Fuji Finepix S6500fd

[Gray-Catchpole]

Hi all

my birthday is coming up soon, and kerry and the boys are going to chip in and get me a new camera, we cant afford to go for a full DSLR so ive been looking around at a few hi end compacts and bridge camera`s, and the Fuji Finepix S6500fd Review Here has caught my eye, jessops are doing it for £179.99(on its own) but i have found it at our local dealer for £200 with a 512 card and a case, the bloke in the shop took the time to run me through nearly everything on the camera, and also allowed me to have a play, taking around half an hour, great service, i was in jessops for less that 5 mins lol.

 

so, can anyone recomend/warn against this model, or can anyone piont me to a better deal say second hand or something, cheers in advance

 

Gray

[Steve Burke]

Gray, it really depends what sort of photos you're going to take.

 

If for instance you're going to take lots of landscape shots then having the Fuji with its lens that's more wide angle than most superzooms would be very useful. On the other hand if you're going to use the telephoto facility more, then one of its competitors would be a better bet, especially as the Fuji doesn't have image stabilisation. The latter minimises camera shake, something that's much more noticeable with telephoto shots.

 

There are few poor cameras on the market so you probably won't be disappointed with whatever you choose. However it may not be the best you could choose.

 

Like with choosing a computer I suggest anyone starts with what they're going to use a camera for and then works backwards. Different people will get different answers.

 

If you give us some more details of the intended use we'll be able to help you more.

 

You'll also find the Link Vault here on AN useful. This will link you to camera review sites. Once you've chosen what you want it'll also link you to comparison sites to find the best price.

[Steve Randles]

Hi Gray,

 

I pasted the spec below for others to view and comment on.

 

 

Sensor • 1/1.7" Type CCD

• 6.3 million pixels total

 

Image sizes • 2848 x 2136

• 3024 x 2016 (3:2)

• 2048 x 1536

• 1600 x 1200

• 640 x 480

Movie clips • 640 x 480 @ 30 fps

• 320 x 240 @ 30 fps

• With monaural sound

File formats • Still: JPEG / RAW

• Movie: AVI Motion JPEG

 

Lens • 28 - 300 mm (35 mm equiv)

• F2.8 - F4.9

• 10.7x optical zoom

• Mechanically linked zoom ring

Digital zoom Up to 2x

Focus • Auto

• Continuous

• Manual

AF mode • Single

• Continuous

• Manual (with one-touch AF)

AF area • Center

• Multi

• Area (selectable)

AF assist lamp Yes

Focus distance • Normal: 40 cm (wide) / 2 m (tele) - Infinity

• Macro: 10 cm (wide) / 90 cm (tele)

Metering • Multi 256-zone

• Average

• Spot

ISO sensitivity • Auto

• ISO 100

• ISO 200

• ISO 400

• ISO 800

• ISO 1600

• ISO 3200

Exposure compensation • +/- 2EV

• 1/3 steps

Shutter speed 30 - 1/4000 th sec

Aperture F2.8 - F11

Exposure modes • Programmed AE (with shift)

• Aperture priorityAE

• Shutter priority AE

• Manual exposure

Shooting modes • Auto

• Picture Stabilization (auto High ISO)

• Scene Position

• Macro

• Movie

• Continuous

Scene modes • Natural Light

• Natural Light & Flash

• Portrait

• Landscape

• Sport

• Night

• Fireworks

• Sunset

• Snow

• Beach

• Museum

• Party

• Flower

• Close-up

• Text

 

White balance • Auto

• Fine

• Shade

• Fluorescent (daylight)

• Fluorescent (warm white)

• Fluorescent (cool white)

• Incandescent

• Custom

Self timer 2 or 10 sec

Continuous shooting • 2.2 fps, max 3 images (Top-3 or Final-3)

• 0.7 fps, unlimited

 

Flash • Built-in pop-up

• Range (Auto ISO): 8.3 m (w), 4.6 m (t)

• Modes: Auto, Red-eye reduction, On, Off, Slow Sync, Slow + Red-eye

Viewfinder • 0.33" electronic viewfinder (EVF)

• 115,000 pixels

LCD monitor • 2.5" TFT LCD

• 235,000 pixels

Connectivity • USB 2.0 High-speed

• AV out

• DC in

Playback functions • Mode: Single frame, 9 Multi-frame, Sorting by date, Image rotate, Post shot Assist window (3 frames)

• Features: Voice Memo, Trimming, Automatic playback

 

Print compliance • PictBridge

• DPOF

Storage • 10 MB internal memory

• xD-Picture Card

Power • 4 x AA batteries alkalkine or NiMH

• Charger optional

Dimensions 131 x 98 x 128 mm (5.2 x 3.8 x 5.0 in)

Weight (no batt) 600 g (1.3 lb)

Supplied accessories 4×AA type Alkaline batteries, Shoulder Strap, USB cable , A / V cable , Lens cap, Lens cap holder, Lens hood, CD-ROM , FinePixViewer RAW File converter included), ImageMixer VCD2 LE for FinePix, RAW FILE CONVERTER LE

 

 

 

Not a bad camera for what its got, good range of ISO speeds even nowadays there are not many with ISO 3200! Still, I never use below 400 anyway as it just gets too grainy for my liking.

 

There is one thing I always struggle with in camera specs and that is aperture, this camera starts at 2.8 which will give a nice shallow depth of field - great for those flower or bug shots, but only goes upto f11. I dont know who decided that the majority of non DSLR cameras should stop at f11 but to my mind he/she/they need shooting!! Load a camera with all the features below then cut off the photographers arm by limiting aperture, I struggle to understand that and am heavily against it

 

 

Here is the same camera I own on ebay for £175. Its 6mp has all the features of a good dslr that you could want untill you get right deeply submerged in photography and comes supplied with the kit lens (18-55mm).There is also firmware you can download that will upgrade this cameras performance to behave like a Canon 10d.

 

I've used this above as an example of what you can get for your money, there would of course be similar comparisons with Nikon models for example.

 

My advice: Look at second hand DSLR's first before buying something that will limit you, or save up a bit mre money and buy a dslr brand new, DSLR's currently around the £350 price tag are..

 

Canon EOS 350D

Nikon D40

Olympus E330

Pentax K100D

Samsung GX1L

 

 

Steve...

[Gray-Catchpole]

Thanks for the fast replies both,

the reason i was looking at this camera in particular was the fact that, i really dont want to be spending more money on extra lenses, i use a tripod an awfull lot of the time so camera shake wont be any problem, i like to do alot of macro work, and this model has macro and super macro, but at the other end 28-300 seems very usable, i wont be using it for fast moving sports shots so dont really need a super fast auto focus system,i also do alot of landscape type shots, and low light shots of bands at gigs, and this camera seems to work particularly well in that situation thanks again all.

[Sutton Warrior]

I'm no expert, I do have a DSLR, I also have a Canon compact. How much do I use the DSLR?? less than the fingers on one hand since Christmas. A wast, perhaps, however, I have had some very nice things said about my compact work, was in the comp., final three recently. A 28-300 lens is a very usable size (I know I would rather have 'wide angle' than an 'elephant zoom' given the choice) and there is always 'foot zoom' f11, I understand where Steve is coming from, but dont they say that a lens is at its best at f8-f11?

 

Grey, I think you will enjoy the 6500, obviously its better than what you have now?? It will take you further up that learning curve, couple or three years down the line you will have another birthday, mm I'v been 39 for a long time though See how things are then?

 

Just my two peneth for what its worth.

 

SW

[Steve Burke]

The reason that digital compacts don't usually go beyond f/11 or even f/8 is that quality then falls off. This is because of diffraction, something that becomes more apparent with the small physical size of lenses.

 

Apertures beyond f/8 or so aren't really needed with digital compacts as they have so much depth of field anyway. On the other hand, it's harder to do the opposite and throw the background or foreground out of focus. A digital SLR is better for this.

 

In the days of film I too, like Sutton Warrier, used to own both an SLR and a compact, and like him hardly ever used the SLR as the compact was a lot more transportable. Nowl, my digital Canon S3IS is a lot more transportable than a digital SLR and extra lenses. It's so versatile that it's the only camera I own.

 

Having said that, if I were to concentrate on landscapes I'd probably get an SLR. I just wish I had the artistic talent to take shots like Steve!

 

Gray, the Fuji would appear to be a good choice for what you propose to use it for, especially if you want to go as wide as 28mm. I'll leave it to you to check out other options.

 

However, whatever you decide I suggest you check out a price comparison site such Pricerunner before buying. Go to http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/pl/29-693065/...-Compare-Prices

[Gray-Catchpole]

Thanks alot folks, i think ive made my mind up, i will go for the s6500fd, the camera im using at the moment is a samsung s500, a really good compact, with lots of manual control lots of f`s and iso`s to play with, but ive out grown it already as i knew i would, but it was all i could afford at the time and has served me very well.

 

i have seen the S6500fd as low as £157(online), but without a bundle, and for the extra £40 i get a nice leather padded case, and the 512 card, so im going to go with that, unless someone comes up with something else

any more input most welcome.

its going to be a few weeks before i get it but i will let you know how i get on.

again thanks folks.

[Peter Sharpe]

I borrowed an S9500 and found it to be incredibly disappointing. It was supposed to be a good performer at low light levels, but the pictures were so grainy as to be unusable. It was a shame really, as it had the flip-out screen that I found very useful. That was over a year ago though, so they might have progressed by now.

[medwaygreen]

Hi there,

 

Fuji are doing the camera direct at £144 and the P&P is low.

 

These are what they call refurbs with a 6 month guarantee, I would still use them rather than someone you don't know on E-Bay.

 

http://www.fujifilm.co.uk/shop/refurb/shop.php

[n4lly]

Here's a bargain Fuji M603