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Fujifilm Finepix F660EXR review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £198
inc VAT

This capable and well-priced camera provides outstanding image quality in low light

Specifications

1/2in 16.0-megapixel sensor, 15.0x zoom (24-360mm equivalent), 217g

http://www.amazon.co.uk

Pocket ultra-zoom cameras are increasing in popularity, and Fujifilm is the latest manufacturer to realise that one size doesn’t necessarily fit all. While the F770EXR comes with all the trimmings, such as 20x zoom, raw capture and GPS tagging, the F660EXR has a 15x zoom and a significantly lower price. They use the same sensor, though, and we think it’s the best thing about these cameras.

Fujifilm Finepix F660EXR

We normally moan about 16-megapixel sensors in compact cameras because they add more noise than details, but this one is different. It’s physically a little bigger than usual, being 1/2in across rather than the usual 1/2.3in, and then there’s the unusual pixel array, which lets it switch from 16- to 8-megapixel mode to reduce noise. This means less detail-smearing noise reduction, producing less noisy photos in low light and more detailed photos in 8-megapixel mode. The unusual sensor can also be used to capture a wider range of brightness, under-exposing the brightest parts of a scene to avoid blown out highlights.

The F660EXR wraps this sensor in a camera that, for the most part, is extremely capable. Its mode dial includes priority and manual exposure modes in addition to advanced scene presets, such as a panorama mode that stitches a 360-degree shot together as the user rotates the camera. Annoyingly, this dial is quite loose and is easily knocked in a pocket. There’s a wheel to adjust settings quickly, but the menu layout could be better, with white balance and autofocus options being quite a few button presses away.

Fujifilm Finepix F660EXR

There are strengths and weaknesses in its performance too. Its 1.2 second shot-to-shot time is quick, and continuous mode sets off at 5.9fps before slowing to 1fps after six frames. It was even better in its 8-megapixel mode, managing 8.1fps for 13 frames before slowing to 2.4fps. Sadly, there’s no option to shoot in continuous mode with updating autofocus between each shot.

Our biggest concern is that settings can’t be adjusted while the camera is saving the previous shot. This can slow the process of taking a photo, making an adjustment and retaking the shot. Another minor irritation is that the power button must be held down for about half a second to switch it on. It’s still pretty quick to take a photo from power off, but giving the button a quick press resulted in nothing at all.

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Basic Specifications

Rating *****
CCD effective megapixels 16.0 megapixels
CCD size 1/2in
Viewfinder none
Viewfinder magnification, coverage N/A
LCD screen size 3.0in
LCD screen resolution 460,000 pixels
Articulated screen No
Live view Yes
Optical zoom 15.0x
Zoom 35mm equivalent 24-360mm
Image stabilisation optical, sensor shift
Maximum image resolution 4,608×3,456
File formats JPEG, MPO; QuickTime (AVC)

Physical

Memory slot SDXC
Mermory supplied 25MB internal
Battery type Li-ion
Battery Life (tested) 300 shots
Connectivity USB, AV, mini HDMI
Body material metal
Lens mount N/A
Focal length multiplier N/A
Kit lens model name N/A
Accessories USB and AV cables
Weight 217g
Size 60x104x33mm

Buying Information

Warranty one-year RTB
Price £198
Supplier http://www.amazon.co.uk
Details www.fujifilm.co.uk

Camera Controls

Exposure modes program, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual
Shutter speed 1/4 to 1/2,000 seconds
Aperture range f/3.5-10 (wide), f/5.3-16 (tele)
ISO range (at full resolution) 100 to 3200
Exposure compensation +/-2 EV
White balance auto, 7 presets, manual
Additional image controls dynamic range, film simulation, intelligent sharpness
Manual focus No
Closest macro focus 5cm
Auto-focus modes multi, centre, face detect, tracking
Metering modes multi, centre-weighted, centre, face detect
Flash auto, forced, suppressed, slow synchro, red-eye reduction
Drive modes single, continuous, self-timer, AE bracket, panorama, 3D

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