Wow another 18x zoom! It’s seems to be the in thing now.

Shortly after the announcement of the Panasonic Lumix FZ-18 with 18x Zoom and 8.1 Megapixels comes this Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd.

Of course the first runner was the Olympus SP-550 UZ, which didn’t get great reviews.

The S8000fd comes equipped with Fujinon’s 18x Wide Angle Optical Zoom lens, offering unprecedented flexibility in a compact SLR body style camera. With a 27mm-486mm equivalent, it’s all the lens you need in one device. The fixed lens eliminates the need for additional zoom or wide angle lenses, and it’s a sealed system, which prevents dust contamination – the #1 D-SLR repair complaint.

Other helpful features found on the FinePix S8000fd for top-quality picture-taking include:

• i-Flash Intelligent Flash: i-Flash (Intelligent Flash) detects subtle lighting differences within a scene and then varies the flash intensity accordingly. It also leverages the high sensitivity of the FinePix S8000fd to enable the camera to use less flash, resulting in an image that displays pleasing, natural tones without a “washed-out” effect. And with an automatic pop-up flash, it’s always ready when you need it.
• Full Manual Photographic Control: Gives the user total control with manual adjustment options for settings on the camera (resolution, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, etc), and is desirable by the photo enthusiasts/advanced photographers.
• Scene modes: A wide range of more than a dozen pre-programmed scene modes provides top-quality photos in a range of shooting conditions.
• High-Speed Continuous Shooting Modes: Action comes at you fast. With four speed options, the S8000fd has the ability to capture up to 15 frames per second (at 2 MP resolution) and never misses the shot.
• High Resolution LCD: The 2.5″ LCD display offers 230k pixels of resolution with an astonishing 60 fps refresh rate for smooth viewing.
• Electronic Viewfinder (EVF): Rather than framing your shots with the 2.5″ high resolution LCD, the S8000fd offers an electronic viewfinder to eye up the best shot with an astonishing 60 fps refresh rate for smooth viewing.
• xD / SD / SD-HC Compatible slot: A new single media slot accepts not only Fujifilm’s traditional xD-Picture Cards but also Secure Digital (SD) and SD-High Capacity (SD-HC) cards too.
• Operates on 4xAA Batteries: The ultimate in convenience and accessibility, using AA batteries means in a pinch, more batteries are just moments away.

The fact that it uses AA batteries is always useful when traveling, especially as a backup for SLR users who inevitably have tonnes of AA batteries for their speedlights/flashes.

The S8000fd also features a full-resolution ISO equivalency of ISO 1600, a rarity in consumer-level digicams. The S8000fd can achieve ISO 3200 and ISO 6400 at 50% resolution, settings that are rare at the consumer level. Such high light sensitivities allow for faster shutter speeds, which reduce blurring caused by both camera shake and subject movement.

I’ll be interested to see how it performs, I hope it’s something like my newfound friend the Fuji f31d.

I’ll be looking forwards to this one as I do love Fuji picture quality, and finallty they are starting to put image stabilizers in their cameras!

I was quite interested in this camera, the first Nikon compact with VR (their name for image stabiliser or Vibration Reduction), I thought it could be a competitor for the one I have my eye on, the Canon Powershot A710 IS.

The main turn off for me was the lack of manual controls, being a full time SLR user, when I use my backup compact I want as much flexibility as possible.

The reviews are in though and it doesn’t seem to perform too well.

DCRP Review: Nikon Coolpix S10

If you want a fairly compact ultra zoom camera that can take some creative shots, then the Coolpix S10 is probably worth a look. If you want manual controls and lens accessories then it’s probably not the best choice. While I’m not jumping up and down with enthusiasm about the S10, it’s cool enough (pun intended) to earn my recommendation.

Nikon CoolPix S10 review

The selling points of this camera are the flexibility of the design and the powerful zoom. Neither of these will let prospective purchasers down, but anyone looking for a more general camera will be disappointed by the image quality overall and the problematic flash. The VR system is something that a big zoom really needs if in poor lighting condition, but it is hardly infallible so a few shots are generally required, rather than assuming it will have worked. It does help keep the ISO rating down, which is a good idea. While ISO800 images are noisy, they retain detail and sharpness. So, one for the person who like to get close to the action and wants a pocket-sized camera, but not for everyone else.

Nikon Coolpix S10 - Trusted Reviews

The Nikon Coolpix S10 is a well-made and attractively finished camera with some useful capabilities, excellent noise handling and is capable of producing good results under the right circumstances. However, lacklustre performance, terminally slow AF, poor low-light capability and awkward handling limits its appeal. It is also expensive compared to rival cameras with superior performance, so the overall outlook is bleak.

Nikon Coolpix S10 - CNet

The bottom line: Nikon’s S10 has some decent features, including a really nice lens, but it doesn’t live up to its potential and can’t compete with similarly priced superzooms.

Now I am a great fan of Nikon SLR cameras, but I’ve never much liked their compacts…this doesn’t leave me feeling impassioned to buy an S10 VR..

Ah every manufacturer seems to be taking part in the megapixel race, plenty of people have bought the Lumix FZ-30, now they come out with the FZ-50, almost the same but 10 megapixels..

As for Panasonic, I really think they ought to stop looking at the count of pixels and start working on the hideous noise problems they have at any ISO over 100!

Image from dpreview.com

Panasonic has announced the latest in the FZ ‘double digit’ series of prosumer digital cameras (a replacement for the FZ30). The Lumix DMC-FZ50 features a twelve times optical zoom lens, optical image stabilization, a ten megapixel sensor, up to ISO 1600 sensitivity and something Panasonic call IIC (Intelligent ISO control). This new feature monitors the amount of movement in the frame and adjusts the ISO sensitivity automatically at the time of exposure (higher for more movement).

Summary of differences compared to the Lumix DMC-FZ30

• Ten megapixel 1/1.8″ CCD
• 16:9 movie record mode (848 x 480 pixels)
• TIFF file format dropped (RAW remains)
• Venus Engine III image processor
• Scene modes adjusted
• Sensitivity up to ISO 1600 at full size, ISO 3200 (upsampled)
• TTL Flash hot-shoe
• Slower continuous shooting (from 3 to 2 fps, max images from 7 to 5 in standard)
• Lower resolution LCD monitor (from 230,000 to 207,000 pixels)
• Support for SDHC cards (SD greater than 2 GB)
• ‘SilkyPix Developer Studio’ for RAW conversion

Full spec here.

I’m still unsure what camera to get as my backup compact, something small for the pocket like a Lumix FX01 or the Casio Exilim or something with a superzoom like the FZ7 or the Sony H2..

Ah choices choices!