Two New Cameras

In a world of me-too point and shoot cameras, two digitals recently caught my attention, as they offered features that separated them from the pack. And I’m not talking about simply having more “scenes,” a touch panel, or (heaven forbid!) 3D!

First is the 10 MP Fuji FinePix HS10. Fuji is not always the first name you think of in the camera world, but as “Fuji Photo Film” they gave Kodak a run for their money with both film and the cameras that used them. And they have been making digital cameras right along with the other big names for years. It did seem that they got lost in the marketing shuffle for a few years due to confusing technical explanations of how their sensors worked, but this does not diminish the quality of their products.

The FinePix HS10 is what was called a “bridge camera” in the days of film. That’s because it offers a lot more than a compact point and shoot, but is a bit less than a full-blown single lens reflex camera with changeable optics. 

The current model offers two live view screens. One is on the back where you expect it and the other is inside a smaller “finder” on the top that looks a lot like the optical pentaprism found on SLRs. I like these kind of finders, as in bright light the large ones often are not useable.

But the real gem with this rig is the (non-removable) zoom lens. It covers the 35mm camera equivalent of 24mm wide angle to 720mm telephoto. That’s 30X!  And this is all optical, no digital zoom here!

This kind of lens range begs the question: Do I really need an SLR with other lenses?  For many, the answer is a qualified “no.”

Assuming the optics are high quality, the only time you would need other lens would be when shooting in extreme low light (needing a "fast" aperture) or if you needed a 360 degree fisheye lens. That’s when the pros slip on the big gun lenses that cost between $2,000 and $5,000 dollars.

Chances are you won’t always get action stopping shots of little Johnny or Susie scoring with the winning basketball shot with this camera. As with your point and shoot compact model, the maximum apertures, especially at telephoto settings, just are not large enough for that kind of action in available light. However with a maximum ISO of 6400, things are looking better!

At the time of this writing, there are not too many in–depth reviews of this camera. But I look forward to finding out more about this newest Fuji.

The other camera that caught my eye is the 10 MP Nikon P7000. It’s a camera that closely resembles a quality 35mm rangefinder with top deck controls.  The first thing that caught my eye was the oversized optical viewfinder. Next was the top mounted exposure compensation dial, a feature I value more than metering patterns and autofocus gismos. That’s because digital cameras act more like film cameras loaded with slide film. There is very little tolerance for over and under exposure.  Being able to quickly lighten or darken an image is essential to my kind of photography.  Of course, the camera has all kinds of electronic bells and whistles as well.

Both cameras are in the $400 range with the price already slipping on the Nikon. Since the Fuji is new, the price will stay higher until the “first kid on the block” buyers are taken care of.

For more specs, Google either camera.  You'll also get current prices and availability.