Fuji HS50: Any opinions? It is $310 on Amazon. Have Fuji S1. Want to add another to my quiver of 2....Fuji S1 and Lumix FZ200..Any users on the Hog of the HS50 and is there auto focus...

seagull5

Any opinions? It is $310 on Amazon. Have Fuji S1. Want to add another to my quiver of 2....Fuji S1 and Lumix FZ200..Any users on the Hog of the HS50 and is there auto focus or simply manual? Will there be any difference to give me a middle camera. Thanks read good things about the camera

Dianakkb Loc: Norwalk, Ohio

I have a Fuji HS50EXR. As a bridge camera, it's nice and does a good job, especially outdoors. It can be used in auto focus or manual, and as you know, it's 42X zoom which is nice. For me, it's just a little on the heavy side and a bit hard when hand held at full zoom. I also have a Canon DSLR and a Sony a6000. What I'm shooting determines which camera I use.

seagull5

Dianakkb wrote:

I have a Fuji HS50EXR. As a bridge camera, it's nice and does a good job, especially outdoors. It can be used in auto focus or manual, and as you know, it's 42X zoom which is nice. For me, it's just a little on the heavy side and a bit hard when hand held at full zoom. I also have a Canon DSLR and a Sony a6000. What I'm shooting determines which camera I use.

Thank you for the response ..I do like the weight gives it a solid feel which I like I really do not like the plastic toy feeling of a couple of cameras that I sent back. I guess I may wait after going on Snapshot...Camera decision ....imaging resource I did it to myself again...confusion has raised its ugly head....seems besides this camera I am liking the FZ1000 for everything but the price I don`t feel a more than double the price worth it...Thanks again...the images they have displayed from the HS50 do look pretty nice tho. Beautiful day today....going to the little harbor and watch the manatees. Thanks

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

seagull5 wrote:

Any opinions? It is $310 on Amazon. Have Fuji S1. Want to add another to my quiver of 2....Fuji S1 and Lumix FZ200..Any users on the Hog of the HS50 and is there auto focus or simply manual? Will there be any difference to give me a middle camera. Thanks read good things about the camera

I have the predecessor, the HS30EXR, and I find the noise is quite high. I have less noise with the Canon SX50.

There is auto focus and manual focus. Manual focus is not that easy. But easier in manual focus than the Canon SX50. And not even in the same league with manual focus on my Sony cameras.

But most of the time, neither of these cameras are used that much and instead, I use my Sony's in which I get superior images.

neilds37 Loc: Port Angeles, WA

seagull5 wrote:

Any opinions? It is $310 on Amazon. Have Fuji S1. Want to add another to my quiver of 2....Fuji S1 and Lumix FZ200..Any users on the Hog of the HS50 and is there auto focus or simply manual? Will there be any difference to give me a middle camera. Thanks read good things about the camera

For me the HS50 is the ideal camera. I keep checking out the incoming bridge cameras, and none combine all of the features of the HS50. Seems to have about 95% of the features of a DSLR.

One thing I discovered last Saturday while shooting WWII aircraft: if the camera is left turned on for too long while shooting, all of a sudden it will not focus in any mode. Learned to turn it off while the planes were coming around for another pass. Haven't tested it, but I put the "on time" at around 30 to 45 minutes before the focus problem comes in.

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

Why ??
I looked into the Fuji HS50 as well as the S1
They are somewhat equivalent - - but I chose the S1 for features over slightly better IQ.
You won't gain much in an HS50 over the S1 you already have.
Better to save your pennies for a more significant upgrade.

neilds37 Loc: Port Angeles, WA

Merlin1300 wrote:

Why ??
I looked into the Fuji HS50 as well as the S1
They are somewhat equivalent - - but I chose the S1 for features over slightly better IQ.
You won't gain much in an HS50 over the S1 you already have.
Better to save your pennies for a more significant upgrade.

I would think how much he gains depends on what is important to him. It could be quite a bit.

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

neilds37 wrote:

I would think how much he gains depends on what is important to him. It could be quite a bit.

What do you see as the advantages of the HS50 over the S1 that would justify the cost versus another more modern camera ??

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

JimH123 wrote:

I have the predecessor, the HS30EXR, and I And not even in the same league with manual focus on my Sony cameras.

What models of Sony cameras do you have? I assume they are bridge cameras with a manual focus ring.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

hpucker99 wrote:

What models of Sony cameras do you have? I assume they are bridge cameras with a manual focus ring.

I have several Sony DSLR cameras. The A55, A57, A99 and A6000.

Where you can really see a difference is when you crop. You can't crop a bridge camera with its tiny sensor very far. You immediately see the deteriation of the image. The larger senor camera allows you to crop considerably more.

Manual focus on the DSLR cameras is way easier too.

Noise levels are better too.

I find that I have to be real careful using bridge cameras. They have DSLR type controls. But the bridge camera don't have the same range in shutter speeds and usable ISOs and f-stop values. I was getting washed out or under exposed images from the bridge cameras when I attempted to use them like a DSLR. But the range just was not there. After limiting myself to the auto modes, the results are far better.

And if the bridge camera has RAW capability, that works better too.

neilds37 Loc: Port Angeles, WA

Merlin1300 wrote:

What do you see as the advantages of the HS50 over the S1 that would justify the cost versus another more modern camera ??

May be minor to you but:
1/4000 shutter speed
Manual zoom ring
Manual focus ring
Back-button focus in manual mode - undetermined if the S1 has it or not.

Dianakkb Loc: Norwalk, Ohio

Do a search for Fuji HS50 on this site. You will find quite a few photos taken with this camera. I have some posted and there's a lot of others. By the way it does take RAW images.

neilds37 Loc: Port Angeles, WA

JimH123 wrote:

I have several Sony DSLR cameras. The A55, A57, A... (show quote)

There are trade-offs in everything. Shutter speeds on mine are 30sec to 1/4000 sec. You aren't going to get good results if you don't know the camera! Cropping is used much less as the zoom will generally get the framing you want. I have lens from 24mm to 1000mm equiv. in a two pound, $400 package. Manual focus either turning the ring, or back-button. How is the DSLR easier? The trade-off is the smaller sensor requires more light. IQ is in the hands of the person pushing the shutter button. Yes, it shoots RAW.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

neilds37 wrote:

There are trade-offs in everything. Shutter speed... (show quote)

This is the strength of bridge cameras, long zoom capability in a light package. I have a Panasonic FZ200 and am unhappy if I have to use manual focus. The Fuji (and there are other bridge cameras) have a ring manual focus.

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

neilds37 wrote:

May be minor to you but:1/4000 shutter speed; Manual zoom ring; Manual focus ring; Back-button focus in manual mode - undetermined if the S1 has it or not.

True - but when I shoot with my S1, it is because I don't want to hassle with that stuff.
When I DO want to hassle with it, I shoot with my 7D Mk-1