Fujifilm FinePix F60fd

Value (6.00)
The $299 pricetag isn't out of bounds for a 12-megapixel camera, though we'd be more willing to foot the bill if the manual control options were more extensive (full manual control of aperture and shutter, and manual focus would be welcome) and the image quality test results looked better. On balance, the F60fd represents an acceptable value for point-and-shooters, but more advanced photographers should look elsewhre.

Comparisons

Canon SD1100 IS – The Canon carries a list price $50 lower than the F60fd, a difference in part explained by its 8-megapixel resolution versus the 12-megapixel Fujifilm. The Canon lacks any manual exposure control, compared to the useful aperture-priority and shutter-priority modes of the F60fd. In lab testing, the SD1100 IS did well in color accuracy and white balance, but otherwise failed to impress, with image noise problems similar to the Fuji and poor image resolution figures. All told, we'd pay a little extra for the enhanced manual control, higher resolution and useful Natural and Flash mode of the F60fd.

 Nikon Coolpix 5100 – With a list price of $399, the Nikon matches the resolution of the Fujifilm but outshines it in advanced photo features such as full manual control and a hot shoe for mounting an external flash. The screen, at 2.5 inches, is slightly smaller than the Fujifilm, but the lens zoom is slightly larger at 3.5x, so we'll call that a wash.  In all but our resolution tests, the Nikon outshines the F60fd, significantly when it comes to white balance and low light performance. For true point-and-shooters, the F60fd is probably a better buy, but if you're looking for more sophisticated controls, the Nikon is your choice.
 

Samsung NV40 – This $280, 10-megapixel Samsung was one of our surprise cameras this year, posting exceptional scores for image noise and white balance (two areas where the F60fd was particularly lacking). You also get extensive manual controls with this camera, though they can be quirky: for example, exposure compensation is locked out in manual mode. The biggest problem with the NV40 is its odd user interface, which requires swiping your finger across rows of buttons along the edges of the screen. More recent Samsung models replace this button arrangement with a more natural touch-screen design. For the NV40, though, the control scheme will be a dealbreaker for users without an awful lot of patience.
 

Sony Cyber-shot T700– The headline feature of this $399 Cyber-shot are a beautiful 3.5-inch touchscreen display and 4 gigabytes of built-in memory. The internal memory can be used to turn the T700 into a portable photo album. a potentially useful feature that's marred somewhat by the mediocre software provided to enable this function. As for the touchscreen, it's a great idea but lacks the responsiveness needed to make it entirely practical. Lab testing gave the T700 good marks in most areas (low light shooting being an exception), and the 4x zoom lens is slightly longer than the 3x F60fd. Manual controls are distinctly lacking though: you can't even  take a manual white balance setting. Point-and-shooters may prefer the Sony for its sexy design and lots of internal memory but read the full review to understand the interface flaws first.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – An extensive set of presets, the surprisingly effective scene recognition auto mode, better-than-average face detection performance, the useful Natural and Flash modeplus a wide array of custom image presets make this a fine choice for point-and-shooters. There's some manual control for those who get a bit ambitious after mastering the basics, but if you want to just keep it simple, that's fine too.

Budget Consumers – If aperture- and shutter-priority shooting have value to you, then this is worth considering, but you can get similar modest zoom lenses and image quality results for less money.

Gadget Freaks – Nothing here that's fun or innovative enough to attract the gadget-prone.

Manual Control Freaks – The options here are useful for newbies looking to stretch out a bit, but with no manual focus and limited exposure control,  a truly hands-on photographer will be frustrated..

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – There's nothing here to appeal to this crowd.