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Ibida Bab

Ibida Bab

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Santa Fe, NM, US
I am reviewing the HS25EXR which I bought on Amazon yesterday and after two days of shooting I mailed it back. This camera is pretty much same as the HS30EXR with the difference of the 25 taking AAs. That was my main deciding factor and the 24mm wide angle and the fact, that I had a Fuji camera before that produced outstanding outdoor photos.
This camera on EXR setting had worst image quality then my first digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix 3100. I shot about 50 shots at a location where I took similar photos with a another older camera, a Canon PowerShot A710IS.
This Fuji is just a miserable fail, in my opinion. The camera felt cheap, in fact, that was the first thing my wife said to me. The tripod mount is plastic, and the battery compartment had a mysterious movement and felt quiet unsecured. It is a Made in China camera and it feels like that. Cheap. I have about 10 other cameras that are Made in Japan quality and when you hold a Japanese made camera you'll know it. Some will argue that most things are made in China these days, however, when it comes to cameras and you take your gear seriously, stay away from these. Some other things I noticed: when turning the camera vertical the LCD goes dark. On regular Auto setting the camera takes even worst images than on EXR. I think the electronic viewfinder is useless, the user menu is quiet bad. I really wanted to like this camera, because I never had a mega zoom bridge camera, however, this Fuji is just a major disappointment for me.

Problems:

Overall built and image quality.
 
Prolly just another whiner who most likely don't know how to use a camera properly and expecting miracles from a pinhead sensor. I'll let the HS25 users defend their baby. HS30 is a better camera because of RAW and better EVF and battery and should not be represented with this camera.

And worse than Coolpix 3100 and PowerShot A710IS? Show us comparison please....

-=[ Joms ]=-
 
I agree with some things you wrote, and disagree with others, but this sounds quite wrong:
Ibida Bab said:
Some other things I noticed: when turning the camera vertical the LCD goes dark.
Click to expand...
I had an HS25 for roughly a year; when it developed a problem, I sent it back to Fuji, who repaired it; when it went bad again, I sent it back again, and they replaced it. Of all the problems I had, I never saw the LCD go black when turning it sideways, unless I was wearing polarized lenses. I think there are three possibilities overall:
  • You were wearing polarized sunglasses.
  • You had a defective camera.
  • Something (such as your finger) passed too near the sensor that detects whether you have your eye to the EVF.
The last may well have been the problem; that sensor is a bit too sensitive.
Ibida Bab said:
On regular Auto setting the camera takes even worst images than on EXR.
Click to expand...
I agree here. Fuji really botched these; almost all the poor reviews I've seen complain about the bad quality of the EXR and Auto settings.
Ibida Bab said:
I think the electronic viewfinder is useless...
Click to expand...
No, I use it routinely. It may not be top-quality, but considering the price of the camera...
Ibida Bab said:
...the user menu is quiet bad.
Click to expand...
Different strokes, I guess; I really enjoy the user menu, especially in comparison to some other cameras I've used. Can you say, specifically, what you dislike about it?
 
Rick Siegert said:
Rick Siegert wrote:

The HS25 was not the same camera as the HS30. The body was different, etc. Comments fror that camera do not apply to the HS30.
Click to expand...
Are you sure? I remember seeing a large number of references to the HS25 & the HS30 being exactly the same, except for two differences: the HS used AA batteries, and lacked RAW. I preferred the former, and was indifferent to the latter, which is why I chose the HS25.
 
This guy isn`t a "Whiner" - Most people actually buy these kind of cameras to use in Auto modes, the target market for them isn`t your average Enthusiast DPR member - lets face it, these pinhead megazooms are aimed at tourists and "Soccer Moms" so ought to work out of the box in Auto mode like Canons, Panasonics and Sonys do ......

Fuji thesedays are notorious for their inability for designing a camera which works on standard settings let alone in AUTO modes - for some ludicrous reason, they pick the worst settings possible .. the older SCCD powered F & S series used to work very well on defaults (the models from the F10 to F31 and S9500 to S100FS - earlier cams like the F601, E900, S5000 etc were as patchy as the HS series)

--
** Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist **
 
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I agree with the previous poster. These cameras are not meant!, for the serious enthusiast. They are do it all tourist cameras, like the Jack of all trades; they do nothing outstanding. One way to tell is the plastic tripod socket, this saves Fuji a penny or two, and a metal socket is not needed by someone! who does not even know what a tripod is for.

However in the hands of someone who is half competent, they can produce some fairly nice photos. And are tricked out, to do some things your better camera cannot do. So they do have their uses. When I first got my HS35, i really hated it. I expected it to be like the Fuji's I owned from years back, but it is not. It’s unique in its own rite, and very useful under the conditions it is meant for. If you buy one of these; just don’t expect it to do what it looks!, like it can do. :-D

--
Steve40.
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com
Cameras: Canon's G12, and A1200. Sony DSC-H90. Fuji HS35EXR.
 
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Fuji need to sort this out - having a Tourist megazoom which is pretty useless in any of the Auto modes is like buying a car with an Auto gearbox which changes up and down at all the wrong times making you use it in semi-Auto mode (selecting yourself) .... the Fuji EXRs are the same, they`re capable of good stuff if set to esoteric settings and run like a DSLR in AV or whatever "creative" mode and post processed afterwards ..

I tried the HS30 in EXR DR mode out of curiosity and it didn`t even maximise the Dynamic range well despite choosing ISO400 and DR1600 , there were still blowouts -- I did better running the cam in 16Mp ISO100 DR100 mode, exposing for the highlights and PP`ing down to 8Mp and lifting the shadows in Photoshop . they need to work on improving the Auto modes and have done since EXR was invented .. But then you know Fuji and repeating silly mistakes, they`re the absolute worst for it ..

--
** Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist **
 
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Adam-T said:
AdamT wrote:

Fuji need to sort this out - having a Tourist megazoom which is pretty useless in any of the Auto modes is like buying a car with an Auto gearbox which changes up and down at all the wrong times making you use it in semi-Auto mode (selecting yourself) .... the Fuji EXRs are the same, they`re capable of good stuff if set to esoteric settings and run like a DSLR in AV or whatever "creative" mode and post processed afterwards ..

I tried the HS30 in EXR DR mode out of curiosity and it didn`t even maximise the Dynamic range well despite choosing ISO400 and DR1600 , there were still blowouts -- I did better running the cam in 16Mp ISO100 DR100 mode, exposing for the highlights and PP`ing down to 8Mp and lifting the shadows in Photoshop . they need to work on improving the Auto modes and have done since EXR was invented .. But then you know Fuji and repeating silly mistakes, they`re the absolute worst for it ..

--
** Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist **
Click to expand...
Since I never, or hardly ever use any camera in the auto modes, this doesn't present too much of a problem to me. I do find this camera lacking in dynamic range, even using the DR functions. I have a little $75 cannon that can beat it. It is definitely not the best choice for landscapes, unless a lot of editing is not a problem.

I find it probably better for up close, and personal types of subjects, where the light is pretty even. This said reveals that the camera has plenty of weakinesses. I swore off panasonic because of its quirks, Ha Ha I got the shaft, Fuji now holds the title of "King of Quirks".

But man i do ever love that truck battery, it runs forever. It will do the 600 shots Fuji claims if not more. Got to say something positive. :)

--
Steve40.
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com
Cameras: Canon's G12, and A1200. Sony DSC-H90. Fuji HS35EXR.
 
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Adam-T said:
Fuji need to sort this out - having a Tourist megazoom which is pretty useless in any of the Auto modes is like buying a car with an Auto gearbox which changes up and down at all the wrong times making you use it in semi-Auto mode (selecting yourself) .... the Fuji EXRs are the same, they`re capable of good stuff if set to esoteric settings and run like a DSLR in AV or whatever "creative" mode and post processed afterwards ..

I tried the HS30 in EXR DR mode out of curiosity and it didn`t even maximise the Dynamic range well despite choosing ISO400 and DR1600 , there were still blowouts -- I did better running the cam in 16Mp ISO100 DR100 mode, exposing for the highlights and PP`ing down to 8Mp and lifting the shadows in Photoshop . they need to work on improving the Auto modes and have done since EXR was invented .. But then you know Fuji and repeating silly mistakes, they`re the absolute worst for it ..
Click to expand...
 
One of the mostest best things you can do, is to run the Tone on low. That helps to belay a lot of excessive contrast, and blown highlights. I find the flash does better in the auro modes, than in the more manual modes, if that is any consolation.
 
I found the 200 series` want to underexpose (unless correcred) lost the whole point of EXR as you ended up PP`ing the shadows up anyway and you could do that with the SCCD cams (and canons etc) .. I always, since the really old cams found the Exposure comp button the most useful button of all on any Fuji - the F31 would underexpose by 2 stops or more in dull weather, the F30 over in good weather as you say, the HS series overexpose ..

A command dial set to Exposure comp is more useful than aperture on a Fuji - shame there`s no option to make it default to that or allow use of the manual focus ring

My mention of Fuji putting in useful defaults and getting the Auto modes to work was solely in relation to the OP and the rest of the usual Tourists / P&Sers who are the target market for these kind of cameras .

--
** Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist **
 
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Well my Canon G12 really sucks in the Auto mode. But it is not meant for a tourist camera, its semi pro. When I first got it i tried auto, and thought it was broke. :)

Well its not really that bad. But pretty much sucks as compared to its manual. and ssemi manual modes.



--
Steve40.
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com
Cameras: Canon's G12, and A1200. Sony DSC-H90. Fuji HS35EXR.
 
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Kim Letkeman said:
Kim Letkeman wrote:

I reviewed the HS25 quite some time ago and had a good experience with it.

Perhaps you should have read this first?

Nothing Special: How to Shoot an EXR Camera

--
http://kimletkeman.blogspot.com
Click to expand...
Oh, I beg to differ. I’ve just been doing a little more research with my HS35, and it behaves completely different in different shooting situations. In high contrast light, it likes Multi metering, with -.67 EV comp. If you Zoom more than 200mm, it likes Average metering, with only -.33 EV comp. If light is flat -.33 EV is good for wider shots, and long tele is better at 0 EV comp. But you still need to change metering modes.

These cameras if you get what they are capable out of them, will really send you back to school. If you don’t like that idea, don’t get one of these.

You don't get half of what they are really capable of, if you limit yourself to EXR modes. In fact!, you would not even know it is the same camera. If you just use EXR, you are doing yourself a big disservice. EXR is for wimps, that should just stick to their cell phones. :)

--
Steve40.
http://steveslandscapes.50webs.com
Cameras: Canon's G12, and A1200. Sony DSC-H90. Fuji HS35EXR.
 
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Fuji over the years has done a lot, that didn’t make sense. Like the Super CCD, it would give any CMOS a run for its money, and then some. But evidently it cost them a little more than they wanted to spend, so they dropped it.

Just like the plastic tripod socket on the HS -- EXR cameras, on a heavy camera that does not make any sense good or bad. But plastic is probably a few cents cheaper. Come on!: what ever happened to pride in craftsmanship, it got replaced by GREED that’s what. :-(
 
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