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78 of 82 found the following review helpful:
Nice high resolution prosumer digicam with 720p HD video, optical zoom, and AA batteriesSep 22, 2008
By DarthRad
I was looking for a "prosumer" priced and sized camera with the following features:
1. Uses non-proprietary batteries (this one uses 4 AA batteries)
2. Capable of optical zoom during video recording (this camera does that, but see below)
3. Capable of digital zoom during video recording (this camera does 5.7x digital zoom - if you turn on the digital zoom feature, you can optically zoom before starting the video record, and then zoom digitally another 5.7x from that point forward - optical zoom does not work during the video if digital zoom is turned on)
4. Long zoom (15x - lens range is equivalent to 27.6mm - 414mm on a 35mm camera)
5. HD video mode (1280 x 720 videos, also does regular 640 x 480 and 320 x 240 videos).
Although this camera does do optical zooming during video recording, there are some downsides to this feature. You can hear the little gear motors running during the zoom (I've posted a YouTube video so you can hear the sound - it's audible but not super loud). The focusing in room lighting at maximum zoom is not very accurate. There is no macro mode during video zooming.
The digital image stabilization works well at low zoom, but not as well at high zoom during video recording as it does for still photos (the digital image stabilization works better in stronger light than room lighting, and so this is probably related to the low light focusing problems at high zoom).
At 1280 x 720 resolution, each continuous video recording can only last for about 15 minutes (takes up 848MB-884MB with the MP4 compression).
As for the rest of the camera:
The digital image stabilization works very well for still photos.
The mono audio is pretty good, much better than what has been posted about an equivalent series of Panasonic cameras.
Like all digicams, this one drains alkaline AA batteries quickly (it comes with a set of four alkaline AAs) - use NimH batteries!
The lens comes with a lens cap which is a bit loose. Fortunately there is a strap to attach the cap to the camera. The lens itself does not allow for any lens filter attachments.
Manual mode allows for two aperture settings (f3.5-5.4 to f7-10.8 depending on zoom setting) and speeds from 1/1000 sec to 4s. There is a nice histogram and exposure meter that lets you know how the exposure will turn out (although in my camera, the middle of the meter setting was a bit too light).
The black plastic body feels a bit cheap and flimsy. Would have liked a sturdier aluminum body.
The camera comes from the factory with all the clicks and noises turned on, but you can turn them all off.
There is a good macro and super macro mode (focuses down to 1cm from the lens) for still photos. However, macro mode doesn't seem to work during video recording.
The flash has to be manually popped open - if it isn't, it won't pop itself open and you won't get any flash. However, it is reasonably powerful, and can light up an entire backyard at night from 15-25 feet away.
There's an HDMI plug which I haven't tested yet. The camera body also has a micro USB plug to hook to a standard USB plug to download photos and videos from the camera. This micro USB plug is one step smaller than the mini-USB plug. The cover to these two plugs is rather flimsy.
Lots of other features, which I haven't tested yet. I'm sure others will post in more about this camera
All in all, a nice camera with lots of features.
49 of 50 found the following review helpful:
 I second that emotionSep 26, 2008
By Dr. Cyber
After reading the details on the Fuji website, I decided to wait for the release date and order this new product rather than get the S1000. I was mainly attracted by the High Definition video and the zoom capability with video. I've only had it for a few days, so this is a preliminary review which I will probably update after I've had a little more time to put it through its paces.
I generally agree with everything the first reviewer said about the camera, although it doesn't feel cheap or flimsy to me. Certainly not at this ($275.00) price point.
If you don't already have two or three sets of rechargeable batteries, prepare to make the investment. At least while you are learning to use all of the features, you are going to be draining AA's four at a time with breathtaking speed. Nevertheless, the fact that a camera with this many bells & whistles uses a common battery size you can purchase anywhere was one of the dealmakers for me. Once I am more familiar with the operation and options settings I expect I will not be using up the batteries quite so fast. Fuji says 400 shots with rechargables, 300 with Alkalines, and 600+ with Lithiums.
The little rubber cover for the USB/HD connectors makes me wonder about its durability. It's a little hard to pull open all the way (maybe that will loosen up a bit with more use), and I worry that one overly energetic yank will either break the tiny cord that attaches it to the camera or pull it out completely. Be careful with this.
The optical 15x zoom with video does work well (except for the motor noise which does get faithfully recorded on the soundtrack). It is selectable for optical or digital zoom, so if you can't live with the noise, you can work around it. The digital zoom with video is quite limited, though: only 2x at VGA or lower and only 3x in HD.
For still pictures the 15x zoom is extremely impressive, and when combined with the digital zoom you can get over 85x total magnification. With the dual image stabilization switched on, I have taken handheld pictures in bright sunlight at the maximum zoom and gotten useable -if not razor sharp- images. I think Fuji have done a really good job with this. You'll see things in your photos that you can't make out with the naked eye. You have optical zoom capability in macro mode, and digital zoom only in "super" macro.
The HD video looks really good, but one caveat. If you're planning on watching the videos on your computer, you're going to need a relatively powerful system. I think Fuji says at least a Core2Duo @ 2GHz or higher & 1 Gig of RAM minimum. I have a first generation MacBook with a 2GHz CoreDuo and 2GB of RAM, and the HD will play soothly in Quicktime, but only if the "high quality video" option is disabled in the program preferences. Otherwise it's choppy. Whether it's activated or not I am unable to see any difference in the "quality" of the images, the only difference is the smoothness of the playback.
If I have anything I consider a negative, it's this: Fuji seems to be eliminating the included AC power adapters and sockets on their cameras. I have a FinePix 6800Zoom and it has a socket that you can directly plug into, but for this far more power hungry camera you have to buy a separate AC adapter and a separate adapter to connect THAT to the camera. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Combined cost for these gizmos is over $60.00 currently, and seems a bit steep to me. Especially since they imply that you should use an AC adapter when connecting the camera to a computer. If you need it for proper operation, it ought to be included, seems to me. How much would it have cost them to just put a socket connector right on the camera? With volume manufacturing I can't imagine that it would have been more than a few pennies. Then you would only be out the $25 or so for the AC unit.
That point aside, I like it very much, so far. Recommended.
This is an update on October 17, 2008:
I have now taken over 3000 photos with this camera, and I like it more now than I did when I first reviewed it.
Additional specifics: The flash is quite powerful when needed outside at night...it lights up my whole backyard.
The auto white balance handles most fluorescent lighting very well, no need to preset it.
Edit December 2008: As of the end of December, this camera has dropped over $50 in price since I got mine, making it an even better deal.
70 of 74 found the following review helpful:
 Very cute, but maddening to use at timesOct 06, 2008
By J.K. (self-confessed mac & pc geek)
Finepix S2000HD review:
After two weeks of hands-on work with this camera, I've concluded it's very cute and does many things well but it can be frustrating to use.
What it does well:
* In good light, it takes photos and high definition video which are sharp and have good color saturation.
* The tiny flash is surprisingly powerful, even when lighting a fairly large room.
* It offers a wide range of image sizes and formats (ie., 16:9, 3:2, etc.)
* It takes excellent close-up photos of flowers, insects, etc.
* It has some interesting and useful features including high speed (33 fps) photography at 3MP, red-eye reduction, etc.
* It's extremly cute (like a baby dSLR) and easy to carry around.
Why it's maddening:
* The electronic viewfinder (EVF) functions like a traditional optical viewfinder. When using the EVF, however, you must continue looking through it to see the image you just shot as the latter doesn't appear on the camera's main viewscreen after you take it. The logic is you only use the EVF when it's too bright to see the main viewscreen, however, I'd like to be able to use the EVF to save on batteries and use the main viewscreen to confirm my photos after each shot.
* The camera menus are frustratingly inconsistent between different camera modes. For example, some modes allow you to change the ISO while other modes allow only "auto" ISO. The auto-only option should ONLY be on the auto mode.
* Setting the shutter speed and aperature isn't entirely intuitive. To increase the shutter speed, for example, you have to push the down arrow button. I know, push down to admit less light, but I don't think that way when shooting. If I want a faster shutter speed, I should be pushing the up arrow button.
* When setting aperature, you're only given a choice of two aperature settings (f3.5 and f7 when on wide angle, for example). If I'm adjusting the aperature, I'd like to set it to any setting I desire, not just two.
* The macro and super-macro modes require separate button clicks to activate and deactivate. In the field, this quickly gets annoying, especially when similar video closeups don't require the same adjustments. If closeups work when shooting video, they should also work with still photos.
* No threads for lens filters. I have a skylight 1A filter on all of my SLRs and dSLRs. With a little camera like this one, I'd like it to have the same protection for its lens.
* No battery level indicator until the batteries are almost entirely drained.
* The full camera manual is a PDF on CD. For a camera that definitely requires you to read the manual to get reasonably comfortable (or at least minimally frustrated) with it, a printed full manual is a must-have.
What's unacceptable:
* When shooting toward the sun (not necessarily directly at it, but with the sun at your face), the viewfinder image takes on a strong bluish tinge which is distracting. The photos themselves are fine, but forget trying to judge color accuracy when looking through what looks like a clear, blue shower curtain.
* The "blue shower curtain" effect IS a problem on your final result when shooting lower resolution video (620x480 or 320x240). Face toward a major light source such as the open sky and your low-rez videos will have a noticeable blue curtain "falling" down the screen at those bright spots.
* Ridiculously short battery life. I like using AA batteries and have two Pentax dSLRs in which battery life isn't an issue. Why this little camera goes through AAs like popcorn is an engineering problem IMHO.
* Zooming while shooting video sounds like a zipper zipping and unzipping on the audio. When shooting, plan on editing out any zoom-transitions you have in your video later.
Bottom line: I *want* to like this camera, but it's annoying enough that I haven't fallen in love with it. Hopefully many of the issues above can be addressed with a software update. The hardware issues, however, make the camera feel like it's still not ready for prime-time.
51 of 55 found the following review helpful:
Perfect for the price/device *updated*Oct 07, 2008
By Kuro
I really don't know what some people here think they are reviewing but this is not a DSLR it is a bridge camera. Its supposed to between DSLR and consumer point and shoot. You should be buying this camera for complete DSLR in a smaller / more convient package (that would be worth much more money, look @ fuji's S100fs $600) Myself I don't want a DSLR simply because it is too much camera for the shots I take but Point and Shoots don't cut it, if this is you then bridge camera's are for you.
There are two main things I look for in camera's these days, Zoom (Optical of course, digital is quite useless) and Movie Mode. You see I find myself taking as many videos as pictures, or at least a good portion. And to all those how say get a camcorder well I have this to say: I am not an amuteur film maker, I am making short movies to document things I need simple but nice video and I still like excellent picture quality and I am not taking two devices everywhere I go.
That said the zoom on this is amazing and the Image stabilization works incredibly well in both picture and movie mode. I was filming a look-out tower the next mountain over from the castle at full zoom and it was quite stable very nice. There is some barrel distortion at either extreme but it is not that noticable to myself.
Of course the other thing was movie mode which is 720P, I was doubling MP from my old camera figured I should also do the same for video, that and all my displays are at least 1080P (and calibrated, including the 80" projector) so HD(720p) was required. The big thing about the fuji was it used the general MP4 codec instead of apple's useless quicktime that is so horrible at backward compatabilty and platform/application specific. This is why I did not go Panasonic or Olympus (plus thye cost more with features not needed.) Yes there is noise in movie mode from the zoom if you zoom fast but you can slow and it won't be noticable at least you have the option, most camera's do not give you the option and forceable limit the zoom speed to quite it down.
Picture quality is quite nice. The option for aspect ration is nice since all my displays are widescreen but you sometimes want a nice full frame as well. My displays are also calibrated and I have taken pictures of them and the room around them (projected on wall) and the colors match perfectly, its the best comparison test I could think of. There are quite a few scene modes which is quite helful and manual options are almost to much I have had to read up to learn how to use half of them, my previous camera had aperature and shutter control, this has much much more.
High speed modes are quick and shutter lag is nearly non existent. As far as battery power I sot 2GB of photos over the course of a day plus a few videos and never had the low batt light come on, of course I am using NiMH 2800 mah so there is some juice behind them. As far as flimsy usb cover I could care less since I just pull my SD card and plug direclty into my card reader, much easier and the SD door is quite robust. In fact the whole camera is, yes its plastice but very sturdy and nicely textured, if you want a metal body find a camera for $500 or more. The lens cap I was also initially wary about but it stays on nicely and since it is not the clip kind is very easy to take on and off in a hurry. I've had mine since the first days they came out in the begining of Sep and have had no issues with it.
So in summary know what camera you are shopping for this does exactly wht its supposed, with a great combination of features all for and extremely low price ($100 less than the competitors.)
There are a few things I would like to mention that are in other reviews that I belive stem from lack of using the right-setting.
Battery Life - Some seem to have problems here, as stated above I get very good battery life out of the camera, however I have set it properly. Tha camera asked you to set the type of battey (just a pop-up reminder not the actual menu) whenever you change the batteries with the current setting displayd. It has Akaline, Li-Ion (non-rechargable), and Ni-MH. So make sure you change it to get optimum battery life, also Fuji recommends not to use Ni-Cad.
Red-Eye - again some say there are serious issues, yet I cannot get red-eye when using the red-eye mode WITH face detection, which what you are supposed to do, whether these publicatious even have red-eye flash on is not mention, nor face detection. There is the option to use face detection without red-eye removal as well (don't know what for, maybe later removal?) face detection is new to me, but I can still turn it on and get great pictures. Without it all the camera is doing is the standard double flash for prevention of red-eye not removal, and of-course prevention doesn't always work (actually red-eye flash in my experience only prevents red-eye 1/3 of the time in any camera.)
Auto ISO - this is in Scene, Natural (basically a scene) and auto modes, which make sense to me, if you are selecting automatic options, why wouldn't ISO be automatic, these auto modes depend on limiting what the user can set to intrepet what would be the best setting and doing it itself. If you want ISO control it is available in the manual modes where it should be.
Zoom Noise - again control your speed when zooming when you can (the zoom speed is dependant on how much you pull the zoom switch) If you need to zoom in fast you can, at the expense of some noise from the zoom mechanics being picked-up, but at least you have the option.
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Some compromises, but a tremendous value!Jan 10, 2009
By J. Hamar
I have been doing a lot of research to find the right "hybrid" camera. I had several requirements:
1. HD Video - I got my first HD set in November Samsung LN46A750 46-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color, an incredible LCD by the way! Figured I might as well utilize it.
2. MPEG4 or H.264 video compression - This is the latest, and best, video compression. Blu-Ray uses H.264 so that should give you an idea. Plus it reduces the size of the video quite a bit. My other reason for this was that I got a PS3 along with the TV PlayStation 3 80GB. I am now in the process of ripping all of my DVDs and encoding to H.264. I put them on an external USB 2.0 hard drive and attach it to the PS3. I can then play all of my movies straight off the PS3! No more putting DVDs in and out, my girls scratch them up anyway. So the PS3 plays H.264 and MPEG4 but not in .mov (Quicktime) format. There are only a couple of cameras that save in this format, this is one of them. So I can save them directly to the external hard drive and play my videos.
3. Desire: long zoom - self explanatory
4. Image stabilization - absolutely necessary for video and long zoom
5. Decent pictures - shouldn't this be at the top of my list? Well, the other criteria are much more difficult to find and a lot of the cameras anymore take good pictures.
With that in mind, there were only a few choices. The Sony Cybershot DSC-T500 10.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization is a neat camera that looks to have very good video. The problem, it will only last about 15 minutes on its battery when using video. Pretty much unusable.
The Sanyo Xacti HD700 7MP MPEG-4 High Definition 720p Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Brown). This gets some mixed reviews and I am somewhat skeptical about the picture quality. I have followed these since they were first introduced. I think Sanyo has a great idea and will continue to improve these cameras. I don't think they are quite the quality of other camera manufacturers. Love the form factor though!
Canon Powershot SX10IS 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom is a great camera! It has MPEG4, but puts it into a Quicktime format (.mov) and is not HD. Oh well.
Kodak EasyShare Z1015IS 10MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom looks really good. Has all the right features but it saves movies in Quicktime. This can be overcome by using Quicktime Pro to do a container change from .mov to .mp4. This does work with SOME cameras. I couldn't find a video sample for this camera to try though. Keep watching Kodak, they have a new Z980 coming out with a 24x zoom. That looks great!
Casio Exilim EX-FH20 7MP 20x Zoom 3-Inch LCD Digital Camera with 26mm Wide Angle Lens (Black). I have a Casio Z750 which is a fantastic camera. Casio is highly underrated as a camera manufacturer. It consistently takes very good pictures in any conditions. The FH20 has come groundbreaking features like its big brother Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Digital Camera, 6.0 MP, with 60fps High Speed Burst Mode, Full HD Movies, 12x Optical, 4x Digital Zoom, 2.8" HP LCD Screen but costs as much as a DSLR. Unfortunately out of my budget right now. Another manufacturer to keep your eye on.
So that left the Fuji S2000HD. It met all of the criteria so I went to the store to try it. I really liked how it operated. The video is very nicely stabilized and it has some really nice shooting features that will surprise you. For instance the high speed continuous shooting. You can get 13.5 fps for 30 frames, all be it at 5 MP. But this is really cool for certain situations.
After playing with it I was convinced. I was all set to order from Amazon, which is where I buy a lot of my stuff, but Best Buy had an open box for $200. This allowed me 14 days to return with no restocking fee so I went for it.
So far so good. I will say a couple of things about what I have observed so far. The movies and pictures are a little "soft" when indoors. Flash pictures are very good, I turned down the flash a little. The HD movies are very good so far. Other than being a little grainy indoors, they look very good on my LCD. The sound seems very good even though it is mono. The focusing is quick and accurate. The face detection works pretty well, but not as good as the Kodak and Canons that I looked at. The Kodak was tracking my daughter as she walked sideways in front of me, pretty impressive! I like the fact that it has AAs, then I can get good AA NIMH batteries.
Anyway, for now if you are looking for any of the above combinations of features this is a real contender. If it had a little better lens and sensor it would be unbeatable. For the price, it is a tremendous value.
I will follow up as I take more pictures and video. Thanks for reading!
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