Where do I start??

OK so I need of a proper camera and fast because CNY is only 2 days away.

I'm frustrated with phone cams pictures, quality esp. indoor shots look grainy and unrefined.

Started searching news papers and camera shops in search for a good point and shoot.

Top of my check list:-
Must take good pictures (most important)
Ease of use and easy to carry.
Zoom 5x-3x.
Good features/preset modes.
Good ISO performance (Phone Cam bad need not apply)
Affordable - bang for the buck

The camera I settled for was the Fujifilm F100fd and here is a short review of my purchase.

Overview.

First impression of the F100fd looks like all the other boxy silver cameras lined up in store shelf's and I wouldn’t’t have picked it up if not for the trade in promotion ads in the Sun Newspaper.

AD from http://www.fujifilm.com.my



On paper at least the F100fd appears to live up to expectations. I won't repeat the specs coz I'm sure you know how to google.

Where to Buy

Most camera shops have F100fd's but do call Fuji to confirm.

I called Fujifilm and the Fuji rep suggested Fotokem after mentioning I resided in Puchong.

Went to Fotokem IOI Mall - conversing with the sales person there was a total waste of time. He didn't know much and insisted on RM 13XX and a 2GB memory card. Fuji's offer was RM999 and 4GB memory card.

Next tried foto eoe at Tesco Puchong. The sales person there was reasonably knowledgeable and although foto eoe didn't offer trade-in.

I got a Fuji F100fd at RM980 + 4GB + Screen Protector + Mini Tripod (useless but I'll take it) and printing voucher

Menu/Navigation

The menu system of the F100fd is fairly easy to use, it could be better Panasonic or Cannon comes to mind. However once I've gotten familiar, navigating is fairly easy. Mostly I'd choose any of the preset modes and leave the camera on auto.

At startup you'll be asked to select language and time



Accessing the majority of the camera function is by pressing the menu button and turning the scroll wheel.



Display

The LCD is also clear and readable during broad daylight.

The display of the F100fd comes in three modes during shooting. Below is a series of what each mode looks like. The camera settings and picture information on-screen is very comprehensive and informative.



Image Quality

I'm not an expert photographer the comments and picture are that of a novice.

The sample picture is taken at ISO400, no flash and auto.



You can view the exif data and I've uploaded some sample pictures see zip files.

This series was taken with increasing magnification 28mm, 64mm and finally 145mm magnification, overall the lens is excellent and detail is good.

Pictures taken at ISO 100 to ISO 400 are virtually noise free.

Test shot of my grandmother’s house at ISO 200, the room photo is dark without the flash. Took a subsequent shot with flash turned on.



The F100fd equipped flash is up to the job and can illuminate wide areas example a decent sized room or group photos in a bar or club.

Battery Life

Battery life is limited I'd managed to get somewhere around 130shots (about 1/3 of the photos with flash) before the battery gave out.

I'm getting a spare battery if anyone has a battery for sale please PM me

Any potential F100fd owner should consider getting a spare battery as well.

Conclusion

The Fujifilm F100fd is worth recommending in my books. The combination of quality lens, 5x zoom and superCCD sensor takes excellent pictures and I'm more than happy with the results.

Pros
Excellent Pictures
Useful 5x zoom lens
Low light shots using ISO 400 or above are better compared to my previous camera's
Easy to use and pocket-able
Bang for the buck and cheap is icing on my cake.

Cons
Poor battery life.
Wished it had more manual exposure controls.
Lacks the touchy feely appeal of Sony or Cannon.

This post has been edited by aaronpang: Feb 1 2009, 01:38 AM