Fujifilm FinePix 50i

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By Reuben Lee
Oct 03, 2001

One of the first manufacturers to integrate an MP3 player into a high-resolution digital camera, Fujifilm has done it again with the FinePix 50i. This latest offering, which succeeds the popular FinePix 40i MP3 digicam, combines a new compact design with an improved set of features and accessories.

Slimmer And Lighter
The 50i sports the same 2.4-megapixel Super CCD sensor that is capable of capturing images at a digitally interpolated 4.3-megapixels (2,400x1,800). The device has the same general dimensions as its predecessor save for weight and thickness. According to Fujifilm, the 50i is 20g lighter (at 190g with battery) and 5.5mm slimmer, making it one of the slimmest digicams around in the 2-megapixel category.

Despite the smaller footprint, the silver-bodied 50i packs in a spring-loaded sliding lens cover and several enhanced features.

Power Cradle
One of the improvements we like best about the new MP3 digicam is the multi-functional PictureCradle, a USB docking station that comes in a see-through casing. Besides using the cradle to charge the Lithium-ion battery in-camera (which lasts about 2 to 3 hours on a full 5-hour charge), we deployed it as a USB connection to the PC for transfer of image, movie and sound files. When used with the included PictureHello utility program, the PictureCradle can even be transformed into a Webcam for video conferencing.

Fujifilm has certainly made a wise decision in including the cradle. It not only provides a convenient one-stop solution for all that you need to do with the camera, now with all the ports (including the A/V out) located on the PictureCradle, the 50i looks a lot less cluttered.

Decent Digital Captures
In our outdoor tests, the FinePix 50i took great pictures. The images were clear and extremely sharp, probably due to the high 4-megapixel resolution. However, indoor pictures and night shots were of reasonable quality only, even after we had tweaked some of the camera settings.

While we found the buttons on the 50i responsive and kept pretty much kept to a minimum, navigating through the menu options is a tad cumbersome as it took us quite a few steps to change certain settings. For example, to get to the white balance settings in the automatic mode, you had to access the menu, switch to manual mode, then access the menu again to select the white balance option.

Like the 40i, the 50i has a built-in microphone and comes with video recording and audio recording features. According to Fujifilm, you can capture up to 80 seconds of AVI movie (at 320 x 240 and 10 frames per second) and approximately 9 hours of audio clip in the WAV format (using a 128MB SmartMedia card). You can also add up to 30 seconds of voice memo on each captured image.

Due to the limitations of the camera, the FinePix 50i does not have an optical zoom. Instead, it comes with a digital zoom that uses the high-resolution sensor to capture the image, letting you zoom in to select the portion you want.

Excellent MP3 Playback
This may come as a surprise. While the FinePix 50i is primarily a digital camera, its most impressive feature is the MP3 playback. We played a few songs on the 50i at the standard MP3 format (128kbps and 44KHz) and found the playback really good on the supplied earphones. The only snag is you cannot download the songs directly into the player because it uses a certain encoding format that requires a RealJukeBox plugin for file transfer.

Otherwise, the 50i actually transfers MP3s pretty fast (about 20 seconds for a 4MB file). All the basic playback controls come located on the stylishly designed remote control stick (with backlight) that resembles one of those found on the Sony CD and MD Walkmans. The wired remote unit can even be used for taking and viewing captured images when using the digital camera.

Software Bundle

Although Fujifilm has included the FinePix Viewer application for viewing and transfer of files between the camera and PC, the 50i can also be recognized as a USB storage device. This means files can be accessed and managed directly from Windows Explorer. As for the transfer of MP3 files, the full version of RealJukeBox Plus and the FinePix plugin are provided.

Other programs in the software bundle include QuickTime 4, Windows Media Player 7 and ArcSoft�s Video Impression 1.6FP.

A Good Buy If...
While we usually do not recommend buying multifunctional devices for the simple reason that the performance of the various functions are often compromised, the FinePix 50i is an exception. Not only is it svelte and compact, the device comes with a really cool cradle and a convenient remote control stick. The only gripe is the S$1,189 price tag. Ultimately, if you are into playing MP3s on the move, the Fujifilm camera would make an excellent choice. If it�s a digital camera you need, you should be able to find one with better performance elsewhere with that price.