Compact Review Fujifilm FinePix SL300

74 % Rs.19,499

Super-zoom cameras are budget options for amateurs looking for D-SLR-like functions, without spending too much on lenses and other accessories. Offering upwards of 20x zooms, these cater to the class of people looking for a camera that can capture images from landscapes to wildlife. Fujifilm has been one of the specialists in super-zoom segment, and the new FinePix SL300 features a 30x zoom equivalent to 24 to 720 mm in the 35 mm format, capable of covering anything an amateur is likely to shoot.

Design and Build Quality

The Fujifilm FinePix SL300 is constructed with sturdy engineering plastic. It features a standard accessory shoe to attach an external flash. The lens

is constructed with only two barrels, including one that protrudes out while zooming. The lens has focal lengths marked on the barrel both in terms of actual focal length and in 35mm equivalent. It also has an additional zoom lever on the outer barrel. The camera features an electronic viewfinder in addition to the LCD panel. Tripod mount is plastic.

Key Features

The 14.0-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix SL300 uses a 1/2.3-inch Type (6.16 x 4.62 mm) CCD for imaging. It features CCD-shift image stabilisation. The camera features a Fujinon 24 to 720 mm equivalent lens with aperture range of f/3.1 to 8 at the wide-angle end, and f/5.9 to 20 (only three apertures) at the telephoto end. In the Normal mode, the lens focusses from approximately 40 cm to infinity at the wide-angle end and approximately 2.8 m to infinity at the telephoto end. In Macro mode, it focusses from approximately 7 cm to 3.0 m at the wide-angle end, and approximately 2.0m to 3.0m at the telephoto end. In Supermacro mode, it can focus as close as approximately 2cm. The camera uses TTL contrast detect method for focussing, and

focus modes available are single and continuous AF. AF frame options are Centre, Multi, and Tracking. At full resolution, the camera provides a maximum continuous shooting speed of 1.2 frames per second. The SL300 uses TTL 256-zone method for metering with options of Multi, Spot, and Average. Exposure can be compensated up to +/-2.0 EV in 1/3EV steps. Shutter speeds range from 8 to 1/2000 sec, while sensitivity ranges from ISO 64 to 1600 (can be boosted up to ISO 6400 in Small image size) along with an Auto option. Shooting modes available are SR Auto (Scene Recognition), Auto, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Custom, Movie, Panorama, and SP (Scene Position). Scene Position offers options of Zoom Bracketing, Natural Light with Flash, Natural Light, Portrait, Baby, Smile, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night ( Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Party, Flower, and Text. The FinePix SL300 offers White Balance options of Fine, Shade, Fluorescent ( Daylight), Fluorescent ( Warm White), Fluorescent (Cool White), Incandescent, and Custom, along with Auto option. Still images are recorded in JPEG format while videos are recorded in AVI format. The maximum recorded pixels is 4288 x 3216 for still images, while videos are recorded with the best quality of 1280 x 720 pixels at 30 fps. The self-timer can be set for a delay of either 2 sec or 10 sec. The builtin flash has a range of approximately 40cm to 8.0m at the wide-angle end and approximately 2.5m to 4.1m at the telephoto end when the ISO is set to Auto. Flash modes available are Auto, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow synchro, Red-eye Reduction Auto, Red- eye Reduction and Forced Flash, and Red-eye Reduction and Slow Synchro. The camera features a standard accessory shoe for attaching an external flash. The camera also features additional photography functions such as Instant Zoom, Face Detection, Multiframe Playback, Protect, Crop, Resize, Slide show, Image rotate, Voice memo, Histogram display, Exposure warning, Photobook assist, Image search, Favourites, Mark for Upload, Panorama, and Erase selected frames. The Fujifilm SL300 uses a 0.2-inch, approximately 200,000-dot electronic viewfinder with approximately 97% coverage. The main display is a 7.6 cm, approximately 4600,00 dots TFT colour LCD, providing approximately 97% coverage. The camera does not feature an internal memory, but accepts an SD/SDHC/SDXC memory

card for external storage. The device is powered by a rechargeable Liion battery pack NP-85. It weighs approximately 510g including batteries and memory card and has dimensions of 122.0 x 93.0 x 100.0 mm ( W x H x D).

Ergonomics

The Fujifilm SL300 is very comfortable to hold with a deep and rubberised hand grip. The back also features a protruding thumb rest, which helps you to hold it firmly. Images appeared crisp on the LCD, though we could observe some pixel jitter. The EVF suffered from tunnel vision, nevertheless it will aid you to take shake-free images in low light while the camera is hand-held. All the controls were easily accessible and the slightly inclined mode dial is easier to use.

Performance

The Fujifilm FinePix SL300 performed reasonably well in our tests. All metering modes worked well. The camera produced sharp images. Darkening of corners was controlled well. Though slight darkening was observed at the corners at the wideangle end with wide-open aperture, we would consider it to be good enough. Barrel distortion was observed up to 48mm equivalent, while pincushion distortion was evident from 60 to 300 mm equivalent. The camera was slow in autofocussing even under fairly good lighting conditions. We observed prominent flare along with slight purple fringing at the wide-angle end with the lens wide open. The SL300 disappointed us on the White Balance front. The camera produced distinct colour casts in most White Balance modes except under Shade in Auto White Balance and Fluorescent light under Fluorescent 2 setting. Though the colour casts could be corrected easily in Photoshop, Fujifilm needs to improve on out-ofthe-box image quality. Native image size was 10.72 x 14.29 inches at 300 ppi. At 25% of the native size, images were noise-free up to ISO 800. Images from ISO 400 upwards appeared soft as well. Observed at 50%, Noise appeared from ISO 800 onwards. At 100% view, ISO 64 was noise-free. Overall, images were perfectly usable up to ISO 400. But, we think even this could do with some improvement.

Value for Money

The Fujifilm FinePix SL300 retails at an MRP of Rs.19,499. At this price, this super-zoom camera is competitively priced.

SPECIFICATIONS Effective pixels : 14.0 million Image sensor : 1/2.3-inch Type CCD with

primary colour filter Image stabiliser : CCD shift type Lens : 24 - 720mm equivalent Aperture range : f/3.1 -8 ( Wide-angle)

f/5.9 -20 ( Telephoto) Lens constitution : 15 elements, 11 groups Focus distance : Normal: Wide: Approx. 40 cm to ∞ (from lens surface) Telephoto: Approx. 2.8 m to ∞ Macro: Wide: Approx. 7 cm - 3.0 m

Tele: Approx. 2.0 - 3.0 m Super Macro: Approx. 2 cm - 1.0 m Storage media : Internal memory: none

External Storage: SD/SDHC/SDXC File format : Still image: JPEG; Movie: AVI Max. recd. pixels : 4288 x 3216 Sensitivity : Auto, ISO 64 – 1600 Exposure control : TTL 256-zones metering Metering modes : Multi, Spot, Average Shooting modes : SR Auto (Scene Recognition), Auto, P, S, A, M, Custom, Movie, Panorama, SP (Scene Priority) Scene Priority : Zoom Bracketing, Natural Light with Flash, Natural Light, Portrait, Baby, Smile, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night ( Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Party, Flower, Text Shutter speed : 8 to 1/2000sec AF Modes : Single, Continuous AF frame selection : Centre, Multi, Area, Tracking Electronic Viewfinder : 0.2-inch, approx. 200,000 dots,

colour LCD Display : 7.6cm, approx. 460,000 dots, TFT

colour LCD Power supply : Li-ion battery NP-85 Dimensions : 122.0 x 93.0 x 100.0 mm Weight : Approx. 510 g (incl battery & card)