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F70EXR |
Fujifilm F70EXR Review |
Review
Date: Oct 08, 2009 |
Category: Beginner Amateur
Photoxels Editor's Choice 2009 - Compact Ultra Zoom
IMAGE QUALITY
The Fujifilm F70EXR is targeted to beginner amateur photographers and features 10 megapixel resolution on a 1/2.0-in. Super CCD EXR image sensor, a 10x ultra wide-angle optical zoom (27-270mm equiv.) lens, with a maximum aperture of F3.3(W)-F5.6(T).
We find the overall image quality of the Fujifilm F70EXR to be excellent at ISO 100 with low noise and good image detail. Image quality is good up to ISO 400; at higher ISOs, images suffer from noise and loss of detail.
| 10x
Wide-angle Optical Zoom |
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Wide-angle
5.0mm
(27mm, 35mm equivalent) |
Telephoto
50mm
(270mm, 35mm equivalent) |
The Fujifilm F70EXR has a 10x ultra wide-angle optical zoom lens. In the above pictures, we show the coverage for 27mm and 270mm. We love the 27mm ultra wide-angle coverage that allows us to capture real wide landscapes! Sensor-shift image stabilization helps reduce camera shake at the long end of the telephoto and when using slow shutter speeds.
| Macro |
 |
| 5.0mm, P, Multi-Pattern,
1/180 sec., F6.4, ISO 100. Macro ON |
Macro can be as close as 5 cm (2 in.) at wide-angle.
AF is fast, works very well in good light and even in low-light, with the help of the AF-assist illuminator. There is only one metering mode: Multi-Pattern, which works very well in all lighting situations.
| White Balance
Indoors |
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| AWB |
Custom WB |
As the above two pictures show, the Auto White Balance (AWB) is not quite accurate indoors under artificial lighting [I have two energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs on the ceiling]. Fortunately, the Fujifilm F70EXR allows WB to be easily set manually and this brings out the real colors. AWB works very well in natural light.
| ISO
Comparisons |
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| ISO 100 |
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| ISO 200 |
ISO 400 |
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| ISO 800 |
ISO 1600 |
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| ISO 3200 [5M] |
ISO 6400 [3M] |
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| ISO 12800 [3M] |
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You can set the ISO on the Fujifilm F70EXR from 100 to 1600, plus the ability to "boost"
to higher ISO settings equivalent to ISO 3200 [5M], ISO 6400 [3M] and an incredible ISO 12800 [3M]. The 100% crops above (area delimited by the white square) demonstrate that noise at ISO 100 and 200 is under control. Noise starts to be visible at ISO 400 but is still very usable, as is ISO 800. At ISO 1600 and above, the presence of noise is visible at full image size and with visible loss of detail, but usable in small prints and for Web display only. The pictures are taken in M mode with DR 100%.
| ISO 12800 [3M] |
 |
Here is how an image taken at ISO 12800 [3M] looks like for a small Web display. Not bad at all!
Aperture Priority F6.4 - ISO 100 |
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Aperture Priority F6.4 - ISO 200 |
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EXR 200% |
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Aperture Priority F6.4 - ISO 400 |
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EXR 200% |
EXR 400% |
The EXR works well within reasonable limits. Note the percentage of EXR you can apply is dependent on the ISO you select.
EXR - RESOLUTION PRIORITY |
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AUTO [400]
ISO 400 - DR 100% |
AUTO [800]
ISO 800 - DR 100% |
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If you want to optimize your pictures for maximum detail [10M resolution], select EXR - RESOLUTION PRIORITY. You can also specify AUTO [400] or AUTO [800] as the maximum ISO that can be used. Even at these high ISOs, the amount of noise is not bad at all.
EXR - D-RANGE PRIORITY |
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 |
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AUTO [400]
ISO 400 - DR AUTO |
AUTO [800]
ISO 800 - DR AUTO |
AUTO [1600]
ISO 1600 - DR AUTO |
If you want to optimize your pictures to enhance dynamic range (to keep details in highlights) [5M resolution], select EXR - D-RANGE PRIORITY. You can also specify AUTO [400], AUTO [800] or AUTO [1600] as the maximum ISO that can be used.
EXR - HIGH ISO & LOW NOISE |
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AUTO [400]
ISO 400 - DR 100% |
AUTO [800]
ISO 800 - DR 100% |
AUTO [1600]
ISO 1600 - DR 100% |
If you want to optimize your pictures to reduce noise at high ISOs [5M resolution], select EXR - HIGH ISO & LOW NOISE. You can also specify AUTO [400], AUTO [800] or AUTO [1600] as the maximum ISO that can be used.
Still consfused about which EXR mode to use in which situation? Then just leave it on EXR AUTO and the camera will select for you.
Scene Modes |
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NATURAL [10M]
ISO 1600 |
PRO LOW-LIGHT [5M]
ISO 1600 |
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NATURAL LIGHT scene mode captures images in 10M resolution without using the flash. PRO LOW-LIGHT scene mode [5M resolution] is interesting in that it will take up to 4 pictures and merges them together in an attempt to reduce blur. Use it in low-light and when using telephoto, when the risk of camera shake is greatest.
| PRO FOCUS |
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| without PRO FOCUS |
with PRO FOCUS |
PRO FOCUS scene mode is another interesting scene mode that takes up to 3 pictures at different focus points and merges them to create a picture with a clearly focused main subject and blurred background. It's for daylight use and it simulates the shallow depth of field effect of using a large aperture to isolate your main subject from its background.
Film Simulation |
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Standard (PROVIA) |
Vivid (VELVIA) |
Soft (ASTIA) |
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B&W |
Sepia |
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The Film Simulation feature is useful for those who take lots of nature and landscape shots. All you have to remember here is that Velvia produces more vivid colors, which is what you really want in nature and landscape pictures. Use Soft/ASTIA for more pleasing portraits.
| Chromatic
Aberrations |
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CA is visible in very high contrast shots. In the above photo, the top right area delimited by the red square, and reproduced at 100% crop at bottom right, shows purple fringing.
| Long
Shutter Speed |
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6.0mm, M, Multi-Pattern,
8 sec., F7.1, ISO 100,
Custom WB, Self-timer 2 sec., Tripod Used |
The Fujifilm F70EXR allows the use of a long shutter speed of 8 sec. in M mode. This allows us to take some Night Shots. The Fujifilm F70EXR has noise reduction (NR) but you will not notice it working since there is no extra wait time.
There is no histogram either Live in Shooting Mode or in Playback mode.
Overall, excellent image quality and the various EXR and scene modes can prove useful in certain situations. The amount of choice can also prove confusing and intimidating to the Point-and-Shoot photographer but thankfully EXR AUTO mode works very well. Advanced photographers has Programmed AE, Aperture-Priority AE and full Manual for more control over their camera.
The pictures in the Fujifilm F70EXR Photo Gallery
page provide a good sample of what the camera
is capable of. I have provided samples at 800x600
pixels (compressed to Quality 60/100 in Photoshop
Elements) as well as the 3616 x 2712 pixels [10M] or 2592 x 1944 [5M] original
size (click on the image for the original version).
You can safely assume that most macro shots
and slow shutter speed shots required the use
of a tripod (due to the effective image stabilization,
the use of a tripod was restricted to the long
shutter speeds). Any image that is adjusted for
levels in Photoshop has "_adjusted"
appended to the file name (though the original
sized image is, of course, not adjusted).
I have defaulted the image size to 800x600 pixels.
For those who have their monitor resolution set
to 1024x728 pixels, everything should snugly fit
and you should not have to scroll to see the whole
image. If your monitor is set to 800x600 pixels
resolution, start the slide show and then scroll
to the right to position the image within your
screen width. Then, press F11 (if you are using
Internet Explorer) to switch to full screen mode,
and the image should fill your screen nicely.
Press F11 again at any time to switch your monitor
display back to normal mode.
To return to this page from the Photo Gallery,
click on the animated graphics of the camera.
Please open and download the original size version
only if you need to and only once
to your hard drive -- and save me some precious
bandwidth. Thanks!
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