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Technical Details
- 16-megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor deliver amazing pictures in fast-shooting and low-light situations.
- Capture up to 11 frames/second at 8-megapixel resolution. Full 1080p HD movie capture; mini-HDMI output
- Capture images and video to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
- 30x wide-angle optical zoom lens; 16 million effective pixels; 1/2 inch BSI EXR CMOS sensor; Advanced Anti Blur; Hot Shoe
- 3.0 inch LCD display with electronic viewfinder; Full HD video 1080p with stereo sound
- 16 million effective pixels; 1/2 inch BSI EXR CMOS sensor; 30x optical zoom lens; Advanced Anti Blur; Hot Shoe
Product Details
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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
Fujifilm's FinePix HS20EXR is a high quality, advanced function SLR-styled long-zoom camera built for the professional or enthusiast photographer, but also easy enough for even a first time user. Improving on the excellence of its predecessor, the FinePix HS10EXR, the FinePix HS20EXR features a new 16-megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor, a powerful FUJINON 30x manual optical zoom (24mm-720mm equivalent) lens, a tilting 3.0-inch high contrast LCD with a electronic viewfinder featuring a "heads up" sensor that automatically changes from LCD to EVF, and countless features serious photographers seek for versatility and performance.
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With a new EXR-CMOS sensor powered by Fujifilm's EXR processor engine, the possibilities for photo enthusiasts are endless with the FinePix HS20EXR. The camera delivers high speed continuous shooting at 8 fps at full resolution for 8 frames, high speed movies at 320fps, captures full panoramic photos with Motion Panorama 360° and full HD Movies at 1080p with an HDMI output connector and has the ability to shoot in RAW, JPEG or RAW & JPEG modes, and in full manual mode. The HS20EXR also has an optional remote release cable and is compatible with two automatic Fujifilm external flashes that meter "through the lens" for more functionality.
Fujifilm FinePix HS20EXR Highlights
High Speed and Sensitivity
The newly-developed EXR Processor and EXR-CMOS sensor in the HS20EXR allow for pristine images to be taken in fast-shooting situations or in low-light environments. The combination of the two technologies creates a fast transfer circuit for quick process and reading of files for high speed shooting and Full HD movies, and the EXR-CMOS sensor itself, where the wiring layer and photo diodes are reversed, creates higher sensitivity for taking impressive images in low light conditions.
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Intelligent Processor
With the improved intelligent processor, taking photos can't get much easier. The GUI, with its new rich user interface that dramatically improves the appearance and searching functions of menus, might be one of the first things you notice, but the most notable benefits are speed and image quality. Additionally, the FinePix HS20EXR can now recognize an impressive 27 scenes. While shooting, the camera configures each scene and recognizes the perfect setting and automatically takes the best quality picture, with a single touch of a button.
EXR Technology
The EXR technology adds further versatility by modifying its behavior according to the lighting condition. Users can either let the EXR Auto mode choose the correct setting itself, or pick from three manually selected options:
- High Resolution Priority can be used when you're after exceptional image quality.
- High ISO & Low Noise Priority can be used in low light conditions where the combination with the BSI sensor makes for superb results.
- Dynamic Range Priority takes two pictures and combines them to provide a range of up to 1600%.
Capture Moving Subjects
The FinePix HS20EXR's strong mix of sensor and processing technologies allows breathless action shots to be captured, and the continuous full resolution shooting at 3fps, 5fps, 8fps or 11fps at 8-megapixel resolution, will make sure the action is stopped in its tracks. The FinePix HS20EXR also eliminates the need to worry about slow auto focusing or shutter lag. The new solution's contrast Auto Focus system takes approximately 0.16 seconds (minimum) to focus.
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A 30x Zoom Lens
With a 30x zoom range covering focal lengths from a super-wide 24-720mm (35mm equivalent), the FinePix HS20EXR is ready for anything. Boasting high quality FUJINON optics, the manual zoom lens is now even easier to operate thanks to a reduction in the size of the flashgun. Zooming through the range can be done quickly and precisely to ensure perfect framing for every shot.
The FinePix HS20EXR also is equipped to fight blurring, a common problem when using longer focal lengths. Dual Image Stabilization combines a mechanically stabilized CMOS sensor with high ISO sensitivities for total anti-blur protection. Together these technologies reduce the blurring effect of both handshake and subject movement to provide sharp, clean and clear results even at the longest zoom settings or in challenging lighting conditions.
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HD Movie Capture
The FinePix HS20EXR offers an impressive level of video functionality. With the ability to capture movies in true, full 1080p HD quality, the FinePix HS20EXR delivers high sensitivity with low noise for movies captured in low lighting. In addition, movie files (.MOV) are captured with H.264 high profile compression for smaller file sizes without sacrificing quality. With a mini-HDMI output connector, it is easy to connect and view images on your HDTV (HDMI cable not included).
High Speed Movies
Versatility is further increased thanks to the High Speed Movie options, which include capture at an incredible 320 fps. With features like this, even the fastest moving subjects can be captured and watched in slow motion.
One Touch Controls
The FinePix HS20EXR sports a full complement of sophisticated manual and semi-automatic shooting modes and photographic controls. The extensive external controls give the more advanced photographer direct access to virtually every control they will need for uninterrupted shooting, and the specially designed chassis includes dedicated command buttons for quick and easy key functions such as ISO, white balance, focus and metering. The large command dial, manual focus ring, twist and zoom lens barrel, bright, clear electronic viewfinder, high quality tilting LCD screen and deep hand grip ensures the camera handles well. AA batteries (ships with alkaline) provide excellent performance (up to 300 shots with Alkaline batteries) combined with the convenience of a universally available format when shooting for extended periods away from main power.
Additional Features
- RAW / RAW+JPEG shooting: The FinePix HS20 has the ability to shoot both a RAW and JPEG shot simultaneously. RAW is for ultimate quality shots via post processing, JPEG is for great quality with no need for further post-production work.
- Motion Panorama 360°: The sensor extends the sweep range to 360° (shots can also be taken vertically). Combined with high quality Fujifilm printing, sweeping and impressive scenes can be taken, showing fine detail, low noise and high resolution at 180°, 240° or full 360° panoramic ranges.
- Purple Fringing Reducer/Corner Resolution Enhancer: The EXR processor has the capability to spot and reduce purple color fringing, most common on dark subjects against light backgrounds. In addition, the EXR processor improves the resolution at the corners of an image for more uniform image sharpness.
- Super Intelligent Flash: The FinePix HS20EXR offers a flash control system which efficiently controls the level of flash for a given exposure to produce beautifully balanced flash illumination across the foreground and background. Super Intelligent Flash is most useful in macro photography where the contrast between subject and background can be especially challenging, but is also effective for night and backlit photography.
- Multi-Bracketing: The FinePix HS20EXR has 3 bracketing functions useful for high level photography: Film Simulation Bracketing (which automatically sets Film Simulation to PROVIA, Velvia and ASTIA for simultaneous capture of 3 frames), Dynamic Range Bracketing (which automatically sets dynamic range to 100%, 200% and 400% for simultaneous capture of 3 frames) and AE Bracketing (which automatically sets exposure range to even, under and over for simultaneous capture of 3 frames).
- Face Recognition: Users can register up to eight (8) faces, along with names, birthdays and categories, and the HS20EXR will prioritize focus and exposure right on the faces of those special people. Users can also use Image Search to view images of a registered person.
- Face Detection and Automatic Red-eye Removal: To provide perfectly exposed and focused portrait shots, the FinePix HS20EXR is fitted with Fujifilm's latest Face Detection technology which is able to track up to 10 faces simultaneously, at almost any angle to the camera. The system instantly corrects red-eye and then saves both the original and the corrected image file automatically.
- PhotoBook Assist: Photo book Assist lets you select and organize images in your camera to create a digital photo book. You can download the photo books to your computer using MyFinePix Studio software that is included.
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Product Description
Advanced, Innovative, and versatile; the FinePix HS20 EXR is all this and so much more. This latest addition to the Finepix lineup represents the perfect picture taking solution for photographers ho want the specification and picture quality of an SLR without the heavy camera bag and huge dent in their bank balance. With a class-leading feature set that includes a brand new EXR CMOS sensor, high speed continuous shooting capability, improved user interface, versatile video functions, 16 megapixel resolution and a 30x zoom lens with advanced anti-blur technologies, the HS20 EXR sets new standards in bridge camera functionality and performance
Available Warranties for This Item
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
372 of 378 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I had spent my first day with the HS20EXR and was generally very pleased with the functionality and performance. Make no mistake, this is not a DSLR, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. This camera packs some capabilities and features that I would dream to have in one of my DSLRs. Although it's not a large camera, for those who've used the HS10, you'll already know that the build feels solid and the handling is somewhat like a smaller DSLR. The menu system is fairly easy to navigate and more common functions, like exposure, focus, and flash modes are easily accessible via dedicated controls. Be prepared to spend an hour or so getting familiar with the controls and menus - it may be intimidating if you're brand new to this type camera, but most experienced photographers will pick it up quickly.
A couple of early concerns materialized. First, I experience the temperature warning display that has been noted in some early reviews. However, I didn't see any degradation in performance even with the warning lit. Upon calling Fujifilm, they quickly sent a replacement and I'm happy to say the problem didn't reoccur to that extent, but later I experienced temp warnings in warmer and more continuous use conditions. Another minor irritant while shooting was that the display froze for a moment while focus was obtained. If shooting a moving object, this could mean the difference in getting or not getting the shot. After some further testing, I discovered that this problem seemed related to the "Multi" focus mode. I did not experience the same degree of delay in Center, Area, or Tracking modes.
The flexibility in shooting is remarkable, given the standard PSAM controls, plus some really interesting advanced features, there's few still shooting situations the camera will not handle. Those extras I found very appealing are the EXR High-ISO/Low Noise (SN mode), the Pro Low-Light modes. In SN priority mode, I was able to shoot at higher sensitivities up to ISO 1600 with very low noise and even ISO 3200 was very usable. I'm sure I'll get flack for this, but I have to admit some shooting modes outperformed my D300. I believe this has more to do with the HS20's high ISO performance than general lens clarity or image detail, in which most DSLRs excel. The Pro Low-Light mode is another trick-up-the-sleeve that combines 4 exposures taken in rapid succession into one very low noise image even in very dim light.
Not surprisingly, the HS20 autofocus did seek a little in low light, but not much more than my DSLRs in the same setting. The zoom lens was impressive for such a small package and both wide and full zoom shots were crisp. There are many more modes and options, but none of these bells and whistles would mean much if the end results didn't deliver. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised at the sharpness of the full sized 16MP images - I really expected to see a lot of artifacts from noise reduction and other in-camera processing. On the contrary, my "pixel peeping" revealed clean edges and very good fine detail. Pictures of my cat actually show individual fine hairs instead of the painterly effect of some compact cameras. It seems like Fuji took lessons from predecessors and managed to squeeze more image quality out of their tiny sensor than many of us expected.
One of the cool benefits of the CMOS sensor is speed. Once I figured out the continuous shooting modes, I was tickled at being able to fire off 8 fps in full resolution. I also played with the 11 fps mode which works with at 8MP and felt like I was shooting an old movie camera instead of a point and shoot digital.
One issue of concern to me was the processing speed or write speed of the files to the card. This was a common complaint for the HS10. What I found was that the write speed is improved, but don't expect DSLR performance. A JPEG Fine image would write to card in under 1 second to my SanDisk Extreme Pro, and a RAW file averaged 4 seconds. Now before you say "WHAT?", let me explain that that is the write time itself, HOWEVER, due to the internal cache, the camera is ready for the next shot in less time than the write time. I found that generally it was ready almost instantly shooting JPEG and with RAW, there might be a second or two delay for an individual image. In burst mode, the camera was able to cache all images in the burst without pausing, although after capturing the images, the write time again took 4-6 seconds depending on the image sizes. So not a perfect situation, but definitely an improvement over the noted problems of the HS10.
The video was very easy to use and looks acceptable for simple scenes at wide to normal viewing angles. At full zoom, images were shaky and focus was slow. Plan on using a tripod for long zooms, and careful zooms and panning. With the manual zoom barrel, which is really geared toward still photography, zooms can be awkward during video recording, without the smoothness of the typical motorized zoom. The video issues were not a big deal to me since the features that attracted me to the camera were for still images.
One area that is still a minor irritant is the electronic viewfinder. It is still pretty low resolution and is difficult see small details in your scene. Given a bright outdoor scene, it does allow composition without fighting the glare on the LCD, but it seems like they could have could have packed a little more resolution in there to make it more useable. That problem is offset somewhat by the articulating LCD screen. It allows you to view from odd angles and with a little extra manipulation you can usually get a clear image even outdoors.
Another minor nit pick is the inclusion of alkaline batteries with the kit. Not only do alkalines not last very long with this camera, they actually heat up during use possibly contributing to some of the temperature issues. I quickly replaced them with NiMH Eneloops and surprisingly, the camera's operation actually sped up noticably. If you buy this camera, invest in some good rechargeable NiMH batteries - you'll be much happier.
The software accompanying the camera is not impressive, but it does what it needs to. It comes with picture management software Finepix Studio so you can view and organize your images. It also includes a RAW file converter (Silkypix) which allows you to adjust and save captured RAW images as TIF or JPEG images. Adobe Camera Raw didn't initially recognize the HS20's RAW format, but is now supported so if you are used to the Adobe workflow, you'll be happier with Adobe Camera Raw.
On day one, I took a liking to this camera and gave it a starting rating of four stars. As I got more familiar with the HS20, I've posted sample images and video and links to these can be found in the attached comments. Although I've identified some issues that could be improved, this camera actually exceeds my expectations for a point and shoot. I can capture images that rival an entry-level DSLR, and not have to carry around 20 pounds of equipment (camera body, wide and telephoto lenses, tripod, etc.). The HS20EXR more than meets my desire for a relatively small travel or hiking camera that still has good reach and image quality. If I could, I'd give a rating of about 4.6 stars. I don't love everything about the camera, but as a whole, it's fun to use and a great photo-taking machine for the price.
Pros: Shooting speed, low light performance, image quality, flexible shooting controls, massive sharp zoom range
Cons: Slow autofocus/instability during video, low quality EVF, display lag on shutter release
UPDATE - April 19th, 2011: Firmware update to address the temp warning. Everything else is working fine.
UPDATE - April 29th, 2011: Adobe Camera Raw now supports EXR RAW files. Great news!
A couple of early concerns materialized. First, I experience the temperature warning display that has been noted in some early reviews. However, I didn't see any degradation in performance even with the warning lit. Upon calling Fujifilm, they quickly sent a replacement and I'm happy to say the problem didn't reoccur to that extent, but later I experienced temp warnings in warmer and more continuous use conditions. Another minor irritant while shooting was that the display froze for a moment while focus was obtained. If shooting a moving object, this could mean the difference in getting or not getting the shot. After some further testing, I discovered that this problem seemed related to the "Multi" focus mode. I did not experience the same degree of delay in Center, Area, or Tracking modes.
The flexibility in shooting is remarkable, given the standard PSAM controls, plus some really interesting advanced features, there's few still shooting situations the camera will not handle. Those extras I found very appealing are the EXR High-ISO/Low Noise (SN mode), the Pro Low-Light modes. In SN priority mode, I was able to shoot at higher sensitivities up to ISO 1600 with very low noise and even ISO 3200 was very usable. I'm sure I'll get flack for this, but I have to admit some shooting modes outperformed my D300. I believe this has more to do with the HS20's high ISO performance than general lens clarity or image detail, in which most DSLRs excel. The Pro Low-Light mode is another trick-up-the-sleeve that combines 4 exposures taken in rapid succession into one very low noise image even in very dim light.
Not surprisingly, the HS20 autofocus did seek a little in low light, but not much more than my DSLRs in the same setting. The zoom lens was impressive for such a small package and both wide and full zoom shots were crisp. There are many more modes and options, but none of these bells and whistles would mean much if the end results didn't deliver. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised at the sharpness of the full sized 16MP images - I really expected to see a lot of artifacts from noise reduction and other in-camera processing. On the contrary, my "pixel peeping" revealed clean edges and very good fine detail. Pictures of my cat actually show individual fine hairs instead of the painterly effect of some compact cameras. It seems like Fuji took lessons from predecessors and managed to squeeze more image quality out of their tiny sensor than many of us expected.
One of the cool benefits of the CMOS sensor is speed. Once I figured out the continuous shooting modes, I was tickled at being able to fire off 8 fps in full resolution. I also played with the 11 fps mode which works with at 8MP and felt like I was shooting an old movie camera instead of a point and shoot digital.
One issue of concern to me was the processing speed or write speed of the files to the card. This was a common complaint for the HS10. What I found was that the write speed is improved, but don't expect DSLR performance. A JPEG Fine image would write to card in under 1 second to my SanDisk Extreme Pro, and a RAW file averaged 4 seconds. Now before you say "WHAT?", let me explain that that is the write time itself, HOWEVER, due to the internal cache, the camera is ready for the next shot in less time than the write time. I found that generally it was ready almost instantly shooting JPEG and with RAW, there might be a second or two delay for an individual image. In burst mode, the camera was able to cache all images in the burst without pausing, although after capturing the images, the write time again took 4-6 seconds depending on the image sizes. So not a perfect situation, but definitely an improvement over the noted problems of the HS10.
The video was very easy to use and looks acceptable for simple scenes at wide to normal viewing angles. At full zoom, images were shaky and focus was slow. Plan on using a tripod for long zooms, and careful zooms and panning. With the manual zoom barrel, which is really geared toward still photography, zooms can be awkward during video recording, without the smoothness of the typical motorized zoom. The video issues were not a big deal to me since the features that attracted me to the camera were for still images.
One area that is still a minor irritant is the electronic viewfinder. It is still pretty low resolution and is difficult see small details in your scene. Given a bright outdoor scene, it does allow composition without fighting the glare on the LCD, but it seems like they could have could have packed a little more resolution in there to make it more useable. That problem is offset somewhat by the articulating LCD screen. It allows you to view from odd angles and with a little extra manipulation you can usually get a clear image even outdoors.
Another minor nit pick is the inclusion of alkaline batteries with the kit. Not only do alkalines not last very long with this camera, they actually heat up during use possibly contributing to some of the temperature issues. I quickly replaced them with NiMH Eneloops and surprisingly, the camera's operation actually sped up noticably. If you buy this camera, invest in some good rechargeable NiMH batteries - you'll be much happier.
The software accompanying the camera is not impressive, but it does what it needs to. It comes with picture management software Finepix Studio so you can view and organize your images. It also includes a RAW file converter (Silkypix) which allows you to adjust and save captured RAW images as TIF or JPEG images. Adobe Camera Raw didn't initially recognize the HS20's RAW format, but is now supported so if you are used to the Adobe workflow, you'll be happier with Adobe Camera Raw.
On day one, I took a liking to this camera and gave it a starting rating of four stars. As I got more familiar with the HS20, I've posted sample images and video and links to these can be found in the attached comments. Although I've identified some issues that could be improved, this camera actually exceeds my expectations for a point and shoot. I can capture images that rival an entry-level DSLR, and not have to carry around 20 pounds of equipment (camera body, wide and telephoto lenses, tripod, etc.). The HS20EXR more than meets my desire for a relatively small travel or hiking camera that still has good reach and image quality. If I could, I'd give a rating of about 4.6 stars. I don't love everything about the camera, but as a whole, it's fun to use and a great photo-taking machine for the price.
Pros: Shooting speed, low light performance, image quality, flexible shooting controls, massive sharp zoom range
Cons: Slow autofocus/instability during video, low quality EVF, display lag on shutter release
UPDATE - April 19th, 2011: Firmware update to address the temp warning. Everything else is working fine.
UPDATE - April 29th, 2011: Adobe Camera Raw now supports EXR RAW files. Great news!
134 of 139 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
The HS20 shares the same body and lens as the HS10, but has been beefed up with much faster and more capable electronics. It is what the brain-dead HS10 should have been. After all, it should be expected that one of the biggest uses for a superzoom camera would be shooting live action long distance shots and sporting events. This sort of photography makes full use of the superzoom lens, but does need very fast focusing and fast shot to shot times.
I had earlier purchased, reviewed, and returned the HS10. The camera had terrific features, but was just too slow for anything more than predictable portrait shots.
The HS20 focuses faster and processes and stores images faster than the HS10. Not as fast as a full fledged DSLR, but close enough. An example of a few runs I did on this camera: At 16Meg Fine resolution, with RAW turned off, I could get off 16 shots in 20 seconds, manually clicking away. With RAW and JPG both turned on, the speed dropped sharply to 5 shots in 20 seconds; with only RAW turned on - 6 shots in 20 seconds. At the opposite end of the spectrum, at 2Meg Normal resolution, with RAW turned off, I could get off 22 shots in 20 seconds. With RAW and JPG both turned on, the speed dropped to 9 shots in 20 seconds. The setting I'm most likely to use - 8Meg Fine resolution with no RAW - shoots at 20 shots in 20 seconds, one per second, which is pretty good. Certain settings help improve the speed slightly - autofocus continuously, turn off the automatic picture review and red eye features, etc.
The feature with the high speed series of shots has also improved from the HS10, with a maximum run of 32 shots from 3fps to 11fps. This is much better than the HS10, which only allowed for a short run of 6 shots. The maximum resolution of the images drops from 16M to 4M as you go from the smallest series of 4 shots at 3fps to the full 32 shots at 11fps
The video also has improved. Both the HS10 and the HS20 have 1920x1080 HD video, but the HS20 has a continuous focus mode that adjusts the focus as you track a subject, which the HS10 could not do (although the continuous focus during video on the HS20 is still a bit sluggish, I have to say). The HS20 can do a 30 minute long 1080p HD video segment (I think the HS10 was only 15 minutes). There is also an ultra high speed 320fps video at 320 x 112 resolution which runs for 30 seconds.
A few quirks and gimmicks on this camera - there is a setting for "silent mode" in the menu. This does indeed turn off all the beeps and artificial shutter clicks. It also turns off the flash! I set the camera to "silent mode" before testing the flash, which then did not fire. For a moment, I thought I had gotten a bad camera with a broken flash. To make this camera silent without turning off the flash, there are two other settings that should be used - volume settings that adjust the volume of the camera beep and the shutter click.
Another setting gives you an electronic horizontal "level" in the lcd/viewfinder.
The camera does give you a "heat" warning when you fire off a lot of shots very fast, e.g., fire off a couple rounds of 4M shots at 11 fps for a series of 32 will provoke this warning. So far, though, the camera has kept going even with the heat warning on.
The camera comes standard with a hard shell (not foldable) bayonet mount "petal" lens hood (unlike the HS10). Yay! What an intelligent idea! This allows you to use a regular thickness 58mm lens filter/protector without causing vignetting at the ultra wide angle lens settings.
The camera comes with a mini USB cable connector (unlike several of Fuji's other superzoom cameras, which came with a micro USB plug), and the image/video files transfer directly to your computer without needing any intervening software or SD card reader. One of the most annoying things about the Nikon P100 (which I had also purchased and returned) was the fact that the image files would not transfer directly from the camera to my computer. The HS20 also has an HDMI plug (no cable) and a video plug (with cable)
Finally, the biggest reason that I have stayed with Fuji cameras - they still use AA batteries! Now I know a lot of people are just the opposite and hate AA batteries and think they are heavy and obsolete. I prefer heavy and obsolete to "expensive, dead, and unavailable", i.e., your camera stops working just when you need it, which is the truth behind all proprietary rechargeable lithium batteries. In a pinch, AA batteries can be found virtually anywhere in the world, which is absolutely not true for proprietary lithium batteries. As many other reviewers (including me) have mentioned, the key to success with AA batteries is to use only the Sanyo Eneloops, which are without doubt the best ever, far superior to any other rechargeable or alkaline battery. In my first test run, I fired off over 1,000 shots on my HS20 (mix of file sizes) on a single charge of these AA eneloops. Your mileage may vary.
Compared to the Nikon P100, the HS20 is slightly faster in shot to shot times - not sure about the new P500. I prefer the manual zoom and AA batteries of the HS20 though.
The HS20 also has an external TTL flash mount, unlike the HS10. Two Fuji flashes are supposed to be available soon, the EF-42 and EF-20. The Fuji EF-42 looks like a re-branded Sunpak PZ42x with a proprietary Fuji hotshoe, priced a hundred dollars more. Hopefully somebody will make a cheaper TTL synced flash for the HS20 soon.
All in all, this camera is just too feature packed to go over all the details. Having suffered through the HS10, I am familiar with the camera's basic strength, which is its powerful manually focused superzoom lens. The improvements in electronics have finally made the HS20 what the HS10 should have been.
I had earlier purchased, reviewed, and returned the HS10. The camera had terrific features, but was just too slow for anything more than predictable portrait shots.
The HS20 focuses faster and processes and stores images faster than the HS10. Not as fast as a full fledged DSLR, but close enough. An example of a few runs I did on this camera: At 16Meg Fine resolution, with RAW turned off, I could get off 16 shots in 20 seconds, manually clicking away. With RAW and JPG both turned on, the speed dropped sharply to 5 shots in 20 seconds; with only RAW turned on - 6 shots in 20 seconds. At the opposite end of the spectrum, at 2Meg Normal resolution, with RAW turned off, I could get off 22 shots in 20 seconds. With RAW and JPG both turned on, the speed dropped to 9 shots in 20 seconds. The setting I'm most likely to use - 8Meg Fine resolution with no RAW - shoots at 20 shots in 20 seconds, one per second, which is pretty good. Certain settings help improve the speed slightly - autofocus continuously, turn off the automatic picture review and red eye features, etc.
The feature with the high speed series of shots has also improved from the HS10, with a maximum run of 32 shots from 3fps to 11fps. This is much better than the HS10, which only allowed for a short run of 6 shots. The maximum resolution of the images drops from 16M to 4M as you go from the smallest series of 4 shots at 3fps to the full 32 shots at 11fps
The video also has improved. Both the HS10 and the HS20 have 1920x1080 HD video, but the HS20 has a continuous focus mode that adjusts the focus as you track a subject, which the HS10 could not do (although the continuous focus during video on the HS20 is still a bit sluggish, I have to say). The HS20 can do a 30 minute long 1080p HD video segment (I think the HS10 was only 15 minutes). There is also an ultra high speed 320fps video at 320 x 112 resolution which runs for 30 seconds.
A few quirks and gimmicks on this camera - there is a setting for "silent mode" in the menu. This does indeed turn off all the beeps and artificial shutter clicks. It also turns off the flash! I set the camera to "silent mode" before testing the flash, which then did not fire. For a moment, I thought I had gotten a bad camera with a broken flash. To make this camera silent without turning off the flash, there are two other settings that should be used - volume settings that adjust the volume of the camera beep and the shutter click.
Another setting gives you an electronic horizontal "level" in the lcd/viewfinder.
The camera does give you a "heat" warning when you fire off a lot of shots very fast, e.g., fire off a couple rounds of 4M shots at 11 fps for a series of 32 will provoke this warning. So far, though, the camera has kept going even with the heat warning on.
The camera comes standard with a hard shell (not foldable) bayonet mount "petal" lens hood (unlike the HS10). Yay! What an intelligent idea! This allows you to use a regular thickness 58mm lens filter/protector without causing vignetting at the ultra wide angle lens settings.
The camera comes with a mini USB cable connector (unlike several of Fuji's other superzoom cameras, which came with a micro USB plug), and the image/video files transfer directly to your computer without needing any intervening software or SD card reader. One of the most annoying things about the Nikon P100 (which I had also purchased and returned) was the fact that the image files would not transfer directly from the camera to my computer. The HS20 also has an HDMI plug (no cable) and a video plug (with cable)
Finally, the biggest reason that I have stayed with Fuji cameras - they still use AA batteries! Now I know a lot of people are just the opposite and hate AA batteries and think they are heavy and obsolete. I prefer heavy and obsolete to "expensive, dead, and unavailable", i.e., your camera stops working just when you need it, which is the truth behind all proprietary rechargeable lithium batteries. In a pinch, AA batteries can be found virtually anywhere in the world, which is absolutely not true for proprietary lithium batteries. As many other reviewers (including me) have mentioned, the key to success with AA batteries is to use only the Sanyo Eneloops, which are without doubt the best ever, far superior to any other rechargeable or alkaline battery. In my first test run, I fired off over 1,000 shots on my HS20 (mix of file sizes) on a single charge of these AA eneloops. Your mileage may vary.
Compared to the Nikon P100, the HS20 is slightly faster in shot to shot times - not sure about the new P500. I prefer the manual zoom and AA batteries of the HS20 though.
The HS20 also has an external TTL flash mount, unlike the HS10. Two Fuji flashes are supposed to be available soon, the EF-42 and EF-20. The Fuji EF-42 looks like a re-branded Sunpak PZ42x with a proprietary Fuji hotshoe, priced a hundred dollars more. Hopefully somebody will make a cheaper TTL synced flash for the HS20 soon.
All in all, this camera is just too feature packed to go over all the details. Having suffered through the HS10, I am familiar with the camera's basic strength, which is its powerful manually focused superzoom lens. The improvements in electronics have finally made the HS20 what the HS10 should have been.
91 of 93 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
I have had this camera for several weeks with all sorts of shooting involved.
I have over 40 years experience as a photographer, both as an enthusiast and part-time professional. I don't know-it-all nor do I pertend too, I'll just give my impression as honestly as I can. I purchased it as an all-around shoot everything without having to pack a DSLR and lenses.
For an amateur, I'd say it would be quite easy to learn to get many good shots. For the intermediate user, it has a number of features that will help you produce outstanding shots. For a more advanced photographer such as myself, all of the manual controls and abilities to "replicate" Fuji's film qualities are much appreciated.
Overall, I find the quality of the construction to be among the best out there in terms of a "less than DSLR". The photos I have shot are very good given the size of the sensor. Color reproduction is outstanding, low light performance is just OK, speed is good, feature set is very, very good, and size/weight is moderate(a little bigger than most but I am comfortable with it). If I want something smaller with me I'll stick with my Canon G12 and make do with a shorter zoom.
Video is not a consideration for me really as I am usually packing a small Sony or my Canon XH A1s for that. I have only tried my Canon 5D MKII once for video, great potential but it's a still camera mainly. I will not add to the video reviews given by others.
My true surprise was the quality of the "Super-Macro" feature. It can focus extremely close, even at up to 105mm equiv. setting, which provides a very diffuse background and dynamic subject. These are some of the best results outside of my Nikon 200 Micro lens.
The HS20 may not be the best at anything, but it is very good at many things and I am looking forward to a number of trips this summer. For the really important stuff, the DSLRs will be used, but for just walking and hiking around rather unencumbered, I'm pretty sure this will work out just fine.
I have over 40 years experience as a photographer, both as an enthusiast and part-time professional. I don't know-it-all nor do I pertend too, I'll just give my impression as honestly as I can. I purchased it as an all-around shoot everything without having to pack a DSLR and lenses.
For an amateur, I'd say it would be quite easy to learn to get many good shots. For the intermediate user, it has a number of features that will help you produce outstanding shots. For a more advanced photographer such as myself, all of the manual controls and abilities to "replicate" Fuji's film qualities are much appreciated.
Overall, I find the quality of the construction to be among the best out there in terms of a "less than DSLR". The photos I have shot are very good given the size of the sensor. Color reproduction is outstanding, low light performance is just OK, speed is good, feature set is very, very good, and size/weight is moderate(a little bigger than most but I am comfortable with it). If I want something smaller with me I'll stick with my Canon G12 and make do with a shorter zoom.
Video is not a consideration for me really as I am usually packing a small Sony or my Canon XH A1s for that. I have only tried my Canon 5D MKII once for video, great potential but it's a still camera mainly. I will not add to the video reviews given by others.
My true surprise was the quality of the "Super-Macro" feature. It can focus extremely close, even at up to 105mm equiv. setting, which provides a very diffuse background and dynamic subject. These are some of the best results outside of my Nikon 200 Micro lens.
The HS20 may not be the best at anything, but it is very good at many things and I am looking forward to a number of trips this summer. For the really important stuff, the DSLRs will be used, but for just walking and hiking around rather unencumbered, I'm pretty sure this will work out just fine.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointing
I have to confirm what other reviewers have said. The camera is extremely slow to focus, especially at full zoom. Furthermore, none of my full zoom pictures were in focus. Read more
Published 5 days ago by David Wilson
Fuji Digital Plus
This Fuji Digital Camera is awesome. I have two other Fuji Digital Cameras and each time the upgrade has been great. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Nate
Great Outside And For Focused Shooting
The camera was honestly a great camera, but i have to return it because it is bad for indoor shooting in low light. I also cant use sports mode with out it being very very blurry. Read more
Published 17 days ago by BabyCatcher
Almost Excellent.
I have had this camera for almost a week now, and I think the reviews that all the others have given it are very accurate. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Marina
Fuji finepix HS20...I'm just a point and shoot kind of Guy and this...
I'm just a point and shoot (P&S) kind of Guy and this camera fits the bill. it's a replacement for a fujifilm camera i got for points on a credit card where I didnt have a choice... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Darryl G
BUY SOMETHING ELSE
Thinking I was onto a great deal, I purchased this camera.
5 days later I sent it back.
Like many others that have posted, I experienced random "freezing" and... Read more
5 days later I sent it back.
Like many others that have posted, I experienced random "freezing" and... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Travis E. Allen
A great way into photography
I am the first to admit that I am a complete novice in photography. I was looking for a way in - to learn the manual functions and grow as an amateur photographer. Read more
Published 1 month ago by pmcewan007
Great camera for the money
This camera was everything I wanted for a low price. I have taken a lot of pictures with it and like it very much so far.
Published 1 month ago by Bill
FREAKIN' FANTASTIC!!
This camera is far beyond what I had dreamed of for a non-DSLR. I have recently owned a Nikon D80 and FujiFilm S2 Pro DSLR's. This camera has replaced them both. Read more
Published 1 month ago by D Sullinger
dont buy
Please dont buy this model..even i didnt use a single day..i hate this product
if u taking photo or video it hangs habitually and even i switch-off.. Read more
if u taking photo or video it hangs habitually and even i switch-off.. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ramesh
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