The first photos at the telephoto end were quite a disappointment, almost all photos were more or less useless. To make sure that I have not caught a defective camera, Amazon gave me a free replacement camera sent (kudos, super customer friendly !!!), but basically had similar weaknesses. While in the first camera of the middle of the screen the right edge was sharp and in particular totally blurred, the blurring of the second camera was indeed better distributed over the image, but it is still so violent that the images were largely useless. The strong image Errors were each only at the telephoto end. I could not imagine that these cameras should correspond to the normal series level, something Fuji can not really afford. That's why I've ordered a third camera on your own, which finally provided a viable (but not perfect by far) image quality even at the telephoto end.
"Made in China" may be inexpensive to manufacture, but can clearly much too much room for production variations. I would rather have spent a few euros more for a decent camera processed. How so what goes on Fuji could indeed eg times abgucken Panasonic .... To avoid misunderstandings: Of course, the review is from the third camera.
Compared to a Panasonic TZ5, which was available for more detailed comparisons me, the results of the F70 tend to be better, especially at ISO 100 are the images of the F70 very clean. Up to ISO 400, the F70 delivers slightly lower noise images than the TZ5, from ISO 800 can be of two cameras, only 10 * recommend 15 magnifications. The reproduction of detail on both cameras is approximately equivalent to the F70, considered on a pixel level, sometimes produces something peculiar "fraying". The F70 tends by default very quickly to higher sensitivities, on the other hand helps only read manual and take countermeasures. In the EXR modes, the camera developed then sometimes their very own intelligence, even if you think you have everything under control. Here helps read only conditionally, because some lack of information, you first have to try a lot of manual. Quite as simple as a normal bag clippers is the F70 not if you do not want to let incapacitate by the camera.
The F70 has plenty of modes and sub-modes that can be accessed via the menu dial and menu.
- EXR Auto Mode: The camera decides what is done, you can defend yourself against almost anything. Who is not a fan of ISO 1600 images, this mode in low light should rather avoid.
- DR mode: Extended dynamic range, reduced resolution, works quite well (the sensitivity setting is apparently used as a maximum value for the dynamic range).
- HR mode: The difference between HR mode and normal mode (P) has me so far not been developed, the results are almost identical.
- NR mode: noise reduction, bring, except for some reduced resolution, even at higher sensitivities to noise barely noticeable advantages over the full resolution. The promised noise reduction is marginal at best visible. Rather disappointing.
In addition, there are a few modes that work with multiple exposures and subsequent aggregation of images. This only works when at rest motifs and also results in a few seconds-camera work time:
- Pro Low Light: power up to 4 continuous shots and combines them into one. The results are not really convincing and depend, inter alia heavily on how far one the 4 images against each shake. So what gave it earlier times, eg Samsung, and was then called electronic
Image Stabilizer. But has never enforced (I wonder why only?) ....
- Pro Focus Mode: power up to 3 continuous shots and combines them into one. Here foreground and background are blurred exposed, while the main subject is in focus. The degree of uncertainty is selectable in 3 steps. Creates DSLR-like depth of field and works amazingly well when the subject is suitable for this purpose (telephoto focal distance, subject matter close enough to the camera and sufficient distance between the subject and the front / back-ground, exactly the same criteria, just like a DSLR ') ,
And of course there's still several portraits, and other Pickelentferner- nowadays indispensable modes of sometimes dubious benefit, to which I then but will not go into here.
In addition to the usual manual control options such as sensitivity, white balance, color profile, resolution, aspect ratio and compression, there are also settings for shutter speed and aperture. You can manually select the aperture (aperture priority), but which are only 2 stops available. And who wants to have under control, can set both time and aperture. An auto iris fixed timing but there is not, for example, to specify an exposure time, given the weak image stabilizer (a pity, but in only 2 stops at least understandable). Similarly, there is no control over distance setting, sharpness, contrast, color saturation and flash parameters.
The biggest criticism of the F70 is the lens. The concessions to a compact design, especially at the telephoto end, unfortunately, very clearly visible. Direction telephoto lenses, there is towards a total significantly decreasing image quality (resolution, sharpness) and additionally a clearly visible sharpness waste to the image edges.
Another major criticism of the F70 is the image stabilizer. Especially for small cameras with low mass that camera shake is particularly great, which is why a good image stabilizer is essential, especially of course for the long telephoto focal lengths. When F70 is urged in high sensitivities early because of the weak image stabilizer, which then of course reduce the image quality. So the TZ5 the F70 at the telephoto end is superior alone but then because of the good image stabilizer in the dim light, because the TZ5 still manages with ISO 200, while the F70 already ISO 800 need for a non-wackeltes image. Apparently lens-based image stabilization (Canon, Panasonic) are superior to Senor-shift image stabilizer far.
Both main criticisms decrease with the focal length. If only the "normal" focal length range 28 to - 140 mm (miniature equivalent) considered a compact camera, the results of the F70 are very good. The large telephoto is a not so well-done addition, which is only slightly limited use.
The promised thickness of the case of F70 of 23 mm refers to the thinnest point. If you measure the amount of the lens, there are 29 mm. Perhaps useful for comparing with other cameras (if there is not cheating when measuring the same) and a necessary information for buying a bag. The Panasonic ZX1 is certainly more compact than the F70.
The TZ5 I had longer available, I was able to test in more detail. Casio EX-H10 and Panasonic ZX1 but I have also looked at:
The Casio EX-H10 I have briefly tried and made some comparison shots with the F70. The image stabilizer is not better than the F70 and with increasing sensitivity (starting at ISO 200) the images appear increasingly synthetically. While this vote may make for good measurement results in test reports, but is absolutely not my taste and was for me a fast exclusion criterion.
The Panasonic ZX1 I tried a little longer and made more comparison shots with the F70. Lens and image stabilizer are so much better than the F70. The ZX1 delivers at ISO 80 detailed images, but already visible noise, especially when compared to the F70. The noise at higher sensitivities is not much more, but details are then increasingly abandoned (but not as brutal as in the Casio). However, you can because of the really good body image stabilization with longer exposure times and thus lower sensitivities than the F70 or Casio work. The more than 7 Mbytes per picture at full resolution and lowest compression are, however, be disproportionate to the more image quality. The F70 needs 'only' almost 4 Mbytes and provides overall slightly better images, as long as you will not be forced by the lousy image stabilizer in higher sensitivities than the ZX1. Autofocus, flash, zoom and manual control options are considerably more successful in the F70, continuous shooting can be forgotten with two cameras. The video mode of the ZX1 is acceptable, although quite a lot of noise, as well as good image stabilization and inappropriate speed of the optical zoom, sound in mono. Better as noise-free loose videos.
Here is my subjective summary of the strengths and weaknesses of the F70:
Positives:
- Up to ISO 400 good image quality (but see Limitations below)
- A lot of manual intervention options
- Useful additional functions (eg Pro-Focus, DR mode), which does not exist as with other cameras
- Fast, accurate autofocus, quite snapshot Suitable
- Autofocus works well in low light conditions very well (with activated auxiliary light)
- For the camera size of final flash with very good automatic adaptation to the object distance, even in macro mode
- Upper limit for auto ISO adjustable
- Compact design
Negatives:
- Direction telephoto lenses overall significantly decreasing image quality (resolution, sharpness)
- Clearly visible sharpness drop down to the screen edges, especially with telephoto lenses
- Slight color fringing (CA) in high-contrast transitions in the border area
- Weak image stabilizer which imposes a more frequently than desired, high sensitivities
- Laaaaangsam during connection and disconnection
- Burst mode as good as useless: In full resolution max. 3 pictures in what felt like 5 seconds after several seconds storage time
- Poor automatic white balance in artificial light
- No more contemporary video fashion
- Complete documentation on CD (and some fairly poor descriptions)
My Conclusion:
The hoped-flyer is not at the F70 unfortunately. She's just a barely pocket suitable superzoom camera that lets you even in less than optimal lighting conditions in the "normal" focal length range good to very good, and still can make usable pictures in the telephoto range, limited by the weaknesses of the lens and Image Stabilizer. First, one must, however, significantly more than other cameras in this class, deal with the many adjustment options to replace the sometimes somewhat unfortunate default settings and to outwit the sometimes rather peculiar-camera intelligence when taking pictures. The rich settings and functions can extend the application range makes sense if you know what you're doing. Adventurous photographers can use this camera have a lot of fun and get good results, if they lucky (or tenacity) have to get a "good" camera.
My desire to have a usable camera with a long telephoto lens possible for your pocket, meets the F70, with some restrictions, very well. The F70 has definitely much more photographic opportunities than with a "normal" bag clippers, so I give just 4 points. A superzoom camera pocketable's just no DSLR, the F70 is for me personally is currently the best compromise. My decision for the F70 and against the ZX1 was but the narrowest of margins. Automatic photographers or video fans will probably not be happy with the F70, this target group is served much better with the ZX1.
