Fujifilm Finepix Z20fd 10MP is a new, ultra-glam digital camera packed with useful features that let you face it, beam it, blog it and now roll it with a new MPEG-4 movie recording mode for the movie-crazed among us.
The 10-megapixel FinePix Z20fd features an ultra-portable design, a Fujinon 3x optical zoom lens, 2.5-inch LCD screen, and packs 45MB of internal memory to give you some extra room when your memory card is full. The style-savvy FinePix Z20fd also introduces Fujifilm’s handy new Dual Blog Mode that automatically resizes any still image or movie you’ve captured, letting you post pictures and videos to blogs, video-sharing websites like YouTube, or e-mail to friends with ease.
As with the FinePix Z10fd, the Z20fd also allows picture takers to Face It with Fujifilm’s innovative Face Detection Technology with Automatic Red Eye Removal for capturing the ultimate group shots and Beam It with Fujifilm’s IrSimple technology to share the image instantly with friends. A one-touch selectable mode that identifies up to 10 human faces in a scene, Face Detection Technology sets the correct focus for a chosen primary face and exposure for all detected faces automatically, regardless of where subjects are located within the frame. After the shot is taken, each detected face is instantly checked for red eye; if found, it is corrected automatically, saving the time consuming process of fixing it later. Fujifilm’s IrSimple technology allows for fast, easy wireless image transfer to any IrSimple-equipped device.
Fujifilm’s Picture Stabilization Technology uses higher sensitivities — up to ISO 1600 in the Z20fd — and faster shutter and operational speeds, that help reduce camera shake, allowing photographers to capture the moment just as it was meant to
This high-style camera can also Roll It with an impressive Movie mode, capturing full motion MPEG4 video with the touch of a separate movie shutter button. Using the Successive Movie mode, in-camera editing allows for the creation of a 60-second movie clip, even when shooting in two or more scenes is desired. Start and restart multiple times to build a 60-second compilation, and edit the start and end points.
Helpful consumer’s review
This is a very attractive camera, with lots of cool features and very good screen. However, the core function of a camera, for me, is to take pictures, and in this respect the Z20fd failed.
I am not a `novice’ user, but nor am I an expert. I don’t even have the best eyesight in the world. I do not expect perfection from such a well priced product. However, it was clear to me from the outset that the picture quality on this camera was poor. Such was the good quality of the screen that I could tell without even downloading the pictures, that they were not good. When I downloaded them, they all clearly lacked definition and wereoverexposed. This was a couple of trial shots taken around the house and garden. I couldn’t believe it! I therefore took a series of identical shots (on identical settings) with the Z20fd and my cheap old pocket Olympus (D-435). When the pictures were compared side-by-side, I was surprised to find that the Olympus was obviously better. I then showed the pictures to my wife, without telling her what camera took the pictures, and in every case she thought the Olympus was better.
All the professional reviews of this camera agree that its picture quality is rubbish. I ignored them as I don’t regard myself as expert enough to see or care about the imperfections they find. Instead, I decided to go with the all the positive feedback left here.
Regrettably, I sent the Z20fd back and am looking for another camera. In the meantime I’ll stick with my old Olympus. As I said, I am not one who expects the earth for a dime. I really wanted this snazzy little camera. But ultimately, it can’t take a decent picture.
(The reason I’m giving it two stars instead of one, is that it has loads of cool features and a good screen, so good, in fact, I immediately saw how crap it’s pictures were.)
