Fujifilm X-T30 review

I've seen IBIS fail people sometimes so it's not always a gaurantee that IBIS will be a benefit. Actually, I think PhotographyLife did an article on the pros/cons of OIS versus IBIS. I think from their findings, longer telephotos are better off with OIS and shorter FLs are better off with IBIS (although I'm not sure if IBIS+OIS is any benefit or any better/worse--maybe worse if the two don't talk to eachother). I don't know, but either way, to rule out a camera simply because it doesn't have IBIS means you may be missing out on some pretty good cameras, just because they lacked ONE feature.

I'm sure you're right. The only real way is to try them out I guess! The Fuji system has a lot going for it, but I wouldn't buy one without getting it in my hands first.

Your correct. I tried it out the X-T20 over a several well period until I was totally convinced that the form factor destroyed the act of photo taking. To get that experience, Fuji wants the bucks. This camera only exists to lock a user into the expensive eco-system and then dangling the far superior X-Tn form factor in front of them. Best to save money and skip the X-Tnn.

For me, the camera has to connect me to the subject and then permit me to adjust light in such a way that I never lose sight of the subject. The X-Txx is anathema to this approach. The little (and it is tiny) EVF makes the subject feel very small and distant. I have to press hard against the eye piece to get any kind of view. Right off I am annoyed.

The dials and controls are equally tiny which means I'm constantly bumping into them accidently and have to take my eye off the subject to see what is going on.

Then there is the lens eco-system which is not appropriate for the X+Tnn. They are expensive and should be people paired with X-Tn.

Retro does not mean squeezing dials and viewfinders into a small form factor. Retro means ease of sight and control which brings out the fun of photography. There is nothing about the x-Tnn that is fun - intentionally so.

An honest question... expensive compared to what?

SS and aperture are fine to adjust, as they have actual consequences for image-making.

ISO, however, should never be a variable that people have to deal with in the world of ISO invariant sensors.

There is only one correct ISO setting - the lowest one possible. That lowest setting is based on the aperture and shutter speed (controlled by the photographer) and the image brightness desired (controlled by the photographer via exposure compensation).

ISO dials only lead to mistakes and worse image quality.

Androole - but we're past the age of ISO-invariants, which just makes life more confusing. The Aptina-derived (related? something or other) technology that Sony and Nikon are using for their latest sensors means there IS a gain (electrical engineering pun!) to letting ISO float above 400 or 640 or 800 (depends on the sensor). An image shot at ISO 100 and increased in exposure in post by 3 to ISO 800-equivalent (ISO 100 + 3 stops = ISO 800 S/N ratio) is noisier than shot originally at ISO 800. I don't think the difference is significant in anything I've seen, but it's there and it's real, if small.

Fair point, dual gain does throw a bit of a wrench in the gears.

In the photo critiques I participate in, I still see more Fuji photos shot at unnecessarily high ISOs because people absent-mindedly forget their ISO dial. Obviously that is user error, but good design should encourage the user to make fewer errors...

Yes, resoling inaccuracies is critical.

Huge differences. All the same features and some more compared to X-T3 for less cost. Just crop 60p 4k missing and instead interal 10 bit 4:2:2 there's external. Dark gray body looks great.

"New processor"? What's wrong with the old one? :) And looking back at Canon XX0D series, almost any "new" camera from that line had "new processor". With 0 real difference.
"New sensor"? Like I said, 26mp vs 24mp. What's the real difference? Same DR, same noise level. Oh yeah, it's "new".
What else is "new"? :) It's so funny when Fuji fans blame other brands for no improvements but defend their beloved brand even if it does just the same if not worse :)

The only real difference is 4K oversampling in X-T30 vs pixel binning in X-T20. And, considering the fact that X-T20 had same processor as X-T2, it was capable of shooting 4K with oversampling too. So why didn't good Fuji just release firmware update and forces you to buy a new camera if you want good 4k? :) Why didn't it improve AF like it did with X-T1years ago? :)

SpacemanUA The X-T30 processor is 3x as fast as the X-T20's, while using less battery, the sensor has faster read-out speeds with almost no rolling shutter. These hardware changes are what permits the massive autofocus improvements, oversampling video, and blackout-free continuous shooting.

F-Log
Eterna
FHD 120p slow mo.
Timelapse
4K 30p (vs 15p)
Colour Chrom Effect
DCI 17:9
FHD 2048x1080p (2K) 60p
10bit 4:2:2 external
-3 AF EV
PDAF points covering full sensor
Better AF-C/Eye
Better rolling shutter
Better audio quality

So in video it's better then A6400

DrewRick, we hear that every time new camera is released. "More power, blah blah". With no obvious differences. And rolling shutter is still very visible with X-T3.

Mateus1, most of the things you mentioned Fuji could implement via firmware update. And X-T20 shoots 4K 30p.

One of the benefits to the new processor is that it noticibly accelerates the AF on the older, fast primes. But please resume your anti-Fuji trolling.

SpacemanUA your first post seemed merely ignorant of the facts but your second post reveals you aren't really here to learn. And that's ok.

I'm just making fun of Fuji fans double standards, that all. Would you buy X-T30 if you own X-T20? Of course, no, cause the difference is minor. And in past, Fuji issued update to make AF faster, etc. Why don't they upgrade X-T20 with fw update? Why do they force you yo buy another camera?

Because they want to be more like Sony.

Stop being so angry at Fuji jeez lol. Just be happy with your purchase and make peace with your decision of which brand you got. If you're so insecure then shell out the 900$ and get the Fuji. You sound like a closeted homosexual hating on gays. Just come out and accept it

He's just mad that Sony won't give him the new AF without buying an a6400.

I'm fine with my gear and happy I don't have to pay $400 for crappy 16/2.8 lens :D

Sure you are.

Fuji has already given my Pro2 an AF update without needing to buy a different camera, and considering their track record I expect they will still give me another AF update without needing to buy another camera.

Meanwhile you will have to buy a different camera.

They haven't yet. The X-T20 will get one probably this year. Your camera never will.

It’s ten units better.

The primary change on the sensor is a much faster readout. That enables both a much higher max framerate (up to 30fps at 1.25 crop, 20fps at full res) and significantly improves AF. It also gets wider PDAF coverage.

The processor has around 4 times the performance, which nets the improved AF and much higher max framerates compared to the 3rd gen models (the X-T30 will run rings around the X-H1 and X-T2 in terms of AF and framerate performance, despite being a lower-end body). This also enables high bitrates for video (not sure what the X-T30 has, but the X-T3 gets 400mbs, vs 200 on the X-H1 and 100 on the other 3rd gen bodies).

While some of the features in the software may come to the 3rd gen bodies, the performance cannot because the 3rd gen bodies do not have enough processing power to run the same software as the much more capable 4th gen bodies.

Wow, you don’t know anything about computers, do you? I bet you think a computer with a 7 year old processor has the same speed as a new updated processor. Please, stay in the first gen world. 🤦🏼‍♂️

You could have added : poor battery life, poor contrast when dull weather....
Happy I switched to Sony

The 35 1.4 has such a "much worse" performance that it has been voted the most loved Fuji lens by a poll of more than 10 000 fujirumors readers. You might be focusing on the wrong things about photography. Or maybe 10 000 people were wrong, including me.

And the 35/1.4 has much faster AF on the X-T30.

So new kits just arrived, you can now get X-T30 plus one of the three F2 "Fujicron" lenses at $300 off in the US.

It is? I suppose you like more expensive and bigger equipment with less mobility and not much better performance??/ One of those guys I guess.

"more expensive and bigger equipment with less mobility and not much better performance" Isn't that full frame?

I would never have chosen Fuji if it weren't for APS-C price and compact size, at a high quality that I couln't achieve with native APS-C lenses and bodies from Canon.

LOL--what exactly would FF achieve over this camera, other than being more expensive?

Compared to APSC, full frame gives around one stop advantage in depth of field and noise. Really not a significant difference.

Exactly.

In terms of both unit sales and revenue, "APS-C" is by far the dominant ILC format, well ahead of 35mm, which is in turn well ahead of the even larger formats. Just because Canon and Nikon have finally launched mirrorless 35mm systems and so are doing a lot of catch-up lens and body product releases does not come close to making the bigger, more expensive 36x24mm format gear the dominant ILC format.

It is sort of fun to keep seeing, after almost two decades in these forums, the familiar "my favorite format beats any smaller one because IQ and beats any larger one because size/weight/cost/sales volume".

It’s 2019, there is really no need for FF thanks to modern technology.

Fuji isn’t perfect, I keep coming back to them from other brands due to the lenses and image quality. Call me crazy but there is something unique about how they do colors and tones, enough so that people have commented on it.

I'm waiting for someone to do an A6400 vs XT-30 competition comparo.

@captura. https://youtu.be/zs_02Ck-9fs

I have three Fuji cameras and no EVF lag. And my Fujicrons are small, sharp and priced just right. You should actually hold and use a Fuji camera sometime. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Maybe the EVF lag is something that only me and Chris from DPR noticed. BTW, It's a lag when switching from the LCD to the EVF. EVF is fine, but my old GX7 from 6 years ago didn't have that. You guys are funny. Just because I criticize a camera company I don't own the camera? What is up with is that? I don't hate fuji, I actually quite like what they do, but what I don't like, I say something about it, so we make progress and fuji don't end up like RIM ( Blackberry) stuck in the past, protected by the dumb fans who thought that "dinosaur" phone was perfect. Open up your mind, just a little bit. Fuji is not perfect, get over it. Neither are any other company.

Yes, the XT-100 does have the better screen flexibility for the dreaded selfies, and the image quality is also very impressive, but it is also painfully slow at times. I bought one as a "holiday camera" so that I wasn't wandering around abroad in strange surroundings with my X-T3 (or X-T1) around my neck, making myself a potential mugging target. We do sometimes go to some "dodgy" areas on holidays. I'm used to the speed of the X-T3 (or even the slower X-T1), so when I press the shutter button on the XT-100, I often miss the shot. I get over this by using burst shooting, but then I wait for ages for it to empty the buffer onto the card, plus I have to delete all the shots that I don't need!!! When the X-T30 hits the shops, I'll quite probably be there for one and then XT-100 will either go on ebay or be passed on to my wife!

Lol. Problem with selfies much? If you don't take them it's fine, just walk away.

I'm not saying X-T100 should be your main cam, I have an XH1 for that. Just it's NOT EASY to take selfies with a H1.

Ask somebody..? Yeah, half the time the photo doesn't come out the way I want it exactly. And it's weird to ask a pedestrian to take 10 shots to get the exact photo I had in mind... And they don't know how to check exposure, check focus, composition, etc. And hand shake OMG. Yeah, you can ask somebody to 'take a photo'. Aint mean it's a great photo.

Technology-wise, sure. Image quality wise, though?

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

No point in fetishing the technology if it doesn't deliver significant improvements in the actual images it makes.

APS-C image quality hasn't improved since the D7200 was released. Arguably, since the D7100...

You get much faster readout from bsi. So quality in video is better, because rolling shutter is lower.
And it allows for 20fps shooting and pre shot with 20fps, so it could allow for pictures not possible with the A6xxx.
And it’s not worse with 2MP more, so I’d say it’s better

You don't have to get excited about it. It's for people who like the Fuji system, the ergonomics of this camera (and many of us do) and who will appreciate the improvements FOR THIS SYSTEM. I, for one, have been waiting for the joystick and here it is. I'm glad the Sony system has all those features and more but its ergonomics, its menu system and its colours science are not to my taste.

You just have to use one. I have FF bodies which technically should blow away Fuji in terms of image quality, yet u keep coming back to Fuji.

You don't get faster readout from BSI. You get faster readout from stacked on-sensor DRAM. Which Sony happens to have added to sensors that also have BSI. But it's not BSI that improves the readout speed, it's the stacked components.

After all, you can shoot at 20-60fps with M4/3 cameras that have FSI sensors only. It's about the imaging pipeline.

mFt is only 12 bit thus faster. and bsi sensors are faster. the latest aps-c and full frame sensors show just that. stacked is even faster of course.

You're mixing up correlation with causation. Nothing about BSI increases readout speed.

New generation sensors have faster readout speeds. Stacked sensors have faster readout speeds. BSI sensors don't have faster readout speeds.

Oh god stop whining. It is what it is. We Fuji users like the "limited" screen and don't find the controls fiddly, it's a very small camera which kinda limits control size. The viewfinder is perfectly usable. Basically, it's a camera you can carry anywhere because it weighs nothing and yet has picture quality that is absolutely first rate.

If it doesn't float your boat by all means get a Sony but there's no point campaigning to get Fuji to change the formula here because it's a winner.

Absolutely, Hugo. This is a very nice upgrade for Fuji users who have an older camera like an X-E2, X-T10, or X-T1.

But when the review in progress contains breathless praise like "we don't often get excited about $900 cameras, but the Fujifilm X-T30 has really impressed us thus far" I was sort of expecting something that moved the bar compared to the competition that has been released over the last 3 years.

Is this what you're citing?

https://www.dpreview.com/news/9804739247/samsung-explains-the-galaxy-s9-super-slow-motion-mode

"the S9 sensor offers faster sensor readout-times, bandwidth and video processing of the application sensor than on previous Galaxy generations by using a three-layer stacked sensor design that consists of the CMOS image sensor itself, a 4x faster readout circuit, and a dedicated DRAM memory chip for buffering"

That backs up my argument, not yours.

I repeat: stacked sensors ARE NOT THE SAME as BSI sensors.

I'm sorry, but you're going to need to cite even the tiniest bit of information to support your claims, because they don't have any basis.

If you want to find me the relevant excerpt from some unnamed 4-year old white paper, please be my guest.

“While most mobile CIS adopt BSI technology, it is widely believed that there is no necessity in case of large sensors such as APS-C and full frame (FF) sensors. However, as demand for high resolutions and faster speed grows, large-sized sensors are gradually facing unavoidable restrictions of FSI technology.”

The a6400 has an the same old 24mp sensor that’s inferior in video.

Where’s the Cat.

trolling behavior from someone who's never shot anything but selfies with his Nokia.

Ullerellu most likely never laid hands on any of the cameras he's talking about. Use your time better, rent any Fuji with the 58/1.2 and any of the wide angle 1.4 and then come Back and revise your comment.

They were long time ago: A6000 started a 799EUR with the kit lens. And after that Sony went mad with prices...

It's like I would say to my boss:
Hey boss, in 2014 you gave me 799 EUR salary.
Now it's 2019, give me 1.150 EUR please just because times moved on.
(Referring to A6000 vs A6400 prices, and I'm very fair here not taking the A6500).
In reality camera gear is getting more and more expensive and my hard earned money doesn't rise in the same speed.
Lucky you professionals who can write it off and doesn't cost you anything.

@jonpais I have a Sony A6000 (50mm f1.8 oss, 30mm f3.5 macro, 16-50 & 55-210 zooms & the great Samyang 35mm F1.2 manual lens. This is my actual ILC & lenses but previously I used Sigma 16 f1.4, Sigma 30 f1.4, Sigma 19 f2.8, Samyang 12 f2.0 and terrible Sony 35 f1.8) I have Sony rx-10 (mk1) and Sony RX100 (mk1), for everyday i allwais take my Panasonic LX100 (mk1), these are my actual cameras, but previously I used XT10 (bad build quality,a pity , I liked the image quality with 18-55 f2.8-4 ) & X70 (mi unit was overheating), Sony Rx100 III (problem With EVF), Panasonic FZ1000 (Zoom die in few months, great camera however).

I do not know if it seems right, or seems to use little cameras for the last three years ... If you sound like a troll, if you like to follow the game to the companies with their abusive and unjustified prices, go ahead, always there will be fans and criers, sometimes I wonder why they invest as much in advertising with fanboys as you do the work.

@dpfan32

"They were long time ago: A6000 started a 799EUR with the kit lens. And after that Sony went mad with prices..."

...and performance and features. The A6000 had features intentionally reduced/removed that its predecessor, the NEX-6, once had, to lower the price and create an entry level camera. The A6300 added those back, and much, much more, as reflected in its price as a midrange camera. The A6400 adds new processing hardware and next generation software, and reuses the A6300 sensor, which is also reflected in the LOWER price. Considering cameras in this category (D7500, 80D, etc.) are usually priced above $1K, the A6400 is a steal.

@UllerellU: "they are toys with some curious features such as AF ... ."
AF a 'curious feature'? Must be a Leica user.

I refer curious AF (good AF), compared with simple AF of the other cameras. Anyway I still thinking that they must cost 650€-700€, no more. Their prices only be justify with ibis and weather sealing.

please share with us your experience in the industry, including R&D, development, marketing, and distribution that make you eminently qualified to determine exactly how much a camera should cost. Share with us examples of other cameras with identical capabilities that cost less than the a6400. Also, plz elaborate on how you determined that weather sealing and IBIS would be required to justify the cost (surely you know exactly how much an IBIS module costs to manufacture) and why everyone should have precisely the same needs as you.

that's not what you said, mr engineer/marketing executive/accountant. you said it would have to have both IBIS and weather sealing and that as is, the camera should sell for no more than 700 euros. I paid that for a m43 GM1 with 1080p, no weather sealing, garbage AF, non tilting screen and no IBIS five years ago.

I think you do not understand me, I say that to sell them as is (without IBIS or Weather Sealing), the price should be 650-700 € (with the Zomm of the kit). To justify the price that they have + € 1000 with the zoom kit (higher than the launch price of Sony A6000 and XT10 respectively) they should at least include those features. When I talk about toy cameras is what I feel they are compared for example with a camera like an Olympus M5 MkII, which had the same starting price and is a real camera with all the features, including a first class weather sealling. And I do not want to argue anymore.

@dpfan32 Where did you ever get the crazy idea that if a professional "writes off" a piece of equipment that it cost him/her nothing. As a retired sole owner/operator of a business I will inform you that one may get a tax reduction for the purchase price of some piece of business related equipment (the tax "write off"), but that in no way makes the purchase free. If I bought a piece of business related equipment for $1,000,and claimed it as a legitimate business expense on my taxes, I might pay less taxes (maybe, say $350 less). But I would still be out the other $650.....right out of my personal pocket.

It seems to a lot of people on this form think that if you are a professional photographer you can just willy-nilly buy all the latest and greatest gear, because it cost nothing. Good business owners will use a piece of equipment until its last mechanical breath is drawn, unless replacing it sooner will garner more customers or be able to charge existing customers more money.

Well said, full agree with you, I was tempted by glowing review and highly saturated colors of Fuji xt30 and was planning to dump my canon 700d/t5i ,
But when I compared the pictures ,my canon 700d beats xt30 in sharpness ,detail and exact color , yes in videography xt30 is ahead but I use my Samsung mobile for occasional video , At these high prices why photographers are running for these toys leaving their classical beauties in home , I have just kissed my old love 700d and 80d.
Y

Simple. It's will make the camera more heavy, more thick and more expensive.

DocetLector: Why don't you like it? Do you actually know what you are talking about (and the other people who 'liked' your comment)? The X-T100 screen tilts up and down in exactly the same way as the one on the X-T30, but can also flip to the side. It's a fantastic system and I am shaking my head in disbelief that Fuji did not use neither on the X-T3, not on the X-T30.

mekpro: What are you talking about? Is the X-T100 big and expensive?

How does an articulating screen make it more expensive? You mean for the $0.05 in parts used? And, more heavy? You mean by half an ounce, if that. Come on.

They simply don't want you to get all in one. This is called marketing.
Because when you get it all you won't buy anything else.

If this is the case, than it seems like failed marketing to me. They put a screen ideal for video into a camera which can only do useless 15fps in 4K, while omitted it from models which can do oversampled 10bit 4K.

Look at the Canon M50.
Not usable 4K until you get the 11-22mm lens. But it's a fairly cheap lens on the other hand; more than twice cheaper than the Fuji equivalent (kinda).
Of course you can not get professional EF-M lenses like the Fuji native lenses, but then for professional use why you should by a X-T30 when you can get a X-T3.
The X-T30 is meant to be a kinda expensive consumer camera.
For me it's pointless: Either you get a cheap system for your hobby or you get an expensive system for professional use. And for my personal taste Fuji is nothing for hobbyists because the system costs too much money in the end.

Wade Marks. You said it. They sound just like apple fans. It's so strange. I wish this camera had a bigger grip. I'm talking about 1/2 inch material in front of the grip, so it's more comfortable. Every time I bring it up, there is like all the fuji fans defending fuji. " Oh it's compact, we love it, fuji can do no wrong", bla, bla, bla. Right before sticking a huge 16-55mm in front of it.

Corrected, thanks Sacred.

I sound value for $ when thinking on the system (i.e lenses) vs output.

I have always been passionate about Olympus and m43rds, but the writing is on the wall and it is their doing. Their camera bodies and sensors are aging and yet they still demand high price points. They recently made the stupid mistake of thinking they can compete in the high end sports arena, instead they should have re-focused on their consumer base by delivering a 24 mp m43rds sensor at a competitive price point to reinvigorate their base. My only hope is is that Olympus will consider making glass for other companies as their glass is very good.

I agree. Love my XE-1

Kudos to all withstanding G A S ;)
I'm kinda lucky to have G A S for older cameras. my get a X-E1 one day ...

Yup, and X E1, 2 or 3 and the 27 is a wonderful combo!
E2 guy here.

Love to you all. Another XE-1 (and X-Pro 1) user here.

I've recommended to multiple friends, and bought and given as a gift the set of X-E1 for manual focus with focus peaking added by firmware. It's a glorious, affordable option for someone getting into photography for under $300 with sharp 7artisans F1.8 23mm and 50mm primes for wide and portrait shots.

dpfan32. The f2.8/27mm was released along with the X-M1, and is a pancake lens. It is very small and light, and consequently lacks an aperture control. Firmware updates to the X-E1 enable the camera to control the aperture via the rear control ring. This, for me, though, negates the direct aperture setting on my Fuji lenses and which I like very much.
If you are interested, Fuji also supplies an excellent 16-50 f3.5-f5.6 kit zoom and this is capable of producing excellent images. Sadly, this lens also doesn't have direct aperture control. I'm always amazed at the images I get with it when it complements the f1.4/35 and f2/18.
The IQ of the X-E1 certainly won't disappoint, and like the other Fuji's, enjoys clean images at 3,200 ISO. Fuji's are also noted for their OOC jpeg images which match, or better, converted RAW files so much that unless one wants to do post processing or shots taken in difficult lighting conditions, a lot of time can be saved by simply shooting jpeg.

I can’t get over the X-E1and 27mm either. The right balance of small size and big image quality. I need a tiny wideangle, so looking at the new 16mm f2.8.

Fun post! I still have my X-E1 and it is in great shape. It never let me down. I also have an X100F and X-T20. I mix it up with them. They are ALL (!) good and no buyer remorse. I'm long retired and it's my money. I don't need any of these new releases but I love reading about them and watching review videos.

Yeah it's snowing in Hawaii so they can make it summer whenever they want XD

Funny, it's been colder in NJ that it has been for quite a long time. Rare to see temps approach 0F for extended periods of time in central NJ.