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Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD Review

Author	Cliff Smith
Published	24th Oct 2008
Manufacturer	Fujifilm
Price	£150.43 (Exc VAT)
as reviewed	£173.00 (Inc VAT)
Latest Price

Build Quality
Features
Image Quality
Value
Overall

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One unusual feature of the S2000HD is its choice of memory cards. Fujifilm co-developed the xD-Picture card format along with Olympus in 2002, and at the time they hoped that it would be adopted by other manufacturers as an alternative to SD cards. However apart from a very brief dalliance by Samsung, no other manufacturers have adopted it, opting instead for the cheaper and more widely available SD and SDHC format. As a result xD-Picture cards are relatively expensive, and a lack of development has left them trailing in terms of performance. Most recent Fuji cameras have featured dual-format slots for both SDHC and xD, but the S2000HD is the first Fuji camera to abandon xD-Picture cards altogether, accepting only SD or SDHC cards. This leaves Olympus as the only manufacturer still using xD-Picture cards, so one has to wonder how long it will be before the format disappears altogether.

The S2000HD features a sensor-shift image stabilisation system which operates in both still and video modes, an essential feature with such a long telephoto range. I generally prefer this type of IS to the moving-lens optical systems found in many other cameras. While some claim that optical IS systems are better, I really can’t get on with that slight drifting of the image as you’re composing your shot. However I have to say that I’m not massively impressed with the IS system in the S2000HD. A really good IS system will usually provide around three stops of extra stability, which should mean it’s possible to shoot at a 400mm-equivalent focal length using shutter speeds of around 1/100th of a second. However I found I was still getting slight motion blur at shutter speeds of around 1/120th of a second, so that’s only around two and a half stops of extra stability.

The other main feature is of course the HD movie capability. The S2000HD can shoot video clips of up to 15 minutes duration at a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels at 30 frames per second with mono sound. It can also shoot in VGA format with the only time limit being the card capacity. Unusually, the optical zoom can be used during video shooting, although the zoom motor is faintly audible on the soundtrack. Video and audio quality are both very good, and the continuous autofocus works well at full zoom and in low light. There are a number of video editing option in playback mode including rotation, editing and copying. Although it lacks the features of a dedicated video camera, the S2000HD would make a good standby alternative to a camcorder at a pinch.

Other features include a variety of exposures modes, including program auto, shutter priority and full manual exposure, as well as two natural light modes for shooting without the flash. There are 13 scene program modes, two user-defined custom modes, and a unique zoom bracketing function that automatically saves three copies of your shot, the original plus two with different levels of digital zoom applied. As well as these there are the usual refinements such as face detection, spot metering and spot AF.

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Chris Grillo said on 26th January 2009

I have had this camera for two months now, and would like to add my comments. (I am not an affiliate or employee of Fujifilm, so this is a truly unbiased opinion).

I brought this camera mostly for the HD movie function, and on this alone, I cannot fault it.

Watching the .mp4 format clips on my 50inch TV was an incredible experience. Silky smooth clips, and I have already made some AVCHD (blu-ray type) compatible DVDs using the material. The mono sound is still high quality, and since mixing is carried out later, it doesn't matter. And unusually, you still have zoom facilities WHILE FILMING! Needless to say, worth every cent! I haven't used my mini-dv camera again...

The review states 15minutes of video..actually you can record as many clips as you want, but with a 15 minute limit to each clip, I suspect mainly because of the file system. To me that is fine since I never record more than a few seconds or at most 2 minutes anyway. Shorter clips for better editing.

Now for the photographic bit. I am a bit disappointed with the lack of detail on the images in this camera. I thought I was doing something incorrectly, but no, the lack of detail is evident. I am a little surprised since I have an 8 Megapixel Fuji which is outstanding. Printing the images however, the problem isn't that evident.

Many reviewers (on other sites) state that the camera controls are fiddly. To me this isn't so. I found them intuitive and easy to use. And anyway different manufacturers have different views. You just learn as you go along.

Start-up and shut-down of the unit was very satisfactory, and the battery life s astonishingly good. Using a set of 2500mAH NIMH batteries, I was down to 1 bar and still managed to take another 250 images and 20 video clips..using full flash, since this was at a Christmas party.

The camera is a bit on the heavier side, which is actually good news for stability. No complaints there. But longer zooms require the tripod obviously.

I got this camera with the soft leather pocket, which is a bit too tight maybe.. and an extremely small remote-control-unit. I cannot state how great THAT is. Taking pictures of huge aircraft at a good zoom without touching the camera is awesome! I also had the obvious USB cable (non-standard...WHY?) , and the hdmi cable..not one I will use often though.

So, apart from the slight lack of detail, I am quite happy with this camera, and would recommend it to others. Build quality is great, battery life is excellent, controls are okay and the video is heavenly.. obviously, all the other extras are great too.

Build quality-9 , Features-9 , Image-7.5, Value-7.5, Overall-8.5

Well pleased!

I have had this camera for two months now, and would like to add my comments. (I am not an affiliate or employee of Fujifilm, so this is a truly unbiased opinion).

I... more

Dennis Spilde said on 20th May 2009

My S2000HD had a black spot on the lower right of the screen that also transfered to the electronic and or print images right out of the box. Fuji claims it was dropped by me, whic... more

hans said on 7th June 2009

I have mixed feelings about the S2000HD. It can do everything I wanted (mainly shooting HD pictures and video for showing on 82 cm wide screen HD Ready LCD tv) but there are some f... more

Fraser Henderson said on 14th June 2009

Was concerned to read Dennis Spilde's comments but bought one anyway. Am delighted - I have no blackspot on the screen or on images so I guess in part Fuji are correct - alth... more

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