Fuji FinePix S9000By: Dave EtchellsFuji's latest bridge camera offers a larger, 9.0-megapixel SuperCCD HR imager with a high resolution electronic optical viewfinder. <<Camera Modes & Menus :(Previous) | (Next): Video, Power, Software>> Page 10:Image Storage & InterfaceReview First Posted: 12/14/2005 |
Image Storage and Interface
The
FinePix S9000 is relatively unique in that it features a dual-media slot
that accepts xD-Picture Cards as well as CompactFlash Type II memory cards
(including microdrives). The camera comes with a 16MB xD-Picture Card, which
won't hold very many high resolution images. Given the S9000's large maximum
file size (3,488 x 2,616 pixels), I highly recommend buying several large
memory cards, or possibly a microdrive. In addition to the Fine and Normal
JPEG quality settings (only for nine megapixel images), the S9000 also offers
a RAW format, although it is hidden in the camera's Setup menu (it would be
more logically placed in the Photo Mode menu).
The LCD display reports the number of available images at the current resolution/quality setting, so you always have an idea of the remaining image capacity. The table below shows the number of images of each size that can be stored on the rather puny 16 MB card included in the box, and the approximate level of JPEG compression used for each. Look at the table, and you'll see that you really have to plan on buying an extra card or cards with the camera: The included 16MB card really isn't very useful with files this large. Thankfully, the S9000 does support the FAT32 file system, so it will work with memory cards greater than 2GB in size.
|
Resolution/Quality 16 MB Memory Card |
Fine | Normal |
|
|
| 3488 x 2616 | Images (Avg size) |
3 4.6 MB |
6 2.3 MB |
0 19.3 MB |
| Approx. Compression |
6:1 | 12:1 | 1.4:1 | |
| 2592 x 1944 | Images (Avg size) |
- | 12 1.3 MB |
- |
| Approx. Compression |
- | 12:1 | - | |
| 2048 x 1536 | Images (Avg size) |
- | 19 803 KB |
- |
| Approx. Compression |
- | 12:1 | - | |
| 1600 x 1200 | Images (Avg size) |
- | 25 639 KB |
- |
| Approx. Compression |
- | 9:1 | - | |
|
|
Images (Avg size) |
- | 122 131 KB |
- |
| Approx. Compression |
- | 7:1 | - | |
As you would expect, the memory card should never be removed while the camera is in operation to avoid damaging the media. An LED lamp nestled next to the top of the memory card compartment door lights when the camera is accessing the card. A steady orange light indicates that the camera is writing to the card, while a flashing orange and green light means that the camera is writing to the card, but is ready to capture another image. A blinking red light indicates a problem with the card. Other patterns of blinking indicate the status of the camera's AF / AE / flash systems.
The Fuji S9000's Playback menu offers write-protection for individual images or all images on the card, preventing files from being accidentally erased or manipulated. The Erase menu option under the Playback menu lets you erase individual or all images while in Playback mode. (Note that formatting a memory card erases all files on the card, even those with protection.)
A USB cable and software CD accompany the camera, for connection to a computer. Like many USB-equipped cameras these days, the Fujifilm S9000 is a "storage class" USB device, meaning that it will show up on the desktop of Mac OS 8.6 and higher machines, as well as those of Windows Me, XP, and 2000 computers, without having to load driver software. This is a really handy feature, since it makes it a lot easier to connect the camera to computers other than your own, without having to worry about special driver software, etc. It also supports the PictBridge standard, allowing the camera to be connected directly to PictBridge-compatible printers, and prints made without the need for a computer. Downloading files to my Sony desktop running Windows XP (Pentium IV, 2.4 GHz), I clocked it at 4323 KBytes/second. (Cameras with slow USB interfaces run as low as 300 KB/s, cameras with fast v1.1 interfaces run as high as 600 KB/s. Cameras with USB v2.0 interfaces run as fast as several megabytes/second.)
Recommended Software: Rescue your Photos!
Just as important as an extra memory card is a tool to rescue your images when
one of your cards fails at some point in the future. We get a lot of email
from readers who've lost photos due to a corrupted memory card. Memory card
corruption can happen with any card type and any camera manufacturer, nobody's
immune. A lot of "lost" images can be recovered with an inexpensive,
easy to use piece of software though. Given the amount of email I've gotten
on the topic, I now include this paragraph in all my digital camera reviews.
The program you need is called PhotoRescue, by DataRescue SA. Read our review
of it if you'd like, but download the program now, so you'll have it. It doesn't cost a penny until you need it, and even then it's only $29, with a money back guarantee if it doesn't retrieve your images. So download PhotoRescue
for Windows or PhotoRescue
for Mac while you're thinking of it. (While you're at it, download the
PDF manual
and quickstart
guide as well.) Stash the file in a safe place and it'll be there when you need
it. Trust me, needing this is not a matter of if, but when... PhotoRescue
is about the best and easiest tool for recovering digital photos I've seen. (Disclosure: IR gets a small commission from sales of the product, but I'd highly recommend the program even if we didn't.) OK, now back to our regularly
scheduled review...
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