Fuji Finepix F20 vs. F30

[phoenixbebe]

they both have 6.3 MPs...

in ur opinion which one is better...and what are the differences btwn them besides the F20 having image stabilization?

Which one takes better pictures?

also, are xD cards better than Compact or regular SD cards?

[sjseto]

Originally Posted by phoenixbebe

they both have 6.3 MPs...

in ur opinion which one is better...and what are the differences btwn them besides the F20 having image stabilization?

Let's back up a moment here to make sure that you aren't misled.

"Image stabilization" in the traditional sense is achieved by the movement of lens elements inside the camera, to compensate for the movement of the user's hands holding the camera. What this does is allow you to take handheld pictures at slower shutter speeds without blur due to camera movement. Some Canon and Sony cameras have this feature, as well as all current Panasonic models. Keep in mind that IS does nothing to prevent blur due to subject movement.

What Fuji uses instead, is what they call "picture stabilization". Both the F20 and F30 lay claim to this feature; it isn't unique to the F20. This, in my mind, is a misleading term. It does not work the same as image stabilization. What it actually refers to is high ISO capability. Setting the camera to a higher ISO (800, for example) means that the camera is, in effect, more sensitive to light, so it doesn't need to resort to using a slower shutter speed to properly expose the image. Using a faster shutter speed will either eliminate, or greatly reduce the possibility of, blur due to camera shake. And, unlike "real" IS, it can prevent or reduce blur due to subject movement. In most compact cameras, though, high ISO = images with lots of noise and fuzzy detail. Not so with the F20 and F30 (and the F10 before them); they manage to retain good image quality up to ISO 800 and okay quality at 1600. ISO 3200 is only available on the F30, but the quality is not good and should only be used as a last resort.

Which one takes better pictures?

I think that the image quality would be very similar. The main differences between the cameras is that the F20 has a maximum ISO of 1600 (or 2000 when using Auto ISO), has a shorter battery life, and doesn't have manual control over aperture and shutter speed. I find the manual controls useful to achieve certain effects in photos that would either be very difficult or impossible with a camera that makes those decisions for you. But for casual snapshooting, you probably wouldn't miss them.

also, are xD cards better than Compact or regular SD cards?

As a matter of fact, a lot of people have grumbled over the fact that Fuji cameras use the xD format. The number one complaint is that it is an uncommon format (used only by Fuji and Olympus), so if you have owned a different brand in the past, you'd have to invest extra money in xD cards if you buy a Fuji/Olympus camera. This leads to the the next complaint, which is that xD cards are usually more expensive than SD or Compact Flash. I've read comments by some people that xD doesn't perform as well as SD in the speed department. This might be true in general, but I've found the F30's performance to be quite snappy, and is only sluggish when it comes to deleting photos (which you can do much faster when the camera is connected to your computer, anyway).

Stephanie

[phoenixbebe]

wow thank you, this was MOST informative.

im considering buying a fuji because of the photo quality ive seen in many galleries.

I owned a canon sd700is but i sold it after the LCD shattered after someone bumped into me during rush hour and I dropped my bag on the staircase.

what do you think about the SIZE of the f30? is it more of a compact or an ultracompact?

how would you assess the LCDs of fuji cameras? what type of case/lcd protector do you recommend?

with regard to ur comments on xD cameras...ive heard that some sd cards are more prone to getting corrupted with time.

btw u have some GREAT pictures in your photo gallery

[phoenixbebe]

also im not an expert on using aperture and shutter controls...

if i don't play around with those, would i still get good pictures? and how long did it take you to figure out how to use those?

i wanted to buy a camera to use for the holidays and I wanted to make sure i was able to come out with some great pictures...

[sysadmin64]

I have seen photos taken with the F20 and they look great! Of course, the F30 is the big seller so you tend to see more samples from that camera. There's also a nice review of the F20 by "lindguini" on amazon.com who details the differences (or lack thereof) between the two cameras.

I got the Fuji after being so disappointed with some photos I took during a concert in the summer. The ISO was maxed-out at 400 and the pictures were grainly and blurry. Some of my test shots at ISO 800 and 1600 look better than an ISO 400 shot from my other camera (which I love, by the way).

I would have purchased the F20 myself if it wasn't for the great deal newegg.com had a couple weeks ago --- F30 + 1GB xD card for $265.99 (not including the $50 Fuji rebate). Now they have the F20 + 512MB xD card for $185.99. I don't think you can go wrong with either model.

I just ordered an LCD protector from www.daproducts.com. A few users on another forum suggested ordering a custom protector, using the dimensions of 56mm x 45mm. It doesn't seem to matter what model camera you own, the da Protectors are well-liked.

Good luck deciding --- I know how hard it can be!

Colleen

[tim11]

Originally Posted by sysadmin64

- - - - Some of my test shots at ISO 800 and 1600 look better than an ISO 400 shot from my other camera (which I love, by the way).- - - -
Colleen

Believe me, you don't want to see ISO400 from my 'other' camera.
Fuji's sensor is doing a superb job on F-series and I don't think F20's image is better worse or better than F30's; unless one is able to split hair checking image pixel by pixel then the difference is neglegible.

Originally Posted by phoenixbebe

also im not an expert on using aperture and shutter controls...

if i don't play around with those, would i still get good pictures? and how long did it take you to figure out how to use those?

i wanted to buy a camera to use for the holidays and I wanted to make sure i was able to come out with some great pictures...

If you are not likely to use manual controls, F20 is the one. Why pay more for buttons and functions that you won't ever need? Unless you find F30's ISO3200 grainy images justified for the price difference.
F20 is as capable to get good pictures as F30 on auto.
One of the advantages of manual controls is that you can take advantage of the camera's potential. For instance, in lowlight on auto F30 tends to use ISO higher than necessary, resulting in more grainy pictures. Sometimes, F30 use ISO1600 when ISO400 is sufficient when set manually.
To use manual controls you have to understand the basic of photography so you know when and why. How long that will take depends on how keen you are.
The date I started photography seriously was around the date I joined this forum.

This is a Fujifilm Finepix F20 Review from PhotographyBLOG complete with many sample images.

[P_Schneider]

I wrestled with this same question when I was shopping for my wife. In the end it came down one simple equation. The extra cost for the F30 was negligible compared to the extra features that you got. At the time I puchased my wife's I think there was only $30 difference. She will probably never use any of the advanced features but the LCD screen resolution over that of the F20 was worth the extra money alone.

[thomas84]

hello everyone!

i'm about to make the difficult decision on buying the f20 or the f30 and i'm still not sure which i should take. i guess i could live with the lower resolution lcd and the shorter battery life. but i'd like to be able to take some nice night shots. as you won't be able to control the exposure time with the f20 and the scene mode only allows a maximum of 3-4 seconds (and no iso choice, if i'm correct), i'm not sure whether i could get pleasing results. has anyone any experience with f20 nightshots? perhaps some sample photos?

moreover i wonder if the foto quality is really the same as with the f30. i haven't found any technical facts about that yet. would you consider it useful that the f20 only increases iso to 2000 in certain scene modes, so that there's less noise? or does the f30 still do a better job (for example in natural light mode) even with its higher iso?

i would really appreciate if you could help me to make a good decision! the f20 is about 50 euro cheaper here in germany which is about 65 $ - much money for a student . so i'm really tempted to buy the f20. but i want to get by with my new camera for quite a few years, so i want to buy one that will keep me content over the years...

thanks for answering!