Main Review

Point and Shoot

The main advantages of the F40fd over its F31fd sibling are that it boasts a 3x zoom (36-108mm equivalent) and Face Detection technology. Other areas have changed too though, with the unique prospect of using either an xD or SD memory card in the card slot. Also, the ISO range runs from 100-1600 (not to ISO 3200 like the F31fd), and there are no Aperture or Shutter Priority shooting modes; Program AE and 14 Scene modes make the F40fd a point-and-shoot affair.


Design

The design, however, is a definite improvement over the F31fd, with gloss black trim and a matt-black rear adding a little panache to the metal-shelled newcomer. A 2.5in LCD monitor takes up much of the space at the back with a control dial and button cluster squashed into the remaining space.

In use, the LCD screen’s anti-reflective coating does a good job of preventing screen glare, but the three-second start up is less impressive. The AF is quick, though.


Image Quality

Excellent metering and auto white balance systems ensure that the F40fd delivers print-ready images in almost every situation, so the only decision to make is how big you want those prints to be. At ISO 100 an A3 print is perfectly acceptable, while at ISO 400-800, A4 is a more realistic size. At the maximum ISO 1600, detail turns to mush, but even so, an A4 print isn’t bad.

Verdict

The Fuji FinePix F40fd looks good and takes good pictures, but the lack of manual control makes it a touch expensive for an 8MP ‘point-and-shooter’.

Reviewer: WDC Team