mrwsm's Full Review: FUJIFILM FinePix S5200 / S5600 Digital Camera
I have had this camera for 6 months now and I can seriously say it is the best all around camera available.
One very important tip I can give is to not use Auto when shooting indoors. Set it at P and set the priority to ISO 200. By doing this I get the clearest looking pictures I have ever seen with no noise. For technical reasons the ISO goes to 800 indoors when shooting in Auto and this introduces noise, obviously at ISO 800. Some people like to just shoot in auto mode, well it is just as easy to set it at P and move ISO to 200. I get pictures so good that I do not even have to post process. If I leave it in auto indoors, then I need to go 1 notch softer in post processing to improve the noise.
When shooting outdoors you can leave it in auto mode and this camera takes pictures that rival some of the best SLR's, I know because I have compared the results side by side at Steves Digicams website before I even bought this camera. Being proactive indoors with the ISO will give unsurpassed indoor pictures also. For example when shooting a close up you can consider going to ISO 100, for most shots use ISO 200, shots taken at 20 feet distance may need ISO 400, only for really long shots of 28 feet distance or more does the ISO 800 come in handy.
The manual zoom has got to be one of my favorite features of this camera. It is fast, accurate and very useable, much better than electronic zooms. It also can be used during taking video. The manual zoom gives the handling a professional feel and you can capture shots faster with it than otherwise. I have no problem taking clear perfect pictures at full 10.7x zoom, no need for a tripod. I have not even tried the anti-blur function of this camera because I do not need it. People complain about the lack of image stabilization, but I'm telling you I couldn't care less if it had it or not. At full 10.7x I get clear pictures, so IS to me is just another feature I would never use. It might be the fact this camera is so handy and fits in the hand so perfect and comfortable, even my video turns out more stable since it is easy to hold.
Ok, no hot shoe, but really with such a powerful flash included are you going to ever need it? I like the smoother lines of this camera and the slightly better looks over the Fujifilm S9100. The flash pops up nice and high and helps eliminate all red eye.
The XD card costs what, $3 dollars more, big deal. It's a great card, regardless, very fast and reliable, not an issue.
I like the choice of wide screen feature on this camera, so the pictures will fit nicely on the new TV's. In this mode I can take over 1300 pictures with a 2GB card.
The 480x640 with 30fps video of this camera is great. In fact the video is better quality than my Sharp Hi 8 camcorder, so I sold my camcorder and this Fujifilm S6000fd will be an all in one picture and video camera for me.
During video it can zoom nicely with the manual zoom. The more lighting there is the better the video will turn out. In a darker room the video is grainy but my camcorder was not any better in dark conditions. When taking video in bright conditions, the video turns out awesome. It can take about 30 minutes of video with a 2 GB card.
My preference is to have a camera that can take the best pictures possible and to also take decent video and I believe this is the camera to have.
Note: This review focuses on a few very important tips that I feel I can add, and is not intended on covering all features of this camera which would require a book and I have no intention on covering them all. Good luck.
If you have more questions you can email me at movies@MarketWorldMovies.com
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $329 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Solid Enough for a Professional
5.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints 10x optical zoom (equivalent to a 38-380mm on a 35mm camera) 1.8-inch l...More at Amazon Marketplace
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