Fujifilm FinePix F50fd

Reviewed October 2007

Characteristics

The FinePix F50fd is equipped with a 12 megapixel 1/1.6-inch Super CCD HR (High Resolution). The CCD's sensitivity starts at 100 ISO and can, under some conditions and with some modes, increase to 6400 ISO:

Mode/ISO	100	200	400	800	1600	3200 (max 6M)	6400 (max 3M)	Auto	Auto 400	Auto 800	Auto 1600
Auto									x	x	x
A/S	x	x	x	x	x	x	x		x	x	x
SP1/SP2								x

Six image sizes are available:

• 12M: 4000 x 3000 pixels
• 3:2: 4224 x 2816 pixels
• 6M: 2848 x 2136 pixels
• 3M: 2048 x 1536 pixels
• 2M: 1600 × 1200 pixels
• 0.3M: 640 480 pixels

All image sizes are saved in JPEG format, using a compression level that is described as Normal and only at the highest resolution is a slightly less compressed image format, Fine, available.

The F50fd seems to use the same 3X Fujinon optical zoom as was used on the F40fd. The zoom has a focal length range that starts at 8 and extends to 24 mm, the equivalent of a 36 to 108 mm in the 35 mm format. At the wide angle end apertures start at f2.8 progressing to f8 in 10 steps; while at the telephoto end, apertures cover from f5.1 through f8 in 5 steps.

The F50fd has a shutter speed range that covers from 1/2000 second down to a maximum exposure time of 8 seconds, but with some restrictions depending on the shooting mode used.

For example, with the camera set to the Manual mode, the shutter speed range is from 1/1000 second to 1 second, while the Fireworks mode has a maximum exposure time of 4 seconds. And with the camera set to the Night mode, and with the Long Exposure option in the Setup menu enabled, the camera offers exposure times from 1 to 8 seconds.

Irrespective of the capture mode, pressing the MENU/OK button at the centre of the 4-direction control displays a menu. The contents of the menu, however, varies according to the mode in use, and for instance the menu is limited to an access to the Setup menu when the camera is set to one of the scene modes or when the Natural Light + Flash mode (see the Interface & Software section of the review for a listing of the options contained in the Setup menu).

The A/S modes have a menu that contains the most options:

• Shooting Mode or Scene Position: shown only when the camera's Mode Dial is set to A/S or SP1 and SP2, this option serves to select the capture mode (see the Ergonomics section of the review for more information on the available shooting modes).

• Photometry:
  • Multi meters 256 segments in the frame.
  • Spot concentrates the metering to the centre of the frame.
  • Average operates like a Centre-weighted pattern.
• White Balance: Auto, Custom (to establish the white point under ambient light), Sun, Shade, Fluorescent type 1 (daylight), Fluorescent type 2 (warm), Fluorescent type 3 (cool), Incandescent.

• Continuous:
  • Top 12: captures 12 3M size images at 5 frames per second at a minimum sensitivity of 400 ISO.
  • Final 12: captures up to 40 3M size images at 5 frames per second but only saves the last 12. A minimum sensitivity of 400 ISO is used.
  • Long period: captures images while the shutter release is pressed until the internal memory or memory card is full. The frame rate varies according to the shutter speed available to the camera and the image size.
  • Final 3: allows the camera to capture up to 40 images at 2 frames per second but only saves the last 3.
  • Top 3: captures up to 3 images at 1.3 frames per second.
• AF Mode:
  • Centre: the camera focuses at the centre of the frame.
  • Multi: the camera uses a wide area focus to find the subject with the strongest contrast near the centre of the frame.
  • Continuous: continuously adjusts the focus so as to track a moving subject (increases power consumption).
• Setup: serves to access the Setup menu (see the Interface & Software section of the review for a listing of the options contained in the Setup menu).

Pressing the MENU/OK while the F50fd is set to the playback mode, the following options are shown:

• Erase: serves to delete one image (the one under review) or all those in memory.

• Red Eye Removal: serves to automatically correct the red-eye effect, the camera automatically identifying the area to be corrected.
• Image Rotate: to change the orientation of an image under review by rotating it 90° to the right or left.
• Protect: to select images, one after the other, and assign them a "read-only" status so they cannot be deleted accidentally.
• Copy: to copy one image or all in the internal memory to a memory card or vice versa.

• Voice Memo: allows adding a 30-second sound clip or voice annotation to an image under review.
• Trimming: makes it possible to zoom into an image under review, then capture the section shown on screen as a new image at the nearest image size to the size of the clipped section 6M, 3M, 2M or 0.3M.
• Setup: serves to access the Setup menu (see the Interface & Software section of the review for a listing of the options contained in the Setup menu).

The F50fd is equipped with 25 MB internal memory. The camera is retailed without a memory card, however it also has a memory card slot capable of using xD Picture card or SD/SDHC (Secure Digital and Secure Digital High Capacity) memory cards. The card slot is located underneath the camera, next to the battery, and covered by a solid latching door.

The chart below is intended to provide an idea of the number of still images and movies that can be stored in the internal memory, or an optional 2 GB memory card:

The FinePix F50fd is powered by a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery (NP-50). A charger (BC-50) is included in the kit, and is able to recharge a fully depleted battery in approximately 2 hours. Moreover, the F50fd can be powered from household current using an optional AC adapter (CP-50) which has a piece that fits into the battery compartment, its wire exiting through a small opening on the lower right side of the camera.

There is only one external connection on the FinePix F50fd, covered by a door that is located on the upper part of the camera's right side. The connection has a double function, depending on the cable used:

• USB (2.0 High-Speed) port, to connect the camera to a computer or a PictBridge compatible printer.
• AV Out (Audio/Video) so the camera can be connected to a television.

Both cables are supplied with the camera.