Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd

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The FinePix S6500fd is one of Fujifilm's latest offering with a 6.3-megapixel sensor, packing a 10.7x optical zoom and a high sensitivity performance of up to ISO 3,200. It is also the company's first camera with an "fd" in its name--short for the intelligent Face Detection technology. However, if you're looking for a compact alternative, then the FinePix F31, which will be available end-November, might work for you.

Design
From afar and to the untrained eye, it is hard to differentiate the FinePix S6500fd from a conventional dSLR with its protruding lens, complete with manual zoom and focus rings. The camera sits well in our hands with molded rubber grips at the contact points. Raised bumps between the index and third fingers lend a more secure grip and the textured palm rest instills more user confidence for one-hand shooting.

	During our review, it was hard to feel which of the three modes the focus was set to even after we'd memorized the positions of the switch.

Even though the camera's exterior is mainly plastic, the unit feels solid yet lightweight enough to be tucked into a rucksack for the occasional trip out of town. The camera runs on AA-sized batteries, which is a big plus for the traveler who does not have access to mains.

The 10.7x (28mm-to-300mm, 35mm equivalent) optical zoom lens has a thread ring for the attachment of filters and the shooter also comes bundled with a petal-shaped lens hood that's designed to help reduce glare. In reality, this serves little more than cosmetic purposes as, while it might work for the wide end of the zoom, at the telephoto end it becomes too short to be of any practical use.

What we didn't quite fancy was the focus mode toggle. During our review, it was hard to feel which of the three modes the focus was set to even after we'd memorized the positions of the switch. We figured it could only get harder if the user was wearing gloves, for example, in colder climates.

The button layout on this FinePix is simple and well-spaced, with settings such as aperture and shutter settings easily changed using the left and right directional keypad. Things get a little tricky in manual mode. In order to change the aperture, one has to hold down the exposure compensation button near the shutter release and then press the up/down direction keys. This not only means taking the thumb and index finger away from gripping the camera, it also involves a painful contortion of fingers to make adjustments.

Changing ISOs has been relegated to the photo mode button at the bottom right corner of the camera, which is a disappointment since one of the S6500fd's strengths lies in its low-noise performance at high ISOs. If we had our way, we would have swapped either the EVF/LCD or the digital zoom button for a dedicated ISO key.

	The button layout on this FinePix is simple and well-spaced, with settings such as aperture and shutter settings easily changed using the left and right directional keypad.

There's no hotshoe on this FinePix so you won't be able to attach an external flash to the shooter, but Fujifilm contends that the built-in intelligent flash is enough to handle the job. While the in-built flash seemed up to the task during our review--approximately 5.6m at wide end and 3m at telephoto--it never hurts to have the option of installing a bigger, more powerful flash should the need arise.

Likewise, the plastic tripod mount on this camera is placed off the lens axis. While it may not be a big issue with the average photographer, enthusiasts looking to take landscape pictures or panoramic stitches with a tripod will find difficulty panning with the camera mounted off axis.

We also feel the camera strap in the package is a little too thin for comfort. Those accustomed to hanging the camera around your neck might want to invest in a sturdier, more comfortable strap.

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