fuji f50

[devilgas]

anyone got one yet? need a 2nd uw camera and was wondering whether to upgrade the f30 to a 50. ignored the 40 as they took away some of the manual control. so, anyone know if the f50 re-introduced this control or whether it was still left out?
also a bit concerned at squeezing double the pixel count from a sensor that is marginally smaller than that in the 30. how does it do noise wise etc?

[Finless]

There is going to be a camera review (abt 20 cameras?) in the Dec issue of Diver mag and the F50 will be one of the cameras.

[devilgas]

cheers finless. was trying to get first hand opinions rather than rely on a mag article which will probs miss the most important bit!

[Finless]

Originally Posted by devilgas

cheers finless. was trying to get first hand opinions rather than rely on a mag article which will probs miss the most important bit!

A dive shop in Tonbridge is receiving their stock and having an Open Night this Wed (I think) but you do need to book first. Where are you based, Wales? Perhaps that's a bit too far to travel.

[devilgas]

eventually found a decent review site - Digital Camera Reviews, Ratings & Comparisons of Popular Cameras – DigitalCameraInfo.com - that tells me the F50 does have the A/S mode that they'd removed from the F40. it seems noise is an issue at anything above iso 100 and even at iso 100 it's only acceptable - my fears of cramming so many photosites into a similar size sensor appear to be confirmed. the review is relatively lukewarm with respect to colour reproduction etc.

[Finless]

Originally Posted by devilgas

eventually found a decent review site - Digital Camera Reviews, Ratings & Comparisons of Popular Cameras – DigitalCameraInfo.com - that tells me the F50 does have the A/S mode that they'd removed from the F40. it seems noise is an issue at anything above iso 100 and even at iso 100 it's only acceptable - my fears of cramming so many photosites into a similar size sensor appear to be confirmed. the review is relatively lukewarm with respect to colour reproduction etc.

It makes you wonder how a company like FUJI can seem to make such relatively obvious mistakes on a camera which is (I assume) to be the next stage of development?

[devilgas]

it's the megapixie race. peeps think they're getting a good deal as there's loads of pixies, but unless the sensor size is increased, physics does a good job of providing the sting in the tail.

it'd be nice to be proved wrong on the 50, but it looks like another 30 will need to be gotten hold of.

[Finless]

If you don't mind my asking, what is your No1 camera set up?

[JamesW]

Originally Posted by devilgas

anyone got one yet? need a 2nd uw camera and was wondering whether to upgrade the f30 to a 50. ignored the 40 as they took away some of the manual control. so, anyone know if the f50 re-introduced this control or whether it was still left out?
also a bit concerned at squeezing double the pixel count from a sensor that is marginally smaller than that in the 30. how does it do noise wise etc?

I bought one up the dive show havent used it in the water yet, but the normal pics are good.
Thanks

[devilgas]

Originally Posted by Finless

If you don't mind my asking, what is your No1 camera set up?

was using a 5060 with ys60 strobe - i won an olympus comp a few years ago which bought the cam & housing

bought an f30 for use as video and now tend to use that most of the time for photos as well, as the macro capabilities are simply superb. it's a little limited when you want to get really creative so that's when the 5060 gets employed. i do tend to choose the fuji over the oly though as it's just a better all round performer.

there's one or 2 pics on my site. everything prior to red sea '04 was with film (and pretty bad), the rest are with the 5060 with the exception of the maldives '07 pics which are mostly with the f30.

was after another cam for the better half as she uses an oly u410 but it's pretty crap in comparison and she rightly gets frustrated with it. so it was either get a replacement for the f30 and pass it down, or just get another f30. looks like it'll be the latter.