If you are a vlogger and considering buying Fujifilm X-T30 for your vlogs, this is for you. This article aims to review and study the camera specifications from the perspective of a vlogger.
Before I began, I researched online and asked a family relative who owns it for feedback. However, I also took the liberty to use it to experience before I pen my thoughts. Cutting the chase, Fujifilm X-T30 is a mirrorless camera with an interchangeable lens.
It is portable and lightweight, which is wonderful for vloggers as we travel a lot! Since it’s a small camera, it is most suitable for people with smaller hands, comparatively. I had trouble working around the shoulder straps as they were placed in an uncomfortable position, hindering the movement while shooting or taking pictures. I also found the eyecup to be stiff.
Fujifilm X-T30 Key Features:
Overview:
It supports 4K and FHD video recording and has good and sharp picture quality. I like that it comes with a tripod mount, and a Lens mount, with a sturdy screen mechanism.
One of the few drawbacks, personally for me, is that it is not water-resistant and has no guide for new users, which is quite startling. For someone like me who is technology-friendly, it didn’t take me a while to adjust to it, but for someone new at it, a guide would surely help.
Another thing that disappointed me was that it has no in-body stabilization, essential for vlogging. We go for many adventures and excursions in all sorts of environments and conditions; stabilization is imperative for good quality content as it corrects the movements, wide- angles, with long focal lengths. It helps in achieving a shake-free video with sharp still images.
Autofocus:
A feature to appreciate is autofocus. Even though it is not as good as Canon or Nikon, it is pretty decent considering that it’s a Fujifilm camera. Fuji has improved their hybrid auto-focus with this little guy as it is fast and accurate. Face and eye detection is also a good quality to mention.
Lens:
X-T30 could have had a wider lens, especially if it’s being considered for vloggers, as most of us work to create content independently, which makes us use the selfie mode very often.
Therefore, the lens should’ve been wider, which is a compromise for me. Stemming from the selfie mode and working independently, it has become convenient to use the flip-out screen. It helps us monitor our recording and ensure that we remain within the frame at all times. Unfortunately, X-T30 has no such feature. So yes, a no-flip screen is a definite bummer for me.
Image Quality:
You may be wondering that even if it gives good quality images and videos with the existing lens, I can still give it a try. Well, guess what? It doesn’t give you the quality you need unless you add an extra lens to it.
My friend who owns X-T30, Samantha, is not a vlogger but usually uses her camera to capture travel pictures. She is quite content with it as it fits her requirement and gives her the results needed. She doesn’t use big lenses, which works well for this tiny camera because the body of the X-T30 may not be able to support it.
Battery Life:
The camera is small and so is the battery life. On average, it gives 45 minutes of recording time and roughly 60 minutes of still images. You can always carry a portable charger and USB to use the in-camera charging facility.
Headphone Jack:
There is no headphone jack (and I don’t understand why), but you can cover this up using the USB-C port with an adapter.
Memory Card Slot:
With only one memory slot, you may also face problems with memory and storage. Unfortunately, there is no option for UHS-II either. Again, for someone who is using this camera as a hobby or even for blogging, it may suffice, but this is a big no for video content creators.
Key Specifications of Fujifilm X-T30:
- 1MP APS-C X-Trans BSI-CMOS 4 sensor
- X-Processor 4
- The Hybrid AF system has 425 phase-detect points spread across the entire frame
- Burst shooting at 30 fps with no blackout (but 1.25X) crop using electronic shutter; 20 fps without crop
- 36M-dot OLED viewfinder w/0.62x Equiv. magnification and 100 fps refresh rate in boost mode
- 3″ tilting touchscreen display
- Dedicated drive, shutter speed and exposure compensation dials
- Joystick for AF point selection
- Eterna Film Simulation mode
- DCI and UHD 4K/30p capture using the full width of the sensor
- 4:2:0 8-bit internal recording or 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output
- USB-C socket with headphone support
- Single SD card slot (UHS-I only)
Conclusion:
It is a versatile camera with some features to appreciate. However, there are many reasons for me why I wouldn’t opt for the X-T30 for vlogging, mainly because of no stabilized lens to support the videos, the flip screen is not there, and the specs don’t add up to the competing cameras for vlogging.
The fuji colors are nice. It gives you a nice contrast. Maybe, if you add the 15 to the 45-millimeter lens, perhaps it can change the stance a bit then, but as it is, it is not up to the mark just yet!
If you have a small budget, under USD 900, and looking for a small camera with reasonable features, this is for you.
