Fuji F30. ISO 3200 in a digicam

From the press release:

<p><em>The 6.3 MegaPixel FinePix F30 is the world's first point-and-

shoot digital camera for consumers with full-resolution ISO

equivalency speeds as high as 3200 - a setting previously reserved

for advanced consumer and professional digital camera models. Higher

light sensitivities allow the FinePix F30 to shoot with faster

shutter speeds, which lessen the likelihood of blurry pictures caused

by ever-active children, fidgety pets, dim ambient light or camera

movement due to an unsteady hand. </em>

<p>

See <a

href="http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/PREventDetailPage.jsp

?DBID=NEWS_845157&CAT_ID=-

1007">http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/PREventDetailPage.jsp

?DBID=NEWS_845157&CAT_ID=-1007</a>

Interesting, though, that they only have images of the camera on the website, not those made

by the camera...

Is it ISO 3200 at full resolution (6MP)? Sounds interesting if it isn't bad noise over-reduction.

A friend has the earlier incarnation, the F10, and loves it. Noise is *very* low, and very

usable, at ISO 1600, and the battery lets him shoot something like 400 images before

needing to recharge.

I carried the F30 and left the D200 at home for a trip to Japan last week as I would like to

travel light.

I have had experience with F11 before and knew it was a very good DC. So my expectation

for F30 was already very high to start off with.

After my trip, I found the F30 is super and probably th best DC currently.

The camera response is very quick for on/off, zoom, focus, minimal time lag for

shuttering..............

The super CCD allows user to shoot up to 800ISO with no noise, acceptable noise level at

1600ISO.

The exposure and flash are accurate

The positive film mode is wonderful for flower photography

And many many others.............

I have no regret to leave my D200 at home if I want to travel light now<div></div>

Positive film mode<div></div>

Eric: I have a question for you about the manual exposure control on F30.

 

As a student cinematographer, I find it very handy to check the lighting and color balance of the scene with my compact digital camera. I set the white balance and exposure to the equivalent of the film camera and preview the scene. It is especially helpful when I need to communicate with the director.

 

I do this with my Canon A60. It allows total manual control over apeture, shutter, white balance, and ISO. Unforunately its LCD screen is too small and too dark, and it is showing excessive noise recently and is dying. I'm hoping the F30 would be a great replacement.

 

But I read from its specification that it only offers Apeture priority and shutter priority modes. Seems like the M mode is just a P mode with +/- EV compensation. Can you confirm it?

 

I need quick easy access to total exposure control and to override the light meter of the camera. Can I do that with the F30?

 

thanks

No. It's autoexposure in all modes. The best you can do is dial in some exposure compensation, but you cannot set both shutter speed and aperture.

I'm thinking about buying this camera and I have some questions:

Can it show an histogram preview before shooting?

Can it show an histogram soon after shooting?

Can I set it to always show them? (I use to do this with my current camera and wouldn't like to renounce to this facitlity

Is there any panorama facility? (this point is very important given the lack of the manual mode to keep esposition constant.

No histogram for F30. But the camera has very good performance of light metering and focus. So it is not necessary for a histogram.