The last time that I used my Fujifilm X-T30 was in early December. Yesterday was the first instance I had made any pictures with it in over six months, the longest time in-between use. Once it was my most-used camera; there was a time when I really, really liked the X-T30.
I purchased my Fujifilm X-T30 brand-new in 2019, right when it was announced in February. I used it extensively for about 15 months, until my wife gave me an X100V for my birthday. I still regularly photographed with it for awhile (although not nearly as much as before the X100V), until I purchased a Fujifilm X-E4 in March of 2021. Ever since then, my X-T30 has mostly sat on the shelf collecting dust. Every now-and-then I still capture some images with it. At first it was once every few weeks, then once every couple of months—the time gap has been growing longer and longer. Finally, it surpassed six months.
You might think that it’s time to sell it. If I’m not using the camera, perhaps someone else could. I’m sure there are people contemplating a used X-T30 right now. But I kind of want to hold onto it awhile longer. I have a lot of memories with the camera. In fact, just today my wife was showing me some family pictures from 2019 and early 2020, and in a number of them I have an X-T30 in my hands or around my neck. Maybe I should consider parting ways with it, but I’m not ready to do so just yet.
Especially after yesterday. I dusted the camera off, attached a TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 lens, loaded it with my Kodacolor Recipe, and captured a bunch of pictures—I’ve included four of those images above. It was so much fun! My kids enjoyed being photographed, too. I’m not a portrait photographer, but I sometimes pretend to be one. The X-T30 is a great little camera, and I particularly appreciate the diminutive size and weight of it. The Kodacolor Recipe is one of my favorites, especially for a 1980’s vibe.
While I’d prefer a Fujifilm X-T30 II or especially a Fujifilm X-T50, the X-T30—the original one from 2019—is still very good. Just because some new camera comes along that’s “better” doesn’t mean that the camera you own and use is somehow not good. The Fujifilm X-T30 is still worth owning and using in 2024, and will be for awhile to come. I definitely need to use it more often than I have recently, and not allow so much time to go by in-between picking it up.
The X-T30 was my favorite Fuji camera until I got a used X-H1 to play with. And while I still have two X-H1’s to shoot — one converted to monochrome — I miss the X-T30 which I sold to help pay for the first X-H1. What a fabulous camera! No faults, except being maybe TOO small. Imagine! X-T30 with IBIS would be my perfect camera…. Except, I so like my Xpro-2, even without IBIS, that it’s hard to choose. Fortunately, I don’t have to.
The X-H1 was an under-appreciated Fujifilm camera. A true workhorse. I know of a couple pros who still use X-H1’s quite extensively, and have no plans to replace them. Thanks for the input!
I concur fully with your feelings, experience and comments Ritchie.
Having the same with the several bodies I’m owning: currently GFX50R, X-T5, X100VI, X-Pro3, X-E4, X-E1 IR 720nm converted, X-A3 Full Spectrum converted.
I have my favourite one, but I’m trying to make a turnover of them. I also made a ‘specialisation’ of them so to help doing this turnover.
Like for example my X-E4 (being not WR) is reserve for no WR lenses or third-party manual focus (which all are non WR).
My X-T5 is the allrounder SLR like body & sport + macro + zoom & heavy lens which are all WR (like the 50-140, the 80, the 50/1).
My X-Pro3has been turned as ‘Noir’ camera and exclusivly the Fujicron series. Etc.
That’s a lot of fun and a pleasure thanks to collecting since 10 years Fujifilm gear.
But yeah, reselling is always hard. I’m doing it less and less now that the tech of the Fujis I’m owning is realy good and katute and more importantly on par aka mainly X-Trans IV and V for my main cameras group so they are in sync tech wise with nearly the same menus, etc, making them way simpler to operate and switch from one and another – a clear choice – making in fact a bit harder the upgrades now.
The IR and FS are in a different category. But going back to an old X-E1 is a LOT of fun too.
BW IR expended it a lot (sensivity especualy) and the XC50/2 gave it back a significant punch AF wise, but its inherent tech limitation of the time is somehow a refresh and sound constraints when using back.
A you said, always big fun to use a Fuji whatever it’s age !
So the X-T30 is indeed still a very good and proficient camera in 2024 !
I even miss my X-T1 / X-T2 and X-T20!
And the X-T30 is not AF crippled by a bad firmware update, since receiving none anymore…
Only issue with older bodies is in case of repairs…
I do not know why but ever since I’ve got my original x100, all my X100 I owned do fall at a certain point of time ! Fortunatly now with no dommages (protection are in place, and I’m lucky). I call it the X1000 curse…
But 9 years ago it costed me a lot as my original X100 fell hard on the concrete from the rear side of my car. Bad mouvement, not fully protected by it’s lether case. It needed at the time a very expensive repair even though the camera was fully OK and only the OVF had a little mirror broken by the fall. At the time the OVF was very protected by Fujifilm – first of his kind – and so only replaced as a whole. Fujifilm was gearing z lot of being robbed of it’s invention and breakthrough. A so the broken one was returned sealed directly to Japan as repair facilities outside Japan were strictly forbiden to open / repair the OVF. Hence the repair for a small broken inner -non essential – mirror was to cost me half the price of a new original X100 as the OVF was to be fully replaced ! That’s how I met the Fujifilm General Director of my country has I complained A LOT and via him I managed to get a 50% repair rebait… But still is was expensive.
So far the only repair I’ve done with a Fuji. I’m touching wood..
Quite a story which aftwards get birth to a long friendship with the GD. That’s how since a while I’m getting first hand / shipping when I order brand new stuff like the X100VI…
Anyhow, fall or component failure can always happen… And in case of fall, I’ve helped in many occasions fellow photographers, now Fujifilm owners, who get the unlucky case.
Now fortunately you get fixed fees for every thing… Quite handy a way cheaper!
But seeing Fujifilm issuing the statement of end of support its older cameras is always a concern (samewhise for other brands except Leica – always the issue of keeping the balance of the spare parts of very ‘old’ products vs newer ones for a very long time – difficult and not profitable).
So I assume we are both taking extra care of our gear like I’m doing since the original X100 and even before…
I wish you a lot of fun with your cameras and here with your X-T30 like I have with mines.
Cheers.
I think I should probably develop some sort of strategy for employing the “older” models. I need to give myself better reasons for using them, and do so somewhat routinely.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, it’s much appreciated!
Welcome Ritchie.
Upon thinking more of your present article, I see that my GFX50R do take the dust. Most wanted camera at a time of his coming out by pricing wise way out of my reach at the time and bit back of to home back to contrast only AF (but the GFX50R just do a very fine job without PDAF) then got it for a very good price secondhand when people people started migrating latest 100MP new bodies…
But nevertheless it is a bit outside my ‘routines’ as you say which I build over the years.
And like your X-T30, I’m everytime blown away by the it’s output while being completely shadowed by the GFX 100 series or even now on pixel counts with the X-Trans V (but the pixels size are really not the same as the dynamic range !) and laking IBIS…
Your article and comment make me think also I need to work on those routines for my GFX50R. Which I will kept until it brokes!
Thx for it too.
The GFX50R is the only GFX camera that I want… have nearly purchased it a few times. Definitely enjoy it for as long as it works, which should be for many years. Thanks for the kind comment!
In the current era of manufacturers bombarding us with new camera models, it was refreshing to read your article. Sensor technology hasn’t dramatically advanced during the last 8 years and not everyone needs the latest eye/vehicle/animal tracking auto-focus. Like you, I’m still rocking ‘dated’ Fuji bodies (XPro2 and XT2) and have no issues with the quality of image output for travel and documentary. Keep enjoy the X-T30!
I fully concur with you on every point!
And indeed what I forgot to mention : very refreshing artical + we can do indeed quite well with older bodies (if they are still working / in good condition as we have to cope unfortunately with the programmed obsolescence).
I saw someone recently capture some amazing pictures in 2024 on their X-E1… and of course GxAce with the X-Pro1. These cameras, as long as they’re still functioning, are capable of great pictures, and will be for years to come.
I’ve said for a little while now that new camera models are introduced much too frequently. Especially if Kaizen is employed, there’s no reason why the X-T30 couldn’t still be being manufactured (the X-T30 II was mostly just a firmware update). I think a five-ish year refresh rate would make a lot of sense. Maybe some models should be a bit more frequently refreshed, and some less. Overall, I’d like to see a lot less bombarding of updates. Thanks for the input!
Exactly, there is no reason why they didn’t give the X-T30 & X-T3 the newer simulations from the later versions of that processor.
It’s a real shame, in my opinion. It would have given them some big brownie points if they had.
I enjoy seeing your models in your photos. They have grown so much. Let them know I appreciate their patience and generosity.
My T30ii is for garden birding since I got a T5. Can’t go back to a small viewfinder alone. My T20 died after 4 years. There was some learning curve when I got the T30ii but quickly got used to it.
I like Kodacolor with my X30. I’m loading the recipe and see that it looks like in the T5.
Holding on to my older Fuji cameras. They give you next to nothing when trading in or selling. For example, I paid $275 for my X30. Now they are selling it for over $700! The ageing X100S (which I still use since 2013) now goes for $1000/$1100. Before the Fujifilm rage you would pay $400.
I feel like on one hand it’s a good time to sell, just because they’re going for more now than they likely ever will; on the other hand, I feel like whatever the price is, I’m going to regret not keeping it. I appreciate the comment!
I also have X-T20 and X-T4 but before I had X-A1 and X-T10 which I sold. I use X-T20 with TTArtisan 27/2.8 on a walk when my wife does not shoot flowers using it with her preferred XF 16-80. Sometimes I even take a picture with a Panasonic DMC-FZ7, my first digital camera. Look at a sample picture made by camera that is about 20 years old: https://photos.app.goo.gl/PSMKG7qrvJZKELKKA
So I understand you and in my opinion, a good camera should live so far so you can find the battery for it. A couple of days ago I bought a new one for DMC-FZ7…
Thank you Ritchie for your job.
When I met Omar Gonzalez in NYC, I asked him what camera he was shooting with. With a smile he pulled out of his jacket pocket the famous “Noir” X-T20. If it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for anyone and everyone else, too, right? Thanks for sharing the DMC-FZ7 picture!
I still have it and continue to use and love it a lot in the mountains. I would like to buy the X100VI but damn I can’t stand the idea of owning two cameras 😊
For a little while I had the X100F as my only camera (aside from some film bodies). Now I have far too many. I sometimes think I would be more happy with just one—probably the X100VI—but I also think that an interchangeable-lens model is good to have around, too.
That’s true, but in the end my XT30 mounts 27mm 99% of the time, there’s nothing more practical than that combination to tuck into your racing vest.
The 27mm pancake is one of my favorite lenses… it’s on my X-E4 quite a lot. I definitely “get it” for sure. 😀
Hello!
I just got this camera and been trying your recipes. Have you ever done a recipe to mimic the style of Greg Girard? Or do you know anyone who has done it?
Thanks, man.
I think, like a lot of photographers that have been around for a long time, there are some distinct era-specific aesthetics, so you have to consider which time period you want to emulate. Then, there are daytime and nighttime images, which are different. Color or B&W. For color, he used a lot of Kodachrome and various Ektachrome back in the day, but (apparently) not exclusively.
I would look at these Recipes:
Kodachrome 64
McCurry Kodachrome
Kodachrome II
Thommy’s Ektachrome
Old Ektachrome
1976 Kodak
Nostalgic Americana
Kodak Negative
Fluorescent Night
Ektachrome 320T
Expired ECN-2 100T
CineStill 800T
Pushed CineStill 800T
Serr’s 500T
Cine Teal
Definitely, pay close attention to the light, as that’s going to be a very key aspect of replicating his look.
I hope this is somehow helpful.
I’m so frustrated Fuji will never release a firmware upgrade. I love my x-t30 but I’ll probably sell it and buy an x-t30ii. I’ll pay a couple hundred bucks for the ability to load the recipes I want.
They should have given it a firmware update, and given the X-T30 Classic Negative at the very least.
I second this. Maybe we can all email Fuji & nicely ask for a firmware to give us Classic Negative. If we get like even 25+ people, it might get them to think about it.
I’m pretty certain that they have moved beyond those cameras (aren’t thinking about them any longer), but I would still encourage them to do it 😀
Thanks for the reminder that the XT30 is still an awesome camera worth keeping.
I have not used my XT30 in a few years. Was very tempted to buy the XT50 as a secondary body to XH2. But, given XT50’s significant price increase, it might make more sense to get the XT5 instead.
So I pulled out the old XT30 to see if I still liked it enough to go XT50. I liked shooting with XT30 so much, I decided to get the XT5 after all. I plan on using my XT30 in my small prime kit instead of XPro2. XPro2 is an awesome camera; but, there are times I want to as small/light as I can.
Yeah, the X-T30 is nicely small and lightweight. The X-T50 is a smidge larger and noticeably heavier (although still smaller/lighter than the X-T5), so the X-T30 makes for an excellent everyday carry option.
X-T30 is probably the best camera I have owned, but I prefer some of the color profiles, specifically the Pro-Negs and Astia of X-Trans II cameras(but not the dynamic range). Which do you think suites the X-T30 better, the 14mm f2.8, 16mm f2.8? Or maybe the 15-45mm?
I would choose one of the primes over the zoom, personally, but everyone’s photography preferences are different.