Will convert you to digital! (Fujifilm Finepix S9500)

Member Name: platypuskn

Product:	Fujifilm Finepix S9500
Date:	27/11/06 (146 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic value for money

Disadvantages: Tends to eat batteries quickly

This camera is a real gem, especially for the price. Having tried the odd digital camera in the past, I was concerned that its quality migt not be up to that of my old Minolta. However, it far surpassed my expectations in nearly all ways.

If you are a beginner to photography, you will find the automatic settings nearly perfect. It is great at choosing the right settings whether you are inside or out, with or without the flash. But, if you happen to be a bit more adventurous, there are plenty of more advanced settings as well as the ability to take short films. and, incidently, the manual is very clearly written too.

Quality of the pictures is exceptional, even when fully zoomed in. I have found that few pictures need to be adjusted afterwards on the computer before printing, even on automatic settings. The lens has such a wide range that I don't miss my SLR at all. In fact, I'm glad to avoid the problems caused by changing lenses (e.g. dust and water getting in, or just having the wrong lens at the wrong time). I work as a countryside ranger, and have carried the camera with me all over the place. It's just as good at taking pictures of a wee beetle as landscapes or people.

As for comfort, the camera fits perfectly into any size of hand. It is not nearly as heavy as an old-fashioned SLR, and comes with all those nice extras you don't appreciate till you have (good straps, tilting LCD etc).

Only a few down sides... I feel it does use up its batteries a bit too fast. It is also much sheaper to import from France, but that means you have a French instruction manual rather than English. That said, you can get a copy on the Fujifilm web site.

Overall though, I am trully a digital convert now, and its this camera that achieved what I had previously thought impossible!

Summary: You'll never be without this camera

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