Introduction

Of all the many ultrazoom cameras in their crowded section of the market, Fujifilm's HS series stands out as one of the most compelling to enthusiasts. Like the HS20 before it, the HS30 is distinguished by a mechanical zoom ring surrounding the lens, plus a by-wire focus ring further up the barrel, making this fixed-lens camera feel less amateurish than the competition. Aware of their audience, Fujifilm added core improvements like a new sensor and the ability to shoot RAW, instead of extending the lens past 30x, which would've risked a drop in image quality.

We like the strategy, and think it could result in a much better value than Fujifilm's overpriced X-S1. The HS30EXR, meanwhile, is priced consistently with the competition at $499.95, and comes only in black.