Overview
The Fuji Finepix F11 is a 6.3 megapixel digital camera with a three times optical zoom lens. It is a stylish model with a metal body. The Finepix F11 is a step up from a simple point and shoot digital camera. It offers some limited manual exposure settings and also some additional features to help it take pictures in lowlight situations.
It is likely to appeal to somebody who is happy to spend a little extra in return for a higher quality camera.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
6
3x
2.5 inches
92 x 58.2 x 27.3 mm
155g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
No
Yes
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
xD
Image Quality
Overall I was very happy with the quality of the pictures I was able to take with the Finepix F11. In all my tests the camera managed to produce sharp images full of lively colours.
Running through the test images starting with the outdoor scenic type shots these are all above average in quality and are accurate reproductions of the scenes when the pictures were taken. The camera handles difficult areas such as areas of high contrast well. I would be very happy to take this camera out with me to shoot various landscape type pictures. I always look carefully at the brickwork on the building in the first text picture to give me an idea of how well the camera is able to focus. In this instance the camera performs the task well and I believe this is also underlines the quality of the resolution the camera offers.
In some places there is a hint of purple fringing. This is where a thin purple line can be added to the outer edge of light coloured objects.
Moving in doors the camera makes a decent attempt at both the shot of beer bottles in almost complete darkness and also the indoor portrait. The shot of the beer bottles is well lit and sharply focused. Although the indoor portrait is not quite as sharp as some cameras I have tested recently it is still to an acceptable standard nonetheless. The major plus point in this picture is the fact that there is no redeye at all showing.
Looking at the outdoor portrait this produces a fairly typical shot. I like the skin tones and the camera does a fair job of lighting the subject.
The dedicated test for colour shows this camera can produce vivid colour with no one colour dominating.
The macro picture works well too. Again the Finepix F11 compares well against other similar digital cameras in this area. If you are looking for a digital camera to take pictures suitable for eBay or other Internet uses this camera is worth consideration.
One of the features that Fuji pushes quite hard is the fact that this camera is capable of taking pictures at ISO 1600. This means that the camera should be able to take pictures in lowlight situations without the need to use the flash. It is certainly true that the camera is able to do this, but you do need to be aware that fairly high levels of noise creep into the pictures at ISO 800 and above. All noise really is in digital camera terms is something that causes a decrease in picture quality.
As you can see there is not a bad photo amongst all my test shots. The lens is not quite as sharp as some of the Canon digital cameras I have reviewed recently, but then again this camera is not as expensive either.
Shutter Lag and Recycling Times
I managed to take a single shot in 0.25 seconds. This is a faster than average time. It took 6.13 seconds to take five consecutive shots. This works out at a rate of one photo every 1.02 seconds. This is a fast time.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Features
For composing images and accessing the menu there is a large 2.5 inch LCD screen. The screen is made up of approximately 153,000 pixels. There is a handy button on the back of the camera that allows you to brighten the screen when you require to do so. There is no room for a viewfinder.
The built in flash unit has a maximum range of 6.5 m. This falls to 4 m when the zoom lens is in use. This compares well with other digital cameras. The flash modes available to you are auto, redeye reduction, always on, always off and slow synchro.
The three times optical zoom lens has a focal length equivalent to 36-108 mm in 35mm format. The maximum aperture is F2.8 - F5.0. For close-up photography there is a macro mode that can get you in as close as 5 cm from the subject. There is also a 6.2 times digital zoom feature.
The auto focusing options are centre, multi and continuous. Manual focusing is not available. To help the camera focus in lowlight there is an autofocus illuminator. This has a maximum range of around 4 m.
There are five preset scene modes that you can use. By using a scene mode you instruct the camera to use its optimum settings for the type shot you are about to take. All you need to do is pick the most appropriate scene mode. The scene modes available are natural light, sport, night scene, portrait and landscape.
For when you would like to appear in the picture yourself there is a self timer. This can be set to either a two or 10 second delay. After you have taken a picture you can also add up to 30 seconds of voice memo to it. This helped to preserve the memory of when and where the photo was taken.
To add something a little different to your photos there are three colour modes available to you. These are black and white, chrome and standard.
For shooting movies the maximum resolution is 640 x 480. The top speed is 30 frames per second. Movies can be recorded up to the capacity of the memory card. Although you can record sound with a movie you cannot zoom in and out whilst shooting.
Among the more advanced features are shutter speeds ranging from 15 seconds to 1/2000 seconds, ISO sensitivity of automatic, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 and three types of light metering (multi, average and spot).
The camera has both aperture priority and shutter priority. Although the camera's specification states it has a fully manual mode this mode does not allow you to change the shutter speed and aperture size. Therefore this camera does not have a true manual exposure mode.
To help you get the correct colours there are a number of white balance settings you can select from. These are automatic, custom, fine, shade, fluorescent light (daylight), fluorescent light (warm white), fluorescent light (cool white) and incandescent light.
Continuous shooting is available too. You can shoot up to 40 photos at 1.3 seconds intervals. There are also top three and final three settings these allow you to shoot at a maximum speed of 2.2 frames per second.
Fuji supplies all the necessary cables and software to connect the Finepix F11 to a television set, PictBridge compatible printer, and a computer.
You can also use the Finepix F11 underwater. To do this you will need to buy an underwater case. This has the product code WP-FXF10.
Ease of Use
The Finepix F11 is a well thought out digital camera. Key controls are placed on the top of the camera and on the back. Here you will find controls to select the shooting mode and other key features such as zoom, macro and flash. The menu system is easy enough to find your way around, but the screens are a little cramped. Therefore good eyesight can help.
Cost
You can pick up a Fuji Finepix F11 for around £235. This compares to around £230 for a Panasonic DMC FX9, £145 for an Olympus MJU 600 and £270 for a Canon IXUS 750.
I would describe the Finepix F11 as fairly priced.
Style
The Finepix F11 is a stylish digital camera with a metal body. It is a typical shiny, silver rectangle with a slightly raised area on the right-hand side of the front. This helps you to take a good grip of the camera when you are taking a picture.
Although this camera does not quite fall into the category of ultra compact digital cameras it is nevertheless still fairly small and light weight. You should have no real problem carrying it around with you although I would suggest picking up a case to go with it will help protect the camera from the rigours of everyday life.
The camera has dimensions of 92 x 58.2 x 27.3mm. It weighs in at around 155 g.
Batteries and Memory Cards
Power is supplied to the camera by a rechargeable lithium iron battery. The battery model is the NP-120. Fuji supplies both the battery and a charger with the Finepix F11. Fuji claim that you should be able to get around 500 shots before the battery needs to be recharged.
Images are stored on XD picture cards. My camera was supplied with a generous 64 MB card. I was able to take 43 photos before the card became full using the standard settings. It would still be sensible to consider picking up a high-capacity card to go with your camera.
Click here to save money on xD cards..
Points I like:
All round photo quality
Build quality
Where it is not so hot:
Occasional purple fringing
Summary
The Fuji Finepix F11 is a good all round compact digital camera. It is well built and takes good photos and is also fairly easy to use. Anyone who is looking for a straightforward digital camera with some extra features thrown in could do worse than add this camera to their shortlist.
Fuji Finepix F11 Front View
Fuji Finepix F11 Back View
Fuji Finepix F11 Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Fuji Finepix F11 Review Fuji Finepix F11 Specification Fuji Finepix F11 Sample Images
