Kai from digitalrev compared the the Fujifilm X30 with the Sony RX100III (see youtube). His conclusions are that “there is nothing wrong with the Fuji… it’s a decent (but fat) compact camera, it’s just that the Sony seems to be the better camera overall“.
Here just a few PRO’s he listed about each camera:
Fujifilm X30 PROS: cool looking, bigger & better EVF, feels better in the hand, manual zoom.
Sony RX100III PROS: Pocketable size, flip screen, slightly sharper, more detailed images, better dynamic range, better auto-white balance in low light, better ISO performance
Just let me add one more PRO to the Fujifilm X30… it costs $200 less than the Sony. The Fujifilm X30 is sold for $599, while the Sony RX100III costs $799.
23 Responses
To me they don’t seem to be peers. Fuji has one model targeted under the Sony – the X30, with a 2/3″ sensor and only 12 megapixels, and one above the Sony – the X100T with APS sensor and prime lens. So I would expect the 20 megapixel Sony with 1″ sensor to handily beat out the X30.
I have to agree, does not seem like apple to apple comparison.
I have both and i will say for white balance Dynamic Range its the oposite. X30 has the best automatic white balance ever as all Fuji cams. Iso performance is better on the RX thats right. The top differences that really counts are the better handling of the x30 ……and the fuji colors, sony colors are really worse.(sorry about my englisch..german guy)
Well, if you want I could host a guest post comparison X30 vs RX100III here on FR… if you have the time and lust to drop me a few lines and a couple of images 😉
I already did the shoot out with Rico..unfortunately i do not have the time now to do a comparision….if i have found the time a will let you know:). But thanks for your offering…
Rico provided an interesting comparison in the german fuji forum here: http://www.fuji-x100-forum.de/topic/22595-x30-vs-rx100iii-%E2%80%93-der-mini-shootout/?hl=rx100iii
Yes thats the shot out we did
…and this is why people complained about the 2/3″ sensor in the Fuji. Yes, there are other factors beyond IQ to consider but *if* RAW IQ is priority #1, the Fuji doesn’t compare in challenging situations. How good could this camera have been with a 1″ sensor? Then it would really come down to handling vs size.
Something is wrong here. If the Fuji has less dynamic range, why does the example photo at 5:54 show about a stop and a half more detail in the highlights versus the rough and camcorderish highlight rolloff on the left?! The youtube video might be deceptive, but if they had accidentally mislabeled the images and the one on the left was indeed the Fuji, it shouldn’t be showing more detail in the floor and the faces (though this may be an illusion because of youtube compression) and the artificial greens in the plants don’t look like Fuji to me. Either way, something is definitely not right.
That being said, the X30 is just too big to justify the small sensor image quality and frankly the Sony looks a lot more elegant. I understand they made the X30 bigger to improve battery life, but it’s simple enough to carry spare batteries. I do it all the time with my X100.
For the same price and size as the X30, you could probably get a similarly sized APS-C sensor camera (like a X-A1/X-M1 with a lens), which should provide vastly superior image quality. I think the smaller and much more subtly designed X20 made more sense in these regards.
After watching the video last night I am reasonably sure that Kai said the DR was better on the X30 but in his (limited) tests, he found the WB to be more accurate on the Sony.
I just checked again. 2:95 he comments on the dynamic range of the EVF display and says it is better on the X30. 6:06 he comments on the test photos and claims that the Sony has superior dynamic range, and the Fujirumors summary below the video accurately reflects that claim.
While it is indeed what I would have expected to be the case based purely on the sensor size of the cameras being compared, the sample photos shown in the video seem to tell a very different story.
No surprise here. I’m looking to get the old lady an RX100iii to take pics of the kid over her crappy iPhone. To me the RX100 is a no brainer for compact, speed, and good files with zoom lens.
I too don’t feel surprised. RX100 series is a great pocket camera. Howeve I think Pana’s LX100 is also great with larger sensor and 4K, if you don’t mind a bit bigger body.
Well, I recently purchased the Sony RX100 II (includes a hotshoe which the RX100 III does not have) – with the backlit sensor – for $500. I’d say that deal is as good as the X30 money-wise, and the RX100 II is also a better overall camera. Stick with the Sony 1″ sensor. I’m also interested in the LX100. Fuji needs to get on the stick and produce a larger sensor for its compact camera if it really wants to be competitive. What are they thinking?
Agree. I’m sticking with my RX100 (Ist edition) which is my carry everywhere small camera.
Size wise, the LX100 seems more compelling (albeit at a lot more cost) than the X30.
Otherwise I choose between my X-E2 kit or Nikon DSLRs.
There is now a very interesting ‘small camera’ race going on with the demise of the P&S compacts. Fuji looks like they are not in the front group with this latest offering (in my opinion).
Why do photographers take this quasi funny man so seriously.
By the way, Sony or Fuji! It doesn’t matter what camera you shoot.
I don’t know about others, but I’ll tell you why I take him seriously. He provides very useful information. Especially how a camera feels. Secondly, he has talent (as a photographer), which makes his statements much more valuable compared to many other reviewers who obviously have no clue about photography.
By the way, your second statement is quite true, but posting this on a rumor site about camera gear is just ridiculous. That is a perfect example of what “trolling” means: Posting true or at least half-true statements at the totally wrong place, where, understandably, noone wants to hear that.
Good for you, but I can’t take this superficial clown seriously.
Trolling? I respond to the topic of this post namely: sony-rx100iii-vs-fujifilm-x30-which-one-is-the-better-camera-according-to-kai-digitalrev/
I still don’t get what’s your point, saying “the camera doesn’t matter” on a camera gear forum.
Wouldn’t it be better you go to a photography-centric forum? Just sayin.
I don’t think you understand what “trolling” means .
that may be the case. Nevertheless, I am sure you understood what I was trying to say. 😉
“Sony seems to be the better camera overall”…..mmmhh the x40 will be better…
X30 what a fat and big body with tiny sensor! It seems stupid to buy so large X30 camera if you can buy APS-C in almost the same size and price. Fuji is complately deaf on what marketplace want.