Fujifilm FinePix S5100

Manual Controls
There are plenty of manual control options for novice, intermediate, and advanced users. The Fujifilm FinePix S5100 has the following options in the Manual exposure control mode: white balance, AF mode (area, center, or multi), photometry (average, spot, multi), bracketing, sharpness, option, and flash compensation. The shutter speed and aperture are controlled using the four-way dial. Pressing the arrows up and down will adjust the shutter speed. To adjust the aperture, the user must hold down the exposure compensation button on the top of the camera while scrolling through aperture choices with the four-way dial. Finally, the ISO, image quality, and color settings can be set by pushing the "F" button and selecting options with the four-way dial. Making manual adjustments is slow and difficult, as the user must access three different screens to view all the options. However, users that access the manual controls are rarely strapped for time.

Focus
Auto Focus (7.5)
The auto focus works fairly quickly and can be activated to focus continuously. The only drawback to this is the constant electronic purring noise the camera makes. This purring noise can be heard in movie clips with audio. The focus can be selected to Area or Center within the menu accessed by the F button above the LCD screen. The large optical zoom lens can shoot from 3 feet to infinity in its widest angle. When zoomed to its full telephoto length, the lens can focus from 6.6 feet to infinity. In macro mode, the S5100 can focus as close as 4 inches and as far as 6.6 feet.

Manual Focus (2.5)
Yes, there is manual focus, but it's not where you think it should be. The lens has a rubber grip around it that looks like a manual focus ring, but keep looking. To engage the manual focus mode, the user must unlock the focus mode selector switch to the left of the viewfinder. Then, the user must press the AF/MF button until the manual focus mode is selected. Directions on how to focus appear at the bottom of the screen, which is helpful. To focus, the user must hold down the exposure compensation button while using the zoom buttons to adjust. There are arrows on the screen to help users adjust the focus; this is especially helpful considering the small size of the LCD screen. Although this feature is classified by Fuji as "manual focus" it is as automated as any pseudo-manual control I have seen. If it is true manual focus you desire, this is certainly not the camera for you.

Metering (7.5)
Metering gets a fancy name on the Fujifilm FinePix S5100: photometry. This option is available in the shooting menu and offers the options of Average, Spot, and Multi. The Average metering mode uses an average value of light for the entire image; this is good for evenly lit subjects but suicidal when backlit. The Spot metering mode uses the center of the image to determine the optimal light setting for the whole image. The Multi mode acts as a sort of automatic mode for metering, letting the camera decide what is best. Spot metering can be used to get a precise read on a specific object or segment within the frame. The user can target the desired object in the viewfinder and partially depress the shutter release. While the shutter is held, the camera will set and lock the focus and exposure controls. The user can then re-frame the image while holding the shutter and maintain the meter reading for the desired object regardless of its new placement within the composition.

Exposure (7.0)
The exposure compensation setting is only available in the Programmed AE, Shutter priority auto, Aperture priority auto and Manual shooting modes. It is accessed by holding the exposure compensation button down on the top of the camera while simultaneously scrolling the options with the four-way button. The exposure can be adjusted +/- 2 EV in 1/3 steps, as is typical with digital cameras in this price range.

White Balance (7.0)
The white balance is accessed through the Menu button. As users scroll through the options with the four-way control dial, a preview of the color cast on the view behind the menu can be seen. This helps the novice user make a better choice about which setting to choose. The white balance options are only available in the Programmed AE, Shutter priority auto, Aperture priority auto, and Manual modes. The following white balance options are available: automatic, custom, fine, shade, fluorescent light/daylight, fluorescent light/warm white, fluorescent light/cool white, and incandescent light. The custom setting acts as the manual white balance setting. The user must take a picture of something white within the frame, to which the camera reacts and adjusts the camera’s color perception accordingly. This is often the only way to get accurate representation of color and advanced color accuracy. The inclusion of a manual or custom white balance setting offers a concrete advantage over the S5000 and gives more weight to the S5100’s claim of somewhat higher-end users.

ISO (6.0)
The ISO can be manually controlled in every setting, including the fully automatic mode. The automatic ISO speeds range from 64-320. The ISO can be accessed by pressing the "F" button and scrolling through the choices with the four-way dial. The S5100 offers the following manual ISO options: 64, 100, 200 and 400. The automatic ISO option is not available in the scene modes. Strangely, the ISO 800 setting offered on the FinePix S5000 is not included on this model. Utilization of the ISO 800 setting on the S5000 will result in reduced quality; however, the inclusion of the option provides significant opportunity for shooting within low light settings that is not offered to users of the S5100.

Shutter Speed (6.0)
The shutter speed can only be adjusted in the Programmed AE, Aperture priority auto, and Manual modes. The shutter speed can be manually adjusted from 15 seconds to 1/2000^th of a second. The Fujifilm FinePix S5100 automatically adjusts the shutter speed from ¼-1/2000^th of a second and 3 seconds to 1/1000^th of a second in night scene mode.

Aperture (7.5)
The aperture on the Fujinon 10x optical zoom lens is f/2.8-f/8 in the wide setting and f/3.1-f/9 in telephoto. The aperture can be adjusted in the Programmed AE, Shutter priority auto, and Manual shooting modes. It can be adjusted in 1/3 increments. To change the aperture, the user must hold down the exposure compensation button while scrolling through settings with the four-way dial.