Camera test 20
Photography News | Issue 65 | photographynews.co.uk
Performance: exposure latitude
-2EV
Original image
-4EV
-3EV
-1EV
0
+1EV
To assess the exposure latitude of the X-T30’s Raws, we shot a +/-4EV bracket using the camera in manual exposure mode. The resulting Raws were corrected in Adobe Lightroom and then outputted as full-size JPEGs. The Raws coped respectably well with exposure abuse and shots overexposed by up to +2EV were recovered impressively, with image quality matching
the correctly exposed shot. The +3EV shots also looked okay with exposure correction, although quality was not as good with brightly lit scenes. With underexposure -4EV and -3EV, shots looked fine tonally, but there was noise in the mid- tones and shadows compared with the -2EV shots. The -1EV shot looked identical to the correctly exposed shots.
+2EV
+3EV
+4EV
Above Raws from the X-T30 responded well to exposure abuse especially in scenes where contrast was lower. With strong highlights, overexposure by - +3EV gave files that needed more editing care
impressively fast and assured, too. A side-by-side comparison with my own X-T2 and X-E3 revealed how much more decisive and speedy the new camera was, even though my older cameras are no slouches. This waswith normal single and zoneAF, and face/eye detection seemed more sure-footed, too. Even placing a face in the corner of the frame didn’t fool the face detect system. It wasn’t just speed and accuracy where the benefit of newer technology showed itself. The X-T30 also latched on to lower contrast subjects confidently and accurately. Plain or evenly toned subjects combined with low lighting is tricky, but the X-T30 did well when confronted by such conditions with little hunting to achieve focus. Overall handlingof theX-T30was generally sound inmy hands thanks to a layout that features three large control knobs for exposure mode, compensation and drive settings, front and rear input dials, and a good supply of buttons. Everything worked just fine, but there are things to watch. I caught the Q button, prominently placed on the protruding thumb grip, a few times as I brought the camera up to the eye, so saw the Q Menu rather than the scene. The exposure compensation dial has no lock and, while I prefer to use the C position and set compensation with the front input dial, I still managed to move it off the C setting. Finally, I found the position of the focus lever too low on the body rear, which meant a significant thumb position change rather than a minor readjustment. For my thumb, moving the button another 1cm higher would be ideal.
There’s nothing deal-breaking here – it’s things you’d get used to in time, and there is much to enjoy, too. The touchscreen is excellent and works well with the Q Menu and image reviewing. It also continues to work for AF point selection while the eye is up to the viewfinder eyepiece. You have seven options for which part of the screen you want to be active – or you can switch it off this feature, but have the touch menu working for other functions. There’s plenty of potential to personalise the X-T30 to your preferred way of working. There is just one actual function button, but the AEL, the AF-L buttons and the rear input dial canbe customised, too – all offer 51 options, including none. Bring in the touchmonitor and there are four virtual function buttons by swiping up, down, left and right. You get 46 selectable features with each.
The X-T30 also latched on to lower contrast subjects confidently and accurately
Above There’s plenty of potential to customise the X-T30. The functions of the AEL, AF-L, four function buttons and rear input dial can be changed
Pre-Shot mode
Pre-Shot mode means that when the shutter release button is partially depressed, the camera
records images to its buffer, without actually writing them to card. Fullydepress the release and
images in the buffer are written to the card, and subsequent images, too. At 30fps shooting rate, you
get ten frames before the shutter button is fully depressed and then up to 22 more afterwards.
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