Fujifilm FinePix F31fd

6.30 Megapixels   3X zoom   2.5 inch LCD

After in September I reviewed the most recent Fujifilm FinePix F30, and provide it high marks particularly pro its market-leading dim light and high ISO capabilities, which at the time were unmatched by any other camera on the marketplace. It seems I was not unaccompanied in my admiration of the F30; while it went on to win the TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) award pro extremely best compact digital camera of 2006, and positive reviews as of other photography magazines and websites. It has proved to be an exceptionally well-liked and recent model.

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Of course Fujifilm was keen to capitalize on this achievement, therefore in November it begin the FinePix F31fd, which is foundation on the F30 though features the addition of the ultra-fast hardware-based Face Detection most excellent technology first seen in the FinePix F6500fd, released here in October. Its current listing price is £259.99 however it is widely accessible from online retailers pro under £200.

That makes it fairly expensive compared to other 6MP compacts, like the Canon A540 (£140), very attractive casing Kodak EasyShare C663 (£140), superb Nikon CoolPix L2 (£140), extremely fantastic Olympus FE-200 (£170), most recent and stylish Pentax Optio S6 (£185) or Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W50 (£145). Therefore none of these rival cameras offer the same dim-light, high-ISO capability, and merely one of them (the Nikon L2) has face detection technology.

In emergence the F31fd is, naturally, virtually identical to the F30, by only the addition of a little rubberised grip on the frontage panel detailing, and an more label on one of the back panel buttons - which make active the Face Detection system - to tell about the two models apart. It has the absolutely same strong all-metal body prepared in a attractive anodized semi-matt texture, the similar 3x zoom f/2.8 – f/5.0 Fujinon lens, and the same 230,000 pixel non-reflective 2.5in LCD monitor as its much older sibling.

Internally also the F31fd shares its most important components by the earlier model. It is equipped by Fuji’s outstanding Real Photo Processor II, the technology that make the Face Detection system feasible, and the extremely fine CCD HR VI sensor.

While I’ve noted before, Fujifilm has forever insisted, fairly exactly, that much better-quality image processing, a very well lens and an efficient sensor are far more significant pro final picture quality than merely cramming more and more photo sensors on the CCD. More manufacturers and the buying the people appear to be coming belatedly to the realization that there is small actual advantage to be had from a 10-megapixel compact, while the quality of most compact zoom lenses merely cannot match that type of resolving power. 10MP sensors are as well more prone to image noise and have relatively low down dynamic range. It is usually reckoned that by current lens technology, among six and seven megapixels is the finest resolution pro compact cameras.

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