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Comparing the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30 – What’s Different?

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Every time Fujifilm releases one of their “X-T” flagship cameras, they follow closely behind with the little brother/sister version. This time, the supremely powerful X-T3 has been followed with the X-T30, which by all means is an amazing little camera.

These stepped-down versions have always been great models, because fundamentally, they’re the same camera, just not quite as rugged and not weather sealed. Although a few features are different, they offer the same image quality as the higher end models, at a greatly reduced price.

In this case, Fuji’s new X-T30 costs $600 less than the top shelf X-T3. At $899, the X-T30 represents an amazing value, and quite possibly the best value for the incredible performance it offers.

In this post, I’ll quickly run down what the main differences are between the X-T3 and the X-T30 and what you save (or get) with that extra six hundred dollars.

Body Design, Weather Sealing and Durability

The main difference between the X-T3 and the X-T30 lies in the basic design. Where the X-T3 has an all-metal magnesium-alloy body, the X-T30 is built with a magnesium-alloy top and a mix of metal and plastic in the rest of the body. Also, the X-T3 is weather sealed, where the X-T30 is not.

This makes the X-T3 an overall tougher camera, and it will handle more abuse. However, don’t discount the toughness of the X-T30. It’s still built to withstand a regular life of knocks.

Back when I used  the X-T10, I gave it a considerable amount of abuse in the outdoors; I even subjected it to heavy rain a few times, and it survived just about everything I threw at it. I expect the X-T30 to offer the same level of durability. For most users, it will be fine. However, if you regularly beat the crap out of your camera, than it may not.

Size and Weight

X-T3 Dimensions: 5.2 inches wide, 3.7 inches tall and 2.3 inches at its widest. (132.5 x 92.8 x 58.8 mm) and weighs 1.19 lb (539 g) with the battery.

X-T30 Dimensions: 4.7 inches wide, 3.3 inches tall and 1.8 inches at its widest. (118.4 x 82.8 x 46.8 mm) and weighs 13.5 oz (383 g) with the battery.

The X-T30 definitely feels smaller, and it has a slightly less pronounced grip than the X-T3. However, it does have a nice, streamlined feel and a more compact size if you like to go fast and light. Pop one of the small primes on the X-T30 and you have tiny little powerhouse that will probably fit in your coat pocket.

Electronic Viewfinder

This is one of the biggest differences. The X-T3 has a much larger, higher resolution and higher magnification EVF than the X-T30. (3.69 vs 2.36 million dots, .75x vs.62x mag. and .5 inch vs .39 inch panel size.)

Keep in mind, though, both viewfinders offer 100% coverage and even the X-T30 viewfinder still offers a larger, wider view than what you’ll get on most similarly priced DSLRs.

Button/Dial Layout

This is where the two cameras differ the most. Where both cameras have a “3-dial” top deck, the controls are slightly different.

The X-T3 has ISO, Shutter Speed and EV+/- controls across the top. Where the X-T30 has a similar layout on the right side, instead of a dedicated ISO dial, it has a dedicated Drive Dial. This allows extremely fast “on-the-fly” selection of all your shooting modes. This means moving ISO control to one of the Fn buttons.

The X-T30 also has the Full Auto Switch, which puts the camera into Advanced Scene Recognition Mode. This mode offers worry-free shooting in any situation, under any type of lighting condition.

Also, following with the design style of the X-E3, the X-T30 has a slightly different button layout and it does not have the four button D-Pad on the back of the camera. Focus selection is achieved using the AF/Selector Joystick and the four Fn controls from the D-Pad are now accessed with touch screen “swipes.”

Sensor and Image Quality

Here’s where it gets good. Both the X-T3 and X-T30 use the exact same 26.1 MP APS-C Back Side Illuminated X-Trans 4 Sensor. They also use the same Quad Core X-Processor 4 computer chip, which means that both cameras shoot the exact same image quality and have excellent high ISO performance.

Side-by-side, there is no difference – They both shoot 14-bit RAW files and gorgeous looking JPEGs with those legendary Fuji colors, and that’s what makes the X-T30 such an amazing value.

Autofocus Performance

As with image quality, the X-T3 and X-T30 are identical with regards to autofocus. Both cameras are built with 2.16 million pixel, 425-AF point phase detect AF system that covers the entire frame and increased sensitivity down to -3EV. Essentially, this means you’re able to achieve workable AF performance under very dim conditions like candlelight.

Also, with the increased performance of the X Processor 4 chip, both the X-T30 and X-T3 are able to track moving subject with a very high degree of speed and accuracy, even at ultra high frame rates.

Continuous Shooting and Buffer Capacity

MECHANICAL SHUTTER: Using the mechanical shutter, the X-T3 can fire at 11 fps, even without the grip. The X-T30 is limited to 8 fps, which is still very fast; certainly fast enough for most sports and action scenes. In many cases, if you can’t nail it in 8 fps, you won’t be able to nail it in 11.

In many fast breaking situations, technique and timing is more important than an additional 3 fps. That said, if you know what you’re doing, those extra 3 frames per second might make a slight difference between a great shot and an exceptional shot with slightly better framing.

ELECTRONIC SHUTTER: Both the X-T3 and X-T30 feature incredible fast electronic shutters that allow for blackout-free shooting speeds of up to 20 fps and full resolution and 30 fps using the new 1.25X “Sports Finder” crop mode.

As of right now, these are some of the fastest blackout-free frame rates in the entire industry, and they offer incredible creative option when shooting very fast moving subject matter.

BUFFER: Buffer capacity is one of the main areas where the X-T3 has the advantage. It’s always been this way, even with the original X-T1 and X-T10. The higher end models have more internal memory which allows for a much larger buffer.

Shooting at 8 fps, the X-T3 can nature almost 50 RAW frames and 200 JPEGs without stopping, where as the X-T30 will start to stutter after only 18 RAW frames and about 90 JPEGs. This will probably not be a factor for most shooters. Again, if you need more than 90 frames to nail your scene, maybe there’s another approach you can take.

Nearly Identical Camera/ShootingSettings

Since they have the same sensor and processor, both the X-T3 and X-T30 feature nearly all of the same shooting and camera settings. In fact, most of the menus are identical on both cameras, with means that they both share the exact same creative controls, focus options and camera customization.

It also means that my X-SERIES UNLIMITED eBook covers every single feature found on the X-T30.

When the X-T3 was introduced, it has some really cool creative features that are now included in the X-T3, including B&W ADJ (WARM/COOL), COLOR CHROME EFFECT, PRE-SHOT ES, SPORTS FINDER MODE and ETERNA film sim.

I’ve written about the new B&W ADJ feature, which I LOVE using, and I’ve also written about the amazing PRE-SHOT ES feature, which is a special boon to sports, action and wildlife shooters.

Movie & Video Capabilities

Both the X-T3 and X-T30 offers amazing 4K capable movie capabilities and greatly expanded, dedicated movie settings menus. There are a few main differences, though.

The X-T3 is able to shoot 4K at higher frame rates (60p vs 30p) higher bit rates, (400Mb/s vs. 200Mb/s), for longer durations (30 min vs. 10 min) and with the option of using a more advanced video compression codec.

However, this will not be an issue with 99.999% of video shooters. For most projects, the X-T30 will shoot gorgeous looking video that’s fine for most types of projects. If need those higher specs, you’ll definitely want the X-T3.

Final Thoughts

As with the X-T10 and X-T20 the new Fujifilm X-T30 offers incredible performance at an exceptional value. You get identical or nearly identical performance of the X-T3 with regards to image quality, AF speed/tracking and electronic shutter frame rates, you get all of the same Fuji film simulations and the same color reproduction, all of the same creative, shooting and camera settings, and high quality video.

In my mind, aside from the slight design differences, when I think in practical, real-world terms for people shooting in most conditions, the only differences between the X-T3 and X-T30 are toughness and weather sealing, buffer rate when shooting a high number of frames in CH Mode, and a more substantial grip and a slightly bigger electronic viewfinder.

For all that it has, the X-T30 is an amazing little camera with a nice little compact body and a price tag that’s $600 lower than the X-T3. It offers everything you need to make awesome pictures, no matter what you shoot, and I can attest, it will withstand a reasonable amount of abuse. Just don’t smash it too hard or drop it in the water.

The X-T20 was one of the top selling mirrorless cameras, and the X-T30 is sure to follow in that trend. Small enough for travel, unobtrusive street photography, hiking and backpacking, bikepacking and cycle touring, affordable enough for amateur photographers or as a second body for pro shooters, and fun enough for everyone, what’s not to love?

Of course if you want top of the line and need the most rugged, weather sealed body, the fastest buffer for capturing action subjects and wildlife and the highest video specs, then the X-T3 is clearly the camera for you.

You can order the X-T30 here, and it comes in three colors: black, silver and charcoal silver. The X-T3 comes in silver and black. 

First Look at Fujifilm’s New XF16mm f/2.8 WR Lens

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I’m a huge fan of Fujifilm’s awesome f/2 WR prime lens series. The XF35mm f/2, XF50mm f/2 and the incredible XF90mm f/2 are among my favorite and most used lenses, so I was very excited to hear last year that the next lens in the series would be the XF16mm f/2.8.

Now that it’s been released, I’ve been able to shoot a few photos with it, and I can say, this was indeed the lens I was waiting for.

Back in the day, when I was a budding adventure and outdoor photographer, my favorite wide angle lens was the venerable Nikon 24mm f/2.8. This piece of glass saw more action in my early shooting days than any other. To me, it had the perfect meld of size, weight and view angle, and Fuji’s new 16 2.8 brings that classic combination to the X Series.

Even though the other lenses in the series are f/2, Fujifilm opted to shave size and weight and make this one an f/2.8. That’s plenty fast for most wide angle uses, and besides, if you really need a super fast wide, you can always spring for the XF16mm f/1.4.

However, that 16 1.4 is quite a bit bigger, heavier and much more expensive. Whereas the 1.4 version comes in at 13 ounces, which is just three ounces shy of a full pound, the new 16mm f/2.8 comes in at just 5 ounces. In addition, it costs under half as much: only $399, vs $999 for the 1.4.

Yes, speed is nice, but as I said, 2.8 is plenty fast for most wide angle photography, and for the size and weight difference, the new XF16mm f/2.8 is a fantastic little lens.

I just think that wide angle lenses are so versatile in the world of outdoor photography. They’re indispensable for shooting landscapes, action/adventure scenes and astrophotography, but also great for environmental portraiture, because you can get close enough to feature the subject and still show enough of the background to tell the story.

Having used a variety of wide lenses over the years, I’ve always found this focal length to hit a real sweet spot. If a lens gets too wide, you can start to get distortion at the edges, and by the nature of the design, ultra wide glass is usually bigger, as well.

Fuji has the tiny XF23mm f/2 lens, but that classic 35mm “photojournalist” focal length has never really been my cup of tea for regular use. It’s just not wide enough. The 16mm with it’s 24mm view angle yields an excellent combination of wide, small and relatively fast, which in my book, hits the target for everything I want.

Just like the other lenses in Fujifilm’s compact WR series, the new XF16mm f/2.8 follows the same classic “Fuji-cron” design, with a lightweight, compact build, a numbered aperture ring and a slightly tapered front. It comes with a small, very unobtrusive hood. The kind you have no problem leaving on all the time.

Lens quality is amazing, with gorgeous color reproduction, no visible distortion or softness at the edges, and very quick and responsive autofocus. It allows you to get quite close, with a minimum focusing distance of 6.6 inches.

(The photos of the poppies above was shot at the closest possible distance.) Compare that to Fuji’s 16mm f/1.4, which has a minimum focusing distance of 5.9 inches.

Compared to my other favorite wide angle, Fuji’s XF14mm f/2.8, the new 16 f/2.8 has a slight edge in size, minimum focusing distance, and again, it costs less than half as much. And it’s weather sealed, which the 14 is not.

I don’t have a single bad thing to say about the 14mm f/2.8, it’s been a mainstay in my bag since my first days shooting with the X Series, but I have to say, the smaller build of the new 16 is pretty nice. It makes it that much more appealing for use on an ultralight weight bike trip or hiking trip in the backcountry, especially if you anticipate bad weather.

And what about the original 18mm f/2? That’s a fun little lens, but this new 16 is just way better on every level.

I love these little Fuji primes, and if you look in my bag on any given day, you’ll find at least two or three of them in there, the 35, 50 and often the 90. Add in the 16, and I’ve got an ultra compact, ultra lightweight kit that covers an extremely workable range.

Traditionally, photography has been a rather expensive activity. However, since the introduction of the X Series, Fujifilm has done an incredible job giving us a number of very high quality lens choices at reasonable prices, which allows a greater number of people to enjoy great photography.

The new XF16mm f/2.8 fits perfectly into the line and offers Fuji shooters an exceptional and very affordable wide angle lens. Given its size, weight, speed, sweet view angle and the fact that nothing else even comes close in this price range, this is surely one of those no-brainer lenses for just about every X Series photographer.

Filming Rebecca Rusch on the Iditarod Trail with the Fuji X-T3

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I spent last week documenting Rebecca Rusch’s fat biking adventure along the Iditarod Trail Invitational, a 300+ mile ultra winter endurance race that crosses the Alaska Range and traverses through vast sections of wilderness in brutally cold temperatures.

This was a first for both of us. Despite being a champion cyclist and world-class endurance athlete, this was Rebecca’s rookie year in the ITI and her first time racing in extreme cold conditions for days and nights on end. And despite my two-plus decades as a pro photographer, this was my first real video project. 

Although I’ve dabbled with shooting and piecing together short clips for social media, I generally don’t consider myself a video shooter. Up until this point, I have resisted jumping in the pool, for two main reasons: one, because I’m endlessly fascinated by the power of still imagery, and two, because I’m terrified of the huge time and equipment commitment that video requires.

However, I took this project on for two main reasons: one, because I’m endlessly fascinated with Rebecca Rusch, and two, because the Fujifilm X-T3 is a highly capable video camera. Oh yea, and because when a client comes knocking at the door, your answer is ALWAYS “Yes, I can!”

No, this was not my X-T3. You can tell because there’s no snow and no bike riders in front of it.

 

Last year, before Fujifilm announced the X-T3, they commissioned a full 9-minute cinematic film called A Different Beyond. The project was shot entirely with the X-T3 camera system and Fujifilm cinema lenses and directed by Matthew Libatique, whose credits include Black Swan and this year’s highly acclaimed movie A Star is Born. 

A Different Beyond is a gorgeous film, and it highlights just how capable the X-T3 is for shooting high-end video and film productions. With amazing 4K, 60p 10-bit, 400MB/s video specs, the X-T3 is clearly Hollywood ready, as you can see in the picture above.

Although I’m light years removed from this kind of project, I was blown away when I watched A Different Beyond. Even with my limited experience, I was very intrigued by the quality and door-opening possibilities of what today’s cameras technology offers.

That said, my approach to the Rebecca Rusch/ITI project was much more simple, and it closely matched my “fast and light” style. Much of the time, I shot with the X-T3 body and one of my Fuji primes, like the XF35mm f/2, XF50mm f/2 or XF23mm f/1.4. A few times, I used the workhorse XF50-140mm f/2.8.

Often, I used the vertical grip for the X-T3, simply because it gives you those two extra batteries. Shooting video drains them much more quickly; add in sub-zero temperatures and it almost becomes a necessity, especially if you’re shooting longer clips. Then, during downtime, I could charge two batteries together by plugging the grip into the wall via the include 9v AC adapter.

Although the X-T3 shoots gorgeous 4K video, I shot entirely in 1080p Full HD at 200 MB/s. (4K requires much more resources, computing power, card space, battery power, streaming bandwidth, etc…) Full HD on the X-T3 still looks amazing and it’s perfectly suitable for most outlets.

I used the stock ETERNA film simulation, which looks great and offers very wide dynamic range. It’s also highly suitable for color grading, which is often done during the post production stage.

Before the shoot, I spent some time on the phone with one of the Fujifilm Professional Markets Training Managers. He gave me some very good tips to get me started with regards to basic capture settings. That helped a lot.

Keep in mind, these are are all screen grabs in this post, shot at 48 frames per second, with ISO varying between 160 and 3200. I could have shot at higher frame rates, but then you lose the “film” feel and it starts to look like a TV sporting event.

For audio, I mostly used the Fujifilm MIC-STI Stereo Microphone, either in the camera’s hot shoe, or extending it with a 10′ cable, sticking it on a Manfrotto Justin clap and clipping it to anything I could find that would offer me closer placement.

I also used an Insignia brand lapel mic, which came in handy for interviews. I monitored sound via a pair of BOSE headphones that were plugged directly into the X-T3’s headphone port. Yes…! My audio engineering training finally comes in handy!

After starting with the pre-race activities, I shot at the start, the halfway checkpoint at Rainy Pass Lodge, and at the finish in the town of McGrath. My traveling/producer companion was Ally Davis, who is Rebecca’s Media/Business partner, and we spent the week traveling by bush plane, hanging out in the cold in remote Alaska and capturing different aspects about the ITI.

Although I’m a video newbie, I felt comfortable working in this new format. I feel that my photography experience with light, framing and being able to recognize key moments as they unfold translated well and helped me capture some great clips.

As with my regular “still style,” I often shot handheld and moved around quite a bit. However, depending on the lens and framing, certain shots required a tripod to avoid an overly shaky look to the video.

Throughout the project, I made use of a number of the X-T3’s video features, including AUDIO SETTING, the ZEBRA SETTING highlight warning, which I kept at 95%, and AF-C CUSTOM SETTINGS, which lets you adjust how the autofocus performs with regards to acquire speed and “lock-on.” When shooting stills, you always want the fastest acquire possible, but with film, you sometimes want a slower acquire so that it doesn’t look too jumpy.

I also used the HIGHLIGHT/SHADOW TONE settings quite often. In fact, I stuck all of these settings into the X-T3’s MY MENU so I could quickly adjust parameters on the fly. And since it has a separate video settings for photo and video, I could easily switch back and forth when I needed to capture stills.

Overall video performance of the X-T3 was incredible. It worked fine in the cold, down to -20F, the autofocus did great, although to make sure it didn’t “hunt” during a low-movement scene, I often locked on, then switched to Manual Focus with RED/HIGH peaking, and I made use of FACE DETECTION AF whenever possible.

Even though I’m new to this world, I shot with confidence and I feel good about the footage we got. After all, it isn’t really the shooting part that keeps me away from doing more video, it’s the additional time involved. The reality is that I’m afraid I’ll really like it and right now, I can only afford to like it so much.

Fortunately, I won’t have to do the editing. We documented Rebecca’s Alaska adventure for Outside TV and Red Bull, so their in-house production departments will handle all of the post.

Originally designated for 10 minute shorts, we have enough video for a much larger project, so we’re hoping that this will be extended to a full length feature/episode on their channels. I’ll be very excited to see how it all ends up.

Bottom line, the X-T3 is an amazing video camera, and it will handle any kind of project you throw at it.

Of course, the real question is, did I suddenly become a video shooter? Am I hooked? Let’s just say I’m intrigued. The main reason I took this on is because I have a very good working relationship with Rebecca Rusch and a special admiration (ahem… professional crush) for what she does. I wouldn’t have done this for just anyone, and when it all comes down, I still love the magic and power of still photographs.

That said, it was a fun change of pace, a good exercise and a new challenge to dip my toe into this world. I learned a lot, I gained some valuable experience, and as an X-Photographer and X Series guidebook author, I suddenly have a lot more insight when it comes to shooting video on the Fuji cameras.

With my newfound skills and confidence, I’m sure I’ll transition into doing more video. I do enjoy putting together short pieces to score myself, mostly because it gives me an excuse to play music at my desk and call it work.

Check out Rebecca’s Instagram to read detailed and personal accounts of her ITI race experience; they’re quite compelling. And stay tuned for the final film, I’ll let you know as soon as it’s released.

How to Use the PRE-SHOT ES Setting on the Fujifilm X-T3

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One of the coolest features found on the Fujifilm X-T3 is a setting called PRE-SHOT ES. Found in the SHOOTING SETTINGS Menu, this powerful setting is included specifically for photographing fast action and subjects that move very quickly. However, being a … Continue reading →

Exposure Basics for Shooting With Mirrorless Cameras

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I often get questions from readers and workshop students about how I exposure for my scenes. Which exposure mode do I use, how often do I bracket, and in what increments? Which metering pattern do I prefer, center weighted, spot or multi segment? … Continue reading →

I Have Just Updated X SERIES UNLIMITED to Include the X-T3

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I have just released a major update to my X SERIES UNLIMITED eBook. The new October 2018 Revision contains full info on the X-T3, as well as the X-H1 and all the recent firmware updates that have been released during … Continue reading →

Shooting Higher ISO Settings on the Fujifilm X-T3

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The Fujifilm X-T3 has a brand new 26 MP “Back Side Illuminated” sensor. The BSI technology essentially means that the silicon wafer has been flipped so that the circuitry is now on the back of the sensor, instead of on … Continue reading →