Originally posted at www.expeditioncampers.com
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I recently bought a second camera that is great for low light photography. And it cost less than $250!
Just about any of today's digital cameras will take a decent photo in bright daylight. I was looking for a camera that does a good job indoors, in less than bright light, where most cameras have a difficult time producing a clean shot. I wanted a camera that works at a party in a dim restaurant, or on a visit to a museum (no flash allowed), or a shady garden, even the interior of a rainforest. Just before dawn and after sunset, too.
A good digital SLR can handle these situations. But I've grown weary of lugging my dSLR and its accessories around. Pulling out the big camera has an intimidating effect on a gathering. It's hard to take candid photos unless you use a longer lens and stand across the room. When traveling, the dSLR and its accessories fill a large shoulder bag. Carrying the camera around just screams, "Rich tourist, over here!"
What I was looking for was a pocket-size point and shoot camera that performs like a dSLR in low light situations. After a bit of searching, I found the Fujifilm F30. Fujifilm uses a different sensor that works well at ISO 800, far beyond the capability of most point and shoot cameras. (ISO 1600 and 3200 are available on the F30, but photos will require post-processing with noise-reducing software like NeatImage.)
Don't take my word for it. Here's a review of the F30 from a respected photography site:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf30/
The dpreview web site has a great Fujifilm forum, with lots of comments and photos from F30 owners. Check it out here:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1012
The F30 was introduced about a year ago. Fujifilm just released a replacement model called the F31fd. The "fd" refers to face detection, a technology that is supposed to help the camera keep people in focus, and not focus on the wallpaper on the other side of the room like many cameras do. Initial reports indicate that the "fd" function does have a beneficial effect. So you may want to consider the F31fd.
My F30 works OK, and I haven't noticed a bunch of out-of-focus shots, so I'm happy with my choice.
Being behind the technology curve has price advantages. The F31fd with face detection costs about $350. Because the F30 is being replaced by the F31fd, dealers have lowered the price of the F30, and Fujifilm is offering a $50 rebate. So the net price of the F30 is only $200.
For example, today www.buydig.com is offering the F30 for $254 with free shipping. So your cost is only $204 after rebate.
The F30 and F31fd use the XD memory card, developed by Olympus. A 1GB XD card is about as big as your thumbnail, and holds about 600 photos. The Olympus or Fuji type h (for high speed) 1GB XD card costs about $35.
I don't recommend going smaller than 1GB because you can use the F30 to take movies as well as still photos, and movie mode uses up the memory space very quickly.
The NP-95 battery that comes with the F30 is plenty powerful for several days' use without a recharge. So I have not felt the need for a spare battery. The genuine Fuji battery costs $35, equivalent generic battery from eBay costs about $20.
Making room for the big battery is one reason why the F30 is a little thicker than some competitors' models. I don't notice the camera when I carry it in a jacket or trouser pocket, but it's a little big for a shirt pocket.
The F30 only has a 3x magnification, so it's not the best choice for composing close-ups from 30 feet away. Fujifilm makes a model called the S6000fd that has a 10x built-in lens and the same face detection technology. But this camera costs $500 and is a big as an SLR camera. Here's a recent review:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilms6000fd/
The Fujifilm F30 appears on the web sites of Walmart, Wolf Camera and Best Buy, so it's likely that you can find a retail outlet in your area that carries the camera. Stop by and check it out before ordering online.
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I recently bought a second camera that is great for low light photography. And it cost less than $250!
Just about any of today's digital cameras will take a decent photo in bright daylight. I was looking for a camera that does a good job indoors, in less than bright light, where most cameras have a difficult time producing a clean shot. I wanted a camera that works at a party in a dim restaurant, or on a visit to a museum (no flash allowed), or a shady garden, even the interior of a rainforest. Just before dawn and after sunset, too.
A good digital SLR can handle these situations. But I've grown weary of lugging my dSLR and its accessories around. Pulling out the big camera has an intimidating effect on a gathering. It's hard to take candid photos unless you use a longer lens and stand across the room. When traveling, the dSLR and its accessories fill a large shoulder bag. Carrying the camera around just screams, "Rich tourist, over here!"
What I was looking for was a pocket-size point and shoot camera that performs like a dSLR in low light situations. After a bit of searching, I found the Fujifilm F30. Fujifilm uses a different sensor that works well at ISO 800, far beyond the capability of most point and shoot cameras. (ISO 1600 and 3200 are available on the F30, but photos will require post-processing with noise-reducing software like NeatImage.)
Don't take my word for it. Here's a review of the F30 from a respected photography site:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf30/
The dpreview web site has a great Fujifilm forum, with lots of comments and photos from F30 owners. Check it out here:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1012
The F30 was introduced about a year ago. Fujifilm just released a replacement model called the F31fd. The "fd" refers to face detection, a technology that is supposed to help the camera keep people in focus, and not focus on the wallpaper on the other side of the room like many cameras do. Initial reports indicate that the "fd" function does have a beneficial effect. So you may want to consider the F31fd.
My F30 works OK, and I haven't noticed a bunch of out-of-focus shots, so I'm happy with my choice.
Being behind the technology curve has price advantages. The F31fd with face detection costs about $350. Because the F30 is being replaced by the F31fd, dealers have lowered the price of the F30, and Fujifilm is offering a $50 rebate. So the net price of the F30 is only $200.
For example, today www.buydig.com is offering the F30 for $254 with free shipping. So your cost is only $204 after rebate.
The F30 and F31fd use the XD memory card, developed by Olympus. A 1GB XD card is about as big as your thumbnail, and holds about 600 photos. The Olympus or Fuji type h (for high speed) 1GB XD card costs about $35.
I don't recommend going smaller than 1GB because you can use the F30 to take movies as well as still photos, and movie mode uses up the memory space very quickly.
The NP-95 battery that comes with the F30 is plenty powerful for several days' use without a recharge. So I have not felt the need for a spare battery. The genuine Fuji battery costs $35, equivalent generic battery from eBay costs about $20.
Making room for the big battery is one reason why the F30 is a little thicker than some competitors' models. I don't notice the camera when I carry it in a jacket or trouser pocket, but it's a little big for a shirt pocket.
The F30 only has a 3x magnification, so it's not the best choice for composing close-ups from 30 feet away. Fujifilm makes a model called the S6000fd that has a 10x built-in lens and the same face detection technology. But this camera costs $500 and is a big as an SLR camera. Here's a recent review:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilms6000fd/
The Fujifilm F30 appears on the web sites of Walmart, Wolf Camera and Best Buy, so it's likely that you can find a retail outlet in your area that carries the camera. Stop by and check it out before ordering online.