Fujifilm X30 camera - user experience

Fujifilm X30 camera 2014-2016

Design over function?

Fujifilm was not a name I associated with quality cameras when I started looking for an upgrade from my Sony Cybershot. I was a little sceptical but have been pleasantly surprised.   

I purchased my Fujifilm X30 camera from Amazon UK in March 2016 on offer and paid £293 (RRP was about £410). The camera comes in either black or silver but I preferred the silver version.

I also opted for the Fujifilm leather case (£55) plus Expert shield LCD screen protector (£7.95).

I would describe myself as a novice when it comes to photography so this is a 'non-technial' review. There are plenty of technical reviews elsewhere on the web. These are my own observations as an amateur user.

I was upgrading from a Sony Cybershot DSC-W130 8 mp x4 zoom compact 'point and shoot' camera which had served me well for a about 10 years.

I wanted more of an enthusiasts camera which gave me enough options to experiment with, for around £300. My criteria included compact enough to take on holidays and day trips. Whilst the X30 may not slip into your pocket, it's easy enough to carry using the strap or put into a daypack.

Fitted with an Expert Shield LCD screen protector

I always admired the look and construction of the 1970's SLR cameras so was drawn to the Fujifilm X30 camera. I read as many reviews as I could so I didn't find myself falling into the trap of design over function. I was pleased to find there were more plus points than negative ones for me anyway. Probably the biggest drawback I kept reading about was that this camera has a small light sensor and therefore disappointing in low light. I would agree with this but I don't take many pictures at night so this is not an issue for me. However, if you are planning to take lots of photographs in low light then this is not the best choice of camera.

Some people have complained that this camera was too heavy. I wanted heavy. I wanted a metal framed camera which felt sturdy and robust. I love the magnesium metal body of this camera. I read reviews which incorrectly described the camera body as having a 'leatherette' surface on the main body. This was certainly true of the X20, but not the X30 (not mine anyway). After reading this I was slightly disappointed to find mine was made of a rubberised material, but this is no doubt more practical and does offer good secure grip. 

Features

Quality metal body

There are many features and functions, so I'll just highlight some of the main ones.

Turning the camera on and off is done by turning the outer focus ring rather than a button. 

The X30 comes WIFI enabled. Initially I thought this sounded like an unnecessary gimmick. However, having both an ipad and iphone I found it worked very well for transferring my photos straight from the camera to my ipad when on holiday. It means there's no need to have additional memory cards.

The other feature which seemed like an unnecessary gimmick was the tilting LCD screen. Once again, I found myself using it at I was using this when taking closeup macro shots of flowers on the ground and was very useful.

12 megapixels seems to be low by today's standards but my logic was that I didn't plan on producing any poster size photographs - size isn't everything!

My old camera had the same x4 zoom so I've not known any different - you can't miss what you've never had!  To my mind, anything more than that needs a good tripod to keep the camera steady. I've found the x4 zoom has very limited use in practice but still good to have the option.

It's nice to have the option of a viewfinder and this digital version works extremely well. 

There's a pop-up flash which I've never used. I've never liked the result from using a flash on any camera.

You can even produce your own HD videos! This is not a feature I tend to use much, but the output is excellent.  

There are plenty of shooting options which include a variety of filters which make things more interesting. I enjoy using the monochrome film options for portraits and landscapes.

Accessories

Having a good case for a camera like this is a must. I bought the Fujifilm leather case at the same time, even though it seemed quite expensive. The leather case also comes with a part leather strap which is actually better than the one which comes with the camera. It's what they call a 'two part' case which allows you to use the camera with the case still on. I leave the case on permanently, but it does need to be removed when you charge the battery or want to transfer photographs to a computer using the USB. That's slightly annoying but I don't need to do it that often. I think the leather case will improve with age. I'm very pleased with the case and would recommend it.

What's in the box?

• Camera
• Strap
• Lens cap
• Charger with USB cable

The camera comes with an alloy lens cover and strap. Remember to buy a memory card if you don't already have one since the camera only has an inbuilt memory of about 55mb. The snug fitting alloy lens cap is not attached to the camera in any way so be careful where you put it when removed. It also scratches easily if you put it in the same pocket as keys - as I found out.

There's a charger which comes with a removable USB cable for use with a computer.

At first I thought I would need to buy a spare battery just in case it discharged while being used but this has not been necessary. The battery life is good and I often charge it at home after use to make sure it's always ready.

Should you buy this camera?

If you appreciate the retro look and something well made that takes excellent photographs then this is a good buy. This will certainly appeal to someone who wants an introduction to photography as well as enthusiasts.

I've been very happy with my X30 and have no regrets about buying it, especially for the cheap deal I had from Amazon. I couldn't find anything else which offered such a good package for the same price. Like many things, it depends on what you want from a camera. I'm sure there are others which can win on all round ability but the X30 stands out from the crowd with it's own personality and is a pleasure to own. 

However, I would not recommend the X30 if you are planning to take lots of photographs at night or in low light conditions. Having said that, I have managed to get some pleasing 'light tail' effects from cars at night. The ones where the light appears like a line. I didn't have a tripod but managed to rest it on something so it was steady enough for the long exposure.

All in all, this is a very well made camera which is a delight for beginners or enthusiasts.

Here's the full technical specification:

The original Fujifilm promotional video is still available on Youtube here:

 

 
Update 2018: Fujifilm have discontinued this camera so it's a case of buying one from old stock or secondhand. Some say that the small sensor was a factor which contributed to it's early demise. It may be true that sales didn't meet expectations for Fujifilm, but a retro style camera isn't likely to have mass appeal. I think it's simply that technology and competition are moving so fast that model changes are more frequent than ever. If you can find one for under £300 I think it's a bargain. Who knows, perhaps one day the X30 will become classic collectable!   

Update 2020: I continue using this camera and don't have any plans to replace it. As previously mentioned the camera doesn't perform well in low lighting but it's great for landscapes, macro and portraits in good light. There are plenty of settings to experiment with which keeps me interested. No doubt there are now even better cameras out there but I'm not one to keep changing something which works perfectly well. It's my standard holiday camera as it's compact enough to take with me when traveling light. I did end up buying an adhesive lens cap holder so I don't lose it easily. It works a treat and I'd recommend one.

Update 2023: Camera still in regular use. One recent issue has been that the rotating outer ring used to switch on the camera has started to jam. It usually works again after several attempts but this is irritating when quickly trying to take a photograph. Perhaps something is starting to wear out?