# Fujifilm Finepix S1600



## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

These have been discontinued at Tescos and they are selling them off for Â£119....I have since found out that they are even cheaper at Dixons (Â£113). Am looking to upgrade from my Wife's Sony Cyber Shot which I have used since I started on here....Don't want to go to a DSLR, but something better than a basic compact....thought this 'bridge' camera may be the answer. Anyone got one or used one? The reviews seem pretty positive....your thoughts would be appreciated, along with any suitable alternatives....it must have a macro setting for taking pics of watches, without having to be on top of the subject...to avoid reflections.

Fujifilm FinePix S1600.


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

I don't have one of these, but I have an older brother to it, the S9100. Where the S1600 seems to come up a little bit short is the absence of a flash shoe and manual zoom and focus rings. If you try to take flash shots of a darkened larger room you'll likely find the onboard flash comes up a bit weak. It certainly is on the S9100, that's why I used an old Vivitar 283 with it. The ability to zoom with your free hand is a feature that speeds up picture taking and saves a litle bit of battery power too.

The good feature of this camera is the use of AA batteries. You can always find some, somewhere.

Later,

William


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

All the reviews I found were positive too. Still, I would go with a full DSLR if I were you... it works fully automatic if you want to but you can turn down auto setting and try manual ones one by one until you go full manual. With a point and shot, what you get in day one is what you'll ever get from it.

It's not difficult to find an "old" SLR for a good price as models evolve. I have a Canon 350D which is still a great camera (for my limited skills and time invested on it), the only let down being the lens it came with. If that bothered me that much, all I had to do was buy a new lens and not a whole camera.

So come on... you know what you really want is a DSLR...


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## Uncle Alec (Feb 14, 2011)

I use a Finepix S1500 and given the limitations of a bridge as opposed to a DSLR I find that I use it a lot. I publish quite a few images in my day job (publishing editor in the classic car field) and it is brilliant for just having with you 'just in case'. Well, not in case, on a shoulder strap, but you know what I mean.

So the choice is - buy the bridge for little money, or put the ton+ towards a DSLR. Your shout.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Didn't go for the Fuji in the end...there was a discontinued Panasonic Lumix FZ38 on offer, so bought that....but it's going straight back tomorrow....it's just too complicated. The manual (which you have to download off a CD....no book!) :shocking: runs to over 125 pages and it's all press this, adjust that, set the other, put the stabilizer on, stand on one leg, hold your breath, squeeze halfway to focus, press fully to take picture......Christ! I had to have a lie down after that! :boredom: And the pics still weren't any better than the trusty old Sony Cyber shot! I mean...I've been down the 35mm SLR route before...I had all the gear back in the '80's when I was quite into photography and but it was never this labour intensive! All I want is a camera that is a step up from a basic compact, that takes good close-ups, and you don't need an 'ology' to operate....is that too much to ask!


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

Trawl the online reviews and see if you can find a P/S that stands out for macro. On occasion, I've played with other people's pocket sized cameras and found the odd one that was particularly good at close range, while the glass was less impressive at distance. It should be easy to test in store, just take your watch off and take a couple of snaps at the counter.









Later,

William

Edit: All manuals suck. From the start, set the camera to it's most automatic, then look up macro and set it to that. After that, look up how to set a smaller aperture. Finally figure out how to turn the flash on and off as needed.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

An old gf of mine had a compact Canon Powershot, can't remember the model but it was one of the Ixus ones... that thing was full auto with the option of going manual on some things and it took better pics than most DSLR I've handled!

Panasonics are great little cameras but if you want a straight point and shoot, then the Fuji would probably be a better option... Or a Sony or even an HP... Don't know how they are nowadays but I had a compact HP which had a great lens. It took fantastic night shots and the WB was very good, with more warm colours and definition that all the other compact cameras I handled at the time...


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## lewjamben (Dec 4, 2007)

I used to have something similar to this and as far as I'm concerned, if you're willing to lug this thing around, you might as well go for a DSLR.

My current compact takes far better pictures than my Fuji Finepix ever did too.


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## minkle (Mar 17, 2008)

Ive got a Fuji Finepix S200 EXR, i got it because i didnt want to have to lug around an extra lense. It is a little slower than DSLR but then again it was cheaper and its no different in image quality.

I wouldnt go any lower in the Fuji range than this mind as its batteries are rechargeable rather than 4 AA's.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Thanks for all your tips guys....well the Panasonic has gone back...I gave it the benefit of the doubt and tried it again today, but after hours of messing around and taking loads of pics, none were any better than the 710's Sony Cyber Shot...so it's gone...no point in spending Â£160 when there was no improvement in the results..also it was like a small DSLR...you couldn't just slip it in your back pocket...got my eye on a Sony Cyber Shot W350 now.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Go with a compact Canon, you won't regret it! Plus the Ixus lines are flat, square and thin so you can slip it right into your back pocket or something.


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