This year was a terrible time to get into compact camera photography. Instagram and TikTok made fixed-lens cameras like the Fujifilm X100VI and the Ricoh GR IV extremely popular, to the point that a lack of supply and tariffs made both companies jack up prices. Now Fujifilm has another compact camera with a special dial that I can already tell will become the next big influencer camera that will inevitably become impossible to buy.
The new camera is the Fujifilm X-T30 III, a sequel to the older X-T30 II from 2021—best used for shooting in tight confines. That’s doubly true for the X-T30 III with the ability to shoot video up to 6.2K at 30 fps instead of the earlier version’s max 4K shooting. You can also take it up to 4K and 60 fps with 10-bit color mode. Fujifilm also claims it boosted the subject-detect autofocus capabilities that may make taking quick shots of fast-walking, fast-talking New Yorkers a bit easier. The new camera sports a new X-Processor 5 image processor that the company promises should speed up your shooting.
However, the big reason the Instagram crowd is going to go gaga for this camera is the addition of a film simulation dial. Fujifilm cameras have already been riding hard on their ability to mimic film, such as with their Reala Ace or Acros black and white settings. Just like last year’s more expensive X-T50, the X-T30 III adds a special dial on top that lets you quickly switch between the various simulations. The Japanese camera maker went even harder about the new shooter’s “simplicity,” with a single switch for auto mode in case you really don’t want to bother with ISO, shutter speed, or aperture, or else adjust for focus and exposure. The camera also includes a built-in flash and electronic viewfinder.
The third-generation camera X-T30 uses the same 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 image sensor as before. That means it’s not a full-frame camera but rather a 1.5x crop. Unlike the fixed-lens cameras that became so popular before, you will need to purchase a separate lens. Fujifilm is promoting its new $400 Fujinon XC13 lens. It’s an ultrawide 33mm, f/3.5-6.3 lens with manual zoom control between 20mm to 50mm, and built-in stabilization for low-light shooting. The camera itself lacks any in-body stabilization, so you’ll need a lens like the XC13 for shooting that high-quality video on the go.
The X-T30 III’s main body without an additional lens starts at $1,000 (B&H is selling a kit with a 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 lens for $1,150). That’s still steep, but considering cameras like the X100VI now cost $1,800 (it originally sold for $1,600), the X-T30 III seems more reasonable. Fuji’s X-E5—which is essentially an X100VI body with an interchangeable lens system—starts at $1,700 for the body alone. The new X-T30 III is lighter than either of those cameras at just 378 grams, or just under one pound, without any attached lens. It also promises to net you a battery life long enough for 425 shots per charge.
In many ways, Fujifilm’s latest seems like a great starting camera for anybody thinking of getting into street photography or for somebody who wants a lightweight camera that can add more flair to their family vacation photos. Of course, that’s before TikTokers can get their hands on it and limit supply. Options for low-cost, lightweight cameras are becoming more strained. The Ricoh GR IV, for example, demands $1,500 when its previous iteration—the GR III—started at $900 in 2019. Ricoh also has a black and white “Monochrome” version of the camera that is set to debut next spring. There’s no pricing info yet for the monochrome GR IV, but I don’t have any doubt it will demand a chunk of change.
