Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR Review

October 19, 2012 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR is a new 16 megapixel travel-zoom compact camera with a 20x, 25-500mm zoom lens. Capable of auto-focusing in as little as 0.16 seconds, key highlights of the successor to the F770EXR include Wireless Image Transfer to a smartphone or tablet, an EXR Back-side Illuminated CMOS sensor, 8fps continuous shooting, RAW image capture, full 1080p HD movies and High Speed movie capture at 320fps. Other standout features include GPS functionality, a high-contrast 3 inch LCD screen, an intelligent digital zoom mode which doubles the telephoto range up to 40x, fast start-up and shot-to-shot times, a range of artistic filter effects, a customisable Function button and a powerful built-in flash. The Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR is available now in black, red, blue or white for $349.95 / £279.95.

Ease of Use

In terms of its design the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR is virtually identical to the F770EXR model that it replaces. Therefore most of the comments that we made about that model apply equally to the F800EXR, which has similar glossy curves as its predecessor. This new 16-megapixel model somehow shoehorns a 20x optical zoom (25-500mm equivalent in 35mm terms) into a slender, handbag or pocket friendly chassis which measures just 24.9mm in depth at its thinnest point. The lens is neatly folded away when not in use, making the F800EXR eminently pocketable, with overall dimensions of 105.1x63.3x36.0mm and weighing 232g with the battery and an SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card inserted.

Even in its inactive state, the camera's optics look like they're ready to burst forth from the body. The lens barrel is surrounded by what resembles a pregnant bulge, its rounded edges and controls avoiding looking like the usual rectangular box that so many other compacts resemble. Apart from that, the F800EXR presents a clean and sophisticated faceplate, the only features apart from the lens being a tactile hand-grip that is more prominent and has a rubber insert to aid grip, a small window for the self-timer/AF assist lamp and two small holes for the stereo microphone.

The back of the F800EXR also impresses, sporting a high contrast 3-inch, wide-view 460k-dot resolution LCD. The Monitor Sunlight Mode does what its name suggests, making the LCD screen easier to use in very bright sunlight (this can be assigned to the Function button for ease of access). Out of the box you get a basic quick start manual, with the rest on a supplied CD ROM. This also includes the usual basic software, here FinePix Studio for Windows PCs and FinePix Viewer for Macs.

The new stand-out feature on the F800EXR is the Wireless Image Transfer function. Buried deep within the menu system, this allows you to connect the F800EXR to your smartphone or tablet using the FUJIFILM Photo Receiver app. You can transfer up to 30 images at once from the F800EXR, either at full or 3 megapixel resolution, and then share and edit them as you like.

Additionally, the FUJIFILM Camera Application allows the F800EXR to record the current location data provided by the smartphone or tablet (latitude and longitude), which effectively replaces the built-in GPS system that the previous F770EXR offered. Despite the rather serious battery drain, we actually prefer having GPS built-in to the camera rather than having to sync the camera with an additional device, so in this regard the F800EXR represents something of a step backwards. The F800EXR still has the Landmark Navigator option which alerts you to nearby landmarks and tags them in your photos and can also act as a compass by pointing the camera down, and Photo Navigation which displays the distance from your present location to the place where a tagged photo was taken.

Fujifilm has thoughtfully ramped up the performance of its auto-focus features, with a claimed focusing speed of just 0.16 seconds. Other key features include a 360° motion panorama mode for sweeping landscapes, the ubiquitous face detection/recognition (including dogs and cats), tracking auto focus, the DSLR-like background blurring Pro Focus mode seen on other EXR compacts, plus 'intelligent' flash and gyro sensor image stabilisation.

Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR
Front Rear

To help avoid blur resulting from camera shake when shooting in low light or hand-holding the camera at the telephoto extremity of the zoom, Fujifilm have added a 'belt and braces' solution of high ISO sensitivity, stretching up to ISO 3200 at full resolution, a built-in mechanical stabilizer with Continuous or Shooting Only modes, and digital image stabilisation too if required. Activated via the IS Mode menu option, you can set the system to Continuous, Shooting Only, either mode with the addition of digital stabilisation, or Off. Note that the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR will only automatically adjust the ISO speed when using the Auto shooting mode - in the other modes the ISO speed that you select will always be used, so only the mechanical CCD-shift part of the system is used.

Film simulation modes show off Fujifilm's heritage, the choice once again being the well-saturated colours of 'Velvia' mode, the default natural-looking setting of 'Provia', or the soft and gentle 'Astia' for portraiture, plus black & white and sepia. Likely to get more use by those with families is an auto release mode that fires the shutter when the camera detects the subject is looking directly at the lens. Fujifilm suggests this is ideal for photographing never-sit-still children and babies.

We also get full 1080p HD movie clips, with usefully a dedicated video mode button on the backplate that falls readily under the thumb, and a mini HDMI output alongside the regular AV and USB output at one side. Plus, in playback mode, there's a chance to sort through images faster with the Photobook feature, as well as rate your favourites by allocating stars to them.

Like most of its travel zoom rivals the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR is made for the pocket, so there's not much of the actual camera to get a firm grip on. There's a pronounced curve and a vertical rubber strip to the left hand edge at the front, while at the back of the F800EXR Fujifilm has introduced possibly the first 'booty' on a digital camera. A bulge top right provides a resting place for the thumb, a backward slanted shooting mode dial topping it off, an unusual move that Fujifilm suggests makes for easier control access and so faster operation. It looks at once like that portion of the camera is melting, and at the same time very cool indeed.

Switch the camera on via the recessed top plate button that sits alongside the shutter release, once again encircled by a zoom lever. The F800EXR takes less than two seconds from being activated before you can fire off the first shot, rear LCD bursting into life and lens extending to maximum wideangle with an audible mechanical whirr. A half press of the shutter release button and autofocus system is virtually instantaneous, in keeping with Fujifilm's claimed 0.16 second speed. Though it's neither here nor there, the on/off switch glows with a cool blue light, which recalls the same feature incorporated on Samsung's compact range.

Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR
Top Front

A ncustomisable Fn button is located on the F800EXR's top-plate. This can be set to one of 11 different options, including ISO, RAW, Dynamic Range and AF Mode. As the camera lacks a dedicated ISO button, this is perhaps the most logical choice for the Fn button.

Somewhat strangely, there's no external control for another of the F800EXR's star turns, its fast continuous shooting speed. Instead the Continuous menu option brings up four options - Off, Top 4, Best Frame Capture and three different kinds of bracketing (exposure, film simulation mode and dynamic range). Choosing Top 4 allows you to take 8 full-resolution photos at 8 frames per second, which is faster than most compact cameras and indeed most DSLRs too. The only fly in the ointment are that only 4 out of the 8 are actually saved to the memory card.

Choosing Best Frame Capture shoots at 11fps at 8 megapixel resolution from the moment that you focus and then saves up to 16 images including pre-recorded frames. Once the burst is completed, it takes over fifteen seconds for the camera to clear the buffer, during which you cannot take another picture. There is also another continuous shooting speed where the Fujifilm F800EXR shoots at a faster speed 11fps at at 4 megapixel resolution for up to 32 frames.

Although JPEGs are quickly committed to memory in single-shot mode with only the briefest pause between each one, unfortunately after just a couple of shots there's a very noticeable 5 second delay between the capture of one RAW file and the next during which you can't take another picture, which rather slows down the shooting experience unless you stick to the JPEG format.

Both the power button and shutter release fall readily under the forefinger when gripping the camera in your right hand, and the zoom lever is similarly ergonomically located. Nudge the latter and said zoom veritably powers through its broad focal range, quietly zipping from maximum wideangle to extreme telephoto in under three seconds.

Looking at the rear of the F800EXR there's a clearly labeled and logically laid out control set, with a chunky, ridged shooting mode dial which is reminiscent of those found on DSLR cameras. Ranged around the dial, which turns with just the right amount of resistance for it to lock firmly into place at each setting, are a range of shooting options, such as full auto, program, shutter priority, aperture priority and manual modes, along with a scene position mode (SP) that's pre-optimised for common subjects. Note that there are only three available apertures in A mode, rather limiting your control, although there is a full range of shutter speeds on offer.

Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR
Side Pop-up Flash

There are two more shooting modes that are particularly noteworthy. First up is the EXR Auto mode (one of the four EXR modes), which is an 'auto everything' scene recognition mode that's the equivalent of Panasonic's Intelligent Auto mode. Although far from infallible - if you're not paying close attention and it's presented with a busy scene it will call up landscape when macro is needed and vice versa – it instantly makes the F800EXR more beginner friendly, instantly recognising no less than 103 basic scenes and then applying one of the three other EXR modes too. It also includes a a Motion Detection capability, which makes the camera increase the ISO speed to help capture a sharper picture in low-light when it detects movement.

Fujifilm's EXR sensor can be utilized in one of three ways by the photographer. There's a choice between shooting at full 16 megapixel resolution in High Resolution (HR) mode, or an 8 megapixel image in the Low Noise (SN) mode for shooting without flash in low light conditions, or the Dynamic Range (DR) mode to achieve an optimal balance between shadows and highlights. The latter offers five strengths ranging from 100-1600%. If you can't decide which is best for a chosen scene or subject, then just leave the camera on the scene-detecting EXR Automatic Mode and let it choose for itself.

The second shooting mode of particular interest is the rather misleadingly named Advanced mode, which actually has six options that are well suited to all experience levels. The first shooting mode is the new Advanced Filter, which as the name suggests houses six artistic filters that can be applied to your photos as you take them. The options are Toy Camera, Miniature, Pop Color, High-Key, Dynamic Tone and Partial Color, so nothing that we haven't seen before on other competing models.

Next is the Motion Panorama option, clearly inspired by Sony's popular Sweep Panorama function. This lets you capture a 360 degree panoramic image very easily without the use of a tripod. All you need to decide is whether you would like to start from left or right, top or bottom, then press and hold down the shutter release while doing a "sweep" with the camera in hand. Exposure compensation is available before you start the sweep, with the exposure fixed once you depress the shutter button. After you are done with the sweeping, the camera does all the processing required, and presents you with a finished panoramic image.

Although undoubtedly fun, there are a few catches. The final panorama is of relatively low resolution, and if you do the sweeping too slowly, or you let go of the shutter release button too early, the panorama will be truncated. If the exposure varies throughout the scene, then some areas will be over or under exposed, depending upon the exposure value that was chosen as the panorama was started. Finally, people and indeed anything that moves in the frame are recorded as several ghost outlines, which means that you can really only record static, empty scenes, something that Sony have solved in the latest iteration of their Sweep Panorama feature.

The Pro Low-light mode uses multi-bracketing technology, taking a series of four high sensitivity/low-noise shots in quick succession and combining them into an image with less noise than the single exposures. You can see examples of this shooting mode on the Image Quality page. The Pro Focus mode makes it easier to achieve a blurred background, perfect for portraits where compact digicams traditionally struggle. In the Multiple Exposure advanced mode the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR can combine two seperate images into one, while the 3D mode automatically creates a realisitic 3D image in-camera that's composited from two individual photos that are taken from different positions.

With video not represented among the other shooting modes on the dial, as mentioned at the outset this thoughtfully has its own button just below, a press of which kicks off recording whichever alternative mode had previously been in use. This means that movie quality needs to be adjusted separately by delving into the camera's shooting menu via the main 'menu' button. Happily the zoom function can also be used when shooting movies, but in this mode it is altogether smoother, steadier and any operational noise - though still audible if filming in quieter environs - is nevertheless dampened down.

Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR
Memory Card Slot Battery Compartment

The F800EXR offers full 1920x1080 pixel footage at 30 frames per second with constantly adjusting auto exposure and focus with stereo sound. It can record video clips up to 29 minutes long for the 1920x1080 and 1280x720 pixel formats, with longer times available for VGA and SVGA modes. The dedicated Movie button on the rear makes it quick and easy to shoot a movie without missing the start of the action, and there's a mini-HDMI port for connection to a HDTV (cable not supplied). You can select one of the Film Simulation modes to give your footage a more creative look, and there's the option to take a still photo at any time during movie recording. The Face Tracking Auto Focus mode ensures that faces stay sharp and correctly exposed during movie and still image recording, even if the subject moves.

In addition to these "normal" movie modes, the F800EXR also offers several high-speed modes, a feature that was first pioneered by Casio. There are three different speeds on offer - 320, 160 and 80fps, with the file size varying from 320x112 to 640x400 pixels respectively. This slow-motion effect is initially very appealing and sure to impress your friends, but there are some drawbacks to be aware of. Sound isn't recorded at all, horizontal bands can appear as the lighting fluctuates, and the actual sizes of the recorded movies are pretty small.

To the left of the video record button is the familiar playback button. Press this and as well as reviewing images the user is invited to have access to all the camera's extensive photobook features. Beneath this again Fujifilm has implemented the aforementioned Canon-like scroll wheel and central control pad combo, the latter itself encircling a central menu/OK button - for calling up said menu folders, always clear, concise and to the point with Fujifilm, and then executing any functional changes.

Ranged around this scroll wheel/pad are a means of adjusting exposure when in one of the capture modes, or deleting duff images in playback. We also get access to the camera's flash settings (oddly disabled if you've switched the camera to silent mode), self timer options and the ability to switch from infinity to macro focus - here close ups are offered down to 5cm.

Also doubling up, in terms of control, is a 'display' and 'back' button - the latter very useful if, in your keenness for exploration of the F800EXR's Pandora's box of features, you've stumbled onto a setting you didn't actually want and want to retrace your steps. Last but no means least, tucked into the right hand corner of the F800EXR's backplate is an 'F' (for 'Foto') button which, as regular Fujifilm users will know, provides a short cut to the likes of image quality and the film simulation modes. Operation pared down to the bare essentials for quick and easy access then, and very useful it is too.

The right hand flank of the camera features the cover for the mini HDMI port and AV/USB output, with a metal lug for attaching a wrist strap just above. At the camera's base meanwhile we find a centrally located metal screw thread and, to its side, a sliding door hiding the shared compartment for the optional media card and battery.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 16 megapixel JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 5.5Mb.

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR only produced images of above average quality during the review period. It didn't handle noise very well at all, first appearing at the base ISO speed of ISO 100 and then becoming progressively worse at the slightly faster settings of ISO 200 and 400. At ISO 800 there's more noise and smearing of fine detail, while the fastest full-resolution settings of ISO 1600 and 3200 suffer from an even greater loss of detail and colour saturation. The headling-grabbing settings of ISO 6400 and 12800 are both actually shot at a reduced resolution (medium and small respectively) and they're noisy too. All in all, not a great result.

Chromatic aberrations were well controlled, with limited purple fringing effects appearing only in high contrast situations. The 16 megapixel images were just a little soft straight out of the camera at the default sharpen setting and require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera sharpening level.

Macro performance is excellent, allowing you to focus as close as 1cm away from the subject when the lens is set to wide-angle. Commendably barrel distortion is well controlled even at the 25mm focal length. The built-in flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and adequate overall exposure, although there is noticeable vignetting at 25mm. The anti-shake system works very well when hand-holding the camera in low-light conditions or when using the telephoto end of the zoom range. The maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds allows the cameras to capture enough light for most after-dark situations.

The Pro Low-Light scene mode produces better image clarity at high ISO levels at the expense of a loss of fine detail, while the Pro Focus mode effectively throws the background out of focus for portraits. The Sweep Panorama mode works largely as advertised, making it simple to take hand-held low-light and wide-vista shots, although there is a clear ghosting effect around any moving subjects. The EXR modes offer a choice between shooting at full 16 megapixel resolution in High Resolution (HR) mode, or an 8 megapixel image in the Low Noise (SN) mode for shooting without flash in low light conditions, or the Dynamic Range (DR) mode to achieve an optimal balance between shadows and highlights.

Noise

There are 8 ISO settings available on the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting:

JPEG RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

 
 
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

 
 

Focal Range

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR's 20x zoom lens provides a focal length of 25-500mm in 35mm terms, as demonstrated below.

25mm

500mm

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little bit soft at the default sharpening setting, and benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

   

File Quality

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR has 2 different image quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

16M Fine (5.81Mb) (100% Crop) 16M Normal (3.94Mb) (100% Crop)
   
16M RAW (24.2Mb) (100% Crop)  
 

Chromatic Aberrations

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR handled chromatic aberrations very well during the review. Just a little purple fringing was present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations, as shown in the examples below.

Chromatic Aberrations 1 (100% Crop)

Chromatic Aberrations 2 (100% Crop)

Macro

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR offers a Super Macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 1cm away from the camera. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject in Macro mode (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

Macro Shot

100% Crop

Flash

The flash settings on the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR are Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro, and any of those modes combined with Red-eye Reduction. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Flash Off - Wide Angle (25mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (25mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Flash Off - Wide Angle (500mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (500mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are some portrait shots. Neither the Auto or Red-eye reduction mode caused any amount of red-eye.

Flash On

Flash On (100% Crop)
   

Red Eye Reduction

Red Eye Reduction (100% Crop)

Night

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds, which is great news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 8 seconds at ISO 100.

Night Shot

Night Shot (100% Crop)

Anti Shake

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR has an anti-shake mechanism, which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras. To test this, I took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with anti shake turned off, the second with it turned on. Here are some 100% crops of the images to show the results. As you can see, with anti shake turned on, the images are much sharper than with anti shake turned off. This feature really does seem to make a difference and could mean capturing a successful, sharp shot or missing the opportunity altogether.

Shutter Speed / Focal Length

Anti Shake Off (100% Crop)

Anti Shake On (100% Crop)

1/4th / 25mm
     
1/5th / 500mm

Intelligent Digital Zoom

The new Intelligent Digital Zoom function can digitally boost the optical 20x zoom up to 40x, the equivalent of a 1000mm focal length.

20x

30x (100% Crop)
   

40x

42x (100% Crop)

   

69x

69x (100% Crop)

EXR Modes

Fujifilm's EXR sensor can be utilized in one of three ways by the photographer. There's a choice between shooting at full 16 megapixel resolution in High Resolution (HR) mode, or an 8 megapixel image in the Low Noise (SN) mode for shooting without flash in low light conditions, or the Dynamic Range (DR) mode to achieve an optimal balance between shadows and highlights. The latter offers five strengths ranging from 100-1600%. If you can't decide which is best for a chosen scene or subject, then just leave the camera on the scene-detecting EXR Automatic Mode and let it choose for itself.

Resolution Priority

Resolution Priority (100% Crop)

   

High ISO & Low Noise

High ISO & Low Noise (100% Crop)

   

D-Range Priority - 100%

D-Range Priority - 200%

   

D-Range Priority - 400%

D-Range Priority - 800%

   

D-Range Priority - 1600%

 
 

Pro Focus

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR's Pro Focus mode makes it easier to achieve a blurred background, perfect for portraits where compact digicams traditionally struggle, with three strengths of blurring on offer.

Pro Focus 1

Pro Focus 1 (100% Crop)

   

Pro Focus 2

Pro Focus 2 (100% Crop)

   

Pro Focus 3

Pro Focus 3 (100% Crop)

Pro Low-Light

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR's Pro Low-Light scene mode produces better image clarity at high ISO levels, with the camera automatically taking a series of four high sensitivity/low-noise shots in quick succession which are then combined together using in-camera processing into an image with less noise than the single exposures. The main drawback is a noticeable softening of fine detail.

Pro Low-Light Off

Pro Low-Light On

Multiple Exposure

In the Multiple Exposure advanced mode the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR can combine two seperate images into one, as shown in the example below.

Film Simulation Modes

The Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR offers 5 different film simulation modes to help replicate the look of your favourite film stock from the past.

Provia / Standard

Velvia / Vivid

   

Astia / Soft

Black & White

   

Sepia

 
 

Advanced Filter

The new Advanced Filter mode on the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR offers six artistic special effects to help customise the look of your images as you take them.

Toy Camera

Miniature

   

Pop Color

High-Key

   

Dynamic Tone

Part Color

Panorama Mode

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR allows you to take panoramic images very easily by 'sweeping' with the camera while keeping the shutter release depressed. The camera does all the processing and stitching, and there are three views available. The main problems are that the resulting image is of fairly low resolution - 1080 pixels high and 5760 pixels wide for the 360 degree image - moving objects are recorded as "ghost" images, and different lighting sources cause obvious vertical streaks to appear.

120 Degrees
 
180 Degrees
 
360 Degrees

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR camera, which were all taken using the 16 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Fujifilm RAW (RAF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1280 at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 18 second movie is 31.3Mb in size.

Product Images

Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Front of the Camera

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Front of the Camera / Turned On

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Front of the Camera / Flash Raised

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Isometric View

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Isometric View

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Rear of the Camera

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Rear of the Camera / Turned On

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Rear of the Camera / Shooting Menu

 

Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Rear of the Camera / F-Mode Menu

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Rear of the Camera / EXR Menu

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Rear of the Camera / Advanced Menu

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Rear of the Camera / Function Menu

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Top of the Camera

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Bottom of the Camera

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Side of the Camera

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Side of the Camera

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Front of the Camera

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Front of the Camera

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Memory Card Slot

 
Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR

Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The new Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR introduces wireless image transfer, 6 artistic filters and a slightly cheaper price to Fujifilm's travel-zoom range, but image quality and RAW processing speeds are still problematic and we miss the F770EXR's on-board GPS features.

Wireless image transfer is the principal reason behind the release of the F800EXR, and while we applaud Fujifilm for quickly coming to market with one of 2012's key features, the implementation leaves something to be desired. Having to pair the camera to a smartphone or tablet to transfer images and to sync GPS co-ordinates just isn't as fast or as intuitive as having those features in-camera, although it does at least avoid unwanted batter drain. There are other cameras available, particularly Samsung's newer models, that offer a much slicker implementation of wirelessly sharing your image.

The F800EXR has the same 16 megapixel EXR sensor as its predecessor, which offers an ISO range up to 12,800, fast continuous shooting speeds and full 1080p HD movies. As you'd expect, we found that the sensor again suffered from noise even at the base ISO setting of 100, showing further artifacts and loss of fine detail at the slow speeds of ISO 200 and ISO 400, with higher settings becoming progressively noisy, which means that Fujifilm's travel-zoom camera still lags behind the main competition in this all-important regard.

The user interface principally benefits from the customisable Function button and the large and tactile hand-grip, while start-up and shot-to-shot times are fast enough to not be noticeable. Shooting in the RAW format is still sadly something of a chore, though, with slow shot-to-shot times and the camera only capable of taking 2 pictures before locking up completely to process them, making that it wise to use JPEGs most of the time.

Thanks to a fairly significant reduction in price, we can still just about recommend the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR as a versatile pocket camera, but the next generation really needs to improve on image quality and wireless integration to catch-up with the competition.

4 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 4.5
Ease-of-use 4
Image quality 3
Value for money 4.5

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR from around the web.

pocket-lint.com »

Fujifilm isn’t shy when it comes to turning out releases in the travel zoom compact camera market. The FinePix F800EXR - which succeeds the F770EXR by adding wireless image transfer functionality - looks on paper to be an affordable, well-featured compact. We thought its predecessor had one or two issues and lacked some "must have" features. Can the F800EXR right those wrongs?
Read the full review »

ephotozine.com »

The F800 is an update to the F770EXR but removes GPS, and replaces it with Wi-Fi for wireless transfer. Upon connecting the camera to a mobile phone, it's possible to GEO-tag the photos using the GPS from the smart phone.
Read the full review »

Specifications

Model name FinePix F800EXR
Number of effective pixels *1 16.0 million pixels
Image sensor 1/ 2-inch EXR CMOS with primary color filter
Storage media
  • Internal memory (approx.30MB)
  • SD/SDHC/SDXC(UHS-I) memory card*2
File format
still image
JPEG (Exif Ver 2.3)*3,
(Design rule for Camera File system compliant / DPOF-compatible)
3D still image
MPO compliant
movie
H.264(MOV)
Number of recorded pixels
Still image
L : (4:3) 4608 x 3456 / (3:2) 4608 x 3072 / (16:9) 4608 x 2592
M : (4:3) 3264 x 2448 / (3:2) 3264 x 2176 / (16:9) 3264 x 1840
S : (4:3) 2304 x 1728 / (3:2) 2304 x 1536 / (16:9) 1920 x 1080
<Motion Panorama>
360° Vertical 11520 x 1624 Horizontal 11520 x 1080
180° Vertical 5760 x 1624 Horizontal 5760 x 1080
120° Vertical 3840 x 1624 Horizontal 3840 x 1080
Lens
name
Fujinon 20x optical zoom lens
focal length
f=4.6 - 92mm, equivalent to 25 - 500mm on a 35mm camera
full-aperture
F3.5(Wide) - F5.3(Telephoto)
constitution
11 groups 14 lenses
Digital zoom EXR Auto mode: Intelligent digital zoom approx. 2x (up to approx. 40x, with 20x optical zoom)
Other than EXR Auto mode: Intelligent digital zoom approx. 3.4x (up to approx. 68x, with 20x optical zoom)
Aperture F3.5 / F7.1 / F10(Wide)
F5.3 / F11 / F16(Telephoto) with ND filter
Focus distance
(from lens surface)
Normal
Wide : Approx. 45 cm / 1.4 ft. to infinity
Telephoto : Approx. 2.5 m / 8.2 ft. to infinity
Macro
Wide : Approx. 5 cm - 3.0 m / 1.9 in. - 9.8 ft.
Telephoto : Approx. 1.3 m - 3.0 m / 4.2 ft. - 9.8 ft.
Sensitivity Auto, Equivalent to ISO 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400* / 12800* (Standard Output Sensitivity)
  • * 6400 : M mode or lower, ISO12800 : S mode
Exposure control TTL 256-zones metering, Multi / Spot / Average
Exposure mode Programmed AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
Shooting modes
SP
Natural Light, Natural Light & with Flash, Portrait, Portrait enhancer, Dog, Cat, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night (Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Underwater, Party, Flower, Text
MODE DIAL
EXR, P, S, A, M, SP, Adv, AUTO
Image stabilizer CMOS shift type
Exposure compensation -2.0EV - +2.0EV 1/3EV step
Shutter speed (Auto mode) 1/4 sec. to 1/2000 sec., (All other modes) 8 sec. to 1/2000 sec.
Continuous shooting
TOP
Super High : approx. 11fps (Size M,S)
High : approx. 8fps (Size L,M,S)
Middle : approx. 5fps (Size L,M,S)
Low : approx. 3fps (Size L,M,S)
  • * SD memory card with a write speed (4 MB/sec.) or better is recommended.
  • * The frame rate varies depending on the shooting conditions or numbers of frames in continuous shooting.
Best Frame capture
L : 8 frames (3/5/8frames/sec. )
M, S : 8/16 frames (3/5/8/11frames/sec. )
Auto Bracketing AE Bracketing : ±1/3EV, ±2/3EV, ±1EV
Film Simulation Bracketing : PROVIA / STANDARD, Velvia / VIVID, ASTIA / SOFT
Dynamic Range Bracketing : 100% / 200% / 400%
Focus
Mode
Single AF / Continuous AF (EXR AUTO, Movie)
Type
TTL contrast AF, AF assist illuminator available
AF frame selection
Center, Multi, Tracking
White balance Automatic scene recognition
Preset
Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White), Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light, Underwater, Custom
Self-timer 10 sec. / 2 sec. Delay / Auto release / Auto release (Dog, Cat)
Flash Auto flash (super i-flash)
Effective range: (ISO AUTO)
Normal
  • Wide: Approx. 15 cm - 3.7 m / 5.9 in. - 12.1 ft.
  • Telephoto: Approx. 90 cm - 2.4 m / 2.9 ft. - 7.8 ft.
Flash modes
Red-eye removal OFF
Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro.
Red-eye removal ON
Red-eye Reduction Auto, Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Red-eye Reduction & Slow Synchro.
Hot shoe -
LCD monitor 3.0-inch, approx. 460,000 dots, TFT color LCD monitor, approx. 100% coverage
Movie recording 1920 x 1080 pixels / 1280 x 720 pixels / 640 x 480 pixels (30 frames / sec.) with stereo sound.
Optical zoom function can be used.
Photography functions EXR mode (EXR Auto/Resolution priority / High ISO & Low noise priority / Dynamic range priority), Face recognition, Face Detection, Auto red-eye removal, Film simulation, Auto release, Auto release(Dog,Cat), Framing guidline, Power management, Frame No. memory, Advanced mode (Motion panorama360, Pro focus, Pro low light, Multiple exposure, Individual shutter 3D), High Speed Movie (80 / 160 / 320 frames/sec.), Advanced Anti Blur, Date stamp, Monitor Sunlight mode, Connect to Smartphone and Tablet Devices. (Geotagging setup), Recording movie in the EXR Auto mode?Automatic Scene Selection. (Auto, Macro, Landscape, Night, Portrait, Portrait+Night, Backlight Portrait), Advanced Filter (Toy camera, Miniature, Pop color, High-key, Dynamic tone, Partial color : red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
Playback functions Face Detection, Auto red-eye removal, Multi-frame playback (with micro thumbnail), Crop, Resize, Slide show, Image rotate, Voice memo, Exposure warning, Auto rotate playback, Photobook assist, Image search, Favorites, Mark for upload, Panorama, Erase selected frames, Photo navigation, Histogram display, Connect to Smartphone and Tablet Devices (Uploading Pictures : Individual images, Selected multiple images, View & Obtain Images)
Other functions Landmark Navigator, PictBridge, Exif Print, Print Image Matching II, 35 Languages, Time difference, Silent mode
Terminal
Video output
NTSC / PAL selectable with monaural sound
Digital interface
USB 2.0 High-Speed
HDMI output
HDMI Mini connector
Power supply NP-50A Li-ion battery (included) / CP-50 with AC power adapter AC-5VX (sold separately)
Dimensions 105.1(W) x 63.3(H) x 36.0(D) mm / 4.1(W) x 2.4(H) x 1.4(D) in.
(Minimum depth: 24.9mm / 0.9in.)
Weight Approx. 232g / 8.1oz. (including battery and memory card)
Approx. 212g / 7.4oz. (excluding battery and memory card)
Operating Temperature 0°C - 40°C
Operating Humidity 10% - 80% (no condensation)
Guide to the number of available frames for battery operation Approx. 300 frames (AUTO mode)
Accessories included Li-ion battery NP-50A
Battery charger BC-50B
Plug Adapter
Hand strap
USB cable
A/V cable
CD-ROM
Owner's manual
Optional accessories Li-ion battery NP-50
Battery charger BC-45W
DC coupler CP-50
AC power adapter AC-5VX
3D Digital Viewer FINEPIX REAL 3D V3

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