Fujifilm Finepix HS30EXR Review

Can Fujifilm’s HS30EXR reshape the superzoom and right the wrongs of last year’s HS20 model? The What Digital Camera Fujifilm Finepix HS30EXR review…

Fujifilm’s HS30EXR superzoom takes the concept of last year’s HS20 and brings it up to date with some subtle, but important new features. Although the 16MP-sensor superzoom may have most of the same ingredients as its predecessor, does it have what it takes to correct for the HS20’s shortcomings? The What Digital Camera Fujifilm Finepix HS30EXR review takes a look…

Fujifilm Finepix HS30EXR review – Features

A superzoom wouldn’t be so called if it didn’t have a significant zoom on offer. The HS30’s 24-720mm f/2.8-5.6 (equivalent) lens has that more than covered. But not only can this optic make far-away subjects fill the frame, it’s also go a 1cm-from-subject Super Macro mode when shooting at the widest-angle 24mm setting.

A 3in, 460k-dot LCD screen is mounted on a tilt-angle bracket and is complemented by an electronic viewfinder (EVF). But here’s the first big news: the EVF is both larger and higher resolution than its predecessor. An integral step in making the camera more user friendly.

Behind the scenes and the Fuji HS30 utilises the same 16-megapixel, back-side illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor with EXR processing and sensor-shift image stabilisation technology as found in the HS20 model. The pixels are rotated by 45° degrees for more effective capture of light, while EXR processing engine is said to process superior images.

Images can be captured from ISO 100-3200 at any given resolution, or at 8MP for ISO 6400 and 4MP for ISO 12,800. In addition there’s a 1080p HD movie capture mode that uses the H.264 compression codec for best possible quality.

Auto shooting, full manual controls, and burst shooting up to eight frames per second (8fps) complete the package.