Owner's manual Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR


Owner's manual Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR
Owner's manual Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR

I bought a Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR camera, hoping it would be faster at focusing on subjects than my previous Sony. At first, my expectations were met. However, I was confused by the fact that the flash was constantly automatically triggered in the place where my finger is usually located.

Over time, I got used to it. Then I traveled to Corsica, where there was only one cloudy day in two weeks. However, on the third day, the flash stopped working. I couldn't raise it by hand according to the instructions. Then the power button stopped working. However, if I pressed the view button four times, the camera turned on and I was able to take a few more pictures.

Then the camera took on a life of its own: it turned on by itself and immediately went into maximum zoom mode. I had to take the battery out and put it back in before shooting. Eventually we started taking photos on the phone. When I returned home, I took the camera to the service center. After the examination I was told: "Inside there is a liquid like sugar syrup and sand". They refused to repair it. I know about cameras and I know that this model is not intended for underwater shooting. All the time I carried the camera in a case and took it out only for shooting. As a result, my vacation was ruined and I will have to throw away my Fuji camera.The manual did not say that you can't take the camera out and turn it on to take pictures. It also didn't say anything about syrup and sand inside.

Our hopes are justified! As we know, there is no such thing as a perfect camera. An owl sees well at night but has problems during the day, an eagle has excellent eyesight but it deteriorates in low light. The same can be said about cameras. However, if you clearly define your needs and research information on the internet, the effort will be rewarded.



I have formulated the following requirements for a camera:

price range of about $350;

compactness (easy to carry in your pocket);

fast startup;

ISO sensitivity of 1600 or higher;

x10 or higher optical zoom;

a high number of megapixels (14 or more) and a large sensor.

After studying the offers on the internet, I chose the FujiFilm JV150 camera.



Point-by-point report:

1. The purchase took place at an unfortunate time: there was a financial crisis in Belarus, and this model went on sale in Moscow only in mid-March. I had to wait and contact Moscow sellers. In the end I bought the camera for 425 dollars together with an 8-gigabyte SD-card.

2. The camera fits comfortably in my pocket.

3. I managed to take a picture of an acquaintance of mine in a car with his mistress while crossing the road at a green light.

4. ISO works in the range of 100-12000 units. Noise level at 1600 units is acceptable and 3200 is workable.

5. Optical zoom is x15. Excellent stabilization: I shoot handheld at 15x zoom with no noticeable blurring. Digital zoom up to x75 is also effective.

6. 16 megapixels on a half-inch sensor. The camera supports RAW format, although I use it only on special occasions.

7. Another interesting feature is GPS. Although it's prestigious and cool, the battery drains quickly and satellites take a long time to catch. I will wait for a software update.

8. Many different functions for photo processing, which can be found on the manufacturer's website.

9. I want to note a feature of the camera, which is not immediately found in the description on the site - high-speed video shooting (80, 160, 320 frames per second). It is very useful for my work.

10. On photo sites there were censures on the resolution of the lens. They are right, but the laws of optics can not be changed - this is the fee for a large zoom. By the way, the real zoom is less than 15, because the lens is wide-angle (24 degrees), but I'm fine with it - Aivazovsky's brush resolution is even less.

11. As for color reproduction, users on the internet have compared previous models with CCDs, but this camera uses CMOS. You just have to spend more time setting up the camera.

12. My only disappointment has to do with video shooting when using the zoom. The camera is slow to readjust focus. Perhaps this will be fixed in future firmware.

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The Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR is an ultra-compact camera with a large sensor and GPS module. This model is ideal for demanding users who want maximum features at an affordable price. It offers high flexibility, ease of use, reliability, excellent image quality with low noise and compactness. If you need all these features, the F550EXR is a great choice. However, does this camera fully meet your expectations?

Nowadays, there are many cameras with built-in GPS modules to record the coordinates of your shots. Some of them include Sony Cyber-shot HX series, Canon PowerShot SX230HS, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ20 and DMC-FT3, Olympus TG-810 and others. Most of these cameras, with the exception of the Olympus TG-810 and Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FT3, are equipped with CMOS sensors. This is not surprising, as such sensors provide additional features that can attract potential buyers. The Fujifilm F550EXR also uses a CMOS sensor, but with the largest size among its competitors - 1/2 inch, as opposed to 1/2.3 inch in other cameras. Download the manual here.

Like many similar models, this camera can shoot Full HD video and create circular panoramic shots. It also features a wide-angle lens with 15x zoom and, of course, a GPS module. The Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR comes with an NP-50 battery, BC-45W charger, wrist strap, USB and A/V cables, software disk, user manual and warranty card. In terms of design and ergonomics, this camera is virtually the same size as its 12-16x zoom competitors. The only noticeable differences are the pop-up flash and the shooting mode wheel, located at a 45-degree angle. This makes the camera easy to use with one hand. The body is made of durable metal panels with a smooth and matte finish that leaves almost no fingerprints, even on the black version that was tested. Download the user manual.

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The camera body is highly rigid and does not deform when squeezed or twisted without making any sound. However, there is a problem with the screen protector, which easily flexes to the point of contact with the LCD matrix, and not only in the center, but also on the edges, which can cause damage to the display during use. For easy one-handed operation of the camera, there is a large convex rubber pad on the front panel that fits precisely under the middle finger, and six small, closely spaced rubber inserts on the back panel that, in turn, fit perfectly under the thumb. As a result, the camera won't slip out even when shaken violently. On the front are the lens, two microphones and the self-timer indication lamp, which also serves as an AF-assist illumination lamp. It is worth noting that the white lamp is very bright, and its light flux is comparable to the flash of a smartphone, so Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR can easily focus even in complete darkness on distant objects (during testing the camera correctly focused in the dark on objects at a distance of up to 15 meters!). The rear part of the camera is occupied by the screen, and on the right side there is a shooting mode selector set at an angle of 45 degrees, a key for switching to the viewing mode, a video key, a four-position multifunction key with a central input button and a rotating bezel for selecting a menu item (changing shutter speed/aperture) around the perimeter, as well as a key for changing the display mode, which also serves as a key for going back one level and a traditional F-key for calling the quick menu. Operating Instructions download.

The camera body is highly rigid and does not deform when squeezed or twisted without making any sound. However, there is a problem with the screen protector, which easily flexes to the point of contact with the LCD matrix, and not only in the center, but also on the edges, which can cause damage to the display during use. For easy one-handed operation of the camera, there is a large convex rubber pad on the front panel, which lies precisely under the middle finger, and on the back panel there are six small closely spaced rubber inserts, which in turn fit perfectly under the thumb. Simply download the instructions. As a result, the camera won't slip out even when shaken violently. On the front there is a lens, a pair of microphones and a self-timer indication lamp, which also serves as an autofocus illumination lamp. It is worth noting that the white lamp is very bright, and its light flux is comparable to the flash of a smartphone, so Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR can easily focus even in complete darkness on distant objects (during testing the camera correctly focused in the dark on objects at a distance of up to 15 meters!). The rear of the camera is occupied by the screen, and on the right side of the camera there is a shooting mode selector mounted at a 45-degree angle, a key to switch to playback mode, a video key, a four-position multi-function key with a central input button and a rotating bezel for selecting a menu item (changing shutter speed/aperture) around the perimeter, as well as a key to change the display mode, which also serves as a key to go back one level and a traditional F-key to call the quick menu. The camera is equipped with a wide-angle lens with 15x zoom and a GPS-module, which allows you to record the current coordinates in the image metadata (this is the main difference from the younger model F500). The Fujifilm F550 features a CMOS sensor that delivers high image quality. The unique EXR pixel and color arrays are key to ensuring high image quality. When rotated 45 degrees, the EXR pixel array increases both horizontal and vertical resolution. Using dual diagonal pixels of the same color allows you to switch the sensor between HR (high resolution), DR (wide dynamic range) and SN (high sensitivity and noise reduction) modes depending on the shooting plan for high quality photography in all conditions. Download manual. A unique feature of the EXR sensor is its ability to adapt settings according to the selected shot. The three available modes set it apart from any other sensor and are used only in Fujifilm cameras. In EXR AUTO mode, the optimum sensor settings are automatically adjusted. Like all modern mid to upper price range cameras, the camera is able to automatically recognize the type of scene and automatically control the settings for quality images. It is noteworthy that the recognized types of scenes are not 5 and not 7, but 10, which can not boast of any competitor. Another feature of the camera, typical of most CMOS ultrazooms, is automatic panorama shooting. The camera allows you to shoot 120, 180 and 360-degree panoramas, with both landscape and portrait camera orientation. In the first case, the maximum resolution of the panorama is 11520x1080 pixels, and in the second case - 11520x1624 pixels. The manual is free to download. This is one of the best indicators in the class, because the same Sony compacts with the Panorama Sweep function, which are undisputed leaders in this discipline, are not capable of shooting 360-degree panoramas with high resolution. Like its competitors, while shooting an automatic panorama, the display shows a kind of progress bar, but it also shows the level and horizon line. Is this an advantage? Not really! Level and horizon line have to be held, and if the deviation is too big, the camera stops shooting, and if not too big, the perfect gluing will not be anyway. In general, you can't talk about careless wiring, as in Sony or Nikon cameras, and to get a good panorama you have to be as focused as possible, and a steady hand or, even better, a tripod won't hurt. Below are examples of circular panoramas in landscape and portrait orientation of the camera. Download the user manual.

This camera uses a three-inch display with a resolution that is considered low by today's standards - only 460,000 dots. Surprisingly, the graininess is almost imperceptible, and fonts look impeccably smooth and sharp. The picture and graphics (fonts, menu elements) are pleasant to the eye. But that's not all. Viewing angles are great in both planes, and color reproduction is flawless. Although the maximum brightness level is not high, it is convenient to work with the camera even when direct sunlight hits the screen, as there is no glare and dull colors, and this without the use of anti-glare coating. Overall, the screen deserves a solid "excellent" rating. The interface of Fujifilm cameras is traditionally complicated and not always clear, even using the F key does not help, as it only brings up the main settings menu. In general, for experienced users of Fujifilm cameras there is nothing new here, they will easily understand, but beginners should at least have a quick look at the manual. To get a better understanding of the camera's interface, here are some screen shots. Download the user manual.

User Experience. There were some disappointments when first turned on: it took about 4 seconds of waiting before the shutter release button unlocked to shoot the first frame. This is quite a low rate. The zoom lens proved to be fast: moving from edge to edge took only 1.67 seconds in either direction. Slower movement is also possible with half-pressing the zoom lever, when the zoom lens moves from edge-to-edge in 6.47 seconds. Measurements of focusing speed were made in good light, the test still life was used to determine the noise level, focusing was done on the center zone, and the camera was pointed to infinity before each measurement. The measurement was carried out in the wide-angle lens position from a distance of 30 cm to the subject and from 100 cm in the telephoto lens position. In the wide-angle position, the camera showed the record time among compact cameras - 0.18 seconds, and one of the best results among compacts. In telephoto position the camera is also a record-breaker, with a 3-4 times gap from competitors. In general, the tested camera is an absolute champion in terms of speed. Four options are available in the focus zone selection modes: center, multi-zone, tracking and tracking. The first two modes require no explanation, but the last two differ significantly, as the unfortunate localization of the interface can mislead the user. Download the instruction manual and read it carefully.

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