Fuji S700 vs. Sony H2

[Tacoma]

Hello,

I just purchased a Sony H2 at a closeout price, box is still unopened. Today while shopping I saw the Fuji S700 for $50 less including a $20 rebate from BJ's. I just finished viewing the Fuji S700 threads in this forum and looking at the pictures and I am very impressed.

The camera will be used by my son who is interested in taking all types of pictures--telephoto nature/action/macros etc. He is not an experienced photographer and I am concerned that the Fuji may be more difficult to use.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you
Tacoma

[speaklightly]

Hello Tacoma-

The learning curve on the Sony H-2 and the Fuji S-700 are about the same. If IS is a must with your son, or if you are willing to spend a little extra $$ for the convenience of IS, then the H-2 is the better choice.

If your son can hold a camera very steady when releasing the shutter, the Fuji S-700 is a great camera and you will end up saving some $$.

The choice is completely yours. As you can see from the Fuji S-700/S-5700 Photo thread in the Fuji folder, it is not very difficult to hold the S-700 very steady while releasing the shutter.

I was the person who began the Fuji S-700 Photos thread and the poster of a lot of those photos. I will attach a photo sample from the Fuji S-700 to this post so you can see the kind of photos the S-700 is capable of taking.

Sarah Joyce



Sarah Joyce

[Tacoma]

Hi Sarah and thanks for your response. Can you tell me if the S700 will accept optional add on lens like the Sony H series cameras? I think the built in telephoto will be "OK" for a while but my son is also very interested in macros and probably would like some sort of macro lens.

Thanks

[csfoong]

Tacoma,

I have been looking for macro and wide angle add on lenses for the S700 and there are 2 types which are available. These are usually in a combo (2 together).

There's one which has the same thread size as the camera (46mm) while the other type come with a step up ring as its larger. The latter may be more cumbersome as you first need to screw in the adapter and then the lens but you can use it for other lenses too (should you change cameras one day) - just change the adaptor.

CSFoong

[speaklightly]

Tacoma-

The S-700 camera has both regular macro and super macro modes bult into the camera, it can focus down to 0.4 inches. Thus the S-700 is able, without an further attachments to photograph an insect such as a fly or a bee perched on a flower blossom and show a great amount of fine detail within the insect.

In addition, by adding a simple screw on close up lens (they are inexpensive and available in sets with up to four lenses) the S-700 is able to photograph portions of an insect, such as a fly's eye and the like with unusual sharpness and detail.

Sarah Joyce

[bascom]

Here are some spec differences:

H2
---
bigger zoom range at wide and tele end
IS
high speed download

S700
-----
bigger LCD
slightly smaller and lighter
uses SD or xD
dual flash mode
zoom controller in front
may be better at high ISO?

[speaklightly]

Tacoma-

Because sample photos have much greater impact, I am posting two photo samples taken from our "Fuji S-700 Photo Gallery" posted in the Fuji Folder. These wonderful photos were taken by our group member, dogsmoke who lives in the UK.

Sarah





Sarah Joyce

[Jonathan Gingerich]

No diopter on the S700 EVF? OUCH!!!

JG

[speaklightly]

Jonathan-

Please realize that this an entry livel ultrazoom camera. It offer a whole lot of excellent features as well as fully manual controls and 7.1mp and 10X optical zoom, with an excellent lens. For a camera selling right near the $(US) 200.00level you could hardly expect a diopter adjustment!

I wear glasses and have no trouble at all with the Fuji S-5700/S-700 camera. Honestly, it is absolutely the biggest bang for the buck in the highly crowded ultrazoom field.

Sarah Joyce

[Jonathan Gingerich]

So what are you saying, Sarah? It's intended for the young - impecunious but well sighted?

Diopters are not expensive and it has nothing to do with glasses, but rather with presbyopia. To many of us, it makes the S700 an instant loser compared to the Canon's or Panasonics.

JG