Fujifilm FinePix F30 Digital Camera Review

 

The Fujifilm FinePix F30 successfully follows the F10 with a host of improvements inside and out of the camera. The redesigned 6.3-megapixel image sensor and Real Photo Processor work together to create crisp, clean pictures without the shutter lag that lingers on many compact digital cameras. The F30’s body got a makeover to be flatter and more portable, but many of the components are still the same. Like the F10, the new Fujifilm FinePix F30 has a 2.5-inch LCD screen. The new model has twice the resolution; with 230,000-pixels of screen resolution, the view is much finer. It also comes with a higher ISO 3200 setting – the highest offered on a consumer compact digital camera. More importantly, the F30 adds some manual functionality with its new aperture and shutter priority modes. These allow photographers a little more room to hone their shooting skills, which they can do over and over again without worrying about whether the battery will die: it lasts for an incredible 580 shots per charge. The i-Flash system is incredibly effective and virtually banned red eyes from its images, but it did need a lot of time to recover and flash again; it just can’t be rushed. A horribly noisy continuous auto focus system, coupled with motor noise on the 3x optical zoom lens, makes an electronic symphony that keeps optical zoom unavailable in movie mode– which is too bad, because much of the competition is including functional zoom in video recording. Still, if users can plug their ears and handle the minor quirks, the Fujifilm FinePix F30 offers outstanding resolution and low noise levels in a small compact camera for $349.

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