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It’s not unusual to find a camera with a 14-megapixel sensor, 4x wide-angle zoom lens, 720p video recording and 2.7in screen for just £120, but they’re rarely as stylish as the FS16. With its aluminium shell measuring just 19mm from front to back, it could easily pass for a premium compact camera.
The plastic buttons around the back give the game away, but these controls are a pleasure to use. A Q.MENU button provides quick access to the autofocus area, white balance, ISO speed, continuous mode and various other settings without having to delve into the main menu. Unlike many cameras at this price, the camera responds instantly to button pushes, so changing these settings takes a second or two whereas it can take 10 or more seconds elsewhere. We also like the physical switches for power and playback, which for some reason feel more satisfying to use than buttons.
There are no bells or whistles on the 720p video mode, with fixed zoom and focus for the duration of clips, basic M-JPEG compression and maximum clip lengths of just over eight minutes. However, both picture and sound quality were excellent. This camera won’t replace a dedicated camcorder but for occasional clips it doesn’t disappoint.
There’s a similar story for its photos. Image quality won’t impress photography enthusiasts but for casual use it’s up to the job. Photos taken using automatic settings were nearly always the right side of acceptable. Details looked a little scruffy when viewed up close, especially at high ISO speeds where photos sometimes also exhibited multi-coloured blotches. However, resizing photos to fit the screen or printing at modest sizes rendered these issues virtually imperceptible. Meanwhile, with optical stabilisation built into the lens, the need for high ISO speeds isn’t as great as it is in cameras that lack this feature. Then again, the cheaper Panasonic S3 has stabilisation too, and its high-ISO shots were slightly cleaner.
Decent colours and well-judged exposure produce some excellent shots, but details are a little scruffy close up – click to zoom
Photo quality is good rather than excellent, but the streamlined controls and smart, slim design make it a strong contender at this price. However, we’d pay more for the big leap in quality offered by the Canon Ixus 115 HS.
