Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsReally Great Camera for the money for beginner photographers
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2023
I took this camera on a 2yr journey through Asia as well as many vacations elsewhere. It was used 3-4 days a week as I traveled through the country I lived as well as the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Germany, France, and the US.
I was drawn to the XT-200 for reasons below after many weeks of research and comparison. Here are my thoughts after 2.5yrs of ownership.
Pros:
1. Photo quality:
The images that come out of such a small camera are astounding. I’ve never wanted to print more photos and hang them on my walls before.
I can’t say enough good things about the Fuji JPEG film simulations. If you don’t want to spend much, or any time, on Photoshop, you can crop and directly upload photos to social media without ever having to worry. People ask me what camera am I using and they’re always surprised when I tell them it’s one of the cheapest options from Fuji.
There are cameras with bigger sensors and more megapixels, sure. But it all boils down to how you use your tool. For me, my style was street photography and landscape in well lit areas. 90% of the time I was extremely satisfied, the other 10% could be a bit of a struggled to get high res images in dark settings such as night markets and dark streets/alleys of Asia. I could live with this for the most part, though.
2. Affordability: this is the first camera I’ve ever purchased as an amateur photographer and the price is below the $1k mark most people will spend to get similar photo quality.
3. Portability: The camera is compact enough to keep around your shoulder or by your side at all times throughout the day. You can get bigger, more powerful cameras but they become a burden when your daypack gets heavy from traveling all the time. This camera actually makes shooting fun. I could take it anywhere and it’s very unsuspecting.
4. Ease of use: It’ll take a bit of time to learn all the controls and set the camera up the way you want but it’s a charm to use. I personally setup the ISO to work with the left wheel while aperture and shutter speed are controlled with the two on the right. This mimics the more expensive models. The articulating screen is also useful in many scenarios (although I recommend getting a screen protector as it is soft plastic).
5. Video quality: the 4K video is really clear and beautiful for the price. I didn’t use this feature too much but when the camera is stationary, you really get a bang for your buck on video quality.
Cons:
This section is a bit tough for me to write about because I love the camera so much. During my time of ownership, I’ve learned an extraordinary amount about photography that I wish I knew before my purchase. Maybe you will never have to worry about these problems but for me, after my 2yr stint in Asia, it left me wanting to upgrade. After moving back to the US, I rarely take photos so the issues aren’t really a concern for me and I can’t justify upgrade costs.
1. No IBIS: If I was on the market again today with my current knowledge, I would have to go for a camera of similar size with IBIS, perhaps the Fuji S-10 or newly released S-20. These 2 models have enough IBIS to help with low shutter speeds or video stabilization but at almost double the cost. There of course are options from Sony and Canon that may have more horsepower but don’t have the same feel and emotion as when using Fuji cameras.
2. The kit lens is a little underwhelming. I bought the 35mm f1.4 lens after almost a year of ownership and could not be any happier. I think this lens really makes the camera and my images what they are. I would recommend keeping the kit lens as it has variable zoom and higher field of view compared to a prime lens like the 35mm f1.4.
The kit lens zoom function can also get a bit hard to use if exposed to the elements. I used my camera extensively at the beach and in humid environments so it’s to be expected without proper maintenance and cleanings.
3. Turn on time: This one is maybe the most annoying part on a day to day basis. The camera takes about 3-5 seconds to boot up (as I know, this is an issue with early mirrorless cameras). It’s difficult to have a camera ready at all times unless you drain your battery so naturally, it’s turned off until ready to be used. This is fine unless you see something that catches your eye that you might only have a couple seconds to capture. There are many times I missed a picture on the street because the turn on time was too slow. I’m sure the software and hardware on newer cameras are a bit quicker.
4. APC-C sensor size can be limiting when looking for higher dynamic range and low light performance. This is to be expected though and you won’t find anything within the price range to get much better performance.
Conclusion:
Do what you will with the information above. These are just my thoughts as I write this review from a jet lagged point of view of my most recent trip to Europe (which this camera gladly joined me on). If you are young and just starting your photography journey or only take pictures for family events or your pets in the snow, 100% get this camera. If you believe your knowledge of photography will grow and expand or your are an experienced amateur, look for an upgraded option. This camera has served me extremely well for the last two years and I never thought I would be using it to its full potential. But that is exactly why I want to share my review.
If you’ve read this far, I hope this helped and thank you for reading!!
