Expert Camera Reviews

The Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd belongs to the bridge cameras group whose primary features are live-preview on the digital cameras. It is an ultra zoom camera with a 6.3 Megapixel SuperCCD sensor that produces less noise than regular CCDs, and giving this camera the potential to be the low light king of its class. An interesting new face detection feature is available with this camera. The camera has a 10.71 x zoom and the 10.71x (28 – 300mm) lens is not separable, although it feels like a detachable lens with a rubber ring for full manual zoom control around the barrel.

Some very good features of the FinePix S6000fd are:
• Face detection technology is great for shooting pictures of people in groups
• Priced very low for the good quality lens and sensor it offers
• The camera is very light, has an excellent grip and resembles a dSLR camera.
• Manual zooming is simple and effective
• Supports the RAW file format
• High resolution LCD unit
• Excellent flash exposure

Some drawbacks of the camera are:
• No optical image stabilization provided, just picture stabilization mode which degrades image quality
• While capturing RAW images the shot-to-shot speed is quite slow
• The electronic viewfinder is hard to use
• Bulky in size

Specifications:
Megapixels – 7.2
Weight (oz.) – 5.9
Optical Zoom – 3x
LCD Size – 3.0 inch
Flash Range (ft) – 4 ft to 11.2 ft
Image stabilizer – No
Battery type – Lithium Ion
Special features – Auto and Manual focus modes, new face detection technology, three continuous shooting modes, self-timer for delayed shutter release, DPOF and PictBridge compatible, Movie recording with sound

Summary:
The camera’s 6.3 megapixel image chip might not impress when there are models which boast up to 10 megapixels of resolution, but the images produced out of this camera are rich in color and impressively sharp, even in difficult shooting or low light conditions. The Fujifilm S6000fd can compete with many higher-resolution super zoom models and even over some digital SLRs.

The Fujifilm FinePix E900 features a 9-megapixel and a fifth generation super CCD high resolution sensor. The compact and lightweight FinePix E900 is the current flagship of Fujifilm’s E-series. The fully automatic features of the E900 provide point and shoot simplicity, while manual and customizable feature settings provide additional control particularly when combined with the power of optional lenses. The E900 delivers some impressive images even at ISO 800. The high speed USB port connectivity can be used for direct printing with any PictBridge compatible photo printer.

The selling points of the FinePix E900 are:
• Produces very good high quality photos
• Good high ISO performance although its a non-SLR camera
• Full manual controls
• Support for conversion lenses
• Batteries rechargeable
• Fast startup, focusing, shot-to-shot speeds
• Useful Natural Light mode
• High shutter speeds to minimize blurriness in photos
• USB 2.0 high speed support

Drawbacks of the FinePix E900 are:
• Slow performance in RAW recording and playback mode
• LCD can be difficult to see in low light; screen is low resolution as well
• No focus distance on LCD in manual focus mode
• No AF-assist lamp; poor low light focusing
• Lens locked at wide-angle in macro mode
• Full shutter speed range only available in manual mode
• Small memory card of 16 MB

Specifications:
Megapixels - 9.0
Weight (oz.) - 7.0
Optical Zoom - 4x
LCD Size - 2.0 inch
Battery type - AA (x2)
Special features - RAW images file format, Voice memos for still images, USB
2.0 connectivity, DPOF and PictBridge compatible, Standard, Chrome and Black and white color modes, JPEG and RAW image format support.

Summary:
From usability point of view, the FinePix E900 covers a range which includes beginners to sophisticated photographer. This makes it a great choice for multiple-users and also a good choice for someone who is looking for a camera that’s easy to use to get started with initially, but has additional features to offer as one becomes more experienced. The E900’s print quality is with no doubts very impressing especially in a point and shoot mode to deliver suitable 13×19 images even at ISO 800.

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The Fujifilm FinePix S5200 is a 5.1 megapixel with a 10x optical zoom, which is well-designed and a well-built camera with very good image quality and performance. While smaller than any digital SLR, yet it is too big for someone with casual shooting needs, but it’s the perfect size for a long-lens enthusiast’s camera. The S5200 has a comfortable and well-balanced body that fits nicely in the hands, and a high-speed sensor that provides usable natural and low-light images at sensitivities up to ISO 1600.

The good points about this camera are:

• Record movies at two resolutions, 640×480 or 320×240 at 30 frames per second
• High quality 10x zoom lens
• Solid image quality at high ISO speeds
• Attractive designs
• Special natural lights and anti-blur modes
• Stores images on xD picture cards
• Electronic color viewfinder
• Voice memos can be attached to still images
• Long battery life

Drawbacks of the S5200 are:

• Can record movies only with monaural sound and no zoom
• Bulky size and shape
• No image stabilization
• Noise at low ISO settings
• Small LCD screen
• Manual focusing is awkward to use

Specifications:
Megapixels - 5.1
Weight (oz.) - 16.6
Optical Zoom - 10x
LCD Size - 1.8 inch
Flash Range (ft) - Built-in manual popup multi-mode flash
Image stabilizer - No
Battery type - AA (x4)
Special features - USB 2.0 Connectivity, Self timer, Supports RAW format, Red
Eye reduction mode, comfortable handgrip

Summary:
The Fujifilm FinePix S5200 is a well-designed, well-built camera with very good performance. Its large size, absence of an image stabilizer and artifacts in its photos may turn off some photographers.