FUJIFILM FinePix S1500 Digital Camera: mkp51’s new digital “camera for the ages!”

Author's Rating:

Pros: Great price, easy to use; takes outstanding digital images; many advanced features.

Cons: Limited ability in subdued lighting with no flash.

The Bottom Line: 
The FUJIFILM FinePix S1500 is an excellent “megazoom” digital camera that’s ideal for people who want something more advanced and substantial than a pocket-sized point-and-shoot camera. 

Author's Review
I've been interested in photography for about 30 years now, and would rate myself as an "enthusiastic, learning amateur."  I've got a collection of decent photographs, mostly taken with my trusty "camera for the ages," a currently inoperative 35mm film camera. (My venerable and beloved 29-year old Canon AE-1 Program is now sitting forlornly on a shelf, awaiting repairs.)

For quite some time now, I've been searching for a new digital camera to replace my  "camera for the ages," one that will incorporate the latest in digital technology; will be feature-rich; will provide a level of sophistication beyond that of most simple point-and-shoot cameras; and will permit me to improve my skills as an amateur photographer. 

Enter the FUJIFILM FinePix S1500. 

I purchased this camera for $159.99 in October 2009.   My purchase was the culmination of several months' worth of researching consumer guides, online comparison shopping, and listening to advice from photographer friends and co-workers on which type of camera they suggest I buy (film camera or digital;  pocket-sized "point-and-shoot," "megazoom;" or single-lens reflex - SLR); how much I should spend; and which brands provide the most value for money.

After reading a countless number of reviews and hearing a multitude of opinions, I narrowed my choices to three brands of digital camera: the FUJIFILM FinePix S1500, the Nikon L100, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC H-20.  All three are broadly classified "megazoom" cameras.  (The "megazoom" refers to the camera's ability to zoom in optically by up to a factor of 18X.)  "Megazooms" are considerably larger and heavier than their simpler, ubiquitous, pocket-sized "point-and-shoot" cousins; they more closely resemble their single-lens reflex cousins in size and capability, but they have fixed non-removable optics.  All three of my finalists had many of the same features: multiple program modes; image stabilization; and the capability for varying degrees of control, from simple point-and-shoot to full manual operation.

In the end, I chose the FUJIFILM FinePix S1500;  I judged that its overall specifications were considerably better than its competitors.  Each of the competing cameras had at least one notable design flaw.  (For example, the Nikon L100 uses AA batteries... a MUST for me... but can't use rechargeable batteries without a firmware upgrade.  The Sony DSC H20 uses a proprietary battery pack and charger.)  The FUJIFILM FinePix S1500 seemed to provide the most features at the lowest price.

Here are just a few of the FUJIFILM FinePix S1500‘s many impressive specifications and features:

•  Effective Pixels: 10.0 million
•  Storage Media: Internal memory 23MB; SD/SDHC memory cards up to 16GB
•  Optics: Fujinon 12X optical zoom F/2.8 (wide angle) - 5 (telephoto); Focal length: f=5.9mm - 70.8mm (35mm format equivalent: 33mm - 396mm).  Aperture: f2.8-f6.4 (wide); f5.0-f8.0 (telephoto)
•  CCD: ½.3-in., square pixel Bayer CCD with primary color filter
•  File format: Exif 2.2 JPEG compressed (still); Movies: AVI-format JPEG; Audio: WAV
•  Sensitivity: ISO 100 to ISO 6400
•  Modes: Auto, Scene Recognition, Panoramic, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Program AE; Full Manual
•  14 scene modes
•  2.7-in. monitor and 0.8-in. electronic viewfinder

How do all these features and specifications translate into what's most important in a digital camera?  In short: how easy is the FUJIFILM FinePix S1500 to set up and use?  How well does it perform?  And, does it "deliver the goods" in the form of high-quality digital photographs and video clips?  What's the "bottom line" for this camera?

The FUJIFILM FinePix S1500 was reasonably easy to set up, and very easy to use, practically from the moment I unpackaged it.  When I opened the box, I found the camera, an owner's manual, a pair of "AA" alkaline batteries, a lens cap with tether, and a camera strap.  Of course, I conscientiously read the manual first, before attaching or installing any of the accessories.It took only a few minutes to assemble/install these items, as well as the optional (but definitely necessary!) SD memory card.    I was ready to go!

My next step: set up the camera's software.  This was a little trickier.  I was able to access the camera menu with no problem, but it took a little head-scratching to figure out how to set the clock and calendar and format the memory card.  (The manual wasn't very clear here.)  With only minor effort, I accomplished these steps.

Now came the fun part:  using the FUJIFILM FinePix S1500.  I tried the automatic mode first.  This is your basic "point-and-shoot" mode, where the camera sets shutter speed, aperture, white level, focus, and all the other things it sets in those few seconds before the shutter is released and the picture taken.  I used our "dream house in the woods" as my subject.  My result: my pictures were excellent - crisp, sharp, with vibrant colors.  Certainly better than any photos I've taken with any other digital camera.

During the ensuing weeks, I practiced taking pictures of varying subjects, under different conditions. Gradually, I progressed from automatic mode, to shutter priority (where the photographer sets the shutter speed and the camera automatically selects the correct lens aperture - excellent for action shots); to aperture priority (the photographer sets lens aperture while the camera selects the shutter speed - allowing the photographer to adjust to a desired depth of field); to program AE mode (where the camera sets both shutter speed and aperture, but allows the photographer choose shutter/aperture combinations) ; to fully manual mode; to my two favorite modes: panoramic (where the camera "stitches" up to three sequential images together to create one "super wide-angle" digital photograph) and Movie (where the camera takes 640 x 480 video clips in .avi format).

It didn't take me long how to take pictures in each mode; but I'm still working on how to take really good pictures in a few of them!

Overall, the FUJIFILM FinePix S1500 produces truly outstanding digital images in all modes of operation.   Under normal shooting conditions, and with adequate light present, the camera produces digital images that are, as I previously mentioned, clear, sharp, bright, and vibrant.  I've found no evidence of pixilation or other anomalies in any of the images I've taken over the past few months. 

The FUJIFILM S1500 has one shortcoming – and it is, for me, only a minor one – but I think it’s worth mentioning.  The FUJIFILM S1500 seems to have a limited ability to produce clear and sharp images under subdued lighting conditions where no flash is used.  Images taken under these circumstances tend to be blurred, grainy, and lacking in vibrancy.  I haven’t yet determined if this is a characteristic of the camera, or if I have something set incorrectly.

FUJIFILM FinePix S1500: MY VERDICT

The FUJIFILM FinePix S1500 is an excellent, moderately-priced "megazoom" digital camera that's ideal for people who want something more advanced and substantial than a pocket-sized point-and-shoot camera, but wish to avoid the added expense of a digital SLR. It has become my new digital "camera for the ages."

SOURCES:
FUJIFILM FinePix S1500 Owner's Manual


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