Fujifilm FinePix S8100fd

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By Rich Trenholm, CNET.co.uk
Jul 23, 2008

Sometimes things are just too far away to see. That's where superzooms like the 10-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix S8100fd come in. The enormous 18x zoom lens is perfect for getting up close to the action at sports events, concerts or when stalking unrequited loves.

The question that hangs over these dSLR-styled yet compact-proportioned snappers is how useful they are everyday and whether the cost of a large lens is compromised pictures.

Editors' note:

This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.co.uk. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia.

Design

The S8100 avoids the lumpen blockiness of many superzooms. The grip feels enormous for solid one-handed shooting. The zoom is lightning fast to leap in and out. It's a little clunky for fine adjustments, but the collar rocker switch is chunky and grippable.

The lens extending will pop the lens cap off, which saves some hassle. But is it healthy for the lens?
(click for larger image)

An odd design quirk that we've seen a few times recently is that turning the camera on causes the extending lens to pop the lens cap off. While this saved us the bother, we wonder if it's healthy for the lens.

The pop-up flash is activated by a button at the side of the flash unit. It sits slightly above the lens to reduce red eye.

The S8100's 2.5-inch LCD screen can display up to 100 micro thumbnails in a grid. The viewfinder is always useful, although like most electronic viewfinders, this one is grainy, with diagonal lines not rendered very well.

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