Fujifilm’s latest super-zoom camera is the FinePix S2000HD, a 10.0 megapixel model with a 15x zoom lens, sensor-shift image stabilisation for both still and video shooting, and HD video recording, currently priced around a tempting £175.

The S2000HD has a plastic body, but thanks to the large lens and the four AA batteries inside the handgrip it weighs more than its compact size might suggest, and certainly feels solidly made. Its SLR-like shape handles well, and the camera is very comfortable to hold. The controls are large, easy to use and all operate smoothly.

The monitor is sharp and bright with a fast refresh rate, but the electronic viewfinder is not quite as good. It’s bright enough, but not quite sharp enough for manual focusing.

The S2000HD is the first Fujifilm camera since 2002 that doesn’t accept xD-Picture cards, which Fujifilm co-developed with Olympus. Presumably this signals Fuji’s abandonment of the xD format in favour of the cheaper and more popular SD/SDHC cards.

The S2000HD can shoot video clips of up to 15 minutes duration at 1280 x 720 HD and 30fps with mono audio, and the optical zoom can be used during video shooting, although the zoom motor is faintly audible on the soundtrack.

Image Quality
Picture quality is generally good, although the level of fine detail is surprisingly low for a 10MP camera, and the lens isn’t as good as some of its close competitors. Noise control is very good though, with plenty of detail up to ISO 400, and low light performance is excellent. n

Verdict

The S2000HD offers good value for the money, and is one of the most versatile super-zoom models on the market. It has a few faults, but the handling, zoom range, performance and low-light focusing can cope in most situations. As a general-purpose camera it?s hard to beat for the price.