Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR

The slick little ultra compact we got our hands on this time, is Fujifilm’s first ultra compact to come equipped with their new Super CCD EXR sensor - the Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR.

The F200EXR is a really handsome critter, with the mix of a shiny, smooth, black powder metal finish body with ample silver parts (some steel, some plastic), that play with contrasts in an aesthetically pleasing manner. The edges are curved out, giving it a sleek look. That, coupled with the fact that the camera has no jutting out edges, makes for a very portable camera that measures just 98 x 59 x 23 mm. The camera’s weight is just about average for an ultra compact - 205 grams - but the fact that the weight’s so evenly distributed, makes it feel really light and convenient to hold.

The button placement gave us nothing to complain about - the shutter button’s placed where you’d expect it, with a small power button nested right besides it. The facing side of the camera’s got a mode dial on top with a preview and function button right below it. The preview button allows you to well, preview pictures, while the function button is your one touch answer for settings such as ISO, Shutter speed etc., depending on the mode selected. Below these buttons are the menu button, the navigation D-pad, and the back and face recognition buttons. Besides it nests a 3-inch LCD, that performs reasonably well in outdoor conditions too.

While the Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR doesn’t feature anything out of the ordinary like the Samsung NV9’s analog dial for battery and memory capacity, it hones a really good looking frame. Its button placements are decent too, only it would be a little better if the shutter button would be a little towards the left, since when you keep your index finger on it, your palm will be far from the body of the camera. Ideally, your palm should rest, or at least touch the frame of the camera to let you grip it better. Also, the lack of any textured parts around the camera make it harder to grip.

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The F200EXR comes packed with a plethora of features that are new to the F series. To begin with though, this 12 megapixel camera features a Super CCD EXR Sensor. The modes supported are Program AE, Manual, Video, Scene, Natural, Natural with flash, Auto and Auto EXR.

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Auto EXR mode uses the camera’s movable EXR sensor to the fullest, allowing for three types of shots - Resolution Priority, High ISO and Low Noise, and D-Range Priority. The Resolution Priority mode sets the camera best suited for the scene at hand, so that the camera images captured are at max (12 MP) resolution. High ISO and Low Noise shots are a clever feature that takes shots in full resolution, and scales them down to 6 megapixel to reduce image noise in all those low-light shots, tremendously. D-Range Priority mode allows you to take shots that preserve details in both lit and shadowed areas.

The Macro mode of the camera is decent, but not too impressive. The camera couldn’t focus on objects that were closer than 3-inches, which isn’t too bad normally, but when compared to other ultra compacts that are way cheaper (read: Samsung NV9), it pales in comparison. Color reproduction however, was vivid and auto-white balance was spot on.

The Night mode of the camera on the other hand, is absolutely brilliant even without keeping the camera in EXR Auto. As you can see from the shot below, the camera does an excellent job of preserving details; but while it’s low on the grain you see in low light shots, the camera does create its own flavor of artifacts - illuminated pixels sprinkled all over dark areas. Blame it on the new sensor, I say!

The camera’s ISO performance was a marked improvement over the previous Fujifilm cameras we’ve reviewed, so the new Super CCD EXR Sensor has its share of advantages. The camera performed really well till ISO 400, after which it deteriorated gradually. The crazy bit is that the camera actually goes up to ISO 12800; while the shots produced aren’t really usable, the results are quite entertaining.

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The Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR isn’t the best ultra compact out there, but it offers a plethora of unique features that might interest you. The macro performance on the other was underwhelming, but the camera did better than its predecessors in low light conditions. While the camera performed decently in well-lit shots, it had its share of let downs, like an inadequate battery life which can be a deal breaker for many. With a price tag like Rs. 22,000 MRP, there’s no reason compelling enough to buy this one.