Fujifilm FinePix S1800 12.2 MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD
by FUJIFILM
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: FUJIFILMFormat: CD
Model: S1800
Color: Black
Product features:
- 12.2-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch CCD for photo-quality poster-sized prints
- Fujinon 18x wide-angle optical zoom lens (28mm wide-angle to 504mm telephoto); Dual Image Stabilization
- Capture movies in HD quality 720p resolution
- 3.0-inch high-contrast LCD and Electronic View Finder
- Track a moving subject automatically for still picture capture
- Adobe Photoshop CS5 Upgrade [Old Version]
- Aperture 3
- Digipower DPS-5000 1 Hour AA/AAA Rechargeable Battery Kit with 4 AA 2700 mAh Batteries
- Pixelmator [Old Version]
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Fujifilm FinePix S1800 12.2 MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD
Customer Review: Disappointed and returning the S1800
Summary: 2 Stars
I received my S1800 four days ago, so while I may not be "qualified" to review it based on extended use, I did take several hundred shots over the weekend "trying" to make myself like this camera.
A bit of background first because I think it influences my review. My first digital camera was an Olympus 5060 and I loved everything about it. However, after several years and thousands of great photos, it started having "electronic" issues - the camera would start cycling random settings and the only way to stop would be to shut it off - sometimes that worked for a week, other times it didn't work at all. I wanted a camera with a better zoom anyway, so I upgraded to a Sony DSC H5 with a 12X optical zoom. I wasn't as happy with the Sony, but it was still a decent camera that took good pictures. It recently started having some problems common to the model (LCD viewfinder went white first, but the camera was still useful) and then the shutter button broke (a very common problem with this camera). While I just ordered my second shutter button (some people have replaced them 3-4 times), I thought it might be a good excuse to buy another camera. Hence my search...
I love the zoom on my Sony, so that was an important consideration. I narrowed it down to a few models, including a Canon, Panasonic, and this Fuji. The Fuji stood out because of the price, so I thought I'd give it a try. I paid $500+ for each of my previous cameras and since technology advances so rapidly, I thought a less expensive new model would surpass my older ones. I was wrong and was disappointed in the Fuji.
I mention my background because I think for someone who's upgrading from a cheap point-and-shoot, they'd be pleased with the S1800. But if you've already had even a mid-level digital camera (I know my previous cameras are far from top-of-the-line), I think you'll be disappointed in it's performance (i.e. focus time); options (everything from limited image size to the lack of "scene" choices), and results (clarity and color of the photos).
Again, to be fair, I only used this camera for a few days and perhaps with more time, I may have had better results.
The S1800 does have some good features: the zoom is incredible (but the resulting photos are fuzzy at full zoom even when using a tripod); it's relatively easy to use; the shutter lag is almost nonexistent ONCE IT'S IN FOCUS (very important because that's one of the key reasons I'm returning it - it takes too long to focus in some situations); and it's very inexpensive (for what you get). I didn't have any problems with the "feel" of the camera, as some other reviews stated. It definitely feels more "cheap" than my old Olympus 5060, but it compares to my Sony DSC H5 - which was a much more expensive camera to buy.
One of the problems I experienced was the focus time. I use my camera to take a lot of pictures of my pets. This camera lags far behind my Olympus and Sony in the focus time. There were some shots that were delayed by at least 2 seconds. This may not seem like much time, but when you're trying to capture "a moment," it's lost. The test shots I'm comparing were all taken outside in natural daylight. My Olympus is almost instant and while the Sony has a slight lag, it's not as long as the Fuji. Another issue with the focus is that more often than not, even taking it's sweet old time, the results were out of focus anyway.
Also along the lines of focus, while the zoom drew me to the camera, I was disappointed with the results. I haven't been blown away by the quality of my Sony pics at 12X either, so this may be an issue with digital cameras. I'm comparing them to photos I used to take with my 35mm telephoto lenses. But still, the S1800 was not of the quality I achieve with my Sony. And this was using a tripod for zoom shots.
The color: When I loaded my first few shots, the color didn't seem as vibrant as it should be, so I took some identical test shots with both the Fuji and the Sony. Without getting into manual settings on either camera - just factory default automatic everything - the Sony far outperformed the Fuji in color. The Fuji's colors were much more muted by comparison. Perhaps this could be overcome by changing the settings - I don't know. But my quick comparison showed definite inferior color.
Another thing I didn't care for was the inability to select from "quick scenes" that's common to most digital cameras. The Fuji has a setting where it selects for you, but you can't do so manually (as I can with both other cameras). This may not be a big issue for those who prefer manual settings, but if you want some control over "quick/automatic" settings, it's a feature I think you'll miss.
Perhaps I missed it, but I couldn't find any option for photos less than 2MB. This is a rather large file size if you're taking pictures for email, to list items on Craigslist, or other applications where you want a small file size. The Sony and especially the Olympus allow much greater control over the size and quality of the photos. They Olympus is more complex (but allows for small file size) and the Sony has a setting specifically for "email" photos. Again - maybe there is such an option on the Fuji that I didn't see - but "standard" selections only go down to 2MB size - and since it doesn't come with any memory card, I was constantly running the camera back to my computer to transfer the pictures.
And finally, while this may not be the case for everyone, I found it uncomfortable to hold after a while. I have small hands, so this may have contributed - and I didn't affix the neckstrap, so I was holding it the entire time I was using it (which was a lot because I was trying to evaluate it).
Overall, I wasn't impressed and I'll be returning it. As I mentioned, if you're only experience is with a "pocket" point and shoot, I think you may be pleased - especially for the price. But if you've enjoyed a little "better" camera in the past, I think you'd be more satisfied in spending a bit more on a different model.
More Fujifilm FinePix S1800 12.2 MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD reviews:
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Description of Fujifilm FinePix S1800 12.2 MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD
Fujifilm FinePix S1800 - 12MP, Fujinon 18x Wide Optical Zoom (28 - 504mm), 3.0" LCD + Viewfinder. Other features include Face Detection w/ Red Eye Removal, Face Recognition, Tracking Auto Focus, Dual Image Stabilization, High Sensitivity 6400 ISO, 6 Scene - SR Auto Automatic Scene Recognition, Panorama Mode, HD Movie 720p w/ Sound, Instant Zoom/Zoom Bracketing, Smile/Blink Detection Mode, 4-AA Batteries.Digital Cameras
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