Fujifilm FinePix F900EXR, available in red and blue, too
Fujifilm has added to its lineup of compact cameras with the FinePix F900EXR (an upgrade on the F800EXR) that comes with full manual control and the FinePix S4800 bridge camera with a 30× optical zoom and the equivelent of a 24 to 720mm focal length.
I wasn’t convinced that the F900EXR’s predecessor, the F800EXR, offered much of an improvement on the F770EXR, which it replaced. Has the F900EXR managed any better?
The new EXR-CMOS II sensor has brought some advancements to the performance of the F900EXR over the F800EXR. In particular there’s the new Intelligent Hybrid AF system, which can switch between phase detection and contrast detection autofocusing, depending on conditions. Phase detection can focus in as little as 0.05 seconds. Start-up time, shot-to-shot speed, and continuous shooting frame rates are all slightly improved, too. (1.1 seconds, 0.5 seconds, and 11 frames per second at full resolution.)
You’re still looking at a 25mm lens at its minimum focal length with a 20× optical zoom that can be extended to 40× using the intelligent digital zoom function and a 16 megapixel sensor. The EXR automode, which enables the sensor to switch between three modes–high sensitivity/low noise, dynamic range, and high resolution–depending on conditions, is still there. This time it allows for 108, instead of 103, scene permutations.
The 360º Panorama function hasn’t gone anywhere, neither have the filters or the HD video.
Wi-fi capability was the F800′s big selling point. Using the Fujifilm Camera app, you can still transfer up to 30 images wirelessly to your smartphone or tablet. There’s now the ability to transfer your pictures wirelessly to your PC, for which you’ll need the Fujifilm PC Autosave software. I thought it sounded a bit of a faff with the F800EXR and there doesn’t seem have been a change with the F900EXR.
At £280, it’s the same price as the F800EXR when it was released. But, the reviews of the F800EXR reported on disappointing image quality; you’d have to hope that’s improved this time around.
As for the £150 ($230) S4800, you’re looking at a bridge camera with a zoom capability equivalent to 720mm in 35mm format, optical image stabilisation to help prevent blur, a super macro mode to get you as close as two centimetres to your subject, a 2/3″ 16 megapixel CCD sensor, and full manual control.
For fun, it includes a 3D image function, which merges together two shots to produce a 3D version. Of course there’s also video and scene recognition modes. And it’s powered by four AA batteries.
Both will be available in April.
This article was originally posted at Fujifilm's F900EXR and S4800 , on Photocritic.
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