Fujifilm continues to stand out as a small player making gargantuan strides (look no further than the massive improvements to the beloved X100). Their new flagship FinePix HS50EXR superzoom point and shoot is a useful, affordable tool for the mid-range photog. Even though the HS50EXR has a DSLR-style exterior, make no mistake: it isn’t one. In front of the 16MP ½-inch EXR CMOS sensor (on par with the size of some semi-pro grade camcorders and much smaller than DSLR sensors) is a 42x (f2.8 – f5.6) optical manual zoom lens. This new camera sports phase detection autofocusing, the system found in all DSLRs that helps pro shooters nail the shot every time. And when phase detection isn’t the best for the situation, the hybrid autofocusing system swaps out to a contrast-based system.
The HS50EXR hides some other high performance features under its hefty exterior. The camera can shoot at 11fps, and a 3-inch variable-angle LCD screen with 920K dots ensures crystal-clear detail capturing. And they don’t call it a “superzoom” for nothing. Supplemented by digital zoom, the HS50EXR has a dead-eye 84x magnification total, meaning you can get up close — whether you’re in the nosebleeds at a ball game or stalking elusive neighbors wildlife.
Available March 2013
