 Fujifilm Finepix S9100 - A Very Good Camera |
| Review Date: February 16, 2007 |
| Reviewer: John C., Chicago and St. Pete FL |
I purchased this camera about a month ago and have taken approximately 2,000 pictures to date. I've taken indoor, outdoor, telephoto, macro, everything except the video. Sorry I should have played with that too, but it is not the primary reason I bought this camera. I wanted a camera that expanded the capability and control of my small point and shoot camera, an Olympus C-50 (which I am quite pleased with). I am very happy with the results of the S9100.
This is a substantial camera. It feels more like my Nikon 8008, so don't plan to put it in your pocket when you take it on a trip. I have had three Olympus digital cameras and was looking to purchase another Olympus but I was disappointed with their offering in the ultra zoom class.
Because I already had several xD cards it was a plus that this camera gave me a choice of two different media types. I also liked the manual zoom because this camera felt familiar, like an SLR. Using AA batteries was another plus I was looking for. I see some folks say they are disappointed with the battery life, but I haven't found that to be a problem. I use 2900mAh NiMH Rechargeable Battery and I have yet to run out of juice on photo shoots of over 200 pictures. I have not used alkaline batteries, but I understand they do not last nearly as long. I use the EVF more than the large digital display (probably from old habits of 35mm cameras) and that may have something to do with it too. I think the manual zoom has to save a lot of battery power when compared to some of the competition.
There is a lot of discussion about image stabilization, and I never had it in my other cameras, so I don't seem to miss it. I haven't had many blurred photos but I do use a mono-pod or tri-pod when it is appropriate. But even hand held, this camera produces excellent images even up at 1600 ISO. There is some noise, but I don't think it is too bad. Printed photos come out excellent. I have several printers and a large format HP plotter that can produce 36" x 36" prints and I am very pleased with the results.
This camera has excellent versatility, the zoom is great and the macro mode gives you wonderful capability to really get in close. I have been shooting primarily .JPG but have experimented with .RAW. From what I read this format it will extend my ability, but I need more time to learn about RAW processing before I can provide an intelligent discussion. I like the idea that RAW is there if and when I decide to use it.
In conclusion, I am happy with my purchase and would buy this camera again. If you are looking for an alternative to a dSLR that provides a lot of versatility and control this one merits a close look. |
Best Bang for the Buck
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| Review Date: February 22, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Hai X. Vu, Arlington, TX |
| Well, I don't even know where to start for this camera. But about a year ago, when this camera first got launched to the digital camera market, it costed nearly twice as much as what you can pay for it now. For the price, this camera has alot to offer. I just love the color tone of Fujifilm. You get a very studio-like effect with Fujifilm CCD technology. This camera has many manual controls and features that will interest both professional and amature photographers. The 9 Megapixel can really be helpful when it comes to cropping. The pictures taken by this camera is bright and clear. The camera picture can be noisy if you set the ISO above 400. So, for the best result, just set the ISO level as low as possible (lets say ISO 80?). The 10.7X zoom lens is very convenient when you want to get close to the subject you are shooting. I used this camera for every occasion and it never failed me. I heard alot of complaints about the poor battery life of this camera, but just buy NiMH battery that is about 2500 mAh and above and you should get about 200-250 shots. Make sure to buy at least a 2 GB memory card because the picture files are pretty big, especially in RAW format. Also, for the price, this camera feels VERY SOLID in the hand. It feels very professional and sturdy (MADE IN JAPAN). The buttons are nicely placed and very easy to use. Make sure to buy an external flash if you want to do some serious light photography. I recommnend the Sunpak 383 non-dedicatted flash to go with this camera. It works together really well. Anyway, for $407, you cannot get a better camera than this one. Thank you Amazon for making this good deal possible. Again, I highly recommend this camera. |
Excellent wide angle to telephoto zoom.
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| Review Date: July 3, 2007 |
| Reviewer: BoolaBoola, Whittier |
I know someone who passed on buying the Fuji S9100 because it only had a 10.7x zoom, in favor of a 12x zoom. She did not understand how to interpret the lens specs.
This camera has something fairly rare in a digital camera, and especially rare in a super zoom: a true wide angle lens, going down to 28 mm equivalent focal length. Most digitals start at 38 mm or 35 mm. That extra 7 to 10 mm makes a huge difference in the angle of coverage.
I had a 28 to 85 mm zoom for my 35 mm slr, and it cost more than the S9100, and weighed more, too. And here you are getting a lens that goes all the way to 300 mm. My longest zoom lens only went to 200 mm on my 35 mm, and it started at 75 mm. That weighed several times more than this camera, and was hard to hold steady. I rarely used a 200 mm without a tripod.
With the S9100 I still use the wideangle most, but I am surprised how much I use the 300 mm telephoto. It also has a 2x digital zoom, which, because it has a 9 mp sensor, is actually useable, though I would shoot at lower resolutions. And I am surprised how sharp the pictures are, even without image stabilization. But then I know how to steady a camera, such as leaning it against a wall.
I use the tilting LCD display a lot. It is great for candids; which is especially important with a semi-pro camera like this. It is not just about being secretive; it is about retaining the candid quality of the photo.
Attach the neck strap and use it, always, always. Combine it with the LCD display flipped out and you get a sort of TLR effect: It was easier to hold a TLR Rolleiflex steady at slow shutter speeds than an SLR held to the eye. The trick is to pull the strap tight against your neck and lock your elbows against your sides.
Remember, you can always crop a picture to produce more of a telephoto effect, especially with a 9 mp image. But you can't widen a picture in processing -- unless you use panorama stitching (anyone even actually use this???).
The S9100 has the best video recording I have used in a digicam. With the manual zoom, it is easy to zoom during filming, silently. Going from 28 mm to 300 mm creates a powerful effect.
This lens is magnificent. It is essentially the same lens as is on the 6000, I believe. Fuji knows how to make lenses. Their medium format wideangle lenses, such as for the GW690, are legendary. Having a fixed lens barrel, while less compact, is far more sturdy. Those telescoping lenses are fragile if knocked while the camera is on.
Fuji also knows how to make film. And in the digital era, the camera is the film. Their expertise in color management is evident in the accurate, pleasing tonal quality indoors or out; but it helps if you know how to use the manual color balance setting. There is a chrome setting which boosts the saturation and contrast, intended to match the qualities of slide film. It is great for average snap shots, but can produce over saturation with things like colorful flowers.
I have used this camera for about four months. I haven't used all the bells and whistles regularly. I tested the manual focus, and it is well-designed, with focus assist via directional arrows, plus the ability to magnify the central section. I see it more as an extended focus lock.
I have used several external flashes with it, and the camera still works. Some camera brands can be damaged by flashes with a high trigger voltage, reportedly. A bounce flash will help you get pro looking shots indoors.
I use the 800 iso setting for night shots. There is some grain, but that's life. I come from a film perspective, and the grain is about what you would get from shooting b&w at that speed. When I switch the S9100 to BW, the grain becomes less noticeable, and makes the 1600 iso setting more useable. I also cut the resolution at iso 800 and 1600. Reducing the contrast and sharpening also seems to help. As I see it, the iso 1600 is there for use when there is no alternative. A newspaper photographer could get useable shots with it.
I seriously considered the Fuji S6000 because of its superior high film speed performance. But it is 6 mp, and lacks some of the S9100's more advanced features. If you need less grain in your high iso shots, the S6000 may be a better bet. The S6000 would be an excellent camera for a newspaper to hand to a reporter.
But the grain in the S9100 is not as bad as some say; I, and others, think they are looking at the full magnification images, which at 9 mp can be about three feet wide or more, depending on your monitor. THEN you can see the grain at the pixel level in even the 200 iso shots. So what?
I often shoot at less than 9 mp. The camera has a 3:2 setting that gives a wider ratio more like a 35 mm shot. It also produces a smaller file, about 2.5 mb. That's what I use the most. It is especially suitable to wideangle shots. But I also am getting fine results in lower resolutions.
This camera originally sold for twice the price, at least when the S9000 came out, and it was a good value then. Now it is one of the great camera bargains on the market. But it may be more camera than some people need. This is probably true of a lot of fancy cameras on the market. Don't buy a camera to make a fashion statement; buy something you will enjoy using.
For me, the Fuji S9100 is fun to use; it is easy to get great pictures without getting a headache. |
Fujifilm S9100
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| Review Date: May 15, 2007 |
| Reviewer: W. F. Fontaine, Meriden, CT |
I have been a SLR (film) camera user for years but, find the S9100 Digital camera has all the "bells and whistles" that my SLR camera has, and then some.
The instruction book that came with the camera is clear and concise and will have you up and running in no time.
I would reccomend this camera or, it's siblings, to even a beginner for ease of operation and flexibility at half the cost of a Digital SLR camera. It won't fit in a shirt pocket or purse but, in my opinion it's advantages far outweigh those minor disadvantages. |
Great Camera, Better Than All Superzooms on Market
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| Review Date: July 27, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Kris, |
| I purchased the Fuji Film s9100 after searching for about three months on a replacement for an aging Sony 3mp digital camera. I considered the Sony H7 and H9, the Canon S3 IS, and the Fuji s6000fd. The Sony's clearly had lesser image quality and terrible purple fringing not to mention being overpriced. The S3 IS was decent and probably the third best superzoom but it was already aged quite a bit and the S5 IS had been announced which turned out not me be much of an improvement over the S3 IS anyways. The Fuji s6000fd comes closest in image quality to the s9100, some even say that it is better. Now, its obvious the Fuji models have no method of optical image stabilization but its a small price to pay for the excellent image quality than comes from these two Fuji super zooms. What made the s9100 a winner for me was the flash hot shoe, excellent EVF, manual zoom, and manual focus (don't worry, it also has autofocus). |
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