Fuji X20 for Street Photography

davidbarbe

New Member
Location
Belgium
Hi X-photographers,

Actually I'm using a Nikon D3s with good glass for 2 years now, and I'm still amazed about the low-light capacities and overall image quality. A lot of my photography jobs are events & expo's interiorly.
As I started with Street photography, my Nikon equipment is too heavy to carry for hours (or days) and last week, I pre-ordered a Fuji X20. I was looking for a lightweight "Jack-of-all-trades" with some versatility in combination with good optical.
I'm just wondering how much I have to decrease my expectations in image quality with the Fuji X20 compared with my Super Nikon D3s (an 2x heavy 2.8 lenses). I would like to use the X20 for regular Street Photography and 'fast shooting'.
Maybe I'll find some members who're using the same combo (Full-Frame/DSLR <-> X10/X20). I'm interested in X-owners (X10) who can share their experience, especially the optical quality. I hope the X20 was the good choice, by the way, I never used a compact before !!!

Pictures: www.davidbarbe.be
 
Welcome, David. I've done a bit of street photography with an X10 and have some experience with full frame Nikons (D700, D600) and f/2.8 Nikon zooms.

The sensor image quality piece with the 2/3" Fujis is similar to the Nikon stuff at about 4 stops difference ISO and f-stop. In other words, a Fuji street shot at f/2, 1/500s, ISO 200 is going to have similar image noise and dynamic range to your Nikon at f/8, 1/500s, and ISO 3200. As for optical quality, the X10 lens is excellent. Absolute resolution should be higher on the X20 - I suspect it was held back on the X10 by my processing workflow (Lightoom not getting the most out of the X10 files), and I expect that to change with the X20.

Overall I think you'll be pleased with the X20 for street and fast shooting. It's a great choice amongst compacts.
 
The X10 was a fine street camera in good to decent light. Its not gonna have the IQ of a full frame, but I'd argue that's almost meaningless for street work. Most of the best street photography in history was done with B&W film and the X10 will do better. Its reasonably easy to set up for zone focus, which for me is a must with street shooting, and the small sensor is a real advantage there because you want more DOF, not less. Of the compact cameras I've used, only the Ricoh GRD 3 (or 4) and the Panasonic LX 5 or 7 set up more easily for street. But the X10 was fine and the X20 will be at least as good. When you get into really low light situations, the X10 was not as good as a larger sensor camera - you're generally shooting with auto focus at a large aperture and in that situation, a more light sensitive sensor is an advantage. I'd guess the X20 might be somewhat better. But the only really great tiny camera that was really good for low light street shooting is the Sony RX100, but its terrible for street shooting generally (unless you like auto focus - its almost impossible to zone focus). Here are a few X10 street shots I've done. You can judge whether the quality is good enough. The X20 will probably be marginally better...

View attachment 9413

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View attachment 9415

View attachment 9416

-Ray
 
Wow, Impressive photos. Hope I can get such results with my X10.

The X10 was a fine street camera in good to decent light. Its not gonna have the IQ of a full frame, but I'd argue that's almost meaningless for street work. Most of the best street photography in history was done with B&W film and the X10 will do better. Its reasonably easy to set up for zone focus, which for me is a must with street shooting, and the small sensor is a real advantage there because you want more DOF, not less. Of the compact cameras I've used, only the Ricoh GRD 3 (or 4) and the Panasonic LX 5 or 7 set up more easily for street. But the X10 was fine and the X20 will be at least as good. When you get into really low light situations, the X10 was not as good as a larger sensor camera - you're generally shooting with auto focus at a large aperture and in that situation, a more light sensitive sensor is an advantage. I'd guess the X20 might be somewhat better. But the only really great tiny camera that was really good for low light street shooting is the Sony RX100, but its terrible for street shooting generally (unless you like auto focus - its almost impossible to zone focus). Here are a few X10 street shots I've done. You can judge whether the quality is good enough. The X20 will probably be marginally better...

View attachment 9417

6334316469_f93b414b74_b.jpg


View attachment 9419

View attachment 9420

-Ray
 
X10/x20

@Ray Wooow I really like your shots, the 1st picture is really great !!! Quality looks more than satisfying!! Are this pics taken in RAW of JPG - right out the box?
I also like the color tones in the 2nd picture.

Here are a few X10 street shots I've done. You can judge whether the quality is good enough. The X20 will probably be marginally better... -Ray
 
@Ray Wooow I really like your shots, the 1st picture is really great !!! Quality looks more than satisfying!! Are this pics taken in RAW of JPG - right out the box?
I also like the color tones in the 2nd picture.
Thanks - they were all jpeg, with B&W conversions in Silver Efex Pro and the color shot enhanced in Color Efex Pro. I love the Nik plug-ins.

-Ray
 
Comparison

Amin, are you telling that F/2 on Fuji gives me also about the same DOF as F/8 on my Nikon?
& that High ISO noise is coming up 4 times faster (FUJI ISO200 = NIKON ISO3200)?
David



Welcome, David. I've done a bit of street photography with an X10 and have some experience with full frame Nikons (D700, D600) and f/2.8 Nikon zooms.

The sensor image quality piece with the 2/3" Fujis is similar to the Nikon stuff at about 4 stops difference ISO and f-stop. In other words, a Fuji street shot at f/2, 1/500s, ISO 200 is going to have similar image noise and dynamic range to your Nikon at f/8, 1/500s, and ISO 3200. As for optical quality, the X10 lens is excellent. Absolute resolution should be higher on the X20 - I suspect it was held back on the X10 by my processing workflow (Lightoom not getting the most out of the X10 files), and I expect that to change with the X20.

Overall I think you'll be pleased with the X20 for street and fast shooting. It's a great choice amongst compacts.
 
Hi X-photographers,

Actually I'm using a Nikon D3s with good glass for 2 years now, and I'm still amazed about the low-light capacities and overall image quality. A lot of my photography jobs are events & expo's interiorly.
As I started with Street photography, my Nikon equipment is too heavy to carry for hours (or days) and last week, I pre-ordered a Fuji X20. I was looking for a lightweight "Jack-of-all-trades" with some versatility in combination with good optical.
I'm just wondering how much I have to decrease my expectations in image quality with the Fuji X20 compared with my Super Nikon D3s (an 2x heavy 2.8 lenses). I would like to use the X20 for regular Street Photography and 'fast shooting'.
Maybe I'll find some members who're using the same combo (Full-Frame/DSLR <-> X10/X20). I'm interested in X-owners (X10) who can share their experience, especially the optical quality. I hope the X20 was the good choice, by the way, I never used a compact before !!!

Pictures: www.davidbarbe.be

David,

Just like you I had similar interest in reducing my load with the DSLR and lens. In my case I wanted something light, compact and idea for travel. Today I just picked up an X20 and with a little play with it in Starbucks, i can say I'm in love with it. Here are a few snaps from its first flight.

Fuji X20 Exploration
 
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