Fujifilm F50fd Optics

Zoom
A typical 3x optical zoom with good performance. Digital zoom performance is also pretty good.

The Fujifilm FinePix F50fd's optical zoom covers the equivalent of 35-105mm, about average among consumer digital cameras these days. Details are reasonably sharp at full wide angle, with only minor softening in the corners. At telephoto corners get a little softer. Fine detail is a little fuzzy at both wide angle and telephoto, partly from some image noise artifacts. The camera's 8.2x digital zoom actually does a pretty good job of holding onto detail. Though resolution and definition are definitely compromised, the camera still captures a lot of detail in the bricks and leaves.

Macro
Minimum area is on the larger side of average, but good detail and resolution. Flash is partially blocked by the lens, creating uneven exposure.

The Fujifilm FinePix F50fd's macro setting performed well, capturing a minimum area of 2.54 x 1.91 inches (65 x 49 millimeters). Detail and resolution were both good, though there's a moderate amount of softening in the corners from the lens. (Most cameras have some softening in the corners in macro mode.) The F50fd's flash was blocked in the lower left corner by the camera's lens, resulting in a very uneven exposure with dark shadows and bright highlights.

Distortion
Fairly low barrel distortion at wide angle, virtually no distortion at telephoto.

The Fujifilm FinePix F50fd's 0.5% barrel distortion at wide angle is actually much lower than average, and not very noticeable in the camera's images. At the telephoto end, we couldn't find a pixel of distortion on either side of the target lines. Distortion is the tendency for the lens to bend straight lines outward (like a barrel -- usually at wide angle) or inward (like a pincushion -- usually at telephoto).

Chromatic aberration
Fairly low at telephoto, though quite high and bright at wide angle.

Chromatic aberration is high at wide angle, showing about 18 or so pixels of very bright coloration on either side of the target lines. However, at telephoto, the effect is less noticeable at around 10 pixels, since pixels are less bright. In the upper right corner, some corner softness smudges detail, making chromatic aberration appear stronger. Chromatic aberration is visible as a slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field of view on the resolution target.

Corner Sharpness
Moderately strong blurring in the corners of the frame at wide angle and telephoto.

The Fujifilm FinePix F50fd produced soft corners of the frame at full wide angle and telephoto. At full wide angle, blurring was strongest in the upper left corner, but less severe in the lower corners. Considering the high resolution of the F50fd, this is a pretty good performance, as you're not likely to notice this level of softness in all but the largest prints.

Coverage
Very good accuracy from the LCD monitor.

The Fujifilm FinePix F50fd's LCD monitor showed about 103% coverage accuracy at wide angle, and about 100% at telephoto. Excellent performance here.