Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR Digital Camera (OLD MODEL)

PREFACE: This review is primarily intended for Point & Shoot types. I do not delve into MANUAL adjustments, nor do I have any interest in that. I want something that will take good pics without undue hassle and is convenient to take on travel. Well, after a fairly long wait for Fujifilm to release the HS-30, mine arrived this afternoon. I charged the li-on battery (no more four AAs) and took it outside to take around ten test shots. They turned out perfectly. I had the HS-10 ... then HS-20 before this latest incarnation, and really liked both cameras. I've no doubts I'll like this one at least, if not more, than the previous HS-20. You can read all the specs, etc., so I won't get into that. Physically, the electronic viewfinder and LCD are sharp, clear, and bright - and I do detect that slight shortening of the flash unit, which protruded a bit annoyingly on the HS-20. Thus, no problem at all focusing with the manual lens (which I love). I also did not detect the lag one experienced between shots with the HS-20. Now, again, I just received the thing and only took some ten shots ... but I was very happy with the shots. Since mine is the first review, it remains to be seen if problems, such as the overheating warning with the past early editions of the HS-20 produced, will come along as others get their cameras and put them to use. I hope to get out there tomorrow and run this thing through its paces. If anything untoward happens, I will certainly advise. The HS-30, like the HS-20, sure beats the heck out of having to stop to change cumbersome lenses for differing shots/scenes! Additionally, it all fits into a nice/compact Case Logic case, no more lugging around all that other "stuff" in backpacks, etc. :-) In closing, my background is strictly amateur photography. I've no aspirations in becoming a pro. The pics I take are for my own enjoyment, and it ends there. Speaking only for myself, I do believe photography should be fun, not a hassle. I've had the Canon 7D and the 60D, with all the "L" lenses, so I do "know my way around the block" a bit. This is not to say I think this bridge camera takes the place of DSLRs for professional use, certainly not. Enjoy your HS-30, and please do post your experiences so we can all benefit. :-) ADDED: March 15, 2012: Took the camera out to my favorite park and ran it through its paces. There was a slight ... slight ... delay between some shots at the park, but no delay when taking pics indoors and other environments. Not a problem for me. I took 52 pictures, and except for two, they were absolutely perfect, and those two were probably my fault. The zoom works fine, no problems. The LCD is also excellent, though I prefer taking my shots via the viewfinder. Lastly: I am a huge fan of POST PROCESSING any pictures I take, be it with a DSLR or the HS-30. I have a MAC and use APERTURE 3, and Aperture 3 makes a notable difference in getting pictures to look the way I want them (that "finishing touch"). If you're using a Windows machine, you might want to look into software packages designed to work with digital pictures. SUMMATION: Realizing this camera is NOT a DSLR, I would buy it again in a heartbeat. It felt so nice to walk around the park this morning without lugging along a bag filled with heavy lenses. And the resulting pictures more than satisfy me. ADDED: 3-20: Having had this camera since last week, and having taken a lot of shots with it, I can say I take nothing back: it was worth buying. I am speaking strictly from a Point & Shoot perspective here. If one is looking for all the bells and whistles of a DSLR, then get a DSLR, or you're probably gonna be frustrated. Reiterating: though quite advanced for a P&S, this camera, in the end, is NOT a DSLR. ADDED/CONCLUSION: 5-2-12: I've now had the HS-30 for about 1.5 months and have used it extensively. I even took it on the annual trek to Las Vegas a bit over a week ago, and it performed flawlessly. If anything, I would draw the prospective buyer's attention to ACTION photography. I would NOT expect this to behave like a DSLR in this respect, OK? You CAN get a sequence using CONTINUOUS MODE, but I found using a DSLR in this respect (action shots of moving subjects) much more satisfying. Taking shots of static objects however, this camera has worked excellently. I note the price keeps dropping on what they were asking initially for the camera. I think it's a great bargain if you're in the market for a great Point and Shoot camera.

REASONS TO BUY IT: For me it came down to buying a DSLR at the very lowest end, or buying this, which is probably one of the best in its class. Maybe it’s like the difference between being the best college player (this camera) or the worst professional player (low-end DSLR). -This camera is at least $100 cheaper than the cheapest DSLR, but has *almost* as many ways to take a picture. When you throw in the ability to take and edit photos in RAW format, you should expect high quality pictures that you could frame, if you wanted (though, of course, you’ll have to learn to use the camera well, first). -The lens is probably as good as you will find *on a non-dslr camera.* However, like DSLR lenses, it will accept filters (58mm, the same size as the Canon Rebel DSLR series). -Also like a DSLR, you can zoom manually, and even focus manually if you choose, though I find I trust autofocus more than my own adjustments. This is a huge advantage over most other point-and-shoot cameras. -It is just a little smaller than a typical DSLR combo (though larger than most point and shoot units). -The viewfinder is a must for taking pictures outside on sunny days. REASONS NOT TO BUY IT -If you don’t want to learn how to use the various settings, it has way more than you need, and is more expensive than simpler cameras. -If you have the money to buy a *good* DSLR, you’d probably be better off with that. For instance, a good DSLR lens would have lower f/stops than this lens. -If you don’t really want a camera, and you are reading this review for no particular reason. HUNDREDS OF WAYS TO TAKE ANY GIVEN PICTURE This thing has more dials and switches than the flight deck of a Boeing 747. For some, that would negative, for others, positive. There are 32 possible modes, and 90 potential parameters to use. Not every mode can make use of each parameter, but suppose half the parameters are available in each mode (which is probably an accurate average) and you have 1500 different possible different ways to take any given picture. This does not count the incremental aperture, shutter, zoom and focus adjustments you can make in many of the different modes, nor the many different increments of exposure or white balance compensation. In addition, if you shoot in RAW format (one of the huge benefits of this camera) you can make almost unlimited adjustments to your pictures on your computer, after you take them. In the midst of all that, however, there are two modes that are basically fully automatic: EXR Auto, and “just plain” Auto. These are useful for quick shots and establishing baselines, however, if you just want a camera to “point and shoot” this one has way more than you need, and you can find a fully auto camera cheaper. BOTTOM LINE This is a top-of-the-line camera for a non-dslr. The lens has a great range between wide an zoom. The manual adjustments and the ability to use lens filters all make it a great choice for the non-professional enthusiast.

I bought this as a gift. My wife wanted a digital camera with a viewfinder that you hold up to your eye and a long telephoto lens. This camera has the highest resolution viewfinder that I could find and it is beautiful. It also switches automatically between the back LCD display and the viewfinder. The telephoto is 30x which is terrific. The camera is image stabilized so the telephoto is useful at full range. I really like the camera and so does my wife. It is compact, fits her hands well, and is light. I would have given it a 5 but the battery charger came with a European type cord. I could not plug it in to charge the battery and there were a few tense moments as she unwrapped the gift. I managed to replace the end on the cord, but this should not be necessary.

I tried every mode on this camera and took over 300 pictures with only 3 or 4 being relatively decent after processing out the noise and fixing the exposure in Light Room. I couldn't believe how grainy and noisy the photos were from this camera. I was sorting through some old pictures from an old 5 MP HP I had over five years ago and these pictures were much better than the ones with the brand new, expensive camera that is supposed to be excellent. Nope. Not at all. The face recognition mode (and dog face mode) took soft, even blurry, pictures and the auto release was too slow to even catch the face shot anyway (in one instance catching two tails instead of faces), I do better on my own. The only reason I did give it two stars is that I LOVE the manual zoom and the way the camera feels in my hands. The tilt screen is also a nice feature. These points made me sad to have to send this camera back and I tried really hard to make it work for me. You have no idea how much I really wanted to like this camera. I tried hard to attribute it to user error and "figure it out." It was not me. I did so much research on different settings to try and how to reduce noise. Eventually, after trying everything I could find and reading many reviews about others with problems with noise and soft focus, I concluded that it was not me. If only the image quality was acceptable, I would never have traded this camera for anything. If you're not really picky about image quality and noise, this is probably a very nice camera, I just can't handle it. Overall, extremely disappointed. I had high hopes for this camera. I don't think that clear pictures with minimal noise is too much to ask without having to go to the inconvenience of DSLR. Yes, I am extremely picky, but I have had cheaper cameras in the past that made me happy, so I am pleasable. I just want pictures I am proud to have taken, not embarrassed to share! I sent it back today. I guess I'll spend a bit more and try the Panasonic Lumix FZ200 and hope it does better!

If your primary need is a powerful zoom and your photographs are intended for small prints and online viewing, this camera will likely give you satisfactory and sometimes even impressive results for a reasonable price. However, if sharp details, overall picture quality, and enlarged prints are necessary and the large zoom is secondary, this camera is likely a downgrade from what you already own. Before purchasing, I saw the overwhelmingly positive reviews of this camera, and one complaining that the pictures weren't as good as an iPhone 4S. I dismissed the latter and purchased the camera. But, he was right [sort of]. This camera is the equivalent of a common point-and-shoot, but with a large zoom lens and a lot of manual controls. The 30x zoom is impressive and lets you get much closer to the subject, and in most cases the larger lens gives better depth-of-field effects than a camera phone or even many point-and-shoots. But, even under the best conditions, pictures are noisy and details are muddy and painterly. An iPhone, of course, has no optical zoom, but for close range shots, it does indeed pick-up more fine details with less noise than the FinePix HS30EXR, particularly in lower light situations. To test: With this camera in one hand and my iPhone in the other, I shot several pictures of my dog under indoor lighting. On the viewfinder or even fit onto a laptop screen, the pictures were fairly equivalent; however, zoomed in 100% the differences were clear. Where the iPhone was able to pick-up the detail of individual hairs, the FinePix simply showed a mottled, unclear texture. Outdoor performance was significantly better, but still noisy and lacking detail. Please check professional reviews. Although this camera has a look similar to a DSLR, it actually uses the same tiny image sensor used in a compact point-and-shoot and accordingly produces the same passable but unremarkable images. I sent mine back, and replaced it with a Sony Nex-5N and telephoto lens. That, of course, is a significant price difference and maybe not a fair comparison, but the difference in picture quality is also phenomenal.

This camera is fantastic! It replaced a much older FujiFilm camera, and the additions in features are huge. The photo quality is better, low-light performance is better, and the automatic functions have improved. I specifically wanted a camera with a hot shoe for a separate flash, a long zoom (30x), and one with anti-shake, which this one has. It uses a proprietary battery rather than four AA cells, which turned out to be an advantage. I got two spare batteries and an additional charger, so there will always be one or two fully charged spares. The official Fuji batteries are pricey, but I got the spares + charger from a non-brand-name place here on Amazon. I have gotten several games (300+ photos and 3-hours of on-time) without replacing the battery. With kids who are three-sport athletes, I shoot in poorly-lit conditions--night football, in gyms--and I used to have to manually set the ASA and shutter speed for the action. The HS30EXR has a "Sport" mode that produces game/meet photos better than manual settings. The face detection function in EXR mode makes sure that faces are what gets optimized for lighting the focus. From shooting outdoors in all conditions, I needed a camera that was heavy on the features, but not so expensive that I'd be afraid to take it out in the rain or snow, and the HS30EXR packs a lot of features and quality for the price. A couple pleasant surprises have been how nice the large external screen is for both shooting and for reviewing photos, and that the screen goes blank when the camera senses that you've put your eye to the eyepiece. I was worried about the duration of the charge of the proprietary battery and the cost of replacements, but as written above, the Fuji battery has been an advantage over AA's. Another concern was that I was used to a motorized zoom, and the HS30EXR's zoom is manual. That took very little time to get used to, plus it's less of a drain on the battery. It also took very little time to get used to the controls which are different than my old FujiFilm camera. The HS30EXR uses the more common SD card rather than xD. There's so much that this camera can do that I go through the manual (downloaded as PDF online) and try to learn one new thing at a time. Get yourself a large SD card, as you'll probably be taking a lot of photos. Get a Class 10 card for fast read/write times (video and burst-mode photos).

I had high hopes for this camera after reading many reviews. The fact that it supported RAW file format and had a 30x zoom for the price all felt too good to be true. And as it turns out, it was. This camera is SLOW: to turn on, to wake up, to focus, to switch modes...the list goes on. It also goes into sleep mode from which it is nearly impossible to wake it without turning it off then on again. This wouldn't be so bad except that every time you turn the camera off then on again, you lose whatever custom or programmed settings you had made; reprogramming those settings over and over again because this crappy camera can't seem to wake from sleep is a real drag and caused me to miss any number of great shots, exposed properly. The resolution and crispness of images with this camera is terrible, even in broad daylight with minimal zoom being used; images are SOFT SOFT SOFT. And forget about any level of sharpness when using the zoom, even at the spec'd 30x, where the image quality is basically unusable, even at snapshot size. Lastly, the Fuji RAW file format is rarely supported, if at all, by most of the programs out there so beware that you will have to use Fuji's REALLY sucky utility software to access your RAF files - it's a joke: lame, slow funtionality with an interface that looks like it was designed circa 1993. Take my advice: for another $100, get the Lumix and you'll be A LOT happier. And for another $300, get the lower end Nikon or Canon. With this loser of a camera, Fuji proves in spades that you get what you pay for. Do NOT waste your money here.

Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR Digital Camera This is my first Review ever of any Camera on AMAZON or on any site. I read a lot all the Comments and discussion in this site and in others as well about the EXR Fuji Family, before I jumped in and bought this HS30-EXR Camera 03 months ago. I come from the CANON world since 10 years ago and I have no doubt whatsoever this is the best Camera I have had of all the ones (Canon - SX1-IS, SX20-IS and SD980-IS) I had before. I am an Amateur in this world of Phothography and I have practiced a lot with this Camera and read the complete manual thoroughly. Is not an easy Camera to learn, I can tell you that. But this Camera gives you so many possiblities and Modes and settings, that is almost impossible, after you learned it, to take bad Photos with it! This is an exceptional, well built and very Practical camera. I know many of you think and believe this is an awfull, badly built and very difficult to learn Camera!!. Not so. You have to dedicate time, practice a lot and read many, many Blogspot, Sites and reviews, to really start to get a grip on this Camera. I am very happy with it and I paid a very low price for it, so that makes it sweeter to me. I sometimes shoot Raw and PP using the bundle software that came with my Camera. But mostly I shoot out mainly in JPG's on Family meetings, my grandkids parties and plays on playground with them. Also I shoot Landscapes and take lots of movies with it and I think they are outstanding quality. From all the 2000 shots I have taken, probably I have thrown out 200 shots and that to me is an outstanding miracle because most shots have been taken on moving and playing with kids around. With all that in mind, I have no doubts to recommend and praise a lot this Camera HS30-EXR and will encourage anyone thinking on buying a good, solid and pratical Bridge, day to day camera that will last you many, many years!!!. Cheers.... "UPDATE" (01/09.2013) I continue to enjoy this Camera a lot on all my shoting outings. I have enhanced the use of the Camera by adding some very useful add ons: 1) DSRL Kit Radio Flash triggers and Yongnuo YB-560-II Flash and YN-460-II Flash units, 2)Fotodiox SoftBox Kit, 3) Neewer Led Light(160 led fro Movies) CN-160, 4) Hoya UV(O)S-HMC Filter and KENKO Digital CPL MC (Polarizer Filter)5) Leather hand Strap. All of this accesories are helping me a lot with Portrait Photography, Night Movies and more complex and Professional shots. I can not tell you how happy and truly sattisfied I am with this camera. Get if you can. You will not regret this investment. Aaron...