Fuji FinePix 1300Fuji updates their entry-level 1.3 megapixel model, adding USB for fast file downloads<<Optics :(Previous) | (Next): Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests>> Page 6:Exposure & FlashReview First Posted: 11/28/2000 |
Exposure
Basic operation of the FinePix 1300 is pretty standard in Auto mode. You compose the picture, press the shutter button halfway to set the exposure (if you're using the LCD monitor, the word 'Standby' will appear), then fully depress the shutter button to complete the exposure. If the LCD monitor is turned on, the captured image will appear briefly for review. This process is fully automatic. The camera selects the shutter speed, f/stop, white balance, and (if it is set on Auto) whether or not to use a flash.
The CCD's light sensitivity is fixed at ISO 125. The camera makes its exposure decisions by examining 64 different zones in the viewfinder, then determining the appropriate exposure from the averaged reading. The only exposure-related adjustment you can make in Auto mode is to select one of five flash settings from the Photography (Record) menu: Auto Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, and Slow Synchro.
The FinePix 1300 does, however, provide an Automatic Exposure (AE) Lock function. This feature allows you to select the area you want metered, depress the shutter button halfway (so the camera can take a reading), and reframe the image before fully depressing the shutter button. The exposure will be locked onto the object you chose to take your original reading. AE Lock is handy for photographing subjects in challenging lighting situations, such as heavy backlighting or bright sunlight. By filling the frame with the object you want metered, and keeping the shutter button halfway depressed when you reframe the shot, the AE Lock function can perform much like a spot meter in more advanced cameras.
Manual capture mode offers a few more exposure options. In addition to five Flash modes, the Photography (Record) menu gives you the option to adjust White Balance settings and Exposure Compensation. There are seven White Balance settings: Automatic, Sunny, Cloudy, Daylight Fluorescent, Warm White Fluorescent, Cool White Fluorescent, and Incandescent. (White balance settings are virtually ineffective when you use the flash, especially in a dark environment, so we suggest that you set the flash to Suppressed mode before choosing a White Balance setting.)
Exposure Compensation is also adjustable in Manual mode. The Record menu offers nine Exposure Values (EV), from –0.9 to +1.5, in one-third-step increments. Like the White Balance setting, the EV settings will be ineffective when the Flash is in Auto or Red-Eye Reduction modes. The manual provides details on what EV you should use for various lighting conditions, such as backlit scenes, snowy landscapes, or areas of low reflectivity, like heavy foliage.
The Self-Timer is accessible through the Record menu in Auto mode only. You simply press the Menu/OK button next to the rocker toggle, scroll to the Self-Timer menu with the arrow keys, and select On. Once the shot is composed and the exposure is set, depress the shutter button fully to start the timer. The camera will count down 10 seconds before it releases the shutter. The red LED light next to the camera lens will glow steadily for the first five seconds, then blink on and off for the remaining five. A Self-Timer countdown is also displayed on the LCD monitor. You can cancel the countdown by pressing the Down Arrow button at any time before the shutter fires.
Many digital cameras combine the Macro and Self-Timer functions on a single control button, preventing theiruse together. Because the Macro function on the 1300 is operated via a separate switch on the side of the camera, you can use the Macro and Self-Timer functions at the same time. This is handy, since camera movement can be a problem in close-up photography. When used with an appropriate tripod or copy stand, the Self-Timer function allows time for the camera vibrations to die down before releasing the shutter.
FlashFlash settings are controlled through the Photography (Record) menu. The FinePix 1300 provides five Flash modes: Auto Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, and Slow Synchro. Auto Flash, which is not available when using the lens in Macro mode, allows the camera to choose whether or not to fire the flash. Red-Eye Reduction emits a preflash before firing the real flash, to minimize the occurrence of red-eye effect in people pictures (this is also not avaialble in Macro mode).
Forced Flash sets the flash to always fire, regardless of the light conditions. This mode is very useful for providing "fill" illumination outdoors when your subjects have their backs to the sun. Suppressed Flash prevents the flash from firing under any light conditions. Finally, Slow Synchro fires the flash with a slow shutter speed (about 1/4 second) to record more background light in low-light situations, and better balance the background light with the illumination on the subject.
A tripod is recommended for Suppressed Flash and Slow Synchro modes. Both of these modes automatically trigger the "shaking camera" icon that appears in the LCD monitor. Fujifilm's specifications list the flash range to be approximately 2.3 to 9.8 feet (0.7 to 3.0 meters). In our testing, we found the FinePix 1300's flash to be effective as far away as 14 feet, although the intensity decreases a little with each foot of distance after 10 feet.
Continuous Shooting Mode
One feature that the FinePix 1300 has over its predecessor, the MX-1200, is the Continuous Shooting function. Available only in Auto exposure mode, Continuous Shooting is accessed through the Photography (Record) menu; and once activated, captures up to nine consecutive shots for as long as you hold down the shutter button. The frame rate is two frames per second, however the actual cycle times and the number of successive shots will vary, depending on the amount of SmartMedia space available and the amount of information to be recorded with each image.
File size is automatically fixed at 640 x 480 pixels in Continuous Shooting mode, and the flash set to Suppressed mode (the rapid shot-to-shot cycle time leaves no time to charge the flash between shots). Exposure Compensation and White Balance settings are fixed with the first shot and remain constant throughout the rest of the series. When used with the Self-Timer, the camera automatically captures nine consecutive exposures. Digital zoom is also available in Continuous Shooting mode.
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