Fuji finepix

[saul]

Just wondering if anybody here knew of somewhere on this here internet where I could still get hold of a Fuji Finepix f810. Went to my local store yesterday and they said it had been discontinued, and I'd only just got the money together for one. Damn. Alternatively, anyone know what it's going to be replaced by or have other digital recommendations in the £200-300 price band? Cheers.

[leekfiend]

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT buy any kind of Fuji Finepix digital camera. Please, just don't do it, don't waste your money. I've used loads of cameras from this series (and in fact own one currently) and they all suffer from the same problem: blurring of images when there is even the slightest movement of the camera.

And by "slightest" I mean: the only way to get an un-blurred image out of one of these is to put it on a tripod and use its self-timer to set it off. Putting it on a tripod and using the shutter button yourself still results in a blurred image - the camera moves slightly when you press the button. As for actually holding it in your hands and pressing the shutter button (as, you know, you might expect to with a camera), you can forget it.

Fuji digital cameras: unmitigated shite. Avoid.

[saul]

Ah. I was going to get one off the back of a programme on BBC4 last year called 'Digital Picture of Britain' where they gave digi cameras to SLR purists, professionals like, and the F810 came out well. Read a few reviews that praised it quite highly too but I'll consider myself warned Leek. What do you have?

[Matrixxx]

wierd, I have a Finepix 1300 and very rarely get any blurred images... maybe you're just shaking a lot ?

[PVB]

wierd, I have a Finepix 1300 and very rarely get any blurred images... maybe you're just shaking a lot ?

The only time I had blurry images from my Fuji camera was when my nephew had played around with the settings of it, altering it to take night shots.

[Kronos]

wierd, I have a Finepix 1300 and very rarely get any blurred images... maybe you're just shaking a lot ?

yeh i think he's got the bends, or alcohol poisoning

the latest one with 4inch screen and 6mp has no shake, its fantastic quality. my a210 does suffer from shake/blur. down to the processor in camera taking too long to take the pic int it?

[pogo]

Alternatively, anyone know what it's going to be replaced by or have other digital recommendations in the £200-300 price band?

I bought a Sony DSC N1 when in Tokyo and am very happy with it. It's genuinely 8 MPixel, very compact and very smart. The latter means that in the 'auto' mode it not only does exposure, focus as you'd expect but white balance and ISO selection (up to 800). ISO 800 is noisy but better than blurry due to camera shake. Of course you can override most everything.

Very large LCD which serves as touch screen to do most configuration, and replaces the viewfinder. It works well for both and is also high enough quality that you can effectively review shots. As there's no viewfinder, few other controls needed it's little bigger than the LCD, and slim with it. Only 3x zoom, but expected at this size and the high pixel count means you can zoom in further when post-processing and still have a decent result. And it captures 640 x 480 MPEG1 movies at 30 FPS.

[Arganoid]

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT buy any kind of Fuji Finepix digital camera. Please, just don't do it, don't waste your money. I've used loads of cameras from this series (and in fact own one currently) and they all suffer from the same problem: blurring of images when there is even the slightest movement of the camera.

Surely it all depends on the amount of light and shutter speed? If the shutter speed is slow, inevitably there will be some movement of the camera while the shutter is open. Or are other cameras built by Paul Daniels and therefore immune from this?

[wanye]

Ive owned two fuji digital compacts, and never had any problems with the image quality. apart from when in low light and not using the flash, but you get that with most digicams.

currently got an olympus c750uz, which you can pick up a recent model of for under £200. 10x optical zoom. fucking brilliant. its not the smallest of cameras, but you can get it in your pocket still, and takes damn fine pics. its about the nearest youll get to a full SLR without the size and price tag. my next camera *will* be an slr. but for now im happy with the olympus

[Flabio]

I have quite an old finepix, and it's pretty awful. Has this amusing habit of draning the batteries if you leave the memory card in, even if the thing is turned off.

[Viscount Charles]

I use an old-ish Fuji Finepx F602z. It has a known issue with draining one cell flat if left alone for weeks, but it's not a regular thing. The problem is down to the battery compartment door making contact with the batteries.

As for picture quality, I've never had a problem with blur, even at the maximum x6 zoom (when you'd expect to start getting problems). The only real quibble with the image quality is the amount of "noise" (variance in the colour of red, green and blue pixels) - it's not noticeable until you zoom in so you're looking at the individual pixels, but it is worse than with my Canon S30 (of a similar vintage). But then, if you want noise-free digtal pixels you buy an SLR, not a compact.

[leekfiend]

Ah. I was going to get one off the back of a programme on BBC4 last year called 'Digital Picture of Britain' where they gave digi cameras to SLR purists, professionals like, and the F810 came out well. Read a few reviews that praised it quite highly too but I'll consider myself warned Leek. What do you have?

A FinePix 2600Z.

I have, however, also seen this problem with one lower down the range, and one higher up (think it's the 6800 but I'll check and report back). And both of those were with a user other than me, although it did also happen with me, so to your PVB

Fair enough if other people have managed to get decent results, but as far as my own experience goes - the range contains three duds, therefore Fuji do not understand how to make a digital camera that actually works, therefore: avoid. And nothing will ever change this short of a senior Fuji employee turning up to my door with a digital camera, for free, that actually works. Which won't happen, so Fuji will never get my money for a digital camera again.

[Matrixxx]

Thats like saying "the ford mondeo pulls the steering to the left, therefore ford dont know how to make cars"... things improve with time and feedback.

My only gripe with Fuji was how much cash they wanted to get the dust from the inside of the camera... (they didnt tell me it was a disposable when I bought it *cough*) essentially engineered so that I could, and they provided the service, but you may as well get a new one... this says "we will, but you'd be better if.."; oh ya, and that battery compartment door issue has cropped up a coup;le of times... but thats all.

Blurred images are an affectation of taking pictures of difusing light... like blue LED's n stuff.... Mirrors will cause "ghost spots" too.... but those are the only 2 effects i'm aware of. My camera copes with everything else perfectly well.

[dr_mat]

Check out the Fuji F11 instead if you're interested in an ultra-compact. ISO 1600 and massive battery life..

[leekfiend]

Thats like saying "the ford mondeo pulls the steering to the left, therefore ford dont know how to make cars"... things improve with time and feedback.

There's such a concept as "throwing good money after bad".

If Fuji need more people to do their gamma testing because they're still not making cameras that actually work, I'll saw my own left leg off with a lettuce before I'll help them do it (and pay for the "privilege").