Fuji Camera

Fujifilm FinePix F60fd Overview

by Andrew Alexander and Mike Tomkins

The Fujifilm FinePix F60fd is based around a seventh generation 1/1.6-inch Super CCD HR image sensor with twelve megapixel resolution coupled to a Fujinon-branded 3x optical zoom lens that offers a range from a rather tight 35mm wide angle to a 105mm telephoto. The image sensor is mounted on a movable platter, allowing for sensor-shift type image stabilization. ISO sensitivity ranges up to a maximum of ISO 1,600 equivalent at full resolution (3,200 at a reduced five megapixel resolution, or 6,400 at three megapixels or below). The Fuji FinePix F60fd's rear panel offers no optical viewfinder, instead opting solely for a large 3-inch LCD display with 230,000 dots of resolution.

Following in the footsteps of the past F50fd model, the Fujifilm F60fd features face detection as its "fd" designation might imply. The Fuji F60fd has a third-generation implementation of this feature, capable of detecting up to ten faces in a scene in just 0.036 seconds. The angle at which the camera can detect a face has been further improved, with the company stating that the F60fd can now handle faces even at a 90 degree side profile, and even when the face is turned on its side or completely upside down. The face detection system is linked to both the autofocus and autoexposure systems, and to post-exposure red-eye removal.

The Fujifilm F60fd offers a new Scene Recognition Auto mode which is capable of automatically detecting one of four different scene types, and then selecting the scene mode as appropriate: Portrait, Landscape, Macro, or Night. Focusing modes in the Fuji F60fd include both Multi or Center as well as the aforementioned Face Detection. Shutter speeds range from 8 seconds to 1/2,000 second, and apertures from f/2.8 at wide angle or a rather dim f/5.1 at telephoto to f/8.0 when stopped down.

Perhaps unusually for a compact camera these days, the Fujifilm F60fd offers a fair range of manual controls, including the ability to shoot in aperture or shutter-priority modes, as well as manual control of white balance and ISO sensitivity. Thirteen scene modes give some control over the look of images without the need to understand shutter speeds, apertures and the like, and a high-speed burst shooting mode offers five frames per second for up to twelve frames, the tradeoff being that this is achieved at a reduced three-megapixel resolution. The Fuji F60fd is also capable of recording VGA or QVGA videos with sound, using the QuickTime Motion JPEG format.

The Fujifilm FinePix F60fd stores its images on SD or SDHC cards, xD-Picture Cards, or in 25MB of built-in memory, and draws power from an NP-50 lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Available from September 2008 with pricing of about $300, the Fuji FinePix F60fd comes in silver and black body colors.

source:imaging-resource.com