Two mid-range mirrorless models, but which one makes most sense for hobbyists?
Sony A6700 vs Fujifilm X-S20: SensorsOn specs alone, there’s little to choose between the sensors inside the Sony A6700 and Fujifilm X-S20. Both use APS-C sensors to achieve a balance between portability and performance, measuring 23 x 15.5mm and 23.5 x 15.6mm respectively – which means there’s very little in it on size terms.
In our time shooting with the Sony A6700, we found results from its sensor were broadly crisp, detailed, and showed good dynamic range, even if its metering system has a habit of underexposing in overcast conditions. We’ve had less testing time with the Fujifilm X-S20, but based on our first impressions we’d expect it to hold up well against the APS-C competition. In our review of the Fujifilm X-S10, we called the same sensor “a tried-and-tested performer that’s still the best of its kind”.
You’ll need a UHS-II SD card to unlock the top video specs of the A6700, but just the one, because it only has a single memory card slot. Another limitation is recording time limits: with no ventilation, we ran into an overheating warning after 38 minutes of recording 4K 60p video in testing. The X-S20 doesn’t have an alternative to the auto-framing smarts of the Sony A6700, but its auto setting can automatically detect and track subjects. Its dedicated vlogging mode also puts useful shooting presets at the fingertips of novice content creators.
Very much in the mould of the A6600 before it, the Sony A6700 adopts a neatly packaged approach with compact proportions. It features few of the design flourishes that make the Fujifilm X-S20 such a looker, instead opting for a streamlined, flat-sided design that’s easier to travel with. With just two dials on its top plate, the X-S20 has fewer than other X-series models. That said, it suffers from no shortage of direct-access controls; there’s no D-pad, but the presence of an AF joystick will be welcomed by many, and our first impressions revealed that if offers good feedback when navigating the menu system or selecting a focus point.
That’s backed up by image stabilization that routinely delivers sharp stills when shooting handheld, plus mechanical burst shooting that’s competitive at 11fps. Battery life is similarly strong, courtesy of Sony’s FZ-100 cell inside.