Fuji FinePix S602 ZoomFuji's latest electronic SLR offers improved image quality, fast response, high ISOs, and 30 fps movies at full VGA resolution!<<Design :(Previous) | (Next): Optics>> Page 4:ViewfinderReview First Posted: 4/18/2002 |
Viewfinder
The S602 Zoom offers an "electronic" optical viewfinder, essentially a smaller version of the 1.8-inch LCD monitor that's viewed through the camera's eyepiece. The 0.44-inch optical viewfinder display has the same detailed information display as the larger LCD monitor, complete with exposure information such as aperture and shutter speed. In a nice upgrade from the previous 6900, the micro-LCD used in the 602's EVF offers more resolution than usual, with 180,000 pixels. This makes it much more useful for focusing, particularly in conjunction with the 2x focus-assist magnification feature. The added resolution is also welcome when it comes to reading menu items. A firm but resilient eyecup surrounds the viewfinder eyepiece, and shouldn't cause any problems for eyeglass wearers, given the S602 Zoom's fairly high eyepoint. A diopter adjustment dial on the left side of the eyepiece adjusts the focus of the display across a fairly wide range, so most eyeglass wearers should be well accommodated. (By way of reference, my own vision is a myopic 20/180 or so, and the dioptric adjustment just manages to accommodate my unaided eyes at the "nearsighted" end of its range.) An EVF/LCD button on the back panel switches the display between the viewfinder eyepiece and the larger LCD monitor.
I'm generally not a big fan of EVFs because they're of little use in low light conditions: There generally just isn't enough light available for the viewfinder to form a usable image when running at the high refresh rate it needs. The S602 is helped somewhat in this respect by the availability of very high ISO ratings when it's operating at its one megapixel resolution. - I found I could (barely) manage to frame photos at light levels as low as about 1/8 foot-candles (about 1.4 lux) when the camera was operating at 1600 ISO. - While somewhat convoluted, you could conceivably frame your image (with the camera on a tripod) at ISO 1600, then switch back to a lower level for your actual exposure. At ISO 400 though, I could only frame photos down to about 1 foot-candle (11 lux). As it happens though, 1 foot-candle also marks the approximate bottom end of the camera's autofocus operation.
The 1.8-inch, low temperature TFT LCD monitor comes on automatically when the camera is turned on, but goes to sleep quickly if the camera remains inactive. A display button just below the EVF/LCD button controls the level of information displayed on both viewfinders. The first press enables the information display, while the second pulls up an alignment grid that divides the image area into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. A third press of the button cancels both the information display and alignment grid, providing a full view of the subject area.
In Playback mode, the Info button on the left side of the camera shows a histogram of a captured image, and reports exposure information as well. Also in Playback mode, the Display button enables the nine-image index display mode.
Activated through the Setup menu, an Image Review function automatically displays the last captured image on the LCD monitor as it's being recorded to the memory card. You can choose between Preview and Postview options. Postview displays the image for two seconds after capture, then automatically records the file to the memory card. Preview gives you the option to delete the image before it's saved. An interesting feature here is that Preview mode lets you enlarge the captured image and double-check framing or exposure details (using the zoom control to enlarge and the arrow keys to move the view). If you're not happy with the shot, simply erase it and start again. Preview mode also lets you select specific images from a series to record, such as those from one of the Continuous Shooting modes. You can thus save memory card space by keeping only the frames you want. - Pretty slick, one of the most flexible "preview" features I've seen to date.
Another useful feature on the S602 Zoom is the Focus Check button (just to the right of the LCD monitor), which enlarges the central portion of the image on the LCD display. This makes manual focusing quite a bit easier, as you can clearly see the finer details as they sharpen. Given the detailed information display, enhanced preview modes, and the Focus Check capability, I'd say the S602 Zoom's LCD display is one of the most effective and useful I've seen.
In my tests, the S602 Zoom's electronic optical viewfinder proved just a little tight, showing a frame accuracy of approximately 94 percent at wide-angle and approximately 96 percent at telephoto. This is much better than average for optical viewfinders, about where I'd like to see eyelevel viewfinders perform routinely. The LCD monitor was slightly more accurate, measuring about 99 percent at wide-angle and about 100 percent at telephoto, which meets my expectations admirably.
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