Fujifilm Finepix S9500

About a year after the deception with the Pentax Optio S50 I decided to look for a more powerful camera. DSLR's were simply too expensive at the time. Though prices were coming down the cheapest DSLR that would suit my needs would cost around €1000. As developments went so fast such a camera would be worthless within one or two years. That makes it an expensive joke!! So I decided to keep midway: I was ready to invest some €500, no more. And for that a good buy was the "almost DSLR" Fujifilm Finepix S9500.

With a 9 Mp and a 10,7 zoom starting at 28 mm (in 35 mm equivalent) and ending at 300 mm that camera offered a lot. Picture qualities were usually praised in reviews, though noise would occur above 400 ISO. You can have the camera in complete control though. The tilting LCD-screen gave an extra dimension in its use.

This camera served me well. It is not equal to a DSLR but is certainly value for money. The only regret I have is that just one month after I bought the Fujifilm Sony announced its entry in the DSLR market with the A100. Though this camera cost more it offered a LOT more and my Minolta lenses could be mounted on the A100.

But I have had a lot of fun and having the wide range from 28-300mm available was a terrific luxury. The pictures are great and enlargements of good quality originals to a size of 50x75 cm proved to be possible. I stil have the camera and it is still fully operational though not longer in use, being succeeded by the Sony A350.