Fujifilm X-S20 vs X100V

The Fujifilm X-S20 and the Fujifilm X100V are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2023 and February 2020. The X-S20 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the X100V is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 26 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X-S20		Fujifilm X100V
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Fujifilm X mount lenses		35mm f/2.0
26 MP – APS-C sensor		26 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 160-12,800 (80 - 51,200)		ISO 160-12,800 (80 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1840k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		no shake reduction
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
750 shots per battery charge		420 shots per battery charge
128 x 85 x 65 mm, 491 g		128 x 75 x 53 mm, 478 g

Check X-S20 price at
amazon.com
Check X100V offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X-S20 and the Fujifilm X100V? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-S20 and the Fujifilm X100V is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X100V can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the X-S20 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Fujifilm X100V is notably smaller (12 percent) than the Fujifilm X-S20. It is noteworthy in this context that the X100V is splash and dust-proof, while the X-S20 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the X100V has a lens built in, whereas the X-S20 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the X-S20 and their specifications in the Fujinon X Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the X-S20 gets 750 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W235 battery, while the X100V can take 420 images on a single charge of its Fujifilm NP-W126S power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-S20	128 mm	85 mm	65 mm	491 g	750	n	May 2023	EUR 1 399	amazon.com
2.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	115 mm	78 mm	51 mm	399 g	200	Y	Oct 2017	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm X-E4	121 mm	73 mm	33 mm	364 g	380	n	Jan 2021	EUR 899	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm X-H2S	136 mm	93 mm	85 mm	660 g	580	Y	May 2022	EUR 2 749	amazon.com
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	EUR 1 799	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-S10	126 mm	85 mm	65 mm	465 g	325	n	Oct 2020	EUR 999	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T2	133 mm	92 mm	49 mm	507 g	340	Y	Jul 2016	EUR 1 699	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T4	135 mm	93 mm	64 mm	607 g	500	Y	Feb 2020	EUR 1 799	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-T5	130 mm	91 mm	64 mm	557 g	580	Y	Nov 2022	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X100VI	128 mm	75 mm	55 mm	521 g	450	Y	Feb 2024	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the X100V has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 26 megapixels. This implies that the X100V has a lower pixel density and marginally larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 3.76μm for the X-S20), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the X-S20 is much more recent (by 3 years and 3 months) than the X100V, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Fujifilm X-S20 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-51200. The Fujifilm X100V offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use the X-Trans layout of photosites, which according to Fujifilm helps to minimize moiré.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X-S20	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.3	14.0	2315	86
2.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.6	1996	84
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.2	1649	81
4.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
5.		Fujifilm X-E4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2085	85
6.		Fujifilm X-H2S	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2224	86
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
8.		Fujifilm X-S10	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2057	85
9.		Fujifilm X-T2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.1	1653	81
10.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.0	13.4	1853	83
11.		Fujifilm X-T4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.1	13.6	1995	84
12.		Fujifilm X-T5	APS-C	39.8	7728	5152	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2264	86
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
14.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
15.		Fujifilm X100VI	APS-C	39.8	7728	5152	6.2K/30p	24.3	14.1	2397	86
16.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the X-S20 provides a higher frame rate than the X100V. It can shoot video footage at 4K/60p, while the X100V is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the X100V offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the X-S20 (3690k vs 2360k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Fujifilm X-S20, the Fujifilm X100V, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm X-S20	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
5.		Fujifilm X-E4	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
6.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5760	Y	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
8.		Fujifilm X-S10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-T2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
10.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
11.		Fujifilm X-T4	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
12.		Fujifilm X-T5	3690	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
15.		Fujifilm X100VI	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The X-S20 has one, while the X100V does not. While the built-in flash of the X-S20 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Fujifilm X-S20 and the Fujifilm X100V both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the X-S20 and the X100V write their files to SDXC cards. The X-S20 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the X100V can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Fujifilm X-S20 and Fujifilm X100V and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X-S20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-E4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm X-H2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X-S10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-T2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
10.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Fujifilm X-T5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Fujifilm X100VI	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y

The X-S20 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Fujifilm. In contrast, the X100V has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the X100V was succeeded by the Fujifilm X100VI. Further information on the features and operation of the X-S20 and X100V can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X-S20 Manual (free pdf) or the online Fujifilm X100V Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Fujifilm X-S20 better than the Fujifilm X100V or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X-S20:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.62x vs 0.44x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1620k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 420) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 3 months of technical progress since the X100V launch.

Arguments in favor of the Fujifilm X100V:

• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (3690k vs 2360k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the X-S20 necessitates an extra lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (128x75mm vs 128x85mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the X-S20).
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2020).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the X-S20 is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Fujifilm X-S20 and the Fujifilm X100V place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the X-S20 or the X100V perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-S20	5/5	+ +	5/5	86/100	..	4.5/5	May 2023	EUR 1 399	amazon.com
2.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark III	5/5	+	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2017	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
4.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm X-E4	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2021	EUR 899	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5/5	+	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	May 2022	EUR 2 749	amazon.com
7.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 1 799	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-S10	5/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 999	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T2	5/5	+ +	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2016	EUR 1 699	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T4	5/5	+ +	5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2020	EUR 1 799	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-T5	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	..	Nov 2022	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X100VI	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Feb 2024	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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amazon.com
Check X100V offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

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