Fuji S6500fd or Fuji S5600

[kaks]

Now i know this might look like a simple straightforward answer, and normally i wouldn't even consider of asking such a question.
Obviously S6500fd is a newer and improved model. But thing is i found the S5600 on sale, USED for 110uk pounds.
The S6500fd for 205uk pounds.

Now thing is that i have never used a manual focus camera before(i did years ago, with a film camera ;p).

I'm more of a quick take a pictre kind of guy, but over the years using a small compact camera has started annoying me due to the fact that the quality sucks. Dont get me wrong, i had a very good quality compact camera and i recently for a Lumix FX-8 as a cheap one to go buy while im at Uni.
Anyway to cut the long story short, i never bought a manual focus camera because of the size, and i dont really know if i will after some time carry on using it if it proves to heavy or otherwise inconvinient.

The only reason im moving towards such cameras is that i like to actually focus the camera myself rather than having to deal with that crap auto-detection thingy all the cameras have on :).

What are the major differences between these cameras? The bigger LCD and more megapixels? Face detection?

Other than that they look the same(to me ;p).

I would normally go ahead and buy the 6500 which i was about to do, but then i thought it might be a complete waste of money in case i dont end up using it that much.

Im just really confused :). I would like to try out with a manual focus camera and see how it goes and then upgrade. Price difference is not that much, especially considering that the 5600 is used. It looks like its in good condition, comes with a 12 month warranty and 2 day return(voucher).

Picture quality wise are they very different?
Also do they both use a ring, for manual focusing? One of the reviews for S5600 said the manual focusing is very bad and clumsy.

Anyway, i hope i make SOME sense from what i said, and ill be looking forward to your replies :).

Thanks in advance,
Kyriacos

[bascom]

S5200 (S5600)
----------------------
5MP
more tele (38mm-380mm)
F3.2 - F3.5
1.8" LCD
ISO 1600
1/2.5" sensor
conversion lenses

S6000 (S6500)
----------------------
6MP
wide angle (28mm-300mm)
F2.8 - F4.9
2.5" LCD
ISO 3200
1/1.7" sensor
manual focus and zoom rings
face detection
bigger and heavier

[tim11]

S6000 (S6500)
--------bigger and heavier
Big doesn't necessarily mean bad. IMO.
S6500 is more advanced while S5600 will be sent to Jurassic Park soon.
Go to Fuji forum and see photos from S6500fd taken by non-professionals.

[mattdm]

Note that actual manual focus on non-SLR cameras, even when an option, is actually very hard, as there's no way to actually clearly tell what's in focus.

[AlexMonro]

I haven't actually used either the S6500fd or the S5600, but I do have an S9500, which has the same lens system as the 6500. Yes, it does have a "manual focus" setting, which uses a ring around the lens, but in use it's nothing like the manual focus film cameras of years ago.

There's no focus distance scale, and the focus ring isn't directly coupled - you can't just turn it to the right position to focus at 5m say. You're limited to the LCD or EVF, and even with the option of magnifying the centre of the image, it's hard to see precisely where the focus is - no microprisms or split wedge rangefinders like the old film SLRs.

In fact, due to the limitations of the S9500 focussing, I've got myself a 2nd hand Nikon FM2 manual focus film SLR for tricky manual focus shots. I still use the S9500 for a lot of shots where AF will do, I just have to keep a look out for the AF failed warning and use the exposure lock and reframe after focussing occasionally.

I don't think even any modern full blown DSLRs have good manual focussing facilities these days - I haven't seen a split wedge rangefinder on any of them. If you want manual focus, get an FM2, or Olympus OM2, or a Canon AE1, and a film scanner.

However, between these Fuji ultrazooms, the advantages of the 6500 over the 5600 are:

1) Zoom ring - that is nice, and works beautifully. I have had a play with the 5600, and its electric push button zoom is a bit of a pain.

2) Higher ISO sensitivity with relatively less noise - better for low light shots

3) Wider zoom short end - 28mm equiv is a lot better than 38mm in many situations. I've rarely wished for more tele than 300mm - even at that f/l it's hard to hold the camera steady enough for composition, never mind camera shake. For 380mm equiv you'd really need a tripod with a pan & tilt head.

However, all these are my personal feelings, and depend to some extent on the type of photography I do - mainly landscapes. If you're in to sports action or birding, your requirements will probably be different.

[d_techie]

so basically the difference with the s6500 is
zoom ring
better manual focus (maybe)
5mp vs 6mp
newer face detection technology

so if you think its worth the price difference, go with the s6500
but as a beginner, i think you'd be happy to own s5600 as i did....