Overview
The Fuji Finepix S5700 is a seven megapixel digital camera with a ten times zoom lens. The length of the lens makes the camera a good choice for subjects where you need plenty of zoom. These include sports and wildlife photography. The Finepix S5700 also has a number of more advanced features including manual exposure. If you are interested in the longer lens, but do not wish to use the more advanced features you can use the camera's automatic mode.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
7
10x
2.5 inches
106.1 x 75.7 x 80.7m
306g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
4cm
No
Yes
AA
xD/SD
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
The Finepix S5700 gets off to a fairly good start. Compared to some of the cameras I have tested recently sharpness is not quite as good as many of the other cameras have managed. Although in fairness these other models have been more expensive. I would describe picture quality in this shot as average.
The quality of this shot dips below average here. Focusing is not so hot. A small amount of purple fringing appears where the sun strikes lighter coloured objects. I also would like to see stronger colour in this shot.
With the lens zoomed into to its maximum capacity purple fringing becomes a much more serious problem. It can be cleaned up if you use software such as Photoshop, but not everyone will want to spend time doing so. The sun also causes another problem with detail lost in some areas of the photo.
Portraits
I have no complaints with this photo. Sharpness levels are better with the camera being used at closer quarters. I like the colours the camera produces in this shot.
This is another successful portrait shot. With the flash unit popping up out of the way the possibility of photos being blighted by red eye is much reduced.
I am disappointed with this result. This is a fairly new test and as all the cameras I have tested have struggled with it I used lighter conditions to test the Finepix S5700. Therefore I would have expected a sharper focus, especially having read Fuji's claims about the camera's ability to cope when the light is less than perfect.
Macro, Colours and Noise
I have no complaints with the macro shot and feel the Finepix S5700 has made a good attempt with the photo.
How strong you like to see colour in a photograph is something of a personal opinion. The Finepix S5700 has produced softer colours in more of my tests when compared to other models. Personally I would like to see a bit more strength in the outdoor scenic shots.
At ISO 400 the Finepix S5700 produces a credible photo. It is better than most other brands manage, although purple fringing did start to appear again in my tests.
At this setting the camera is able to produce photos that are better than almost all its rivals. Even so I would advise you to only use this setting if you really need to.
Summary
The photos are a little way from being perfect, but the Finepix S5700 is one of the cheapest super zoom cameras on the market.
Style
The Finepix S5700 is smaller than some of the earlier models in this range. It comes on black and looks a little like a cut down SLR camera.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
0.28 seconds
10.25 seconds
0.38 seconds
11.9 seconds
Ease of Use
If you are looking for your first camera with manual controls then you are likely to find the Finepix S5700 easier to use than most.
Points I Like
Design and style - ease of use for a camera with these features
Where it Could Improve
Purple fringing - wide angle test photo
Verdict
The Fuji Finepix S5700 has two big plus points for anyone looking for a digital camera with a longer lens. The first is its low price tag and the second is ease of use. Picture quality is not perfect, but taking the price of the camera into account I cannot be too critical.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Nikon Coolpix S9300 Rating 86/100
For a camera that is small enough to take anywhere the Nikon Coolpix S9300 has a lot of features packed into it. If you are planning to take a holiday GPS tracking will tell you where you were when a picture was taken. The length of the zoom lens also gives you plenty of scope when it comes to picture opportunities. Although there is plenty of completion in this category the picture quality on offer here combined with the features makes this camera very attractive indeed. Recommended.
Read Review: Nikon Coolpix S9300 Review
Canon Powershot SX260 HS Rating 86/100
The Canon Powershot SX260 HS is one of the very best digital cameras in this category. In fact if you are happy to miss out on features such as 3D photography and 360 degree panoramas it is very hard to beat. It has a great set of features packed into its relatively compact body size and picture quality helps to make it stand out from the competition. Although it is one of the more expensive cameras in this field it still offers good value for money.
Read Review: Canon Powershot SX260 HS Review
Sony DSC HX20V Rating 85/100
There is a lot to like about the Sony Cybershot DSC HX20V. As well as being crammed with features it is a very reliable when it comes to taking pictures. It can handle most photo opportunities without breaking sweat. The amount of zoom power and other features available gives you a great deal of flexibility. Competition between similar cameras is very tough, but this model performs very well when put up against its main rivals. I would happily own this camera.
Read Review: Sony DSC HX20V Review
Related Pages
Fuji Finepix S5700 Review Fuji Finepix S5700 Specification Fuji Finepix S5700 Sample Images Fuji Finepix S5700 Features Fuji Digital Cameras
Review Date
October 2007
