Fujifilm F40fd Digital Camera Review

Model Design / Appearance (7.0)
The Fujifilm FinePix F40fd’s design remains fairly consistent with previous F-series models. It has more physical differences than the rest of the lineup though. This digital camera is perhaps the trendiest in the series yet. It comes in three colors: silver, blue, and gunmetal. There are chrome highlights throughout the design that are common on other cameras. The F40fd differs from its predecessors because its mode dial is larger, the zoom control is placed on the top instead of the back, and the finger grip is almost nonexistent. Other models have at least some form of protruding grip, but this model has only a little curve in the body. All of the changes may not be great for handling and does sacrifice durability, but despite all that, the FinePix F40fd is one of Fujifilm’s most attractive digital cameras.

Size / Portability (7.0)
The Fujifilm FinePix F40fd can slip into a pocket, purse, or just about anywhere. It measures in at 3.8 x 2.3 x 0.9 inches and weighs 6.2 ounces without the memory card or batteries. This seems a bit heavy for the camera’s size, but it won’t hurt a wrist and seems sturdy. The camera’s body is constructed half from plastic and half from metal, and seems fairly durable. There is an eyelet on the right side of the camera where users can attach the included wrist strap to tote the camera around easily. The Fujifilm F40fd won’t require a camera bag to carry it around so it’s virtually fuss-free.

Handling Ability (6.5)
The F40fd may be easy on the eyes, but it isn’t any easier to hold. Older F-series cameras have a zoom lever on the back of the camera for the thumb to push. The new F40fd has a lever around the shutter release button with a tiny knob for the index finger to fumble with. The finger grip has also disappeared on the new model, and this camera’s only grip is a shallow curve. Sweaty palms won’t be able to hang on to this camera so that wrist strap will come in handy. Users will also have to pay special attention to their left fingers, which could easily wander in the way of the flash. Overall, this digital camera is about the size of a bar of soap and as tough to hang onto to.


Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (7.0)
One of the biggest changes in this camera from its predecessors is the user interface. The mode dial on the F40fd is larger and easier to turn than the F20’s. When it is rotated, a text explanation appears on the LCD screen explaining the icons on the mode dial. The icons are fairly intuitive without the text explanation, but they’re still a nice touch for beginners. The icons let users keep their eyes on the screen while scrolling rather than looking at the dial or LCD. The graphics on the mode dial make this camera similar to Sony’s recent T-series digital cameras. Overall, the buttons on the Fujifilm FinePix F40fd are nicely spaced so users won’t accidentally push two at the same time. The labels and text explanations make their functions clear.

Menu (7.0)
The menu system on this digital camera isn’t very different from other Fujifilm FinePix models. It is split with the frequently used settings located in the menu that appears when the "F" button is pushed.

Power Management	Power Save, Quick AF, Clear Display
ISO	Auto 1600, Auto 800, Auto 400, 1600, 800, 400, 200, 100, Auto
Quality	8MF, 8MN, 3:2, 4M, 2M, 03M
FinePix Color	Standard, Chrome, Black-and-White

The other menus are accessed by pushing the Menu button in the center of the multiselector. The recording, setup, and playback menus are all expressed in text but only a very few icons are easy to understand. The following is the recording menu.

Exposure Compensation	Scale with +/- 2 tag marks with 1/3 increments in between
Photometry (metering)	Multi, Spot, Average
White Balance	Auto, Custom, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, Incandescent
Continuous	Long Period, Final 2, Top 2, Off
AF Mode	Center, Multi, Continuous
Set-up	(portal to setup menu)

There are live views in the exposure compensation, metering, and white balance portions of the menu. Live views make it easy for beginners and veteran users to choose the correct settings. The setup menu has a gray background and is broken up into four different submenus accessible from the top of the screen.

Camera Setup
Image Display	3 sec, 1.5 sec, Zoom (continuous)
Frame No.	Continuous, Renew
AF Illuminator	On, Off
Illumination	On, Off
Digital Zoom	On, Off
Setup 1
Date/Time	YMD setup, time, date set
Beep Volume	1-3, Off
Shutter Volume	1-3, Off
Shutter Sound	Sound 1, Sound 2
Playback Volume	0-10
LCD Brightness	+/- 5
Setup 2
Format	OK, Cancel
Language	Japanese, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Dutch, Turkish, Czech, Polish, Swedish, Hungarian
Auto Power Off	5 min, 2 min, Off
Time Difference	Home, Local
Background Color	Blue, Purple, Pink, Orange, Green, Black
Video System	NTSC, PAL
Setup 3
Reset	OK, Cancel

Users can navigate with the multiselector in the menus. The Back button doesn’t always mean going back one menu though. It means closing the menu system altogether and returning to either recording or playback mode. Sometimes navigating backwards isn’t possible even with the multiselector. For instance, if users accidentally enter the voice memo item in the playback menu then pushing the Back button cancels and exits the menu entirely. Users must then re-enter the menu. This happens with almost all the options in the playback menu and several in the setup menu too. It is quite annoying when trying to change several settings in one “shopping trip” in the menu system. To top off the navigation issues, all of the text in the menus is in a completely archaic font reminiscent of Atari games. The letters are all capitalized and squashed next to icons.

Ease of Use (6.5)
The glitch in the menu system (discussed above) can be a pain, but the Fujifilm FinePix F40fd is otherwise a fairly simple camera to use. The mode dial is easy to rotate. When it is rotated, a text explanation appears to clarify the selected shooting mode. The live views in the shooting menu also make life easy for beginners. Handling the camera body isn’t as comfortable as previous F-series models, but it shouldn’t be a hindrance and isn’t any worse than other cameras its size.