Fujifilm FinePix T300

Shooting Modes (10.00)

The camera’s rear shooting mode dial has stops for fully automatic shooting, program auto shooting, scene recognition auto, movie, natural light, natural light and flash, and two user-set scene modes. In most of the shooting modes, the only options that the user can adjust are face recognition/registration, color mode, image size, and image quality. There are more options such as autofocus method and ISO sensitivity that are available in program auto mode.

Scene Modes

There is no dedicated scene mode on the T300, with Fuji instead opting for two scene priority stops that the user can assign a favorite mode to. Pressing the menu key when in either of these modes brings up the scene mode list on the right side of the screen, and the user can scroll up and down this list while seeing a short description of each mode. There are 15 modes in total, including: baby mode, portrait, text, flower, party, beach, snow, sunset, fireworks, night, night (tripod), sport, panorama, landscape, and smile and shoot. The panorama mode works similarly to the sweep panorama mode in Sony cameras, in that you take one picture and then line up two symbols like a target reticle and the camera automatically takes the next image.

Picture Effects (1.00)

There aren’t really any picture effects on the T300 in the traditional sense. The only way to alter the user’s image appreciably is to utilize the Finepix Color modes, of which there are only three: standard, chrome, and black & white. The scene modes also alter color somewhat, but not in any aggressive or creative ways.

Manual Controls (4.26)

There are hardly any manual controls available on the Fuji T300. The only manual control the user can set is ISO sensitivity, which allows for a full-resolution range of 100-1600. There’s also a reduced resolution ISO 3200 option. There are white balance presets, but there’s no way to set a totally custom white balance with the camera, and no options for shifting or setting exposure manually.

Drive/Burst Mode (2.00)

The T300 only offers one continuous drive setting, called “top 3” in the menu. The camera only takes a three-shot burst in this mode, and must store all three images before the user can shoot again. There are some options for self-timer, however, with the camera offering a two or ten-second delay before firing. The self-timer is set by pressing the stop-watch icon on the bottom of the rear control pad.

Shot to Shot (1.8)

We found the T300 fired its continuous burst at a rate of 1.2 frames per second. This is actually fairly good for a budget compact point-and-shoot, though the capacity is a pitiful three shots, after which the camera must take a few seconds to store these images to the memory card. For those three shots, however, the Fuji T300 hangs is faster than the Samsung PL210 and just a hair slower than the Fuji F600EXR. The Casio ZR100 blows the field away here, as it’s designed to provide as fast a shot-to-shot time as possible.