Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR: Video and Image Quality

Video Quality
On paper the F600EXR has an excellent movie mode, with a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30 fps (29 minute maximum recording time), stereo sound, optical zoom, auto focus, auto exposure and auto white balance available while recording. While I was able to achieve some nice footage, I found that the camera consistently had problems maintaining focus. This is demonstrated in the movie set out below:

Image Quality
The F600EXR produced sharp, high quality images with pleasing, realistic colors. Its D-Range priority mode was able to keep overexposure from being a problem, as often occurs with Point and Shoot cameras that have small sensors.

I mostly used the camera's auto white balance setting. White balance can be set to custom, auto, direct sunlight, shade, three types of fluorescent, incandescent and underwater. The image below shows auto white balance under fluorescent lighting:

Auto White Balance, 5500k fluorescent light

The camera's flash can be set to auto (with red-eye removal on or off), fill (with red-eye removal on or off), slow-synch (with red-eye removal on or off) and to off. Fuji's specifications state that the effective range of the flash, when on auto mode with ISO set to auto, is approximately 0.4 ft. to 10.4 feet (15cm to 3.2m) at wide angle and 2.9 feet to 6.2 feet (90cm to 1.9m) at telephoto. The flash performed well, without providing too much illumination.

I was very pleased with the performance of the F600EXR in low light. Even at 1600 ISO I was able to take images with good color, low noise and only a moderate effect from noise reduction.

The ISO images below, prepared by DCR's labs, confirm that the F600EXR's combination of EXR technology and a back-illuminated sensor provides low light performance that's superior to that of most point and shoot cameras. The images have good sharpness and color through 400 ISO, with slight blurring at 800 ISO.

ISO 100	ISO 100, 100% crop
ISO 200	ISO 200, 100% crop
ISO 400	ISO 400, 100% crop
ISO 800	ISO 800, 100% crop
ISO 1600	ISO 1600, 100% crop
ISO 3200	ISO 3200, 100% crop

The results at 800 ISO are similar to those of most point and shoot cameras at 400 ISO. Image quality at 1600 ISO is still acceptable for small pictures, while 3200 ISO is usable only an emergency. All told, a very good performance by the F600EXR.

Additional Sample Images