Review: Fujifilm FinePix F11 digital camera

Now that most digital compact cameras boast a high enough megapixel resolution and lens quality to deliver pin sharp images 99 per cent of the time, manufacturers’ can start to focus thier attention on ‘extras’.

Last year it was larger screens, this year it’s the turn of low-light photography, meaning the ability to shoot without flash for more natural looking images.

FujiFilm's F10 – the F11’s predecessor – was arguably the first compact to convincingly do this, and this new version keeps the same ISO1600 equivalent light sensitivity needed plus ISO800 for video clips, adding some minor tweaks. Fujifilm also recently announced cameras with an ISO3200 option.

Chief among these tweaks are a high 6.3 megapixel resolution, 2.5in screen with adjustable brightness, plus creative shooting options like aperture or shutter priority.

There’s also a 3x optical zoom and the ability to take close ups in 'macro mode' 5cm from your subject. Useful for the holidays, the F11 can deliver 500 shots from its rechargeable battery. Images are stored on an xD-Picture Card, however only a 16Mb card is supplied.

Not the slimmest ‘compact’, the boxy metal-build F11 feels substantial yet sits comfortably in a pocket. It also powers up rapidly, with a two-second delay between taking maximum resolution shots.

In the absence of an optical viewfinder, the screen dominates the camera back next to which are a zoom control, buttons for playback and one marked F (for Photo).

This time-saving mode allows the adjustment of image resolution, light sensitivity and colour effects – including a contemporary ‘chrome’ that provides extra punch - without having to delve into more involved menus.

The F11 has won acclaim for its ability to handle low light, and lives up to the hype by delivering natural looking colourful images, a discreet handling of image noise (tiny, film grain-like speckles that creep into shots at higher ISO settings) and sharp detail.

We could moan about the F11’s lack of manual features or optical image stabilisation – which would compensate for camera shake and image blur - but its surprisingly versatile automatic performance is chief among what people will want from a point-and-shoot camera.

However its lack of definitive improvements over the existing F10 make the F11 something of a stop gap; albeit a very good one.

Canon Powershot A620
Verdict: Hard to fault 7-megapixel digital camera, that packs in a lot of features for its price.
Rating: 4
Price: £320