The Fujifilm Finepix F60fd follows on from the F50fd, from whom it inherits many of its features.

Back this time are a 3x optical zoom, a 12 Megapixel SuperCCD sensor and dual image stabilization.

The major changes, in fact, come in the onboard software, rather than in the hardware.

But does the F60 still stand up to the competition?


Handling

Getting your hands on the F60 for the first time is a reassuring experience, with the solid case covered in a fairly stylish finish.

On the back, a generous 3'' LCD screen is an upgrade from the 2.7'' available on previous models.  Unfortunately, though, the resolution remains unchanged and the 230, 000 pixels now struggle on a larger display.

This screen's refresh rate is average at best, and the images it shows soon become jerky and unclear in low light.  Fujifilm's competitors Canon and Panasonic certainly have the advantage in this area.

Interface

The manufacturer's designers have obviously been working hard on making an easy-to-use product, and all of the buttons - and they are pretty tiny - are surprisingly easy to reach.

The inclusion of a real click wheel makes changing from one mode to the other very easy too, and it's definitely an improvement on Fujifilm's F100fd which features a 'virtual' scroll wheel which shows up on the screen and which is a lot less intuitive.

The F button, found on all of Fujifilm's cameras, still gives one-stop access to a handful of key settings such as ISO speed, image size and color.

Two additions on the F60 are a shutter priority mode and image stabilization controlled by moving the sensor, rather than the lens mount.


The 3x optical zoom with no wide-angle option is a disappointment, as is the rather limited macro mode which only works at up to 7 cm.

Using the F60 is a pleasure, even if it is a little slow.  Waiting for the camera to initialize drags noticeably, but the AutoFocus and face detection features work well, which is by no means a given on digital compacts in this price bracket.

The burst mode also keeps up with the competition, managing a speed of 2.7 frames per second across a burst of three high quality images.  When only using 3 Megapixels, burst speed can get over 5 fps on longer bursts.

Image Quality

The 3x optical zoom performs well in general without too much distortion.  Coupled with the 12 Megapixel Super CCD sensor, it results in sharp photos with only a little blurring around the edge of the frame.

In the past, Super CCD sensors were known as prone to the phenomenon of purple fringing, but Fujifilm seem to have resolved this image on the F60.

Outside, the automatic white balancing works well, but indoors, images still appear too warm under artificial light.

In terms of its electronic noise handling, it's fair to say that the F60 is not a bad camera, but it does struggle to reach the bar set by some other compacts.

At the highest shutter speeds (3200 and 6400 ISO), definition is reduced first to 6 Megapixels and then down to 3 Megapixels.  Any photos you take using these settings will be limited to 4 x 6'' prints as you won't be able to blow them up any further.

Comparing A4 prints at slower speeds between the F60 and the F100, the latter definitely comes off better.