The catch
Sony a6700 body
Body only. 4K120 crops the view, and internal proxies cannot be recorded. The card requirement shifts with the exact codec and S&Q choice.
Side by side
Sony a6700 vs Fujifilm X-S20: Sony slows 4K action down, Fujifilm gets two framings from one take
Quick verdict
The Sony is the one for slowing down 4K action, and the Fujifilm leaves more room to cut a single take in two orientations. Go with the a6700 for 4K120 if you can live with its crop and media requirements, and even more so if compatible E lenses are already yours. Go with the X-S20 for 6.2K 3:2 recording when a single take must produce a horizontal film and a portrait edit. That Fujifilm mode tops out at about 30fps. Both offers are body-only with one card slot each, and neither headline mode promises an uninterrupted long recording.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
From one school performance you can get two edits and never ask for another take
A 6240×4160 recording from the X-S20 gives a portrait 9:16 crop of about 2340×4160 pixels, before stabilization, rotation or other adjustments. For the same portrait shape, a 4K 3840×2160 landscape source yields about 1215×2160. In principle both can support a 1080×1920 portrait export, but Fujifilm leaves more room to reposition or crop further. That helps when a family event needs both a television version and a vertical clip. Keep the person inside both planned frames, because extra pixels cannot bring back someone who has left the image. The 6.2K option is limited to about 30fps and still needs editing.
Where this comes from
4160×9/16=2340 and 2160×9/16=1215. These are geometric center-crop dimensions before processing. They do not measure detail. The comparison is 6.2K 3:2 against 4K 16:9 at ordinary frame rates. Sony 4K120 is outside it.
The catch
Fujifilm X-S20 body
Body only. 6.2K 3:2 tops out at 29.97p and has no digital IS. The optional cooling fan and the lens are not included.
Sony a6700 body
- Why pick it
- 4K slow motion is what you are after, and you can put up with its tighter view, mode-specific media and the lack of internal 120p proxies.
- You want body stabilization and monitored audio but would rather not change lens systems, since you own compatible E lenses already.
- The catch
- Body only. 4K120 crops the view, and internal proxies cannot be recorded. The card requirement shifts with the exact codec and S&Q choice.
Fujifilm X-S20 body
- Why pick it
- You record an event a single time and want to crop a horizontal version and a vertical one out of a 6.2K 3:2 source, at up to 29.97p.
- Your recording setup is well thought out and includes the optional compatible FAN-001, and you have checked the separate power, card and temperature limits.
- The catch
- Body only. 6.2K 3:2 tops out at 29.97p and has no digital IS. The optional cooling fan and the lens are not included.
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What this page compares
a6700 vs X-S20 for family films, sport and vertical clips. Before picking a body and lens, weigh the crop, the proxy workflow and the optional cooling.
These APS-C hybrid bodies are close rivals, each with stabilization, a viewfinder, a side-hinged screen and audio monitoring. They go after the same portable photo-and-video setup but put the emphasis on different recording flexibility.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Cut both horizontal and portrait edits from a single ordinary-speed take
A taller 6.2K 3:2 source gives more room for a portrait crop.
- Sony a6700 body
- Good
- Fujifilm X-S20 body
- Better fit
Retain 4K resolution when recording action at 120p
X-S20 tops out at 4K60.
- Sony a6700 body
- Better fit
- Fujifilm X-S20 body
- Not suitable
Keep using a compatible E-mount lens set you already own
Switching to X mount calls for a separate lens plan.
- Sony a6700 body
- Better fit
- Fujifilm X-S20 body
- Caution
Intend to use the documented FAN-001 cooling accessory
This is an optional accessory for the X-S20 and does not guarantee runtime.
- Sony a6700 body
- Not suitable
- Fujifilm X-S20 body
- Better fit
In practice
Differences you will notice
From one school performance you can get two edits and never ask for another take
A 6240×4160 recording from the X-S20 gives a portrait 9:16 crop of about 2340×4160 pixels, before stabilization, rotation or other adjustments. For the same portrait shape, a 4K 3840×2160 landscape source yields about 1215×2160. In principle both can support a 1080×1920 portrait export, but Fujifilm leaves more room to reposition or crop further. That helps when a family event needs both a television version and a vertical clip. Keep the person inside both planned frames, because extra pixels cannot bring back someone who has left the image. The 6.2K option is limited to about 30fps and still needs editing.
How we worked this out
4160×9/16=2340 and 2160×9/16=1215. These are geometric center-crop dimensions before processing. They do not measure detail. The comparison is 6.2K 3:2 against 4K 16:9 at ordinary frame rates. Sony 4K120 is outside it.
Choosing slow motion can get in the way of sharing quickly after the game
With Sony’s 4K120, a short sports movement is easier to slow down and the output stays 4K. The same mode narrows the view and turns off internal proxies at that frame rate. If you edit on a modest laptop once the children are in bed, making proxies afterward can become part of the job. The X-S20’s 4K60 slows things down less at the same playback frame rate, but its tall 6.2K mode addresses a different problem, which is reframing and not fast action. Work out which output you need again and again. Buying for the biggest video number can leave you with the wrong lens framing and a workflow you rarely finish.
How we worked this out
Covers the a6700 crop and 120p proxy restrictions and the X-S20 4K60 and 6.2K30 inventory. How heavy the editing is depends on your computer and software. There is no codec benchmark and no universal smoothness claim.
Cooling, battery power and a second copy come as three separate purchases
The X-S20 has an optional FAN-001 cooling route for a long indoor interview or a warm-weather event. That fan adds no battery energy, no card capacity and no second recording slot. Both cameras still take one SD card, and both need recording settings and power that suit the session. Sony may stay the better purchase if the E lenses you own already do the job and you have no need for Fujifilm’s taller source. Fujifilm earns its place when that recording format or the documented accessory route is useful to you. Try a representative take before an important event, and do not read an accessory as a promise of unlimited recording.
How we worked this out
Fujifilm: optional fan, body-only package and one card slot. Sony: E body and one slot. Power, thermal and storage constraints are independent of each other, and no failure time is predicted.
Option A
Sony, ILCE6700/B
Sony a6700 body
4K slow motion is what you are after, and you can put up with its tighter view, mode-specific media and the lack of internal 120p proxies.
- Best for
- 4K slow motion is what you are after, and you can put up with its tighter view, mode-specific media and the lack of internal 120p proxies.
Facts we checked
- Two orientations from one take: Internal 4K 16:9 source
- 4K high-speed option: Up to 119.88p with extra crop
- High-speed editing support: No internal proxies at 120p/100p
- Cooling accessory: No FAN-001 attachment in this system
Option B
Fujifilm, 16781852
Fujifilm X-S20 body
You record an event a single time and want to crop a horizontal version and a vertical one out of a 6.2K 3:2 source, at up to 29.97p.
- Best for
- You record an event a single time and want to crop a horizontal version and a vertical one out of a 6.2K 3:2 source, at up to 29.97p.
Facts we checked
- Two orientations from one take: 6.2K 3:2 at 6240×4160, up to 29.97p
- 4K high-speed option: 4K up to 59.94p
- High-speed editing support: 6.2K is a separate up-to 30p workflow
- Cooling accessory: Optional FAN-001, purchased separately
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Sony a6700 body | Fujifilm X-S20 body | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two orientations from one take | Internal 4K 16:9 source | 6.2K 3:2 at 6240×4160, up to 29.97p | For a portrait crop, Fujifilm keeps more vertical source pixels. |
| 4K high-speed option | Up to 119.88p with extra crop | 4K up to 59.94p | Sony slows motion down further and still keeps 4K, though the framing plan is different. |
| High-speed editing support | No internal proxies at 120p/100p | 6.2K is a separate up-to 30p workflow | The output you want sets the workload after files are copied. |
| Cooling accessory | No FAN-001 attachment in this system | Optional FAN-001, purchased separately | Do not mistake an accessory route for guaranteed runtime. |
| Lens and card setup | E-mount body only, one UHS-II SD | X-mount body only, one UHS-II SD | Lenses you already own and independent backups still count. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Sony a6700 body
- You can keep an existing E lens if it is compatible. High-speed video may still call for a wider lens, a suitable card or a proxy step on the computer.
With Fujifilm X-S20 body
- Open-gate recording will not make the vertical edit for you. Allow for editing time and any fan you buy separately.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The recurring need is 4K slow motion or keeping E lenses
Go with Sony a6700 body. With its crop and media limits checked, the a6700 handles that job.
Editing pays off when one take serves two orientations
Go with Fujifilm X-S20 body. A taller high-resolution source, at up to 30fps, comes from the X-S20.
Decision guide
Before you buy
You would like to film an event once on one camera, then cut the specific versions that your family or audience really watch.
What this page can’t tell you
- Crop figures describe the geometry of the source. They do not tell you how much detail is resolved.
- No ranking for uninterrupted runtime, autofocus or thermal performance is promised.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the mirrorless cameras we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony a6700 body |
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| Fujifilm X-S20 body |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Sony a6700 body
4K slow motion is what you are after, and you can put up with its tighter view, mode-specific media and the lack of internal 120p proxies.
You want body stabilization and monitored audio but would rather not change lens systems, since you own compatible E lenses already.
See price & reviews on AmazonFujifilm X-S20 body
You record an event a single time and want to crop a horizontal version and a vertical one out of a 6.2K 3:2 source, at up to 29.97p.
Your recording setup is well thought out and includes the optional compatible FAN-001, and you have checked the separate power, card and temperature limits.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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