Fuji Fuji F500/600/700 EXR Series

Biro

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Steve
I have my eye on the new Fuji F750 EXR, which has just been announced but is not yet available. I'm looking for input from those who own any of the recent cameras in this series... the F5XX F6XX lines.

So my questions are... does the EXR system live up to the hype when it comes to high ISO and low-light performance? Is it all that much work to get the best out of the cameras? Or can you do just as well with something like Panasonic's Intelligent Auto and Intelligent Exposure? And is lens de-centering a real issue with the Fujis? I've seen this come up on more than one Internet site. I read somewhere that Fuji has improved QC with the new cameras.... but I have no idea how anyone can know yet.

I have the Canon SX230 HS, which tends to finish at the top of the heap in terms of image quality in comparison tests of compact superzooms. But I find the Canon's general control response to be a bit sluggish. I've asked some questions about these cameras at the margins of other threads. But I'm trying to find out if I should try the Fuji, keep the Canon or look still somewhere else in the compact superzoom world.
 
This is a tough one. I have the f550EXR and find it to be adequate in terms of low light and general always in the bag use... however, I have become quite spoilt by the IQ from the XZ-1 and am considering putting the F550 up for sale, because I just never use it anymore. If you really need that much reach in a compact/P&S, its good. Not startling, but good. If you don't, do look to something like the X-10 instead, or any of the others in the small camera/large sensor group.

Lili has the F600EXR, and she has posted a lot of shots taken with it. I've posted a few. Have a look in this forum and you'll find the threads (mine have probably been pushed to page 10 by now)
 
It depends on what you want it for. The EXR part is unsurpassed for getting enormous Dynamic Range from a tiny sensor. Because of the necessary compromises in desining a tiny lens with such great zoom range one cannot match say an X-10 or XZ-1 in low light. They have bigger sensors and +2 stop faster lenses than the Fuji. despite this at high ISO they are rather good for what they are; my F600 can produce very usable ISO 3200 images; best concert cam ever ;) However their ecological niche that of photographic Swiss Army Knife; they do many things not perhaps as well more dedicated designs, but they do it with a tiny, inexpensive package.
They are 'the-camera-one-has-with'
 
6724617439_2325a0eb39_b.jpg

straight OOC, ISO 1600, 1/6 sec, F3.5
not using pro-low-light mode, P mode instead
 
I love my little F600 EXR which has replaced my S95 which I sold, its a great carry around cam being almost the same size as the S95 except for the slight bulge on top of the GPS which I don't use.
Its 24mm wide lens is better than the Canon and the macro is surprisingly good.
I also own the ZX-1 which has the 1.8 28mm lens, my pref: is for the Fuji because of the 24-360 lens which is why I bought it in the first place.
But because I find I'm using it set on EXR all the time its making me lazy; whereas using the Oly I set it on aperture priority as with the my Nex5.
I also use jepgs and tweak in LR from this cam: whereas the other two I use raw.
 
Lilli's reference to her Fuji as the "best concert cam ever" is what I'm talking about. As you can see, I have a number of cameras for different things. In this case it would be pocketability with a longer zoom. This is exactly the kind of camera on which I would want the zoom range, because it's tiny cameras like this that I can get into situations where cameras aren't allowed or only tiny ones are permitted.

Like Penny, I wouldn't be shooting raw with it (which is why I'd want the F750 without raw and GPS). People may be surprised how much one can still tweak jpgs in programs like LR or iPhoto.

Thekeddi...I see you have the SX 230 HS... how would you compare your F550 to that in terms of both image quality and overall response and performance? Fuji is claiming the F660/750/770 have 30% less noise at ISO 3200 than the previous generation.

Oh, and Lilli, that shot of your cat at ISO 1600 and 1/6 of a second seems fine to me. Would you say the image stabilization on your camera is very effective? I'm assuming that image was taken with the camera hand-held.

I also like both the X10 and Oly XZ-1... either of which could replace the LX3 in my kit. So I understand what Sue is talking about.
 
Biro the IS is on the F600 is quite good, that shot was handheld. Of course at 24mm-e the effects of shake are minimized. The IS really comes into its own at longer focal lengths.
On Paper the XZ-1 should make a superb Concert Cam as its lens is fast even at the long end. However that long end is only 112mm-e so one must sit rather closer than with the Fuji.
Additionally I only ever shoot my XZ-1 in RAW, in jpeg the noise reduction is way too aggressive. "Helmet Hair" aggressive at anything over ISO200. The jpeg NR is far less destructive on my F600EXR. Even using RAW I find the XZ-1 noise limits me to shooting ISO 400. The IS on the Oly is Superb, however that does not help with moving subjects as found in most concerts.
In the end the F600 wins for Concert Cam duty.
 
Oh... one last question, Lilli... what is the zoom speed like on the camera? One of the things about the SX130 HS that kind of annoys me is its slow zooming speed. One can lose a shot waiting to go from 28mm to anything over 200mm.
 
Biro; just caught up with this thread again, you mention that you use Jpegs and teak in LR, I also have started to do that with all my cameras, I don't use the software that comes with the camera anyway, which means I have to wait for LR 3 to catch up with any new camera to use Raw...so reverted to Jpegs all the time.
 
Oh... one last question, Lilli... what is the zoom speed like on the camera? One of the things about the SX130 HS that kind of annoys me is its slow zooming speed. One can lose a shot waiting to go from 28mm to anything over 200mm.


oh dear sorry to be so late! Zoom speed is quite good; just over a second from 24 to 360mm-e
 
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