The Fujifilm XQ2 ($399.95) is the company's take on a premium compact—a small camera with a wide-aperture zoom lens, a larger-than-average image sensor, and Raw shooting capability. Although it does not include advanced features such as a hotshoe or an integrated EVF, the Fujifilm XQ2 ($399.95 Amazon) is still quite capable. It's not an Editors Choice as it is outclassed in top-end compacts such as the Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100III ($748.00 on Amazon).But it's still a viable option for those with limited budgets.
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Design and Features
You can use the name badge to stop at the top of the faceplate if you want to see the differences between the XQ2 ($499.95 on Amazon) and the XQ1 ($499.95 on Amazon). The cameras, aside from an indication of the model number, are identical in all other respects. They measure 2.5 by 3.9 inches by 1.3 inches (HWD), and are 7.3 ounces in weight, which is typical for cameras of this type.
Sony's most expensive model, the RX100 (Amazon: $448.00), is approximately the same size as the XQ2 (2.4x4x1.4 inches). It has a 1-inch image sensor with 1.6 times the area than the XQ2’s 2-inch XTrans sensor. You can get the XQ2 in white, silver and black or both black and silver.
The XQ2 has a 25-100mm zoom lens (full frame equivalent). It is wide at f/1.8 when zoomed in, but narrows down to f/4.9 when it's zoomed to 100mm. This is quite typical for pocket cameras with larger sensors. The Canon PowerShot S120 (Amazon: $379.95) features a longer lens, 24-120mm. It starts at f/1.8 but narrows down to f/5.7 when zoomed in. The control ring on both the Fuji and Canon cameras is included, while the XQ2 does not have a touch screen.
You can set the control ring to do a variety of functions such as zoom control or exposure compensation adjustment. This is the only control at the front. On the top plate is a standard zoom dial, shutter release, power and mode buttons. The rear controls consist of a circular command dial that has a central Menu/OK button, four directional buttons (Trash/Exposure compensation, Macro Flash and Self-Timer), and a flat command dial. It's surrounded by four buttons—they start and stop movie recording, launch playback, change the amount of information displayed on the rear LCD, and launch the E-Fn control menu.
To provide more control, the E-Fn menu remaps rear buttons. It allows you to set the film emulation modes (including Velvia or Classic Chrome), white balance and focus, as well as ISO and drive mode. You can map each of these six functions via the menu. Playback mode activates Wi-Fi by pressing the E-Fn key.
Rear LCD panel is 3-inch with a resolution of 920k dots. The LCD is sharp and bright. The display doesn't tilt as much like that on the Sony RX100 II (Amazon: $598.00). It also lacks touch input support, which you will find on both the Canon S120 or the Canon PowerShot S110.
The free Fujifilm Camera app allows you to transfer photos from an Android or iOS phone via integrated Wi-Fi. Geotagging is also supported by the app, however there is no log. This means that you will need to make sure you use it right after taking a photograph. Remote control isn't available. Remote control is not possible for other cameras of this type, such as the Nikon Coolpix P340 at Amazon.
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Conclusions and Performance
The XQ2 begins and takes a shot in 1.3 seconds. It focuses nearly instantly. The XQ2 has Super High burst mode, which works only in JPG and can record a 10-shot burst of 12.6fps. After ten shots it will pause and take approximately 4 seconds to save the entire burst. You can also choose High burst mode to capture images at 9fps. It can take 11 JPGs and 8 Raw+JPG photos at this speed. The JPG burst is written to the memory card in about four seconds, while the Raw+JPG one takes 9.9 seconds.
Imatest was used to test the sharpness and clarity of the XQ2 lens. It scores 1,684 lines per image height at its broadest angle and aperture, just a bit less than the 1,800 lines that we prefer to see in photos. The score is increased to 1,748 lines by reducing the aperture to f/2. Image quality at 50mm (1,906 lines), and 100mm (1.829 lines) are better. Canon S120 also has a 12-megapixel sensor and captures sharper images from the widest angle (1,897 lines).
Imatest can also check photos for noise. This could affect detail or add grain to images with higher sensitivities (ISO). The XQ2 shows noise levels of less than 1.5 percent in ISO 1600, and a mere 1.7 percent at ISO 3200. This is the highest setting that supports raw capture. When shooting JPGs, you can push the camera up to ISO 12800. The XQ2 still has a small image sensor, but it's not as large as an SLR. So don't expect any miracles.
Close inspection of images taken with a calibrated NEC MultiSyncPA271W ($999.00 Amazon) shows some blurring of detail at ISO 1600. This is regardless of whether the image was shot in Raw or JPG. Keep the ISO 800 setting or lower for best results. However, you can push up to ISO 1600 when necessary. You can get better low-light performance by purchasing a premium compact, such as the Sony RX100 or Canon PowerShot X, but be ready to pay more.
QuickTime formats allow for video recording at 1080p60 resolution. Zoom lens can be adjusted and exposure adjustments made during recording. The sound of the lens zooming is audible on the soundtrack, but not overwhelming—though the sound of pressing buttons to adjust exposure is quite loud. As the scene changes, the camera quickly focuses and all details are clear.
The stabilization system does a good job steadying handheld footage, but the rolling shutter effect is there when panning quickly—it causes the top of the frame to advance more quickly than the bottom.
There are two data ports—a standard micro USB port on the side, and a micro HDMI port on the bottom. To charge the XQ2, you will need an adapter that can be connected to a USB cable. Fujifilm provides this AC adapter. You will need an external charger if you purchase a second battery. Otherwise, you can't use your camera while the battery recharges. You can use standard SDHC, SDHC and SDXC cards.
Fujifilm XQ2 makes a strong entry into the premium compact market. The Fujifilm XQ2 has an excellent wide-aperture lens and a decent zoom range. It also supports Raw shooting. Images are stable up to ISO 1600. The Wi-Fi function is limited as it doesn't have a remote control. There are two film emulation options that can be used to emulate classic stock stocks: Velvia to create vivid colors and Classic Chrome to give your photos a Kodachrome appearance.
The XQ2 may be a good option for you, but the Canon PowerShot S120 has a longer zoom range and is more expensive. And, while it's discontinued, the Canon S110 is still available at many retail outlets at a very good price—and it's just as good a camera as the S120 and the XQ2. A model that has a 1 inch image sensor will give you a better quality picture, even if your budget is lower.
These include the Sony RX100 II or RX100 III and the Canon PowerShot G7X. The RX100 III is one of the most expensive pocket cameras you can buy, but its also the best—and our current Editors' Choice.