Fujifilm FinePix S3200 & S4000 Digital Cameras

Make the Transition from Newbie to Expert with One Camera

Matt Schirano

Features

The Fujifilm FinePix S3200 and S4000 digital cameras are an excellent way for camera enthusiasts to have access to automatic features while slowly transitioning into manually taking photos themselves. The S3200 has a FUJINON 24x wide-angle optical zoom lens which is the equivalent to a 24-576mm D-SLR lens. It is telephoto to 24x, wide-angle at 24mm and Super Macro to .8". It basically has three lenses in one body, giving you a diverse expanse of functionality without having to lug around a slew of different lenses. Since it's a sealed lens you don't have to worry about dirt and dust getting in, which is another feature which keeps you from having to worry about unwittingly damaging your camera. As for the S4000, it has a FUJINON 30x wide-angle optical zoom lens that is the equivalent to a 24-720mm D-SLR lens. It is telephoto to 30x, wide-angle at 24mm, and Super Macro to .8". It is also a sealed lens and offers the same advantages as the lens in the S3200. It is widely known that more than half of the world's television broadcast lenses are FUJINON and that NFL Film uses them exclusively in their documentation of the wonderful world of the NFL. FUJINON were also used to film Avatar 3D and Star Wars.

The S-series features automatic, intuitive settings that let users grow into the manual functions and customize their own. SR Automatic Scene Recognition, Auto and pre-set Scene Positions allow automated, professional techniques without the hassle of manually setting it up yourself. Motion Panorama is an automated wide scenery capture feature which lets you take a panorama with the single push of a button. In terms of manual features, you can manually change the aperture, shutter and program modes to create shots and be as artistic as you want. If you frequently use a certain set of manual settings you can make them a Custom pre-set and turn it on whenever you want. Both the S3200 and S4000 can record video in 720p HD and are capable of zooming in and out when recording video. Use an HDMI mini port to display your photos and videos on an HDTV.

Use the Instant Zoom feature to frame fast moving subjects in the LCD display and capture the shot before the subject goes away. This is useful if you need to zoom in on something really quickly but don't have the time to wait for the zoom to slowly creep in until the subject is properly in focus. Instant zoom wastes no time and gets the object in focus while zooming and captures the photo before it's too late. Zoom Bracketing pairs with Automatic Face Detection to give two perspectives to an image. Focus on the face at one zoom, and capture the rest of the image in a different zoom to capture an engaging picture which differs from anything you could take with another camera.

A feature the Fujifilm FinePix S3200 and S4000 will always use when in automatic mode is an optimization of focus, exposure and white balance to make sure each picture is perfect. You can even pre-program up to eight faces and store the settings that keep each of their faces perfect when photographed. Blink Detection fires a warning on the LCD display if it thinks you might want to take another shot because the subject had their eyes closed when the picture is taken. Baby Mode provides special lighting for babies and ensures that each photo will have a natural look. Dual Image Stabilization tackles blurring by providing high sensitivity in low light situations and faster shutter speeds to counter subject movement. Tracking Autofocus keeps a fast moving subject in focus until you snap the shot.

High Speed Continuous Shooting is a burst mode which gives you a couple of options. Capture 40 frames quickly in three megapixels at eight frames per second. Another option is 20 frames at seven megapixels, and six frames at the full resolution of 14 megapixels. Tagging and sharing photos is also simple. Tag movies and stills as you shoot for uploading to Facebook and YouTube. You can also tag them while browsing through them on the S3200 or S4000.

As for battery life, you can snap up to 700 shots on a single charge. With the Battery Type button you can switch between being powered by AA alkaline, lithium ion, or NiMH batteries.

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Sources:

http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/s/finepix_s4000/

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1101/11010510fujifilms4000s3200r.asp

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION:
The Contributor has no connection to nor was paid by the brand or product described in this content.

Published by Matt Schirano

Matt Schirano is a freelance writer living in Glendale, Arizona. He has a Bachelor's in Journalism and a Masters in Library Science.  View profile

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