Two Great FujiFilm FinePix Cameras
I want to recommend two digital cameras made by FujiFilm that you should definitely consider if you’re in the market for a new camera. FujiFilm has quite a few models in its Finepix cameras lineup, but the ones that I mention here have both been making some waves.
The FujiFilm FinePix S8100fd is a stylish 10 megapixel camera that has an 18x zoom lens with a focal range between 27mm and 486mm in a compact size. Other features include a 230,000 pixel LCD screen, a built-in flash and six shooting modes (Auto, Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Scene and Movie). For photo storage it accepts both secure digital (SD) or Fuji’s native xD-Picture Card formats. It’s powered by 4 AA batteries, but choose lithium over alkaline since they last much longer. Another handy feature is the ability to shoot videos at 30fps.
The one thing that the FinePix S8100fd has going for it is certainly its built-in digital camera optical zoom capabilities, which are nothing to balk at. Combined with its image stabilization feature, you’ll be able to take some significantly crisp, vivid shots from a far-off distance. But if you like close-up shots, the FinePix S8100fd has an excellent macro option that will let you get as close as .3 inches from your subject. There’s also something called “Natural Light” scene mode, whereby you can take some spectacular photos in rooms with incandescent lighting. The camera’s construction is sturdy and it’s ergonomically designed well so it feels good for one-handed shots.
However, the shot-to-shot performance is average at 1.6 frames per second. And the flash can take up to 10 seconds to recharge. Nevertheless, the image resolution is wonderful for a camera in this “ultrazoom” class.
If you want significantly better performance and are not concerned about size and weight, check out the FujiFilm FinePix S100FS. It’s a “bridge” FinePix camera, meaning that it is nearly identical to a more professional DSLR, but it has a fixed lens that cannot be removed and weighs a bit less. It also has a significantly large 11 megapixel Super CCD sensor. The amazing lens which is benefitted from image stabilization has a 14x optical zoom with a focal length of 28-400mm. You can take photos both in the standard JPEG format as well as in RAW, which uses no compression when the image is processed and means you will have huge, 23MB files. This Fuji FinePix camera is known for its superb low-light capabilities.
Like its baby brother, the FinePix S100FS also has great grip and feels comfortable when you hold it. The LCD screen can pop out of its place so that you can better view what you are shooting if for instance you’re in a crowd and want to hold the camera above your head to get a clear shot of your subject. The viewfinder is electronic but has a definition of 200,000 pixels and is very accurate. Use the built-in flash or your own, which can be attached to the hot shoe mount. An included, lightweight lithium digital camera battery powers the camera.
For storage, count on SD, SDHC or xD-Picture cards. You can take about seven shots in a row at 2.9 frames per second, which isn’t too shabby. The FinePix S100FS also supports video at 30 fps with 640 x 480 resolution.
A major advantage of the FinePix S100FS is its fantastic manual controls, meaning you can pretty much do all the work yourself rather than rely on the camera to automatically focus and set the aperture as well as shutter speed. Macro capabilities are also phenomenal, you can fix the lens directly on any object and have an in-focus photo, assuming you have enough light, that is. You also have four shooting options that try to duplicate the look of film as best as possible Provia, Velvia, Soft and Portrait. If you’re serious about photography, I doubt that you won’t be impressed with a FinePix S100FS camera.
Related posts:
Quite a decent review on these two digital cameras.