Fujifilm Announces the X-T30 Camera, 16mm f/2.8 Lens, and Firmware 4.1 for the X-T3

Fuji has announced a long-awaited sequel to their best-selling camera and a new go-to walkaround lens for the size and budget conscious. The X-T30 and the 16mm f/2.8 are a match made in heaven.

Fujifilm has a lot of different models for their cameras, and the X-T30 is effectively an X-T3 but cheaper, smaller, and without weather sealing. You can see the specs below are almost identical to the X-T3 making this a darn good deal for anyone.

• 26.1-megapixel APS-C X-Trans BSI CMOS 4 Sensor with native ISO of 160
• X-Processor 4 with quad-core CPU
• UHD 4K/30p video (no F-log present it seems), downsampled from the 6K output (same as the X-T3)
• 425-point phase-detection autofocus down to EV -3, a claimed 1.5x improvement
• 0.62x magnification, 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder
• 3.0-inch 1.04-million-dot tilting LCD touchscreen
• Continuous shooting up to 8 fps and up to 30 fps blackout-free with a 1.25x crop factor and the electronic shutter
• Pop-up flash

• 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output / 4:2:0 8-bit in-camera

• Bluetooth
• USB-C connectivity

While the hardware features are impressive, Fuji has also upgraded the already great autofocus abilities (which will be coming to the Fujifilm X-T3 soon in firmware update 4.1). This includes overwhelmingly improved face and eye tracking, as well as supporting smaller faces, from 10 percent of the frame down to 7 percent. There's a brand new "Face Select" feature which can be done by touching the screen or using the AF lever, allowing you to keep track of a specific person in frame and not others. Lastly, they now have improved AF speed even when there is a large gap between near and far subjects, with non-stop phase detection through the focus pull.

While I'm not a fan of Fuji losing the four directional buttons on the back of the camera and instead having just a joystick, menu, and DISP/BACK button, the X-T30 is an amazing deal at $899.95 for the body, $1299.95 with the XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R Kit, or $999.95 with the XC 15-45mm f/3.6-5.6 OIS PZ Kit. Fuji also has an offer to get $300 in savings if you buy the X-T30 with the XF 23mm f/2.0 R WR, XF 35mm f/2.0 R WR, or the XF 50mm f/2.0 R WR.

As someone with an X-T3 already, the newly announced XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR is far more interesting to me. I have the 23mm f/2 currently, but the 16mm f/2.8 is lighter, smaller, wider, and cheaper, which makes it a fantastic walkaround lens to pair with the X-T30 (or any other X-Series camera). The lens can focus as close as 6.6 inches (17 centimeters) and weighs only 155 grams. With 9 rounded aperture blades and 10 elements in 8 groups, this new lens is sure to produce some beautiful images, 

The Fujifilm X-T30 and the XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR will be available on March 20, 2019. Are you planning on getting one? 

Photo by Bryan Minear, provided by Fujifilm.