The SLR-styled Fujifilm FinePix S5000 combines a powerful 10x optical zoom lens with a 3.1-megapixel Fujifilm Super CCD, which is capable of nearly doubling the number of effective pixels that are processed and stored. The S5000 also features a movie mode with audio, high sensitivity settings, continuous frame shooting, and a host of manual controls.
Optics and Resolution
The FinePix S5000 features a powerful f/2.8 Fujinon 6x aspherical zoom lens that's equivalent to 37-370mm in 35mm photography and a smooth 3.2x digital zoom. The S5000's Super CCD HR offers 3.1 effective megapixels (2048 x 1536 pixels), which can translate to 6.1 million recorded pixels (2,816 x 2,120 pixels). It also offers 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, and 1280 x 960 resolution modes.
Effective pixels are the number of light sensitive pixels that are actually used by the camera's image sensor (the CCD) to record light. The term recorded pixels refers to the number of output pixels that are recorded to the memory card.
FujiFilm's Super CCD
The Super CCD is a proprietary version of the CCD (charged coupling device) system of light-gathering diodes that captures images into pixels. The Super CCD utilizes larger, octagonal-shaped, light-gathering diodes called Picture Elements (pixels) that are laid out in a saw-tooth pattern. Super CCDs can capture more light information than ordinary CCDs.
The FinePix S5000 features the fourth generation Super CCD HR (High Resolution), which is capable of nearly doubling the number of effective pixels that are processed and stored as additional detail in the recorded pixel file.
Movie Mode and Voice Memo Feature
The S5000 captures continuous QVGA-quality MPEG video with audio at a length only limited by the size of your memory card. You'll get 320 x 240 pixel video at 30 frames per second. With the included 16 MB XD memory card, you can capture 26 seconds of video.
The voice memo feature enables you to attach short audio recordings (up to 30 seconds) along with your captured photos to help you remember details. The voice memos are saved as WAV files and can be e-mailed along with image files.
More Features
The S5000 has an accurate, state-of-the-art, high-speed autofocus (AF) system that makes focusing quicker and more precise. The AF Assist illuminator ensures accurate focus on specific areas in low light conditions. The continuous autofocus feature automatically adjusts focus as the camera moves. The continuous shooting mode enables you to capture 5 frames per second at 6 MP (megapixel) mode, or up to 40 frames at 1 MP mode.
Other features include:
- 1.5-inch LCD monitor and .33-inch electronic viewfinder
- Built-in flash with auto, red-eye reduction, forced flash, suppressed flash, and slow synchro modes
- Shutter speed: 2 seconds to 1/2000 second
- Still image formats: JPEG and CCD RAW
- Exposure modes include automatic, manual, aperture priority, exposure compensation, program AE, and shutter priority auto mode.
Storage and Transfer Images are stored on XD memory cards, and a 16 MB card is included. When shooting images at 6 MP, the 16 MB card will store approximately 10 images; at 3MP, you can store approximately 19 images. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB 1.1, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.
Power and Size
The camera is powered by 4 AA batteries; alkaline batteries are included, but rechargeable NiMH batteries are recommended. It measures 4.4 by 3.2 by 3.1 inches and weighs 11.9 ounces (excluding batteries and media).
What's In The Box
This package includes the FinePix S5000 digital camera, 16 MB XD memory card, 4 AA alkaline batteries, USB and A/V cables, shoulder strap, and lens adapter ring. The included CD-ROM features FinePix View 4 imaging software, Image Mixer VCD for FinePix, QuickTime 5, and USB drivers for Windows and Mac.
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2 The top of the line
I have had this camera for about a year now, and I love it more every time I use it. It produces such high quality photos. Most people believe that they need a camera with more mega pixel, but the camera has it all-it has the mega pixels and incredible zoom. I would recommend this camera to everyone beginners and more advance photographers.
3 Rock and Roll!
If you don't mind it's bulk compared this camera packs a punch. Absolutely love it for taking macro-photo shots. Easy to put in all your 55 and 52mm (with adapter) filters that you probably already own. Using this baby with a +4 magnification filter and you are taking a full frame picture of a dime in focus. Artistic creativity abounds with full manual control if you so desire, or very sophisticated automatic action. Have been using for a year and I am pleased as can be. Lock, load, shoot!
4 Great camera
I have had this camera for about 5 months now and am extremely pleased with it. This is my 4th digital camera, and is by far my absolute favorite. It takes gorgeous pictures - I've had many printed and everyone I show them to is amazed that they are from a digital camera. I use it on the 3 megapixel setting, and the pictures are just as nice or better than pictures from my film Canon Rebel SLR. The battery life is great as well - After 5 months, I've gone through the batteries that come with the camera, and am only on my second set of Energizer E2 lithium batteries - and I use the camera a lot. The camera is really easy to use, and although many reviewers have said they needed a tripod to get clear pictures using the 10x optical zoom, I haven't had a problem with them coming out blurry at all just by holding the camera in my hands. There is hardly a lag like most digital cameras have between the time when you press the shutter button and when the picture is actually taken - I've taken hundreds of pictures of my brother's soccer games, and with a little practice, have gotten a lot of great action shots of him. I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone looking for a better-quality digital camera. I haven't had any problems with it, and the picture quality, even on 3mp, is amazing. This is a great camera.
5 You can't go wrong with the S5000
I bought my Fuji S5000 just over a year ago, and since then have taken well over 3000 pictures - it was my first foray from film to digital and it has made me a true convert. I was very reluctant to go digital - I liked the reliability of film camera (ie no pictures getting lost on a hard drive or facing technical difficulties trying to figure out how to use it) as well as the quality of the images, so it was going to take a really good camera to convince me that it was worth it.
I selected the S5000 for a few key reasons: it got very good reviews from serious photographers as to the the quality of the images (which are totally justified), it was very intuitive to use (my 7 year old figured it out in about 2 minutes and loves taking and viewing pictures on it), it is very light and easy to handle, and it takes AA batteries (a lifesaver - extras are always available anywhere, and money-saver since I use rechargeables). An added benefit was the 10x zoom which has been amazing at my daughter's soccer & softball games and other outdoor school events - it is the envy of the parental paparazzi along the sidelines at her games.
This camera has surpassed my expectations in every area, prodcucing clear and reliably superb pictures in a variety of conditions. I have avoided the shutter-lag issue which turned me off to many digital cameras by using the feature which allows you to depress the shutter button halfway to focus, and then pause to wait for the perfect moment with almost no lag time when you ultimately depress the shutter the rest of the way. Self timer, black & white mode, and rapid shooting (which takes up to 5 picutres in rapid succession) are all very easy to use. I must say that I have not used the Manual Mode at all, even though that was an important feature to me in selecting a camera. I hope to master that mode soon, but when you're running around trying to get shots of active kids you are very grateful for the outstanding Automatic Mode!
I did upgrade to a larger memory card - 128 mB. I can take up to about 140 pictures on it, and combined with the 30 or so I can get on the card that came with it I have plenty of room to store all my picutres from a 1 week vacation.
Printed pictures come out wonderfully. I print all my pictures at Costco because they are printed using the same machine as film pictures, therefore alleviating my concern that pictures printed with printer ink and paper will not withstand the test of time. Plus at $.19 per picture it is way cheaper than buying photo paper and photo quality ink, not to mention a time saver (I take a lot of pictures!). I also feel that the quality of the pictures, particularly the color, is better than some of the online printers like Shutterfly.
I have never loved a camera as much as I have do this one, and I only realized this when I thought I had lost it a week ago. Debating whether this was my chance to finally upgrade to a SLR like the Nikon D70, I realized that the S5000 was the perfect camera for me and that I would be a fool to not replace it with the same thing. Lucky for me I found it (at the bottom of my kids' closet - don't ask me how it got there). So the story has a happy ending, and I am contentedly back to taking pictures with my S5000.
6 As Good as it Gets at this price
I purchased this camera 8 months ago and wish I had checked the price on Amazon before doing so. The shape and style of this camera and its black body make it look far more expensive than it really is and set it apart from many other cameras on the market.
But you don't buy a camera for its look alone, or do you? (not a good idea). Having said that in this case you would not go far wrong. The camera is packed with features that will please not only the casual snapper but also those who would like to get far more involved in their photography.
The lens is as good as anything in this price range and the zoom is up their with the top range models. If you just want to let the camera make the choices for you leave it on automatic, your photographs will be excellent. If you already have the technical skills or would like to make your own decisions regarding shutter speed, aperture, white balance etc. the camera allows you to do this. The different modes allow portrait; landscape, night shots, I could go on forever. I like to take pictures of my cacti collection and the macro facility is excellent. The camera fits in the hand beautifully and feels like a solid piece of equipment. The only slight criticism I have, is that by the time the camera tells you your batteries are low on power, it is too late to do anything about it, apart from replace them. This is a gem and I doubt you will get it cheaper than on Amazon.
7 This is My first Digital Camera...and it's Wonderful!
I bought the camera from a camera store after doing some extensive on line research and talking to the clerks about the options that meet my needs best, and I have to say that the Coolpix S5000 has certainly lived up to all expectations! I love the fact that the controls are so versatile and give me all the control over the images that I need to meet all of my amature photography needs! I am still learning how to use this feature rich camera and hope to keep improving my skills to take full advantage of it's potential!
The only issues I have had with the camera came in low light situations (Indoors at night), but I am certain that I am not using the settings to the best advantage, so I can't say for sure if it's the camera, or my inexperience with the settings that is to blame. I tend to think it's me...
8 The Perfect Digital Camera
I bought the FujiFilm S5000 3.1MP in early April 2004 for my honeymoon and then to use on a regular basis for other travel and events. I spent much time researching various cameras with similar features. I decided on this camera because it has 3.1MP (a higher MP is only needed by a professional photographer), great zoom options, exposed LCD window, lighter weight, and a nice design. Given that I use the camera in the correct lighting and without a shaky hand, all of my pictures are crystal clear and professional looking. This is the perfect digital camera to own, and for having it for over 6 months, I am still certain that I made the best buy. My husband is very happy with it too, and we are both amateur photographers, but since we have an excellent camera, we are often complemented on taking professional looking photographs.
9 The Best Camera for Price Point and Features
I have had this camera for a year and it is wonderful.
I was hesitant to purchase a digital camera given my experience with a first generation Sony Mavica (that had a disk drive) and that I am a photo enthusiast. I have a Canon SLR film camera that I adore and even used to take photos of my sister's wedding (semi-professionally). I, however, have not even picked up my SLR since I received this camera.
Zoom-There is sufficient rangers withing digital and optical
zoom that allows you to retain excellent picture quality.
Flash-Easy to use and sustains enough light to get good quality
indoor and night pictures. It has been a great help at posting
items on ebay when it is difficult to get good light indoors.
Software-Simple to transfer pictures from your camera to your
computer and to view on your television. The controls on the
camera themselves are also easy to use for deletion, saving
and changing to macro and other features.
Viewing Screens-Able to see very well thru the viewfinder as
well as the LCD.
Manual-So glad you do have manual options. Especially in low
light situations. If I want a crisp picture but know that the
auto settings will show too much movement I can adjust the
settings and then gamma correct on the computer.
Video-Nice to do short video clips. The picture quality is not
great but is a great extra feature when you have cute
nephews who do cute things :)
The only drawbacks I would advise on this camera are just true of all digital cameras. Interior shows are difficult to master. You have to practice a lot and take lots of pictures before you can become comfortable with the picture quality in dark and interior environments.
I highly recommend this item for the average user as well as someone like myself who is used to a film SLR. If you just want a slim point and shoot you may want to seek a different camera, however, as this camera is more the size of a small 35MM w/ out the large lens.
10 One single e fatal flaw
I bought the CoolPix based on reviews from here. It is a fine designed camera, takes perfect pictures and have very flexible lenses. The gadgetry is superb. But:
The time delay between the press of your finger and the catch of the scene is so long that is impossible to take snap shots, instant shots. Cartier Bresson will trow away this handsome camera. This time delay is much less in other cameras, like the Olympus D460, which I always have. If you dont need to take that kind of shot, it is a perfect camera for you.
11 Great Camera
I love this camera. I bought it on my honeymoon, becasue my APS camera died and I had to have pictures of that. Well I was a bit nervous becasue I didn't have much information about it, but the wife liked it so we got it. As it turns out, this is the perfect digital camera for me. It takes beautiful pictures even though it is only 3.1 MP. We have had some develouped at the Kodak digital camera stations and they look just like film. Some of the features that you will love about this digital camera are:
1. 10x OPTICAL zoom. Most digital camera advertise how much digital zoon they have. This is a totally useless feature for me. I mean think about it. If you have a digital camera, yours pictures are going on your computer where you have digital phote software to edit or zoom your photos.
2. Complete SLR like controls. On most of the digital cameras that don't cost $800 you are stuck with basic controls and options for fine tuning your pictures. Not so on this camera. You can choose a variety of picture modes as well as film speeds, aperature, shuttere speeds and so on.
3 The ability to attack filters and adapters lenses. While this feature may not apply to al users, it does increase the overall flexibility of the camera. For example you can buy a 1.5X telephoto adapter and increase your zoom to 15x instead of 10x or you can add a polorize filter for outdoor picturtes.
One caution that I have noticed however. If you are using lens adapters or filters (I have both) you need to zoom in a few steps, otherwise the corners of your pictures will be rounded off. I think this may be a design flaw in the off brand wide angle LENS ADAPTER I bought, NOT the camera.
All in all its a great camera and great for those who want to move beyond a simple point and shoot and take the step up and have control over their pictures. I love this camera and it has stood up to abuse of the road and everyday use. I would recommend it to anyone as a great buy.
12 Awesome camera for amateur photography buff!!
If you are looking for a digital camera that is a few steps above basic but aren't quite ready to pony up $800 or $900 for an SLR, look at the Fuji S5000. It has great features and produces quality prints without costing a fortune. My husband and I got our S5000 in May and we LOVE it! We had been working with a Sony Mavica, which we enjoyed, but we had decided to get something a bit more advanced. In the S5000 we found exactly what we were looking for.
The S5000 has 6x optical zoom plus 4x digital zoom which impressed us. We had to adjust a bit to using this camera since it does have quite a few more features than we were used to but it has been enjoyable playing and learning. One thing that has taken a bit getting used to is the delay on the shutter. When you press the button to take a picture, there is a 2-3 second delay which means you may not get the exact picture you intended. At first this was a bit annoying; however, with some practice we have learned to adjust to this. This camera has the ability to take MPEG video so it gives us the versatility to make a short "movie" and since we have small children this feature has really been fantastic for catching some funny moments that couldn't have been captured with just a single shot alone.
One thing I initially was worried about was the quality of the pictures since this camera was "only" 3.1MP. So far, this has not been a problem. The pictures that we have had printed thus far have been of very good quality. While the color is not quite as rich and the pictures are not quite as crisp as what we get from our 35mm, they are much better than what I had expected.
A couple of things to think about when budgeting for this camera. First of all it only comes with a 16MB card which doesn't hold a whole lot of pictures and even less if you do ANY kind of video. You should definately plan on getting a larger card (we bought a 128MB one). Also, this camera can use regular alkline batteries but do yourself a favor and buy some rechargable ones. This camera sucks regular batteries down VERY quickly. We got rechargable batteries but also keep a small pack of alklines just in case. Finally, I would recommend getting one of the optional kits that are offered. Our kit came with a carrying case and battery charger both of which are must haves.
13 LOVE IT!!!
I love this camera. I spent a year looking at cameras and bugging every person I know who had a digital camera. I originally had a very old Ricoh SLR which took fantastic pictures until the flash went dead.
I reviewed the camera on epinions.com, shopping.com, and any other professional camera/imaging site online and it consistently got 5 stars.
It's very durable (it fell out of my backpack onto blacktop) and I haven't noticed any problems. I've had it for about 6 months and I take it everywhere and I've never had a problem with it. Also, because it's digital (true with any camera) I find I waste a lot less film now, because I can see the pictures so well with the LCD screen, and delete the ones I've taken with the lens cap on by accident, whoops!
There are so many features on the camera, I am still discovering them. It helped me to read one review on epinions.com where one guy wrote detailed examples of what settings he used and the limitations/advantages to each. Also, I looked at the dcpr review (...)and don't agree with all the comments (it is mentioned that you can't control white balance, but you can, and there are 3, yes 3 different controls for flourescent light - forget the filter! There is also a photo gallery so you can see some examples. Imaging Resource (...) is also another excellent site for viewing the photo capabilites of this camera.
It has a continuous shooting mode, which is great for taking shots of quickly moving subjects (toddlers escaping!) but I also put the camera in the SP mode on sport and get really great shots that way, too.
Some other tips by other people:
Some tips: 1) use the chrome color setting to get better saturation 2) combine tele and manual focus, if you want to fill frame with your subject, e.g. your kid's face 3)get a UV filter and lens cap put on to protect lens; 4) or put on a polarizer filter to get richer colors ( a must have for seiour scenary phtography); 5) for in-door pictures, better to forgo the automatic settings and use the "P"(programable) or "A" (aperture priority) to set ISO to 400(800 only at 1M) to ensure maximun shutter speed to avoid shaking,"slow-syc" flash mode helps with low light conditions too.
This camera isnt' perfect, but as this is my first serious digital camera, I think it's great. All the pictures I've taken have come out beautifully and getting them developed through Sam's Club was the cheapest and since they use Fuji film - the colors in the photos are very rich.
14 excellent cost/benefit camera
Very good for amateurs and snap-shooters, lots of features and capabilities that lets you improve your photo skills. Better in close up and macro photos than canon A- series (mainly using flash). A little "bulky" for action and outdoors. This is the camera for those who want more than "point and shoot", the confortable SRL handling feel and spend less than 300 bucks... and quality pictures and good videos. An 128 xd card (at least) is a real need... Don't forget the batery charger!!! enjoy it!!!
15 Great step towards a SLR digital camera
Just bought my Fuji S5000 a month ago and am extremely pleased with it!Out of the box I was taking impressive, detailed pictures!Although daytime shots are taken best with this camera, with some setting adjustments nighttime shots can be pretty good.I have taken most of my shots on the 3 mp setting and they have turned out great.Although in order to use the Raw format you have to use the 6 mp setting.The zoom is great. I used it taking pictures from a moving vehicle and you couldnt even see a blur.I found by reading the book and experimenting most of the problems people have can be overcome.Only cons with this camera is you tend to get a lot of blur on low light shots. And lastly the included software isnt the greatest
16 Great Digital Starter!
I am on a mission to become a photographer. I've always loved taking pictures and I want to start really focusing (no pun intended) on photography. However, I didn't want to start with a $1500 digital SLR and then discover I'm not really as into photography as I'd hoped. So I researched cameras in this price range. The Fuji S5000 stood out as a great starting point for many reasons:
1. Awesome zoom.
2. Sturdy construction.
3. Good for action
4. Great price.
5. Easy controls.
What concerned me were professional reviewers saying that there was "noise". So I looked at betterphoto dot com and reviewed pictures taken with this camera. I found night shots, shots of fireworks, portraits, action and macro all with perfect detail. Many of the photo were competition winners. That was enough for me. I read a review here saying the noise obscured details. Huh? I have taken macros of bees in mid flight with the antenna and fuzz perfectly in focus and clear. I've taken night shots as well--all lovely. I don't notice noise except in the lowest light and that was because I hadn't figured out my camera settings yet! This is the perfect starter camera for me. We've gotten great action photos, great portraits, wonderful landscapes. I love it!
It does have some "warm up" lag time and like all digitals it's got shutter lag (reduced with pre focus considerably). This means you have to plan your shots carefully, but in order to avoid this you have to go film or Digital SLR and both of those aren't options at this point.
Bottom line: Don't compare this to cameras that cost three times as much--it's an unfiar comparison. I compared it to other cameras in it's price range and class, including the Dimage Z and some others. The others were very flimsy feeling, awkward to hold, and unimpressive all around. I'm very happy with my camera. I'm also hooked on photography and will practice with this camera for a year or two and then invest in a true Digital SLR. But for a digital with an SLR feel and the ability to take amazing pics this camera is exceptional. I love it.
Get a 512 card--you won't regret it. A polarizer filter is also a good investment--both to protect your lens and insure good daytime shots. Enjoy!
17 Noisy pictures
I really don't understand all the good reviews for this camera listed here. Pictures come out terrible, unless all you print are 4x6's. If you view your picture at full size on your computer, the noise is so bad, many important details are obscured. 6MP mode is of no you either. I think the pictures come out even worse than in 3MP mode. Everyone seems to to love the 10x zoom. But its this 10x zoom lens thats causing many of the image quality problems. Because the camera amplifies the noise (a lot) as you inrcease the zoom (larger min f-number), i don't like to use it very much. Pictures are only acceptable in bright outdoor light, with min f-stop. Oh well, if you've never owned an Olympus, Sony, Canon, or Nikon, you may not realize what your missing. I traded my Canon G5 for this because of the 10x zoom. BIG mistake! I miss sharp, clear, and colorful digital pics now :(
18 right decision
I have several Minolta film SLR's but when their digital SLR's didn't allow me to use my lens's I decided to disregard them as a digital option. After recently checking out a friends Dimage z1 I'm glad now I decided on the s5000 over it. The z1 rattled and the memory card slot didn't function properly. The gears were noisy. The button layout and grip, while similar, were somehow very awkward.
None of this is true of the s5000.
The only cons for me are the warm-up time and manual focus.
I'm constantly amazed at how good the pictures are it produces. I shoot anything and everything with it.
While it has a 6mp mode its not from a raw 6mp image but 3mp upscaled to 6mp. I can do that(probably better)in photoshop. You need the s7000 for true 6mp.
19 A Winner!
I've been an amateur photog for 70 years and until Santa brought me an S5000 I thought that there was nothing better. The S5000 is better; great color, great prints and no wait. I miss the ability to make time exposures and the time it takes to warm up is sometimes a pain. I'll get used to that. Stashing images on a disc is a fine way to protect them. No fading. Don't need filters because the computer lets me try many filter effects. Camera is always ready for color or B&W. Macro feature is useful to support other hobbies( I make ships in bottles). Never run out of film. Outstanding Large prints. If only it was instant on. Oh,well!!!
20 A Great Extended Zoom Camera!
When I started researching for my first digital camera, there were three main qualities I was looking for: powerful zoom, good picture quality and adaptability (I wanted a camera a newcomer could "grow" with). It also had to be affordable.
I considered the Minolta DiMAGE Z1 and Olympus C-740 before deciding that the Fuji FinePix S5000 was by far the best value for the money.
And I couldn't be happier! The Fuji Finepix S5000 is relatively easy for a digital beginner like me to learn with, but also has enough features to satisfy the creative needs of a more advanced user. Set the dial to "AUTO" and you can pretty much just point and shoot. More advanced users can adjust shutter speed, aperture, focus, flash, etc.
The camera itself seems sturdy and is ergonomically designed so that it "feels good" in your hands. When taking pictures you can easily toggle between the LCD (which is small compared to some models but very bright and easy to see) and the camera's Electronic Viewfinder (EVF).
Fuji FinePix S5000 has a special "Continuous Shooting" mode that enables you to take 5 frames at intervals as short as 0.2 seconds-perfect for capturing the action at sporting events or getting good pics of moving subjects like kids & animals.
Other features include "movie mode" (allows you to shoot brief moving pictures w/sound - the length of these movies is limited by the size of your memory card), a macro setting for close-up photography, red-eye reduction, a self-timer & a lot more.
I've taken a number of pictures indoors under very poor lighting conditions. With the flash, the resulting picture quality is amazing (you'd think the subject was standing under studio lights).
I've had this camera for several months now, had no problems with it, and am very pleased with the picture quality. The best part about it-and what distinguishes it from its competition-is its 10x optical zoom. If extended zoom is important to you, put this one on your short list!
Some notes:
The included 16MB xD-Picture card will take approximately 19 pictures in 3.0 megapixel (MP) mode, 25 in 2.0MP mode, and 33 at the lowest resolution (1MP). You'll probably want to upgrade to a larger-capacity card. I purchased a 128 MB card, which can take approximately 162 pics at the 3.0MP setting.
The camera comes with 4 regular AA batteries, but you'll definitely want to get the rechargeable ones.
A tripod is recommended when using the full 10x zoom - although in a pinch (with some practice) it's possible to get clear shots at full zoom without one.
Good luck with your decision!
21 Great second digital camera!
We were previous owners of a Kodak and were looking for a step up from the basic digital point and shoot. We are very happy with this Fuji model. The 10x zoom is awesome. We took it on a beach vacation and got great action shots from far away. The camera is smaller than you think. It fits in a palm and is pretty light. Granted, it won't fit in a pocket, but that is trade between size/convenience and higher photo quality. The flash is much better than our Kodak; it is much more powerful and does a better job filling in the light indoors. Indoor pictures of our kids are much clearer and have truer color. The flash does drain the batteries quicker, but when used outdoors, we can easily get several hundred photos on a single set of AAs. I don't care much for the included Fuji software; I have chosen to use a third party one instead.
22 Performs like the Big Boys !
I bought this little gem about 3 weeks ago after doing some research. I was leaning toward the canon a-80 until I read that the Fuji had a 10x optical zoom. I love this camera ! The picture quality is simply awesome. Don't be intimidated with the little quirks like the focus and such, just read the manual that comes with the camera and before you know it, youll be shooting like a pro. This camera is a sound investement for the price. GO BUY IT TODAY !
23 Supper dooper rugged camera
I absolutely love this camera, I've always read the reviews, and never added one, but the other day I accidentally dropped my camera into a bucket of water. I figured holy s&%t!!! it's lost. WEll, I let it sit for 2 days with some blow drying and I tryed it just now and------->>>> it started right back up like brand new, I even had to reset the date and all! I've also dropped it on the cement, dirt, kitchen counter, beach everywear! and it works just as it did the first day I bought it. It takes excellent photos for a great price. I've had a few cameras already that I've dropped ONCE, and were RUINED and after dropping my fuji s5000 in a bucket of water!!.......you just don't know how happy I truly am. Even better is the 6 MP option and continuous focusing, and my favorite is the continuous photo mode which when theres no one around and you want to catch a photo of youself with something the self timer also works in that mode....I love it, I bought a replacement camera yesterday, its SOOOOOO going back.. Thanks Fuji I'm excited!
24 A true sleeper value
This camera is by far a sleeper value if ever I saw one - for the price you pay, you get a camera which pretty much ensures that the only camera you will buy next is a dSLR. It covers just about all the little things you will ever need or want in a digicam. The zoom is amazing - my first night, I steadied the camera on my window sill and extended to full zoom and got an astounding shot of the moon - complete with crater detail the likes of which I haven't seen in a medium grade digital camera. It's compact, fits into my hand easily and the picture quality is amazing - even at it's lowest setting (1MP - 1024x768 res). My only problems with it are the shutter lag, and the manual focus which tends to be a doozy if you aren't patient and knowledgable. Also, the lack of the external flash hotshoe is one drawback that nearly made me pass it over. All in all, I am fully satisfied with my purchase and would recommend it to anyone looking for an SLR-like camera. Amazing!
25 You must get this camera!
I am so thrilled with this camera! The pictures are amazing - the detail and clarity is astounding, and the color is beautiful. You can take color pictures or black and white, adjust the megapixels and ISO - all very easily. The zoom is extremely strong. I highly recommend this camera to anyone who is thinking of getting a digital. I can't imagine owning anything else.
26 My Favorite of All time
Man, i bought this camera about 3 weeks ago, and I am so happy with it. This camera is Great. I love it. I think I am going to marry it. I have bought a lot of cheap digital camera's from 1 to 3 mp but this is one is by far the best. With 10x optical zoom you can hardly beat this for the price. My only problems with the whole package was the software it came with. I had a few conflicts with it. I am using an Hp a520n running xp and the problems came when transferring the pictures to the computer via the included software. The funny thing is, the computer was brand new too and I was about to go out and buy a card reader for when I noticed that the computer had a 9 in 1 card reader right on the front panel! duh! So I just removed everything but the drivers for the camera and i transferred the pictures via the xd card. I also recommend getting re-chargeale batteries for this and keeping a charged set with you if you're going on trips. It comes with batteries but it used them up in two days. This camera takes some awesome photos, it even makes me look like an experienced ametuer. GET IT NOW.
27 Not bad
well i have had this camera for about 4-5months and it has taken prety good pictures, but recently it has been giving me some trouble....the button to view the pictures has been "acting up".....it has gotten jamed or some sort of loose connection.....bottem line is that it's not very durable!!....but the pictures are great.
28 A WOW Camera!
My husband researched and bought this camera for my Christmas gift. I had wanted a digital Canon to reuse my investment in my current FD lenses, so I was a little disappointed at first. Then I USED the camera. WOW. AMAZING. INCREDIBLE. BUY YOURSELF ONE!!! He saved me the difference in price of $600! I've met several people who also have it and they rave about it. Read the manual on the advanced features and try them once and you're hooked. AWESOME. My friend is a professional wedding photographer and we went to Calloway Gardens, GA, together. This Fujifilm S5000 digital took better butterfly and flower close-ups (with it's 'macro' feature) than her camera! The sports program, along with continuous autofocus and continuous shots, makes some GREAT soccer game pictures for all you soccer moms! :) The pictures are beautiful on-screen and better than my Target developed 35mm prints when printed with a Canon i860 (CR May04 rates it #1 and it is a CR Bestbuy.) If you are considering a camera, PLEASE try this one on for size. You will be so HAPPY if you do.
29 First Digital
I just got the camera and had to say something about the service.I had been looking around at different vendors. Some kept raising their price and many wanted shipping. Other buyers indicated that clerks tried to sell more stuff. I had good history with Amazon and decided to buy from them. The camera arrived earlier than expected, no hassels from the computer to buy more, free shipping, no tax, I could track the shipping via UPS.I knew when they first tried to deliver! Everything worked out great.
I can not believe the weight of the camera!! It is so light, much more than my SLR. Once I get some shots and see the results, I will write back.
30 Great Camera - zoom, action shots, extreme close-up,etc.
I've used this camera for about 4 months now and I am 100% satisfied. I did a lot of research and eventually made the right choice, given some similiar cameras on the market. Zoom capability was most important to me, and my expectations have been met and then some. Also, it's nice to have the feel of the my old 35mm - very comfortable to work with.
While the learning curve was steeper than a point and shoot, the manual is more than adequate to familiarize you with the features. I take a lot of sports pics and use the multi-frame feature w/action setting - always get clear, sharp pics w/no problem. The digital view-finder has not been an issue for me. It is definietly worth getting a larger memory card from the get-go. I will admit the manual focus is somewhat clubby, but I get great shots w/out it. Besides, if you're a professional I'd guess you're not looking in this category/price range anyhow.
I highly recommend this camera to anyone wanting more than a point and shoot - great value, great quality, easy to use - I would defnitely buy another Fujifilm camera. I am extremely pleased!
31 SPECTACULAR!!! Features, Ease, Quality, and IT'S FUN!!
I did ALOT of research before I bought anything, and when I saw this, it caught my eye. I love that it actually LOOKS like a real camera, and it performs better than any camera I've ever had. I've owned mine since the end of February and have taken hundreds of photos that have turned out outstanding. Everyone who sees them marvels at the quality, clarity, and color accuracy--not to mention the fact that I can get a GREAT picture of a goal shot from the OTHER END of a soccer field. By the way, all of those pictures I took that people loved--those are all with only 2MP
My FAVORITE features of the S5000:
*10x optical zoom allows for EXCELLENT composition (ignore digital zoom though. It diminishes photo quality)
*First-5 and Last-5 modes, when teamed with Aperture Priority at 1/1000 or so, allows me to get the PERFECT shots at sports matches and anything else that might otherwise be missed. THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST FEATURE OF THIS CAMERA! I RELY ON IT FOR *ANYTHING* THAT I KNOW I WANT TO CAPTURE, FROM WAVES CRASHING ON THE REEF TO A DROP KICK BY OUR TEAM'S GOALIE.
*It is VERY EASY to use! As soon as I got it, I was experimenting with the camera in less than 10 minutes.
*Battery consumption is quite respectable, especially for this type of camera. I use 4x2100 NiMH AA's (I love that it uses AA's) which last easily for hours of taking 5 or 10 shots in a row every couple minutes at sporting events. I use the flash ALOT, and it doesn't wear too much on the batteries either. (Just watch out for the batteries it comes with... they lasted about an hour after I first got the camera.)
*XD card is great! It's REALLY fast and easy to use.
*Oh yea... finally, THE PRICE !ROCKS! FOR WHAT YOU GET!!!
Unfortunately, all cameras have their cons:
*With the GREAT zoom the S5000 has, keeping it steady without a tripod becomes a challenge. Steadying software would have been a great boon, but it had to be cut for cutting cost and size.
*I !DO NOT! like the electronic viewfinder. It's hard to use, lags more than the LCD, and is less sharp. The S5000 should have had a standard viewfinder. I'd use it alot more and even save batteries from not using the LCD.
*The so-called "manual focus" is a joke. I've found it impossible to operate.
PLEASE!!! Don't let my gripes take away from this EXCELLENT camera! Things could always be a little easier or better, but with a camera at this price, of such high quality, and has SO MANY CAPABILITIES, you can't turn this one down!!!
Last tips for use:
*You NEED a larger memory card. At a minimum, 64MB. I recommend 128MB, though I have a 256MB card. It works GREAT and holds over 400 shots at 2MP, or 325 shots at 3MP. With a camera this much fun to use, you NEED space to play with.
*GET RECHARGABLE NimH AA batteries!!! You can't go for even an afternoon without rechargables. I recommend at least 1800-2100 capacities.
*FINALLY: HAVE FUN!!! THIS CAMERA HAS !ALOT! TO OFFER, SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ITS CAPABILITIES! READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL! IT HELPS!
32 Way more camera than I was expecting!
I have been looking for a digital camera for about a year, watching as technology improved and prices dropped. Finally won a gift certificate at work and treated myself to this camera. Am I glad I did!!
I am just an average person, taking pictures of my family, of events, of friends, the usual stuff. This camera makes it so easy to get professional quality results, I cannot believe it! I will admit, there is a lot about it I have not figured out yet (note to Fuji, a CD-ROM interactive user guide would ROCK!) but it is relatively easy to use with minimal instruction. And the picture quality is incredible. Some day I will read the guide and find out all it can do, but even without, I am having a ball!
I asked several casual photographer friends their recommendation before I bought and the S5000 was the overwhelming favorite. The 10X optical zoom is amazing, and the only time the 3.1 megapixels could be a drawback is if I was to blow a photo up to photo size (highly unlikely!). I was told to go for zoom over megapixels, and I am glad I did. My first series of photos was St. Patrick's Day parades, and I was able to get some GREAT shots of my daughter's bagpipe band and some shots of her piping in the parade. Up close & personal while standing on the curb!
I was looking at the S7000, which costs about $200 more, but my friends all said don't spend the extra $$, and I am glad I did not! Even the movie mode is great! And the sound is good as well. Thanks, Amazon, for making such a high quality piece of equipment so affordable!
33 I dont know from mega-pixels...
Well,a bunch of techno garbage seems to get discussed in these reviews.Mega-pixels,what does that mean in the real world?Well,nothing to me.I wanted a mid-way camera.Not an insta-matic,but not a Hassleblad.I bought this to make Claymation videos.Also as a general use point and click camera.All I can say is that this camera takes rich,focused,pictures.Its simple to use,and yet allows just enough usefull additives to go beyond rank amateur photography.Is it a pro camera?I dont know.It reproduces what I see acurately and with some filters can do everything I need it too.My grandchildren look like my grandchildren,trees look like ytrees,all in all I think its the best camera for the money.Its both simple and complex,but I can see the use for the features,there isnt much that is useless or overtly goofy.The layout is a little tight,but you can reach all of the needed buttons with one hand.The one complaint I do have is the rather poor quality of the image in the view finder,but the LCD screen is true to sight.If you are a Nikon F2 user,you will probably want a little better quality,but if you had a Pentax Spotmatic,this camera will feel right at home.
34 Great Camera for the price
I was a little skeptical due to reading that this camera is not efficient when it comes to battery use. I have been suprised in that this has not been a problem, seems to do well compared to others. The camera is easy to use and the photos are very good quality for someone who is not interested in trying to be a professional photographer. The zoom is outstanding and the lag time in taking pictures associated with it being a digital camara just takes some anticipation when using it for action shots such as sports. I simply use the mode to take 5 shots and then delete those I don't want. My only real problems with the camera is that there is no place to mount an external flash, you cannot use different lenses (there are attachments available for some changes) like the Canon EOS or some Nikons, and that the manual focus is too distracting for me to use. The autofocus does allow two options with one being continuous focus (takes more battery life) or the auto focus just prior to each shot which takes longer to take a photo.
For the price, I have not seen a camera that I would rather have. Part of this is because of the optical zoom that it has.
35 More than expected
I did a lot of comparison shopping and product research when I decided to buy a digital camera, and this one came out on top. I am stationed in Iraq right now, and I needed something reliable and easy to use here. This camera has done this and more. The picture quality is good at the lower picture settings, but once you adjust the pixels to a higher quality the photos come out amazing. I was especially pleased with the zoom function. When fully zoomed at 10 times the pictures were still clear, even though I wasn't braced with a tripod or anything. The screen and menu are easy to use, and the camera interfaces easily with Windows. I have not even used the included software yet. The only thing I didn't like are the fact that you have to set your zoom before you start recording a movie, and it cannot be changed during filming. The movies come out amazing, though, and the little speaker on the camera is pretty loud when you playback. The 16MB memory card is way too small, but this is the base for most digital cameras anyway. The Xd cards are very small, but are comparable in price with other types. This is an excellent camera for deployed troops or just for everyday use, and you will not be let down with your purchase.
36 Buy this one if you like to zoom in for close-ups!
I bought this Fujifilm Coolpix S5000 as a Christmas present for my husband. He has little patience for using complicated cameras. This camera is great for him because he loves to travel the world to go fishing and he wants shots of the scenery, native animals and, of course, those close-ups of the fish he caught. It has multiple features which make it a great choice. We tried the camera out on a day trip to Williamsburg. First of all, the ability to zoom in without losing the quality of the shot is incredible. He took pictures of the flags at the top of buildings 1/4 mile away and details were visible that weren't by the naked eye at that distance. Macro mode worked great. I took extreme close-up pictures of small parts of the Christmas decorations that almost look 3-d. We tried the videomode on a moving horse-drawn carriage that was nice since the clip-clop sound of the hooves could also be heard. Is it the quality of a real video camera - no. But it will still be a nice memory of the trip without having to carry two different cameras. We tried the night-time mode for infantrymen lit only with gas lights. As long as we positioned ourselves properly so the gas lights illuminating the men, we got some decent shots.
Taking snaphots of our grandkids (who are active) is never easy with any camera, but at least you know whether you picture turned out so you can take some more. With film cameras, I always took multiple shots to make sure one turned out and then had to pay to develop all of them. My suggestion for shots that you can't live without is to use the option of taking 5 quick pictures in a row. We have used this for taking pictures of blowing out birthday candles. These sequenced shots can be cute for the photo scrapbookers out there!
This camera can be used as a point and shoot with ease! Directions are clear and you can take pictures immediately after you you've put the batteries in. However, if you want more from a camera, you've also got it with this one. We kept the instruction book with us as we toured Williamsburg and could easily figure out how to use all of the modes we wanted to try. Many instruction books are not as easily understandable.
Do go ahead and buy yourself at least a 128 mg. SD card as well as rechargeable batteries and charger, if you need one. You can even buy filters for this camera if you want to. We plan to invest in some filters before we head out to Alaska this summer.
Finally, remember the zoom ability you have with this one for the price! If you are a traveler and like us don't have or want to use the skill required to use a manual SLR, this should get you some shots your point and shoot 35 mm. camera can't get you!
37 A Point and Shoot That Does So Much More...
Before purchasing our first digital cameras, my wife and I did a heck of a lot of homework. We finally settled on the Fujifilm A205 for my wife to carry around in her purse, and the Fujifilm FinePix S5000 for me -- as I am a bit more serious about photography.
I wanted something that gave me the feel and many of the features of an SLR, but I didn't actually want to deal with either the price or bother of an SLR. After doing about a month of research, I purchased the FinePix S5000 and it is the perfect solution.
If you read the other reviews, you'll learn about many of the terrific features of this fine camera, but I'll mention a feature I didn't really realize until I brought it home and played with it for a few weeks.
The adapter ring that forms the barrel around the lens allows me to use professional filters. It tells you that right there in the manual that you can use one filter with the adapter ring, but it's buried under all sorts of other technical information. I'm surprised that Fujifilm doesn't do more to promote this fact because this is a HUGE asset. The only reason I can think of as to why they don't is because there are so many incredible features of this terrific camera.
As for filters, I've since purchased four different ones -- all size 55mm to fit the adapter. The general use UV filter (mostly for protection) and a Polarizer (to lessen glare on sunny days) were a great place to start.
I also purchased two other filters to compensate for indoor light. The flash on the S5000 isn't particularly strong, so it doesn't work all that well from more than 15 or 20 feet away. This is important because if you're in a school auditorium (remember, I have 6 kids -- so I'm there often) with fluorescent lights overhead, the pictures can turn out slightly green if taken from a distance. This does not happen when up close because the flash overwhelms the ambient flourescent light. But when my kids are on stage, for instance, they turn slightly greenish. This is no fault of the S5000 -- it's simply a characteristic of any camera taking pictures under most household or office light. It happened on the time with our old camera.
I bought an FL-D filter which dramatically lessens greenish effect from fluorescent light. I also have an 80A filter that compensates for the same problem that comes when taking pictures from a distance under traditional home-type incandescent light bulbs.
I imagine you can use any brand you want, but each of my four filters is a Tiffen and can be bought online or from many camera stores for about $10 to $15 a piece. This makes the S5000 truly unique. I have not found another point and shoot (non-SLR) camera that has this capacity to use professional filters. You can't use more than one filter at a time, but I'm so tickled that we can use any at all that this is a small issue of concern.
If you're really ambitious, there all all kinds of filters that do everything from soften a picture to create really neat special effects (like starbursts with every point of light). This brings an amazing flexibility to the S5000.
I also bought a Fujifilm TL-FX9 1.5x telephoto lens which I can attach to the adapter ring, effectively raising my optical zoom from 10x to 15x. This is a nice feature, but the 10x standard optical zoom is such a monster zoom that I rarely use the additional 1.5x telephoto lens except when I'm watching my kids on stage from the audience or something like that.
As noted in other reviews, ignore the 2.2x digital zoom, because you'll probably never use it. It is disabled when you're shooting at 6 megapixels (if you're confused about the 3.1 mp versus 6.1 mp, read the descriptions about the amazing Super CCD) so I never am able to use the 2.2x digital zoom anyway. But unless you've had a telephoto lens on your old camera, the 10x zoom will overwhelm you for most purposes anyway. And if you really need more, buy the TL-FX9 telephoto lens that turns your optical zoom to 15x. I purchased my TL-FX9 through an outside vendor at Amazon and it worked out great.
One last thing, don't forget to invest in a good printer. All this camera technology means nothing if your printer doesn't do its job. I bought the Canon i960 at the same time as my camera and couldn't be happier with it when using the Canon Pro paper. The prints are amazing and truly duplicate the quality of processing you get in most neighborhood retail stores where most film is developed.
If you're a serious amateur who doesn't want to break the bank, I highly recommend the Fujifilm S5000. I absolutely LOVE it.
38 Great Camera for the 1 Camera Family
This camera is a real money savor for a family that can only afford 1 camera! Along with the F5000 (a real bargain now) this camera allows a user to learn photography from full auto to full manual without the high expense of film and processing.
You don't even need a Video Camera! The vast majority of video that I take of family and other cute stuff are very short in duration. This camera does 30 frame per second (that means it's like TV, without any jerky movement or lost frames) and the clips are already fully digital and ready to transfer to computer or display to tape. Put a lot of short clips together and you have the same thing you would get from a camcorder only it's all in one camera!
Hot Shoe - Unfortunately, the S5000 does not include a hot shoe. That's the only real problem with this camera.
The quality of the photos in the S7000 is tremendous. We stopped doing film photos a few years ago when a local processing company destroyed the only two rolls of a friends wedding back east. Naturally, after that the memories of the trip were gone! They only appologized and moved on! With digital, we have never been disappointed.
A major plus of the S5000 is the 10x OPTICAL zoom! (Ignore the digital zoom, it just degrades the quality of the photo anyway!) The S7000 has a 6x Optical zoom but twice the photo size. The S5000 is also significantly smaller than the S7000, and may be easier to use for someone with a smaller hand.
Both the S5000 and the S7000 are, in my mind, two excellent cameras for the typical family! And a real money saver! I especially like the little graphic in the viewfinder that reminds you that there might be some camera shake and to hold the camera steady! Very cool camera!
39 What a sweet little deal!
OK, I had to come back and add to this review. I just printed 8x10's and they are to-die-for! They are of my sons and I am picky when it comes to hanging pics on my walls. They better be awesome. This camera takes wonderful shots. So to those who said contrary, I think they must be doing something wrong.
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I can't begin to express my satisfaction with this camera. It has all the features for a serious photographer like my husband but an awesome auto feature for the moms like me who want great pics of our kids but I only want to turn it on to shoot.
In less than 2 hours we had everything figured out and was impressed with how easy it is to use. My immediate concern was taking indoor shoots - nothing but awesome shots. My husband was taking pics while driving at 55 mph in his car and even those came out great. I know it will be worth my learning all of the feature of the camera because his pics can achieve more than mine...but my baby spit-up looks great too. The continuous shots is great for sports. I tried it out taking pics of a TV program...it was amazing. And there are multiple ways to get continuous shots. The focus ability is amazing. You can take shots up close, far away and have objects in both places and you can achieve any focus you want (i.e., some objects in focus, all objects in focus, etc). The zoom is awesome. ANd you can add a telescopic lens to get 20 optical zoom. I do wish the camera had the ability to add an extra external flash in case this one dies. But, some things are worth the sacrifice.
The price is awesome. Why waste money on extra megapixels when the biggest I would print out would be an 8x10. The optical zoom is what is fantastic.
The camera says it can take pics at 6 megapixels - they look the same as the 3 so I don't think it's worth the file sizes.
Of course, the 16 meg stick it comes with is useless. We purchased a 512 and don't regret it at all. I never have to change sticks so I don't have to worry about losing it, or that I could break it (it is small). We can take over 600 pics at the peak settings. 600 pics - that's incredible. Worth the extra $$.
I will say the one thing about the camera is the size. I have small hands and I was looking for something easy for me to hold, easy to carry on vacation, not bulky, etc. It's awesome for me. My husband has much wider hands and he manages OK.
I researched this camera and others until I got so sick of looking at another review. This is by far the best one especially for the price. After we have shown this camera to a few other people, they too went and got it.
You can rest assured that the funtionality is all there. You will not be dissapointed! Happy picture taking!
40 Easy to use, lots of features, NOT good for action shots
I bought this camera about 2 months ago and have been very pleased with it in all but 1 aspect: it is no good for action shots. It has the same problem as every other digital camera in that you have to push the shutter button half-way down to lock the Auto-focus, and only then can you snap an instant shot, but on top of that, this camera doesn't take the shot immediately when the shutter button is pressed all the way down, there is a millisecond delay, just enough to lose a good shot. In addition to this flaw, the Electronic view finder and the LCD both go blank for an instant while the auto-focus is locking, which means that a shot framed a second earlier is lost when the screen goes blank for that short time, and the camera must be refocused. In combination, these two flaws make it almost impossible to take action shots, even in "action shot" mode.
Other than that, the colors in the photos are rich and the auto-focus works well. The details captured are quite nice, and battery life is average. The video mode is convenient and clear, and the manual settings come in handy for many subjects. The zoom is great, and even at 10x I still get clear, focused shots. Macro mode captures excellent detail, and night mode allows for some interesting lighting effects. Alltogether a very nice package if you aren't interested in taking action shots. For action shots, you MUST have an optical viewfinder.
41 Good Buy, Great Camera
Looked for this camera some three weeks. I like the size and feel of the unit. Like the interchange feature between the view finder and the LCD display. The pics are clear and sharp. Like the large amount of bells and whistles. These will require much practice, but I think will make one a better photo/tog.
42 Awesome!
I've had a Casio/Canon QV-3000 since 2000 and really liked it except for the wimpy zoom (3x). I wanted to upgrade to a camera with a better zoom and maybe more MP. I was going to get the Canon Digital Rebel but the more I looked into it the more pricey it became, more lenses and equipment plus a lot harder to use. The Fuji S5000 fit my needs just perfect with the 10X zoom and 6MP. I don't know why they don't advertise this as a 6MP camera because it has a 6MP setting as well as a RAW format! I've only had it a few days and already have taken some fantastic pictures and I'm sure the best are yet to come.
Read all these reviews then go out and get one. I'm glad I didn't invest in an SLR because this is a snap to use and the picture quality is awesome!
43 really cool camera, could take better photos
i just bought this camera about a week ago, and right out of the box, i thought, "this is such a cool camera!". i had done some research and wanted a dig camera with a good optical zoom on it, and this was one of few that was over 3X. i got a great price on it (from somewhere else...) and have been using it almost everyday.
the good: easy to hold, lightweight, battery life seems good, lots of useful features (once you learn how to use them), zoom is great, movie mode is kinda cool. good shutter speed. pictures are pretty good. overall, it's design and use of use are pretty good. doesn't seem to have a lot of "down time" when thinking from one picture to the next. the continous photo modes are cool and some of the advanced features really turn you on to learning more about photography.
the so-so/bad: viewfinder (EVF) is hard to see through. better to use the LCD instead. pictures look better and crisper on LCD versus your computer monitor. movies are only available in one resolution setting, which makes a 15 sec video about 5 MB - kinda hard to email that to anyone! difference between 2MP, 3MP and the 6MP are really unnoticable. i didn't find that this camera took exceptional photos (on 2 or 3MP). i owned a 2.1MP kodak dc3400 before this one and felt it took better photos. however, the 4x6 prints i've done look just fine. only comes with 16MB memory card which is practically useless.
advice? get the 128MB card, get rechargable batteries. read the instruction manual (at least twice). auto mode works fine, but if you want to take even better photos, learn about the advances features. if you don't want to use advanced features, buy another camera.
overall, i am impressed with the features, but not so impressed with the quality of photos. this might go up for auction on ebay...we'll see.
44 Great camera with one major flaw
I love this camera, but it's one major flaw gets in the way of total enjoyment. That flaw is the overly aggressive jpeg compression on standard shots.
Great things about this camera: The movie mode is surprisingly high quality, though low-res at 320*240. I took it to a concert with a huge xD card and the video and audio quality were very good. (I listen to a lot of bootleg audio.)
It does take very, very good shots. Make sure you have a steady hand, as the incredible range of zoom, shutter and exposure can lead to blur. Fuji's non-square CCD technology makes great shots.
The features available to control your shots rivals that in digital SLRs. In fact, I moved to this camera from an Olympus digital SLR. At the cost, there is no comparison to any other camera on the market in late 2003/early 2004.
It takes wonderful low-light photos but you must learn the exposure/shutter features (like on any camera). The ability to emulate ISO 800 is great.
Coming from an SLR, I thought having an electronic viewfinder would be disadvantage. It is, but this viewfinder has great quality for a pro-sumer class camera.
10x optical zoom: need I say more?
OK, so the major flaw. The jpeg compression on the pictures it takes is way too aggressive. The wonderful Fuji CCD quality is simply thrown away in 90% of the shots you will take unless you leave it in RAW mode and the RAW mode disables several features. Sharp details and fine texturing are lost because of the compression. My last camera had three quality settings in addition to RAW, this has none, well, one, and it's too agressive. My dream is that Fuji releases a firmware update for this, but I doubt it.
Nitpicks:
The RAW mode saves in it's own RAW format requiring Fuji's software to be installed. If it weren't for that RAW format, I'd have no need for more software clutter on my computers. Other Fuji cameras I have used save RAW as TIFF, so what was Fuji thinking on this one?
The included xD card is entirely inadequate. Again, what were they thinking? I only used the included card for test shots before putting in larger cards I bought at the same time. If this was a marketing decision to sell larger cards, the 16MB should have just been thrown in as non-removable base memory.
It does seem extremely sensitive to hand movements. Maybe some mild stabilization would have been a good design, they fit in much, much smaller cameras.
The shutter press results in the photo being taken a signifigant fraction of a second longer than I expect. Though true of many cameras it is particularly exaggerated on this one when compared to my last Olympus. It is frustrating to take good candids with this camera. The focus lock (half the shutter button) should actually lock the focus for true instant shots.
There isn't a better pro-sumer camera out there in this price range! But the compression settings don't allow me to give this a full five stars.
45 Powerful 3MP camera with a long list of useful features
With this camera, Fuji apparently decided to put the bucks into features rather than megapixels and to build the best 3mp camera they could -- like building an expensive Audi with a 1.8-litre engine -- resulting in a product that is extremely versatile at the price. Really, few will ever need more than 1mp for typical picture-taking, and the sharpness and accurate color balance this camera produces even at that "low" resolution are more than satisfying, even in low light conditions. And, at 1mp, you can shoot and store a number of photos equal to approximately twice the meg rating of your memory card. The lens is sharp and as good a quality as I've seen in any consumer camera, even at its vaunted 10x optical zoom (where you'll need a tripod or other solid brace -- it doesn't have the digital stabilization found on pro cameras). Photos download in a few seconds direct from camera to computer. I like the locked-down flash -- it doesn't fire off inadvertently when you're inside a museum -- and the battery life is as good as I've ever seen on a digital camera. It's unlikely, but should your rechargables ever expire while you're in the field, you can pick up a set of ordinary AAs. The digital WYSIWYG thru-the-lens viewfinder with diopter adjustment is superior to the typical optical rangefinders found in this bracket of cameras. A full range of manual priority settings, the ability to shoot black-and-white and "Kodachrome" (color-saturated)photos and a lens hood that accepts standard 55mm filters complete this very attractive package. Drawbacks: the camera, while small, is oddly shaped and is too large for the typical digital camera case or your pocket but rattles around in a 35mm camera bag. The zoom motor is a bit too fast and difficult to fine-tune. And it could use a remote shutter release.
46 Your Search is Over!
I've owned several digital cameras, and my Fuji S5000 is BY FAR the best BANG FOR $$$ out there! It looks like a DSLR, but is much lighter. Don't let the light weight fool you -- it's been PLENTY durable, having unfortunately been repeatedly dropped (I don't recommend doing this!!!), bounced around in a jeep, gotten wet several time, most recently photographing in the rain, handled roughly by myself and a photography student -- it's light, with a lot of plastic, but it must be very tough plastic. Because I paid so (relatively) little for the camera, I have no great financial investment to worry about... no need to 'baby' it. This is liberating -- a tremendouosly capable digital camera at a very low price. I was shooting out of the box in 5 minutes, taking fantastics pics. I've put over 4000 images on the camera in 6 weeks without a hitch, and if I do my part, the camera does its part. I did research, read the forums, and the only criticism you can find is from people who think that because the S5000 looks like a mega$$$ DSLR, it should perform like one. You know what? -- it performs da#m close! for a small fraction of the cost of some mega Canon DSLR with all the lenses, just get this camera, enjoy the awesome zoom range, and start shooting. You won't regret it. The claims of noisy images, too much jpg compression, etc., just don't matter. You can reduce the in-camera sharpening, and this solves the problem. Sharpen later if you want. Prints up to 8x10 are amazingly crisp and sharp. If you really need 'perfect' images from this camera, you can always shoot in RAW, convert to your file of choice (psd) and adjust in photoshop, no sweat, but the jpegs LOOK great, and print out great out to 8X10. XD card is a joy compared to CF cards -- get the 512MB because, like peanuts, once you start you just can't stop! Battery life (rechargeable NiMh) is the best I've ever seen in a pro-sumer digital camera.. after using several energy-thirsty Coolpixes and others. Take a couple of replacement packs of AA, enough XD storage, and you're set for a very pleasurable photo safari with the S5000. Have faith, trust me, JUST GET IT.. DEALS LIKE THIS DON'T COME AROUND TOO OFTEN!!
47 Viewfinder isn't as glasses friendly as it could be.
* I received it a few days ago and have taken a bunch of indoor, outdoor, overcast, & sunny pix. For the most part they are all outstanding compared to my old Kodak 1 Megapixel. It is pretty much point and click, which is a feature I wanted (I'm not a photographer).
* The sample pix I've taken are pretty darn good. I used the camera before reading the instructions, so you can imagine that photos will be very good with proper settings and such.
* Don't care for that viewfinder though. I have to wear glasses and they are not ideal with the electronic viewfinder which is a tad fuzzy by the way. I can't really tell if the thing is focused or not so I just have to trust the autofocus feature.
* I wish the lens cap had a tie point instead of just looping arouns the lens. It has fallen off during use several times already (minor complaint).
* The zoom works awesome. I was expecting a fair amount of fuzziness in zoomed pix but they look fine. I've since read that you need to hold the shutter release down halfway to allow for focusing before fully depressing and "snapping" the pic. I think that I will have even better results next time out.
* The camera uploads pix FAST to the computer compared to the old serial connection. A huge leap for digital cameras.
48 After lot of research, I've found my camera!! Fujifilm S5000
I absolutely love this camera! I did lots of research into the digital camera realm and finally decided on the Fujifilm S5000. This camera takes GREAT pics. It is so easy to use right out of the box. It is perfect for an amateur, but has lots of SLR type features for those wanting to experiement into the technical stuff. I haven't even began to delve into the more indepth features. I have taken all of my pics on automatic. The only thing I do change from occasion is the megapixel quality (1MP, 2MP, or 3MP) and the ISO features (200/auto, 400, & 800). Before deciding to go digital, I was looking at a SLR camera, but wasn't impressed with the picture quality. At first I was hesitant to go digital because I knew that I wouldn't want to print the pics off on my printer and I didn't want lots of pics on my computer slowing it down. Then, I discovered the many online digital photo processing sites (i.e. Shutterfly, Ofoto, Snapfish).
While I loved the features of the camera, the deciding factor as to whether or not I'ld keep the camera was how they turned out in print. One word...WOW! These pictures were as clear and crisp as my 35mm camera (which by the way is also a Fujifilm). Also, the pictures that I took on 3MP quality, can be printed off as large as 16x20. I am so excited that I've finally decided on my new camera!
As far as the cons I listed...the flash does not popup automatically. However, there is a green blinking light that will remind you that you need the flash. And as far as the 16MB included card. Fuji could have sprung for at least a 32MB card. You definitely will need to get a larger xD style card, however, I found a 256MB card for a really good price (well under retail) on a popular auction site. Some cons I have read is that you will need to buy a battery charger. However, this camera takes regular AA batteries and I am still using the ones that came with the camera. Environmentally speaking, I suppose I should use rechargable batteries. But for now, I'll just have regular AA's on hand.
49 HIGHLY RECOMEND
I bought this camera for almost $100 cheaper somewhere else, but that's not for me to say and ruin business for Amazon. The camera is great and all...but if you are an amatuer like I am the other special features seem almost frivilous. I do love the digital camcorder part a lot though. With my 256mb card I can hold about 15 mins of video or close to 300 pictures. Very simple to hook up to the computer, and I highly suggest getting the lexar flash media reader with it also, which is about $30 on this site, and you won't find it cheaper anywhere else. The software with it isn't so great so I hope you have other editing software. If not, go buy Picture It or something. I don't think that I know how to use most of the camera features yet, but I haven't really tried to either.
The pictures come out slightly better than a normal 3.1 megapixel camera that you would buy for $260 in a store. I say for the price of this camera the amount of features it comes with are EXCELLENT. I don't like the auto-focus, it doesn't seem to do much for me. I also don't like the multiple-pictures it can take for when there is movement...I thought they would be nice and crisp or something but you still get the motion blur in it, so if you thought that's what it's about...it's not. It looks like a very big and bulky camera but really, the only thing that's bulky is the zoom lens and extra lenses if you should get them. The zoom is great. I do recommend this camera.
50 I love this camera!
I've purchased a ton of stuff from Amazon.com, but I've never been compelled to write a few words about a product as I am this camera.
I had a Sony digital camera I purchased in February of 2001. It was a great little camera. Only 1.3 megapixel, but it did have 3x optical zoom and the ability to add lenses. I had a 2x teleconverter so effectively I could take pics as 6x optical. Optical zoom is very important to me, so this 10x optical caught my eye.
I've played with the camera for about a week now and it takes great pictures. I couldn't be happier with the zoom lens, the nice pictures it takes, the ease of use, or the price. I will say I spent about $200 in addition to the cost of the camera on rechargable batteries and memory cards (a charger with 4 batteries, an additional 4 rechargable batteries, and 2 128MB cards).
A great point and shoot digital for the beginner with lots of extra features for the more advanced digital camera user. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
51 Just Great!!
When I received this camera and I turned it on, it was a surprise to see that there was also a 6MP otpion. Then I read that Fuji uses an great interpolation method to do this. Even though it is advertised as a 3.1MP it is really a 6MP camera.
Great Zoom with a manual focus option, great color capture, and excelent light capturing.
I recommend a Tripod since with a 10X zoom causes movement can cause a blured photo.
52 already dead
I bought this camera in October 2003 and was very impressed, it truly was an awesome camera. I even felt so good about it that I wrote a review. Now, 3 months later I am regretting my decision to buy the s5000. In December 2003, shortly before Christmas the camera began stuttering into playback mode while I was shooting. I immediately became concerned because about 6 months ago I owned a Fuji 3800 that did the same thing before it progressed to turning itself off and becoming generally unusable. So when this started happening with the s5000 I immediately dug out my warranty card and shipped the camera back to Fuji for repairs. I have yet to receive any word of it from Fuji. It strikes me as being too coincidental that both Fuji digitals I have owned in the space of a year have had the same problem. I never exposed them to extreme weather, they were never dropped, I treated them very well. I guess I should have learned my lesson after the 3800 but I work in a photo lab and we use all Fuji equipment and I can say with confidence that they make very high quality lab products. I thought I just got a lemon and it wouldn't happen again. Well I was wrong. I just wanted to let you all know about this potential problem so you don't end up in the same boat as I am: $800 and two cameras out the window in less than a year. For your own sanity, remember to register your camera and keep your warranty info! Or better yet, spring for the Olympus c750 and show Fuji that poor quality doesn't sell.
FEB 10, 2004 UPDATE: Got the camera back from Fuji on Jan. 27th, is is now feb. 10th and the camera has died yet again. Two weeks! I am sending the camera back and requesting a replacement this time. I strongly suggest people use caution before purchasing digital cameras from Fuji. They do not care about the life of the camera, they only care about the sale. When I called to ask for the replacement they told me I could get a refurbished model. I did NOT pay for a refurbished model, and they will give me a NEW one before I am through. I am also telling all of my customers at work not to buy Fuji cameras because of their poor quality. Please use caution!
53 value and functionality
Strengths:
price! Functionality! High ISO 800 (although at 1M);takes filters;movies smoothness
Weaknesses:
auto focus and shutter lag are better than average, but still too slow for spontaneity; cumbercum to navigate the menu; manual focus extremely difficult to use;poor build quality;no true wide angel
Summary:
You can't beat the price-functionality ratio of this thing. ... High ISO comes in handy for indoor photography. You can even take B&W pictures.Pictures quality is good enough. Overall I strongly recommend it. But you read reviews to find out the less than perfect aspects so here we go: 1)build quality--lense barrel is loose, we exchanged the 1st one and the 2nd one was even worse, but it doesn't seem to affect picture quality;2)manual focus too difficult to use,auto focus' generally fast enough but takes some hunting sometimes 3)camera makes an unpleasant high-pitched sound 4)no true wide angel (only 37mm), but that seems like the industry norm 5)shutter lag is quite good but still too slow for taking spontaneous pictures of little kids playing (true for all digital cameras in this price range though).5)ISO800 only available at 1M;6) longest exposure time is only 2 sec.
Some tips: 1) use the chrome color setting to get better saturation 2) combine tele and manual focus, if you want to fill frame with your subject, e.g. your kid's face 3)get a UV filter and lens cap put on to protect lens; 4) or put on a polarizer filter to get richer colors ( a must have for seiour scenary phtography); 5) for in-door pictures, better to forgo the automatic settings and use the "P"(programable) or "A" (aperture priority) to set ISO to 400(800 only at 1M) to ensure maximun shutter speed to avoid shaking,"slow-syc" flash mode helps with low light conditions too.
54 S5000 is one of the best values out there.
I am a beginning enthusiast but have owned digital cameras for a few years now. This Fuji allows me to point and shoot or have more control over pictures much like a more advanced SLR. The picture quality is excellent and if you do not fall prey to the "more megapixels must be better" ideal, then get this camera. I try to explain to people that more MP doesn't mean a better picture within the sizing constraints. Meaning, this 3 MP S5000 takes a better 4x6 and 5x7 than a 5MP camera within the same size. Only if you need to go larger than 11x14 should you even consider another camera. This is a solid camera with great features and performance. The 10x zoom is scary (meaning unbelievable), and the picture's colors are realistic and truer to life than most Kodaks I see which seem to exaggerate colors making a picture seem better than it is. I got this camera for two hundred less than retail and for that price it is a joke of a deal. Awesome camera for the money. You really would need to spend twice as much to probalby not even get a noticeable difference in picture quality or performance.
55 Best Camera EVER!
I adore my Fuji S5000. I had an OLD rinky-dink Fuji camera with which I was very, very happy for years. When I felt it was time to upgrade, I went with the Fuji S5000 because of the incredible zoom!! I was never a big camera afficionado, nor did I have any idea how to adjust shutterspeed (or why I would do it).... basically, I just wanted a point and shoot with some room for experimentation. And I got that- set it on "AUTO" and it's your basic point and shoot camera. But it's been a BLAST learning to use this camera, and every shot comes out looking like a professional photograph. It takes fantastic indoor photos, and phenomenal, drop-your-jaw outdoor pictures. In fact, two friends of mine bought one after seeing some of my pictures online, and a third is considering it! This is NOT a purchase you will regret.
56 Excellent Digital Camera For Right Price
its a great camera!!
If you are looking for good optical zoom(10X) , and great MP(3.1)this is it
its a SLR style camera and with variety of functions
dont think twice get it!!
57 Get this camera!
I've been looking to upgrade from my low, low quality digital cam for quite sometime, but when I started to do the research, my head was spinning. So many cameras, so many options, so many pros and cons to weigh out. Based on the reviews, this camera really stood out from the others, but I teetered back and forth for weeks. The biggest thing holding me back was that it wasn't very compact and I worried that it was too much camera for a non-pro like myself.
BUT now that it is finally in my eager little hands, I must say I couldn't be happier! I'm taking pictures of everything that happens to fall in front of the lens! You just cannot beat the zoom lens, especially for this price. The 3-something megapixels is plenty. You can have as little or as much control as you want...point and shoot or change the settings. It is so user friendly.
And, I don't care that it doesn't fit in my pocket...it fits so beautifully in my small hands AND in my hubby's large hands (he NEVER used our old cam because it was too small for him to hold comfortably). It feels solid (much sturdier than the Minolta Dimage Z1 that we returned to the store the day after we got it for fear it would fall apart), it's got so many wonderful features I can't wait to explore (I especially like the "best of 5" mode for moving subjects like kids and animals), I love that you can take short movies w/ sound, and downloading the pictures to PC is a snap with the included USB cable.
Now, it really bugs me when people give any camera a lower rating because the product doesn't come with a large memory card or rechargeable batteries. From what I've seen, that's pretty typical with any camera you buy, so don't let that stop you from taking advantage of this great camera! Instead, consider the following when you get this camera:
1. Shop around. I was amazed to find the range of prices on this camera...we're talking $100 difference. I ended up ordering through Profeel.com and I feel like I got great service and a great deal.
2. Fork out the dough for a 128 MB xD card (at least). I have heard some concerns that taking the xD card in and out of the camera may shorten the card's life. My solution is to not switch out cards, but to have a card with lots of memory and download the pix to PC regularly.
3. Get NIMH batteries and a charger.
4. Get a camera case.
After that, you'll be all set and taking beautiful pictures!
58 Excellent camera
I am an amateur photographer. I have used my FujiFilm MX500 for years until I got this camera last year and have not looked back. It is an excellent buy. The XD card is much faster than my old SmartMedia card.
The Zoom is excellent. I have taken some great photos of Mt. Fuji from my office in Tokyo and most people would not know that I was nowhere close to Mt. Fuji when I took the photo.
The macro zoom on the other hand is not so great, but I have no complaints. There are enough features on the camera to whet the interest of even the photographers which are more than just amateurs.
59 Great Digital Camera!!!
You can't get better than this camera for the price! The picture quality combined with the 22x (overall) zoom and changeable lens makes this THE digital camera to buy.
60 NOTHING BUT AMAZED
I HAVE NEVER OWNED A DIGITAL CAM BEFORE BUT AFTER DOING TONS OF RESEARCH I NARROWED IT DOWN TO THE FUJIS5000. FOR THE PRICE,IT WAS FULL OF FEATURES THAT SEEMED PRETTY IMPORTANT IF I AM TO ADVANCE MY PHOTOGRAPHY HOBBY. I ESPECIALLY LIKED THE MOVIE MODE WITH SOUND B/C I DON'T OWN A DIGITAL CAMCORDER. THE PICTURE QUALITY IS EXCELLENT AND SO CLEAR THAT IT RALLY TAKES A GOOD EYE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN TRADTIONAL AND DIGITAL PRINTS. AS OTHER REVIEWERS HAVE POINTED OUT, THE CARD IS WAY TOO SMALL FOR ANYTING BUT PICTURES. FOR $100 OR LESS(IF YOU SHOP THE RIGHT PLACES) YOU CAN GET A 256MB CARD WHICH WILL GIVE YOU ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF VIDEO AND STILL HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR ABOUT 100 PICS AT THE HIGHEST RESOLUTION. SINCE I DON'T FULLY KNOW HOW TO USE ALL THE FEATURES YET I REALLY CAN'T COMMENT ON THEM BUT IT DEFINITELY SEEMS THAT IT WILL ALLOW YOU TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR CAMERA TO YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY ABILITY. ONE THING I NOTICE THAT IS SLOW IS THE RECOUP TIME FROM SHOT TO SHOT. THE CAMERA HAS A CONTINUOS SHOOTING MODE BUT IF THE SUBJECT IS MOVING THE PICTURE GETS DISTORTED. THE BOTTOM LINE...AFTER OWNING THIS CAMERA FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF-VERY EASY TO USE, GREAT PICS AND VIDEO AND WOULD RECOMMEND.
61 Great Camera
I don't think I can say much more then what other reviewers have already said, but I am so happy with the camera I had to say something.... After receiving the camera I was taking pictures in less the 5 minutes. The ability to have both the point and shoot option as well as the advanced photography options was a big plus for me. And the features do get advanced, as it will take me some time to learn how to use them all. In the mean time I will continue to experiment. The form factor on this camera is outstanging, all the controls are where you would want them to be and are mostly self explanatory. The picture quality is outstanding as well. For stills and moving photos the camera has the ability to adjust it self to better settings quicker then I can. 8^)
My only complaint is the size of the memory card that is provided with the camera. With a product of this quality Fuji should step up and at least throw in a 64mb card. One postive comment on the memory, the xD memory is about 5 times faster in transfering pictures to my PC then the compact flash that was used on my previous camera.
I think my loyalty will be with Fuji for the coming years if they continue to produce quality products like this at such reasonable prices!
62 Great Camera, Simple to use
This camera is definitly a good buy and very simple to use. It offers the professional options in a manor that a non-professional can opperate. It is a high quality camera at an affordable price. Even my seven year brother can use this thing.
63 If you are not a pro, Just buy it
Great camera, I compared cameras for weeks and just decided to go with my gut feeling and by the Fuji S5000. This is my first digital camera, and I found it very easy to use. The auto settings are just fine for us that are not professional photographers, and the zoom is great. If you are looking at this camera, just buy it, you will like it.
64 Fantastic value for a great camera
This camera is one of the best hidden secrets of the mid-range/amateur digital camera market. It is about as close to a dSLR as you can get without breaking the bank. For one, the camera fits your hand like a glove, with its huge beefy handgrip and thoughtfully placed controls. The 10x optical zoom is stunning. Battery life is amazing, I go for weeks on a pair of 1800mAh rechargeables. Color and exposure are spot on, AF is dead-on accurate and the AF assist lamp is a rarely-found but valuable feature in this market segment. Shot-to-shot time is practically instantaneous. The S5000 can scale from a novice-friendly point-and-shoot to a killer amateur photographer's camera.
I have only few quams about this camera. For one, the software that compresses the JPEGs is too aggressive. Images show noise when viewed 1:1, but this isn't a problem unless you're printing photos larger than 8x10; if you are the CCD-RAW mode produces flawless images that can be post-processed on your own. Prints from the 3 MP mode look spectacular when printed in non-enlargement sizes. Next, I would make the LCD bigger, although it is incredibly bright and pretty high-resolution. The EVF needs to have a higher resolution, but it's better than the optical viewfinder found on pretty much every other camera in the market.
In all, I strongly reccomend this camera. The professional reviews that I've read tend to put this camera up against cameras that cost it twice as much; that's actually rather flattering for the S5000. It's not a dSLR, but it brings the feel, control, and power of a dSLR to a more frugal, amateur market segment.
65 Best 10x Optical Camera
I bought this camera about one week after it was released. So I paid $469, but have been using it since early August. All my photos have been excellent, for color and sharpness. I have printed my digital images on Silver halide (AgX) paper and have been impressed with the quality. I have prints as large as 12x18 and see no digital artifacts. While some reviews say that the compression is too much I would disagree. The file sizes are around 800kb and easy to work with and don't over use your hard disk. Don't get caught up in the mega pixel wars, I find a 3MP camera will be enough for your printing needs. I am a research technician in digital imaging and have put the camera through several test for sharpness, grain (noise), and color. So far I can find no fault with this camera for the price range and its features. Another positive feature is its use of power supply, 4 AA batteries. If you are ever in a pinch these can be purchased any where. Battery life is very good, I use the electronic view finder. This takes a little getting use to, but really is fine after using the camera for a short period. If there is one thing that would have been a nice feature would be automatic pop up of the flash when it is needed. Using the camera in Program mode makes it easy for anyone in the family to use, yet the camera has features for the more serious photographer. So if you want a camera with 10x optical zoom, easy to use, no special battery, and the new xD camera card this is a great buy. The xD card really is faster than the compact flash cards so widely used. And if you buy the xD to compact flash adapter you can use the xD card in other compact flash equipment. One final positive is this camera looks GREAT!!!
66 Please read. This is a Great camera!
I've had mine about a week. A co-worker bought an Olympus 740.
I can take a beautiful pictures instantly in "auto", he has to fuss around with light settings and endless menus adjusting light etc, just to get a comparable picture. His pictures are under exposed and orange in artificial light. This Fuji film camera is perfect every time. I've reached a point where I no longer show him my pictures. It makes him sad. I think he will exchange it for an S5000. The Finepix software included is not as sophisticated as Camedia but, Fuji doesn't install the annoying Quicktime bundle that takes over every aspect of your multimedia software. Some of you will be aware of how difficult it is to uninstall from your system. All Olympus cameras include Quicktime. Beware!
Bottom line, buy it. And watch your friends struggle.
67 Super Camera! Easy to Use!
Recently purchased this camera and I absolutely love it! It has been very, very easy to use. Definately user friendly! The photo quality is outstanding! Do however recommend getting a bigger disc - the one that comes with camera will not be enough! Previously used a HP945 - the Fuji focuses much faster and records much faster! If your subjects are moving (children, sports, etc.) get the Fuji! At this price don't hesitate!!
68 Amazing camera for an amazing price!!
Before I purchase anything with value, I tend to spend way to much time trying to find exactly what I want, then finding the right place for the right price. I have been looking into replacing my digital camera and began my search about 3 months ago. Nothing really impressed me until I came acrosss this most amazing camera.
The FUJIFILM S5000 has been designed keeping in mind the beginner, to the professional. I would not say I am close to being professional, but I do know quality of images. I have an older HP Camera which takes decent pictures, but my biggest issue was taking pictures in a dim room, like a performance or show. This camera can focus and take amazing pictures in dim situations. If it doesn't focus right, you can use the manual focus. It was a little tricky to figure out at first. I actually had to open the manual which I hate doing, but once I knew what to do... its a very simple operation.
To even better convince you, simply run to the mall, and pop in the RitzFilm store. You can ask to see this camera and try it out. You will soon notice another great design layout from FujiFilm for this model. It just fits perfectly in your hand. The layout of each button is just in the best spot for perfect picture taking.
I would recommend this item for anyone looking for an amazing camera with all the bells and whistles.
I love Target and shop here often, but I purchased this item at walmart.com for the reason it was $352.66. Over $46 in savings.
If you have questions, you can IM me on AIM at DeepBlueNY or email me at deepblueny@hotmail.com.
69 Excellet camera - quality of a pro, ease of point & shoot
I love this camera! I've been meaning to go digital for awhile now, but have heasitated because most digital cameras don't have the right combination of features for my uses.
I got this specifially for a recent trip to Wales & I've not had a second I've regretted it. Especially useful is the continuous shot mode which allows you to rapidly take several pictures in sequence. Since I was watching auto racing this allowed me to get multiple shots of each car as they passed by.
I'm still getting to know all the features on this camera, but even at the begining I've had no problems with getting good pictures. This camera is highly flexible & I recommend it especially to anyone who wants a camera that can function as point & shoot but that also has high-end features to allow greater control over images when desired. Of note are its zoom(if you're shopping around, beware the "digital zoom") capability and the fact that it can take traditional lenses(it comes with an adapter if you want to use filters, telephoto lenses, etc)
This camera is lightweight and seems sturdy (its lived through a lot of hiking through welsh forests with me so far). Its also smaller than you'd think a camera of these features should be.
My only complaint: I wish the lens cap screwed on (Mine keeps falling off).
70 Great camera, good deal
I've had my s5000 for about 48 hours now and I have to say that we are very pleased with our purchase. The camera is easy to use and the pictures have been amazing. I've read a few reviews from some very experienced photographers who have a few negatives about this camera, but for someone like me who shoots pics of my family, car, events, etc. it is the best camera I've ever had. My friends have been quite impressed as well.
Oh, and I bought it at Best Buy because they gave a free 64mb memory card with purchase, plus they had 24-mos interest free. Makes this camera very affordable and attractive.
71 Great Camera
The Fuji Finepix S5000 is a superb digital camera, Ive owned a few digicams, this blows them all away, its fast, has great options, easy menus, and is fairly small.
Delivers beautiful images with no fuss.
Even gives you the options of Black and White, normal excellent color and last but not least gives you a chrome mode this simulates slides, great with flowers.
I cannot praise this cameras enough, its in a class by itself and is not costly. Buy it, you won,t go wrong.
72 Nice little Camera
Great camera for the price. Smaller than expected which is a little awcward for m big hands. but everyting is working great. has wonderful options for geting creative.
73 Great camera!
I purchased this camera as an upgrade from my Fuji 3800 and while that was a good camera, the s5000 is a great camera. This camera is truly about the zoom, all 10x of it! I can easily zoom in on the blue jays in my neighbors trees and when looking at the photo you would think I was right next to them instead of in the next yard over. I have heard complaints that photos others have taken with the zoom fully extended have turned out very blurry. I have never experienced any blurriness with this zoom lens at all. The zoom on this camera is amazing! Another plus about the s5000 is the styling, it has the look and feel of a traditional SLR which helps traditional 35mm camera users feel comfortable using this camera. Also the setup is extremely easy. I had the camera out of the box and operating within 5 minutes the day it arrived. Even though this camera has many advanced features such as manual focus, white balance and ISO controls the beginning user won't have any problem operating it, the camera is fairly self-explanatory in that sense. One nice feature is the camera's AF illuminator which makes taking indoor shots without the flash very simple and they are usually in focus. Another great feature is the cameras ability to operate in three color modes: Black and white (which turns out awesome pics), standard color (usually looks exactly like the real thing), and chrome mode (which simulates slide film and makes the photo much more rich in color).
This camera is almost a 5 star, but I just couldn't rate it a 5 star because of a couple problems. Most of the time when I am taking pictures against a brightly lit background (whether artificial or a bright sky) there is a noticable purple fringing on the photos. It is not immediately noticable, but once I noticed it I was not happy with the photos until I edited out the purple in Photoshop. One should also consider purchasing a 256 xd card because of the wealth of photos you will be taking. On the cameras highest resolution ("6" MP) I can fit close to 200 pics on a 256 card. One other problem I have with the camera is more in the way Fuji marks the camera. On the side in large print is "22x zoom" and this is simply not true. The camera has 10x zoom with 2.2x digital zoom, and everybody knows that digital zoom doesn't count because of the way it can butcher the quality of the picture. Also Fuji tends to say that this is a 6MP camera which is also not true. This is a 3 MP camera with the sensor ability to capture the image as if it were 6MP, the difference is huge and many people could be fooled into thinking that they were purchasing 6MP cameras which is simply not true.
I would recommend this camera to anyone, beginner or professional simply for its wealth of features and its value. When the camera was originally introduced in the summer of '03 it retailed for close to $600, I have now found it brand new online at several sites for $277, so I would also recommend shopping around before purchasing the camera.
74 FujiFilm FinePix S5000
I haven't owned this camera for long, but I've taken roughly 250 pictures with it and they are outstanding!!! If there are any drawbacks I just haven't come across them as yet. I do own two other Fuji Digital cameras and a Minolta Dimage 5, but this one is superior to the others - and the others are in the 3MP range as well. You will need a larger XD card. 16MB just isn't enough. I can recommend this camera without hesitation.
75 Fujifilm Finepix S5000
I selected this model because of the fine word of mouth and magazine reviews. I found that the learning curve for the camera, despite many complex features, was very low and easy to navigate. The photo quality is excellent. The focal range of the lens offers opportunity for shots other digitals don't give, as well as the number of apeture choices. The reason I rated the camera at four stars versus five is the finepix software for downloading the photographs. The program would not recognize the camera even after two installs and my computer is a new PC with Windows XP. I finally had to call a tech friend and we found a roundabout way of retrieving the photos. The camera, when plugged in, becomes a separate drive on the hard drive. If I open the Finepix software, then search for that drive, my photos appear and I can then copy them onto a fixed drive in the computer. The program, itself, does not recognize or download the photos. The makeshift solution took two hours with an experienced tech to discover, I should mention.
76 perfect for part-time pro
I've been very pleased with this camera - the SLR feel of it means I don't miss a beat from my normal photo habits, and the results have been amazing. I hesitated because this does not offer a hot shoe for pro flashes, but the pop-up flash is truly awesome. I've gotten perfectly-lit zoom shots at a rock concert of subjects 15 feet away.
I spent more than I'd planned on this for the 10x optical zoom, and that makes all the difference. Closer, clearer shots. The colors are rich, and the special features are not hard to figure out.
In short, my 35mm is getting dusty, and I can't imagine feeling comfortable with any credit-card size camera. Until I can afford the digital back for my SLR, this is the way to go.
77 Excellent choice for a beginner to intermediate
I've had this camera for about a month and have had nothing but fantastic photos to show for it. I am merely a photography novice, but the photo quality, features and zoom can hardly be beat for the value of the product.
The Good: Good picture quality, top-notch optical zoom, easy-to-hold body design, low battery drain when using high quality NiMH batteries, tube adapter and lensecap included.
The "eh"s: Slight purple glow under certain lighting conditions, TTL EVF will take a little getting use to, included software is usable, but nothing comparable to IrfanView and Windows XPs built in image handling.
The Bad: Included memory card is woefully small, included batteries will last about half of a blink of an eye.
78 You can't buy only the camera
The camera by itself is great. It's good for the begginer and for the semi-pro photographers.
However, I will not elaborate on the camera itself, as other reviews are right on the money.
I'd like to comment on the fact that you can't go buy the camera and start working. you HAVE to get a bigger xD card, cause 16MB just won't cut it. You HAVE to get rechargable battaries, and I strongly suggest that you get an adapter that will work around the world, not just in your homeland. and keep charging time in mind (you can't go on vacation with rechargables that take 18 hours to recharge!!!)
and you absolutly MUST get a case for it.
so in short, be prepared to shell out at least a couple hundred dollars so you can start working.
on the other hand, most (if not all) of the competition doesn't provide these as well.
79 Couldn't be happier with my purchase
I purchased this camera three weeks ago before a major vacation and couldn't be happier with my purchase. Its my first digital after several years of film photography. The camera is a joy to use. I was hooked in a minute on this model. The manual is easy to understand making operating the camera just as easy. Automatic, manual, video and other modes make this camera fun to experiment with. The 10x zoom will blow you away - I got excellent shots of a football game sitting high up in the cheap seats. Love the black/white mode also. The camera will bracket for you, let you choose auto, 400 and 800 film speed, and will take five consecutive pictures - allowing you to capture subjects that just won't sit still long enough for the digital camera to finish a picture. Battery life surprised me - lasted much longer than I believed it would. Picture quality is outstanding. Installation of software was a snap and downloading of the photos takes just a second. I am very happy with this camera.
80 Don't wait, just buy this AWESOME digicam !!!
My dear husband, (a pro photographer) clued me into this camera before it was even shipped from Fuji factory. It compares to the top of the line Nikon Coolpix and Olympus high end digicams costing $800-1,000. But it outshoots all its competitors even though the others cost a lot more $$. I have been shooting this camera for only 3 days now (it was just released for sale last week) and I love it. My husband loves it and is thinking of buying one for himself even though he owns 3 digital SLR cameras and numerous 35mm Nikons. The photos from the S5000 look fantastic even at the 1mb and 3mb sizes. The lens is really sharp and the 10X zoom allows one to compose just about any photo one can envision. The camera fits nicely in the hand, buttons are intuitive and easy to reach, and one can shoot pics one-handed. It is a much smaller camera than it appears from photos, it is shorter than my cricket lighter!
It has a short lag time between pressing the shutter and making the image, as ALL digicams do, but I get around that by using the "best of 5" mode...it can blaze off 5 pics in one second, capturing precious fleeting expressions of my 3 month old son that other cameras would miss. White balance is terrific, skin tones look very realistic to life, metering is right on with what a pro photog would select. You won't regret owning this truly awesome camera. I'm loving it so much I'm ordering a second xd card to take even more pics.
Just buy it!!!
81 Great all around camera for the price
Definitely satisfied!
At the time I bought this camera (a few months ago), I was a beginner in digital photography. Initially I was looking for Fuji S602. Now I have Fuji S5000. Was it a good choice? Can't say yes, can't say no. There is no perfect camera yet... But I cannot ask for more at $350-400.
+: great zoom, burst mode, powerful flash + no red eyes, easy to use, nice colors, great feeling in your hand, movie mode is very good (I would have preferred 640x480), low power consumption, so very good autonomy, many manual settings (for those not happy with auto or predefined modes), RAW mode, can be used as webcamera or video capture device.
-: max shutter only 2s, EVF resolution not so high, LCD could have been at least 1.8", some pictures are noisy (ISO 200 is a bit too high), jpeg compression is quite high (and cannot be changed), low battery indicator is shown only a few seconds before camera turns off.
Recommended buys: another XD card, rechargeable batteries, case, tripod.
82 10x optical zoom, pro feel, but not the best value.
the s5000 has a very nice professional feel. it also has 10x optical zoom which is great. but the superCCD system that fuji uses doesn't give as much detail as hoped for, and in the end, you have to conclude that there are better camers at this price point out there.
pros:
- 6-megapixel interpolated still mode.
- vivid colors.
- 10x optical zoom!
- flexible: point and shooters have automatic selections and scene modes while creative shooters have plenty of control with manual and priority exposure modes.
- continuous shooting mode.
- RAW file output.
- bright LCD works well even in low light.
- xD card features short write times, less battery usage.
- non-proprietary batteries used. this means replacement batteries are as close as the nearest convenience store (i recommend rechargeables though).
- good macro performance.
- supplied lens adapter gives camera a more professional look and serves as a lens protector.
- supports add-on lenses.
- unlimited 30 fps 320x240 video.
- adapter ring (which doubles as lens hood) included.
- low redeye occurrence.
- built-in AF illuminator.
- not as big or heavy as i thought. dimensions are 4.4"W x 3.2"H x 3.1"D, weighing 11.9 oz. (excluding batteries and media).
cons:
- image quality not as good as competition - too noisy and over-compressed.
- visible purple fringing.
- noticeable vignetting.
- lens shading visible in everyday shots
- no gain in resolution using the 6MP image size setting.
- no direct adjustment for tone or color saturation.
- no manual white balance.
- limited night exposure capability.
- flash exposures slightly underexposed.
- ISO 800 limited to one megapixel image size (1280 x 960).
- you're on your own when using manual focus - it doesn't show focus distance.
- this camera is made of plastic and it doesn't feel very solid.
- no exposure info for photos in playback mode.
- slowest shutter speed available is 2 seconds.
- although i like the fact that fuji uses non-proprietary AA batteries, 4 of these definitely add bulk.
- the supplied 16MB xD card is inadequate. be prepared to shell out a few more bucks for more memory (at least 128MB).
- the AA batteries supplied by fuji are not rechargeable so add a few more bucks to your budget to buy a charger and rechargeable AAs.
i hope this helps your buying decision. peace.
83 A great camera
I initially bought the Fuji Finepix 3800 for my wife -- but it was *terrible* in low light conditions. What do I mean... it couldn't focus in somewhat dim conditions like you'd experience in a restaurant. I traded up for the S5000 and we couldn't be happier.
It takes absolutely great pictures. Lowlight isn't a problem anymore with this camera as Fuji added a focus-assist lamp. I also love the fact that it works as a point and shoot but can be controlled manually as well. The zoom is incredible (10x) and is in a class all by itself. Battery life seems pretty good compared to other cameras I've used.
What are things that people may not like? Well, it's not a small camera that will fit in your pocket. But that's ok for me. The xd memory cards are more expensive than the other formats right now but on the other hand they're faster and use less battery power.
