Fujifilm FinePix S4000 review

A great all-round camera for anyone looking to upgrade from their compact

The latest release in the Fujifilm S range, the FinePix S4000, comes equipped with impressive specs. Its 30x optical zoom will tempt many, and its manual controls and large LCD screen are set to entice compact users to the next level.

Although it may look like a complex DSLR, it is more similar in handling to a compact, albeit a compact with a  large zoom and manual controls. As such, we found the S4000 to be very easy to use – all of the controls worked well, and the menu system was simple to navigate. There is an abundance of automatic settings, including plenty of scene modes, which will enable you to take great photos in any situation.

For those who wish to have more control over their shots, the Fujifilm FinePix S4000 comes with the DSLR-standard P, A, S, M modes.

But as well as the standard automatic modes, the S4000 also comes with an excellent panorama mode. Once you have taken the first of three photos, the camera displays a cross and a circle. The camera is then moved so that these are aligned and the next shot is automatically taken. The three shots are then stitched together in camera and finished, giving you a completed panorama in seconds.

As with many other Fujifilm cameras, the S4000 comes with the ‘F’ function button on the top of the body, which acts as a shortcut to some of the other features, including ISO and image size. This button adds to the usability of the camera, making it great for photographers of all levels.  

The photos taken with the S4000 are generally very good. The colours look great on the rear LCD, and the image stabilisation does its job when using the huge on-board zoom. Shots taken at the full 30x zoom aren’t great, but they are still perfectly usable.