Viewfinder (4.5)
The viewfinder for the E550 is, like that on many digital camera models, poorly designed. Positioned in the upper-left corner of the camera body, this feature has only 77 percent accuracy when compared with the final image. Furthermore, on top of this low accuracy rating, the fully extended lens barrel for the camera blocks the lower left portion of the window, making it almost impossible for the user to accurately gauge an image sighted through the viewfinder. This lack of consideration is aggravating on a camera with so many good features and specs; the small details of design appear to have been overlooked.
LCD Screen (7.5)
The LCD screen on the back of the Fujifilm FinePix E550 is nicely sized and framed in black. It is 2.0 inches diagonally measured and has a pixel count of 154,000.
Flash (2.5)
The flash can be set by the user of the Fujifilm FinePix E550 in any mode, save the movie and landscape modes, by pressing the right arrow on the four-way controller once the flash button has drawn the flash from its recessed position in the camera body. Auto Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced Flash, Slow Synchro, Red Eye+Slow Synchro, and Suppressed Flash are all available. The flash appears to be of fairly poor make; during use, extreme care was needed when pushing the flash back into the camera body for fear of breaking components or other hardware. It is as delicate as a kindergartener's loose tooth and could easily jam or malfunction if uneven or awkward pressure were placed upon the unit. Handle with care.
Zoom Lens (7.5)
The Fujifilm FinePix E550 has a 4x optical zoom lens available, with a digital zoom rated up to 6.3x, depending on image quality and size. It has a rating of f/2.8 to f/5.6, with variable focal lengths ranging from 7.2 to 28.8mm. This is equivalent to a 32.5-130mm lens in 35mm format.
