The Fuji HS20 brings Fujifilm's EXR processing technology to the superzoom fold. But is this latest 30x optical zoom beast good enough to bring the superzoom market forward? The What Digital Camera Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR review takes a look...
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR Review
Value & Verdict
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR review – Value
Brand new releases come with top-end asking prices, yet the £380 for the HS20 is about right. The only thing that’s going to usurp it are older models, including Fuji’s own HS10 (around £225 at the time of writing), that have been on the market for a little longer and seen a steep price drop. Even Canon’s SX30 IS has stooped to a £350 online price.
As the HS20 is powered by 4x AA batteries be sure to add on the price of some decent rechargeables otherwise the cost could spiral. The Panasonic FZ45, Canon SX30 IS and Sony HX100V all have included rechargeable li-ion batteries – a benefit or a drawback depending on your personal preference.
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR review – Verdict
Although the HS20 doesn’t propel the superzoom market further forward, it’s still a mighty camera to behold.
The 24-720mm manual zoom is a unique point that’ll hold of a lot of purchase power. A bit of a shame that image stabilisation is sensor-based rather than lens-based, but still an effective feature to have.
Where the HS20 comes a little undone is with its reasonable, though not staggering, image quality. The latest sensor is, frankly, over-populated in pixel count (the HS10 produced better images) and even the half resolution (8MP) EXR output can only provide so much of an improvement. For HS10 users hoping for a new revelation, this isn’t the worthy upgrade model.
All in all there’s a lot on offer here. The screen, viewfinder and lens combination provide a very useable and capable system that will come to good in a whole variety of scenarios.
Details
Sensor:1/2-inch EXR CMOS with primary color filter
LCD:3in, 460k-dot
Memory Card:SD, SDHC, SDXC
White Balance:Automatic scene recognition. Preset - Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White), Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light, Custom
Sample Photos:Fuji HS20 EXR review sample images gallery
Other:0.2in, 200k-dot electronic viewfinder;
Metering System:TTL 256-zones metering
Flash Modes:Auto, forced flash, slow synchro, external flash
Connectivity:HDMI, mini USB, A/V out
Exposure Modes:SP - Natural Light, Natural Light & with Flash, Portrait, Portrait Enhancer, Dog, Cat, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night (Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Party, Flower, Text. MODE DIAL - EXR, AUTO, P, S, A, M, C, PANORAMA, SP1, SP2, Adv
Weight:Approx. 730g (inc. batteries and card)
Power:4x AA batteries
Lens:30x optical zoom (24-720mm f/2.8-5.6 equiv.)
ISO Range:100-3200 (6400 at 8MP; 12800 at 4MP)
Dimensions:130.6(W) x 90.7(H) x 126.0(D) mm
Shutter Speeds:(Auto mode) 1/4sec. to 1/4000sec., (All other modes) 30sec. to 1/4000sec. (combined mechanical and electronic shutter)
File Formats:JPEG, Raw, Raw + JPEG, MOV (movie)