The FinePix F50fd, Fujifilm’s first digital camera to include mechanical image stabilization, has a massive 12 megapixels of resolution. It also includes an updated face detection system that recognizes 10 profiles and faces that aren’t looking directly at the camera. The F50fd has a 3x optical zoom lens and 2.7-inch LCD screen for a relatively inexpensive $299 price.
The new high-bar for resolution in compact digital cameras now stands at 12 megapixels, as almost every manufacturer has released a 12-megapixel model in 2007. Not all image sensors are created equal though. The Fujifilm F50fd’s Super CCD has the best resolution we’ve seen on a compact digital camera. That’s no small feat, as we’ve tested hundreds of digital cameras.
The massive resolution is the single performance highlight though. The Fujifilm FinePix F50fd’s colors are better than its predecessor’s, but still not accurate. When the expansive ISO range is used, noise increases and dynamic range decreases noticeably. The results of our scientific testing are in: the resolution is fantastic, but all else is a bust.
The F50fd makes several improvements to the F40fd’s components. The older model has 8.3 megapixels, a face detection system that can only recognize forward-facing visages, and a smaller 2.5-inch LCD screen. The F40fd also has a slower 1.3 frame-per-second (fps) burst mode, as compared to the F50’s 2 fps burst. It has the same 3x optical zoom lens, but no true image stabilization system. The only component that is downgraded on the new F50fd is the flash: the F40’s can reach 21 feet but the F50’s can only reach 14 feet.
The Fujifilm F50fd has more manual controls than most similarly sized and priced compact cameras. It has Aperture Priority and Shutter Speed Priority modes along with 16 scene modes. The mode dial also indicates a Manual mode, but it would be more accurately titled a Program mode because it doesn’t allow users to manually adjust shutter speed or aperture.
Videos can be recorded with the F50fd, but they don’t look or sound good. They look a little choppy because they record only 25 fps while almost every other camera on the market records 30 fps. Unlike the Sony T100 and Casio V8, the camera’s optical zoom doesn’t function while shooting video. If the lights are low, people are unrecognizable in movies. Yes, it’s that bad.
The 3.6 x 2.3 x 0.9-inch Fujifilm FinePix F50fd doesn’t handle well, but fits nicely in a pocket and is designed with convenience in mind. It has IrSimple wireless transfer technology so pictures can be transferred one-by-one to other enabled devices like printers, computers, and cell phones. However, the camera has to be within three feet of the other device and IrSimple technology isn’t as prevalent as Bluetooth, for example.
The 12-megapixel Fuji F50fd is slightly tempting because of its $299 price tag. Other 12-megapixel compact cameras sell for $349 to $449 with the most common price hovering at $399. The F50fd may have the best resolution and price for a compact 12-megapixel digital camera, but its detailed pictures include more noise and fewer tones than average – a compromise we’re not willing to make.
For a more in-depth review, visit the Fuji FinePix F50fd Review at our partner DigitalCameraInfo.com
