I think Fujifilm needs to bring back compacts like the Fujifilm X30. Let me explain.
Some photographers think full frame is the only way for camera brands to stay relevant in the modern mirrorless age – but despite having no full frame cameras, Fujifilm is booming. Propelled by cameras like the X100VI that it can’t even keep in stock, Fujifilm’s numbers are climbing. But if the success of the X100VI and the exploding used market for compact cameras is any indication, the camera market has far too few options for compact cameras. The answer? Right, the Fujifilm X-30.
Fujifilm is uniquely poised to capitalize on the current trends – after all, it has been making retro-styled cameras since before retro was cool. The popularity of the Fujifilm X100VI has the brand poised for record earnings. The Fujifilm X30 is a retro-styled compact camera that offers a key feature that the X100 series doesn’t: zoom.
While the Fujifilm X30 has a body that feels similar to the X100 series, with its leather-like wrap and retro top dials, it was a compact zoom camera. While multi-lens arrays are making up for some of the lack of zoom in a smartphone, compact zoom cameras have a lot to offer that a smartphone can’t. Just look at the unusual popularity of the aging Canon G7X series, which enjoyed newfound popularity once TikTokers realized how much better they look from the zoom lens than a smartphone’s wide angle.
Released in 2014, the Fujifilm X30 offers a 4x optical zoom lens that’s equivalent to a 28-112mm reach on a full frame camera. Despite that reach, it still had a bright f/2.0-2.8 aperture.
Naturally, as a camera that’s more than a decade old, the specifications aren’t great. It’s a 12MP camera with a 2/3" inch sensor. And, since Fujifilm isn’t making the camera anymore, the used prices are high, with the camera selling for more than $700 at KEH and MPB.
Based on the success of the X100 series and the demand for the zoom-capable Canon G7X series, I think a remake of the Fujifilm X30 could do remarkably well in today’s market. I would hope any remake of the camera could sport a larger sensor than the original, but keep it smaller than the X100 range in order to offer a better zoom and price. A one-inch sensor in a retro-styled Fujifilm compact camera with a zoom would be absolute magic.
As a Fujifilm shooter myself, the skyrocketing price of the X100VI is too much – I’d rather put a pancake lens on my X-T4 for a fraction of the cost. But if a remake of the Fujifilm X30 brought zoom in a compact size and for a reasonable price – I’d be seriously tempted to bite for those times when I don’t want to bring my big camera along.
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