparently be the inclusion of the newer Fuji NP-W235 battery, which is a big improvement over the older NP-126S seen on its predecessor. While it’s not yet clear if the X-S20 will provide a weather seal, which is one of the X-S10’s key missing features.
Fujifilm X-S20: early thoughts
Our four main complaints about the Fujifilm X-S10 were the lack of a weather seal, mediocre battery life, a limited touchscreen, and an autofocus system that fell slightly behind the best mirrorless cameras in its class.
Of course, the Fujifilm X-S20 will not be able to completely fix all these problems, otherwise it would be too similar to the more expensive Fujifilm X-T5. But with rumors that its price could go up to $1,299, it’s going to have to make bigger improvements across the board than if it stayed closer to the X-S10’s original price of $999 / £949 / AU$1,699.
Rumors suggest the X-S20 will get major autofocus, battery and video improvements, and the inclusion of the same 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor as before would be absolutely fine for us considering it’s tried and tested and tested layout that we have long considered one of the best in APS-C cameras.
We’d love to see an improved electronic viewfinder and weather seal, though that seems unlikely. And there’s a chance the X-S20 could be caught in between cheaper offerings like the Canon EOS R10 and the Fujifilm X-T5, which offers good value at $1,699 / £1,699 / AU$3,199.
But we’ll save our final verdicts for when the X-S20 comes out in the wild, most likely shortly after the Fujifilm X Summit on May 24.