Fujifilm FinePix F800EXR review

We’re big fans of Fujifilm’s EXR series of cameras, and all the more so since they sprouted ultra-zoom lenses. The competition is catching up for image quality in low light, though. While the budget Fujifilm Finepix F660EXR earned itself a five-star review, the Fujifilm Finepix F770EXR couldn’t match the all-round appeal of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ25.

Fujifilm has just one new model this time around, but with features taken from the F770EXR and a price that has already been discounted to around £230, it looks like a promising pocket ultra-zoom.

The F800EXR includes Wi-Fi – a first for a Fujifilm camera. With the help of accompanying free apps for iOS and Android, it can send photos to smartphones and tablets and use these devices’ GPS radios to tag photos. It’s a clever idea. Cameras tend to be turned on and off regularly, which disrupts GPS tracking, whereas a phone app can keep tracking constantly. The implementation is clumsy, though, requiring lots of finger ballet on both the phone and camera each time we wanted to update our position. The F770EXR’s built-in GPS worked much more neatly.

Here’s the iOS app in action

Transferring photos from camera to phone proved to be fairly arduous too. The camera creates a Wi-Fi network for the phone to join, but it often gave up waiting and closed down the connection before we managed to transfer anything. A little persistence usually paid off, though. It’s great to be able to take a photo and immediately post it on Facebook without having to resort to a smartphone’s inferior camera. This is going to become a must-have feature for all digital cameras.

Otherwise, the F800EXR appears to be identical to the F770EXR. That means a range of clever shooting modes to minimise noise or expand the dynamic range for better highlight and shadow detail. Priority and manual exposure modes are included, but not manual focus, and it’s not possible to move the autofocus point. There are two function buttons for quick access to key settings, except that certain key settings such as white balance and raw mode are only available by delving through the main menu.

Performance was generally excellent, with just 1.2 seconds between shots and a 6fps continuous mode. This slowed to 1fps after six shots, but dropping the resolution to 8 megapixels let us shoot at 8fps for 14 shots. However, there’s an on-going problem we’ve seen on numerous Fujifilm cameras whereby menu buttons are inactive while photos are being written to memory card.

Video quality wasn’t up to the standards of the best pocket ultra-zoom cameras. Its 1080p videos looked a little blocky on close inspection, autofocus was fidgety and the zoom motor spoiled the soundtrack.

The first F800EXR we received had some serious issues, with our test shots spoilt by extremely poor focus towards the edges of frames. They weren’t just a bit fuzzy – they looked like a syrupy sludge. We requested a second review sample, and this one was far better, about what we’d consider to be right for a camera like this one – see example below.

The difference between our first and second samples was clear – or not in fact

We checked the test shots of other reviews online and found further variations in corner sharpness, although none was as bad as our first sample. The original camera we received was a final, manufactured model – not a pre-production sample of any sort – and so we’re a little concerned about quality control at the factory. It’s not quite enough to put us off entirely, but we’d certainly check your model immediately for corner sharpness if you do decide to invest.

We love the colours the camera plucked out of this scene, but fine details don’t live up to the 16-megapixel rating, even in the centre of the frame

This aside, the F800EXR follows in the footsteps of the capable F770EXR, using the same sensor and lens. It’s a shame because everything else about the F800EXR’s image quality is excellent, from its rich, flattering colour output to its impressively low noise in dimly lit scenes.

Image quality in low light remains excellent

We’re still big fans of Fujifilm’s EXR cameras, and the Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR is currently incredibly good value at around £150. However, while the new Wi-Fi functions are welcome, it’s frustrating that Fujifilm hasn’t taken the opportunity to iron out a few kinks and – more importantly –isn’t keeping a closer eye on the quality control of its lenses.