Fujifilm FinePix S9100 Operation

With plenty of buttons, trips to the LCD menu system are not often required when actually shooting. Typical use requires setting a shooting mode on the Mode dial, turning the camera on by flipping the main Mode switch to Record, and zooming to compose the image, optionally flipping the LCD into a better position to see what you're shooting. Flash can be engaged simply by clicking the Flash button to flip the flash up. In short, it's a very engaging physical design that keeps you actively manipulating the camera rather than obliging you to wander repetitively through a menu system.

The menu system is fairly straightforward when you need it, requiring either the Menu button for general settings in the active mode, or the FinePix button for the sort of things that might change from shot-to-shot.

 

Fujifilm FinePix S9100 Modes and Menus

Record Mode
Indicated by an icon on a red background at the bottom left of the LCD display (unless the display is in image only mode), this mode allows the camera to capture images. Exposure modes are selected using the Mode dial. AF area, exposure mode, focus mode (macro or normal), the current size/quality setting, the number of images that can be stored on the remaining memory, and any other manually set options are shown by default. In Program, Manual, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority modes, the exposure information is displayed. Pressing the Display button once eliminates the text overlay and shows only the image area. A second press displays a framing guideline, which divides the image area into thirds both horizontally and vertically, while a third press enables the Post Shot Assist window. In this mode, the camera shows thumbnails of the three most recently captured shots, so you can compare compositions and frame the current shot similarly.

Playback Mode
This mode lets you scroll through captured images, and movies, view a nine-image index display, view images by date captured, zoom into a captured image to inspect it more closely, view movies, delete unwanted images, and set up images for printing on DPOF compatible devices.

Record Menu: Accessed by pressing the Menu button in any of the Record modes. Not all options will be available in all exposure modes.

• Self-Timer: Sets the Self-Timer to two, or ten seconds, or off.
• White Balance: Sets the color balance of the image to Auto, Custom 1, Custom 2, Fine (Daylight), Shade, Daylight Fluorescent, Warm White Fluorescent, Cool White Fluorescent, or Incandescent.
• High-Speed Shooting: Enables, or disables the camera's high-speed shooting mode, which reduces focusing lag at the expense of increased power consumption, and a limited focal range of two meters (wide) to four meters (tele) to infinity.
• AF Mode: Sets the autofocus mode to Center, Multi, or Area.
• Flash Brightness: Boosts, or cuts the power of the built-in flash from -0.6 to +0.6 EV in 0.3 steps.
• Set: Allows you to access the camera's Setup menu.
  
• Sharpness: Adjusts the image sharpening to Hard, Standard, or Soft.
• Saturation: Adjusts the image saturation to High, Standard, or Low.
• Contrast: Adjusts the image contrast to Hard, Standard, or Soft.
• Auto Bracketing: Sets the step size between successive shots in the auto-bracketing mode. Choices are +/- 1/3, 2/3, and 1.0 EV steps.
• Multiple Exposure Mode: Turns the Multiple Exposure mode on, or off, which continuously overlays exposures for a double/multiple-exposed effect.
• External Flash: Enables, or disables the external flash hot shoe connection.

Playback Menu: Accessed by pressing the Menu button in Playback mode.

• Erase: Deletes the current frame, or all frames.
• Rotate: Displays the Image Rotate menu to rotate an image clockwise (Down arrow), or counter-clockwise (Up arrow) in 90-degree increments. The OK button saves the change, while the Back button cancels it.
• DPOF: Sets the current DPOF, order for printing, with, or without dates, or resets the current DPOF, order.
• Protect: Write-protects the displayed image, preventing it from being accidentally erased, or manipulated (except when the card is formatted). Also removes protection, and offers options to protect, or unprotect all images on the card.
• Playback: Enables an automated slide show of captured images on the memory card, with options for different image durations, and transitions.
• Set: Accesses the camera's Setup menu.
  
• Voice Memo: Records a 30 second audio clip to accompany the current image. The OK button starts, and stops recording; the Back button restarts recording when it is under way, and cancels recording if you have not yet started it.
• Trimming: Crops the current image using the same controls as the Playback zoom function, saving it as a new file.

Setup Menu: Accessed from the Set-Up option in all Record, or Playback menus (but not the Photo Mode, or DPOF menus), the Setup menu offers the following options:

• Image Display: Turns the post-capture image review screen off, sets it to a duration of 1.5, or 3 seconds, or sets the image to display continuously until the menu, or shutter buttons are pressed.
• Shutter Volume: Adjusts the volume of the shutter noise in three steps, or disables it.
• Beep Volume: Adjusts the volume of the camera's operating sounds in three steps, or disables them.
• Playback Volume: Calls up the Playback volume menu, where you can disable playback sound altogether, or set the volume within a range of 10 steps.
• Frame Number: Renews frame numbering with each new memory card, or continues numbering from card to card.
• LCD Brightness: Calls up the LCD Brightness menu, where you can set LCD brightness to the default, or adjust it from -5 to +5 in whole steps. This adjustment is separate from the Record-mode LCD brightness adjustment option, so the effect of the two is added together.
  
• Media: Establishes either CompactFlash, or xD-Picture Card sloth as active slot for storage. If both slots are occupied, it will use the one chosen here first, switching to the second when the first is full.
• CCD-Raw: Sets the image file format to CCD-Raw when enabled, or to JPEG when disabled.
• EVF/LCD Mode: Sets the refresh rate of the electronic viewfinder, and LCD display to either 30, or 60 fps.
• AE-Lock Mode: Sets the AE-Lock button to lock exposure only while the button remains depressed, or to lock exposure when pressed once, and cancel the locked exposure when pressed a second time.
• AF Illuminator: Enables, or disables the camera's autofocus illuminator lamp.
• Auto Power Off: Turns the power save option off, or sets it to shut down the camera after two, or five minutes of inactivity.
  
• Format: Formats the memory card, deleting all files (even protected ones).
• Date/Time: Sets the camera's internal clock, and calendar.
• Time Difference: Sets a second date/time setting for another time zone.
• Beep: Sets the volume of the camera's operation sounds (three steps, or disabled).
• Language: Sets the menu language to English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, or Japanese.
• Background Color: Lets you select the color scheme for the camera's menus, with options being light/dark blue, light/dark purple, light/dark pink, light/dark, orange, light/dark green, and gray/black.
• USB Mode: Sets up the USB connection to operate in DSC, or PictBridge modes. DSC is the standard mode for downloading images. PictBridge mode lets the camera be connected directly to compatible printers, to print images without the need for a computer.
  
• Video System: Sets the video signal to NTSC, or PAL.
• Discharge: Discharges NiMH batteries in the camera. (Be sure not to perform this function with alkaline batteries.)
• Reset: Resets all camera settings to their defaults.