Customer Reviews

Fujifilm FinePix S1800 12.2 MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD

5 star:		(157)
4 star:		(108)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

The Fuji S1800 is a a nice tweener, filling the gap between pocket point-and-shoot cameras and a DSLR. It's larger than typical point and shoot cameras (thanks to the 18X zoom lens) yet smaller than a DSLR. Despite the extra bulk, the S1800 is light and compact enough to carry around for extended periods. The plastic body is sturdy and light. The camera is powered by four AA batteries (alkaline or rechargeable). All of the controls are very well placed and settings are easy to locate. The top dial allows for quick switching between automatic, manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, or programmed scene shooting modes. There is a button on the back for switching between the LCD or the electronic viewfinder. The flash performs well and has a slow sync feature. There is no input for an external flash (or any other accessories other than a tripod). Shooting with the S1800 is a joy. Although it's best to learn how to make the most of this camera's capabilities, even full-auto mode can produce excellent results. The 18X zoom lens has great range and good quality from wide angle to telephoto. In one particular shot, I photographed a medicine bottle approximately 15 feet away in dim lighting. I had no problem reading the smallest print on the bottle in the image. Auto mode isn't perfect (just like every other camera out there) and there were some occasional focusing and exposure issues, but overall, I took more good pictures than bad, even in challenging lighting. Some of the features, like blink and smile detection, seem to be more of a gimmick than actually useful. Blink detection seems to randomly pop up at will, even if there are no people in the picture. Blink and smile detection aside, the S1800 does have several features that are really useful, such as a burst mode (several rapid photos taken in succession), facial recognition, zoom bracketing (several pictures taken at varying focal lengths), and more. The S1800 is so user-friendly, these features are useful for beginners and experienced alike. The S1800 lacks a raw mode. In-camera compression is usually spot-on, but I had a few shots where it went all in, resulting in soft shots. Overall image quality was very good, with the S1800 holding its own against several of my more expensive cameras. Although my Canon XSi is still the champ of my household, the Fuji compared well to my Canon G10. I tried several different SD and SDHC cards in the Fuji. It recognized every card except one, an ancient 8MB generic SD card that came bundled with a camera I purchased nearly a decade ago. It did recognize a newer generic 32MB SD card that also came bundled with a camera.

Video mode is okay but nothing great. Videos are stored in AVI format. HD mode is pretty good compared to the standard resolution but doesn't come close to the performance of a Flip or dedicated HD video camera. You can zoom during filming, but the zoom motor creates a noticable buzzing noise in the video. It's not even the same sound heard when actively zooming the camera. About the best way I can describe it is similar to the sound made by a hand buzzer.

The large LCD display is decent when shooting in good light and during media playback but it's a little noisy when shooting in reduced lighting.

The Fuji offers DSLR image quality and features for the price of a higher-end point and shoot. It has a few minor flaws, but considering everything Fuji packed into this camera for the price, you can't go wrong. It's a perfect step-up if you're eager to explore the realm beyond basic point-and-shoot but not quite ready to take the plunge into DSLR territory.

I purchased the 1800 after seeing a HSN demo on the camera. First, I must be honest by stating I am a retired journalist who shot her own photos, and a long time Nikon owner and more recently a digital Canon SLR owner. I still shoot and sell my work, mostly scenery and automotive photos.

The camera interested me because I was looking for a great camera, small enough to fit in my handbag. What the S1800 offered was a pretty good camera, not real great, but really nice. My beef is there is no RAW capabilities, but I guess that was to be expected at that price. Unlike above reviews, I think it is a battery hog and unlike my Canon, I can't plug the battery into the wall socket overnight. I purchased this camera because HSN really pushed the video. Eh, not so great. If you want great videos break down and buy a dedicated video camera. The video capability is good though if you chance upon a rare opportunity to shoot something. A lot of shake with the video. Finally, the lens cap wants to fall off all the time giving way to a possible lens damage while toting it in my handbag.

Now the plus side. It shoots a great image, especially in the wide lens mode. Great panorama when you need it. The camera is way above the little boxy point and shoots for stabilization because of the hand grip style. The telephoto is as good as you are going to get in a non SLR. I compared it side by side with my Canon's lens and it gives the lens a run for its money, but I also must agree a tripod is almost a must for the long shots. After you learn all the whistles and buttons you will have a pretty nice camera for the price. Half of the features could be eliminated like blink and smile, but it is likely a consumer driven factor.

All in all I gave it four stars. For my professional work, I will of course stay with my trusty Nikon film and Canon digital SLR, but for a fun camera with compact features--go for it.I have recommended it to all my point and shoot friends as a step up camera

If you are one of those digital camera users who want some of the high end features of an SLR without the big price tag this might be right for you. It is so new hardly anyone knows it is slowly coming out on the market. Got mine at a special launch on HSN. Though there have been mixed reviews as to how good it is I don't have any complaints. Like zoom capability? The Fuji S-18 has as much as anyone practically needs. My only knock is you have use a tripod when using full zoom power unless you have a steady hand. The super Macro feature is great too if you like getting things really close up. Amazing resolution overall. The 3 inch LCD is nice but like all LCDs is hampered in bright light conditions, super sunny days. Thats where the good old Standard View finder comes in handy. It is better than most and works great in all conditions, even if you have wear glasses like me. Indoors or on less sunny days the LCD is just fine. There are a lot of really great features that are easy to use and figure out even if you don't ever read the operation manual you can upload on to your computer. Good all around product if you are looking for an upgrade or even a first time buyer. At the price point it sells for you get a lot of camera for a very good price. Though it uses AA batteries, alchaline or rechargables, and they seem to last a long time. Got a great little battery from Amazon that brings your batteries back to life in almost no time at home or on the road. You don't have to worry about fidling around with your camera settings and killing your batteries befor you take a picture....like me. Check it out. Nice camera based on Fugi's S-15 with a couple of extras thrown in. Recommended!

Fuji Film has done a wonderful job with this camera. From the time I opened the box, read the manual, took some test shots and was viewing them on my computer (I didn't install the supplied cd for picture viewing direct from the camera) approx 30 minutes went by.

Camera setup is a breeze. The manual is very easy to follow with clear instructions. For my test shots on my initial use I used the "AUTO" Setting. There are four other picture taking settings- Scene Recognition Auto, Scene Position, Panorama, Custom.
Additionally there is Movie mode where you can record HD movies in 720p quality.

The SD Card and 4 AA Battery's go in the same compartment on the bottom of the camera. I prefer having the AA's as there have been many a times that my original and spare batteries have run out and I wished my camera took AA's.

The camera's "menu" is easily navigable and is not overly complicated.

You have the option of viewing your subject prior to and after the shot thru the view finder or the 3.5 inch display. The ability to review your pictures and zoom,shift, etc is present as well.

Intelligent Face Detection,Red- Eye Removal and Blink Detection worked flawlessly for me in sunlight, indoors in normal lighting, and lower light conditions inside and out.

One of my favorite features of this camera is the Burst Mode (Continuous Shooting)-There are 5 different Burst Mode options which I know I will get a ton of use out of during the kids sports season coming up.

The 18X Zoom is outstanding. I have photographed subjects that I thought I would need the Hubble for and I have been very pleased with my results.

As far as performance in the "field" goes the camera is about half the size of other SLR Camera's like the Nikon D40 so that helps on weight. I didn't experience any software "hic-ups" when changing between settings and switching rapidly from mode to mode etc. I took approx 300 pictures with the settings on the highest resolution possible. The battery usage is good as I still have the original ones in and haven't received and low power notifications.

To sum up my experience this 12.2 Megapixel S1800 Camera from Fuji Film is a camera that a novice or a professional would be happy with. There are very detailed ISO setting's and shutters speeds that can be manipulated and a boatload of different "scene" selections such as fireworks,sunset,snow,beach,party,flower,night,etc,etc. The plethora of simple yet advanced features can turn anyone into a true "shutterbug".

My husband was surprised by how small and light this camera was when he took it out of the box. For some this might be a positive, but he found it a little small to hold comfortably in his hands and with not enough weight for it to feel steady. He was looking for an alternative camera to his Canon Powershot point-and-shoot camera which he uses for vacations... basically a home use camera that he didn't have to worry about putting in his pocket. So he wasn't worried about size and weight issues and he personally prefers a camera with a little more bulk to it. However, for someone looking for a more powerful camera than a point-and-shoot as their primary camera for vacations and while on the road, the size and weight would definitely be a positive.

The camera is very easy to use and takes excellent pictures. The optical zoom is excellent (much better than the digital zoom quality you get when trying to zoom in closely with a point and shoot). There are tons of features and he still hasn't tried them all, but as others have mentioned, the blink detection doesn't seem to work very well. He was taking pictures of our daughter and it didn't notify him on several occasions when he could clearly see she blinked in the viewfinder. Also, the video mode was lacking the quality he gets when taking videos on our Flip Video Camera (highly recommend that by the way), so don't get this thinking you can take quality pictures and videos all in one package. His only other gripe was that the dial to change modes seemed to easily get bumped out of the mode he intended to be in.

Despite my complaints, overall this is a decent camera that takes great pictures. Although I'm certain there are better cameras out there similar to this, for the price this is a good value.

I've been looking for a camera for months now, so when given the opportunity to review this Fujifilm FinePix S1800, I jumped at the chance. As with any product, there are good and bad aspects to the camera. The real and final question will always come down to whether the good outweighs the bad. In this case, I would say you definitely get your money's worth, and then some.

First thing you will notice about this camera is that it is LIGHT and small! Then, you'll be amazed by the zoom! Definitely two large pluses for someone who doesn't enjoy lugging around heavy cameras for their zoom capabilities.

Having said that, and having used SLRs in the past, as well as regular point-and-shoot digital cameras, I knew that I wanted my next camera to not have that 'lag' between the time I hit the shutter and when the picture is finally taken. I don't want to wait around 2 or 3 seconds (which seems like not a long time, but even so, it's annoyingly long when you're trying to hold up a camera and pray that you won't move it by accident) for the picture to be taken only to find out something went wrong. With SLRs it's instant and that's what I was looking for. With the FinePix S1800, it's almost instant, and considering this is about half the price of the cheapest SLR that I would get (a Canon rebel), that's perfect for me.

I have to agree that the digital display on the camera is a bit 'grainy', I have found this mainly on point-and-shoot cameras, not on SLRs. In the end the quality is good but not at the level of a more professional (and more expensive) camera. Then again, you have a lot of options with which to make it a better picture, and depending on lighting, exposure, etc., you might get exactly what you want. But leaving it on auto will not produce the same type of picture, quality wise, as an SLR on the same setting. In the end, for 230 dollars, you definitely get a good quality camera and one that non-professionals can at least experiment with and enjoy.

I bought this camera mostly for the zoom and the quality of the lens you get for only around 200 bucks. This camera does not have a RAW mode so it's really a point and shoot BUT it has many different features you might find in professional SLR cameras that cost hundreds more. If you know what you're doing, you can do a lot of manual shooting. I'm not going to give it a 2,3,4 out 5 because I don't' like the cheap plastic feel or that it's too light or that I don't like the color, like some of the other reviewers mentioned.. How cares??? I give it 5 stars because the quality of the pictures is great and for what this camera is designed for, it does beautifully.

I've been using my Finepix S1800 for almost two weeks now, and I have to say that I'm truly impressed. Although Amazon's not going to like this, I didn't buy it from them. I bought mine from a competitor at a lower price... Mine was reconditioned by Fuji, and came with no neckstrap, lens cap, or batteries. If you buy it new, you get those items. Anyway, I got this camera because I couldn't afford a Nikon D5000. I'd been using my film cameras, as well as a digital Olympus C-700, and felt it was time to get something better than the old Olympus. This Finepix fit the bill. It functions flawlessly, the lens seems pretty good, and the software menus within the camera are a breeze to master. The only gripe I have with the camera is that it doesn't do RAW format.. I can live without it. The images I've shot are sharp at all focal lengths, and the low light capabilities, especially the built-in Infrared AF, are pretty good, too. Oh, yeah, probably the most exciting feature of this camera is the Dual Image Stabilization. It has allowed me to get tack sharp shots at shutter speeds that would be impossible to get with a 35mm SLR. I've shot handheld shots at well over 200mm focal length at 1" and even slower! It's just amazing to rack the zoom all the way out to the equivalent of 504mm, and shoot at 1/60", even 1/30", and know you can get the shot. Just astounding. IT WORKS. It's wonderful in macro mode, too. Although undoubtedly there are better digital superzoom bridge cameras out there on the market, I seriously doubt if any come close to the S1800 in terms of value. The camera is inexpensive, well-made, handles well, and is fun to use. It's a nice machine. Oh, one caveat - it's REALLY fussy about the memory cards it can take - SanDisk and Fuji SDHC cards are recommended. The cards MUST BE CLASS 6 TO WORK WITH THIS CAMERA! Do not try to use a regular SD card, or anything less than a Class 6 card. I picked up an 8GB Fujifilms SDHC card for around $30 that gives me over 1,700 shots at the S1800's largest, best image quality - I can live with that.

To sum up -- get this camera.

I got this camera to replace a Nikon L100 that went bad. Compared to the Nikon its obvious the quality on the L100 is superior. The zoom is almost identical L100=15x vs the s1800=18x which is strange to say the least. Wide angle shots are about the same, I have taken and compared pictures with both cameras. The S1800 has an enormous advantage over the L100, and it is that you get control over many settings. If the L100 had that it would be an awesome camera. I have been a point and shooter but now I am reading and learning about manual settings. And that is why this camera is great, its a great bridge camera to learn. Never had a dSLR but I know my next camera will be one. Meanwhile I am learning on this one and getting ready to move onto a dSLR in the near future. At its price point this camera is an affordable step towards the dSLR world or simply a step towards better pictures. I dislike the fact that memory card and batteries share a compartment. This may be done to keep someone from yanking the card out while the camera is still writing to it. I don't use the packaged software I put the memory card in my reader and transfer pictures, its much faster that way. Auto focus gets a little confused at times but I reposition and its all good. Video is okay but is not good, this is a camera with video function not a camcorder. If you want video buy a camcorder, if you want to take pictures and take video clips then you should be fine with this. Overall a good camera at a great price.

Only had the camera a month, but it is doing well with many tasks. a couple of initial thoughts: The built in panoramic feature works well and so you do not have to take 3 individual pictures and create the image on the computer, although you can only use 3 images for the panorama so if you want more images you might still have to use a computer program to mesh images.
The burst image taking mode, is still not all that quick for catching a faster moving object (ie like my dog) and I may be able to improve this by a bit more experimentation. a negative is they only included a printed version of the basic, simple instruction manual and had to print out the detailed manual off the website. Seems to be quite good on batteries, I am using NIMH rechargeables and getting lots of time out of them (sorry no precise measurement, but its good) Electronic viewfinder is decent and so if you really needed to conserve batteries operating without the large display is sure possible. Optical zoom seems great, and like the fact that you have to over-ride the default settings in order to use any digital zoom, which should keep friends of mine from over zooming and wrecking a photo by going into digital zoom. HD video seems to work fine and appears pretty good,as noted by others you can hear the zooming of the lens as you are shooting, not a big deal if like me you plan to set some of the footage to music. All in all I think its great!