NOTE: Even if you have no interest at all in the F30, you might consider
reading the part about sensor noise tests for a peek into the future.
4/3 sensors will be able to have both high rez and low noise - if Fuji
makes them or somebody else figures out what Fuji is doing.
Winsor Crosby wrote:
> First review of the F30 I have seen and he liked it a lot:
>
> http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/fuji/finepix_f30-review/index.shtml
>
It's nice that he liked it, it's a wonderful little camera.
Unfortunately, I think the review is incomplete and/or misleading in
some areas.
"I don't think that a high speed memory card is needed for use with the
F30." "Shot-to-shot speeds were average, with a delay of around two
seconds between shots."
- This is pretty sloppy. I timed my F30 with 1GB "M" and "H" Oly xD
cards, Large Fine quality setting. Time from pushing the button to ready
to shoot again was 4.2 sec. with the regular speed card and 3 sec. with
the H card. It appears he was shooting at something less than full
quality when he found shot to shot of 2 sec. That's ok, I guess, but
should be documented. Worse, he neglected to actually test whether a
high speed card would make a difference, then dinged the camera for
being slow with a slower card. Foul!
"This screen has double the resolution of the one on the F10, with a
total pixel count of 230,000."
- Just sloppy writing or thinking, but it will lead to misunderstanding
about resolution on the part of some readers. To get twice the
resolution of the old, 115,000 px, screen would require 460,000 px.
"Photo quality was very good, especially in terms of high ISO
performance. The F30 isn't quite as clean as a digital SLR, but it's way
better than your typical fixed lens camera. You can print 8 x 10's (and
maybe larger) all the way through ISO 800, with smaller prints at ISO 1600."
- The problem here is simple, this guy likes high end DSLRs, uses them
and is unconsciously comparing the F30 to them. But sloppy
thinking/writing again, which makes the F30 sound like it is noisier
than it is.
I just did some comparison shots with a lesser DSLR, the only one I
have, the 300D. I picked a subject that has the advantage of being right
where I sit at the computer. I also think it's good because it includes
some OM gear and a wide range of brightness, colors and textures. My
conclusion is that the two cameras are different, but about equal at iso
3200, with the 300D showing a little more detail and noise in most
areas, the F30 showing better texture in the camera case leather and
showing that there is something above the books, where the 300D just
loses it.
It looks to me like the F30 simply has less noise at iso 1600, 800 and
400, by a small, but noticeable amount. I'm not sure what is going on
with the 300D at 800 and 400, but that's what I got. Don't put too much
emphasis on sharpness, as they are very different lenses shot at
different f-stops and I just used the default sharpness settings on both
cameras. Sharpness could undoubtedly be improved upon in both. I'm
actually glad I didn't pay any attention to color balance, as it made it
easier for me to keep the images straight.
If you agree with my reading of my test shots, it's clear that the
diminutive F30, with its tiny sensor, has lower noise than an E-1 and
may well out resolve it! Whatever Fuji is doing, they are out there in
amazing land. Anyway, judge for yourself. It's a 1.1 mb file, but I
don't know how else to show what it's supposed to show
<http://moosemystic.net/Gallery/tech/F30Noise.htm>.
And back to the review, based on what size images can be printed from
the 300D and E-1, he is clearly way too conservative in the print sizes
he says can be made from the different iso settings on the F30.
One thing that has really impressed me about the F30 is how many
improvements, large and small, Fuji made other than the "big" items of
sensor/processor, flash, smaller battery , yet more shots per charge, etc.
- The AR on the LCD is a HUGE improvement, I couldn't find an angle in
direct sun where just a shading hand couldn't make the LCD usable. The
higher rez is good too, but not as important.
- Exposure compensation has been moved out of the menus and given its
own button.
- The F button menu has been revised to put iso on top as the default.
- Two auto iso modes, to allow auto iso settings up to 400 or up to 1600.
- Pushing the Play button in play mode now turns the camera off, rather
than into record mode. Doesn't sound like much until you have been
reviewing images with the lens retracted and the camera lying in your
hand, pushed that button and had the rapidly extending lens try to make
the camera jump out of your hand. Where's the emoticon for hair standing
on end?
- Simplified Record menus.
- A little clip, ala Can*n, to keep the battery from falling out when
the door is opened to remove/change xD cards.
- Closer macro focus, from 1:1.6 on the F10 to 1:1.4
- Little rubber bumps where your thumb sits on the back give much better
purchase than the indentation on the F10.
Individually, those are mostly little things, but taken together, they
make the camera faster, more convenient and safer to use. I'm really
impressed at the amount of thought that went into this upgrade. It
sounds like the engineers are using them themselves or actually
listening to users!
To be fair, there are a couple of htings that have changed for what some
may consider the worse.
- The tripod socket is no longer on the lens axis, which doesn't make
any difference to me on such a small P&S.
- ISO can no longer be set to anything but Auto in Scene mode. I think
this limits control over very long exposures, but haven't got there yet.
- There may well be something else I haven't found yet.
(Do you think he likes it?)
Moose
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