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Reviewed by UK Guest, 20th Jun 2007. |
| Review Summary: Probably the best and most highly respected compact camera c |
Overall Score: 5/5
 
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Review: You may already know that this unassuming little camera, along with its predecessor, the F30, is widely considered a modern classic. What is unique is its proprietary Fuji sensor which, whilst not the highest in pixel count, currently offers by far the best low-light performance of any compact on the market. That is not just my opinion - read the major review sites to see how this camera stands out.
In real terms you get great pictures in conditions that flummox most non-SLR cameras, especially in typically overcast UK conditions or indoors when normal cameras would force you to resort to unflattering use of flash.
Having previously been a little disappointed with the results of a tiny Panasonic Lumix, which produced shockingly noisy prints even in bright weather, I did plenty of research before buying this Fuji. Whilst this is a fraction larger, it is still highly pocketable and the final image quality is far superior. It may not have the image stabilisation of the Lumix or my larger KM A200 but it more than makes up for it in low-noise high ISO modes.
I have taken lovely hand-held shots from my flat of night rolling in over the city, something I wouldn't normally contemplate without a long exposure on a tripod. More importantly for me, the F31fd takes impeccable natural light portraits of my baby daughters whether indoors or out.
I was tempted to go for the newer F40fd with 8MP sensor and SD card compatibility until I found it lacked manual modes and looked ugly and cheap in comparison (though some reviews prefer it proving the old adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder). Why they didn't just upgrade the sensor and maybe offer a black option I will never know, but it's telling that they have retained the F31fd alongside.
Anyway, this attractive, solid camera is as good as compacts get right now. Besides, after about 5MP the typical limiting factor on compacts is lens and CCD quality rather than CCD pixel count. With higher resolutions shrinking the individual pixel area it may be that image quality actually rolls off with current 8MP compact sensors. This Fuji may not have Leica glass or a 28mm wide angle end, but its lens does a great job of retaining optical resolution. It also has great ergonomics and handling and a usable face detection system.
The only things I can fault the Fuji F31fd on are the lack of a (rare) timelapse facility, no image stabilisation (though it does have an anti-blur mode that uses its incredible high-ISO performance), the lack of a true wide-angle lens, its reliance on (increasingly cheap) XD cards and the absence of widescreen 16:9 movie or photo modes.
All in all, this is a tremendous little camera capable of astonishing real-world results for far less investment than supposedly better brands. I can't recommend it highly enough, even or perhaps especially if you're after a point and shoot. |
Ratings
| Value For Money: |
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5 |
| Review Score: |
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5 |
| Recommended? | |
Yes |
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Digital Cameras