Fujifilm FinePix HS10

In summary

An advanced digicam with a 30x zoom lens, support for raw file capture and Full HD video recording.Announced in early February, Fujifilm’s FinePix HS10 is one of several extended-zoom digicams unveiled at this time. The first Fujifilm camera with a BSI (Back Side Illuminated) CMOS sensor, the HS10 also introduces a number of multi-shot and high-speed shooting modes and sports a one-touch movie record button that enables users to record Full HD (1080p) movie clips with stereo soundtracks. . . [more]

Full review

Announced in early February, Fujifilm’s FinePix HS10 is one of several extended-zoom digicams unveiled at this time. The first Fujifilm camera with a BSI (Back Side Illuminated) CMOS sensor, the HS10 also introduces a number of multi-shot and high-speed shooting modes and sports a one-touch movie record button that enables users to record Full HD (1080p) movie clips with stereo soundtracks.

The SLR-like styling, large size and solid heft of the HS10 will attract potential buyers who want the looks and main features of a DSLR without the price tag and the worry about having to carry a suite of lenses. However, these buyers will need to accept the limitations inherent in this camera – and they’re not insubstantial.

Front view of the Fujifilm HS10 with the lens in the wide position. (Source: Fujifilm.)

The HS10 also offers many SLR-like handling characteristics plus critical functions like PASM shooting modes and support for raw file capture. Its extensive feature set, sophisticated photographic controls, advanced functionality and SLR-like handling have contributed to it being selected as the winner in the Superzoom category in this year’s TIPA awards. Key features of the HS10 and the main rivals it defeated are shown in the table below.

	Fujifilm FinePix HS10	Nikon Coolpix P100	Olympus SP-800UZ
Sensor size	6.16 x 4.62 mm	6.16 x 4.62 mm	6.23 x 4.64 mm
Effective resolution	10.3MP	10.3MP	14MP
Lens range (35mm format)	24-720mm	26-678mm	28-840mm
Optical zoom	30x	26x	30x
Digital zoom	2x	4x	5x
Macro focus	1 cm	10 cm	1 cm
Image formats	JPEG, RAW, RAW+JPEG	JPEG	JPEG
Aspect ratios	4:3, 3:2, 16:9	4:3, 3:2, 16:9	4:3, 16:9 (one size)
PASM shooting modes	Yes	Yes	No
ISO range	100-6400	160-3200	64-3200
Shutter speeds	30 to 1/4000 sec.	8 to 1/2000 sec.	15 to 1/2000 sec.
Max burst (full-res)	10 fps/ 7 frames	10 fps/ 6 frames	10.5 fps (3MP)
Video	Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), VGA/QVGA at 30 fps	Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), VGA/QVGA at 30 fps	HD (720p), VGA/QVGA at 30 fps
Sound recording	stereo	stereo	monaural
LCD monitor	3-inch/230K dots	3-inch adjustable /460K dots	3-inch/230K dots
Viewfinder	0.2-inch, FLCD EVF (230K dots)	0.24-inch EVF (230K dots)	No
Dimensions (wxhxd)	130.6 x 90.7 x 126.0 mm	114.4 x 82.7 x 98.6 mm	107.3 x 73.4 x 84.7 mm
Weight (excl. battery & card)	636 grams	481 grams	418 grams
RRP	$649	$599	$699

Build and Ergonomics
Constructed from black plastic, the body of the HS10 feels a little less solid than some of its competitors. However, like most DSLRs, it has separate battery and card compartments – instead of a combined slot. The grip is deep enough to suit users with large hands, although the small buttons may prove tricky to operate. The front surface of the grip is also covered with a rubber-like material to prevent fingers from slipping, making it possible to shoot one-handed.

The built-in zoom lens in the HS10 should be able to handle most of the subjects casual photographers normally shoot. It covers a focal length range equivalent to 24-720mm in 35mm format. At the other end of the scale, the 2x digital zoom enables users to shoot with a focal length equivalent to 1440mm in 35mm format.

The HS10 provides both CMOS-shift and Digital Image Stabilisation and they can be selected individually, combined or switched off via the setup menu. Two stabilisation modes are supported for each: continuous and shooting only.

The lens protrudes roughly 70 mm from the camera body when power is off and in the Wide setting but extends to just over 120 mm when the zoom is fully extended. Unlike most digicams zooming is mechanical, initiated by turning a broad, rubber-clad ring on the lens barrel. This allows much more precise zooming than the rocker- or lever-based controls on competing cameras.

Engraved on the inner barrel are paired focal length markings showing the actual and 35mm equivalent focal length settings for eight focal lengths. A narrow, ridged focusing ring sits close to the camera body for focusing the lens manually when the manual focus mode is selected. In this mode, the central portion of the frame is enlarged to assist accurate focusing.

The lens on the HS10 also provides a more generous range of aperture settings than most digicams. They range in 1/3EV steps from f/2.8 to f/11 at the wide angle of view to f/5.6 to f/11 at full tele zoom.

The closest focusing distance for the normal AF range is 50 cm. However, pressing the macro button on the arrow pad lets you drop this to 10 cm in Macro mode and 1 cm in Super Macro mode. In Macro mode, the lens must be set to the wide-angle position to achieve focus at the specified distance. The Super Macro mode locks the lens at a pre-set focal length, which covers from 1 cm to 1 metre.

The top panel of the HS10 with the lens zoomed out to the tele position. (Source: Fujifilm.)

Perched towards the front of the grip is a large shutter button, surrounded by an on/off lever switch. Behind it are two much smaller buttons for accessing the exposure compensation and drive settings. A command dial sits just behind them.

Between the command dial and the viewfinder/flash housing lies the mode dial, which is canted backwards slightly to make it more accessible. It carries 11 shooting mode settings: Auto, Scene Recognition Auto, Advanced, Scene Position 1 and 2, Motion Panorama, Custom and the P, A, S and M settings that characterise all advanced cameras. More on these modes below.

The flash housing carries an electronic flash tube that is popped up manually with a button on the side of the housing and lowered by pressing is gently back into place. A hot shoe is provided for external flash units. At the rear of the flash housing is the electronic viewfinder, which displays the same information as the monitor. An eye-start sensor on its right side switches it on automatically when you raise the camera to your eye – provided this function is enabled in the menu. Dioptre adjustment is available through a knurled knob on the side of the housing.

The rear panel on the HS10. (Source: Fujifilm.)

The rear panel is dominated by the LCD monitor, which is large but disappointingly low in resolution for a flagship camera. A double-hinged system enables it to be tilted up through roughly 120 degrees and down through about 35 degrees for low-down and high-up views. However, it can’t be rotated or swung to one side of the camera.

Both the monitor and the EVF above it cover only 97% of the sensor’s field of view so neither can be used for precise framing of subjects. The EVF is small and cramped and its resolution and colour accuracy are nothing to write home about.

Ranged down the left side of the monitor are five buttons, which provide direct access to sub-menus covering ISO, AE, AF, focus mode and white balance settings. To change camera settings with one of these buttons you hold it down to display the available options and rotate the command dial to make the selection.

ISO settings range from 100 to 6400 and users can restrict the highest auto sensitivity to ISO 400, 800, 1600 or 3200. The standard multi-pattern, centre-weighted average and spot metering patterns are provided.

The contrast-detect AF system supports the standard multi and single-point modes plus focus area selection. Single, continuous and manual modes can be selected. Tracking AF is also available and an AF-assist light is provided. Users can choose from eight white balance modes with auto, six presets (including three for fluorescent lighting) and manual measurement

Right of the monitor lies the arrow pad, which has a central Menu/OK button. Pressing this button displays the camera’s main menu. Unfortunately, the only way to exit the menu is to half-press the shutter button, which is a little clumsy. The horizontal buttons on the arrow pad open the macro and flash sub-menus, while the vertical buttons access the instant zoom and self-timer controls.

Below the arrow pad are the Display and Playback buttons, while above it lie the AE/AF Lock and Movie record buttons. A small button between the top of the monitor and the mode dial toggles between the LCD and EVF displays.

Batteries (four AA cells) are inserted in a compartment in the base of the camera that covers slightly more than the grip area. Beside it lies the tripod sockets, which is about 30 mm offset from the lens axis.

Shooting Modes
Aside from its attractive price tag, the main reasons many photographers are interested in this camera are its PASM shooting modes and support for raw file capture. Unfortunately, both are restricted in ways that serious enthusiasts will find frustrating. Unlike DSLR cameras (and advanced ILC models), you can only access the full range of aperture and shutter speed settings in the Manual mode.

Thus, the upper shutter speed limit for the S mode is fixed at four seconds and the smallest lens aperture in the A mode is f/8. It can be argued that apertures as small as f/11 (the minimum for this camera) will produce images whose resolution is compromised by diffraction, that’s not really the point. Photographers expect to be able to access all settings in the A and S modes; not just the M mode. (Just as we expect the Full Auto and Scene modes to restrict adjustments to both of these functions.)

The situation improved point-and-press photographers, where HS10 offers plenty of options. Selecting the SR Auto mode engages the camera’s scene recognition system. In this mode, the camera analyses the scene and selects the best match from the following options: portrait, landscape, night, macro, night portrait and backlit portrait. It defaults to auto if none of these is selected.

The Advanced (Adv.) mode is a step up from point-and-press shooting with three selectable options: Pro Low-Light, Multi-Motion Capture and Motion Remover. All involve capturing multiple frames and combining them to produce a single image. But all are highly automated.

In the Pro Low-Light mode, the camera records four shots and combines them to produce a single image with reduced noise and blur. Frame coverage is reduced in this mode. In the Multi-Motion Capture mode, the camera records a sequence of frames of a moving subject and combines them to produce a single image. Users can set the intervals between shots to match the subject movement.

The Motion Remover mode is designed to allow shots to be taken of scenes containing moving subjects. It requires the camera to be stabilised while five successive shots are taken. The image processor analyses them, removing moving subjects. These two multi-shot modes produce a 2-megapixel image as the end result.

The HS10 provides two banks of Scene Position settings, each with the same 15 settings: Natural light & flash, Natural light, Portrait, Portrait enhancer, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night (tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Party, Flower and Text. Fujifilm reasons users might want to swap quickly between two scene presets and it’s certainly easy to set up SP1 with one setting and SP2 with another and jump between them by turning the mode dial.

Next to the SP2 mode is the Motion Panorama mode, which works in a similar fashion to Sony’s Sweep Panorama. Users can set the panning direction to left-to-right or up-to-down – or vice versa. It only works when the lens is zoomed all the way out. Shooting ends automatically when the file width reaches 3840 pixels.

The Custom mode enables users to store the current camera and menu settings for quick recall whenever the C mode is selected. Among the functions that can be stored are: image or movie resolution and quality, ISO, dynamic range, colour (including white balance), tone, sharpness, face detection, bracketing, flash, continuous mode, AF illuminator and raw file shooting.

Unlike many cameras the self-timer and drive modes are controlled through separate buttons. The self-timer can be set for two or 10-second delay. Four continuous shooting modes are available: High-speed (Top 7), Best Frame Capture, Zoom Bracketing and AE Bracketing. In the High-speed (Top 7), the maximum capture rate is 10fps at full resolution.

The Best Frame Capture initiates recording when the shutter button is half-pressed, continuously storing frames in the buffer memory. When the shutter button is pressed all the way down, the last seven frames from the buffer are transferred to the memory card along with the last shot taken. It’s useful for photographing unpredictable actions.

The Zoom Bracketing Mode takes three shots at a differing zoom magnifications: one at the pre-set focal length at full resolution, a 1.4x zoom image cropped to M resolution and a 2.0x zoom image at S resolution. Two frames are displayed to show what will be included in the cropped pictures and users can choose landscape or portrait format.
AE bracketing also records three shots: one at the selected exposure and the others above and below it. Bracketing steps can be set to +/-1/3EV, +/-2/3EV or +/-1EV. Unfortunately, the buffer memory is disappointingly small. The graph below shows the limits for each continuous shooting mode.

	JPEG	RAW	RAW+JPEG
High-speed (Top 7)	7	6	5
Best Frame Capture	7	6	5
Zoom Bracketing	3	Not available
AE Bracketing	3	3	3

Pressing the top button on the arrow pad engages the Instant Zoom function. Designed to make it easier to frame ‘erratically-moving’ subjects like children, pets and athletes, it combines tracking AF with zoomed-in framing that lets you see the area surrounding the frame that will be captured. Framing can be landscape or portrait format, selected by toggling the same button.

Sensor and Image Processing
The BSI CMOS sensor in the HS10 is a ‘1/2.3-inch’ type chip that measures 6.16 x 4.62 mm. No mention is made in the HS10’s specifications of the Fujifilm brand name so it’s safe to assume it may not have come from one of the company’s factories. (Interestingly, its specifications are the same as those of the imager chip in the Nikon Coolpix P100.)

Fujifilm has been extremely coy about releasing full specifications for this sensor. We’ve been unable to obtain its total photosite count, despite extensive searching. However, online specifications suggest it has 10.3 million effective pixels, whereas the user manual claims only 10. (For the record, the Coolpix P100’s sensor has 10.6 million photosites, with 10.3 megapixels effective resolution.)

Coupled to the sensor is the BSI CMOS integrated processor, which is responsible for all the high-speed and multi-exposure shooting modes. In also underpins the camera’s high-sensitivity performance. Again, very few details about this chip are provided.

A key feature of the HS10 is support for both JPEG and raw file capture, although the camera’s default mode is JPEG and raw capture must be selected in the setup menu. The HS10 uses a proprietary RAF.RAW format that is designed to be processed with the software supplied with the camera. (More on this below.) RAW+JPEG recording is also supported, The resolution of both file types is fixed at 3648 x 2736 pixels and JPEGs are recorded with Normal compression.

JPEG compression levels are higher than those in the Coolpix P100. In addition, the P100 provides a wider range of image sizes at the 4:3 aspect ratio, although the HS10 offers more options for the 3:2 and 16:9 settings. Typical file sizes are shown in the table below.

Aspect ratio	Size	Resolution	Fine	Normal
4:3	RAW	3648 x 2736	16.5MB
	RAW+JPEG	3648 x 2736	19MB
	L	3648 x 2736	5.12MB	2.50MB
	M	2592 x 1944	2.50MB	1.33MB
	S	2048 x 1536	1.71MB	0.88MB
3:2	L	3648 x 2432	4.57MB	2.20MB
	M	2592 x 1728	2.31MB	1.78MB
	S	2048 x 1360	1.55MB	0.80MB
16:9	L	3648 x 2056	3.85MB	1.94MB
	M	2592 x 1440	1.94MB	0.99MB
	S	1920 x 1080	1.16MB	0.62MB

Video
Pressing the one-touch movie record button initiates video recording and soundtracks are captured in stereo when the Full HD movie mode (1080p/30fps) is selected in the shooting menu but monaurally for VGA video clips. There’s also a new High-Speed Movie mode that allows users to capture slow-motion movies at up to 1000 frames per second.

Four resolution settings are provided for normal movie recording and five frame rates are available in the High-Speed Movie mode. Typical recording times for a 4GB memory card are shown in the table below.

Movie setting	Resolution	Frame rate	Maximum length on 4GB card
Full HD 1080p	1920 x 1080 pixels	30 fps	39 minutes
HD 720p	1280 x 720 pixels	30 fps	49 minutes 13 seconds
VGA	640 x 480 pixels	30 fps	114 minutes 53 seconds
QVGA	320 x 240 pixels	30 fps	229 minutes 48 seconds
HS60	960 x 720 pixels	60 fps	51 minutes 41 seconds
HS120	640 x 480 pixels	120 fps	51 minutes 41 seconds
HS240	442 x 332 pixels	240 fps	51 minutes 41 seconds
HS480	224 x 168 pixels	480 fps	51 minutes 41 seconds
HS1000	224 x 64 pixels	1000 fps	51 minutes 41 seconds

Playback and Software
Playback functions include the standard single and multi-frame index views, rotation and playback zoom. Because the lens is zoomed manually, the ISO and AE buttons are used to control playback zooming. Multi-frame playback includes a two-frame display for side-by-side views of shots taken with the Natural Light & with Flash mode.

Shots taken with Intelligent Face Detection ate played back with frames indicating detected faces. The HS10 also allows users to search images by date, subject, scene and file type. Panoramic shots can be scanned during playback by pressing the horizontal or vertical buttons on the arrow pad. The same buttons are used to view pictures recorded in the continuous shooting modes, for which the normal playback setting is to display only the first shot.
Pressing the Info. button toggles through the various information displays, which include basic shooting data and extended data plus thumbnail and small brightness histogram. Shots can be deleted individually – or the entire memory can be cleared. For movie playback the normal pause, advance and rewind functions are available, along with the ability to trim and splice clips and delete entire clips.

The bundled software consists of My FinePix Studio 1.0, a fairly basic application for cataloguing shots and sharing them online, plus a Raw File Converter powered by Silkypix. The latter only enables converted raw files to be saved as JPEGs and provides very few adjustments.

My FinePix Studio 1.0 is a basic file manager with facilities for posting images online.

Its editing capabilities are extremely limited.

The Raw File Converter powered by Silkypix, showing the standard Silkypix interface.

This application can only convert RAF.RAW files from the HS10 into JPEG format, as shown in the screen grabs above.

This was disappointing because when we reviewed the HS10 it was the only converter available. However, until the main third-party raw converters become available, you can download a trial version of Silkypix Developer Studio 4.0 – which lets you save converted raw files in TIFF format – from http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/SILKYPIX-Download-90313.html. (Ignore the unsupported file warning when you load an HS10 raw file.)

Performance
In our shooting tests we identified a couple of problems with the review camera. The first was that the stabilisation system was only just adequate for hand-holding the camera when the lens was at full tele zoom and not capable of eliminating handshake blur with 2x digital zoom. (These tests were conducted by an experienced photographer with very steady hands.)

We were able to grab a few hand-held shots with the review camera at shutter speeds as slow as 1/10 second with the lens focal length at 23.7mm (equivalent to 135mm in 35mm format). However, two thirds of the shots in the test sequence were blurred, suggesting this should be viewed as the system’s absolute limit for practical usage.

The second problem with all the multi-shot modes is the amount of time it takes to process the images, which is at least a couple of seconds and can be almost 15 seconds for the High-speed (Top 7) burst mode for JPEGs and more than 30 seconds when RAW+JPEG capture is set. All controls lock while this takes place, preventing you from taking more shots or adjusting camera settings. (Too bad if you wish to record another burst of shots at the time.)

On the plus side, having a manual zoom lens made precise framing of shots a breeze and autofocusing in good light was fast and usually accurate for still shots – provided the subject filled at least 50% of the frame and the centre focusing pattern was set. With spot focusing, the camera often had problems homing in on small subjects like birds and pets at focal lengths longer than about 30mm. In addition, focusing was sometimes inaccurate, landing on the background or foreground – but not the main subject.
These problems were exacerbated when shooting video clips. Slow autofocusing was the norm and the system often targeted subjects in the background while ignoring foreground subjects. This occurred more frequently with telephoto shots than wide-angle ones.

Being able to control the lens aperture enabled us to take close-ups of flowers with out-of-focus backgrounds. Bokeh (out-of-focus blurring) in these shots was generally pleasing, particularly at full tele zoom. Unfortunately, the lens is quite flare-prone and no hood is provided to shield the front element for backlit shots.

The Motion Panorama mode produced some impressive shots, although the maximum width is restricted to 3840 pixels, which limits the printing potential to a little less than 33 cm. However, image stitching was competently handled, even when dramatic changes in lighting occurred across the scene. In this respect, the HS10 produced better results than the Sweep Panorama mode on the Sony cameras we’ve reviewed.

In contrast, the Multi-Motion Capture failed to deliver the promised results in our shooting tests. We’re not sure why as the user manual provide no technical information on how it works and none of these modes are addressed in the Troubleshooting section at the end of the manual.

The Motion Remover mode successfully removed a passing car from a shot taken looking across a road but failed to remove strolling people from a park scene. We can only assume it has two key requirements: that some of the shots in the scene contain no moving subjects and that the moving objects are moving quickly enough to ensure this within the one-second period covered by the exposure.

The Best Frame Capture mode worked well for shots taken in low light levels and also for shots captured under mixed lighting. In both cases, it was possible to pick at least one ‘keeper’ from the sequence of seven frames captured with this mode.

Imatest showed resolution to be significantly below expectations for a 10-megapixel camera. Raw files converted with Silkypix Developer Studio 4.0 produced slightly better results than JPEGs straight from the camera. However, they were still well below expectations and saturation was visibly subdued in converted files (this is reflected in our Imatest results).

Edge softening was noticeable at all focal length settings. The results of our tests, based on JPEG files, are shown in the graph below.

Interestingly, our Imatest tests showed comparatively small differences in performance across the camera’s sensitivity range, which is where we compared JPEG and RAF.RAW files. The visual deterioration seen in shots taken with the highest ISO settings was not reflected in our Imatest testing, which showed only a slight decline as ISO sensitivity was increased. The graph below shows the results of our Imatest tests.

Lateral chromatic aberration was mainly negligible, with occasional drifts into the low category. The graph below shows the results of our Imatest tests. No coloured fringing was observed in test shots.

As mentioned above, exposures longer than four seconds could only be obtained in the Manual shooting mode, which requires users to set the lens aperture as well. Noise became visible in long exposures at ISO 800 and was very obvious by ISO 3200, with shots taken at ISO 6400 being blotchy and slightly softened.

Not surprisingly, flash shots fared better, although noise and softening could be seen in shots taken at ISO 6400. The flash proved capable of illuminating an average-sized room at all ISO settings – and exposures were evenly balanced across the review camera’s entire ISO range.

Auto white balance performance was similar to many digicams we’ve tested. The review camera failed to totally remove the colour cast from incandescent lighting but came quite close with fluorescent lighting. Manual measurement corrected both colour casts completely and there are plenty of pre-sets and in-camera tweaking adjustments to enable photographers to obtain neutral colours under most lighting conditions.

Close-up capabilities were generally good, although framing hand-held shots at full tele zoom was difficult with low ISO settings. (We feel a tripod should be used in all but the brightest lighting.) Digital zoom shots were soft and artefact-affected. We believe this function should only be used when other options aren’t possible.

Video quality was pretty ordinary, despite the camera’s ability to record with Full HD resolution. We couldn’t see much quality difference between 1080p and 720p clips but swapping to VGA resolution produced an obvious deterioration in quality. The stereo soundtracks had little perceptible depth or presence but were not unacceptably bad.

Response times for the review camera were slow for a modern digicam. We measured an average capture lag of 0.75 seconds, which reduced to a consistent 0.1 seconds with pre-focusing. However, it took 2.6 seconds to process each Large/Fine JPEG file, 5.3 seconds for each raw file and 7.9 seconds for each RAW+JPEG pair.

In the high-speed continuous shooting mode, the review camera was able to capture seven Large/Fine JPEGs in one second. It took 14 seconds to process this burst. For raw file capture in burst mode, the review camera could record six frames in one second. However, it took 27.2 seconds to process this burst of shots. Swapping to RAW+JPEG capture restricted bursts to five pairs of shots within one second. It took just over 30 seconds to process these bursts.

Although the AA Alkaline batteries supplied with the camera are only rated for 300 frames, we had recorded 364 still pictures and 11 video clips by the time the low battery icon began appearing on the LCD monitor. This suggests power consumption is quite conservative for a present-day digicam.

Buy this camera if:
– You’re looking for a superzoom digicam with PASM shooting modes and support for raw file capture.
– You would like to record Full HD video clips.
– You want good wide-angle coverage and image stabilisation for shooting both video and still pictures.
– You could use some of the HS10’s multi-exposure shooting modes.
– You would like a powerful and easy-to-use panorama creator setting.

Don’t buy this camera if:
– You demand high image quality for stills and video clips.
– You want to be able to access the full range of shutter speed and aperture settings in the P, A and S shooting modes.
– You want high burst capacity at high resolution (the largest burst is seven JPEG frames at Large/Fine resolution).
– You require fast image file processing.
-You want to be able to print images and panoramas on poster-sized paper.

FOOTNOTE: On the day before we published this review, Fujifilm released a firmware update for the HS10, addressing the following issues:
1. Some distorted images with pin-cushion type can be captured at AE bracketing mode.
2. Sometimes unclear details in images.
3. In RAW + JPEG mode, JPEG images are sharper.
4. Soft image or not smooth enough color gradation in D-range 200, 400% than in 100%.
The new firmware can be downloaded at: www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/firmware/s/finepix_hs10/fupd.html.

IMATEST GRAPHS
JPEG files

RAF.RAW files processed with Silkypix Developer Studio 4.0 to produce 16-bit TIFF files.

SAMPLE IMAGES

Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.

Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.

4.2mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/446 second at f/5.6.

126mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/97 second at f/5.6.

Digital zoom; 126mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/79 second at f/5.6.

Super-macro close-up at 4.6mm focal length; ISO 100, 1/104 second at f/3.2.

Close-up at 48.5mm showing bokeh; ISO 100, 1/37 second at f/5.6.

Stabiliser test at 24.9mm focal length; ISO 3200, 1/9 second at f/4.4.

30-second exposure, ISO 100, 6.3mm focal length at f/3.2.

8-second exposure, ISO 800, 6.3mm focal length at f/3.2.

8-second exposure, ISO 6400, 6.3mm focal length at f/7.1.

Flash exposure at ISO 100; 24.9mm focal length, 1/125 second at f/4.4.

Flash exposure at ISO 800; 24.9mm focal length, 1/125 second at f/4.4.

Flash exposure at ISO 6400; 24.9mm focal length, 1/125 second at f/4.4.

Panorama mode; 4.2mm focal length, ISO 100, one-second exposure at f/4.

Flare; 4.2mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/362 second at f/5.6.

Backlighting; 69.1mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/500 second at f/4.9.

Vignetting at 126mm focal length, f/5.6.

94.6mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/294 second at f/4.9.

126mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/446 second at f/5.6.

Digital zoom shot: 126mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/446 second at f/5.6.

Still frame from Full HD video clip.

Still frame from 720p HD video clip

Still frame from VGA video clip.

 

Specifications

Image sensor: 6.16 x 4.32 mm BSI-CMOS sensor with 10.3 megapixels effective
Lens: Fujinon 4.2-126 mm f/2.8-5.6 zoom lens (24-720mm in 35mm format)
Zoom ratio: 30x optical, 2x digital
Image formats: Stills – JPEG (Exif Ver. 2.2), RAW (RAF format), RAW+JPEG; Movies – MPEG4 (MOV, H.264/AVC, ISO standard) with stereo sound; Audio – WAVE format, Monaural sound
Image Sizes: Stills – 4:3 aspect: 3648 x 2736, 2592 x 1944, 2048 x 1536; 3:2 aspect: 3648 x 2432, 2592 x 1728, 2048 x 1360; 16:9 aspect: 3648 x 2056, 2592 x 1440, 1920 x 1080; Movies – 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD), 1280 x 720 pixels (HD), 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels (all at 30 frames/sec.) with stereo sound
Shutter speed range: P, S & A modes: 4-1/4000 second; M mode: 30 to 1/4000 seconds
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay
Image Stabilisation: CMOS-shift type + DIS
Exposure Compensation: +/- 2EV in 1/3EV steps
Focus system/range: Contrast-detect AF; range 50 cm to infinity; macro to 10 cm; super macro 1-10 cm
Exposure metering/control: TTL 256-zone metering; multi-pattern, centre-weighted and spot modes
Shooting modes: Auto, SR, Adv, SP1, SP2, Panorama, C, P, S, A, M
ISO range: Auto, ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400
White balance: Auto, Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White), Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light, Custom
Flash modes/range (ISO auto): Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro; red-eye reduction available; range – 30 cm to 2 metres (ISO 100)
Sequence shooting: max. 7 frames (3, 5, 7 and 10 frames/sec.)
Storage Media: Approx. 46MB internal memory plus SD/SDHC expansion slot
Viewfinder: 0.2-inch, FLCD EVF with approx. 200,000 dots; approx. 97% coverage
LCD monitor: 3.0-inch colour LCD monitor with approx. 230,000 dots, approx. 97% coverage
Power supply: 4x AA type alkaline batteries (included); lithium and rechargeable NiMH batteries also compatible
Dimensions (wxhxd): 130.6 x 90.7 x 126.0 mm (excluding accessories and attachments)
Weight: Approx. 636 grams (without battery and card)

 

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Ph: (02) 9029 2219

Camera House

 

www.camerahouse.com.au
Ph: 133 686
The largest speciality photographic retail chain in Australia.

Camera Pro

 

www.camerapro.net.au
CameraPro Pty Ltd
Suite 607, 180 Queen St, Brisbane 4000
Tel: 07 3333 2900
Australian owned and run company based in Brisbane.

Camerasdirect

 

www.camerasdirect.com.au
Retailer of digital camera equipment and more.
Secure online shopping and delivery across Australia.
Ph: 1300 727 056

Camerastore.com.au

Camerastore.com.au
Ph: 1800 155 067

Camera-Warehouse

 

www.camera-warehouse.com.au
Comprehensive range of digital cameras and accessories online (www.camera-warehouse.com.au) and an online print service (www.royalexpress.com.au).

Digital Camera Warehouse

 

www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au
174 Canterbury Road 367 High Street
Canterbury Northcote
NSW 2193 VIC 3070
Ph: 1300 365 220

Electronics Warehouse

 

www.electronicswarehouse.com.au
1300 801 885
Australian retailer of Vapex rechargeable batteries offering factory direct prices and fast, free shipping Australia wide.

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Photographic Equipment & Supplies – Retail & Repairs. Click here for list of stores.

Ted’s Cameras

 

www.teds.com.au

1800 186 895
Big range of cameras and photographic products with stores in most states and online.

Rating

 

RRP: $649

Rating (out of 10):

• Build: 8.0
• Ease of use: 8.0
• Autofocusing: 8.0
• Image quality: 7.0
• OVERALL: 8.0

Buy