Fujifilm FinePix S5000

Manual Control Options (5.0)
The FinePix S5000 contains full control of both aperture and shutter speed settings. While in full manual mode, the user can select each of these settings to get the desired exposure; the camera also has aperture priority and shutter priority settings. In each of these modes, the overall exposure is preserved by linking the two settings and maintaining the ratio between them. The advantage in these settings is not the freedom to control exposure but to further tweak the finer details of the shot. For instance, in Aperture Priority mode, the ability to manipulate aperture settings without altering the exposure of the image allows the user to close down the aperture of the lens and gain more depth of field in the shot. While in Shutter Priority mode, the increased control allows the user to increase shutter speed when without a tripod or slow down the shutter to capture streaks of movement or lapses in time.

There is no manual white balance setting, inhibiting manual color balancing and increased precision on the FinePix S5000. This hurt the S5000 when we tested its color production, resulting in colors that were heavily over-saturated with a slight greenish overtone. With its strong imager, it’s a shame the FinePix S5000 did not come with some manual white balance setting. Color problems could be avoided by granting the users the ability to calibrate color and would have given the FinePix increased strides in overall image performance.

Focus
Auto Focus (7.5)
The Fujifilm FinePix S5000 is quite friendly to the auto focus seeker, containing multiple automatic focusing options to counter its lone and challenging manual focus mode (more on that in the manual section). The three forms of auto focusing found on the S5000 are located within the single and continuous modes. These modes are entered by moving a rotating dial on the left side of the top of the camera. This dial is marked with S-M-C, correlating with Single, Continuous, and Manual modes. Within these automatic focus settings, there are three ways in which the S5000 will focus the image. In the single automatic focus mode, there is the option to have the camera function on a spot focusing method. This will enable the camera to quickly focus on a single subject within the composition. There is a grid that can be placed through the image referred to as Area focus that will divide the frame into 6 x 6 segments. Using the directional pad, the user may select where to place the focusing point.

There is also a central focusing mode that will focus on the subject in the center of the frame.

The S5000 additionally contains continuous focusing ability, constantly readjusting the focus as the composition shifts. For the "capture the moment" shooter, continuous focusing mode will be quite useful as it will provide a focused image whenever the viewfinder is brought to the eye. The downfall here is that the immediacy sacrifices battery life and when the S5000 is dependent (at least out of the box) on four AA batteries, this may not be most optimal setting to use all the time.

There is also an auto focus illuminator, designed to provide supplemental light when focusing in low light situations. This is a feature with better intentions than design; as the lights got dim, focusing problems still arose.

Manual Focus (2.5)
The flaws I see in the FinePix S5000 all stem its lack of a clear identity. There is nothing inherently wrong with creating a multi-dimensional camera targeted at more than one audience; however, without clear direction the practicality of the camera suffers. Often with the S5000, the ideas are present but the functions do not follow. This is epitomized in the manual focus options on the S5000.

The Fujifilm FinePix S5000 does contain a manual focus mode, but utilizing this feature is a bit trying. The manual focus on the FinePix S5000 is engaged by depressing the exposure compensation button. Once activated, the focus is manipulated by the zoom toggle button. This is quite a convoluted method for focusing and does not allow for simultaneous manual adjustments to focus and focal length. This is impractical when fine-tuning focus, as often minute adjustments in focal length are necessary to create an acceptable, well focused frame. Additionally, the camera does not show the viewer the distance value anywhere in the frame, making the whole process more cumbersome as numeric measurements are not possible either. As fortunate as it may be that Fujifilm recognizes the demand for manual focus, the application of it is so impractical I could not see anyone using it.

Metering (7.5)
The FinePix S5000 possesses two metering methods, Spot metering and Multi-Metering. These two modes allow the user to determine how they would like to expose the image. The different metering modes provide the user the option of exposing the full image evenly or exposing for a specified portion or spot within the frame. A nice additional feature of the FinePix S5000 is that when necessary, a photometry selection is available within the main menu options. This is used when there is extreme contrast within the frame and it is beneficial in difficult metering situations.

Exposure (8.5)
The FinePix S5000 contains four exposure modes. Three exposure settings are automatic, offering Programmed AE, an Aperture priority AE, and a Shutter priority AE, and the other provides added flexibility with a Manual exposure mode. While many users of the FinePix S5000 will likely lean on the camera’s automatic precision, those seeking a bit more control can indulge in a completely manual option or can utilize the aperture priority and shutter priority modes. The priority modes are helpful to both the advanced and involved beginner because they preserve the illumination of the exposure by linking the two settings. Therefore, the user can alter one without changing the overall exposure. This comes in handy when shooting off a tripod. If the user is worried about camera shake, they can speed up the rate of the shutter speed and the camera will alter the aperture opening appropriately to compensate for the loss of light in the increased shutter. Conversely, if it is increased sharpness the user is after, they can close down the aperture (increase the numeric aperture value), decreasing the size of the lens iris and gaining more sharpness and depth of field in their images. As with shutter priority, in aperture priority when the aperture opening is closed down, the shutter speed slows to ensure the same amount of light is let in and the image retains a proper exposure.

White Balance (5.5)
The FinePix S5000 offers a range of custom automatic white balance settings, oriented for different lighting sources. For indoor settings, there are preset white balance options for use in warm- fluorescent and cool-white fluorescent lighting, daylight fluorescent lamps, and incandescent light sources. There are two additional white balance settings for outdoor use, one for sunlight and the other set for diffused exterior imagery in shaded scenes. While this is an expansive array of automatic white balance options, it lacks the necessary manual white balance setting. This is a prerequisite for the more patient, precision oriented users and shows again why the FinePix S5000 is for the point-and-shoot crowd.

ISO (6.5)
ISO is used as the digital or video equivalent to ASA on a film-based camera. Traditionally, ASA has been used as a form of measurement to describe a particular film’s sensitivity to light. How sensitive a film is will express the amount of light necessary to capture an image onto the film. Thus a faster film stock will be able to shoot in less light. The drawback with faster film is that the speed is gained with increased grain. The grain distorting the image is thought of by many as noise detracting from the quality of the image while others prefer or utilize this look as a means of gaining a more realistic feel. This is an example of the digital medium following its predecessor as ISO in the digital medium will also correlate with the illumination of the image and will be directly correlated to the sharpness and clarity of the image. As is the case with ASA, a higher ISO rating will allow the user to gain more illumination from low light readings. However, the gain used to boost the digital capture will ultimately give way to increased noise and distortion within the image while providing the gained illumination.

The Fujifilm FinePix S5000 contains variable ISO settings, providing the opportunity of shooting in low light situations without having to rely on a flash or alternate light source. Again, it is beyond many point-and-shoot cameras to contain manual ISO selections; however, the FinePix S5000 contains just three selections with the highest setting (ISO 800) only available at 1M resolution. Therefore with good resolution, there are really only two ISO ratings to choose from, ISO 200 and ISO 400. A camera with a large ISO selection generally begins with ISO 100 (or even has one or two settings below for more advanced cameras) and goes up to ISO 1600. So to give manual control of ISO and only really provide two options to choose from is even more frustrating than not offering it at all. Without ISO ratings below 200 there are no added low light capabilities that would not be possible on an automatic ISO camera. Therefore, the manual ISO range offered on the FinePix S5000 of ISO 200-400 really does not offer anything beyond any other point-and-shoot camera. While variable ISO sensitivity is a necessary component of any camera attempting to delve into the intermediate user market or beyond, two mid-level options does not cut it.

Shutter Speed (6.0)
There are variable shutter speed controls on the S5000, which can be controlled by the camera or manned by the user. A moderate range of speed options is given ranging from 2 seconds to 1/1000 of a second with many possible options in-between. The shutter speed is adjusted by the directional pad on the back of the camera. By pressing the up and down direction, shutter speeds are adjusted. There is also a shutter priority mode on the camera that enables the user to alter the duration of the shutter while the aperture is set accordingly by the camera. This grants control of the shutter while preserving the exposure without the user needing to worry about compensating with appropriate measurements or meter readings.

Aperture (7.5)
The FinePix S5000 grants both manual and variable automatic aperture control. Aperture values on the S5000 are adjusted the same way as the shutter. By pressing the exposure button on the top of the camera, marked with a "+/-" symbol, access to exposure adjustments can be made. Once the exposure button is depressed, the directional pad will control the F-stop values. The aperture range on the S5000 is from f/2.8-f/8. While it is a delight that this camera contains adjustable aperture settings, this is a pretty standard range. Typically, when shooting for sharpness or trying to get a lot of detail in the image, f/8 is the lowest F-stop that should be used. Many higher end cameras go up to f/22 for this reason and will provide sharp images with far more depth because of it.