The Fuji Finepix F50 is a 12 megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom lens. It is just about small enough to fit into a pocket. This is a fairly standard compact model with a few extra features such as image stabilisation, shutter priority mode and aperture priority mode. One of the big attractions of the Finepix F50 is its ease of use.
Image Quality Fuji Finepix F50 fd test shots
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
The first outdoor scenic shot wins the Finepix F50 plenty of early brownie points. The sharpness of the photo may not quite be up there with the very best, but it is not far behind. The sharpness levels are also retained up to the edges of the photo.
One of the other big plus points is how well the camera is able to handle sun glare. This is a big problem at this time of the year, but the Finepix F50 is able to cope with it better than just about any other camera I have tested recently.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
This is quite a distant scene and with the lens zoom out many digital cameras struggle with focusing. The Finepix F50 does well though and I am impressed with the definition in the photo. There is also plenty of colour in the shot.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
With the lens zoomed into its full capacity the camera is again able to produce a sharp photo. All three outdoor scenic test shots are above average.
Outdoor Portrait
The point I like most about this shot is the colours the Finepix F50 manages to produce. They give the photo a healthy look without going overboard. The face detection setting gives another sharp photo.
Indoor Portrait with Flash
Moving indoors and turning on the flash produces a bright photo. Despite using the flash the photo has retained plenty of colour. There is no evidence of red eye in the test shot. This means I am unable to test out the built in red eye correction tool.
Indoor Portrait without Flash
Fuji digital cameras have a good reputation for photos in lower light. So it is no surprise that I managed an impressive shot considering the conditions. Although there will be plenty of times when you still need to use flash, the Finepix F50 is one of the better lowlight, compact digital cameras.
Colours
I like the colours produced by the Finepix F50. They have a natural feel to them, but there is also plenty if strength to them. This is especially noticeable in my first two test shots.
Macro
This is not the strongest macro shot I have ever produced. Sharpness is good, but I would not say it is spot on. There is also a slight purple tinge to the photo. This is unlikely to be a problem if you are planning to use the camera for nature close ups, but may be an issue if you are planning to use the camera to photograph jewelry under artificial lighting.
ISO 400
Pushing the ISO setting up to 400 has less affect on picture quality than with many digital cameras. Although noise does start to creep in it is still a fair effort.
ISO 1600
If you go as far as ISO 1600 it is a different matter and picture quality really does fade.
Overall
I have been very impressed with the picture quality produced by the Finepix F50. It is some way above average and is especially impressive in lower light.
Shutter Lag
I was able to take a single photo in 0.31 seconds and five photos in 13.19 seconds. These are average times. Turning on the flash makes very little difference to shutter delay. A single photo took 0.33 seconds and five photos were captured in 14.97 seconds. These are impressive times.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Style: The Finepix F50 is a neat and tidy digital camera. It has an unfussy design. Although the camera does not look radically different to so other many slim, rectangular cameras its shamphered edges and a rounded corner stop it from looking completely identikit. It is available in black and silver.
Dimensions: 95.7 x 59 x 23.3mm
Weight: 155g
Batteries: Lithium Ion (NP50). Both a battery and charger are supplied as standard.
Memory cards: The Finepix F50 is compatible with both SD and xD cards. 25mb of memory have been built into the camera. I was able to take 8 photos before the memory was full.
Click here to save money on SD cards.
Ease of use rating: Very Good. Most of the key controls can be selected by pressing a button on the back of the camera. When you do need to use the menu you should find it easy enough to get around.
Points I like:
Picture quality - shutter lag with flash - easy of use
Where it could improve:
It is hard to find fault
Alternatives
The Finepix F50 can be compared to just about any pocket sized digital camera. It does offer a bit more than many standard pocket models though. In fact if you would like a small compact with shutter and aperture priority these are hard to find. A couple of alternatives are the Sony DSC W200 and Canon IXUS 75.
Verdict:
The Fuji Finepix F50 has a lot going for it. It has some useful features you do not usually see with a pocket sized digital camera. These include a red eye removal feature and a larger than standard LCD screen. Picture quality is very good indeed and the camera is available for a reasonable price. This is one of the best pocket sized cameras on the market. Recommended.
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
| Fuji Finepix F50fd Summary |
| Description: | 12 Megapixels and a 3x optiocal zoom lens |
| Ease of Use: | 9 |
| Features: | 8 |
| Colour: | 8 |
| Macro: | 7 |
| Indoors: | 9 |
| Value for Money: | 9 |
| Style: | 8 |
| Movie Mode: | 8 |
| Image Quality: | 9 |
| Build Quality: | 9 |
| Total: | 84 |
| Verdict: | This is an impressive camera. Small enough to fit into a pocket it can take a decent photo in most situations. It is one of the best lowlight compact cameras around. It also has a few extra features than a typical point and shoot camera. Recommended. |
| Review Date: | December 2007 |
| Click for: | Specification Sample Images Features |
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