Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR review

Fujifilm is currently the only company producing ultra-zoom cameras that take their operational cues from SLRs. While other ultra-zoom cameras use levers to zoom in and out, on the HS30EXR it’s done by twisting the lens barrel. There’s another lens ring for manual focus, and the camera is littered with single-function buttons for direct access to drive mode, ISO speed, exposure compensation, white balance, exposure mode, focus mode and focus area. Adjusting any of these simply involves holding down the button and turning the command dial. This is the kind of control that’s normally reserved for upmarket SLRs, and it’s fantastic to find it on a competitively priced ultra-zoom camera. The HS30EXR’s credentials as a serious camera continue with raw capture, a hotshoe and an articulated LCD screen. It’s a little bulkier and heavier than its rivals, but with its large, textured handgrip it’s extremely comfortable to hold and use.

All of these features are shared with the outgoing Fujifilm FinePix HS20EXR. The two cameras use the same lens too, and to look at they’re virtually impossible to tell apart. There are some welcome changes tucked away inside the camera, though. One is the move from four AA batteries to a single lithium ion battery. AAs are an additional expense and cumbersome to charge; the new battery is much more practical and elegant. It’s a big one, too, with enough capacity for 600 shots. Lithium ion batteries are normally quicker to charge the flash than AAs, but in our tests the HS30EXR only shaved a second off its predecessor, at seven seconds between shots at full flash power.

The electronic viewfinder has been upgraded, too, from 200,000 to 920,000 dots. This makes a huge difference, transforming the viewfinder from something we’d only use when forced to (when very bright conditions made the main screen unusable) to one we’d happily use routinely. With the help of the lens ring and a momentary digital magnification function, manual focusing was easier than on an SLR.

The HS30EXR also introduces manual focus during video capture, although this wasn’t so easy to adjust accurately. The momentary magnification is unavailable while recording, which is hardly surprising as it would ruin the shot, but the button to switch from screen to viewfinder stopped working too.

Video capture is one of the camera’s weaker areas. Details were blocky and, despite the 1080p resolution, closer to what we’d expect from a 720p video mode. The focus motor interfered with the soundtrack, regardless of whether we selected auto or manual focus. This video mode is by no means a write-off but it’s not up to the standards of other ultra-zoom cameras.

The sensor’s key specifications haven’t changed since the HS20EXR, but Fujifilm claims a 30 per cent reduction in noise levels from this redesigned sensor. We struggled to spot this improvement, though, even when comparing identical shots from our controlled studio tests. Then again, noise levels from the HS20EXR were pretty good, so indistinguishable output from this updated model is no bad thing.

The complex texture of these pebbles looks slightly blocky at 16 megapixels, possibly a limitation of the EXR technology – click to enlarge

As before, the sensor struggled to deliver on the promises of the 16-megapixel resolution, with a slightly blocky appearance to fine details. 16-megapixel photos also revealed the limitations of the lens, which displayed some chromatic aberrations where the red, green and blue elements of the image don’t line up perfectly. However, switching to 8 megapixels – as this EXR-branded sensor is especially designed to do – gave significantly crisper details, extremely low noise and the option to expand the dynamic range to avoid washed out highlights. Some people may feel that 8 megapixels is an unacceptable compromise but we disagree; it’s plenty for A4 prints.

By switching to 8 megapixels, details appear much crisper. There’s impressively little noise considering the ISO 1000 sensitivity used in this shot – click to enlarge

Ultra-zoom cameras are often used for sports and wildlife photography, so a fast continuous drive mode is useful for capturing these fast-moving subjects. We couldn’t get it to deliver on its 11fps top quoted speed, but 10.1fps in our tests, slowing to 2.6fps after 13 frames, is still an excellent result. This is only when shooting at 8 megapixels, though – for 16-megapixel shots, it managed 7fps for six frames before slowing to 1fps. Various slower speeds are also available, but sadly none of them offer continuously updating autofocus. Live view is unavailable during continuous capture, too, and even the exposure settings are fixed for the duration of capture. This needn’t be a problem if you’re shooting a subject that’s staying put, but it makes it very difficult to capture multiple shots of moving subjects.

Our biggest concern with the HS20EXR – and all of Fujifilm’s recent compact cameras for that matter – sadly hasn’t been resolved. While it can take a shot every 1.4 seconds in normal use, most of the controls are inoperable during the time it takes to save photos to memory card. This might only delay the user by a second or two, but raw mode or continuous capture meant lengthier waits. After selecting both raw and continuous modes and capturing a string of shots, we had to wait for 11 seconds to regain control of the camera. Even for minor delays, it’s confusing and annoying to press buttons and nothing to happen. It’s particularly frustrating because, in all other respects, this camera is extremely responsive. The plethora of physical controls is its best feature, but these delays take the shine off.

All those handy controls, but they are frustratingly inoperable at times

There’s a lot to like here but the HS30EXR faces some stiff competition. Its strongest rival is theFujifilm X-S1, which raises the stakes even higher for image quality in low light and for video capture, although it costs around £200 more. Meanwhile, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 is even better for video capture. While it trails slightly behind the Fujifilm cameras in low light, in most other respects it has the upper hand. The HS30EXR is a strong contender but the Panasonic FZ150 remains our top recommendation.