Fujifilm
August 27th, 2010 by D-Photo
In spite of a press release claiming that FujiFilm’s Finepix JZ300 is the “James Bond of compact cameras”, it’s actually one of what seems to be an increasingly rare breed: the plain old compact camera.
There are no pretentions here of ultra-sensitivity, water resistance, Spielberg-style movie abilities or more megapixels than a 
professional dSLR. The JZ300 is just a small, midrange point and shoot, designed to be popped in a pocket and to take photos when the button on top is pressed – and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The JZ300 does well for itself in terms of specifications, with plenty of zoom (10x optical), a reasonably wide lens (28mm), sensor shift image stabilisation, 12 megapixels and 1280×720 HD movie recording.
The JZ300’s black and silver finish is attractive but, at almost 30mm deep, it’s not the slimmest compact around. Build quality is good and the camera feels remarkably solid, with even abuse-level prodding and twisting finding no weak spots.
Handling is uncomplicated, with simple controls laid out in the traditional ‘four buttons plus one’ style, with a comfortable concave rotating dial above.
Like most FujiFilm cameras, the menu system is less elegant and modern than some competitors, with slightly low resolution graphics; but with only two tabs and limited settings, it is easy to navigate.
In addition to full auto modes, the JZ300 offers a number of scenes with two positions on the dial allowing favourite shooting modes to be easily selected. It’s always worth trying the scene modes to see if they give a better result than auto.
Startup time is reasonably fast, as is the autofocus system, and there’s little shutter lag. Write times aren’t super-quick but 
they’re no worse than many in the class; the three-shot burst mode, however, has a lengthy write time that drags on for close to 10 seconds.
Image quality is about average for this type of camera. The photos aren’t razor sharp under magnification but they’re entirely adequate for prints up to A4. The metering system is accurate and produces nicely balanced shots in natural light or with the flash (which is quite small and doesn’t have much reach at all). Saturation is a little light, as is contrast in some shots but the overall results are pleasing.
Like many compacts the JZ300 has the annoying habit of increasing the sensitivity to levels where it just shouldn’t go, which leads to increased noise and lost detail; ISO3200 is limited to 3MP but is still noisy. Realistically, the JZ300 will cope well with daylight or well-lit shots but less so with dim rooms or night shots, even with the flash firing, so consider how often you shoot in the gloom before you choose your camera.
Video quality at 720p is good, with the ability to zoom while shooting, although the microphone picks this up as a large, angry robot moving around in the background, which limits its usefulness.
There’s a tendency to compare this type of camera with advanced compacts, which leads to opinions laced with faint praise. But on its own terms, FujiFilm’s Finepix JZ300 is a well-built compact at a nice price, and it’s capable of capturing images and video that will please point-and-shoot users for a long time to come.
Fujifilm Finepix JZ300 – Specifications
Effective Pixels: 12.1 million
Image Sensor: 1/2.3 inch CCD
Lens: F3.3-5.6 – 5-50mm (35mm equivalent 28-280mm)
Image Stabiliser: CCD shift
Shutter speed: 4-1/2000sec
Formats: JPEG, AVI, WAV
ISO: 100-3200
Monitor: 2.7-inch colour LCD, 230,000 dots
Viewfinder: None
Movie Modes: 1280×720/24, 640×480/30, 320×240/30
Media: SD, SDHC
Interface: USB 2.0
Battery: Lithium-ion rechargeable
Dimensions: 97 x 57 x 28.5mm
Weight: 148g excluding battery
CONTACT
www.fujifilm.co.nz
PROS
- Well built
- Speedy autofocus
CONS
- Average low-light performance
- Ineffective flash
- Slow continuous shooting
Design 15
Performance 15
Features 16
Image Quality 15
Value for money 15
TOTAL 76/100
This article is from D-Photo issue 37. Click here to check it out.
February 10th, 2010 by D-Photo
Claimed to be the world’s smallest digital compact camera with a 10x zoom lens, Fujifilm’s FinePix F70EXR brings a range of powerful new features to the ultra-compact market, says Harley Ogier
Design
Sleek and subtly rounded, the F70EXR is an excellent about-town camera; it feels solid enough to be pocketed without a case, and has few sharp corners to ruin the line of your jacket or trousers. The cost of that sleekness is a very plastic look and feel, all shiny surfaces that attract fingerprints faster than you could possibly hope to remove them.
The controls are pretty standard for a compact camera and easy to figure out without having to delve into the manual. Everything can be operated one-handed, and although the plastic body can be a little slippery, it fits nicely in the hand and isn’t too easy to drop.
Image Quality
Image quality is better than average, though like all compacts the F70EXR displays some image noise under all but the most brilliant lighting. The ‘EXR’ automatic shooting mode produces good results in a wide range of environments, both indoors and out. Dynamic range is particularly good, though in extreme sunlight you can still end up with a white-out sky.
Although you get good results for free, the F70EXR is capable of much more. Only when you switch over to the scene modes or manual controls do you really make the most of the camera’s capabilities. Noise can be virtually eliminated and dynamic range can be improved to a level that rivals many amateur dSLRs.
Shooting Modes
The F70EXR includes several highly innovative shooting modes aimed at working around some of the limitations of the compact camera format.
A ‘Pro Focus’ mode allows you to take shots with your subject in focus and the background blurred. Creating a shallow depth of field like this is notoriously difficult on the average digital compact, if not outright impossible — it’s a capability dependent on the lens, not something that can be easily emulated in software.
Fujifilm takes the clever approach of shooting multiple frames: one of your subject in focus, and the rest of the background out of focus. These are then superimposed into a single image, with impressive results. There can be a fair amount of image noise generated, especially where the subject and background meet. Still, it’s a small price to pay for a feature that other digital compact owners just can’t have.
Using a similar multiple-image approach, a ‘Pro Low-Light’ mode provides impressive low-light performance without using the flash. The results in very dim light are noisy but passable, where other high-end compacts fail to produce a usable image at all. Under reasonable indoor lighting, results are virtually noise-free and far exceed the quality of images shot by similar cameras in the same environment.
Conclusion
Those only interested in pressing the shutter button won’t be disappointed by the F70EXR but they’ll never make the most of their new camera. Truly, this is one for the digital compact buyer who wants to put some effort into researching and tweaking settings for the perfect image.
FUJIFILM
FINEPIX F70EXR – SPECS
Manufacturer: Fujifilm
Model: FinePix F70EXR
Effective Pixels: 10.0 million
Lens: 5-50mm (35mm equivalent 27-270mm)
Viewfinder: None
Monitor: 2.7-inch TFT LCD,
230,000 dots
Shutter: 1/2000 to 1/4 seconds,
up to 8 seconds in manual modes
Aperture: Wide – f3.3-f6.4,
Telephoto – f5.6-f11.0
ISO: 100-12,800
Shooting Modes: Auto, EXR, natural light & with flash, scene, program, manual, movie
Exposure Metering: Multi-
segment (256 zones)
Focus Modes: Auto focus (multi, centre), continuous AF
Internal Memory: ~47MB
Media: SD, SDHC
File Format: JPEG, AVI, WAV
Flash: Built-in
Interface: USB 2.0, Composite
video out
Batteries: Rechargeable lithium-ion
Dimensions: 99.3 x 58.9 x 22.7mm
Weight: 180g without battery or card
CONTACT
www.fujifilm.co.nz
PROS
- High image quality
- Good dynamic range
CONS
- Manual settings necessary for
best performance
Design 17
Performance 18
Features 18
Image Quality 17
Value for money 16
TOTAL 86/100
This article is from D-Photo 32.
November 4th, 2009 by D-Photo
Phil Hanson takes a new waterproof camera from FujiFilm down to the poolside
Some readers may have learnt the hard way that moisture and the electronics inside digital cameras are not a good mix.
Many cameras, even some professional dSLRs, lack waterproofing and must be used with caution in inclement weather and dusty areas. Forget about giving them a good dunking.
In the days of film, photographers had to use a cumbersome casing to go underwater, or buy one of a few specialised cameras like the Nikonos or Sea & Sea models.
Special casings have largely been required for digitals going sea-side, but now some specialised waterproofed models are available and the latest to splash into D-Photo’s test pool is Fujifilm’s FinePix Z33WP.
You won’t be able to dive the Mariana Trench with this baby, but it is good at three metres for up to two hours or, more typically, splashing around at the beach or pool.
BODY BEAUTIFUL
The Z33WP’s a small camera even for compact, but it is beautifully formed and quite distinctive in a marketplace where one product often looks much the same as the other. The lens is at the top right corner (as you view it), a look inherited from some earlier members of the FinePix family, and although the body is curvy, it’s easy to hold.
The back is dominated by a 2.7-inch LCD screen and two rows of five buttons each are arranged down the right side. Apart from the shutter and on/off button, all functions are controlled by these buttons, a requirement of the waterproofing.
Although small, the buttons, which are convex, are surprisingly easy to use and the interface quite intuitive.
THE LENS
Because waterproofing and a telescoping zoom lens don’t go well together, the 6.3-18.9mm Fujinon lens is located entirely within the slim body behind a clear glass cover. There’s no protective cap and the cover must be kept clean and clear if picture quality is not to be affected.
The confined nature of the lens likely explains why its optical zoom range is a modest 3x and the maximum aperture f3.7 (and f4.2 at the tele end) when f2.8 is common on compacts. The lens represents a 35-105mm full-frame equivalent — useful for many applications, although it may not please wide-angle enthusiasts. For those who need to reach farther, digital zoom extends the range to about 5.7x with a loss of image quality.
Overall the lens performs well, although not at its best when shooting into the sun — there’s not even a semblance of a lens shade.
IN THE FIELD
Fujifilm sternly warns that the Z33WP is not shockproof, so you might not want to take it on your next extreme adventure. It also warns to be careful at the beach as sand may get into the microphone and speaker. D-Photo played it safe and took it to where many users will typically make their images: poolside and at a local lake.
Left to its own devices the camera tends to choose higher ISO speeds than I’d have thought necessary. Unfortunately, the images are getting noisy by 400 ISO, so for maximum quality, set the speed manually — the alternatives go down to a commendable 64.
It’s great to be able to splash around and not worry about wrecking your camera.
CONCLUSION
The Z33WP should enjoy a good market in our outdoorsy country, whatever the season. It’s easy to handle and use and oh-so stylish. Good one, Fujifilm.
FUJIFILM FINEPIX Z33WP – Specifcations
Manufacturer: Fujifilm
Model: Z33WP
Effective Pixels: 10 million
Lens: Fujinon 6.3-18.9mm (35mm -105mm full-frame equivalent)
Monitor: 2.7-inch TFT colour LCD, approx 230,000 pixels
Shutter: 8 sec-1/2000 sec
Aperture: f3.7-f4.2
ISO: Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400,
800, 1600
Shooting Modes: Program AE, Scene Recognition, 12 modes
and movie
Exposure Metering: TTL 256-zone
Media: SD, SDHC
File Format: JPEG Exif 2.2,
AVI, WAV
Flash: Auto, red-eye reduction and removal, slow-synchro, forced flash, suppressed flash
Interface: USB, HDMI mini connector
Battery: NP-45 Lithium-
ion rechargeable
Dimensions: 92 x 60 x 21mm (W/H/D)
Weight: 110g (body only)
CONTACT
www.fujifilm.co.nz
PROS
CONS
Design 18
Performance 16
Features 16
Image Quality 15
Value for money 16
TOTAL 81/100
This article if from D-Photo issue 30.
July 16th, 2009 by D-Photo
Fraser Kitt is blown away by FujiFilm’s decision to use SD cards in its latest models, and says the J110W is fun and easy to use
If all you want for Christmas is a little digital camera with a moderate zoom then you’d be hard pressed to look past the FujiFilm Finepix J110W. It has a great zoom range and is stylish enough for both mum and dad to use — if you can get it off
the kids.
Big
The 5x optical lens starts at a great 28mm wide angle and zooms through to 140mm telephoto. This means you can take those intimate indoor shots of the family around the kitchen table without having to climb out the window to get everyone in the shot.
The telephoto side lets you operate like the paparazzi, sneaking shots of your teenagers without the fear of faces being pulled or them complaining you’re photographing them — again.
The camera’s display is wonderful, a big 2.7-inch LCD with 230,000 pixels that is easy to see in most lighting situations and which makes reviewing images a breeze.
Face on
Face detection is a feature that works so well it seems a shame to turn it off. This Finepix is at home shooting anyone from babies to those playing sports, and the face detect function means you’ll never miss your target.There is even a baby mode designed to give better skin tones without using flash.
Cancelling the flash is a nice touch, as you won’t have to fumble around menus trying to find the controls. It also means you won’t be frightening any newborns. The Museum setting cleverly bumps up the film speed and cancels the flash so you won’t get into trouble with the curator.
Sensitivity
Normally I’d be complaining about high sensitivity as a way of controlling image stability, because the increase in noise can ruin otherwise good images. Fuji has almost perfected high sensitivity and thankfully the camera will also use flash when it’s needed, reducing the ISO speed.
The higher the film speed is, the faster the shutter will fire, meaning less chance of camera shake. The down side is that when the camera uses ISO 3200 the image size is reduced from the fantastic 10 megapixels the camera is capable of to just 3MP.
Breakthrough
At last, a breakthrough! Fuji has decided to use SD card exclusively, ditching the xD card, which has a 2GB storage limit. It makes sense to use the most universal of cards and the J110W will take both ordinary SD as well as the higher capacity SDHC cards.
Conclusion
FujiFilm has produced a snappy little camera in the Finepix J110W that is not only stylish but is also practical, thanks to the 5x optical zoom range starting at 28mm. The decision to use SD card as the storage medium is a step in the right direction as this format just keeps getting bigger in capacity. And you’ll need as much storage as you can get your hands on, because the 10 million pixel files do gobble up space.
But best of all it’s an easy camera to use with a great set of scene modes to help you make images like an expert.
Specs
- Price: $350 (includes a
1GB SD memory card and soft carry case)
- Effective Pixels: 10 million
- Lens: 5.1-25.5mm (28-140mm in 35mm terms)
- Monitor: 2.7-inch TFT LCD (230,000 pixels)
- Shutter: 8 sec to 1/2000 sec
- ISO: Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
- Shooting Modes: Auto, Baby, Picture Stabiliser, Red Eye Reduction, Digital Zoom, Portrait, Movie, Manual, Landscape, Sport, Night, Natural Light, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Sunset, Flower, Party, Museum, Text,
- Exposure Metering: Multi, spot, average, intelligent face detect
- Focus Modes: Face detect,
single AF
- Media: 24MB internal memory, SD, SDHC
- Flash: Auto, red eye removal on, red eye removal off, auto red eye reduction and forced flash, suppressed flash, red eye reduction and slow sync
- Batteries: Lithium-ion rechargeable
- Dimensions: 92 x 57.9 x 22.6mm
Contact:
www.fujifilm.co.nz
Pros:
- 5x optical zoom starting at 28mm
Cons:
- Battery life is a little short
- Flash doesn’t always keep up with zoom
- Big fingers won’t like the selection button
| Design |
18 |
| Performance |
17 |
| Features |
18 |
| Image Quality |
17 |
| Value for money |
17 |
|
|
| Total |
87/100 |
This review is from D-Photo issue #027.
May 21st, 2009 by D-Photo
The FujiFilm Finepix S8100fd is a 10 million pixel, 18x optical zoom camera with enough functionality to enthuse any keen photographer. The big grip makes it comfortable to hold and it takes two types of card.
Breaking open the box late in the evening reveals that even in low light this camera will focus. The yellow glow of the low light illuminator reaches comfortably across my lounge into the dark recesses of the kitchen, and while it takes a few moments for the S8100fd to focus, it does so none the less.
Face detection is spot on, quickly locking onto subjects’ faces then tracking them as long as they stay front on. It couldn’t recognise a face in profile, but that’s a big ask of any camera.
Shoot
The big Fujinon lens covers a great range from 27mm to 486mm. The extra-wide 27mm makes taking groups and interiors a breeze and the telephoto will greedily gobble up any sports field. It also produces sharp images.
The processor comfortably handles an ISO range up to 1600 at the full 10 million pixels and has the ability to go out to 6400 — if you don’t mind compromising file size. It halves the pixel count when you spike the ISO out to 3200 and 6400. You also have the choice of auto settings of 400, 800 and 1600 that automatically adjust the ISO up to those amounts depending on the light conditions.
On the button
The layout of this model is reasonably straightforward with a big control dial on the top, a large on/off button behind the shutter release, and rocker-style zoom control. Then there are the perfectly placed face detect and anti-shake buttons behind the on/off switch. When you activate the face detect setting it also switches on redeye removal, although you do have to manually raise the flash. Even the button cluster on the back is well marked and reasonably easy to follow — forget consulting the rather vague handbook.
The body is reasonably large and the big grip, which holds the four AA batteries, makes it comfortable to hold for big and small hands alike.
Pair of aces
FujiFilm’s trump card is a slot that accommodates both xD and SD memory cards. This gives you the choice of storage formats and may well sway you to the Fuji camp if you’re considering changing cameras and already hold a handful of SD cards. It will also take the next generation SDHC card.
Conclusion
FujiFilm has made a wise move by including support for both xD and SD cards in the S8100fd. It’s a camera with wide appeal thanks to the easy-to-use picture modes and advanced exposure settings. The images are crisp and clear, and if you want added punch of the sort slide film once gave, then it is only the press of a button away.
Specs
Manufacturer: FujiFilm
Model: Finepix S8100fd
Price: $699
Effective Pixels: 10 million
Lens: 18x optical 4.7mm – 84.2mm (27-486mm in 35mm terms)
Viewfinder: Electronic
Monitor: 2.5-inch TFT LCD
Shutter: 4sec – 1/2000sec
Aperture: f2.8 – f4.5
ISO: Auto and 64 – 6400
Focus Modes: Face detect, single AF, continuous AF, manual AF,
Media: 58MB internal memory, xD, SD, SDHC,
File Format: JPEG, AVI, WAV
Flash: Built in, auto, redeye, slow synchro, supressed
Interface: USB
Batteries: 4 x AA
Dimensions: 111.3 x 78.2 x 79.3mm
Weight: 500g
Contact
www.fujifilm.co.nz
Rating
Pros
- Dual card capability
- Focuses in low light
- Flash range keeps up with zoom
Cons
- Extra weight from four
- AA batteries
- No charger
| Design |
17 |
| Performance |
17 |
| Features |
17 |
| Image Quality |
17 |
| Value for Money |
18 |
|
|
Total
|
86/100
|
Fraser Kitt
This review is from D-Photo issue #025.
January 27th, 2009 by D-Photo
The A330 is an attractively rounded box, small enough to be easily slipped into a pocket. On some of its more advanced cameras, Fuji uses an unusual pattern for the array of sensors on its imaging chip arguing this entitles it to claim 6-megapixels worth of information from a 3-megapixel sensor. This isn’t one of those cameras. Instead, it’s a completely straightforward 3-megapixel device intended primarily for beginners.
Simplicity is the name of the game. Take the camera out of the box, check that the two standard AA batteries and the tiny 16Mb standard XD memory card are installed in the bottom compartment and you’re ready to go. Instruction book? Of course you should read it, but you don’t have to. The on/off switch is built into the sliding lens cover on the front of the camera and once the tiny 3x zoom lens has telescoped itself out of the camera body, you’re ready to shoot.
Controls are minimal to avoid frightening off beginners. The lens zoom range is equivalent to 38mm to 114mm on a 35mm camera, which is good for everything from family groups to head-and-shoulder portraits.
A tiny thumb lever on the back of the camera controls zoom and there’s a small, but crisp optical viewfinder that I found very usable. Alternatively, many beginners prefer to use the LCD preview screen on the back of the camera to frame their pictures. In the case of the A330, the preview screen is bright, but small at 3cm wide.
Since the aperture range of the lens goes from f2.8 at the widest setting to f4.8 at full telephoto, and the ISO speed rating is equivalent to 100, this is definitely an outdoors fine weather, and indoors with a flash kind of camera. The tiny built-in flash doesn’t look as if it would be very powerful, but it did all right at a dinner party I took the A330 to – taking pictures that were crisp and well exposed. There was little delay between pressing the shutter release button and taking the shot. However, the A330 did longer than I would have liked to ready itself for the next shot.
In the great days of film, Fuji had a reputation for making well-saturated colours with strong greens and believable skin tones. Fuji digital cameras I’ve looked at in the past have all used a similar colour palette, and the A330 is no exception.
The company suggests you should install its software on your computer before you download your pictures with the included USB cable. But I didn’t bother. The pictures downloaded perfectly well with the software that comes standard with both Windows XP and Macintosh OSX.
I would look into buying a larger memory card – the 16MB XD card included with the A330, while not unusual, has a limited capacity. Fuji claims the A330 is useful even if you don’t have a computer; you can look at your pictures on a TV thanks to the built-in video socket, or you can send them directly to a USB inkjet printer. However, if you don’t have a computer, you’ll find a 16MB memory card a poor place for long-term picture storage.
Fujifilm Finepix A330
For: Very easy operation. Good colour, sharp pictures. Small but effective viewfinder.
Against: Could be faster between shots.
Features: 3.5/5
Image quality: 4/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Max resolution: 2016 x 1512
Effective pixels: 3.34 million
Sensor size: 5.27 x 3.96 mm
Sensor type: CCD
Colour filter array: RGB
ISO rating: 100
Zoom range (35mm =): 38mm to 114mm (3x)
Auto Focus: Yes
Manual Focus: No
Aperture range: F2.8 – F4.8
Movie Clips: Yes, 320 x 240 10 fps, max 60 sec
Tripod mount: Yes
Self-timer: 10 sec
Storage: 16MB xD Card included
Viewfinder: Optical
LCD preview screen: 3.8cm, 60,000 pixels
Output: Video, USB
Weight with batteries: 160g
Dimensions: 104 x 62 x 31mm
Stephen Ballantyne
August 9th, 2008 by D-Photo
Despite its small size, the FinePix Z1 has most of the features and automatic controls included on larger cameras. There are not many buttons, so use is reasonably straightforward, although some may find the buttons quite small to operate.
There is an option for taking high-speed photos, which decreases focus time. We tested this and it seemed to be about 20 per cent faster.
The camera also boasts near-instant start up, minimal shutter lag and decent shot-to-shot speeds. On the downside, it lacks continuous shooting mode and doesn’t have an AF-assist lamp for low-light conditions.
LCD Viewfinder
One of the first things you notice with the Z1 is that it doesn’t have an optical viewfinder. The only way to compose your photos is with the LCD screen.
Although a good size (2.5 inches) and quite clear indoors, LCDs are often much harder to see in sunlight. With the Z1 I was pleasantly surprised to discover that although diminished, the visibility was still clear enough to use (however, it was set to maximum brightness, which uses power faster).
The lens cover turns on the camera and there is a switch for still or movie mode that is separate from the button for playback. This system works well, as you can’t accidentally switch into movie mode.
Video can be captured in either 640 x 480 or 320 x 240 mode at 30 frames per second, although zoom will not function during recording. There is some basic on-camera editing, such as trimming and rotating.
Super Slim
The Z1 is tiny, weighing less than 150g with the battery. The battery is a proprietary one as there isn’t enough room for even one AAA battery. The camera should manage nearly 200 photos on one charge without using the flash, and 170 if every second shot uses flash.
Inserting the memory card and battery is fiddly. There is an arrow on the battery for correct insertion, but it is possible to fully insert it the wrong way round. Fujifilm also hasn’t been generous with its memory card, supplying a miniscule 16MB. So make sure you budget for something bigger!
Not Too Flash
The effective range of the flash is 3m, which is about half what you would get from a larger camera. It isn’t a problem, just something you need to be aware of to avoid disappointing results.
The package includes a cradle, which is required for charging the camera and also has the USB 2.0 and A/V connectors on it (there just isn’t room on the Z1 itself). The package includes software for Windows (98 and upward) and Max OS X. It uses the standard Fujifilm FinePix software version 5, which does a good job.
Conclusion
I am not sure that the Z1 would be an option for a serious amateur, except perhaps as a backup camera. It is genuinely smaller than a packet of cigarettes, so it is easy enough to slip in a jacket pocket or handbag. And overall, it is a versatile, convenient and fun camera to use.
