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New Fujifilm superzoom camera aims high, misses

Christopher Snow, Reviewed.com/USA TODAY
The Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR retails for $499.95.
  • New superzoom camera has poor white balance and noise reduction
  • Newer model should improve zoom and image quality
  • Retails at $499.95

The Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR ($499.95) is one of many cameras vying for buyers' attention in a very crowded superzoom market. Despite its less than stellar image quality, we liked last year's HS20 well enough that we were genuinely excited to get our hands on this new model. Sadly, while it was a camera we wanted to love, we just can't recommend the HS30EXR.

Fuji made a few design choices with this model that seemed to be steps in the right direction. One was not extending the zoom past 30x, which could have adversely affected image quality. Another was installing a supposedly improved imaging sensor to address the HS20's image quality woes. However, despite their best efforts, image quality is still mediocre. White balance is erratic, sharpness and noise reduction are poor compared to the competition, and the lens produces notable distortion at every zoom ratio.

The HS30EXR has a veneer of professional control thanks to its manual zoom and focus rings, but the body itself feels cheap and didn't give us any confidence in build quality or durability. It has the same design flaws as its predecessor, including its poor flash design. The slow and inefficient menu system could still use an update, giving the camera an entry-level user experience.

What Fujifilm needs to do to bring this series into contention is, well, exactly what we thought they were going to do: stick with 30x zoom and manual rings and focus on image quality. Improve the optics for better sharpness and less distortion. Go back to the drawing board with that sensor. And redesign the chassis with a flash enclosure that doesn't block your access to the focusing ring. That's the ideal formula, but until it's applied in the real world, the HS30EXR is sadly just another superzoom.

For a full review of the HS30EXR, visit DigitalCameraInfo.com, part of the Reviewed.com network, a division of USA TODAY.


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