Big test
FujifilmX-T30 II
PRICE: £769
FUJIFILM.COM/UK
The popular Fujifilm X-T30 has been upgraded. At a price lower than its predecessor, the new camera promises to be a great-value buy
SPECS › Prices Body only £769, with XF18- 55mm f/2.8-4 £1099, with XC15- 45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ £849 › In the box X-T30 II, NP-W126S Li-ion battery, AC-5V AC power adapter, plug adapter, body cap, strap, USB cable › Sensor X-Trans CMOS 4, X-Processor 4 › Sensor format APS-C, 23.5x15.6mm, 6240x4160 pixels › Lens mount Fujifilm X Mount › ISO range Stills: 160-12,800, extends to ISO 80, 125, 25,600, 1/4000sec, S/M mode 15mins to 1/4000sec, bulb up to 60mins, flash sync 1/125sec. Electronic shutter: 30secs to 1/32,000sec › Drive modes Up to 8fps with mechanical shutter; 10, 20fps electronic shutter in APS-C format, 10, 20, 30fps electronic shutter 1.25x crop. Preshot mode electronic shutter only at 10, 20, 30fps with 1.25x crop › Exposure system PASM, TTL 256 51,200. Movie: 160-12,800 › Shutter range Mechanical shutter: A mode 30secs- zone, TTL with multi-zone, spot, average and centre-weighted › Exposure compensation +/-5EV in 0.3EV steps
WORDS AND IMAGES BY WILL CHEUNG
IF YOU’RE A DSLR owner thinking of going mirrorless, odds are the Fujifilm X Series will be on your radar. Its APS-C format gives image quality close to full-frame, while the form factor is compact and not much bigger than the smaller Micro Four Thirds build. Add Fujifilm’s lens system of over 30 high-spec optics, increasing support from independent brands and a range of models in different styles and price points, and you have a compelling proposition. The X-T30 II is the latest arrival in the series, and another in the range to feature Fujifilm’s 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor. This was first deployed in the X-T3, announced in September 2018, and has been seen on several X Series models since – including the X-T30, introduced in early 2019. The new Fujifilm X-T30 II uses the same sensor and is also powered by the quad-core X-Processor 4, so the imaging heart of the camera is the same as its predecessor. The two cameras look “THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT OFTHE X-T30 II IS AN ENHANCED HYBRID AF SYSTEM”
› Monitor 3in tilting LCD › Viewfinder 0.39in OLED, 2.36m dots
› Focusing system Intelligent Hybrid AF (TTL contrast/phase detection) with face detection › Focus points Single point AF: 13x9 (117), 25x17 (425) – variable size AF zone. Zone AF: 3x3, 5x5, 7x7. Wide tracking AF › Image stabiliser No IBIS › Movie format MOV, MP4. DCI4K and 4K 4096x2160 29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p. Full HD 17:9 2048x1080 at 59.94p/50p/ 29.97p/25p/24p/23.98p. Full HD high-speed 16:9 1920x1080 240p, 200p, 120p, 100p › Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI Type D, USB-C, 2.5mm connector for mic/remote release › Other key features 18 Film Simulation modes, grain effect, Color Chrome Effect, Color Chrome Blue, multiple exposure, HDR mode, advanced filter modes › Battery NP-W126S, 390 frames › Storage media 1x SD card › Dimensions (wxhxd) 118.4x82.8x46.8mm › Weight Body with battery and card 378g › Contact fujifilm.com/uk
similar from the outside, but there have been significant upgrades. The monitor is a high-resolution, 1.6 million dot touch monitor (compared with 1.04 million); there are two extra Film Simulation modes (Classic Neg and Eterna Bleach Bypass); improved auto mode; and Full HD 1080p/240p for slow-motion shooting. The most significant benefit of the X-T30 II is an enhanced hybrid AF system with 425 points across the frame, including face and eye detection that delivers superior performance – comparable to the top-of-the-range X-T4. At £769 body only, it’s cheaper than the original, which was £849 on release. Its compact body is busy with controls and dials, and despite the small size, the X-T30 II is a reasonably comfortable camera to hold. There is a protruding thumb support at the rear, and raised grip on the front for the second and third fingers. Security is good if you like to walk around with the camera in hand, ready to
go. The on/off switch is on a short travel collar around the shutter release. On our sample, it had a soft action that would benefit from being slightly stiffer. The rest of the top-plate is busy – from the drive knob with the pop-up flash on/off switch on the left, to the AE mode/shutter speed dial on the right. Neither of those controls have a physical lock, nor does the exposure compensation dial. Although, the latter does have a C setting if you prefer to delegate compensation selection to an input dial – and there is the added benefit of a +/-5EV range. An auto on/off option allows advanced, intelligent auto settings. The camera sets program, auto ISO and gives better out-of-camera scenics, with more vivid colour rendering and natural flesh tones in people shots. The drive mode dial not only lets you change shooting speed quickly – with 8fps the fastest shooting speed – but also means you can rapidly
SCREEN QUEEN The X-T30 II has gained a higher-resolution monitor compared to its older model engage multiple exposure, panoramic mode, movie shooting, advanced filters and bracketing. Most X Series cameras have their drive mode in a drop-down menu, and having a click- stopped control dial is a sensible way of working. For bracketing, there are two options: BKT1 and BKT2. Their functions can be set via the menu system, where you can manage exposure, focus, ISO, white-balance and Film Simulation bracketing. For
ROTATE THE DIAL Front and rear input dials make feature selection and adjustment straightforward and fast
32 Photography News | Issue 95
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