NickTrop
Veteran
Do they have the bestus image quality ever? No. But truth be told? It's pretty damned good. Small sensors! noise! No bokeh! Pixel peepers have a heart attack because they detect "water color effect" when zoomed in 1000%. Lens slower than the minimally acceptable f2.8! Bah! Bah I say. C'mon - I have a camera that can zoom from 27mm to 270mm that I can slip in my pocket with a good image stabilization system so's I can zoom out to 270 hand-held. Put aside your prejudices and get one. They're required photo gear.
Display model Fuji F80 EXR, best $50 I ever spent. I love Fuji's approach to small sensor compact cameras and wouldn't consider any other at any price. I think they got it right, as they're the only ones who smartly attempt to address the short comings of small sensor compacts, while playing to their strengths (specifically, big zoom capability in a compact size...) Their proprietary EXR technology isn't marketing hype - it truly boosts dynamic range by a unique pixel arrangement and binning. One test site pegs it at 10 stops, around DSLR level. They smartly give you full 12 megapixel resolution only when it's needed in Auto EXR mode. The rest of the time you get 6 megapixels of "binned" resolution - which is all you need. Smart. Noise is fine up to 800 ISO. 1600 not too bad - better than 1600 ISO color film imo, which is too often a grainy blecchy mess with terrible color casts that you can't do anything about. This camera has manual control, which I love since I like to set shutter speed in low light (due to limited aperture settings, aperture control is worthless...) They're the only manufacturer that attempts to give some bokeh capabiliy with their "pro focus mode", which is good when it works but is inconsistent. Auto EXR mode, which selects the proper scene mode, is magic. When there are no dynamic range issues and its a decently lit scene (in other words if the camera thinks it can get away with the 12 cramped megapixes on its sensor) it choose that mode. When lighting is low it goes into its effective low light 6 megapixel EXR mode. When it detects dynamic range issues, it goes into its shining dynamic range priority mode.
Anyway, as you can tell, I like Fuji's approach to small sensor technology. Regardless... back to my thesis. Put your prejudices aside. Yes these are consumer-grade cameras. But every photographer literally needs a decent compact super zoom camera, regardless of manufacturer.
24-28mm on the wide side out to 300+ on the tele side with image stabilization that you can slip in your pocket for a couple hundred bucks new and next to nothing used?
Gimme a break.
Display model Fuji F80 EXR, best $50 I ever spent. I love Fuji's approach to small sensor compact cameras and wouldn't consider any other at any price. I think they got it right, as they're the only ones who smartly attempt to address the short comings of small sensor compacts, while playing to their strengths (specifically, big zoom capability in a compact size...) Their proprietary EXR technology isn't marketing hype - it truly boosts dynamic range by a unique pixel arrangement and binning. One test site pegs it at 10 stops, around DSLR level. They smartly give you full 12 megapixel resolution only when it's needed in Auto EXR mode. The rest of the time you get 6 megapixels of "binned" resolution - which is all you need. Smart. Noise is fine up to 800 ISO. 1600 not too bad - better than 1600 ISO color film imo, which is too often a grainy blecchy mess with terrible color casts that you can't do anything about. This camera has manual control, which I love since I like to set shutter speed in low light (due to limited aperture settings, aperture control is worthless...) They're the only manufacturer that attempts to give some bokeh capabiliy with their "pro focus mode", which is good when it works but is inconsistent. Auto EXR mode, which selects the proper scene mode, is magic. When there are no dynamic range issues and its a decently lit scene (in other words if the camera thinks it can get away with the 12 cramped megapixes on its sensor) it choose that mode. When lighting is low it goes into its effective low light 6 megapixel EXR mode. When it detects dynamic range issues, it goes into its shining dynamic range priority mode.
Anyway, as you can tell, I like Fuji's approach to small sensor technology. Regardless... back to my thesis. Put your prejudices aside. Yes these are consumer-grade cameras. But every photographer literally needs a decent compact super zoom camera, regardless of manufacturer.
24-28mm on the wide side out to 300+ on the tele side with image stabilization that you can slip in your pocket for a couple hundred bucks new and next to nothing used?
Gimme a break.
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ampguy
Veteran
We have the F70EXR (no hd movie mode, etc.) It was good back several years ago, but the slow lens and high noise makes it mostly usable either outdoors or with flash.
Heck, I bet micro four thirds has surpassed this by now ...
Heck, I bet micro four thirds has surpassed this by now ...
keytarjunkie
no longer addicted
Eh, I don't really get your point. If that works for you, then fine. I certainly don't feel like I need one! I have enough cameras that do exactly what I want to spend more money on one that does everything I don't need.
huntjump
Well-known
Kudos to you for being super happy with your purchase and getting an inexpensive camera that suits your needs. Its always nice getting equipment that doesn't make you sell the farm to afford.
I'm not sure I still understand why this is "required" photo gear though? I am perfectly happy with what I have, and I never miss a shot that isn't due to my own fault. No fuji compact (or any other) would have changed that fact.
Simply put, I enjoy photography not only for the end photo, but because of the entire process. The camera you are advocating would fall short on the latter point, for I know I wouldn't enjoy using it as much as my other cameras. So I don't think it would be a requirement for me, personally.
Pablito
coco frío
Nice you found something you like, but personally I am a photographer who has no use for such a camera.
gavinlg
Veteran
I hate super zooms compacts. Can't think of anything worse personally. I'd rather just observe and enjoy scenes with my eyes.
Mcary
Well-known
"Required photo gear"
Why because in theory you won't miss any shots if you have such a camera? Guess what if you take a right turn instead of a left turn, you're going to miss all the shots that you might have gotten if you'd decided to go the other direction. Same thing goes if you'd gotten there second, minute hour, day month earlier or later. Myself I prefer the simple comfort that comes from using a single focal length when I head out the door to take some casual snaps. Knowing without even bring the camera to my eye how objects, scenes will fit into the frame. But mostly being able to dismiss from my mind the clutter of all the shots that aren't possible, due to what I guess you'd consider as limitations, and concentrate on the ones that are.
Why because in theory you won't miss any shots if you have such a camera? Guess what if you take a right turn instead of a left turn, you're going to miss all the shots that you might have gotten if you'd decided to go the other direction. Same thing goes if you'd gotten there second, minute hour, day month earlier or later. Myself I prefer the simple comfort that comes from using a single focal length when I head out the door to take some casual snaps. Knowing without even bring the camera to my eye how objects, scenes will fit into the frame. But mostly being able to dismiss from my mind the clutter of all the shots that aren't possible, due to what I guess you'd consider as limitations, and concentrate on the ones that are.
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sleepyhead
Well-known
Tough crowd Nick, tough crowd...
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Come on, Nick! Even by your demanding standards, this is wild hyperbole. I've never felt a need for one, and after reading your paean of praise, I STILL don't want one -- let alone 'need'. I don't use the pocket digicams I've got, and adding more zoom (= more chance of camera shake) appeals to me even less.
Cheers,
R.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
I can understand your excitement about finding the gear that works fine for you. My computer crashed a week ago taking with it 1 year of pictures of my little daughter. Thank God i was shooting film also. From that point of view, digital is not my cup of tea.
Gid
Well-known
Whenever things get a bit dull you can always count on Nick to stir the pot Those of us who have been around for a while will know that if Nick says something is true then it is
Those of us who have been around for a while will know that if Nick says something is true then it is thegman
Veteran
A zoom can come in handy, particularly for holiday snaps, where you don't know what type of photo you'll be taking from one day to the next. But for my regular photos, I've never felt the need.
Jack Conrad
Well-known
Nick, you're an awesome photographer and your ops are fun.
I have to thank you for this post. Now I want a compact super zoom even less than I did before, which was not at all.
I have to thank you for this post. Now I want a compact super zoom even less than I did before, which was not at all.
Ducky
Well-known
I'm always a little embarresed when my super zoom keeps growing and growing.
.mugent
Well-known
If you have valuable data, you need to be backing up. It's easier to backup files than negatives.
MT
unixrevolution
Well-known
For times when Bokeh doesn't matter and "good" is good enough, they really are the business. There is only one problem though. If I'm going to bother to carry something as bulky as a superzoom, I might as well be carrying a "real" camera. That's why I love my pocket point and shoot; I can barely tell I have it with me most of the time, and it's always there.
When I can get a superzoom that fits comfortably in my pocket, then i'll get one.
You must have bigger pockets than I do.
The super-llloonnnnggg end of a zoom is fun and quite often useful, but I mostly crave the wide end anyway! When they do a superzoom with a 35mm equivalent wide-angle end that's 21mm or wider, I'll take bigger notice. I'll trade every 1mm on the wide end for every 10mm on the long end.
And where is the memo saying what kind of photo gear I need to own to be a proper photographer?
Fuji's superzooms are great, and I had one as my first "serious" camera that I bought myself. I sold it soon thereafter because I wanted a DSLR, and it didn't make sense to have both. The Fuji also had pretty dismal manual controls and didn't render reds correctly, but then again this is a FinePix S2000 we're talking about here.
Agree about the aperture settings, but I think Fuji's 1600 Superia wasn't so bad.
The Pentax Q has "blur control" in software for enhanced bokeh.
It is a pretty sweet deal, but...I can't justify it, honestly. I'm happier carrying my DSLR.
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Unless the drive caught on fire or is other wise seriously damaged, the phots may still be there. I would look for a "data recovery" service. Probably not very cheap but they may be able to get you your files back.
@Nick: I tend to agree that the compact super zooms are more useful than some folks here will credit, in fact, I have one that I use fairly often, but I can't quite agree with "They're required photo gear. "
Most prescriptive general-isms are not going to be useful to such a crowd as us her at RFF; we have each pretty clearly self defined ideas about what gear works for us. And, those choices are demonstrably not in the main stream of photo culture.
Still, when I go out for the day, most often my decision about what I bring with me is something like: "do I want to shoot some Ektar today or do I want to use my I-50 or do I just want to have something with me in case I see something to photograph?"
Rob
Pablito
coco frío
I'm always a little embarresed when my super zoom keeps growing and growing
if it grows for more than 4 hours, seek professional help.
