My Journey with the Fujifilm X Series, Part 8: The X-T3, X-T30 and X-Pro 3, and My Entry Into Video

This fun retrospective series looks back at my 10-year history with the FUJIFILM X Series camera, and the impact that this journey has had on my photography during the past decade. Part 8 all about my continued love with the X-T3, my entry into shooting video, and the two amazing cameras that Fuji introduced in 2019: the small, but highly capable X-T30 and the gorgeous creative powerhouse X-Pro 3. @FUJIFILM X Series @Fujifilm USA
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[@bikescastlesjapan2636]

it is so refreshing to see someone talk fuji and not act like an absolute clown... two immediate channels come to mind. Thanks for sharing your knowledge to those (me) who are absolute noobs.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hey there, thanks so much for your comment! I'm not sure exactly who you are referring to, but there are certainly a lot of clowns on KZbin. 😂 And it's my pleasure to share my knowledge; I just want everyone else to have as much fun with photography as I do, because I think it's good for the soul. Plus, more happy, creative people make for a better world. What Fuji do you use and what do you like to photograph?

[@LiamPhotoATL]

Another great video Dan!

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks, Liam! Glad you enjoyed it! Sorry we were unable to connect in NC, our plans kind of changed from what they were supposed to be. Maybe next time.

[@andreiporoshine2725]

Definitely all Fuji X gear are Fun! I had real hard time in switching from film to digital( Minolta to Sony A, then Panasonic GF), until I learn about X-T2. Now I have three Fujifilm cameras, X-H1 with grip for heavy red badge lens, X-E3 with XF70-300(Best tele-macro lens ever! Birds- Flowers.) always in my truck( I'm an independent Yardman.) and X-T3 with mostly XF16-80 for family, street and landscape. You can say I'm seriously addicted to Fuji and call me Fuji-Funtographer. Thanks Dan for your great stories!

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hey Andrei, thanks for your comment! Sounds like you’ve got an awesome Fuji kit, and yes, I totally agree, the 70-300 is an absolutely amazing tele-macro zoom lens!!! 👍⭐️ I haven’t used the 16-80, how are you liking that lens? Anyway, keep having fun with it and take care!!

[@conniequinton371]

Very inspirational! Dan you must have a ton of energy. The biking, hiking, hopping all over the country, that so great for you!

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hi Connie, thanks so much! Yes, I do have a lot of energy. I was quite the handful when I was a kid 🤣 I just have a lot of interests and passions that I like to pursue! Glad you're enjoying this series and hope you're having a good spring! What types of things are you photographing lately?

[@conniequinton371]

@@DanBaileyPhoto a little late on my comment. I photograph mainly nature & landscape as that is my escape. I'd live in the mountains if I could but 1.5 hours away works too.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Cool. And yes, living a bit away from the mountains might make them more special for you, because you have to make a special trip to get there. Either way, keep having fun with it!

[@thepirateshoots]

Great story.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks, Rainer. Glad you enjoyed this!

[@davidprather9079]

Fun video!

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks, David!! Glad you enjoyed this one!! 😀

[@michaelgravlund9194]

Awesome Dan. Thank you😄👍

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Michael, thanks for your comment! Glad you enjoyed this!! What kinds of subjects do you like to shoot?

[@michaelgravlund9194]

@@DanBaileyPhoto hello Dan. I like to do close-up, street, architekture and also landscape and wild. So almost everything, but I have just startet with my X-T3 and a 35mm f2. Looking for buying a 16mm and the 100-400mm zoom.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Awesome. 👍🚴‍♂️ The 16mm is a great lens, and we've already talked about the 70-300 in your other comments.

[@michaelgravlund9194]

@@DanBaileyPhoto yes Dan. So many possibilities 😄👍. But would the 70-300mm not fit better than the 100-400 mm in the Lowe sportpack 24L III ? . I could then "cheat" by using a teleconverter maybe ? I am going to Copenhagen today to checkout the Lowe pro sportpack 24L 👍. Have a nice weekend

[@michaeldesselle7589]

Wow Dan; another exciting video ‼️ do you ever sleep 😂

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks, Michael!! Actually, I’m an expert sleeper, but I do like to stay up very late! Especially in the summertime! 🤣

[@michaeldesselle7589]

@@DanBaileyPhoto 👍👍

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to sleep, though! 😂

[@kamurray82]

Hey Dan, it's funny how you talked about Classic Neg rather than Velvia sometimes. I find that with my X-T2 I have been shooting more with Classic Chrome and Pro Neg Hi lately for the more muted colours. Thanks for another wonderful video and yep, you guessed it, am eagerly awaiting the next!

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hi Kevin - Yes, it's funny how our tastes and styles change, or go through cycles during a given period of time. I suppose it's a way for us to actively keep our creative ideas and approaches fresh. I'm just back from vacation now, so I'll start planning the final two videos in the series! Hope you're enjoying spring over there!

[@kamurray82]

@@DanBaileyPhoto yeah, spring is going great over here so far. I've changed tack yet again and am now trying out Astia for landscape shots. To my eyes the results look like a more muted, less intense Velvia, which I kind of like. Some of the skies we've had over the past few days have been gorgeous, and I like the softer rendering of clouds in Astia.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hey Kevin - Yes, Velvia doesn't always do in cloudy situations, except for those bluebell days with perfect puffy clouds. If you've got any decent cloud cover or overcast, then something like Astia tends to do much better. It doesn't block up like Velvia does when the skies get dim and it's not bright and sunny out.

[@kamurray82]

@@DanBaileyPhoto totally agree. Astia doesn't seem to get the love that the rest of the film simulations do. I really have been enjoying shooting using it. I was out this very morning shooting some landscape scenery of two small lochs near where I live. Pleased as punch with the results.😊

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Indeed. Astia has always been a great film and film sim, but not everyone is familiar with the ways in which it excels. It's often my second choice for shooting a wide variety of subject matter.

[@chris5706]

Dear Dan. I love your videos and X Series unlimited is my guide for my XT-1. I am retiring in stages do catching up slowly with your past videos while trying new photographic things. Thank you for the knowledge and the enthusiasm

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hi Chris, thanks so much for your feedback. I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying my videos and have found my eBook to be such a helpful resource. What kinds of subjects do you like to shoot?

[@94slingshot]

I highly recommend Blood Road, I saw it at a fund raiser to help a friend make it to the 2020 Iditarod 1000. Turns out Jill finished with 2 guys, crossing the finish line together. Great respect for all those doing it.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

That's great!! Yes, it's an amazing race and definitely huge props to Jill and everyone who's done it!!

[@iaincphotography6051]

Another great vlog Dan. The best bit is if anyone asks me why I use Fuji I can share this with them lol. Now off to watch your film about Ms. Rusch. Didn't she ride in the world cyclo cross champs? One hell of a film Dan, so good to watch and she is such a star, what a lady.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks, Iain. No, Rebecca is more of a mountain and gravel rider. Not so much CX, as far as I know. And yea, she’s definitely a class act and total badass!

[@janbroekema6102]

Thanks Dan, lovely video...i think a XT3 is one of the best camera's! Take care!

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hey Jan, I agree. The X-T3 is definitely one of the best cameras ever made. To me, it has the perfect combination of form factor, performance and creative features.

[@s197tetsu9]

Hi Dan, great episode again! Pro3 is my first Fuji camera. It's fun to see through clear glass finder and snap away, with back LCD closed. It can be versatile if I want I to. And It gives incredible shutter feeling, which my other clear-finder cameras (X100T and X20) don't. It's rock solid in my hands, by far my favorite.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks so much for your comment! Glad you enjoyed this. Yes, the X-Pro 3 does allow for that style of shooting. I did my best to embrace that when I was on my X-Pro 3 photo walk, that day. It really is a special camera. What have you been shooting with it these days?

[@nasroullahdinally5140]

Another great video Dan. Thank you for sharing. Always fun to watch and revive the fuji moments as I call it. My fav film simulation is the classic negative. I'm in love with this one Dan.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks, Nas. Glad you liked this one as well. It's been a really fun series to do so far. I love Classic Neg as well. I have even more examples of that film sim coming up in th next episode! Hope you're enjoying spring down in the south!

[@rolandgasser6711]

For me, the X-T3 is one of the best cameras in the X series. Size, performance, quality and features! I love it but use more my X-T1 😂

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

I agree. The X-T3 was when the X Series really hit a stride in performance and creative features. 👍

[@uteh.3659]

Thanks for your video series Dan, it has taken me back to when I first fell in love with the system as I own many of the bodies you have featured. I loved my Fujifilm cameras up until now. They are so much fun to use and produce high quality images without having to lug around a heavy DSLR and bulky kit. Unfortunately it seems that my Fujifilm cameras don't love me back anymore lately though. Do the Fujifilm cameras not have a little internal battery to store the camera settings when the external batteries are removed? I have noticed an issue on at least 3 of my 5 X-T bodies and am getting a bit frustrated at having to set up my cameras from scratch again and again if I have not used them in a while and the battery happens to have drained in the mean time. I used to remove the batteries when I store camera bodies away for any length of time like I did with my DSLRs, but after the loss of settings on some of the Fuji bodies I had kept them in and notices that on 3 of my bodies the batteries drain and the settings are lost after not using the camera in a while. I have never had this happen with any other camera brand since going digital in 2003. Is this a Fujifilm issue ? It annoys me so much that I have purchased a Canon R6 and have decided that I am not investing any more into my Fujifilm system. It seems to me that Fuji used cheap inferior internal batteries, which in my view is undermining the reputation of Fujifilm cameras and my trust in the system. Who wants to keep spending time setting up their cameras from scratch whenever you want to use a body after a longer break ?

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hi Ute, thanks very much for your comment. I'm glad that you're enjoying my "X Series series" here on KZbin! Regarding your issue, I'm not sure what's going on, but the Fuji cameras do indeed have internal power that allows them to store your camera settings when the battery is removed, at least for the short term. I do know that if I let a camera sit for more a couple years, then it will reset to the default settings. However, I usually don't let the cameras sit unused for this long. I've only seen it when picking up older models that I haven't used in a few years. Also, this may have been the same with my old Nikon cameras, but I honestly can't remember. I don't think that Fujifilm uses cheap internal batteries, and if you have an issue, then I would suggest calling the Fuji tech support line at 1-800-800-FUJI. There are good people over there who should be able to help you. Also, I can pass your concern along to the Fujifilm product managers, so if there is an issue regarding internal battery life, perhaps it can be addressed in a future model or firmware update. At any rate, I hope you're having a great spring and are getting out to shoot photos in the warmer weather. What kinds of subjects do you like to shoot?

[@uteh.3659]

@@DanBaileyPhoto Hi Dan, thank you for your reply. I don't let my cameras sit for years. I have noticed this issue when I have let them sit for a couple of weeks or a few months. Never longer than 2 or 3 months though. I also had my first X-T3 lose the settings at the first firmware update. My second X-T3 didn't do that. I used to love shooting motorsports for many years. But I don't get much opportunity anymore. Now its mostly my cats, some wildlife, friends and family events, but I also enjoy shooting any kinds of sports events when I get the opportunity. All just for fun though. When I was doing a lot of motorsports I met many professional photographers and decided that earning money with photography would take away from the unpressured fun I was having. Yes, our days are getting longer again and fortunately the temperatures are rising here too. I am in awe how you manage to live and thrive in a cold environment like Alaska.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Ute, it shouldn't happen in 2-3 months, so I would recommend updating the firmware and perhaps contacting the Fuji tech line, because this should not occur in that short amount of time. And it's all relative. Temperature are starting to rise here Anchorage, as well. We'll hit 50 degrees today!

[@uteh.3659]

@@DanBaileyPhoto thanks for your insights and tips . As I am in Germany, I will contact Fuji Germany / Europe. I have been putting it off a bit, as I had a couple more pressing issues in my life to deal with, but will contact Fuji technical services if the issue continues. You have persuaded me 😊 I have all my cameras up to date as far as firmware is concerned. I just checked your temperatures and even though I live in a cooler part of Germany and often feel a bit sorry for myself because we get less sun and longer and colder winters, its no comparison to Alaska 😉

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Good luck, I hope you're able to get the issue resolved. Let me know what happens.

[@robertcudlipp3426]

Dan, I have , a little while ago now, purchased your helpful eBooks, at that time I had an XT20 and XT2. Have just purchased the great new Fuji XS10, could you please advise if this programme, done in 2019, needs to be updated to take into account the X S10 and perhaps other models. I would have NO objection to paying for an updated educational resource. FWIW, the cost of your eBooks, in relative terms are a minor cost compared the purchase of a new body or lens.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hi Robert - Yes, I do have an updated version of the book which is current with the X-S10 and the other latest models. Send me and email and I'll give you the update link.

[@robertcudlipp3426]

What mega size and speed memory cards will these monster image making cameras require? My XT 2 and X S10 sd cards would be filled in no time and very fast write time= expensive cards would, I suspect, be required.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Robert, the new X-H2 and X-H2S each have two card slots - one for SD and one for the new CFexpress Type B card, which allows for much faster data transfer. For the fastest video performance, or when shooting Apple ProRes format video, you would want to use the CFexpress card, but you can still shoot high quality video and stills to an SD card, preferably a fast, UHS-II card. For memory card size, I would recommend at least 128GB or larger if you shoot video. 4K video will eat up storage space more than HD video, and 8K video files are almost three times bigger than 4K. 😱

[@robertcudlipp3426]

@@DanBaileyPhoto Many thanks Dan. Even these 2 basically new bodies have really been reviewed, as opposed to the specifications, more for video, do really don't yell out "buy me". As previously posted, I'm very happy with my current, though not new, X bodies and really don't see what substantive benefits either body will offer. Video is, basically of inconsequential interest. I really don't hanker for the massive files that will be created. Even the very limited information I have found in the many YT videos views does not address the single issue of interest, to me at least, AF, IAF - call it what you will. This has been a really significant flaw in the Fuji X series. When released, that very modest Tony Northrop made a YT video on this very point. Doubtless, purely by coincidence, Fujifilm must have been aware of this really unforgivable shortcoming and, partially, rectified the problem by very rapid firmware upgrades. The AF system in my admittedly older X series, but this comment cannot apply to the quite recently released XS10, is still not anywhere near as good as that of the stellar IAF on the ? 5 year old since release Sony a6400. Fuji will be slammed if these 2 new bodies cannot match the AF of a 5 year old apsc, not to mention the mirrorless higher end offerings from Canon, Nikon and of course, Sony.

[@MortAllachie]

Ah. The X-Pro3. I have never held one in my hands, but I want one so bad 😉 Not going to buy one though, but I love the rangefinder style cameras. Maybe the X-Pro4 when that time comes? 😜

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Ragnar, I was really impressed with the X-Pro 3, it's gorgeous! Will be curious to see what they do with the 4, which should be released sometime around 2026! 🤣

[@MortAllachie]

@@DanBaileyPhoto 2026 sounds nice. I might manage to save up to it by then. I'm not a huge fan of the X-H series, and I don't do video, so I don't think I will be tempted by the May Summit. Even though the rumors sounds good. Can't wait to see if the AF will be able to compete with Canon and Sony 😊

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Yea, I'm kind of a similar mindset, although I will be interested to see what kind of technologies will eventually make it into the next X-T series camera.

[@adamsostrin145]

Great pictures from you, as always. For the first time I've been looking at photo editing software and have been experimenting with a few trial versions. I've tried Capture One also and DXO Photo Lab 5. Willing to look at other options too, as long as they're not overly confusing. Any recommendations? Also, it'll be for photos taken by my Fuji XT4.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hi Adam, thanks for hour comment. I've used Capture One, it's a really solid program. I've been using DXO Photo Lab 5 lately, and I really like it. Good layout, simple browser that doesn't require you to import your entire image catalog, and VERY powerful creative and processing tools. I'll be doing a video on that program soon. In addition, I'm doing a live webinar on DXO's other program, PureRAW on Thursday, April 21 at 11AM PDT. You can find info about that here: www.dxo.com/dxo-pureraw/learn/ What kinds of subjects have you been shooting lately with your X-T4?

[@antoniodesiderio1984]

wow Dan, you've had almost every fujifilm x. 😄 Have you also tried any gfx models? Anyway, congratulations again for these videos. unfortunately for the language, I don't understand everything, but I understand the photographic language. And your photos tell a lot. 😉😉👍🏻👍🏻

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks, Antonio. And yes, I do realize that I talk pretty fast sometimes. I can’t imagine trying to listen to myself in another language! 😱😂 I’m glad you understand at least some of it and can enjoy the pictures! 👍 Take care!

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

And while I haven’t owned every X Series camera, I’ve held and tried most them at shops and trade shows. Haven’t seen the X-E4 or X-S10 in person yet, though. And I’ve only tried the original GFX 50s, got to use it for a few hours one evening back when it first came out. The GFX is truly an amazing camera, but for my fast and light style, I prefer the smaller magic of the X Series.

[@antoniodesiderio1984]

@@DanBaileyPhoto I use google translate, and I think it not translate ever right, what I write. Sorry😅😅😅 I mean, you have had many of the fuji x series... Yes, I think the GFX camere are awesome ( I'm very curious to try one ), but they are indicated for specific photographic genres. Generally still photography, or studio photography. For those who do dynamic photography, the X series is much more improve. Have more versatility ...😉😉

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Indeed!!! I agree!

[@gastonmessier2192]

Hi Dan perhaps you can help me . My Fujifilm X-T1 sometime read that it has a fujifilm xf lense attached to it but some time it does'nt ; when it happens it will not read the lens apperture and wont autofocus , just like a manual lense was attached to the X-T1.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Gaston, I've had that happen before. I think it may be that the camera and lens aren't communicating properly. Is this happening with a specific lens, or with multiple lenses on your X-T1?

[@gastonmessier2192]

@@DanBaileyPhoto All my XF lenses.

[@gastonmessier2192]

@@DanBaileyPhoto with all my xf lenses even if my XT 1 and my xf lenses are st proper firmware update.

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Hmmm... then I would contact the Fujifilm tech support line at 1-800-800-FUJI. They might be able to help you diagnose this issue and offer help.

[@josecolon8143]

Why only 10.5K subs? You should be in the 3 digits! KZbin algorithms SUCKS

[@DanBaileyPhoto]

Thanks, José. Who knows. Best thing I can do is keep making videos and hope that people like them enough to subscribe to my channel.