Home > Consumer Reviews > Fujifilm FinePix S9600 Digital Camera - Black (9.0MP, 10.7x Optical Zoom) 2.0 inch LCD

Having only ever had point and click camera's before I felt I wanted something a little more when going for a new camera.
However I wanted a camera that both the missus and I can use without me having to spend ages training her how to use it.

Next point was that I couldn't justify spending more than £200 on a replacement camera so I thought my options would be restricted but not so.

Not only have Fuji got this camera but also the 6500 which retails on amazon for about £40 less

In the end I plumped for the s9600, why?

Firstly I was lucky that a work mate lent me his 9500 to test out and check if I liked the camera - which I did
Next the extra features of the s9600 which though they aren't so many on the surface - larger CCD, tiltable LCD viewer & hot shoe for a flash gun, but having tried out a s9500 I felt the 6500 just wasn't as good value for money and I felt I could grow more as a photographer with the 9600 without feeling the need to upgrade straight away to a full DSLR costing £400 upwards than I could with the 6500

I've only had the camera a week but already I've taken some stunning shots that I would not have thought I could have and had some very postive comments back on them.

The menu's are very intuitive for the usual stuff, but the controls for the more advanced DSLR settings do require you to dig into the manual
I'm quite techno savvy but I'm struggling to interpret the exposure readings at the moment but I attribute this to my photographic knowledge which I'm rectifying by the highly recommended "Understanding Exposure" from Bryan Peterson & with much more practice I hopevwill sort this out.

So if you're looking DSLR type camera to stretch your skills but also want that point and click simplicity then this camera is for you.
If you want a very capable DSLR camera that gives you a very competant entry to SLR photography this camera looks spot on
If you want to grow and stretch your skills further without committing early on to the huge cost of a full DSLR & lenses then look no further

I wanted all of these and so far I am chuffed to bits with it

I bought my FinePix S9600 after having a few FinePix cameras all of which worked fantastically.

The FinePix S9600 has an amazing array of features that you would normally find on much bigger and expensive semi pro type DSLR's. Although this camera is not an SLR it has the feel and features of one and certainly looks the part.

I particularily like the feature to be able to take pictures in RAW mode which allows alteration of the photos in great detail at a later date to compensate for say poor exposure and the like. I would certainly make the investment in something like Adobe LightRoom for this type of editing as this has given fantastic results.

The only thing to note on RAW mode is the file size which averages around 50Mb per picture so be aware of this.

I take most of my pictures in manual mode which allows control over exposure and shutter speed to take some great pictures. I have also taken some great photos at night with the aid of a tripod.

Would also recommend a polarising filter which costs £15 from amazon which increases the contrast on things like the sky in landscape shots.

I just recieved this camera from amazon a few days ago.....the first thing i noticed is the weight of the S9600! Very heavy but feels very solid and well built!
Having previously used a Fujifilm Finepix E900 it only took a minute or 2 to get used to the main settings. It will take time to get the hang of using the camera with the manual settings but its something that I enjoy doing and am happy to learn! I really like controlling the zoom using the ring compared to a most other compacts which just have a zoom button.....it just feels a lot more natural using the ring. And as for the quality of the pics......wow! Clear, bright, no noise (except when in dark places there can be some slight noise but thats probably something i'm doing wrong!!)


Overall it is an amazing camera and I recommend it to anyone who is serious about photography but can't afford a SLR!!


Alan W.

I have received this camera about a week ago (earlier than expected). As I have never had a digital camera myself (except mobile phone's one) I chose this baby for its price and reviews. I must say, that I was initially worried to go for a camera which costs about a half the price compared to other 'big' brands. However, I must say I was wrong.

Design:
+ Feels strong even though it's plastic
+ Love the tilt LCD screen (sharp & good resolution)
+ Rubber-covered grip + zoom (for perfect grip)
+ Possible hot shoe flash and remote shoot
+ Weather resistant (as there is a fixed lens, no dust can get in)

Power supply:
4xAA batteries - I bought 4x 2700mAh NiMH batteries which last for about 400-450 pictures. That is about the same as filling-up 1GB card.
+ You can get AA batteries anywhere in the world
- These are heavier and more bulky with less capacity than a Li-On block

Operation:
(It took me a while to find the 'on' switch. But after that, I haven't had the need to open the User's Manual)
+ Quick selection between modes and relatively fast start-up
+ Most useful functions have its own button (handy instead of going through the camera's menu structure)
+ The viewfinder is excellent for quick manual focus

Picture Quality:
+ Day light pictures: excellent
+ Low light pictures: bit grainy but this camera absolutely wins against compact cameras
+ Night pictures (took me a while to realise, how easy it is to take sharp pictures at night)
+ Zoomed-in pictures: Tripod recommended (unless using in day light)
+ Macro/Super Macro: awesome (the results are just amazing)

Note: Please note this is my first digital camera ever. I cannot give you a professional opinion. However, what more would you expect for the same price range as of normal compact cameras? For me as a beginner photographer, this is an ideal inexpensive solution and chance to get used to DSLRs.

This is a great camera for anyone who wants full photographic control, a really useful zoom lens and decent picture quality all for under £300. At high magnification the picture quality is not as good as a digital SLR, but with a similar zoom range that would cost at least twice the price.

Best features: You can see the settings in the focus adjustable viewfinder, a boon for those who need reading glasses. The 28mm wide-angle is so much better than the usual 35mm. Manual zooming, no more clunky, slow, power zoom. Fast startup. Flash hotshoe, no built in flash can match the power and flexibility of a decent flashgun. Little loss of definition up to ISO 400. ISO 800 is no worse than most camera's ISO 400, ISO 1600 is for emergencies only. Loads of functions to play with, even raw mode.

Worst features: All those functions to learn. Quite a lump to carry, the price you pay for that 28 - 300mm lens.

I bought a Lowepro TLZ10 case which is a comfortable, rattle free fit for the camera alone, but tight with a spare XD card and 4 spare AA batteries.