EXR sensor technology hits the infoSync shores! Find out how it fared in our comprehensive Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR review. We think you'll be happy.
Review summary of the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR:
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 It may not be the most attractive compact on the display table, but the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR proved itself a high-performance machine by the end of our test drive. The new EXR technology passed with flying colors and image quality was the best we could expect for a compact in this class. The Finepix F200EXR also brims with features and has a 28mm wide-angle lens. The uninspiring interface and soporific architecture will just have to be overlooked, but the $400 price tag is a little harder to brush aside. If you're serious about photography and don't feel like taking a gamble on a Super Zoom or investing in a pricey DSLR, the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR is one of the few compacts worthy of filling those shoes. Image quality alone is reason enough to buy this camera and we're having second thoughts regarding sending the Finepix F200EXR back to Fujifilm. We might just have to keep it forever. Release: March 2009. Price: $400.
Pros: Great overall image quality. Bountiful features. Impressive sensor technology that actually works.
Cons: Wouldn't even place in a backwoods beauty contest. Lame interface.
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Full Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR Review:
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Design Good
The Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR is not one of those models that pole vaults off the shelf with style. In fact, it's an ugly camera that's shaped like a sponge and saddled with a Brillo Pad color scheme. Most consumers will drift by the Finepix F200EXR in Best Buy, gravitating toward the sleek Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900 or unconventional Canon PowerShot SD960 IS. Tis a sad thing, for those consumers will never have a chance to harness the sheer awesomeness that lies within the F200EXR. We're telling you up front that this compact kicks ass in more ways than one. Unfortunately, aesthetics are not one of them. Needless to say, the F200EXR is a comfortable compact to grip, thanks to its contoured, hourglass shape and durable metal chassis. The Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR is also not a boat anchor, weighing surprisingly less than we expected, given its moderate size.
Buttons are a bit on the small side, especially the four-way directional pad. The rear-mounted Mode dial is also inconveniently placed, residing right under our right thumb. Fortunately, the Mode dial resisted shifting with an average level of force, unlike the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1's Mode dial, which flicked out of place with the slightest movement. The Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR's port enclosure and battery/SD card door are burly compared to other compacts in its class. If it weren't for the chrome accents, the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR would be the Shrek of all compacts. In this fairy tale, beauty truly does lie on the inside, which we'll get to later on.
Interface Good
A standard, run-of-the-mill, average, no frills interface is paired with the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR's homely looks, which is sad because Fujifilm could make this thing an omnipotent beast. Imagine a stealthy, sparklecoat of jet-black paint, spinning Control wheel, top-mounted Mode dial, optical viewfinder and a gaggle of external manual controls like designated ISO and White Balance buttons. A brisk splash of water to the face reveals four minute, generic buttons crowding in the undersized four-way directional pad. There isn't even an ISO quick function, as the Finepix F200EXR relies primarily on its menus. Even the LCD screen is a fairly large yet lackluster 3-incher with a mediocre picture that is not immune to solarizing.
Fujifilm's menus are also not the most desirable digital structures on the market. The graphics are not bad, but all menus look the same. For instance, the F menu appears onscreen as a set of vertically scrolling options. What did we see when we accessed the Main menu? A set of vertically scrolling options in the exact same font and color scheme. This was the case no matter what shooting mode we happened to be in, and it was confusing as all handcrafted hell. If Fujifilm adopted Canon's x-axis/y-axis Function menu structure and stuck to a more administrative-styled Main menu, the Finepix F200EXR's interface would be significantly less vexing and actually fun to use. Playback was not impressive either. Images lacked adequate information and histograms and the zooming function was clunky. It only gets better from here on in folks, we promise!
Features - Good
Fall of 2008 was not only a harbinger of mystical New England foliage and cider doughnuts. Fujifilm was catapulting EXR hype at Photokina, and we finally got a chance to validate the company's bold claims. Super Sensor CCD EXR technology is the cornucopia on this Thanksgiving table, and the bounty consists of multiple shooting options addressing resolution, ISO and dynamic range. Since the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR's large sensor possesses the ability to shoot at two different exposure levels, we were able to achieve wonderful things in the dynamic range department. The EXR sensor's unconventional color filter array pattern led to an improved color and resolution performance, and the Finepix F200EXR offered three distinct EXR shooting modes designed specifically for certain shooting environments.
First off, we could shoot in EXR Auto mode, which allowed the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR to call the shots, automatically selecting from six different EXR Scene presets such as Macro and Night. EXR Auto functioned very well in most environments, but when we wanted to channel the best out of the technology we shot in one of three designated Priority modes. High Resolution Priority focused on low ISO, giving us some of our most detailed images in the entire shoot.
High ISO and Low Noise Priority mode was also impressive when the lights went down, and the camera had one of the best ISO performances we've seen from a compact. But the cherry on the sundae was its Dynamic Range Priority mode, which allowed us to select up to an 800% increase in effectiveness. The F200EXR's sensor achieves this by underexposing half of the pixels and combining them with the other half, which captures a normal exposure. Unfortunately, only 6-megapixel images can be captured in Low Noise Priority and Dynamic Range Priority modes, but the results were worth it.
In addition to EXR shooting, the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR offered a Manual mode with a Shutter Speed that reached 8 seconds and an Aperture that closed down to f/9. This enabled us to shoot at night with a tripod at full resolution and still achieve a great dynamic range at a low ISO. Program AE mode was solid and we liked the Finepix F200EXR's Natural & Flash mode, which captured one image with the flash and one without in rapid succession for comparison. We were surprised to discover that the camera was devoid of a histogram, yet it featured a primitive digital light meter in Manual mode. For a compact in this class, the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR unleashes a plethora of quality shooting features.
Hardware Very Good
Fujifilm went big on the inside with a 12-megapixel 1/1.6-inch Super CCD EXR sensor, one of the largest within the world of compacts. As stated before, the Super CCD EXR sensor's claim to fame is its rearranged color filter array pattern and dual-level exposure capability, assigning half of the pixels to shadows and the other half to a standard exposure. We experienced great things from the Finepix F200EXR's new sensor, but its Image Stabilization was not as effective. The 28mm wide-angle lens was quite impressive, as was the 5x optical zoom. Canon, Nikon and Panasonic are going to have to step up their game if they want to take down the EXR brigade, for right now it's hot off the press.
The Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR is a rather sluggish oaf, snapping an image at approximately 3.4 seconds after initial power up. JPEG images are recorded to SD/SDHC cards and xD cards and juice is supplied by a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery.
Image Quality Very Good
Finally, a compact that lived up to its own preposterous hype! We were quite skeptical regarding the claims generated by the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR's marketing hoopla squad, but nearly every pixel lived happily ever after in this fairy tale. We had minimal complaints in nearly every shooting environment. Fringing was uniformly low, colors were beautifully natural and details echoed with lifelike quality. We were particularly blown away by the effectiveness of the Finepix F200EXR's malleable dynamic range, courtesy of the EXR shooting mode. Images were sharp, but sometimes a trifle over-sharpened in High Resolution Priority mode.
Night shooting was not a problem, thanks to the Finepix F200EXR's impressive manual mode and versatile shutter speeds. We haven't seen a performance this admirable from a compact in this class for quite some time, and it's safe to say that the F200EXR beat out neighboring Canons such as the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS and Canon PowerShot SD970 IS. But not by much, and we're talking overall image performance here. The Finepix F200EXR is also more expensive, so if image quality outweighs price, the Fujifilm is the best we've seen from the lightweights all year.
Outdoor Lighting Test (EXR Auto) Rexes in the Lot
"Let's open the ports wide open and crank that throttle!" the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR would say if it had a mouth. Or a 1200cc engine. Regardless, the top image looks top notch, and this particular pair of Kawasakis never looked so good. Stellar detail, low noise and great dynamic range are the primary themes here. There's also the rich vibrancy of the hues, which refrain from bleeding and oversaturating. Now if only that damn Ram didn't decide to park its fat behind in the background, but alas, the Finepix F200EXR is not capable of subject matter teleportation.
Dynamic Range Test (Program AE) Bear Mountain
Dynamic Range Test (Program AE) Bear Mountain
We hiked a few treacherous twisties to the crown of Bear Mountain for a little landscape photography. What a day for a dynamic range test drive. The first image was captured in Program AE mode using the Dynamic Range adjust feature and the results were killer, especially when compared to the following image, which was captured in Program AE mode at a higher exposure level. The first image exhibits a well-balanced exposure that was pretty much level across the chart. Colors look like they were siphoned from the Nature Channel HD and detail is exceptional for a pint-sized compact. The second image is an example of what happens when one fails to take advantage of all the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR has to offer in the ways of image adjustment. Like a good late night friend, the more you play around with the Finepix F200EXR, the easier it is to achieve great things.
Fringe Test (Dynamic Range EXR) Prepping the Horses
While on Bear Mountain, Craig decided to fiddle with the K&N filter on his #4 carb, giving us a great profile contrast opportunity amidst the Robin's egg blue sky. Most compacts tend to fling a purple net over every border in sight in a situation like this, but the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR put its strap down and said "not in my house!" This is a truly remarkable display, courtesy of the anti-fringe movement, headed by the venerable Finepix F200EXR. This camera is kicking ass and taking names.
Indoor Light Test (Program AE) The Snake Pit
This is probably the most unimpressive image in this lot, and it has nothing to do with the subject matter, trust us. You can't go wrong with a backwoods cabin treading 1970's water smack dab in the middle of Bumbletown, PA. We love the warm tones and accentuated detail, but the blankets and crochet items succumb to a little blowing out. We shot this image in Program AE, so EXR mode would have been the better bet here.
Portrait Test Claudia
Macro Test (EXR Auto) Race Baffle in Your Face
Even at close range the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR takes no prisoners. After pleading against a miniature photo shoot due to extreme fatigue, Claudia still looked great, thanks to the naturalistic and warm tones generated by the Finepix F200EXR. In addition, the detail in Claudia's scarf is highly impressive and with professional lighting, we'd have ourselves a model shoot. The Finepix F200EXR's Macro capacity was a great thing. We were able to bury the lens almost into the hole of the megaphone, and the detail was unwavering. We're actually thinking about sending the Finepix F200EXR's box back to Fujifilm with a bar of soap in its place because we don't want to give it back. They wouldn't know, right?
Low Light Test (Manual Mode) Rexes in the Dark Lot
Low Light Test (Auto) Rexes in the Dark Lot
The ultimate test came down to darkness, for so far the Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR had greased our wheels and blasted our rocketships with a magnificent all-around image performance. Well, even in low light the Finepix F200EXR was a fireworks finale. We closed the aperture down all the way and went with a long shutter for the first image, and the colors and detail look amazing. This was also shot without a tripod, merely braced upon a rock with a steady set of hands. Lines are visible even along the edge of Big Green's tailpiece against the black sky. The flash performance was not as impressive, but why would you want to use a flash when the Finepix F200EXR can produce such magic in Manual mode? If you like quality photography in a small package, get this camera. We order you.
Price and availability
The Fujifilm Finepix F200EXR is available for $400.
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