The bottom line:
The Fujifilm X30 is a camera for the enthusiast photographer who wants a small yet powerful camera that you don't expect too much from except for a lot of fun and suprisingly good results. Shoot it in good lighting and you will be very happy. Shooting in challenging lighting situations? Don't go above ISO 1600 and depend on the RAW files to save the day.
Fuji vs Canon point and shoot cameras
I have been a Fuji camera user for the past 2 years after being primarily a Canon shooter. I really like the Fuji experience so I've been carefully crafting an ecosystem around the X mount.
The only Canon camera I still have is the G7X mark II. It's a great compact point and shoot camera with a fast useful lens. The 24-100mm f1.8-2.8 lens along with the 1 inch sensor has given me great results. It's been my sidearm camera for years and I love it. However, I do have some gripes.
There is no viewfinder so in bright daylight the experience of using the camera is not enjoyable. Also there is no customization with buttons (since there is not many). Also there is no way to back button focus. The experience is more like your smartphone than an actual camera.
The Fuji Experience
One of the reasons I got into Fuji is because of the user experience. My XT1 (my favorite) allows me to customize it to my liking. It has plenty of buttons and dials to make a top notch user experience.
The Fuji X30 is like my XT1 and Canon G7X mark II had a baby. Its a point and shoot with fast zoom lens, electronic viewfinder, tilt screen, WIFI, and lots of customization. The camera is a bit larger and reminiscent of the X100 series more than the averate point and shoot. This makes the handling great.
The Smalll Sensor
Some would say the 2/3 inch sensor is the real and only downside of the camera. I must say I agree BUT the sensor is really good. As an enthusiast and professional I like a challenge anyway. If you're mindful of the limitations you can get really good results. I wish it did have a 1 inch sensor since that's what I'm used to but a 2/3 inch is not that much smaller. I would compare it to an APS-C versus an Micro Four Thirds sensor.
The Versatile and Fast Lens
Let's talk about the lens. Its a 28-112mm f2.0-2.8 which is so critical with a smaller sensor. It also has optical image stabilization and really lets you keep the ISO as low as possible. For still life you will have no problem getting clean images. If you're outdoors no sweat. If you're indoors taking photos of people get them to hold still and you'll be fine up to ISO 1600. 3200 gets funky but if you shoot RAW you can use noise reduction to clean things up.
Check out my gallery of Fujifilm X30 images below
Fuji Love magazine did an article revisiting the X30. Check it out here.
Conclusion
I'm so happy I made this purchase. For me, photography is about the experience going in shooting with your tools as well as getting great results. The Fujifilm X30 delivers on both in the Fuji X way. Great image quality, customization, handling, and a good lens makes this forgotten point and shoot a real gem.
The days of the premium point and shoot are coming to an end since smartphones are talking up that market but for enthusiasts, collectors, and hobbyists this is a camera you might want to take a look at on the used market for a quality used one.
Fujifilm X30 Filter Thread Size
Unfortunately there hasn't been much information on the filter thread size online and there is no information on the camera body itself. I can personally confirm that the filter size is 40mm. See my photo below.
Buy the 40mm lens filter on Amazon here
My name is Jason Logan. I'm a photographer and content creator from Jersey City, NJ. I'm the founder of JMT Photography & Media. You can learn more about me at www.jmtphotographymedia.com.