Fuji F31fd, a digital classic?

[Ronald_H]

I gave away my 'old' Casio digital compact. So I'm looking for something new and cheap. The Fuji f50fd seems to fit the bill.

But, according to many, its predecessor (with the acclaimed low noise 6Mp sensor) is actually considered a better camera. Less noise, much better battery life.

So I did a quick look on two auction sites, to see if someone was tired of their f31fd. I found a few, but all for prices that are significantly higher than its successor...

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I think it's been trumped by the LX3 for good low light shots. But there's no question, it's a small classic!

 

[kuzano]

Gaining cult status...

Gaining cult status...

The Fuji f30 and f31FaceDetection have earned a highly desired status as THE low light point and shoot cameras. The F30 is more reknowned in this area, but the F31 is right in there with it. I believe Fuji spent more time on developing other characteristics of their sensor technology, while others were cramming on pixels. Then Fuji finally joined the pixel race.

The F30 and F31fd captured a position in the market that holds them above many counterparts in low-light shooting for small sensor camera's.

 

[noimmunity]

you might try an F20 as an alternative, if you can live with the limitations of full automation. It has the same sensor as the F30/31, but lacks some "manual" control, like aperture, that could be accessed through menus on the F30. For that reason, the F20 usually goes for much less.

 

[cincyMAT]

I'm fortunate enough to have a F31 and a LX3. I like the LX3 over the F31 for two reasons, it has RAW output capabilities and a faster lens. The F31 makes a great fully automatic point and shoot. Both are good to 800 iso with the F31 just a tad better at 1600 iso.

Oh, and the LX3 is black so it must be a better camera! 😀

 

[mcgrattan]

Fuji have said they are going to revive the superCCD concept with a new camera in the new year. They'll use various pixel binning techniques and the things they did on their Nikon-based SLRs to extend the low-light capabilities and dynamic range psat the f30/f31. IIRC the press release claimed the camera would have dual-modes. Either lots of megapixels, or less megapixels but less noise and a wider dynamic range.

 

[ampguy]

I like them all

I like them all

have had the f30, f31fd, f40, f50, I like the f30 best.

Fuji have said they are going to revive the superCCD concept with a new camera in the new year. They'll use various pixel binning techniques and the things they did on their Nikon-based SLRs to extend the low-light capabilities and dynamic range psat the f30/f31. IIRC the press release claimed the camera would have dual-modes. Either lots of megapixels, or less megapixels but less noise and a wider dynamic range.

 

[rolleistef]

The F100fd is giving me very interesting results in low light, that were taken at 1600.

 

[ampguy]

very nice image

very nice image

The Fuji worked great for this image, but in other types of images the barely visible noise in the cloth could be start to be visible as blocky and pixelated at 100%+ crops.

Works very nicely here on-screen though.

The F100fd is giving me very interesting results in low light, that were taken at 1600.

 

[lorriman]

The other never-mentioned bonus is the video mode. It works so well at night I have no need of a video cam.

I only use my film camera for shots that require thin dof or quality. My F30 does all the practical duties for which even ISO 3200 can be good enough in many circumstances (party light is just too crap to merit quality), and as it is virtually silent I can use it in places that even a leica couldn't get away with, with the caveat that the flashmode doesn't follow a mode change: been caught out once, ouch ouch ouch!!

 

[Gary Sandhu]

I have the fuji f30 and f31fd. Up to ISO 800 really not that different from the D40 or D40 (which I have as well). Compared to the LX3 (which I don't have), G10, etc. I think the F30 still outperforms: check out this site where you can compare http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

 

[ampguy]

The F30 and F31 are too old to show there

The F30 and F31 are too old to show there

I would like to try the LX3 sometime, but the lack of zoom and software correction for the wide that can't be disabled is a show stopper for me, at least for now at the current price.

I have the fuji f30 and f31fd. Up to ISO 800 really not that different from the D40 or D40 (which I have as well). Compared to the LX3 (which I don't have), G10, etc. I think the F30 still outperforms: check out this site where you can compare http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM

 

[rolleistef]

perhaps the manual modes aren't that useful with such digicraps (in opposition to the metal glory of a Leica), since the variation of DoF isn't hardly noticeable with such a sensor size, except at very close distance...
what I dislike with the F100 however is the amount of distorsion with the wide angle position. However, if it's the price for a 28mm, nothing to moan for..

 

[ampguy]

yes

yes

The F20, F40, F50, F100 don't have A/S modes that the F30 and F31fd have.

However, the F31fd and F40 come very close to same quality with the auto selected modes (you can still set ISO, and if you spend some time with the scene selections, get your desired A/S selection, usually) up to about ISO 800.

Upwards of there, the F30 looks better to my eyes. The F50 looks even worse at 800 than the f31fd, and f40fd, but has the A/S manual modes, and is great for daylight, or up to 400 ISO, maybe higher in b/w mode. Haven't used models higher/newer than the F50fd.

perhaps the manual modes aren't that useful with such digicraps (in opposition to the metal glory of a Leica), since the variation of DoF isn't hardly noticeable with such a sensor size, except at very close distance...
what I dislike with the F100 however is the amount of distorsion with the wide angle position. However, if it's the price for a 28mm, nothing to moan for..