FUJIFILM X-T30 manual and review

FUJIFILM X-T30 manual and review

It took me a long time to choose a camera to replace the heavy and bulky Canon 5D Mark III and I looked at three main brands: Sony, Canon and Fujifilm. It was important to me that the camera could shoot good quality video, take great photos, was lightweight and offered optics at a reasonable price. I ended up choosing the Fujifilm X-T30.Despite its size, this camera has impressive features.

Advantages FUJIFILM X-T30:

1. Fast autofocus - 425 focus points cover 99% of the frame, ensuring accurate focusing even in low light.

8. Wide dynamic range, allowing you to get high-quality photos even in bright sunlight.



Disadvantages FUJIFILM X-T30:

1. To reduce weight and size, Fujifilm sacrificed the comfort of the camera's grip. At first it is unusual to hold it, and at first it may seem uncomfortable, but over time you get used to it.

3. Lack of built-in image stabilization, but this can be fixed with a stabilizer, which is not a serious disadvantage.

Overall, for me it is an ideal option for traveling, due to its light weight and excellent quality.

Almost a year ago I was given this model without a lens. I also immediately bought a 35mmF2 interchangeable lens. I was looking for something more professional, before that I had a Nikon D3300 DSLR camera.After many reviews I decided to buy a mirrorless camera from Fujifilm.I was impressed by its compact size and stylish design. It came with a strap with the Fujifilm logo.



Features FUJIFILM X-T30:

interchangeable lens camera,

118x47x83 mm.

On mirrorless cameras, unlike mirrorless cameras, the image on the screen is immediately visible with all the settings, which is very convenient. The color reproduction is quite pleasant. The camera does a good job with indoor photos. Video I began to master only six months after purchase, and in vain. The quality of shooting is at a high level.

The FUJIFILM X-T30 differs from the X-T3 in having a lighter and more compact body with similar shooting performance. It has the same phase-detection autofocus system, frame coverage of nearly 100%, high-speed continuous shooting up to 30fps without blackout, monochrome tinting function, color-chromatic effect and sport viewfinder mode, as well as modes for photography enthusiasts including Advanced SR Auto. This "Little Giant" mirrorless camera delivers superior image quality at a more affordable price.

Since 2020, I have a camera that I bought from an official representative. For two years of use, this camera has brought me only positive emotions. First of all, very beautiful pictures are obtained, and videos are simply amazing. The camera has a 15-45 mm lens, which is quite enough for any shooting. The lens is sharp, shoots perfectly in the dark, there is practically no noise. The camera itself has a lot of functionality, which you can study for a long time and still not recognize it to the end. Separately, I want to note the quality of video shooting - the manufacturer really worked hard, and the video turns out high-quality and beautiful, it can be slowed down up to five times. In general, the camera is excellent, and its price is not high at all. The only disadvantage is overheating of the camera when shooting in 4K, but this is solved by raising the monitor.

Fujifilm continues to present new mirrorless cameras of the third generation, the main feature of which is the use of a backlit sensor. On September 6 last year, the first representative of the family was presented - the flagship model Fujifilm X-T3, which became a bright event in the world of photographic equipment (see our review from 14.12.2018). Then, at the end of winter, the more affordable model Fujifilm X-T20, presented to the public on January 19, 2017 (see our review from 4.07.2017), was also updated. We already praised it highly then, and now we are looking forward to reviewing the new Fujifilm X-T30.

26MP APS-C CMOS sensor with backside illumination.

USB Interface 3.1 (Type-C).

Examining the specifications gives the following impressions. The new back-illuminated sensor promises improved image quality and the ability to increase sensitivity, allowing a wider ISO range. Maximum speed is achieved with image cropping, probably to adapt to automatic functions and data transfer speeds via the memory card interface. Nevertheless, even in the original mode, the continuous shooting speed is an impressive 20fps.

4K video recording capabilities are limited to a refresh rate of 30fps. There is no built-in image stabilization. The display can only move in the transverse direction. There is a single memory card slot, high-speed standard is not supported (UHS-I is used). However, there is a built-in flash and necessary for video recording input for an external microphone and audio output for headphones. USB 3.1 interface is used to connect to a computer and charge the battery.The camera is lightweight and compact, but is not protected from dust and moisture.

Externally, the Fujifilm X-T30 retains the basic controls familiar to users of the previous X-T20. The top and front of the camera remain unchanged. However, the rear panel has undergone significant changes. In addition to the lens mount ring, as with the previous model, we can note the front adjustment control and the three-position focus mode switch (manual, continuous and single-frame). On the rear panel, in addition to the traditional convenient viewfinder with a large eyepiece and display, there are additional controls located in two rows: horizontal and vertical. In the first row, from left to right, there is a button for deleting images, a button for activating the viewfinder, a viewfinder diopter adjuster and an image output switch (display/viewfinder), an exposure adjustment button, a background adjustment control, and an autofocus lock button. The second vertical row from top to bottom contains the memory card recording activity indicator, joystick for focus and navigation, menu call and return buttons. It is worth mentioning the Q button, which allows you to customize the basic shooting parameters.

The largest component is the built-in flash unit, which mimics the pentaprism of DSLRs, with a multifunctional hot shoe mounted above it. To the left of it is the main switch of shooting modes and the lever of forced ejection of the flash, and on the right - a wheel of direct control of shutter speed with a lock lever in automatic mode, the switch of exposure correction values, the main button (shutter) with a power switch and a function button. Wired interface connectors are assembled in a single structural module protected by a plastic cover. Under it there are Micro-HDMI (Type-D) and USB 3.1 (Type-C) connectors, as well as a 2.5 mm (micro jack) connector for connecting an external microphone or remote control. The camera is equipped with the latest sensor, first used in the top-of-the-line Fujifilm X-T3. It is distinguished by a unique design feature: the conductors in the chip are located not above the photosensitive cells, and under them, which is reflected in the labeling BSI - Backside illuminated Sensor Imaging, that is, the formation of the image sensor with backlighting. This feature of the chip architecture allows light to penetrate the photodetector cells unimpeded, whereas with the direct (frontal) arrangement of the conductors this was difficult. As a result, the dynamic range is expanded, the equivalent light sensitivity of the sensor is increased and the tolerance of high ISO values is increased. Thanks to these advantages, the developers were able to slightly increase the sensor resolution - now it is not 24 MP, as before, but 26 MP.

The need for higher speeds and better video quality has prompted the use of a new, more powerful processor. The new camera replaces the previous X Processor III with X Processor IV, which offers improved performance to meet the growing demands of electronics, while consuming less power so that previous-generation batteries can be used and compatibility with previous Fujifilm X camera models can be ensured.

The camera is equipped with a traditional mechanical curtain-slit shutter with a vertical travel that is located in the focal plane. The shutter speed range varies from 60 minutes in Bulb mode to 1/4000th of a second in all modes. The maximum burst shooting speed using the mechanical shutter is 8 frames per second, which is good even for professional equipment.



Using an electronic shutter instead of a mechanical shutter provides the following advantages (1-3) and one new function (4):

1. silent shooting mode (when AF confirmation sounds and other service audio are turned off). This function is indispensable when shooting plays, concerts, and other public events, as well as in "semi hidden camera" mode, where the fact of shooting must remain undetected.

4. Pre-Shot function. When this function is activated, the camera starts recording frames into the internal buffer before the shutter button is pressed halfway.



In order to achieve maximum shooting speed, it is necessary to use only electronic shutter and compromise by cropping the frame and using only a part of it, albeit a large one. In this case, the cropping factor becomes equal to 1.25, frames are recorded with a resolution of 4992 × 3328 pixels instead of the original 6240 × 4160 pixels, but the speed of continuous shooting reaches 30 frames per second.The need to use only a part of the frame to achieve maximum speed of shooting is explained by the need to save resources of computing power and compensate for the low speed of recording frames in the internal buffer of the camera.If for some reason it is impossible to put up with cropping the frame, then you have to sacrifice the speed of continuous shooting and satisfaction with the camera's internal buffer. If you activate the corresponding position in the camera menu, the shooting of the selected scene will start when the shutter button is pressed halfway, i.e. at the time when the exposure automatics measures the illumination and sets the required exposure parameters, and the autofocus brings the scene into sharpness. Thus, recording frames into the internal buffer starts before the shutter is released, literally before shooting, which saves precious moments and prevents you from missing an important moment in the development of events.

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