The Fujifilm FinePix S5200(designated FinePix S5600 in Europe) is the
model immediately above the S5100, offering a 5.1 megapixel
resolution. And while this new model retains the 10 X optical
zoom and a very similar body design, it has some important
differences over the S5100.
On top of the grip is the Power Switch, which rings
the two-stage Shutter Release and has three positions:
OFF
:
Playback mode
:
Capture mode
Two small buttons, directly behind the Power Switch, are
clearly labelled:
The left side button is for
the Continuous Mode, which displays the following
options on the monitor:
Top 3-Frame Continuous Shooting: shoots up
to 3 frames (maximum 2 frames/second at the best JPEG
image quality and the highest resolution).
Auto Bracketing captures 3 frames with ±
1 EV in selectable 1/3 EV increments.
Final 3-Frame Continuous Shooting: releases
the shutter up to 40 times at a rate of 2 frames per
second but records only the last 3 frames captured
prior to when the shutter button is released;
Long-Period Continuous Shooting: allows capturing
40 frames at 0.9 frame per second. Focus and exposure
are locked at the first frame.
On the right is the Exposure
Compensation button, which offers a correction range
of ± 2 EV in 1/3 EV increments when the camera
is set to P, S or A modes, and allows changing the aperture
when the S5200 is set to the Manual mode.
With the S5200 set to the Playback mode, the
button can be used to display the image under review
as a thumbnail at the top right of the screen while
the shooting parameters are displayed on the left and
a histogram for the image is shown below.
In the same area, but towards
the back, the Mode Dial provides 11 positions for the
various shooting modes:
Auto Mode is the point
and shoot mode where the camera controls most photographic
settings. Still, the user can select the resolution, CCD
sensitivity, RAW mode, colour mode, flash mode, macro
mode, continuous mode (with the exception of bracketing),
and the self-timer.
On the Dial, the more advanced shooting modes start past
the Auto mode:
By default, the Program
Mode selects both the shutter speed and aperture, but
the combination selected by the camera can be changed
by the user with Program Shift.
Shutter Priority Mode
allows the user to set the shutter speed while the camera
matches the selection to an aperture. The mode offers
a shutter speed range that covers from 1/1000 second to
3 seconds.
The Aperture Priority Mode
gives the user control over the aperture, selecting from
a range that covers from f3.2 through f8 when the zoom
is at the wide angle end and f3.5 through f8 at the telephoto
end.
Manual Mode provides
full control over both aperture and shutter speed. The
aperture range available is identical to that of the Aperture
Priority mode, but the shutter speed range covers from
1/2000 second to a maximum exposure time of 15 seconds.
The Movie Mode separates the advanced modes from the Scene
modes, as does the Auto Mode on the opposite side of the dial:
The Movie Mode records
at 30 frames per second with mono sound at either one
of two frame sizes: 640 × 480 pixels or 320 ×
240 pixels. During the recording, the zoom position
is locked at the first frame, as are the focus and white
balance, while the exposure is adjusted as necessary.
Recordings last as long as there is space on the memory
card.
Five Scene Modes are next:
Anti-Blur gives priority
to as fast a shutter speed as possible so the camera can
freeze action. To achieve this, the mode increases sensitivity
as required up to 800 ISO.
Natural Light mode
uses some of the properties of the Super CCD HR to capture
a natural-looking image that retains the atmosphere of
the scene without using the flash. Sensitivity, under
the control of the camera, can increase up to 800 ISO
if necessary. The flash is automatically forced off and
cannot be used.
The Portrait mode
favours skin tones and softens the contrast. By default,
sensitivity is set to 64 ISO but it can be user-controlled
up to 1600 ISO.
The Landscape mode
also sets the sensitivity to 64 ISO, but it can be user-
controlled. The mode uses as small an aperture as possible
to maximize the depth of field, and the flash is forced
off and cannot be used.
The Night mode allows
an exposure time as long as 3 seconds, and presets the
sensitivity to 64 ISO to minimize noise, although it can
be user-modified. If the flash is opened, the only modes
available are Slow Synch and Slow Synch with Red-eye Reduction.
The top left of the S5200 supports another control composed
of a button, the Focus Mode Selector, and a lock around
it, the Focus Mode Selector Lock Switch, which prevents
the setting from being accidentally modified:
C-AF: Continuous
Auto Focus adjusts the focus constantly so as to track
a moving subject using the centre focus point. This
mode consumes more power.
S-AF: Single Auto Focus only focuses the lens
when the shutter release is pressed to the halfway point,
and uses the wide area Auto Focus.
MF: Manual Focus is achieved by pressing and holding the
button while using the zoom control to adjust the focus.
No distance indication is shown, and instead arrow heads
appear on either side of the AF brackets, indicating
if the focus point is in front or behind the subject.
Directly behind this control and facing the back of the camera
is a green LED that is lit solidly when the S5200 is ready
to shoot, blinks green when the camera is focusing, or when
there is a risk of camera shake, blinks orange when the flash
is charging, and is solid orange while an image is behind
saved.
The FinePix S5200 is equipped with
an electronic viewfinder (EVF) that is composed of 115,000
pixels.
The EVF covers 100% of the
frame area and is equipped with a diopter correction on the
left of the exit pupil's rubber eyecup.
In addition, the FinePix S5200 is equipped with a 1.8-inch
LCD monitor that is composed of 115,000 pixels.
All the external controls on the back of the camera are grouped
on the right of the monitor.
The Zoom control, positioned
to the right of the EVF, is composed of 2 buttons: W
(wide angle) and T (telephoto), which also serve in
Playback to zoom in and out of an image on the display.
Further down, two other buttons are positioned near the right
edge of the monitor:
Serves to select whether
the EVF or the LCD monitor is active. In Playback mode,
only the monitor can be used.
The Low Light View button
serves to temporarily increase the brightness of the monitor
or of the EVF to make the image more visible. When used,
a message is displayed alerting the user to the fact that
the mode increases power consumption.
Next is the 4-direction
control, which is used to navigate the S5200's menus, and
when the camera is set to a priority mode or the manual mode,
it is used to change aperture and shutter speed. At the centre
of the control is the Menu/OK button, which is used
to display the menu for the camera's current mode, and confirm
menu selections.
In addition, 3 of the 4-Direction control's arrows serve
for:
Macro Mode: allows
the camera to focus on a subject 10 cm (3.9 inches)
from the front of the lens when the zoom is set to the
wide angle end, and 90 cm (3 ft) at the telephoto end.
Erase: to delete an
image when it is under review.
Select the Flash mode:
Auto, Auto with Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Synch,
and Slow Synch with Red-Eye Reduction.
Two other buttons, below the 4-direction control, complete
the external controls of the S5200:
Controls the information
superimposed on the monitor:
In the capture modes, the default presentation
on the display includes basic information positioned
around the periphery of the frame, and when the shutter
release is pressed halfway, the AF point selected, the
aperture, and the shutter speed are presented.
Pressing the DISP/BACK
button once overlays a composition grid on the display.
Pressing the button a second time clears all information
from the screen with the exception of the AF point,
and indications of the selected aperture and the shutter
speed when the shutter release is pressed halfway.
A third press of the button displays the Post Shot
Assist Window, which consists of the last three
captured images in a column on the left of the screen,
and the image coming from the lens on the right.
Set to the Playback mode,
the camera presents the image with the file name and
the date and time of capture superimposed on the lower
part of the monitor.
A first press of the DISP/BACK
button clears all superimposed information off the screen.
Pressing the button a second time presents the images
in memory as thumbnails, 9 per screen, with the currently
selected image magnified slightly.
A third press of the button displays thumbnails of
the images grouped by capture date (12 per screen),
while the capture dates are listed in yellow on the
left side of the screen.
In addition, the other use
of this button is to BACK out of a sub-option,
or a selection made in the menu.
The last button is typical of all current compact cameras
made by Fujifilm:
The Mode Photo button
displays a short menu in which the image size and quality
can be selected, as well as the CCD sensitivity and
the Colour mode. (See the Characteristics
section of the review for more information about the
contents of this menu).
With the S5200 in the Playback mode, the button calls
up a menu that serves to choose the images that will
be printed, and how many prints to make of each, using
either a DPOF compatible printer or service or a PictBridge
compatible printer.
The FinePix S5200 is equipped
with a built-in pop-up flash that opens automatically. The
flash does not open when the flash mode is set to Forced Off,
or when the camera is set to Auto and it is not required.
The flash has an effective range of approximately 4 m (13
ft) and since it extends well above the camera, with most
photography this avoids having the lens cast a shadow in the
foreground. Still, with very close subjects and the zoom at
the widest angle, a shadow at the bottom of the image is possible,
particularly if the flash is used when the camera is in Macro
mode.
The FinePix S5200 (or S5600)
maintains the design used by its precursors: an SLR shape
on the scale of a compact camera. The in-hand feel and hold
of the camera is excellent, and controls fall naturally under
the fingers.
And, if the EVF's image is a bit coarse — it has the
same resolution as the LCD monitor — it is comfortable
to use and has a diopter correction. This is advantageous,
as the shape of the camera promotes its use over the monitor.
Ergonomics
:
Playback mode
:
Capture mode
