I just held the Fujifilm X-T30 III for the first time, and I can’t get over how light this mirrorless kit is – it's even lighter than the X100VI

While a list of camera specs has a lot of insight for a camera nerd like myself, nothing can replace actually holding a camera in my hands. When I went to Adobe Max in Los Angeles last week, one of the cameras I was excited to finally get my hands on was the Fujifilm X-T30 III.

When I first picked up the Fujifilm X-T30 III during Adobe Max, I was struck immediately by one key feature: how incredibly lightweight the camera is. The design of Fujifilm’s new budget X-T camera has a lot in common with its predecessor, including the same weight as the X-T30 II.

But a camera’s lens plays a major role in how heavy that system is, and the X-T30 III launched with a new kit lens, the Fujifilm 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 OIS, which is the brand’s smallest and lightest zoom yet.

The zoom lens weighs just 4.4 oz / 125g. Add that to the X-T30 III’s 13.3 oz / 378g weight with an SD card and battery, and the entire kit still comes in at 17.7 oz / 503g. That’s still a lower weight than the trendy Fujifilm X100VI compact camera, which is 18.4 oz / 521g.

Now, part of the reason the X-T30 III felt so light is very likely due to the fact that my go-to camera setup is the Fujifilm X-T4 with the XF 50mm f/1 R WR. That 50mm f/1 may be my favorite lens, but it is rather massive. Picking up the X-T30 III after being so used to hauling around both a larger body and a larger lens made the new Fujifilm kit feel closer to the feeling of a compact camera than a mirrorless.

Now, there’s only so much experience you can get with a camera in a few minutes inside a photography show booth. And the spec sheet on the 26.1MP X-T30 III is far from the impressive list of features on Fujifilm’s 40.2MP models.

But DCW Reviews Editor Gareth Bevan agreed in his Fujifilm X-T30 III hands-on review: it’s a good-looking but small camera at the same affordable price as its predecessor, with a boost in autofocus performance.

The X-T30 III’s single card slot takes it off the table for me personally (as when you photograph weddings, you need a backup), as does the lack of weather-sealing. But I’m seriously tempted to add either that new Fujifilm 13-33mm f/3.5-6.3 lens with zoom or the XF 23mm f/2.8 (which launched as the X-E5 kit lens) to make my current kit more travel-friendly without spending X100VI-level prices. (I'll have a while to wait, though, as the new 13-33mm isn't available until next year unless you buy the X-T30 III kit).

As a fan of Fujifilm’s X-T series, I’m glad Fujifilm has a budget-friendly camera that still has those classic dials and a viewfinder – but that lightweight design and tiny kit lens is also going to put the kit in the running for being a compact camera alternative.

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