Olympus SP-560 UZ or Fuji Finepix S8000fd?

[radioouman]

Looking at these two cameras. They are just about the same price, and the features are very similar. I've always like Fuji cameras, but the Olympus seems to be pretty good. What do you guys think?

 

[Aharami]

get the older fuji s6000fd. look at the IQ differences between the 6000fd and 8000fd
http://www.dpreview.com/review...ifilms8000fd/page9.asp
the 6000fd is much sharper and has less noise

comparing the two of them demonstrates very effectively the compromises inherent in trying to build a 18x zoom camera in such a compact format. Lens design becomes more complicated the longer the range, so you wouldn't expect flawless performance all the way through an 18x zoom. Also, the only way to build a long-reach, relatively bright lens in such a small space is to build it around a very small sensor. By comparison, the S6000fd uses a shorter zoom (10.7x) and a larger sensor (1/1.7", rather than 1/2.35"), containing fewer pixels (6.3 million, rather than 8.0 million).

Even at the base ISO setting, the difference in performance is obvious, in part because of the differing qualities of the two lenses, but also the justifiably acclaimed 6.3MP Super CCD sensor. The 10.7x zoom on the S6000fd already covers the kind of range that could impact on image quality. Despite this, it outperforms the 18X zoom of the S8000fd, which isn't producing such sharp results, in spite of its higher resolution.

 

[ElFenix]

i dunno... i kinda wish phil would offer properly resized versions so that they're easier to compare. the 8000fd images mostly look like enlarged 6000fd images.

i also wonder whether camera settings would offer any difference? phil mostly tests things as they come out of the box. for some reason he'll play with olympus slr settings however.

 

[corkyg]

As an aside, Olympus has always been a camera maker. Fuji is a film maker, johnny-come-lately into the camera world. That is not to say they don't make a good camera. They do! But they buy their parts, especially lenses - Oly makes them.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: corkyg
As an aside, Olympus has always been a camera maker. Fuji is a film maker, johnny-come-lately into the camera world. That is not to say they don't make a good camera. They do! But they buy their parts, especially lenses - Oly makes them.

uh, fuji makes the most widely used television lenses in the world. and they made cameras as far back as 1948 under the fujica brand. i'd say they have plenty of experience.

 

[corkyg]

Sorry - I erred in using too few words. Fuji actually started in 1934.

Fuji

I would still choose the Olympus.