The Fujifilm X-T30 II is a lightly upgraded version of the Fujifilm X-T30. Like its predecessor, the X-T30 II is an interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera aimed at beginners who want to make the step up to a mid-range model. It's a very portable APS-C camera with more physical buttons and dials than the entry-level Fujifilm X-T200 and makes for a nice sweet spot in between the more portable Fujifilm X-E4 and the more video-oriented Fujifilm X-S10.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II is good for travel photography. It has a small, lightweight body that feels well-built and makes it easy to take on the go. JPEG photos look excellent straight out of the camera, with minimal noise and pleasing colors. While it has plenty of physical dials and buttons that make it easy to adjust settings on the fly, it can also feel a bit cramped due to its small size. Its battery life is also somewhat limited, although you can use it while charging via USB.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II is good for landscape photography. It has good noise handling for an APS-C sensor, and RAW files have a solid amount of exposure latitude, so you can make adjustments and recover shadow detail without sacrificing too much quality. If you shoot in JPEG, images look great straight out of the camera, with several film simulation profiles to choose from to get a different look and feel. The camera also has an HDR mode, which uses in-camera processing to get an image with higher dynamic range. That said, it isn't the most comfortable camera to shoot with.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II is decent for sports and wildlife. It has a fairly quick max burst rate for capturing faster subjects, and it has a very large photo buffer if you shoot in JPEG. However, its RAW photo buffer is much more limited, and it takes a long time to empty once full. Its autofocus system is good, but the tracking can sometimes struggle to keep up with faster-moving subjects.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II is okay for vlogging. It's portable and does an excellent job smoothing out camera shake when paired with an optically stabilized Fuji lens. Video quality is also great. However, you can't flip the screen around to face you while recording, and it suffers from overheating issues when using its highest video quality settings. There's also a lot of rolling shutter in 4k, which can cause distracting skewed lines in the background of your videos.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II is decent for studio video. Video quality is great in more controlled lighting conditions, and the camera can output 10-bit 4:2:2 video over HDMI. It also supports Log recording to get the most out of the sensor. Internally, however, it's limited to 8-bit 4:2:0 color. It also tends to overheat when recording for long periods using its highest video quality settings. While there's a microphone input, the camera doesn't have a headphone jack to monitor your audio while shooting.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II isn't meant for action video, but it's okay for filming sports. The camera is lightweight and portable, though it isn't designed for mounting on a helmet or chest rig. It does an excellent job of smoothing out video footage when using an optically stabilized lens, but you still need a gimbal or stabilizer to get very smooth action footage. The camera's 4k frame rates are also limited for action video, but it does have a high-speed recording mode in 1080p.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II comes in two color variants: Black and Silver. You can purchase the body alone or bundled with the Fujinon XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R OIS kit lens.
Let us know if you come across another variant, and we'll update the review.
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The Fujifilm X-T30 II is a fairly well-rounded entry-level APS-C camera. It has a portable, retro-inspired design, which Fujifilm is known for, and physical buttons and dials give it a ton of functionality and customizability. However, while autofocus performance is good overall, it isn't as consistent as the latest cameras from Sony or Canon.
Physically, the X-T30 II is nearly identical to the original Fujifilm X-T30, with the biggest difference being a higher-resolution screen. On the inside, however, the X-T30 II has some nice improvements, including a newer AF system, a larger photo buffer, and longer video recording times. Still, if you already own the X-T30, it probably isn't worth the upgrade.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best cameras for beginners, the best cameras for photography, and the best cameras.
The Fujifilm X-S10 and the Fujifilm X-T30 II are both great starter cameras. They both use the same sensor, so image and video quality is comparable. That said, the X-S10 is more suited to vlogging and video work because of its fully-articulated screen and in-body image stabilization, while the X-T30 II is more portable and has different ergonomics, with dedicated exposure dials and a tilting screen.
The Nikon Z fc and the Fujifilm X-T30 II perform similarly overall, with a few key differences. The Fujifilm is more portable and has a tilting screen that's great for waist-level shooting. It uses a higher-resolution sensor than the Nikon, but the Nikon is a bit better when it comes to dynamic range and low-light noise handling. The Nikon is bigger and has a fully articulated screen that's better for video and vlogging. It also has a more reliable autofocus tracking system.
The Fujifilm X-T4 is better overall than the Fujifilm X-T30 II, though they both use the same sensor, so image quality is roughly on par between them. If you prefer a more robust camera with weather-sealing, a bigger high-resolution viewfinder, and a fully articulated screen, get the X-T4. If you're looking for something smaller and easier to carry around, the X-T30 II is still a great option. However, the X-T4 also has better internal video recording capability, so it's a better option for video work.
The Sony ZV-E10 and the Fujifilm X-T30 II are aimed at different users, though they're both good beginner cameras. The Sony is intended for vloggers, and its design reflects that, with a fully articulated screen, simple button layout, and portable form factor. The Fujifilm, on the other hand, is aimed at photographers and has a viewfinder, dedicated exposure dials, and tilting screen.
The Nikon Z 50 and the Fujifilm X-T30 II are both good beginner cameras. The Nikon is less portable than the Fujifilm, but it's a bit more comfortable to shoot with, thanks to a larger handgrip and viewfinder. Otherwise, they both offer well-rounded photo and video performance for casual or beginner shooters.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II is a refreshed version of the Fujifilm X-T30. The cameras look almost identical on the outside, though the Mark II has a higher-resolution tilting screen. The X-T30 II also has internal upgrades, including a newer autofocus system, a slightly larger photo buffer, and longer video recording time limits. Overall, it's a solid improvement, but if you already own an X-T30, it isn't different enough to warrant an upgrade.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II is quite portable with nearly identical dimensions as the Fujifilm X-T30. Its body is narrow, if a little tall, but it has a slim profile that makes it easy to slip into a camera bag. It also doesn't weigh too much, so it won't cause as much fatigue to carry it around your neck or shoulder on long shooting days.
The camera feels very well-built. Like the Fujifilm X-T30, it's made of metal and plastic and feels sturdy and high quality. Inputs are covered by a rubber flap, while the battery and SD card slots are covered by a hinged door.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II has three command dials, which also have press functionality to control different settings. There's a front command dial, a rear command dial, and a dedicated shutter speed dial on top.
On top of that, the camera also has an exposure compensation dial and a dedicated drive mode dial, so you can easily switch from single to continuous shooting to movie mode and more. On the front of the camera, you also have a focus mode toggle to quickly switch between single autofocus, continuous autofocus, and manual focus. Many of the buttons and dials are customizable as well.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II isn't bad when it comes to comfort. The small size of its hand grip and body make it feel a bit cramped to hold for those with larger hands. Because of its size, it's also easy to press buttons accidentally, particularly the 'Q' button because of its placement near the back thumb rest. That said, the camera feels well-balanced with the Fujinon XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 kit lens attached, and having a dedicated shutter speed dial along with two command dials makes it easy to adjust any aspect of the exposure triangle on the fly. The thumbstick is also intuitive to use for menu navigation.
The screen is bright enough to overcome glare in sunnier conditions, and its tilting design is ideal for waist-level shooting. The screen also has a notably higher resolution than the original Fujifilm X-T30, giving you a sharper image and making it easier to review your photos more clearly. However, the touch capabilities are limited to selecting focus points, use as a touch shutter, and enabling AF tracking.
The menu system from the Fujifilm X-T30 remains unchanged, and it's easy to navigate using the thumbstick. There's a bit of a learning curve, but all submenus and settings are clearly labeled and logically organized. There's also a guide function to explain certain settings.
This camera is also compatible with Fujifilm's XApp, which Fujifilm claims to offer smoother wireless connectivity between X series cameras and smartphones than the older Fujifilm Camera Connect app. You can use it to transfer files or control the camera remotely.
Battery performance is okay. It has a 390-shot CIPA rating, which is slightly better than the original Fujifilm X-T30, rated at 380 shots. That's a fairly average CIPA rating for a mirrorless camera, and it should last a solid amount if you shoot conservatively, but more extensive shooting will drain the battery quicker. You also get about an hour of battery life when shooting video continuously in 4k with the highest quality settings, which isn't great. Thankfully, you can keep using it while it charges over USB, which is handy if you have a portable battery pack.
The camera has an okay continuous shooting speed. It maxes out at 8 fps when using the mechanical shutter, which is decently fast for capturing burst shots of moving subjects and action. In silent mode, with the electronic shutter, it shoots at up to 10 fps, so that's great for capturing bursts when you need to be discreet or when taking photos of skittish wildlife, though the e-shutter can also cause distortion. The RAW photo buffer is quite small, but it's much harder to fill out the buffer when shooting in JPEG. If you do fill it up, it takes a little while to empty, which can interrupt your shooting at a critical moment.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II uses a hybrid autofocus system. Unlike the Fujifilm X-T30, the Mark II uses Fuji's updated tracking system, the same one found on the Fujifilm X-T4. It's a little more intuitive, with a single tracking box that locks onto your target rather than the busier interface of the older model.
The camera supports face and eye detection, but it isn't especially reliable. It's somewhat easily confused with multiple faces in the frame, often switching the focus away from the intended target. While it isn't bad with slower subjects, it can quickly lose track of subjects that are moving more quickly or erratically.
If you prefer not to rely on tracking, the autofocus is a lot more effective. With the center point, focusing is very accurate and quick, especially when using a lens with a decent focusing motor.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II doesn't have in-body sensor-shift stabilization. However, you can use optically stabilized lenses if you need to shoot at slower shutter speeds without a tripod, like when there's less light. With the XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 kit lens, which has optical image stabilization (OIS), it does an excellent job of stabilizing handheld shots.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II has good usable dynamic range. It can capture a solid range of detail in high-contrast scenes. If you shoot to preserve shadow detail, however, highlights still tend to get blown out quite a bit. Still, it performs well for an APS-C sensor, and if you underexpose your images to preserve those highlights, RAW files do have good exposure latitude, allowing you to brighten shadows a few stops without introducing too much noise.
RAW noise handling is good. It doesn't compare to cameras with full-frame sensors, but you can get relatively clean files at moderately high ISO settings, allowing you to shoot in dimmer lighting conditions without worrying too much about sacrificing quality.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II can record FHD, UHD 4k and DCI 4k video. It also supports F-Log recording if you want to color-grade your footage. If you shoot with an external recorder, it can also output 10-bit 4:2:2 video over HDMI, capturing more color information and giving you more leeway when processing your videos.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II can record 4k video at up to 30 fps, which is good for a range of video styles, but the camera lacks any high frame rate options for smooth action video or slow-motion recording.
4k internal recording capability is adequate. The camera can capture video at high bit rates, resulting in higher-quality video files. However, it suffers from severe overheating issues when recording continuous video for long periods in MOV format at the highest quality settings. That said, it has a solid 30-minute recording time limit, which is a significant improvement over the ten-minute cap on the Fujifilm X-T30.
Autofocus performance is excellent overall when shooting 4k video. The general subject tracking does an amazing job of keeping subjects in focus, and the camera supports face and eye detection. The face tracking works quite consistently, doing a great job of maintaining focus on moving faces, though it can lose track if subjects turn around or move very quickly, and it sometimes has to hunt to find its target. Overall, it's good for most situations but isn't as consistent as other AF systems like Sony's.
4k video quality is impressive, especially in more controlled lighting conditions. Footage looks sharp and detailed, and the camera does a good job in low light. Shadows are preserved pretty well, and there isn't an overwhelming amount of noise or grain.
Unfortunately, the Fujifilm X-T30 II has a slow sensor readout speed, resulting in very noticeable rolling shutter. Vertical lines look heavily skewed with faster camera movements.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II has a ton of frame rate options in 1080p. In normal recording, it can shoot at up to 60 fps, so you can capture smooth action or incorporate slow-motion. It also has a high-speed recording mode, like other Fujifilm cameras, that records at up to 240 fps in 1080p in slow-motion with no audio. That's an improvement over the 120 fps max of the Fujifilm X-T30. This mode incurs a noticeable crop, however.
Internal recording is good in 1080p. It captures high video bit rates, resulting in videos with more information and quality. As with 4k, the recording time limit is 30 minutes, improving upon the Fujifilm X-T30's 15 minutes.
Autofocus is still excellent in 1080p, though like with 4k, it can sometimes lose its target or hunt a little before finding it. It still does a great job tracking moving subjects overall and supports both face and eye detection.
1080p video quality is great in more controlled lighting conditions. It looks relatively sharp, and colors are pleasing straight out of the camera. In low light, video looks decent, though it's more grainy and lacks detail in the shadows.
There's less rolling shutter in 1080p, but vertical lines still look a bit skewed with faster camera movements.
There's just a single UHS-I SD card slot, so you can't take advantage of the faster read and write speeds of UHS-II cards. It's located inside the battery compartment on the bottom of the camera, making it tricky to switch out cards when using a tripod.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II has a wide array of inputs and outputs, but it doesn't have a headphone jack to monitor your audio while you record. Unlike the Fujifilm X-T4, there isn't a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter in the box.