Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd

Model Design / Appearance (6.25)
The Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd wants to be a DSLR with its chunky shape, large lens with zoom and focus rings, cushy viewfinder, and black colored housing. It doesn’t cost as much as a DSLR, so there are some shortcuts: the lens cannot be interchanged, the viewfinder is electronic instead of optical, and the housing is constructed from plastic in lieu of sturdier material. So while the S6000fd is designed to look and feel like a DSLR, it still has a ways to go.

Size / Portability (7.0)
In terms of its size, the Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd is similar to low-end DSLRs that tend to be more compact than larger, more durable single lens reflex designs. The FinePix measures 5.2 inches across and 3.8 inches to its tallest point. From the back to the front tip of the lens, the camera measures 5 inches. The lens barrel doesn’t telescope into the body, so this measurement is considerably larger than most cameras. The weight is similar to a DSLR too at 23.3 ounces including the four AA batteries and tiny xD-Picture card. The large and chunky ultra-zoom digital camera will definitely require the included neck strap. The neck strap isn’t very high-quality; the material is thin in terms of its flimsiness and in terms of width. The Fujifilm S6000fd is a hefty camera that will necessitate a separate camera bag for transportation.

Handling Ability (6.5)
This digital camera has the shape of an SLR but still doesn’t feel or handle quite like one. The S6000fd has a chunky hand grip with sticky rubber material wrapped around it. On the front of the grip are two ditches where fingers comfortably rest. On the back are nine bumps where the thumb rests. The zoom and focus rings around the lens provide texture for better handling, and the base of the camera is incredibly large. The large bottom is certainly necessary for supporting the 23.3 ounces of heft. Two hands will definitely be necessary for this camera (two very coordinated hands, at that). The Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd may have the chunky dimensions and comfortable components of a DSLR, but it lacks the jog dials and designated buttons of a true DSLR. Case in point: to adjust the shutter speed in the manual mode, users must push the exposure compensation button with the index finger while scrolling on the multi-selector with the thumb. This movement is very tricky especially when trying to keep the camera steady for shooting. The overall handling is good but making manual adjustments can be tedious.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (6.25)
The S6000fd isn’t cluttered with an excessive number of on-camera buttons; it has a good balance between the minimalist buttons found on compact cameras and the intimidating tangle of buttons on most DSLRs. There is a large mode dial on the top right of the camera that is textured nicely on the sides and makes a satisfying click when engaged into a position. In front of the mode dial are two small, but properly labeled, buttons for the burst and exposure compensation settings. These must be held down with the index finger while scrolling through options with the thumb on the multi-selector. This setup is less than ideal, as the jog dial system is much more comfortable. The shutter release button is properly sized, and is surrounded by a power switch that won’t be a likely candidate for accidental engagement when in a bag.

The left side of the lens has a focus switch surrounding a button with a bow-tie-like icon on it. This icon is not very intuitive, and only when I consulted the user manual did I figure out that this was the one-touch auto focus button. The back of the camera has buttons typical of compact FinePix models, except for the obvious EVF/LCD button and the button below that which has the magnifying glass icon. This button selects the 2x digital zoom and magnifies the center of the live preview. Digital zoom deteriorates the image quality significantly and should be avoided; for that reason, it probably shouldn’t be a designated button on a camera – especially an ultra-zoom camera that flaunts its exceptional image quality. Instead of this abomination, Fujifilm should have included an on-camera button to delete images in the playback mode; that would have been much more useful.

The camera’s multi-selector is relatively small when compared with the camera’s size and the size of other controls like the mode dial. The multi-selector has a central Menu/OK button and is surrounded by a ring with bumps designating the four directions. There are cutouts between the bumps, and the edges are actually quite sharp. This will not be a comfortable interface to work with, especially for extended periods of time. You may end up developing a callus on your thumb from it.

One button Fujifilm scored with was the designated face detection auto focus button. This quickly and easily activates the system. A designated button for this feature is crucial though, as the face detection feature is the headliner on the Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd.

Menu (6.0)

For consumers who keep their life savings in their wallets, this may seem a little strange. But for consumers who are comfortable with having most of their money in the bank, and just a few frequently used dollars in their wallets, the split menu system will feel just fine. The other part of the interface is accessed with the Menu/OK button central located in the multi-selector. The following is the recording menu that appears in gray boxes on a live preview background.

Self-Timer	Off, 2 sec, 10 sec
Photometry	Multi, Spot, Average
White Balance	Auto, Manual, Daylight, Shade, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Fluorescent 3, Incandescent
High-Speed Shooting	On, Off
AF Mode	Center, Multi, Area
Sharpness	Hard, Standard, Soft
Flash	+/- 2/3, 1/3, 0
Bracketing	+/- 1/3, 2/3, 1
Setup	(portal to setup menu)

Unlike the recording menu, the setup menu is listed with four tabs across the top and there is no live view to grace the background. With three pushes of the multi-selector, users can see all of the setup options because they are categorized into neat pages. Here is the menu broken down into its respective pages.

Camera Setup Menu	z
Image Display	Continuous, 3 sec, 1.5 sec, Zoom (continuous)
Frame Numbering	Continuous, Renew
AF Illuminator	On, Off
CCD-RAW	On, Off
EVF/LCD Mode	30 fps, 60 fps
Focus Check	On, Off
Setup 1
Date/Time	Y/M/D (M/D/Y, Y/D/M), Set Date, Set Time
Beep Volume	Low, Medium, High, Off
Shutter Volume	Low, Medium, High, Off
Playback Volume	1-10
LCD Brightness	+/- 5
Format	OK, Cancel
Setup 2
Language	English, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Dutch, Turkish
Auto Power Off	Off, 2 min, 5 min
Time Difference	Home, Local (adjust hour)
Background Color	Blue, Purple, Pink, Yellow, Green, Black
Discharge	OK, Cancel
Video System	NTSC, PAL
Setup 3
Reset	OK, Cancel

 
The setup menu is a bit frustrating because there is no way to go back to the menu after changing options like the screen brightness, volume levels, and time. Some consumers may not enjoy reading menus with all capital letters either. Overall, the menu interface isn’t very consistent. It is split and the menus are organized differently into tabs and lists and such.

Ease of Use (6.25)
If familiar with the FinePix S-series line, this S6000fd isn’t much different. The chunky camera has good physical handling features but still has some quirks. The exposure compensation and burst buttons have to be held down while simultaneously scrolling with the multi-selector, and the one-touch auto focus button isn’t labeled very intuitively. The Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd has a split menu structure, similar to ones found on Canon PowerShot digital cameras as well as Fujifilm FinePix models. Photographers tend to have a love-hate relationship with this setup. Beginners tend to be confused about where certain recording options are found. More advanced users appreciate the easy access to frequently used functions. All in all, the S6000fd isn’t very easy to use unless it is parked in the fully automatic mode.