Fuji FinePix F40fd Digital Camera - Silver (8.0MP, 3x Optical Zoom ) 2.5" LCD

 

 

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If you are looking at this camera, you have probably heard that this Fuji, along with the F31FD, are probably the best small cameras for low light shots currently available. You are probably also agonising over which one to get.

Firstly, I rarely print my photos and do not blow them up to 100% to scrutinise on screen so I am commenting from what I see from normal screen viewing.

I eventually decided on the F40fd because it was slightly smaller (small was important), more up to date and handled better than the f31fd. It also takes SD cards, which I already had. The f31fd has more manual controls, but I read that you really needed to use these controls to get the best out of it. Fuji had apparently set up the F40fd to give more punchy shots straight out of the camera.

Well the camera is very good in low light (compared to other small cameras - it cannot compete with a DSLR). I am particularly pleased with the flash performance, being quite powerful, yet well balanced. However, this is achieved by using high ISOs (Typically ISO800) with the flash to try and bring out the background. This is the first camera I have used that I have got good hand held "slow syncro" flash results. Low light mode (i.e. no flash) really pushes the ISO, often to ISO 2000, where the results are very grainy. Changing to black and white makes these shots look quite moody. The camera has a clever feature which enables the user to fix ISO or limit the maximum ISO in auto mode, e.g. Auto ISO400, Auto ISO800 etc. From other reviews I have read, I believe the F31fd may produce very slightly less noise in low light at a given ISO, but this is only detectable if you blow up to 100%.

Good as it is, it cannot work miracles in very low light. With no image stabilisation, you will evetually get blurry images from camera shake if the shutter speed falls too low or you shoot one-handed. I find holding the camera in both hands with my elbows firmly pressed to my sides and avoiding the use of zoom gives me the best results in low light.

The camera knows its strength in low light so auto flash mode often will not fire the flash, even when you think it should. As a result, I find I am changing flash modes quite often.

Outdoors is a slightly different proposition. Purple fringing? This is the first time I have seen it - only in one picture, but very obvious where sunlight was shining through the branches of a tree. Also in contrasty situations, particularly bright sunlight and shadow, the darker areas are virtually black. I think that in trying to achieve more punchy results, Fuji may have turned the contrast up too high (for my taste anyway). However, the detail is there and if you use the fill-light from something like Picassa 2 (free download), the dark areas can be lightened up.

Who's the F40fd for? Well if you want a point and shoot camera for indoors, parties, pubs, social events etc, it is one of the best(the Fuji F series stand head and shoulders above the rest), although you will have to change the flash setting to suit each situation. If you want it mainly for holidays, sunny situations, the high contrast results may not be to your taste.

Has this review helped you decide? Probably not - the truth is I still don't know if I made the right choice between the F40fd and F31FD!

I bought this camera when it first came out. I read the online reviews for it praising this camera and they were very encouraging so i decided to buy this camera. This camera is now at a fraction of the price i paid for it back in July 07.
I bought this camera specifically for an event to take pictures of our holiday to America in the summer. This camera did not disappoint me at all. My sister and her family all commented on what a nice camera i had that took great pictures. I think that this camera is an amazing camera that handled taking pictures in all light. The weather was very hot where we went in Florida and i was often taking pictures in very sunny conditions and the camera handled everything very well. I have uploaded a few pictures to Amazon user gallery for this camera.

The video option for this camera is also very nice and it allowed me to mini movie clips of my holiday.

I sold this camera when i came back and am looking for another to buy now again as I am going away again. Like before i have come back to buy one from the Fuji FD series again as this camera has served me so well in the past and i know that i can rely on it to take excellent pictures. I am very tempted to buy this camera again but i will most probably buy the F50fd as it is the latest model in the line which is also more expensive right now as well. I know that the Fuji F40fd would serve me very well again though but i guess i am tempted by the latest gadgetry although the difference between these two cameras are quite minor and i would recommend this camera to anybody.

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 as my main camera, which I love for its great picture quality at low ISO & wide angle lens. However, I am rather dissatisfied with the flash & with the pictures which I take at parties & the like. A friend showed me his Fuji FinePix F40fd & a huge series of phiotos he had taken at a wedding weekend & I was so jealous of the quality!

I dug around a little then decided to buy one despite the negative comments. I haven't been disappointed - I think it's just terrific. The intelligent flash idea is great; pictures up to 400 ISO have very very little noise; the purple fringing that others have mentioned seems apparent in the viewfinder but in my experience is only visible at the highest magnifications.

The only thing I'd prefer to see is the ability to select aperture or shutter priority, but for what I've bought it for - mostly indoor low-light situations - that doesn't matter too much.

I've also taken some lovely outdoor shots, lest you should think that it's only a party accessory. Its SD card & battery are the same as my Panasonic, too, so I can easily mix & match.

It's also **very** reasonably priced in Amazon at the moment.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Fuji Finepix F40fd
A great little camera. It is 8.3mega pixel. I had the 9 mega pixel version and broke the screen, so went for a similar second hand one. Read more

Published 7 months ago by johnhawl9

4.0 out of 5 stars Great compact camera for its price
Almost loved it except that it sometimes takes a while to take the next photo. Still have not figured out how to set it to maximum pixel size as it always defaults to an average... Read more

Published 14 months ago by A. Galias

5.0 out of 5 stars Delighted with this camera
We were given this camera as a gift from someone who owned a similar Fuji and who liked theirs enough to think we would be pleased to receive one as a gift. Read more

Published on 31 Mar 2009 by Mrs. Lynne Park

4.0 out of 5 stars Fuji Finepix F40fd digital camera
This was bought for my son to use with the underwater case he already had for use in Thailand when he takes tourists on pleasure dives. Read more

Published on 18 Mar 2009 by G. Luurtsema

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear & Crisp Images...!! Thats what it takes
Being an amateur photographer I was not really able to decide on which digital camera I should buy. I had bought one from Nikon (S6) earlier for an aweful amount of money. Read more

Published on 11 Mar 2009 by VA

1.0 out of 5 stars Built in Obsolescence
This is my second Fuji Camera.
I had a Fuji-F10 and a Fuji-F40 FD
Both eventually failed with the same problem. Read more

Published on 30 Nov 2008 by Hector 1970

3.0 out of 5 stars Fuji quality is not what it used to be !
Fuji for me has always been a good reliable make with good customer service & after sales extended warrantys, which i cant fault cause other manufactuers dont, except for paying... Read more

Published on 22 Nov 2008 by poley

3.0 out of 5 stars Produces good prints but hopeless for viewing on screen
Previous to buying this camera I had a Fujifilm F700. This was easily the best camera I have ever had and when it stopped working after over 3 years hard service I naturally... Read more

Published on 20 Sep 2008 by H. E. Shackleton

1.0 out of 5 stars Poor build quality and rubbish customer service
This is a camera and manufacturer to avoid. Initially I was very pleased with it but desite keeping it in a case the coating on th ecamera body quickly started to wear off making... Read more

Published on 9 Sep 2008 by Peter J. Scoular

5.0 out of 5 stars Delighted with this little beauty
I wanted to replace my aging Exilim camera from 2003, and strangely although that camera was expensive at the time and had good write-ups, I was never particularly happy with it,... Read more

Published on 31 July 2008 by Carrie H

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