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Fujifilm Finepix F500EXR
by Clarey112
I bought this camera last year as a backup for my DSLR and because I wanted something small yet complex enough to take on holiday. It didn't disappoint, the 15X optical zoom is plenty enough and it is packed full of extras such as smart auto and loads of different scenes, one thing I would say is don't bother too much with the scenes as ... the EXR setting chooses the best settings for you. You also have the option to change the cameras aperture and shutter speed which is limited as would be expected with a compact but which is a great feature. The camera also looks very smart and you have a small grip at the front making it easier to point and shoot. There is a trigger for the zoom rather than buttons which makes it a lot easier and there is a wheel for changing settings rather than having to go through the camera settings to change everything. However there are some bad points about the camera, after a few months of having the camera I noticed the pop up flash started to get a bit flimsy, not a problem if you are careful with it and it is still working fine, also the text has started to wear off the buttons so you have to remember what each one does, these are both just minor issues and the positives of this camera definitely outweigh the negatives.
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS35
by Bullydc1
When my last camera was sent hurtling down a mountainside on my last climb (and in the process losing all of the photos from the last weeks climb) , I was forced to look for another to accompany me on my next trip.
I had done some extensive research trying to find the aforementioned camera so I knew what I wanted.
I knew ... I wanted something that was light, digital, obviously and small enough to fit into my pocket. So a digital compact basically. I also knew that more specifically I was looking for something with an extremely wide lens capacity and good zoom/ mega pixel capacities as I mostly like taking shots of landscapes or things that are far away, bearing in mind my hobbies.
I also knew that I wanted something relatively inexpensive,around £100 and a camera from a reputable company. I did some online research and settled on the Panasonic lumix. It has a great lens, one of those lens that is developed by a great company like Panasonic and not one of those bespoke lens houses that they try and sucker you in with. The wideangle is very impressive great for my being able to get shots of mountain ranges. It was also by Panasonic, a reputable company with years of experience in making cameras, and as part of its Lumix range I knew it would be of higher quality. It was also, importantly £130 from Amazon.
This camera comes with all the usuals, a 8 times optical zoom capacity that is very fluid, 16.1 megapixel definition, 3 inch screen,macro shot capability for different types of interesting close up shots (although this function broke on my camera after a few short days, see critisisms) flash and face recognition, exposure settings, a short memory capacity to carry out short films, and different camara settings for taking pictures of profile, landscapes, through glass, pets and sporting shots etc.
It also has internal phone memory which can store a couple of hundred photo`s in an emergency and an SD card input. Power-source wise, the battery is easy to charge, but runs out after a couple of hours.
The phone is light, small enough to fit into a back pocket and relatively easy to use, but those who have not had a digital compact before may find some of the technical stuff difficult to navigate through, I sometimes get lost and I have had the camera a little while now.
critisisms: As I mentioned before the Macro shot capacity just stopped working very shortly after I purchased it, I couldnt be bother to return it as I dont take these shots anyway. The camera sometimes finds it hard to turn itself onto night mode if your at a concert where there are single flashing, bright lights, it sorts of tries to reboot over and over, its only happened twice but it is not a regular thing. Lastly the battery life is a bit limited and it cannot tell you when it is fully charged, you just have to charge it for a while just to be sure.
The camera comes with instruction manual, a CD-rom for loading pictures, using Panasonic`s own software suite, a charging USB lead, an AC point charger for the USB lead (this has come in handy when I have been away without my PC, and seperate bags for batteries , wires etc. It does not come with a carry case though.
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Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR
by MoleyGoldpaws
I first came across the Fuji HS30EXR when I began researching specifications on what would soon be my next camera.
Previously I had been using the s1000fd, one of Fuji's older bridge cameras so I was by now familiar with the menus and build of their models, which always helps when upgrading to a shiny new piece of ... kit.
So, what is a bridge camera? To those of you used to automatic compact point'n'shoot cameras, the first thing you will notice is that bridge cameras often look more like larger professional DSLR models. And yes, the size of the lens on bridge cameras often mean that their housing takes a step up. The lens itself is fixed and the better bridge models have an impressive range of zoom available, this often means that they can offer the same range as expensive DSLR lenses. In this case, the HS30EXR definitely performs closer to that of a DSLR, especially in its Auto EXR mode. Those with little or no experience of manual photography settings will still be able to use the camera as a point'n'shoot in this mode, producing really great shots. Its 30x optical zoom has a manual barrel operation so instead of pushing a button to zoom in, you twist the barrel of the lens to get in close to the subject. At the top end of the zoom, I would always recommend using a tripod as even with the most professional cameras, shaking will occur and spoil those fantastic super-zoom images. The HS30EXR also hosts a focus ring closer in to the body of the camera which you can turn until you get the perfect crisp focus once zoomed in on a subject. I'd say this is the only thing that annoys me about this camera as it can be awkward to get a grip on the focus ring when using a tripod. Nonetheless, still a very useful feature to have. In brief, the zoom range is 24-720mm.
When shooting you have a variety of viewing options, the 3inch LCD screen is ample enough to get a decent preview of your shot, there is an electronic viewfinder which can be used when sun glare obscures the screen, or you can tilt the LCD screen out from the body of the camera. The electronic viewfinder has a sensor so when you put the camera up to your eye, it shifts to the viewfinder which removes the need to change settings. A nice touch and can save time. The tilting screen flips down and up, sadly not to the side but gives you the option to shoot at waist level or overhead shots without guesswork.
Now to the menu options and various functions available. As mentioned, the Auto EXR mode is very intuitive and the cameras sensor picks up the information it needs from the environment you're shooting in to alter the settings for your perfect shot. This is where bridge cameras really come into their own. A good model like the HS30EXR can produce some really great shots, less successful models struggle to judge the environment correctly and images can be grainy or overexposed.
As your photography skills improve, you will want to utilise the manual settings on the camera - after all, isn't that the main reason people opt for bridge cameras? I'm so glad the Auto function works well on this camera as it would be a shame to have such a great piece of kit lacking in the basics. There are some helpful features on this camera, including the ability to 'bracket' shots. The camera will take three shots simultaneously, each at a different exposure so when your guesswork is a little off, there will be three images to choose from.
Other intelligent modes on this camera include modes which cater for low light, portrait, depth of field - there is even a dedicated mode for taking photos of your dog! On the thumb dial you will also be able to flick between modes where you take control of one aspect such as exposure. It really is a great camera designed with amateurs in mind but with the necessary spec that will ensure you will be taking manual shots with ease.
The panoramic mode is fun to use, enabling 360 degree views simply by shooting and panning the camera round to take in the view. Very nice images produced using a tripod in panoramic mode. At the other end of the scale, we have a nice macro/super macro function, allowing you to get within 1cm of subject for nicely detailed images. Most of the fun I've had with the HS30EXR has been pushing it to these creative extremes: macro, long exposure and super-zoom.
Movie mode allows you to zoom in and out in 1080HD and produces some really nice footage, an added bonus in my opinion as I'm not always fond of the movie modes on digital cameras.
16mp images also mean plenty of detail and image quality. Another thing that influenced my decision to upgrade is the option to shoot images in RAW format. Shooting in RAW is ideal if you plan to tweak the image in programs like Photoshop, it produces an unprocessed image to enable you more creative control over your snaps. Not everyone will need it but in keeping with its other spec, it's aimed at the amateur who wants more out of their kit.
Nice extras include decent strap, lens cap and hood and you also have an option to add filters onto the lens (58mm thread). When purchased, it also included Li-ion battery and charger, AV and USB cables to hook up and transfer to your computer or tv. The camera also boasts a hotshoe on top of the flash, the ability to expand with this camera is really appealing and definitely places it at the upper end of bridge cameras.
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