Fujifilm's new high-end FinePix megazooms: 10x, 18x, and 30x
In addition to the Fujifilm FinePix JZ300 and JZ500 compact wide-angle megazooms that I posted about earlier, Fujifilm's Spring 2010 FinePix lineup also includes four higher-end megazooms: the F80EXR, S1800, S2550HD, and the top-of-the line HS10.
In addition to the Fujifilm FinePix JZ300($199.95)and JZ500($249.95) compact wide-angle megazooms that I posted about earlier, Fujifilm's Spring 2010 FinePix lineup also includes four higher-end megazooms: the F80EXR, S1800, S2550HD, and the top-of-the line HS10.
This model replaces this fall's F70EXR in Fujifilm's F Series of flagship compact cameras that use the latest sensor technologies for improved low-light shooting. Like the FinePix Z700EXR I posted about earlier, the F80EXR uses a 12-megapixel super CCD EXR sensor to provide fine detail in bright, even lighting as well as better-quality low-light images with less noise. (For a more detailed description of the sensor technology, see Fujifilm’s Super CCD EXR site.) The F80EXR utilizes a wide-angle (27-270mm) 10 optical zoom lens with super EBC coating (which minimizes the dispersion of light as it passes through the lens in order to prevent glare and ghosting), and features a 3-inch LCD, dual image stabilization (mechanical sensor stabilization with digital image stabilization), as well as Fujifilm's multi-frame technology introduced this fall. Multi-frame includes two primary modes: 1) Pro Focus mode creates a depth-of-field image by using continuous burst modes to shoot three consecutive images, each focusing on a different point within the frame (foreground, background, plus a point of reference) and then synthesizing a composite image where the subject is sharp and clear in the foreground and the background drops out and blurs; 2) Pro Low-light mode uses the same technology to capture multiple images in a low-light setting, combining sensitivities of four different images to synthesize a smoother image, reducing grain and providing truer, deeper colors. Other features include tracking autofocus, face detection and recognition, high sensitivity up to ISO 12,800, super intelligent flash (which optimizes flash output strength to allow use of flash as close as 2 inches in macro mode without overpowering and washing out the image), and dynamic range capabilities up to 800 percent. Just 22.7mm thick, the F80EXR will ship mid-March for $299.95.
Fujifilm also announced two new S Series megazooms in the larger SLR-style chassis. The 12-megapixel FinePix S1800 replaces last year's S1500 and offers an 18x (28-504mm equivalent) optical zoom, a 3-inch LCD as well as an Electronic Viewfinder (EVF), dual-image stabilization, 720p (1280x720) HD movie recording, tracking autofocus, face detection, high sensitivity up to ISO 6400, automatic scene recognition, smile and blink detection, a panoramic shooting mode (which stitches three continuous shots together to create a panoramic photo), as well as instant-zoom (which automatically zooms to the maximum with a one-button touch). The camera accepts four AA batteries (Fujifilm claims it will last 400 shots using alkaline batteries and 700 shots using disposable Lithium Ion batteries) and will ship late January for $229.95.
The FinePix S2550HD is essentially the same camera with some minor features set differences, most notably an HDMI output. It will ship in late February for $249.95.
The FinePix HS10 is the first camera in Fujifilm's consumer line to use a CMOS sensor (more specifically, a backside-illuminated BSI CMOS sensor, on which the company claims light travels through fewer layers to get to substrate material for truer color and better registration). In a sign that the megapixel wars are over but the zoom factor wars are just beginning, the HS10 sports a 10-megapixel sensor and a 30x wide-angle (24-720mm!), manual twist-barrel zoom lens. There's a 3-inch tilting LCD, which flips out and rotates up and down but not side to side) as well as an EVF. A "heads-up" sensor switch enables the camera to switch control from the LCD to EVF as you bring the camera up to your eye rather than requiring you to press a button to change from LCD to EVF (the sensor actually detects your eye and switches to the EVF, and then switches back when you drop away from eye). For this top-of-the-line model, Fujifilm has bumped the HD movie recording capabilities up to 1080p (1920x 1080) with stereo sound, and included a mini-HDMI port for output. It also enables simultaneous still frame capture at 2 megapixels out of movie clips. There's continuous burst shooting at 10fps at full resolution for up to 8 frames as well as high-speed movie mode with slow motion playback (viewable at up to 1000 fps). Like the F80EXR, there's a Pro Low-light mode, and the HS10 also includes a Motion Remover mode which allows you to edit moving subjects out of your shot (e.g., if someone walks through your frame) by capturing five continuous burst shots, automatically checking for anything moving through the frames, and creating a composite image that edits out moving subjects (automatically in-camera). A Multi Motion Capture mode take five continuous burst shots and instead of editing motion out, it compiles the shots into one final image (e.g., if you were to record a golf swing, you'd see the club position through five different shots in a single image. A Motion Panorama mode allows you to swing your camera from left to right (or up and down) and stitch multiple images together to create a panoramic image). The HS10 uses a mechanically stabilized CMOS sensor plus high sensitivity and multi-frame digital technology to eliminate blur in shots. The camera is powered by AA batteries and will ship in late march for $499.95.
