Fujifilm FinePix S9100

Reviewed January 2007

Characteristics

Equipped with the same sensor as the FinePix S9000/S9500 had, a 1/1.6-inch Super CCD HR (High Resolution) with 9.24 million pixels, of which 9.0 million are effective, the S9100/S9600 produces a maximum image size of 3488 × 2616 pixels in a 4:3 format, and a 3696 × 2464 pixel image with a 3:2 image format that is more suited to printing.

The sensitivity of the Super CCD starts at 80 ISO and can be increased to 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 ISO. In addition, with the camera set to one of the Scene modes, the sensitivity can be set to Auto, allowing the camera to adjust sensitivity up or down according to the amount of ambient light. Worth noting however, with the Natural Light and Picture Stabilization modes, sensitivity is restricted to Auto ISO.

As with the sensor, the lens of the S9100/S9600 is identical to the lens of the S9000/S9600, a Fujinon 10.7X optical zoom that is composed of 13 elements in 10 groups. The zoom covers a focal length range that starts at 6.2 mm and extends to 66.7 mm, the 35 mm equivalent of a 28 to 300 mm zoom. Apertures start at f2.8 when the zoom is at the wide-angle end — f4.9 at the telephoto end — closing down to f11 in both cases. The zoom is manually controlled and the zoom ring is very fluid and comfortable to use.

A "perfect" or flower-shaped sunshade is included with the camera kit, providing protection for the front element of the lens, whatever the focal length in use.

The S9100/S9600 also provides a 2X digital zoom, accessed with the 4-direction control. The digital zoom uses the central portion of the image and interpolates it up to the current image size. The magnification factor being relatively low, images do not show too much degradation, in comparison to those that are not digitally zoomed, when the magnification is equivalent to 600 mm in comparison to normal images.

When using the Auto, Picture Stabilization, and Natural Light modes, the S9100/S9600 has a shutter speed range that covers from 1/4000 second to 1/4 second, while with the Night mode, that range becomes 1/500 second to 4 seconds. Using the P, A, S or M modes, the shutter speed ranges shifts to 1/4000 second to 30 seconds, and the Manual mode has the addition of a flexible exposure time Bulb mode with a maximum of 30 seconds.

Images can be saved in JPEG format at any of 6 image sizes with the S9100/S9600, but a choice of compression is only provided at the highest resolution:

While the image size and quality is selected in the the Photo Mode menu (see the Ergonomics section of the review), the S9100/S9600 can also record its 9-megapixel images in a RAW format that is selected in the Setup menu, but does so at an image size of 4864 x 3648 pixels, doubling the image to 18 megapixels through interpolation. (For more details on this format, the results it gives and the way the bundled software operates, see the Image Quality and the Interface and Software sections of the review.)

All the other photographic settings for the S9100/S9600 are found in the Photography menu, which is displayed by pressing the MENU/OK button. The menu can be called up in all modes, but it is only when the camera is set to P, A, S or M that all of its options are modifiable:

• Self-Timer offers settings for either a 10-second or a 2-second delay once the shutter release has been activated. Worth noting, the self-timer must be reinitialised after each use.
• White Balance: Auto, Custom 1 & 2 (two custom settings are available), Sun, Shade, Fluorescent 1 (daylight), Fluorescent 2 (warm), Fluorescent 3 (Cool) or Incandescent.
• High-Speed Shooting: this option serves to reduce the time required for the camera to auto focus by limiting the focus zone, from 2 m (6.6 ft) to infinity at the wide-angle end and 4 m (13.1 ft) to infinity at the telephoto end.

• AF Mode controls how the auto focus operates:
  • Centre focuses on whatever is at the centre of the frame.
  • Multi allows the camera to identify the subject in a wide area near the centre of the frame.
  • Area allows moving the focus point to any part of the frame using the 4-direction control while holding down the button on the left side of the camera.
• Flash Brightness Adjustment: makes it possible to vary the intensity of the flash over a range of ±2/3 EV in 1/3 EV increments.
• Set: is the access to the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review for more information).

• Sharpness controls the sharpening applied in camera: Hard, Standard, or Soft.
• Saturation controls colour saturation: High, Standard, or Low.
• Contrast controls image contrast: Hard, Standard, or Soft.
• Bracketing serves to choose the bracketing step: ±1/3 EV, ±2/3 EV, or ±1 EV.
• Multiple Exposure: makes it possible to record a series of images on top of one another.
• External Flash: On or Off. Controls the flash hot shoe.

When the S9100/S9600 is used in the Auto mode, or with any of the Scene modes, the only options accessible in this menu are Self-Timer, High-Speed Shooting, and the access to the Setup menu. While the camera is set to capture Movies, the only option available in the Photography menu is the access to the Setup menu.

Set to the Playback mode, the FinePix S9100/S9600 presents a menu that is also composed of 2 sections, each identified by a tab on the left side of the screen:

• Erase: this option serves to erase one or all images as long as they are not protected.
• Image Rotate: changes the orientation of an image in 90° increments to the right or left.
• Print Order (DPOF) allows selecting images to be printed, decide whether or not the date will be superimposed on the image, and how many copies of each image will be printed. The option can also be used to reset all DPOF tags.
• Protect: serves to select images so that they cannot be accidentally erased.

• Playback: makes it possible to review images as a slide show with a selectable time interval between images, either one of two transition effects, or as multiple images per screen, or with a timer overlaid on the images.
• Set: is the access to the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the review for an outline of the options contained in the Setup menu).
• Voice Memo: allows attaching a voice annotation, up to 30 seconds long, to an already captured image displayed on the monitor.
• Trimming: makes it possible to zoom into a portion of an image and save the zoomed section as a new image.

The FinePix S9100/S9600 is equipped with 2 memory card slots that are positioned next to each other and are covered by a solid door on the right side of the body. The slot closest to the front of the camera is dedicated for xD Picture Cards while the one closest to the back is for CompactFlash I or II, which is also compatible with Microdrives.

In North America, the FinePix S9100/S9600 is retailed without a memory card.

As a guide, the chart below shows image storage capacities for an optional 1 GB card:

The FinePix S9100/S9600 is powered by 4 AA-size batteries. The batteries are inserted in the grip and kept in place by a slide and lock cover.

The S9100/9600 is sold with 4 AA size non-rechargeable alkaline batteries, but the camera is compatible with rechargeable Ni-MH batteries, which give the camera a much greater autonomy. Moreover, an option of the Setup menu allows Ni-MH batteries to be completely discharged, a process that increases the useful life of rechargeable batteries.

Not including the Flash connection on the from of the camera, three external connections are available on the S9100/S9600.

Next is an A/V Out jack, allowing the camera to be connected to a television (NTSC or PAL).

Last is a DC-IN jack for use with the optional AC-5VX AC power adapter.