Fujifilm X-S1 Review
Image Quality
All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 12 megapixel JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 4.5Mb.
The Fujifilm X-S1 produced images of excellent quality during the review. It handled noise well, with a little noise appearing at ISO 800 and then becoming progressively worse at the faster settings of ISO 1600 and 3200, along with a smearing of fine detail. The headling-grabbing settings of ISO 6400 and 12800 are both actually shot at a reduced resolution (medium and small respectively) and they're noisy too. Chromatic aberrations were very well controlled, with limited purple fringing effects appearing only in high contrast situations. The 12 megapixel images were just a little soft straight out of the camera at the default sharpen setting and require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera sharpening level.
Macro performance is excellent, allowing you to focus as close as 1cm away from the subject when the lens is set to wide-angle. Commendably barrel distortion is well controlled even at the 24mm focal length. The built-in flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and adequate overall exposure, although there is noticeable vignetting at 24mm. The anti-shake system works very well when hand-holding the camera in low-light conditions or when using the telephoto end of the zoom range. The maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds allows the cameras to capture enough light for most after-dark situations.
The EXR modes offer a choice between shooting at full 12 megapixel resolution in High Resolution (HR) mode, or a 6 megapixel image in the Low Noise (SN) mode for shooting without flash in low light conditions, or the Dynamic Range (DR) mode to achieve an optimal balance between shadows and highlights. The Pro Low-Light scene mode produces better image clarity at high ISO levels at the expense of a loss of fine detail, while the Pro Focus mode effectively throws the background out of focus for portraits. The Motion Panorama mode works largely as advertised, making it simple to take hand-held low-light and wide-vista shots, although there is a clear ghosting effect around any moving subjects.
Noise
There are 8 ISO settings available on the Fujifilm X-S1. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting:
| JPEG | RAW |
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ISO 100 (100% Crop) |
ISO 100 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 6400 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 12800 (100% Crop) |
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Focal Range
The Fujifilm X-S1's 26x zoom lens provides a focal length of 24-624mm in 35mm terms, as demonstrated below.
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24mm |
624mm |
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Sharpening
Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little bit soft at the default sharpening setting, and benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop.
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Original (100% Crop) |
Sharpened (100% Crop) |
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File Quality
The Fujifilm X-S1 has 2 different image quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.
| 12M Fine (4.51Mb) (100% Crop) | 12M Normal (3.00Mb) (100% Crop) |
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| 12M RAW (18.8Mb) (100% Crop) | |
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Chromatic Aberrations
The Fujifilm X-S1 handled chromatic aberrations very well during the review. Just a little purple fringing was present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations, as shown in the example below.
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Chromatic 1 (100% Crop) |
Chromatic 2 (100% Crop) |
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Macro
The Fujifilm X-S1 offers a Super Macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 1cm away from the camera. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject in Macro mode (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.
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Macro Shot |
100% Crop |
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Flash
The flash settings on the Fujifilm X-S1 are Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro, and any of those modes combined with Red-eye Reduction. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.
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Flash Off - Wide Angle (24mm) |
Flash On - Wide Angle (24mm) |
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Flash Off - Telephoto (624mm) |
Flash On - Telephoto (624mm) |
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And here are some portrait shots. Neither the Auto or Red-eye reduction mode caused any amount of red-eye.
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Flash On |
Flash On (100% Crop) |
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Red Eye Reduction |
Red Eye Reduction (100% Crop) |
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Night
The Fujifilm X-S1's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds, which is great news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 15 seconds at ISO 100. I've included a 100% crop of the image to show what the quality is like.
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Night Shot |
Night Shot (100% Crop) |
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Image Stabilisation
Image Stabilisation is Fujifilm's name for anti-shake, which in the X-S1 works via a sensor-shift mechanism. To test this, I took 2 handheld shots of the same subject with the same settings. The first shot was taken with anti shake turned off, the second with it turned on. Here are some 100% crops of the images to show the results. As you can see, with anti shake turned on, the images are much sharper than with anti shake turned off.
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Shutter Speed / Focal Length |
Anti Shake Off (100% Crop) |
Anti Shake On (100% Crop) |
| 1/12th / 24mm | |
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| 1/15th / 624mm | |
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EXR Mode
The Fujifilm X-S1 offers three EXR options. Resolution Priority (HR) mode uses all 12 megapixels to capture the highest resolution image. High ISO & Low Noise (SN) mode combines adjacent pixels to create larger photodiodes and improve low-light quality in the resulting 6 megapixel image. D-Range Priority (DR) mode simultaneously takes two images and then combines them to produce a 6 megapixel image with increased dynamic range. Here is an example which was shot using each EXR mode.
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Resolution Priority (HR) |
100% Crop |
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| High ISO & Low Noise (SN) | 100% Crop |
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| D-Range Priority (DR) | 100% Crop |
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Dynamic Range
The Fujifilm Finepix X-S1 has three dynamic range settings - 100% (on by default), 200%, and 400% - and an Auto setting if you want to let the camera take control. These settings gradually increase the amount of detail visible in the shadow and highlight areas, with the side-effect of more noise appearing in the image. Note that you can't actually turn this feature off.
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100% |
200% |
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400% |
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Pro Focus
The Fujifilm X-S1's Pro Focus mode makes it easier to achieve a blurred background, perfect for portraits where compact digicams traditionally struggle.
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Pro Focus Off |
Pro Focus Off (100% Crop) |
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Pro Focus On |
Pro Focus On (100% Crop) |
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Pro Low-Light
The Fujifilm X-S1's Pro Low-Light scene mode produces better image clarity at high ISO levels, with the camera automatically taking a series of four high sensitivity/low-noise shots in quick succession which are then combined together using in-camera processing into an image with less noise than the single exposures. The main drawback is a noticeable softening of fine detail.
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Pro Low-Light Off |
Pro Low-Light On |
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Motion Panorama
The Fujifilm X-S1 allows you to take panoramic images very easily by 'sweeping' with the camera while keeping the shutter release depressed. The camera does all the processing and stitching, and there are three views available. The main problems are that the resulting image is of fairly low resolution - 1080 pixels high and 5760 pixels wide for the 360 degree image - moving objects are recorded as "ghost" images, and different lighting sources cause obvious vertical streaks to appear.
| 120 Degrees |
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| Full-size Image |
| 180 Degrees |
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| Full-size Image |
| 360 Degrees |
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| Full-size Image |
Film Simulation
The Fujifilm Finepix X-S1 offers 8 different film simulation modes to help repliatce the look of your favourite film stock from the past.
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Provia / Standard |
Velvia / Vivid |
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Astia / Soft |
Black & White |
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Monochrome + Yellow Filter |
Monochrome + Red Filter |
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Monochrome + Green Filter |
Sepia |
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Sample Images
This is a selection of sample images from the Fujifilm X-S1 camera, which were all taken using the 12 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.
Sample RAW Images
The Fujifilm X-S1 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Fujifilm RAW (RAF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).
1/550s · f/3.2 · ISO 800
10.3mm
Download original
1/125s · f/2.8 · ISO 800
6.1mm
Download original
1/680s · f/4.5 · ISO 400
31.1mm
Download original
1/1800s · f/5.6 · ISO 400
6.1mm
Download original
1/340s · f/5.6 · ISO 800
40.6mm
Download original
1/85s · f/5.6 · ISO 1600
6.1mm
Download original
1/1900s · f/5.6 · ISO 400
23.8mm
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1/240s · f/8 · ISO 100
6.1mm
Download original
1/1000s · f/5.6 · ISO 100
158.6mm
Download original
1/950s · f/5.6 · ISO 200
158.6mm
Download original
1/90s · f/5 · ISO 3200
57.2mm
Download original
1/1200s · f/5.6 · ISO 400
6.1mm
Download original
1/500s · f/8 · ISO 200
6.1mm
Download original
1/140s · f/2.8 · ISO 1600
6.1mm
Download original
1/400s · f/5.6 · ISO 3200
57.2mm
Download original
1/350s · f/8 · ISO 1600
6.1mm
Download original
1/680s · f/5.6 · ISO 100
158.6mm
Download original
1/900s · f/4 · ISO 3200
6.1mm
Download original
1/105s · f/5.6 · ISO 200
6.1mm
Download original
1/7s · f/4 · ISO 100
6.8mm
Download original
1/13s · f/4 · ISO 200
6.8mm
Download original
1/26s · f/4 · ISO 400
6.8mm
Download original
1/52s · f/4 · ISO 800
6.8mm
Download original
1/105s · f/4 · ISO 1600
6.8mm
Download original
1/210s · f/4 · ISO 3200
6.8mm
Download original
Sample Movie & Video
This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1280 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 16 second movie is 27.9Mb in size.
As of February 2025, we are no longer providing full size sample images or videos for download.
Please contact us if you have any feedback on our new policy.
Product Images
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Front of the Camera |
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Front of the Camera / Pop-up Flash |
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Isometric View |
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Isometric View |
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Isometric View |
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Isometric View |
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Rear of the Camera |
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Rear of the Camera / Turned On |
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Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed |
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Rear of the Camera / Main Menu |
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Rear of the Camera / Info Display |
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Rear of the Camera / Function 1 Menu |
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Rear of the Camera / EXR Mode |
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Rear of the Camera / Advanced Mode |
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Rear of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen |
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Rear of the Camera / Tilting LCD Screen |
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Top of the Camera |
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Bottom of the Camera |
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Side of the Camera |
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Side of the Camera |
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External Connections |
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Front of the Camera |
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Front of the Camera |
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Memory Card Slot |
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Battery Compartment |
Conclusion
With the new X-S1, Fujifilm have produced the ultimate super-zoom bridge compact camera, with a long list of desirable features, intuitive user interface and excellent image quality. The only real drawback is the price-tag, which puts the X-S1 up against mid-range DSLRs and high-end compact system cameras as well as its main superzoom rivals.
Building on the success of the HS10 and HS20 EXR super-zooms, the X-S1 is an altogether more serious proposition - bigger, heavier, sporting a better electronic viewfinder and image sensor, offering faster RAW processing, start-up, shutter-lag and focusing times - it really does fix the main issues that we had with the HS20 EXR. Although the lens isn't quite as long at a "mere" 26x, the new 2/3-inch sensor results in much better performance particularly at the higher ISO speeds. We wouldn't hesitate to use the X-S1 at ISO 100-800, and even ISO 1600 and 3200 are usable for smaller prints and the web, putting the X-S1 well ahead of all other super-zoom compacts. That doesn't compare so well to similarly-priced DSLRs or compact system cameras, though, so you really need to decide if the do-it-all approach of the X-S1 makes up for the drop in image quality.
The X-S1 excellent electronic viewfinder is comparable to the best compact system camera's viewfinder, offering a large, bright and detailed display that's a veritable joy to use. Fujifilm have also rectified another common fault of typical super-zooms - namely slow operation - with auto-focusing, start-up, shutter-lag and file write times all quick enough so that you don't notice them in every-day use, even when shooting RAW+JPEG files together. Finally we have a superzoom camera that can boast similar responsiveness to a DSLR.
The X-S1 offers the main benefit of being a real all-in-one alternative to a DSLR. with no need to buy or change lenses thanks to the high-quality 26x lens, which is remarkably distortion-free and admirably fast at either end. The manual zoom and focus rings further reinforce that DSLR feeling, as do the external flash hotshoe, command dials, tilting LCD screen, full range of manual shooting modes and RAW format support. Full 1080p movie recording with stereo sound is the icing on the cake, making the X-S1 a viable replacement for your video camera too.
All of these improvements and features do come at a literal price though - £699 / $799 is an awful lot of money to pay for what is a fixed-lens compact camera, easily making the X-S1 the most expensive super-zoom on the market. Having said that, it's also easily the best-in-class super-zoom, offering a compelling mix of features, performance and image quality that no other rival can match. If you want one camera that can do it all, then look no further than the Fujifilm X-S1.
| Ratings (out of 5) | |
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| Design | 4.5 |
| Features | 5 |
| Ease-of-use | 4.5 |
| Image quality | 4.5 |
| Value for money | 4 |
Review Roundup
Reviews of the Fujifilm X-S1 from around the web.
whatdigitalcamera.com »
The very concept of a superzoom is to give an all-in-one package; a
camera system that's somewhere between a compact and DSLR that also has a significant zoom range. Enter the Fujifilm X-S1. Although it may look similar to many other superzoom cameras (and you'd be forgiven for mistaking it for a DSLR), underneath the hood is a large 2/3in sensor size (the same as found in the high-end X10 compact camera).
Read the full review »
neocamera.com »
The Fuji X-S1 is a prosumer ultra-zoom built around a larger-than-usual 2/3" CMOS sensor and a mechanicaly-linked ultra-wide 26X optical zoom lens with stabilization built-in. This lens is equivalent to an outstanding 24-624mm, reaching beyond most super-telephoto lenses.
Read the full review »
Specifications
| Model | FUJIFILM X-S1 |
|---|---|
| Effective Pixels | 12.0 million pixels |
| Sensor type | 2/3-inch EXR CMOS with primary colour filter |
| Storage media |
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| File format |
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| Number of recorded pixels | L : (4:3) 4000 x 3000 / (3:2) 4000 x 2664 / (16:9) 4000 x 2248 / (1:1) 2992 x 2992 M : (4:3) 2816 x 2112 / (3:2) 2816 x 1864 / (16:9) 2816 x 1584 / (1:1) 2112 x 2112 S : (4:3) 2048 x 1536 / (3:2) 2048 x 1360 / (16:9) 1920 x 1080 / (1:1) 1536 x 1536 <Motion Panorama> 360° Vertical 11520 x 1624 Horizontal 11520 x 1080 180° Vertical 5760 x 1624 Horizontal 5760 x 1080 120° Vertical 3840 x 1624 Horizontal 3840 x 1080 |
| name Fujinon 26x optical zoom lens focal length f=6.1 - 158.6 mm, equivalent to 24 - 624 mm on a 35 mm camera full-aperture F2.8 (Wide) - F5.6 (Telephoto) constitution 12 groups 17 lenses (4 aspherical molded lenses, 2 ED lenses included) | |
| Digital zoom | Intelligent digital zoom approx. 2x (1.4) (up to 52 x when combined with optical zoom) |
| Aperture | F2.8 - F11(Wide) F5.6 - F11(Telephoto) 1/3EV step (controlled 9-blade aperture diaphragm) |
| Focus distance (from lens surface) |
Normal
Wide : Approx. 30 cm / 0.9 ft. to infinity Telephoto : Approx. 2.0 m / 6.5 ft. to infinity Macro Wide : Approx. 7 cm - 3.0 m / 2.8 in. - 9.8 ft. Telephoto : Approx. 2.0 m - 3.5 m / 6.5 ft. - 11.5 ft. Super Macro Approx. 1.0 cm - 1.0 m / 0.4 in. - 3.3 ft |
| Sensitivity | Auto(400) / Auto(800) / Auto(1600) / Auto(3200) / Equivalent to ISO 100 / 200 / 250 / 320 / 400 / 500 / 640 / 800 / 1000 / 1250 / 1600 / 2000 / 2500 / 3200 / 4000* / 5000* / 6400* / 12800* (Standard Output Sensitivity)
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| Exposure control | TTL 256-zones metering, Multi / Spot / Average |
| Exposure mode | Programmed AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual |
| Shooting modes | SP Natural Light & Flash, Natural Light, Portrait, Portrait Enhancer, Dog, Cat, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night (Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Party, Flower, Text MODE DIAL EXR, AUTO, Adv., SP, C3, C2, C1, M, A, S, P |
| Image stabilisation | Lens shift type |
| Exposure compensation | -2.0EV - +2.0EV 1/3EV step |
| Shutter speed | (Auto mode) 1/4 sec. to 1/4000 sec., (All other modes) 30 sec. to 1/4000 sec. |
| Continuous shooting |
TOP
Super High : approx. 10 fps (Size M, S) High : approx. 7 fps (Size L, M, S) Middle : approx. 5 fps (Size L, M, S) Low : approx. 3 fps (Size L, M, S) *SD memory card with a class 4 write speed (4 MB/sec.) or better is recommended. *The frame rate varies depending on the shooting conditions or numbers of frames in continuous shooting. others Best Frame capture : Super High : approx. 10 fps 8 / 16 frames (Size M, S) High : approx. 7 fps 8 frames (Size L, M, S) / 16 frames (Size M, S) Middle : approx. 5 fps 8 frames (Size L, M, S) / 16 frames (Size M, S) Low : approx. 3 fps 8 frames (Size L, M, S) / 16 frames (Size M, S) |
| Auto bracketing | AE Bracketing : ±1/3EV, ±2/3EV, ±1EV Film Simulation Bracketing : PROVIA / STANDARD, Velvia / VIVID, ASTIA / SOFT Dynamic Range Bracketing : 100%, 200%, 400% ISO Sensitivity Bracketing : ±1/3EV, ±2/3EV, ±1EV |
| Focus |
mode
Single AF / Continuous AF (EXR AUTO, Movie), Manual AF (One-push AF mode included) type TTL contrast AF, AF assist illuminator available AF frame selection Multi, Area, Tracking |
| White balance | Automatic scene recognition Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White), Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light, Custom, Colour temperature selection (2,500K - 10,000K) |
| Self timer | 10 sec. / 2 sec. delay , Auto Release |
| Flash | Auto flash (super intelligent flash) Effective range : (ISO AUTO (800)) Wide : Approx. 30 cm - 8.0 m / 0.9 ft. - 26.2 ft. Telephoto : Approx. 2.0 m - 4.0 m / 6.5 ft. - 13.1 ft. |
| Flash modes | Red-eye removal OFF : Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro. Red-eye removal ON : Red-eye Reduction Auto, Red-eye Reduction & Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Red-eye Reduction & Slow Synchro. |
| Hot shoe | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.47-inch, approx. 1440,000 dots, TFT colour LCD monitor Approx. 100? coverage Diopter adjustment : -5 - +3 m-1(dpt) |
| LCD monitor | 3.0-inch, approx. 460,000 dots, TFT colour LCD monitor, approx. 100% coverage |
| Movie recording | 1920 x 1080 pixels / 1280 x 720 pixels / 640 x 480 pixels (30 frames / sec.) with stereo sound Optical zoom (manual) can be used. |
| Photography functions | EXR mode (EXR Auto / Resolution priority / High ISO & Low noise priority / Dynamic range priority), Face recognition, Face Detection, Auto red-eye removal, Film simulation, Framing guideline, Frame No. memory, Histogram display, Advanced mode (Motion panorama360, Pro focus, Pro low light), High Speed Movie (70 / 120 / 200 frames/sec.), Electronic level, One-touch RAW, Advanced Anti Blur, Focus check, Colour space |
| Playback functions | Face Detection, Auto red-eye removal, Multi-frame playback (with micro thumbnail), Protect, Crop, Resize, Slide show, Image rotate, Voice memo, Histogram display, Exposure warning, Photobook assist, Image search, Favorites, Mark for upload, Panorama, Erase selected frames, RAW conversion |
| Other functions | PictBridge, Exif Print, 35 Languages, Time difference, Silent mode, Shutter sound |
| Terminal | Video output NTSC / PAL selectable with Monaural sound Digital interface USB 2.0 High-Speed HDMI output HDMI Mini connector External microphone ø3.5 Mini with Stereo sound |
| Power supply | NP-95 Li-ion battery (included) |
| Dimensions | 135(W) x 107(H) x 149(D) mm / 5.3(W) x 4.2(H) x 5.9(D) in. |
| Weight | Approx. 945 g / 33.3 oz. (including battery and memory card) Approx. 905 g / 31.9 oz. (excluding battery and memory card) |
| Operating temperature | 0°C - 40°C |
| Operating humidity | 10% - 80% (no condensation) |
| Battery life | approx. 460 frames (*4) approx. 500 frames (using EVF) |
| Accessories included | Li-ion battery NP-95 Battery charger BC-65N Shoulder strap Lens cap and Lens cap cord Lens hood USB cable CD-ROM Owner's manual |
| Optional accessories | Li-ion battery NP-95 Battery charger BC-65N Shoe Mount Flash EF-42 / EF-20 Remote release RR-80 |
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