Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR Digital Camera Review

Color

Color accuracy seems to be one of the HS30's best features. The camera returned an uncorrected error value of only 2.62, which is better than average and just shy of what we expect from DSLRs. Looking over the gamut, we can see that errors are largely restricted to bright reds and oranges, with all other shades nigh on perfect. Saturation is over by about 8% though, and this will cause scenes to appear a little more vivid than they should. More on how we test color.

NOTE: Because of the way computer monitors reproduce colors, the images above do not exactly match the originals found on the chart or in the captured images. The chart should be used to judge the relative color shift, not the absolute captured colors.

Only the Nikon P510 exceeds the HS30 in our color accuracy test, unaffected by the problems with oranges and reds that we noticed earlier. This means the P510 should render human subjects in a more natural, more realistic way. Another important point here is the score belonging to Fujifilm's expensive X-S1, which lags behind the whole comparison group, even though the camera costs $300 more.

Color Modes

Color modes take the form of Fujifilm's "Film Simulation" modes, which harken back to the company's old line of traditional film brands, including Provia, Velvia, and Astia. The most accurate one is Provia, and we recommend shooting with it at all times. The other two worsen color accuracy dramatically, and each increase saturation to around 120%. Two other color modes for monochrome and sepia are also available.

White Balance

When shooting with the FinePix HS30, you should try to manually white balance whenever possible. We found the automatic white balance algorithm to be very unpredictable under all indoor illumination, and below average for outdoor daylight too. And when the white balance system failed, it failed hard. We saw shots cast in a green tint, or even bright pink. Inside our controlled test enclosure, incandescent light was off by as much as 2000 K, but manually white balancing reduced all errors to less than 200 K in all lighting situations.