prashton's Full Review: FUJIFILM FinePix S7000 Digital Camera
16 months after I bought an S7000 and I finally have the camera I wanted. Of course I could have bought it today for a lot less money than the original full price. And I have been able to take photographs until the the batteries rapidly ran out of juice.
I think this camera is great, which is why I give it four stars. I just wish that Fuji USA had answered an e-mail I sent them in Novermber 2004 asking why my batteries ran down in a couple of hours. They never responded. What I did learn was that others had the same problem. So I bought additional NiMH batteries and struggled on (I was using the camera in remote areas in Venezuela, a long way from recharging facilities, etc.)
Then, in early 2005, just when the camera was about to be replaced with something better, I Googled the net to see if there was something to be done.
Lo and behold! Several sites (but not Fuji's) described my problem and explained that the firmware needed to be updated at the factory. I had bought my camera in the USA but am now working temporarily overseas, so I e-mailed Fuji UK and they kindly accepted my position and sent me a free mailer.
The bottom line is that the camera now works as advertised and Fuji UK have been most helpful, even offering a full apology.
Too bad Fuji USA never answered that first e-mail.
As with most other reviews, I like this camera a lot. However it is quite bulky and is not compact when switched on. Why does the lens have to stick out so far?
Update - March 31, 2005
Now I have the camera working properly, here are some additional comments.
As I Nikon film user, I was surprised that the Fuji seems to be quite compatible with Nikon control layouts, particularly the command wheel to change aperture (I seem to use the A mode most of the time). This is a definite asset.
Set up is relatively easy. Once set up and with goood batteries, the memory seems to work well as I have not had to reset anything since the camera was fixed.
I use the viewfinder more than the LCD screen. It's good to have both options.
Downloading to my Apple iPhoto library couldn't be easier, though the Fuji is not capable of recognizing portrait vs landscape like my wife's Canon Elph can.
I use a high resolution setting and a 512 Meg XD card with a 256 Compact Flash installed as backup. This gives ample image storage prior to downloading (about 150 images altogether).
Picture quality is excellent and I have to do very little adjusting in either iPhoto '05 or Photoshop. The camera struggles with high contrast images in bright sunlight but this is a typical problem with digital cameras. I usually bracket three exposures (+1, 0, -1) and then pick the best using Photoshop.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 799 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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