JPEG Image Size & Quality

Standard Test Scene

The FinePix S5000 provides four image size options on the Photo Mode menu, these are labelled as 6MP, 3MP, 2MP and 1MP. The camera does not allow you to select different levels of JPEG compression (quality). In addition there is also a CCD-RAW option which creates a .RAF file which can be converted using the supplied RAW File Converter LE.

To give an impression of what some of the combinations of image size and quality produce the table below is a cross reference of some of them:

• CCD-RAW: 2832 x 2128 *
• 6MP: 2832 x 2128 *
• 3MP: 2048 x 1536
• 2MP: 1600 x 1200
• 1MP: 1280 x 960

* Larger image processed from 3.1 million pixels

Images below are cropped 240 x 100 area of the image magnified 200% (nearest neighbour).

	6MP: 2832 x 2128
CCD RAW	6,700 KB .RAF file (not available for download)
JPEG	2,655 KB
	3MP: 2048 x 1536
JPEG	1,140 KB
	2MP: 1600 x 1200
JPEG	482 KB
	1MP: 1280 x 960
JPEG	193 KB

As I noted in my F700 review JPEG artifact are difficult to see until you get down to the 2MP setting. The S5000's default sharpening does appear to be quite harsh with visible halo artifacts around dark detail and enhanced noise.

Image Parameters

The S5000 provides very little control over image processing parameters. From the camera menu you can set image sharpness to one of three settings. From the Photo Menu you can choose one of three color modes (normal, chrome - high color saturation, B&W).

Sharpness

The S5000 really should provide more control (a larger latitude of setting) over sharpening, either that or reduce the default level of sharpening is it appears to be a little too harsh.

Normal

Soft

Hard

Color Mode

Normal	Chrome	B&W