Fujifilm FinePix E550: Fuji's Newest Packs a Punch

Final Words

The Fujifilm FinePix E550 offers quite a bit for its price. It features a 6.3 megapixel Super CCD HR sensor and 4x optical zoom with exposure modes ranging from full auto to manual. It has 3 metering modes, exposure compensation, and a 30 fps 640x480 video mode. On top of all the features, the performance is really outstanding. We found the E550 to be a very fast camera. It proved to have a super fast startup time and very little shutter lag. In addition, Shot to Shot times were very fast as well. The camera only proved to be slow in regard to Shot to Shot w/Flash times both in JPEG and RAW mode. For a compact camera, we were surprised to see the FinePix E550 shooting up to 4 frames at 3.7 fps. This is very fast for a camera in this price range.

When it comes to image quality, the E550 does not disappoint. We found very high resolution in both RAW mode and 12M F modes. Although color reproduction was fairly average under tungsten lighting, it proved to be very accurate in sunlight. Although the E550 shows average noise performance in JPEG mode, it produces some very clean low noise images when the camera is set to RAW mode. In addition, Night Scene mode is able to produce surprisingly sharp and low-noise results. The Super CCD HR promises to deliver improved sensitivity and dynamic range. We found both to be true. However, to really see the enhanced dynamic range, images must be shot in RAW mode.

The negative aspects of this camera are mostly small things. For example, there are some noticeable chromatic aberrations in our outdoor samples. Although they certainly exist, they are small enough that they do not really threaten the overall image quality. We found the Shot to Shot w/Flash times to be relatively slow, especially in RAW mode where you must wait nearly 12 seconds between shots. In terms of battery life, the E550 shows an average performance in comparison to other compact digicams that we have tested. Since the camera uses AA's, finding spares is convenient and affordable. We have a couple of other small issues with the camera. It is unfortunate that the shutter speed is limited to 3 seconds. This rules out any possibility of doing any extremely low-light exposures. The other problem we have is that the rubber tab to cover the A/V-out, USB, and DC-in port is not attached to camera.

All in all, we really enjoyed our time with the E550. The menu layout is very straightforward and user-friendly. The fast startup time cannot be praised enough. It makes the whole process that much more enjoyable when you can just pick up the camera and shoot without waiting. Given that the E550 has such a wide range of exposure modes, it makes it a good camera for a beginner or an advanced user. Also, having the option to shoot in RAW mode offers unlimited options for post-processing endeavors. Overall, the features and performance offered by the Fujifilm FinePix E550 are a pleasure to see in a reasonably-priced consumer camera.

Pros	Cons
High resolution (in RAW and 12M modes) Superb Auto WB in daylight Ultra fast startup time Very fast shutter lag Fast Shot to Shot (JPEG) times Fast continuous shooting capability Good color reproduction with flash Large dynamic range in RAW mode Excellent noise performance in RAW mode Very low noise in Night Scene mode Smooth and detailed video clips	Average WB in Incandescent light Slow Shot to Shot w/flash times Chromatic aberrations in outdoor samples Average battery life ISO 800 unavailable at 6M resolution Night Mode exposure limited to 3 seconds Left side rubber tab not attached Mostly plastic body

Thanks again to Newegg.com for loaning us the Fujifilm FinePix E550 for review.