Fujifilm X-T10 vs Pentax K-30

The Fujifilm X-T10 and the Pentax K-30 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2015 and May 2012. The X-T10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the K-30 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 16 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 16.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X-T10		Pentax K-30
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Fujifilm X mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
16 MP – APS-C sensor		16.1 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge		410 shots per battery charge
118 x 83 x 41 mm, 381 g		130 x 97 x 71 mm, 650 g

Check X-T10 offers at
ebay.com
Check K-30 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X-T10 and the Pentax K-30? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-T10 and the Pentax K-30 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X-T10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the K-30 is available in seven color-versions (black, silver, blue, red, yellow, green, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-30 is notably larger (29 percent) than the Fujifilm X-T10. Moreover, the K-30 is substantially heavier (71 percent) than the X-T10. It is noteworthy in this context that the K-30 is splash and dust-proof, while the X-T10 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the X-T10 gets 350 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W126 battery, while the K-30 can take 410 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI109 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-T10	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	381 g	350	n	May 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-30	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-A1	117 mm	67 mm	39 mm	330 g	350	n	Sep 2013	US$ 399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	350 g	410	n	Jan 2015	US$ 399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-A10	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	331 g	410	n	Dec 2016	US$ 399	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-E1	129 mm	75 mm	38 mm	350 g	350	n	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-E2	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Oct 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-E2S	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-M1	117 mm	67 mm	39 mm	330 g	350	n	Jun 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	140 mm	82 mm	43 mm	450 g	300	n	Jan 2012	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T20	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	383 g	350	n	Jan 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X70	113 mm	64 mm	44 mm	340 g	330	n	Jan 2016	US$ 799	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-50	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-500	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	646 g	710	n	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The X-T10 was somewhat cheaper (by 6 percent) than the K-30 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the K-30 is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 16.1MP, the K-30 offers a higher resolution than the X-T10 (16MP), but the K-30 has marginally smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.79μm versus 4.80μm for the X-T10). Yet, the X-T10 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 11 months) than the K-30, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-T10 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The X-T10 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Fujifilm X-T10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-30 are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. The X-T10 uses Fujifilm's X-Trans layout of photosites, while the K-30 employs the more common Bayer array.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X-T10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	12.9	1546	79
2.		Pentax K-30	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1129	79
3.		Fujifilm X-A1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.4	12.6	1390	76
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1515	79
5.		Fujifilm X-A10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1691	81
6.		Fujifilm X-E1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/24p	23.2	12.4	1298	75
7.		Fujifilm X-E2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1400	77
8.		Fujifilm X-E2S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
9.		Fujifilm X-M1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.4	12.6	1371	76
10.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/24p	23.1	12.3	1238	74
11.		Fujifilm X-T20	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
12.		Fujifilm X70	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
13.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
14.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
15.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
16.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
17.		Pentax K-500	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.1	1087	79
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the X-T10 provides a higher frame rate than the K-30. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the X-T10 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the K-30 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the K-30 has a higher magnification than the one of the X-T10 (0.61x vs 0.41x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Fujifilm X-T10 and Pentax K-30 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm X-T10	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
2.		Pentax K-30	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Fujifilm X-A1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X-A10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X-E1	2360	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Fujifilm X-E2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm X-E2S	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Fujifilm X-M1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	1440	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
11.		Fujifilm X-T20	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm X70	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
13.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Pentax K-50	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Pentax K-500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the K-30 and the X-T10 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The K-30 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the X-T10 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The Fujifilm X-T10 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the X-T10 and the K-30 write their files to SDXC cards. The X-T10 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the K-30 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Fujifilm X-T10 and Pentax K-30 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X-T10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Pentax K-30	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Fujifilm X-A1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-A10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X-E1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-E2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X-E2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X-M1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Fujifilm X-T20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Fujifilm X70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Pentax K-50	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Pentax K-500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the X-T10 has a microphone port, which is missing on the K-30. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the X-T10 and the K-30 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The K-30 was replaced by the Pentax K-50, while the X-T10 was followed by the Fujifilm X-T20. Further information on the features and operation of the X-T10 and K-30 can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X-T10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-30 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Fujifilm X-T10 better than the Pentax K-30 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Fujifilm X-T10:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (118x83mm vs 130x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 269g or 41 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the K-30 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-30:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.61x vs 0.41x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (410 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in May 2012).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the X-T10 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 8 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Fujifilm X-T10 and the Pentax K-30 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the X-T10 or the K-30. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-T10	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	May 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-30	4/5	..	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-A1	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	US$ 399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A2	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-A10	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Dec 2016	US$ 399	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-E1	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-E2	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 999	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-E2S	4.5/5	..	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-M1	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 699	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T20	5/5	+ +	5/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X70	4.5/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 799	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-50	5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-500	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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