The Fujifilm X30 is an amazing and fun little camera. All it does is create wonderful pictures. It was quite surprising, and just blew away my expectations! I bet some of you aren’t even aware that this camera exists.
MPB is the sponsor of this article. They loaned me a Fujifilm X30 to try out for a couple of weeks. For those who don’t know, MPB is an online platform where you can buy, sell, or trade used photo and video gear. “At MPB, there’s something for everyone who wants to try something new, hone their skills, or pursue their passion—and it won’t cost the earth.” If you’re in the market for used camera gear, be sure to check out their platform—you can learn more about MPB here. Thank you, MPB, for making this article possible!
The Fujifilm X30 is a compact fixed-lens zoom camera with a tiny 12MP X-Trans II sensor. The third iteration in the series, the X30 was already a bit dated when it was released in 2014. With its discontinuation in 2016, Fujifilm abandoned the series altogether. The camera has a 28mm-112mm full-frame-equivalent f/2-2.8 lens, so it covers a lot of focal lengths. It has pretty good close focus capabilities and even optical image stabilization. There’s a lot to like on paper, but the 2/3″ CMOS sensor is just really small, and I think it’s hard to take a camera seriously with such a tiny sensor—especially when that tech is a decade old or more. That’s all on paper, of course, and real world use is what actually matters.
Despite the tiny sensor, the Fujifilm X30 is actually a similar size (just a tad smaller) to the Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 18mm f/2 pancake. The camera is not nearly as compact as I had expected. I had anticipated the dimensions to be more similar to the Fujifilm X70—perhaps even be pocketable—but it’s actually noticeably larger. In place of the usual Shutter Dial is a PASM Dial (which was common on Fujifilm’s lower-end models at the time); otherwise, the X30 looks and functions like many other Fujifilm X-series cameras. Because of the tiny sensor, it has significantly lower high-ISO capabilities than the APS-C models—I think it’s best to keep the camera at ISO 800 and below, but I did use ISO 1600 in some low-light situations and it was ok enough.
I programmed seven Film Simulation Recipes into the camera’s C1-C7 Custom Presets: Classic Kodak Chrome, Kodachrome 64, Pro Film, Lomography Color 100, Provia Negative, CineStill 800T, and Monochrome Red. This is a good set that covers most situations. Also, because each one uses a different White Balance type, the camera will remember the White Balance Shift for each. On the older cameras, which aren’t capable of saving a WB Shift within the C1-C7 presets, the experience is much improved if each Recipe uses a different White Balance type. I used Kodachorme 64 the most, and Classic Kodak Chrome second most—at one point or another, each of the seven came in handy.
The pictures from this camera are amazing! They have a ton of character—I especially love the lens flare. I think the photographs are the selling point of the X30. It doesn’t have a ton of resolution, so you probably can only print up to 11″ x 14″ and not likely any larger; however, the files are plenty large enough for web and social media use, which is how most pictures are seen nowadays. I could see myself using this as an everyday-carry. Just grab it while heading out the door on ordinary outings.
Once again, a big “thank you” to MPB for loaning me a Fujifilm X30. It definitely is “outdated” in 2024, but the images that it creates are surprisingly wonderful, which makes it worthwhile to own and use. I think this could also be an excellent option for someone just learning photography. Even though the X30 is an easy to overlook model—especially since compact zooms have largely been forsaken by the industry—the retro design of this camera and especially the nostalgic photographs that it makes are easy to love.
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs captured on a Fujifilm X30:
Previously in this series:
Fujifilm X-Pro2 — The camera that got away (again)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 23mm F/2 = Interchangeable-Lens Fujifilm X100VI??
Leica Q2 from the perspective of a Fujifilm photographer
Up next: Close Up with the Fujinon XF 30mm F/2.8 R LM WR Macro
BTW, in the top picture the camera is sitting on Kyle McDougall’s book An American Mile. An excellent photoessay, and great for inspiration—I highly recommend it.
I love mine (also black). Plan on bringing it on the next holiday. Was trying to programme recipes but forgot how to save the WB shift. Can you outline the steps? Thanks.
I’m loading the recipes again and the WB shift seems to be working (not staying the same when changing C slots). Strange that it didn’t work last time, I’m doing exact same steps as this time.
If the WB type is different, it will remember the WB Shift. If two Recipes use (for example) Daylight (which Fujifilm calls “Fine” on the older cameras due to a translation issue), the WB Shift will be the last one you set. It won’t remember two or more Shifts for any single WB type.
You have to go into the WB Menu (in the IQ Menu set) and select the Shift there for each WB type that you are using.
Nice trial and pictures Ritchie 👌
While being outdated in 2024 for sure, it is still as shown a very capable camera with everything you need.
Those of whom still have it must be still satisfyed using it 😉
I have for while the X20, then X20. Loved the series. Too bad Fuji stopped it.
So I was disappointed the X30 gained so much in size and weight compared to it’s predecessors…
But the EVF thought was a nice evolution along some goodies.
But upon considering it I finally went for the XQ2 which share the same sensor tech so be be extra compact / light. And then went to X70, which still needs a worthy successor!
Still using time to time my XQ2, even though now my lastest Samsung top of the line out match it considerably…
One need to be careful with the zoom of XQ2 which like the others, XF1, XQ1, X30, tends to get stuck when not operated for a long time…
Only culprit of those models with time flying…
But with time passing like for the X-Pro1 or first X100, in 2024 older Fujifilm cameras are getting more and interesting to try and use I think.
Like in French cuisine : it is in old saucepan that many times you can make excellent cooking 😉
On technical image quality, the X30 doesn’t stack up against today’s cellphones; however, on character and charm, the X30 is superb. I do think some of Fujifilm’s old gear is having a resurgence due to that character and charm. Thanks for the input!
J’ai deux X30 (silver) car j’en ai vite acheté un deuxième quand il a été discontinué. J’adore cette petite camera que j’utilise beaucoup pour de la photo rapprochée, des paysages et de la photo quotidienne. Quand on le connaît bien, on en tire de superbes images. Son petit zoom est vraiment excellent. Je ne me lasse pas de mes deux X30, même si j’ai aussi un X100V.
Merci pour votre commentaire! Le X30 est en effet plutôt sympa et très amusant.
It’s a nice but overpriced in the used marketplace. Average prices on ebay are well above its original retail price of $600.
Super Didier 👌
En Silver il est très buen, look rétro que j’apprécie.
Bonnes photos avec vos 2 X30 et X100V 👍
Yeah scalpers like for X70 which is costing hell too…
What’s crazy is that current demand for this decade-old camera is likely just as big today than when it was new.
Indeed! That continues to amaze me! I forgot along the X70, the higher price than sold of the XF10 nowadays…
Despite that the XF10 was a failed attempt to replace the X70 and mores so to compete against the Richoh GR series…
Second-hand (scalpers ones) it regained literally a second birth… Just incredible!
Compared to the X30, I wonder… Only downsides of the X30 vs the XF10 it’s size/weight and smaller sensor, otherwise operating wise, the X30 is better fitted I think (to the expection of most recent BT capabilities).
With the huge and lasting success the GR series, I really wonder why Fujifilm stopped all those popular lines (depending on the geographic markets of course).
Money, not enough production lines to cope, marketing decisions (like for the X-E4).
But it seems from rumours that X-M2 is to come… But like the X-E4, they both, while being small bodies, are with interchangeable lenses…
So they do not compete against an allrounder like the X10 to 30 series or the X70 or XF10….
A lot of Fujifans, including myself, would do like Fry: “Shut up and take my money!” if Fujifilm would do at last a X80 😁
I think they discontinued them at a time when the sales numbers weren’t particularly impressive (the X70 was a little different story: Sony discontinued making the sensor with no warning). The XF10 could have done well but was handicapped by sluggish performance (it had an X-Trans II processor, but I don’t think that wasn’t the main problem, which was too little internal memory, I think). Anyway, the market seemingly vanished for these types of models, but over the last couple of years that market has resurged. There’s a real demand for those types of cameras.
Cool camera but I think the size is kinda disappointing. For the specs it should be more similar in size if not smaller then an x70 or rx100mii
I was surprised by the size. I was expecting something much smaller.
New RAW developers with AI have breathed new life into cameras with small sensors, squeezing out more detail with less noise at higher ISOs. When I developed my X30’s first ISO 800 handheld shots in DXO Photo Lab 4.7, using the software’s Deep Prime feature, I was astonished at the tiny lettering that was crisp and readable.
I don’t shoot RAW anymore (and haven’t for years), but I can see AI helping to achieve clean photos.
You should have written about the X10 and X20 which have the much larger “1/1.7 sensor. The X30 is like Panasonics LX7 – smaller cheaper sensor = higher margins = higher profit.
The X10, X20 and X30 all have the same size sensor: 2/3″ 12mp Toshiba. The X10 has an EXR array and technology, while the X20 and X30 have X-Trans array and X-Trans II tech. But the sensor is the same in all three other than the color array, and the processor technology behind it.
Hello. Thank you very much for your amazing film simulation recipes!
I would like to ask you for advice.
I am trying to program your film recipe “PRO FILM” to Fujifilm X30.
But I am not able to set SHADOW: -2 (soft).
Camera allows me to choose just from values +2, +1 or 0 and values -1, -2 are blocked and unavailable.
Please do you have idea how to fix it?
Best regards,
Moriarty
I encountered this myself, and if I remember correctly, it had something to do with the ISO. I believe I had to reduce the maximum ISO to a lower number (maybe ISO 800?). I don’t have the camera to tell you for certain, but I think that is the problem and fix. For whatever reason, Fujifilm put this limitation on the small-sensor models (I’m not certain if it is all of them or only some).
Hi There. Are you certain the the x30 can save white balance shits for custom recipes? It seems that red and blue customization don’t save in my case…
Yes! Here’s the manual:
https://fujifilm-dsc.com/en/manual/x30/menu_shooting/white_balance/index.html
The X30 can print up to 16×20”.
I suppose with a low-ISO and minimally cropped file, it could be just sufficient enough for a print that large, but it would definitely be pushing it. Personally, I prefer 16mp as the minimum for a 16″x20″ (or 16″x24″) print. I would not print that large from the X30 myself. But some depends on the viewing distance. Display the photo somewhere where it can’t be seen any closer than four or five feet away, and I’m sure it’s fine, even if the ISOs are higher or the picture has been cropped. Also, an upscaling software like Topaz Labs Gigapixel could help if one needs to print that size.
The research has already been done. 20×30” would be pushing the X30 sensor with visible pixelation. Check it out here: https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/fuji-x30/fuji-x30-image-quality.htm
Maybe my standards are higher. I wouldn’t do it, but that shouldn’t discourage someone else from trying.
I think that article illustrates what I said: possible at low ISO, and not so much as you go up. Definitely don’t use DR400, because the required ISO will be too high. Using DR200 or DR-Auto might be questionable if you plan to print that large. Yikes!
So, yeah, 16″x20″ is possible with a low ISO, but it is definitely at the maximum end (as illustrated in the article you shared). I think smaller prints: 8″x10″ (or 8″x12″) or 11″x14″ (or 11″x17″) is a much more realistic expectation, especially if you are going above base ISO on a regular basis. But, again, a lot depends on the viewing distance. You could print a billboard from an ISO 1600 file and it will look fine from the highway. But if the print is being inspected closely, I wouldn’t choose 16″x20″ personally, and not even at base ISO, but especially at higher ISOs.
I’ve printed a 16×20″ at 300 dpi from a 10 megapixel file and it looks excellent. Of course the file is going to look best at the base ISO. That goes for any camera released 10 years ago.
I believe you. I think a lot depends on how “clean” the file is, what the viewing distance will be, and one’s personal standards.
I don’t fully agree with the “any camera released 10 years ago look best at the base ISO” statement. There is some truth to it, but it’s not fully correct. The Fujifilm X-T1 was released 11 years ago, and it looks good at higher ISOs (I routinely use ISO 3200), but specifically, the camera has its highest dynamic range at ISO 800 using DR400. Depending on your definition of “best”, one could argue that ISO800 is actually best on that camera, which is several stops above base ISO. I’ve printed 16″x24″ from the X-T1’s 16mp sensor that looked really good, but I felt when I printed at 20″x30″, it was a bit iffy for my tastes—that was at ISO 400. For 20″x30″, the 24mp, 26mp, and especially the 40mp sensors are much better.