Fujifilm FinePix S9100 Zoom Review

Click on the FinePix S9100 to take a QuickTime VR tour

The FinePix S9100 (named the S9600 in the UK/European market) is the latest model in Fujifilm's SLR-styled digital camera line-up and successor to the highly regarded FinePix S9000. It features a 10.7x Fujinon optical zoom lens, 9-MegaPixel Fujifilm Super CCD sensor and ISO 80-1600 capabilities. The FinePix S9100 is aimed at photo enthusiasts who will benefit from its impressive zoom range, functionality, high light sensitivities and overall image quality.

The camera's high sensitivity range, made possible by Fujifilm's Real Photo Technology, enables FinePix S9100 users to capture images using natural light in a wide variety of lighting conditions. In addition, Fujifilm's Picture Stabilization technology uses the heightened sensitivity of the FinePix S9100 and high-speed shutter settings to reduce blur caused by camera shake and subject movement. This easy-to-access feature is selectable on the mode dial and allows the camera to choose the correct light sensitivity and best- matching shutter speed automatically for the highest quality digital pictures.

Other noteworthy features are:

i-Flash: Fujifilm's intelligent flash system fine-tunes output for shooting with high sensitivity settings. i-Flash recognizes scene conditions and adjusts flash intensity accordingly to ensure superb results. With i-Flash, subjects in the foreground appear natural and background detail is bright and clear. The difference is especially noticeable in portraits with subjects that exhibit true-to-life skin tones.

Fujinon Lens: The FinePix S9100 features a 10.7x wide angle optical zoom with a focal range equivalent of 28mm - 300mm. In Super Macro mode, the FinePix S9100 can focus clearly as close as 0.4-inches, and the overall speed of focusing is much improved over the FinePix S9000. With the addition of a beam assist, the camera will focus automatically in low light conditions.

New Processing Algorithms: Users will notice a difference in the photographs taken by the FinePix S9100. New processing algorithms have led to increased sharpness and greater resolution.








Tilting LCD Screen: The FinePix S9100 has all its angles covered with a tilting 2" LCD, making it easy to frame your shot from a variety of shooting positions. The LCD gain-up control allows viewing of the LCD in bright and low light conditions. The viewfinder is electronic with 235,000 pixel resolution and provides approximately 100% coverage.

HS-V2 Software: The inclusion of Fujifilm's Hyper Utility Software HS-V2 version 3 software enables FinePix S9100 photographers to explore the full potential of the camera's RAW file format. By fully controlling the 18 million pixel RAW file from the FinePix S9100's Super CCD, photographers can enjoy the control and flexibility of working on a "lossless" file format.

FinePix S9100 Features:

• 9 million pixel Fujifilm Super CCD HR image sensor
• 10.7x wide-angle zoom lens (28-300mm 35mm equivalent)
• SLR-like design with zoom and focus rings on the lens
• Compressed JPEG and CCD-RAW file formats
• 0.8-second boot-up time; shutter lag down to 1/100th second
• Powerful AF-assist illuminator for quicker focusing in low light
• Super Macro Mode for close-ups at 0.4-inches
• Movie Mode; 640x480 30fps w/sound AVI format
• Program AE, Shutter-speed priority, Aperture priority, Manual, Anti-Blur, Natural Light, Night, Portrait and Landscape modes
• High resolution eyelevel color EVF viewfinder
• Tilting 2" color LCD for high and low-angle shooting
• 256-zone Metering: Multi, Center or Spot options
• ISO sensitivity range: Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
• Adjustable image color mode and sharpness
• Shutter speeds: 30 secs. to 1/4000 second
• Flash hot shoe and PC sync terminal for external flash
• Dual media slot accepts xD Picture Card and CompactFlash/Microdrive
• Powered by four standard AA type batteries
• USB 2.0 connectivity and PictBridge direct-print