Who is it designed for? Fujifilm’s FinePix F300EXR is ideal for snappers who like to take manual control of their camera settings. Featuring a 12Mp EXR sensor developed by Fujifim, it packs a whopping 15x optical zoom and offers an impressive 24-360mm coverage that’s suited to a wide range of subjects.
Key features: As well as using Contrast AF, the F300EXR features Phase Detect AF, which is most commonly found in D-SLRs.
The result of combining the two AF systems is a compact that’s capable of locking focus phenomenally quickly – 0.158secs to be precise! As well as its Manual shooting modes, there’s an EXR mode, which can be set to Resolution Priority for ultimate detail, High ISO & Low Noise for clear shots in dark conditions, and D-Range Priority that prevents you getting washed out colours and enhances tonality. Switch the mode dial to Advance mode and you’re given the option to shoot a panorama. You simply depress the shutter, sweep the camera from left to right and it’ll record a panoramic image for a full 360 degrees.
Is it built to last? The F300EXR sports a clean and uncluttered design, measuring 103.5x59x32.6mm. This makes it an ideal size for the pocket and with certain areas of the body finished in gloss this helps give it a high-end feel. There’s nothing to suggest it won’t last a good while and the build quality is refined throughout.
Performance & handlingThe back of the compact is superbly laid out. The mode dial is positioned on the top-right corner for rapid access, and below this, the D-Pad has a scroll dial around its circumference. This makes it quicker to flick through the main menu and it’s handy for adjusting shutter speed, aperture and ISO in Manual mode.
Image QualityWe’d love to see the F300 EXR feature RAW support, but it’s a JPEG only option. The good news is, the JPEGS it produces are crisp, sharp and represent faithful colour to the scene photographed. ISO response is positive too, however it’s worth noting there’s a drop in resolution when it’s cranked up to 6400 or more.
ConclusionIf you’d like a compact that has a stylish look and benefits from a big 15x zoom, a fast AF system and lots of shooting modes for experimentation, you’re on the money, here. It also records videos at 720p.
AT A GLANCEStreet price: £244
Resolution: 12Mp (4288x3216pixels)
Lens: 15x optical (24-360mm f/3.5-5.3)
Image stabiliser: Yes , optical
Metering: Programmed AE,Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual
Shooting modes: M,A,S,P, EXR, Auto, Motion Panorama & 18 Scene Modes
Shutter range: 8secs-1/2000sec
ISO range: 100-12,800 Monitor: 3in, 460k dots
File formats: JPEG Storage media: SD/SDHC
HD video: 720p Weight: 195g
Dimensions: 103.5x59.2x32.6mm
www.fujifilm.co.uk