Overview
The Fujifilm Z30 packs a 10-megapixel resolution and a 3x optical zoom into a very tiny body. The camera is available in pink, purple, orange, black, and white and should be available soon for around $180. On the floor at PMA we spent most of our time with the orange model, as shown throughout this review. The Z30 isn't the most stylish device and its design makes it look more like a toy than an exciting, fashionable piece of technology.
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| The Z30 has a unique design |
Front
The front of the Fujifilm Z30 utilizes a sliding panel to open and conceal the lens. The panel also acts as an on/off switch for the camera when it is opened and closed. The lens doesn't extend out from the camera when you turn it on, but instead remains embedded within the body of the Z30. The sliding panel design isn't our favorite, as it can accidentally open when the camera is in your pocket, and the mechanism on our pre-production sample didn't feel all that sturdy. The flash is also located on the top of the sliding panel, and a tiny microphone sits in the lower right corner.
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| The sliding panel on the front opens to reveal the lens. |
Back
The back of the camera hosts a 2.7-inch LCD screen with a 230,000-pixel resolution. Two columns of buttons are located to the right of the screen: zoom buttons at the top, delete and playback below them, macro focus and flash control next, followed by self-timer and menu/OK, and in the bottom corner are display/back and movie mode. Making things a little confusing, certain buttons also double as 4-way directional controls (represented with arrows above their icons).
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| The entire back is covered by buttons and the LCD. |
Sides
The sides are lonely spaces on the Fujifilm Z30. Only the right side has any features—a small, metal ring for attaching a wrist strap. You do get an idea of the camera's shape from the shots below, however.
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| The left and right sides are colorful, but unremarkable. |
Top
The only features on the top of the Z30 are the shutter button and a cluster of round dots that represent the camera's speaker.
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| Fujifilm keeps the top very simple. |
Bottom
The bottom of the Z30 is also relatively simple. A hinged door on the left slides open to reveal the battery compartment, memory card slot, and USB port. Putting the USB port inside the battery compartment is poor design because it means you have to open the sliding door and expose the entire compartment every time you want to connect the camera to a computer. The port also doubles as an A/V-output, requiring an accessory cable.
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| The battery and memory card load from the bottom. |
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