31.05.2023

X-S20: Travel x Eleonora Costi

Traveling is like attending a show, where every place is a different stage and every actor a character with a story to tell. But once the lights are turned off and the masks are removed, even the most iconic places show their true nature.
Intimacy and beauty blend together in perfect harmony, ready to be immortalized by my camera.

X-S20 & XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

And to tell this new story, I moved away from the frenzied noise of the city and walked along the coastal paths and inside each village of Cinque Terre, in Liguria. Away from the summer chaos that usually inhabits these places, I found a silent beauty that deserves to be told, with intimacy and respect. To do this, I chose Fujifilm X-S20, a compact and lightweight camera, ideal for accompanying me on this journey, made up of narrow streets and coastal paths, often steep, for which practical equipment is of fundamental importance. Despite its minimal size, the grip is very comfortable, and the weight is balanced even when using heavier optics, such as the 50mm f/1.0. But what matters most is that I was able to shoot all day without getting tired.

X-S20 & XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

Its 26-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor coupled with the latest generation X-Processor can capture all the necessary details and typical color nuances of these lands, returning files that are ready to use.

I was able to enjoy a unique show in a place typically overrun by tourists from all over the world, but not at this time of year when the first spring warmth begins to appear, but life is still marked only by the sound of waves crashing on rocks and workers who populate these lands all year round. They too were protagonists of some shots, mostly details of historical activities such as fishing or baking.

X-S20 & XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

I put the small Fujifilm X-S20 to the test in full sun, where high lights are difficult to tame in contrast to strong shadows that are created for such direct light, and in the darkness of an oven at work when the sun had not yet risen, having instead to rely on high ISOs to counteract low light. It was precisely in this second situation that the 6.5-stop IBIS stabilization came to my aid, allowing me to integrate an important part into my story.

X-S20 & XF8-16mmF2.8 R LM WR

The fast hands of fishermen preparing hooks are something that will stay in my mind for a long time, a line so thin tamed with incredible skill in very fast times. Hands marked by years of this work, indelible memories collected thanks to automatic subject tracking precision which in these situations is an incredible help to photographers.

X-S20 & XF50mmF1.0 R WR

The bright colors of houses overlooking the sea that fades into the distance until it reaches the horizon led me to take several images with long exposures and with Fujifilm X-S20 on a tripod. Having the ability to set each function precisely from Fujifilm X-S20’s display with immediate touch response is an important strength point for me of this camera. As well as not having to worry about running out of battery all at once thanks to autonomy that allows you to take up to 750 images on a single charge.

X-S20 & XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR

Traveling, in conclusion, for me means looking for beauty everywhere, doing it outside of usual canons and obviously telling stories that do not need words beyond images. To do this I need a travel companion who, like me, is always ready for a new shot.