This time, however, FujiFilm has anticipated the move — or is it the other way around? — and come up with its own megazoomer, the FinePix HS10, also with a 30x optical zoom, giving Olympus a good run for their err… lens!
Olympus hogged the megazoom pole position for a year since January 2009 with the release of the 26x optical zoom SP-590UZ and continued to enjoy being the leader in terms of zoom reach until the release of Kodak’s 26x optical zoomer, the Z981, last month.
But the 26x optical zoom did not stay there long. Today, a history is created with two cameras reaching the 30x barrier, something unthinkable just a couple of years ago.
So which one is better? The SP-800UZ or the FinePix HS10? If first look on paper is anything to go by, it seems the HS10 is the clear favourite of the two. Of course the HS10’s price is higher at US$499 compared to the SP-800UZ’s US$349.
| Olympus SP800UZ | FujiFilm FinePix HS10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 1/2.3" CCD | 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS |
| 14 megapixels | 10.3 megapixels | |
| Lens | 30x optical zoom (28 - 840mm) | Fujinon 30x optical zoom (24-720mm) |
| f/2.8 - f/5.6 | f/2.8 - f/5.6 | |
| Digital zoom | Yes, up to 5x | Yes, up to 2x |
| Movie | HD 720p, 640 x 480 at 30 or 15fps, 320 x 240 at 15fps, MPEG 4 | 1920 x 1080 (Full HD), 1280 x 720 (HD), 640 x 480, 320 x 240 (all at 30fps) with stereo sound |
| Image Sizes | 14MP (4,288 x 3216) 12MP (3,968 x 2,976) 5MP (2,560 x 1,920) 3MP (2,048 x 1,536) 2MP (1,600 x 1,200) 1MP (1,280 x 960) VGA (640 x 480) 16:9 (3,968 x 2,232) | 3648 x 2736 (10M), 3648 x 2432 (3:2), 3648 x 2056 (16:9), 2592 x 1944, 2592 x 1728 (3:2t), 2592 x 1440 (16:9), 2048 x 1536, 2048x1360 (3:2), 1920 x 1080 (16:9) |
| Image stabilisation | Yes, sensor shift and digital image stabilisation | Yes, sensor shift |
| Sensitivity | ISO 64 - 3200, 6400 (at 3M), 10000 (at 3M) | ISO 100 - 6400 |
| Self timer | 2 or 12 seconds | 2 or 10 sec |
| LCD | 3.0" at 230,000 megapixels | 3.0" at 230,000 megapixels |
| Shutter speed | 1/2 - 1/2000 sec (up to 4 scec in Night Scene mode) | 1/4 - 1/1400 sec |
| RAW | N/A | Yes |
| Art Filters | Pop Art, Pin Hole, Fish-Eye, Drawing | N/A |
| Price | USD349.95 | USD499.95 |
