Fujifilm X-T30

My brand-new Fujifilm X-T30 showed up at the door yesterday evening, a whole day early. That was a pleasant surprise! I haven’t had a chance to use it a lot yet, but I have made some exposures and have some quick impressions that I wanted to give ahead of the full review and host of other articles that will begin to appear in the coming weeks and months. I know that some of you are interested in this camera and are eager to learn more about it.

The first thing that I noticed, which is the only real change to the body, is the focus joystick. This has been well-publicized and I don’t want to talk too much about it now, but I will say that there are both positives and negatives to this setup. I don’t love it or hate it. It is what it is, I guess. I know that I’ll get used to it quickly and I won’t even think about it anymore. I did want to mention that the placement of the Q menu button on the thumb grip, which is similar to how the X-E3 is designed, is a bit frustrating, as I have accidentally pressed it a number of times already.

I have not yet used the X-T30 for video, but between the impressive stat-sheet and extended menu options, it is clear that Fujifilm designed this camera to be a more serious option for videography. If you do a lot of video, the X-T30 is clearly an upgrade over the X-T20.

Warm Light On A Cold Mountain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

I wasn’t anticipating being overly impressed with the improved auto-focus system because I never found the X-T20 to be lacking in this area. It was plenty sufficient for my photography. However, the X-T30 is noticeably faster and tracks moving objects better, in the small tests that I have put it through so far. There’s a definitely a difference, and if you need fast auto-focus, the X-T30 is the camera you want to get. I would say that all-around the new camera is snappier than its predecessor.

If you shoot RAW, Fujifilm included several new features that won’t matter to you whatsoever. But if you shoot JPEG, these new features will help you get the polished look you want right out of camera. One is Color Chrome Effect, which I’ve been impressed with right from the start. It deepens colors and makes them more vibrant. It’s something that I want to play around with more, and it might be a feature that I use routinely. Another is toning black-and-white images, making them either warm or cool. I really appreciate this new addition and I’m glad that Fujifilm included it on the X-T30.

There are a number of other new things. The camera’s menu is noticeably longer. There’s a lot that I have yet to try. Heck, I’m still trying to set up the camera! While the outside of the X-T30 is quite similar to the X-T20, the inside has a lot of additions. I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far. This new model is an upgrade over the previous one, no doubt about it, but if you don’t shoot video, don’t require a super fast auto-focus system, and don’t rely on camera-made JPEGs, there’s not a lot here to justify choosing this camera over the X-T20. For me and my photography, I can immediately see the benefit of the X-T30. It’s a darn good camera, and I’ve only just begun to use it.

Snow In The Bowl – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Strongs Peak In The Distance – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Surviving Succulent – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Neon Red – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Wasatch Rain – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Wasatch Front In March – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Arrival – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X-T30