...Reading some of the reviews attenuated my enthusiasm considerably. I don't shoot jpeg, ever, but DPR's comparison tool revealed some very nasty looking RAW samples, particularly - if unsurprisingly - at higher ISOs. Like 800. I know that this isn't a camera likely to generate huge amounts of interest on LL but I'd be interested to hear from users. My oh my, it's a cute little camera though...
... One thing I didn't like was the absence of any inbuilt lens capping or (even worse) a lens hood: I don't usually use protection filters but even this is precluded, as supplied, unless you buy an overpriced accessory lens hood. This abominable and increasingly common practise is just a way of effectively increasing the camera's price and bumping up the profit margin.
Hi Roy, I've had the X20 for a little while now and since ACR and Aperture updated raw support, I find the raw files very usable. Although the noise level is a little higher than my m4/3 OMD at any given ISO, the lens seems to be so well matched up to the sensor that I spend less time in Photoshop fixing imaging issues.
Although the original lens cap takes a bit of getting used to, the add-on 52mm stepper ring and lens hood is worth the price. I often put a normal lens cap on a filter that I leave on the stepper ring without the hood. The only complaint I have is that the machining on the threads for mounting the hood is so fine (not inherently a bad thing), it tends do be hard to unscrew to change filters after a major temperture change. I was stuck with my CPL filter instead switching to an ND to take portraits a while back on a ski trip until I put it in an inner pocket for a while.
If you decide to take the plunge, I highly recommend the thumb grip and shutter extension button – it's the same same ergonomics package as for the X10.
I have no complaints with the quality of prints at 8x10 or 8x12 (and most likely higher with some work) and it seems to beat the pants off any camera from the 1/2.3" crowd. I am convinced the physical layout of its controls is nearly perfect for the way I like to shoot.
I chose the all black version, and have not noticed any difference in attention getting, or lack thereof, in bars compared to the chrome OMD.
My latest enjoyable discovery is that the hotshoe is compatible with generic Cannon OC3 sync cables, so using the Fuji EF-42 off camera with perfect TTL flash metering is dead easy. I attached a couple examples taken within minutes of trying this out. Other than my own lack of portraiture skills, I still have nothing to complain about after a month with the X20.
Cheers!