After buying and selling the Fujifilm XQ2 within three months, I still "needed" a small and easily portable camera.
My main setup was the Fujifilm X-T3 with manual lenses. It works great. But often I need something small and inconspicuous. A camera for quick snapshots and unobtrusive shooting. I also wanted to use this camera for my new interest in street photography, and I would feel more comfortable with something small and non-threatening.
The XQ2 had certain limitations, and the Fujifilm X70 remedied all of them. The camera has great ergonomics for its small size. It comes with a larger sensor that offers great dynamic range and is well usable under low light conditions. The flip screen is ideal for discreet shots and low angles. Startup was instantaneous and there is no motorized lens to worry about.
The camera is slightly too large for a shirt pocket but it would easily fit into most jackets or pants. I often carried it with a Peak Design Capture plate on my backpack, belt, or shoulder bag (at least in summer and autumn). Quick one-handed shooting was virtually no problem. It was a very well-designed camera and judging the scarcity and prices on eBay a lot of people agree. Despite being a commercial failure, the X70 is now sought after on the used market.
There was no reason to sell the camera. It is a beautiful, capable and well-made camera. I have nothing to criticize. There really was only one problem. I used it too much. That is an issue, you say? My X-T3 and all its lenses began collecting dust but I ended up being limited like I was when I used the X100F exclusively. The whole point of buying the X-T3 was being able to use different focal lengths and therefore expanding my creative possibilities.
Shooting with the X70 reminded me of how much I liked the small and compact form factor of the X100 series. Despite being a great camera, the X-T3 often felt too bulky and too heavy. On weekend trips, I usually took the X70 instead of carrying my backpack and my X-T3 setup in a different bag. It seems I value portability over versatility. But as my almost sole camera, the X70 was too limiting. Its fixed focal length is too wide for my taste, sometimes I needed bigger apertures and the lack of a viewfinder was problematic in bright daylight.
In the end I did some hard thinking and sold both my X-T3 and X70 in exchange for an X-E4. The latter camera is about the same size as an X100F when paired with a 27mm pancake lens. But I can change focal lengths and for bigger lenses I can add a grip to improve handling.
There was nothing wrong with the X70. I simply no longer needed it. I always wanted to have a "big" camera with the latest features and a small one for my commute, shopping trips and spontaneous walks. Not only that, but I should have known because I usually end up taking most photos with the small but limited cameras like the Panasonic GM1, Sony RX100 or initially the PEN E-P1. So in a way it was inevitable that I grew to dislike the full sized camera but feel limited by the portable one again.
I used this camera in 2021 and took (kept) 172 photos. I will always hold this camera in a special place because with it, I met someone very special and dear. The camera even helped make this connection happen. Thanks.