Handy carry-around camera
Written: Nov 13 '04
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Pros: Fast startup, low shutter lag, good image quality, ISO 800, cheap but robust.
Cons: Featured as a snapshot cam, consequently some annoyances. 6mp JPEGS overcompressed.
The Bottom Line: Made for snapshots, so has its limits. If you can accept them, good image quality, light weight, low cost and ease of use make it a fine carry-everywhere point-and-shoot.
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| quinbus's Full Review: FUJIFILM FinePix E550 Digital Camera |
Took my Canon S50 to the 8/29 rally in NYC and was frustrated by its shutter lag. Since then I've tried several P&S cams, looking for one that's faster to use and that has image quality as good as the S50's. The E550 pretty much fills that bill, though it's not the class act the Canon is. My experience bears out the conclusion of dpreview.com's review of the E550, especially regarding overcompression of the JPEG's at the 6mp setting. I use the camera only at the 12mp/fine setting, and results are excellent for a pocket-size P&S. Noise is very well controlled, and there's a very usable ISO 800 mode. (It sets resolution to 3mp, but that's fine for my purposes.) The lens is fine, and in quick tests I found little difference in sharpness at different apertures, so I don't hesitate to use it wide open.
This is a light digicam, about the size and weight of a cellphone. I carry it on my belt. It's well made but certainly not built like a brick -- I try to avoid bangs and bumps, but since it's quite cheap I won't grieve if it's lost or broken. (A plus for a walking-around cam.) And it looks like what it is, a P&S meant for snapshots, so it can be used in public without attracting attention.
Certainly there are a few annoyances about its setup, mostly design choices that have to do with its purpose as a snapshooter. For example, if the light is low, not one but two warnings appear over the LCD, one telling you the flash should be deployed and the other letting you know there's danger of camera shake. You can't turn these off, and they get in the way.
Also I had difficulty with the memory card. I normally use a card reader, and bought a Fuji adapter to use the E550's minuscule card in my CF reader. But for some reason I found it often impossible to locate images that had been added to the card after a previous download session. I solved this by using Fuji's included software and downloading the images via the USB connector (also provided). That works well enough.
My overall impression is quite positive. I've made very detailed 12 x 16 prints from handheld shots -- http://www.quinbus.net/albums/04_November/041103132301_G.jpg is an example. It's certainly worth the money.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 310
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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Epinions.com ID:
quinbus
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Member: Leslie Hancock
Location: NY, USA
Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Elderly amateur.
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