Fujifilm F800EXR Image Quality

Review Date: October 15, 2012

Category: Beginner Amateur

Photoxels Silver Award – Compact Superzoom

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IMAGE QUALITY

The Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR is targeted to beginner amateur photographers and features 16MP resolution (on a 1/2.0-inch EXR CMOS image sensor), a super 20x wide-angle optical zoom (25-500mm Equiv.135) lens with Sensor-shift image stabilization, and a maximum aperture of F3.5(W)-F5.3(T).

We find the overall image quality of the Fujifilm F800EXR to be very good at ISO 100 with low noise and good image detail. Image quality is also good at ISO 200 and usable up to ISO 400 (when taken at wide-angle); at higher ISOs and at higher focal lengths, images suffer from noise and/or loss of detail.

20x Optical Zoom
Wide-angle 4.6mm (25mm, 35mm equivalent)	Telephoto 92mm (500mm, 35mm equivalent)

The Fujifilm F800EXR has packed a 20x wide-angle optical zoom lens into a compact body. In the above pictures, we show the coverage for 25mm [equiv.] and 500mm [equiv.]. We love the 25mm 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 can be as close as 5 cm (1.9 in.) at wide-angle.

AF on static subjects and at low focal lengths works very well in good light and even in low-light, with the help of the AF-assist illuminator. At the long focal lengths, locking focus on moving subjects is very challenging. There are three selectable metering modes: Multi-Pattern, Center-weighted Average and Spot.

Auto White Balance Indoors
AWB	Custom WB

As the above two pictures show, the Auto White Balance (AWB) is not accurate indoors under artificial lighting [I have two energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs on the ceiling]. The Fujifilm F800EXR allows WB to be easily set manually and this brings out the real colors. AWB works very well in natural light.

ISO Comparisons
ISO 100
ISO 200	ISO 400
ISO 800	ISO 1600
ISO 3200	ISO 6400 [8MP]
ISO 12800 [4MP]

You can set the ISO on the Fujifilm F800EXR from 100 to 3200, plus the ability to “boost” to higher ISO settings equivalent to ISO 6400 [8 MP] and ISO 12800 [4 MP]. The 100% crops above (area delimited by the white square) demonstrate that noise at ISO 100 is under control. Noise starts to be visible at ISO 200 but is still usable up to ISO 400 (though detail may be smeared at long focal lengths). At ISO 800 and above, the presence of noise is visible at full image size and with visible loss of detail.

CA is visible in some very high contrast shots. In the above photo, the bottom left area delimited by the red square, and reproduced at 100% crop at bottom right, shows some purple fringing.

Our Long Shutter Speed test is a torture test for digital cameras. Here we test whether (and how well) a camera can lock focus, provide accurate WB and obtain a correct exposure in extreme low light situations. The F800EXR does quite well, even though the limited shutter speed range in PAS modes mean that I had to switch to Manual to get correct exposure.

The Fujifilm F800EXR allows the use of a long shutter speed of 8 sec. in M mode. This allows us to take some Night Shots. There is noise reduction (NR) and you will notice the time doubled as it is applied after the picture is taken. The noise reduction works well.

You can display a histogram during shooting and playback.

Overall, the Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR has good image quality and the various EXR, DR 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 will appreciate Programmed AE, Aperture-Priority AE and full Manual for more control over their camera.

View the Fujifilm F800EXR Photo Gallery [In the Photo Gallery, click on the picture of the camera to return here.]

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