Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR Digital Camera Review

Dynamic Range

Dynamic range is poor, even for a fixed-lens camera. The best performance can be found at ISO 100, where the HS30 can manage 5.72 stops of dynamic range. By ISO 3200, this figure drops to 0 stops.

...wait. Zero stops? That doesn't make any sense.

Here's the thing. Our dynamic range test, in its current state, is based on signal-to-noise ratio. We set up an array of unevenly-lit zones, and measure how many of them each camera can expose with a signal-to-noise ratio of more than 10:1. Now, we already know the HS30 is a very noisy camera, so noisy in fact, that by ISO 3200, there are no zones left at all where signal-to-noise ratio is better than 10:1. Thus causing our test to think the camera has no dynamic range at ISO 3200 (and 800 too, strangely).

Is that really the case? No. Dynamic range is probably more like 2 stops at ISO 400 and above, which is still terrible. Bottom line, this camera has lousy D-range. More on how we test dynamic range.