Nikon Z30 vs Fujifilm X-S1

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Nikon Z30 and the Fujifilm X-S1, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Nikon Z30 was introduced in June 2022 and Fujifilm X-S1 was introduced in November 2011. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Nikon Z30 Highlights

      • 20.9 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • No Optical Low-pass Filter
      • 100 - 51,200 Native ISO
      • 209 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 1,040k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 11.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • 2 h 5 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Fujifilm X-S1 Highlights

      • 12 MP 2/3-inch EXR-CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 49 Focus Points
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 460k dot Tilting Screen
      • Electronic Viewfinder
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon Z30 and Fujifilm X-S1.

      PROS

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Digital Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   USB Charging
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Internal Storage
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12 Megapixel
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 49
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Environmental Sealing


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.9 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   -4.5 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Weight - 920 g (2.03 lb / 32.45 oz)

      Advantage of Nikon Z30

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon Z30 over Fujifilm X-S1.

      Nikon Z30 vs Fujifilm X-S1
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 2/3-inch
      Higher Sensor Resolution 20.9 Megapixel vs 12 Megapixel
      Max Image Resolution 5568 x 3712 vs 4000 x 3000
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 209 vs 49
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Screen Type Fully Articulated vs Tilting
      Touch Screen vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,040k dot vs 460k dot
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 11.0 fps vs 10.0 fps
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080
      Higher USB Speed USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Wi-Fi Version Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz vs 802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz
      Environmental Sealing vs
      Lighter 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) vs 920 g (2.03 lb / 32.45 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon Z30.

      Advantage of Fujifilm X-S1

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Fujifilm X-S1 over Nikon Z30.

      Nikon Z30 vs Fujifilm X-S1
      Higher Native ISO 51,200 vs 3,200
      Higher Boosted ISO 204,800 vs 12,800
      Image Stabilization vs
      Viewfinder vs Electronic
      Built-in Flash vs
      Internal Storage vs 26 MB

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Fujifilm X-S1.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Nikon Z30 Fujifilm X-S1
        Video Capture
        High Native ISO51,2003,200
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        HDMI Output Micro Mini
        Built-In Bluetooth
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Nikon Z30 Fujifilm X-S1
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Nikon Z30 and Fujifilm X-S1 have 3.0" screens with 1,040k dot and 460k dot resolutions respectively. Nikon Z30 has a Fully Articulated screen which makes it selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting. Fujifilm X-S1 has a Tilting screen which makes it very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting. Nikon Z30 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

      Image cannot be displayed Image cannot be displayed

      Nikon Z30 with Fully Articulated and Fujifilm X-S1 with Tilting screen


      Electronic Viewfinder on Fujifilm X-S1

      Fujifilm X-S1 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder. It has a 100% coverage. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Nikon Z30.

      Sensor

      Nikon Z30 features a 20.9 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.7 mm and a total area of 369 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 51,200 and expands to 100 - 204,800 in boosted mode. Fujifilm X-S1 features a 12 megapixel 2/3-inch EXR-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 8.8 x 6.6 mm and a total area of 43.6 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 3,200 and expands to 100 - 12,800 in boosted mode.

      Photography Features

      Nikon Z30 is equipped with EXPEED 6 processor and can take pictures up to 5568 x 3712 resolution. Fujifilm X-S1 is equipped with EXR processor and can take pictures up to 4000 x 3000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4000 x 2664, 4000 x 2248, 2992 x 2992, 2816 x 2112, 2816 x 1864, 2816 x 1584, 2048 x x 1536, 2048 x 1360, 1920 x 1080, 1536 x 1536 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      No Low-Pass Filter on Nikon Z30

      There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor on Nikon Z30. This results in a slightly sharper image but may also introduce moiré patterns and aliasing artifacts when photographing subjects with fine, repetitive patterns or details.

      Image Stabilization on Fujifilm X-S1

      Fujifilm X-S1 has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Nikon Z30

      Nikon Z30 has a built-in Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth

      Nikon Z30 and Fujifilm X-S1 have built-in Bluetooth (version 4.2 on Nikon Z30) which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      NFC on Fujifilm X-S1

      Fujifilm X-S1 has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. Nikon Z30 has a Micro HDMI and Fujifilm X-S1 has a Mini HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Nikon Z30 comes with EN-EL25 battery pack with battery life of 330 shots and Fujifilm X-S1 comes with NP-95 battery pack.


      External Storage Slots

      Nikon Z30 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot. Fujifilm X-S1 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Nikon Z30 has Electronic shutter and Mechanical Focal Plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Nikon Z30, and up to 1/4000 sec on Fujifilm X-S1. Nikon Z30 can shoot continuously up to 11.0 fps. Fujifilm X-S1 can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Nikon Z30 has Hybrid phase-detection/contrast AF system with 209 focusing points and Fujifilm X-S1 has 49 focusing points. Nikon Z30 has detection range from -4.5 to +19 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Nikon Z30 ranges from -4 to +17 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Nikon Z30 and ±2 range on Fujifilm X-S1. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Nikon Z30 and exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Fujifilm X-S1.


      Flash

      Fujifilm X-S1 has a built-in flash with maximum range of 8.00 m and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Shoe Mount. Nikon Z30 has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/200 sec on Nikon Z30.

      Physical Parameters

      Nikon Z30 body has dimensions of 128 x 74 x 60 mm (5.04 x 2.91 x 2.36") and Fujifilm X-S1 body has dimensions of 135 x 107 x 149 mm (5.31 x 4.21 x 5.87"). Nikon Z30 weighs 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) and Fujifilm X-S1 weighs 920 g (2.03 lb / 32.45 oz).

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      128 mm

      74 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      135 mm

      107 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      74 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      107 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      60 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      149 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Nikon Z30 and Fujifilm X-S1

      Nikon Z30 and Fujifilm X-S1 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      GOOD
      82
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      63
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      GOOD
      74
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      73
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      GOOD
      74
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      68
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      GOOD
      83
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      82
      •   Small Sensor
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      GOOD
      77
      •   Small Sensor
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 920 g (2.03 lb / 32.45 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      GOOD
      72
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 920 g (2.03 lb / 32.45 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Nikon Z30 and Fujifilm X-S1 and give them scores of 77 and 67 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      OVERALL
      77
      OVERALL
      67

      Sensor

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.9 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
      AVERAGE
      63
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 49

      Photo

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      GOOD
      70
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 11.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      GOOD
      73
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps

      Video

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      POOR
      46
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080

      Focusing

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   -4.5 EV Min AF Detection
      •   209 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      GOOD
      71
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      GOOD
      75
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot

      Connectivity

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      EXCELLENT
      94
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      GOOD
      84
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Nikon Z30

      Fujifilm X-S1

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
      BAD
      36
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 920 g (2.03 lb / 32.45 oz)
      •   Internal Storage


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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