Fuji FinePix F20 First Impressions Review

by Richard Baguley
Published on October 10, 2006

Navigation
Intro	Physical Tour
Components	Design / Layout
Modes	Control Options
Image Parameters	Connectivity / Extras
Overall Impressions	Conclusion

 

Model Design / Appearance

The F20’s appearance remains consistent with the other FinePix F-series digital cameras. Its housing is plain and unassuming, especially when considering the sophisticated imaging technology inside. The F20 is available in either silver or gunmetal grey: the model we looked at was silver.

 

Size / Portability

At just 6 oz, the F20 is a lightweight camera. It measures 3.7 x 2.2 x 1.1 inches and is small enough to fit into a coat pocket or bag. It’s a little large for shirt pockets and tight pants. The camera’s depth is increased somewhat when the camera is in use and the lens is extended to about two inches.  

Handling Ability

The F20 handles well, with the camera body fitting comfortably into the hand and the shutter button falling under the index finger. The zoom control also falls under the thumb. When users aren’t zooming, there is a set of tiny rubber bumps below the control. These bumps add some substance to an otherwise slick body, so they keep the camera from slipping out of fingers. The front of the camera has a metal bump meant to keep fingers in place there. It is wide enough for about one finger.

 

The control buttons are well-placed for use; it’s just possible to reach them with the thumb when using the camera. Besides the positioning, the size of the buttons is also decent. My only complaint is the abundance of icons in a relatively small space. Some of the icons are easy to decipher – such as the delete and flash functions. Beginners may wonder about the picture stabilization and “F” icons and buttons though.

The Menu system on the F20 is simply designed and well executed: it doesn’t take long to find the features you need. In particular, the FinePix menu (accessed by pressing the F button) has many of the more commonly tweaked settings quickly available.

 

FinePix Menu
ISO	Sets the ISO setting (Auto 1600, Auto 400, 1600, 800, 400, 200, 100)
Quality	Sets the image size (6M Fine, 6M Normal, 3M, 2M, 0.3M)
FinePix Color	Sets the FinePix color mode (Standard, Chrome, Black & White)
Shooting Menu
Shooting Mode	Sets the shooting mode (Auto, Picture Stabilization, Scene, Macro, Movie, Burst/Continuous
Exposure Compensation	Exposure compensation 2 stops up or down, in 1/3 of a stop steps
Photometry	Metering mode (Multi, Spot, Average)
White Balance	(Auto, Custom, Fine, Shade, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, Incandescent, Custom)
High Speed Shooting	(On, Off)
AF Mode	Auto focus mode (Center, Multi, Continuous)
Setup	Sets various camera parameters (time & date, etc)
Playback Menu
Erase	Frame, All Frames
Image Rotate	Left, Right, Cancel
Protect	Frame, Set All, Reset All
Copy	Internal Memory to Card, Card to Internal Memory
Voice Memo	30 seconds of audio
Trimming	Splits video clips into two files
Setup	Sets various camera parameters (time & date, etc)

 

The F20 is an easy to use camera; the FinePix menu (accessed by hitting the “F” button) puts most of the options that users are going to need into one convenient spot. Most users of this point-and-shoot won’t need to delve into the more complex options, but they are still reasonably easy to access.