Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review

Sep 30, 2005 - By Emily Raymond
The Fujifilm FinePix S9000 has the look of a digital single lens reflex camera and almost has the feel, but its 10.7x optical zoom lens is not detachable. This digital camera aims to bridge the gap between compact cameras with ultra-zoom lenses and the growing market of low-end digital SLRs. Indeed, the FinePix S9000 is somewhere in between. It has 9 megapixels on a 1/1.6-inch CCD, an RP image processor, and its long Fujinon lens to round out its Real Photo Technology. This Fujifilm digital camera, known as the S9500 outside the United States, has a unique 1.8-inch LCD monitor that folds outward from the camera and tilts at different angles. It does not rotate in a camcorder-like fashion, but simply tilts outward for a better viewing angle. The Fujifilm FinePix S9000 has the functionality of a low-end SLR with its manual and priority modes. The camera also has some elements from the compact end of the market: full live preview on its LCD, a VGA movie mode that shoots at 30 frames per second, and five scene modes located on its main mode dial. In some areas, the FinePix S9000 incorporates elements from both segments of the market; the camera accepts both CompactFlash and xD-Picture Cards and should be an intriguing option for consumers looking at both compact ultra-zoom models and entry level single lens reflex alternatives.
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Likes
- Nice 10.7x optical zoom lens
- Folding LCD monitor
- Comfortable handgrip
- Great low light performance
- Flash exposure compensation
- Records full motion video (with zoom functionality)   
Dislikes
- No image stabilization
- Single pin hot shoe
- Viewfinder and LCD are grainy
- LCD is small, grainy, and solarizes easily
- AA battery power
- Molded plastic body
- Difficult handling of buttons
- Slow, limited burst
- Significant shutter lag
- 9 megapixels results in noisier images than should be to compete in price range       


Conclusion
The concept of SLR shaped digital cameras that cost almost as much as DSLRs doesn’t really make much sense unless consumers really want video capture, live previews, and a stabilized lens at an affordable price. Unfortunately, the S9000 lens is not stabilized. Still, accessorizing is one of the Fujifilm FinePix S9000’s best traits. It does, after all, have a hot shoe and a threaded lens. Although, again the S9000 falls short with only a single pin connection for the applied accessory flash. The S9000 aims to please with its manual, priority, automatic, scene and movie modes. It borrows elements from compact cameras like its VGA movie mode that shoots 30 frames per second and its color modes and in-camera image parameters. The S9000 also has that SLR look with its large handgrip and 10.7x optical zoom lens with focus and zoom rings – although the lens isn’t detachable. The camera’s body is bulky and heavy, even though it is constructed from molded plastic parts. There is a folding 1.8-inch LCD monitor that adds interest, but the actual screen is grainy and has a very narrow field of view, thus solarizing easily.

The Fujifilm FinePix has rich colors and does well in low light, so it certainly produces nice looking photographs. Getting those gorgeous photos could be an issue though, as this camera is anything but easy to use. A few read-throughs of the user manual and several shooting sessions are required to learn the non-intuitive nuances of the S9000. Another major obstacle for this model is its dependence on four AA batteries to power it. Users could go through forty bucks of batteries just trying to learn how to change the aperture. For a retail price of $699, there are certainly easier models to use that take great pictures. And there is always the option to upgrade. Consumers can now purchase DSLRs online for around $700.

Overall Impressions Page 11 of 13 Specs / Ratings
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