Fujifilm FinePix F40fd

Auto Mode (8.75)
The auto mode is located directly on the mode dial, making it easy for beginners to locate and use. The menu is shortened considerably and only a few options are available such as: flash, self-timer, macro, face detection, burst, color modes, and image size. The inclusion of Fujifilm's face detection technology will also help point and shooters ensure their subjects are properly exposed and in focus.

Movie Mode (6.75)
Fujifilm hasn’t made any improvements to its movie mode in the past few years. If you have an old Fujifilm digital camera, then the chances are high that its movie mode performs just the same. The Motion JPEG resolution is typical at 640 x 480 and 320 x 240 pixels, the frame rate is a decent 30 fps, and the audio output is monaural.

The audio is one of the main disappointments of the movie mode. It doesn’t sound very clear and hardly picks up sound beyond about 6 feet. I recorded a movie of my toddler playing with his trucks and trains about 6 feet away from me. He made all kinds of noises to mimic the sounds of trucks and trains, but those sounds didn’t record well. He sounded like he was much farther away, and the noise the camera picked up sounded garbled. It wasn’t awful - I could still decipher what he was saying – but it wouldn’t sound good for recording a video of a band concert where the sound is obviously the main attraction.

For the most part, video was properly exposed and focused – although there aren’t manual controls to adjust the exposure. The F40fd did have some trouble exposing backlit subjects. My son looked like a dark shadow against the bright window behind him. It also didn’t look great in low light as there was plenty of noise speckled across the image. There aren’t extensive recording options in the movie mode. In fact, users have access only to the setup menu and the two resolution choices.

Optical zoom isn’t available and that is a little disappointing. However, having it would be detrimental to movies because of the lack of image stabilization and its audible noise when zooming. In the playback mode, videos can be played back and manipulated with VCR-like control, but there are no editing features. When compared to other Fujifilm F-series models, the movie mode is the same, but when compared with some compact competitors the Fujifilm FinePix F40fd falls behind.

Drive / Burst Mode (6.0)
The burst mode, activated through the shooting menu, is very disappointing. Top 2, Final 2, and Long Period continuous shooting modes are available, but all of them are quite slow. Top 2 shoots 1.3 fps while Final 2 snaps away at a more leisurely 0.9 fps. The Long Period mode can capture pictures longer (up to the memory card’s capacity) but at an even slower 0.6 fps rate. The FinePix F40fd is far from a stellar action camera.

The bottom of the multiselector activates the self-timer and can be set to delay for 2 or 10 seconds.

Playback Mode (7.0)
The playback mode is accessed by pushing a designated button, but the only way to exit the mode is to push the shutter release button. The following are the options found in the playback mode:

This menu is fairly short when compared with competitors that have long lists of cool effects, video editing, and such. Video can be played back with VCR-like control, but there aren’t any editing features. Still, there is voice memo recording up to 30 seconds available. Some of the playback mode’s features are hidden though – outside of the main menu structure. The following menu is accessed by pressing the 'F' button.

The Fujifilm F40fd has its IrSimple wireless communication technology nicely positioned at the top of this menu, so it is easy to receive and send images. When sending or receiving, a red lamp illuminates on the side of the F40fd. The process is easy and makes this camera ideal for users who already have IrSimple devices. The IrSimple format isn’t as prevalent as competitors like Bluetooth though (at least in the United States), so Bluetooth fans may be a little disappointed.

The look of the playback mode can change with a push of the Disp./Back button. This sorts images by date or displays nine images on the LCD at a time. Another way to view images is with the face detection button. Boxes appear around the faces that the camera detected when snapping the picture. When the button is pushed again and again, the LCD screen shows a close-up view of each face in the frame so users can check to see if the faces are exposed and focused as they should be.

Overall, the Fujifilm FinePix F40fd’s playback mode is functional because of the nice 2.5-inch high-resolution LCD screen, but it isn’t fancy. It doesn’t have many editing features or musical slide shows or anything, but it is decent enough to check the focus of a subject.
Custom Image Presets (7.75)
The Fujifilm FinePix F40fd has two scene positions on its mode dial ('SP1' and 'SP2') that is similar to Panasonic compact digital cameras. There are two positions so that users can save two different scene modes as the first to appear under SP1 or SP2 and make frequently used presets more accessible. The following are located in the scene position menus: Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night, Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Underwater, Museum, Party, Flower, and Text. These modes limit access to the shooting menu.

A few of the more interesting scene modes are found directly on the mode dial and include the misleading Picture Stabilization mode. This sounds much like image stabilization that uses buoyant optical elements to keep the image sensor and lens from moving even when users’ hands do. The F40fd doesn’t have an imager stabilizer but instead uses an ISO 2000 setting and a quick shutter speed to reduce blur. There is also a dual shot mode, Natural Light & With Flash. It snaps two pictures with and without the flash, and then displays them next to each other on the LCD screen before saving them both. This is nice when users can’t decide if they want natural lighting or want to use the flash.