Fujifilm Finepix S200EXR 12MP Super CCD Digital Camera with 14.3x Optical Triple Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD

by Fuji

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 5.3 x 3.7 inches ; 3.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002HMCBEC
• Item model number: FinePix S200EXR
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,326 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 21, 2009

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Combining the pin-sharp 14.3x Fujinon optical zoom lens (30.5mm-436mm equivalent) so popular in its predecessor, the award-winning FinePix S100FS, with Fujifilm's latest 12-megapixel Super CCD EXR sensor, the FinePix S200EXR is aimed at top-end camera enthusiasts looking for excellent picture quality without the hassle, bulk and expense of a DSLR system.

Users of the FinePix S200EXR will find their results equal or superior to DSLRs, principally due to the revolutionary design of Fujifilm's EXR CCD sensor technology. The key improvements of the FinePix S200EXR over the FinePix S100FS are:

• 1/1.6-inch, 12-megapixel Super CCD EXR sensor
• EXR Priority modes and EXR Auto
• Pro Focus Mode and Pro Lowlight Mode
• 5 Film Simulation Modes (Black & White mode and Sepia mode is added)
• A new 2.7-inch high contrast 230k-pixel LCD
• New 'Super Intelligent Flash'
• Improved battery life--almost a 50% increase on the FinePix S100FS
• Combined CCD-RAW (EXR)/JPEG shooting

Super CCD EXR
The EXR sensor on the FinePix S200EXR was built to perfectly match the optical qualities of its 14.3x Fujinon optical zoom lens. The goal was to produce a sensor/lens combination that works as close to that of the human eye as possible. The EXR sensor is essentially a switchable sensor; changing its complex electronic behavior to suit the subject, changing its characteristics as the photographer demands, and producing the very best picture without making compromises.

This sensor has already won great acclaim with the FinePix F200EXR. Combined with the much bigger, more powerful 14.3x lens, it delivers quite astounding results.

The FinePix S200EXR offers 3 switchable modes in one sensor:

• High Resolution (HR) Mode: Deploys all 12 million pixels and is designed to offer the finest detail of intricate subjects when light is full and even.
• Wide Dynamic Range (DR) Mode: Captures different exposures with two sets of 6 million pixels, which, when combined, gives an excellent level of detail in highlights that would otherwise be lost.
• High Sensitivity and Low Noise (SN) Mode: Caps two adjacent pixels together to produce 6 million large photodiodes, which are big enough to absorb light in the darkest of conditions, to produce low-light shots of extraordinary quality with minimal noise and grain.

Advanced Intelligence
The FinePix S200EXR also offers EXR Priority Mode, which is the most efficient mechanism yet invented to quickly optimize the camera's settings to allow the photographer to concentrate on capturing the perfect shot. The photographer can decide which sensor setting is preferable by choosing High Resolution Priority (HR) to maximize resolution, High ISO and Low Noise Priority (SN) for high quality low-light work or D-Range Priority (DR) for the best detail with contrasting subjects.

In addition, the FinePix S200EXR features the EXR Auto Mode, which offers 6 different modes depending on the setting: Portrait, Night, Macro, Landscape, Night Portrait and Backlit Portrait. The camera will automatically recognize the scene and not only optimize focus, color balance, exposure, flash and sensitivity, but will also automatically switch the sensor to HR, SN or DR mode depending on the lighting conditions of the scene.

14.3 optical zoom in action

Super Sharp Lens
The massive 14.3x Fujinon manual zoom lens is truly a delight to use in such a compact, lightweight design. The ultra-high precision Fujinon lens achieves maximum resolution at all focal lengths of 30.5mm-436mm equivalent with maximum aperture of a bright F2.8 (wide angle) to F5.3 (telephoto). Because of the composite body and lens structure, there is no need to worry about dirt or dust on the Super CCD EXR sensor and they are perfectly aligned for the very best results. The manual zoom offers faster image framing with fingertip precision as well as offering a user experience that closely matches the use of a high-end DSLR.

Pro Focus Mode / Pro Low-light Mode
The FinePix S200EXR also sports a Pro Focus Mode which is created by using Fujifilm's new Multi-Frame Technology. A burst of two or three frames is taken and by taking the distance information off, the main subject is crisply matted against a defocused foreground and background. This mode is perfect for portrait or nature photography, where professional results are needed quickly with minimal adjustment to the camera and without the need to use a PC.

Meanwhile, Pro Low-light Mode can be applied to help solve the problems of noisy low light shots. With current digital cameras, it is possible to achieve relatively blur-free low light shots using high ISO and CCD shift (or optical image) stabilization, but this comes at a cost, as the ISO 1600 setting will invariably produce distracting and ugly noise.

Once switched to Pro Low-light Mode, the FinePix F200EXR will take a burst of four high sensitivity images using Pixel Fusion Technology in quick succession. By using the camera's Multi Frame Technology, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th images are overlapped to create one image with extremely low noise.

Film Simulation Modes
One of the more popular features on the FinePix S100FS is reproduced and extended on the FinePix S200EXR. The FinePix S200EXR offers five modes as follows:

• Velvia/Vivid mode for rich and luscious landscapes
• PROVIA/Standard mode for excellent, sharp, standard photography
• ASTIA/Soft mode for soft, fine, smooth tonality
• Black & White mode captures the dramatic honesty of your image in black and white
• Sepia mode creates a sense of nostalgia with the warm brown "antique" tones of Sepia

In Provia, Velvia and Astia modes, the dynamic range can be now be set to 800% to improve and highlight details further.

1) Fujifilm S200, 2) Conventional Digital Camera

New High Contrast 2.7-inch LCD
The FinePix S200EXR is fitted with an improved high contrast 230k-pixel 2.7-inch LCD. The high contrast LCD is a considerable benefit in bright light and the camera can be pitched at various shooting angles to enable framing of awkward shots. Viewable at 160-degrees both vertically and horizontally, the LCD is bright and clear for beautiful rendition of shots in playback.

Super Intelligent Flash
Fujifilm's Super Intelligent Flash system is a flash control technology that lets you take flash-assisted shots without the danger of flash wash-out. Integrated into the AUTO mode, this next-generation flash system makes it easy to capture both subjects and background in bright, clear and natural detail over the full flash range. This allows for much better flash control when shooting in macro and makes sure that the subject is brightly lit and the background clearly defined when shooting in night mode.

Dual Image Stabilization
The FinePix S200EXR features Fujifilm's Optical Image Stabilization technology to ensure clean, sharp and blur-free images, even in low-light conditions. This combines image stabilization by Optical Image Stabilization to reduce blur from the photographer's hand-shake, with Fujifilm High ISO, to reduce blur caused by subject movement (by automatically increasing ISO), for the ultimate in stabilization technology.

Manual Settings
The FinePix S200EXR also allows you full manual control with the ability to set shutter speeds of between 1/4,000 second and 30 seconds. It is possible to take photos with combinations of ISO sensitivity, which has a broad range of setting choices, and multiple apertures of between F2.8 - F11 at 1/3EV steps. Using the manual exposure setting, bulb exposure of up to 30 seconds is possible. The color, noise reduction control, tone and the sharpness can all be individually set as well.

Multi Bracketing
The FinePix S200EXR 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).

Other noteworthy features in the FinePix S200EXR:

Combined CCD RAW (EXR)/JPEG shooting
New to the FinePix S200EXR is the ability to shoot both a RAW and JPEG shot simultaneously, like the award-winning S5Pro digital camera. RAW is for ultimate quality shots via post processing, JPEG is for great quality with no need for further work.

Battery life extended
With improved power management, the FinePix S200EXR can now provide 370 shots per charge of the included NP-140 Lithium Ion battery, so there is no need to worry about power running out half way through a photo shoot.

Movie Mode
The FinePix S200EXR can record movies in 640 x 480 at 30 frames per second. The optical zoom can be used during movie recording.

Electronic View Finder
The camera is fitted with a 0.2" 200K-pixel EVF, for sharp and clear images.

What's in the Box
Li-ion battery NP-140, Battery charger BC-140, Strap, Lens cap, Lens cap holder, USB cable, A/V cable, CD-ROM, Owner's manual.

Product Description

FUJIFILM is pleased to announce the FinePix S200EXR, a worthy successor to the award-winning FinePix S100FS. Aimed at top-end enthusiasts looking for excellent picture quality without the expense of a DSLR system, the FinePix S200EXR combines the pin-sharp 14.3x zoom lens so popular in the FinePix S100FS with the latest 12 megapixel Super CCD EXR sensor, which has won a string of awards since its introduction in the FinePix F200EXR.

Super CCD EXR
The EXR sensor on the FinePix S200EXR was built to perfectly match the optical qualities of the 14.3x lens. The goal was to produce a sensor/lens combination that works as close to that of the human eye as possible. The EXR sensor is essentially a switchable sensor; changing its complex electronic behavior to suit the subject, changing its characteristics as the photographer demands, and producing the very best picture without making compromises.

This sensor has already won great acclaim with the FinePix F200EXR. Combined with the much bigger, more powerful 14.3x lens, it delivers quite astounding results. The FinePix S200EXR offers 3 switchable modes in one sensor:

High Resolution (HR) mode, which deploys all 12 million pixels, and is designed to offer the finest detail of intricate subjects when light is full and even;

Wide Dynamic Range (DR) mode, which captures different exposures with two sets of 6 million pixels, which, when combined, gives an excellent level of detail in highlights that would otherwise be lost.

High Sensitivity and Low Noise (SN) mode, which caps two adjacent pixels together to produce 6 million large photodiodes, which are big enough to absorb light in the darkest of conditions, to produce low-light shots of extraordinary quality with minimal noise and grain.

Pro Focus Mode is perfect for portrait or nature photography, where professional results are needed quickly with minimal adjustment to the camera without changing results on

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Latest in a tradition of excellent Fuji bridge cameras, October 16, 2009

By 

Ellie "Eilean Siar" (North Shore of Boston, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fujifilm Finepix S200EXR 12MP Super CCD Digital Camera with 14.3x Optical Triple Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Electronics)

My first Fuji bridge camera was the excellent S7000 a couple of years ago. I bought it used, refurbished, and I was amazed what a fantastic imaging chip it had with 12MP, wonderful dynamic range, brilliant fuji film emulation JPEG, and ease of use. Some of my favorite shots were done using the S7000. One of my shots using that camera has gotten well over 19,000 views in Flickr.

I also have the S2 and S3 Fuji SLRs using the Nikon 16-85mm lens for which I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the imaging chip (basically the same as the S7000) and the very sharp Nikkor lens. This is a great line of imaging chips Fuji has developed and continues with the EXR version and the JPEG software in-camera that brings out the best this remarkable imaging chip can do.

But the Fuji S2 and S3 are quite large and heavy, especially with a Nikkor zoom lens attached. So I was glad to see that a successor to the Fuji S100 was available at a reasonable price and with additional features.

This might become your preferred walk-about gear. You can do quite a lot with its features. The 435mm zoom is real. The 30mm wide-angle is about all you need for most situations. The sharpness varies according to how steady you hold the camera. Yes, there is vibration reduction, but at such an extreme zoom it never hurts to brace yourself against something on these long telephoto shots for optimum results.

This review is based solely on using the EXR setting. I wanted to see what it would do on its most touted super automatic mode. It pairs three ways of using the imaging chip's two types of pixels along with six scene modes. The choices it makes are not always what I would choose. Too often it would select too low an ISO speed or shutter speed on a telephoto shot but it generally got good results. The color was excellent but not as exaggerated as I prefer in the Velvia film emulation mode. But certainly no complaints.

When in EXR mode it selected ISO 800 or higher, graininess or noise was visible on high magnification in Picassa 3, the editing software from Google. But this is only something you would see if you blew up a photo to print at 20" by 30" or greater. It is not noticeable on my 22" monitor at full size. And certainly not on a snapshot or even 8" x 10" print. You would have to spend at least two to three thousand dollars more for an SLR and top lens to get better image quality. It is not the same quality I get with my S2 or S3 and a top nikkor lens.

But fortunately, the camera does not cost nearly as much or weigh as much! The results from my use so far in my limited use are encouraging, to say the least. This is a great bridge camera. The F2.8 lens is fast at wide angle settings. On automatic modes it will even jump to ISO 6400 if needed to get the shot. I don't think there are many amateur photographers who would regret buying this.

The battery, right out of the box, had some charge. You can load it in the well designed battery compartment (when you flick the yellow tab it falls right into your palm) and take a few test shots to get some familiarity with the features. But charge it for a couple of hours and you will get over three hundred shots. It is a good idea to buy the AC power input unit for doing your upload to your computer lest the battery give out during the process. Also, the external power unit is good for studio type work where you are shooting many hundreds of shots daily. You can find aftermarket batteries and power bricks for this on Amazon at very good prices.

The feel, the ergonomics, of the S200EXR are excellent. On manual, you use the control dial to change the shutter speed, but hold the +/- button on top while using the control dial to change the aperture. On photo review mode, use the up and down on the main dial to magnify the reviewed image. It has no front control wheel as some cameras of this type do.

I'd recommend keeping it on continual autofocus. It hunts a bit on single autofocus. In general, I was pleased with the focus I got. There are three modes you can choose so experiment to find what suits your needs.

The latches for the memory card, battery, and I/O connections are sturdy and fit perfectly, avoiding accessory compartment rage a few cameras engender. The lens takes a 67mm filter. I noticed no vignetting on wide angle, but a thin filter is always a good idea. Just get lens protection, not UV or warming or anything like that. The editing software in your computer is what does those things now. If you want motion blur, get an 8X neutral density filter. Another good one to have is the polarizing filter which brings out the sky, cuts through reflections, and reduces the shine on skin in portraits.

61 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Results!, September 20, 2009

By 

G. Sarlo (carol stream, il USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fujifilm Finepix S200EXR 12MP Super CCD Digital Camera with 14.3x Optical Triple Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Electronics)

Let me say for starters I have been dabbling in photography for years and have always had Nikons. F100, D100, D90. I wanted something to carry around without the huge camera case and lenses so I tried the Canon Sx10is which in itself is a nice little camera, then Panasonic FZ35, which again is a nice little camera, both of which feel like toys in comparison to Nikon D90, but their results are very good, but Pany was just too small for my hands. Then comes the SX200EXR. All the feel of an SLR without the motorized zoom, which I hated, and so far results that are very impressive. The colors and resolution are IMHO on par with any DSLR I have used without even trying to get it right. Although you can go full manual if you want to, all the programs from shutter priority to auto EXR are showing great results. Auto EXR is very impressive and I usually wouldn't say that about any "auto" mode!
There has been alot of talk about the fringeing problem that it's predecesor, the S100SF has and I have yet to see any with this camera. I love it.

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I just received my S200EXR and am pleased, September 18, 2009

By 

Fr. John Elledge "Fr. John" (Havre de Grace, MD USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fujifilm Finepix S200EXR 12MP Super CCD Digital Camera with 14.3x Optical Triple Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD (Electronics)

I have shot about 40 pictures so far with the camera and love it! I have yet to take a poor picture with it. The three bracketing shots with their different film emulations works great. So do the macro modes for clear close-ups with very blurred backgrounds. I have owned four Fuji cameras, if you count the one that I gave my wife, but used when my S9100 bit the dust. This fifth one takes the cake. Noise is visibly reduced and usually non-existant. I did get some dots on a hummingbird's tummy, but I don't know if that was the camera or the bird. The hummingbird was in shadow with strong backlighting. The learning curve is a little steep, because there are so many bells and whistles on it. I need to keep reading the manual until I figure out all that it does. But, then again, I never did use some of the features on the S9000 and the S9100. I recommend the S200EXR to anyone who wants a very capable super-zoom digital. No, it isn't an SLR. I seriously considered buying the cheapest Canon so I could use the lenses from my old film camera. I am happy I didn't. I can get all the telephoto and wide-angle effects that I would have gotten with the Canon and my lenses, but I don't have to swap lenses and I don't have to worry about dust on the mirror and sensor like an SLR owner does. Check it out on Fuji's website and here for more information.