X

Fujifilm FinePix S4500 sample pictures

Take a look at the picture quality from Fujifilm's budget-friendly 30x zoom, the FinePix S4500.

Joshua Goldman
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Joshua Goldman
Fuji_FinePix_S4500_ISO.jpg
1 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

ISO comparison

Overall, the S4500's photo quality is good as long as you're willing to work within its limitations and you're not expecting dSLR quality just because it kind of looks like one. But, if you're the type to never leave auto or use a tripod, you might not be 100 percent happy with its photos.

Basically, like most lower-end to midrange compacts, the S4500 can take some nice photos below ISO 200 that can be used at reasonably large sizes. The more you have to go above ISO 200, however -- whether for shooting indoors, using the zoom lens, or both -- the less satisfied you might be with the results.

Without enough light, the camera will boost the ISO to keep shutter speeds fast enough to freeze movement (and this camera's lens needs a lot of light). However, increasing the ISO also increases noise and noise reduction that in turn softens details. Once the S4500 hits ISO 800, though, it will start to use slower shutter speeds to get the correct exposure. Depending on how slow it gets, if you're not on a tripod and your subject isn't still, you'll end up with soft, blurry photos. (You can see examples of this toward the end of this slideshow.)

This is common with this class of camera, not just the S4500. What is specific to the S4500 is the photo quality at ISO 800, which is OK for Web use at small sizes if you don't mind softness.

Something goes horribly wrong at ISO 1600 with color and subjects really are just too soft, so I would avoid using this or the higher ISO settings available at reduced resolutions. On the upside, Fujifilm doesn't use this setting when shooting in Auto; it will drop the shutter speed instead.

Fuji_FinePix_S4500_2102macro.jpg
2 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Macro

The camera has macro and super macro settings. In the former, which was used for this photo, it can focus as close as 2.7 inches from a subject and you can use the flash. In super macro, you can focus down to 0.8 inch, but the flash is suppressed to avoid shadows. This is a 100 percent crop from the inset image.
Fuji_FinePix_S4500_color.jpg
3 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Color

The S4500 produces photos with bright, vivid colors that were close to accurate. It does not handle highlights very well, however, so in very bright light you will get clipping.
Fuji_FinePix_S4500_ASM.jpg
4 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

PASM modes

If you like to control exposure, the S4500 does have manual and semimanual shooting modes. (There's a Custom mode, too, so you can define a frequently used group of settings.) For the most part, though, the real control is over shutter speed with settings from 8 seconds to 1/2,000 second. Apertures are limited to two stops at each step of the zoom range through to the 200mm focal length. After that you get three at each step. In both cases the smaller aperture is achieved with a neutral density (ND) filter.
Fuji_FinePix_S4500_zoom_range.jpg
5 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Zoom range

The S4500 is one of the least expensive ways to get a 30x zoom range. It goes from an ultrawide 24mm (top) to a long 720mm telephoto (bottom).
Fuji_FinePix_S4500_2221fringe.jpg
6 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Fringing

Fringing around high-contrast subjects is visible at larger sizes, but average for this class of camera, and I've seen much worse from other megazoom cameras -- Fujifilm's and other manufacturers.
Fuji_FinePix_S4500_lens_distortion.jpg
7 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Lens distortion

There is some mild barrel distortion at the wide end of the lens (top) and a touch of pincushioning when the lens is extended (bottom). The lens is pretty sharp at the center, but the sides and the corners do show some softening.
Fuji_FinePix_S4500_f8_125_100.jpg
8 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Photos at 720mm (f8, 1/125th, ISO 100)

This photo and the remaining slides are all photos taken using the 720mm end of the lens at various ISO settings. There is a link for each to view them at full size. However, these are large files, so please allow some time for them to load. View full size.
Fuji_FinePix_S4500_5.9_420_400.jpg
9 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Photos at 720mm (f5.9, 1/420th, ISO 400)

Fuji_FinePix_S4500_5.9_350_800.jpg
10 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Photos at 720mm (f5.9, 1/350th, ISO 800)

Fuji_FinePix_S4500_f5.9_240_400.jpg
11 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Photos at 720mm (f5.9, 1/240th, ISO 400)

Fuji_FinePix_S4500_5.9_125_800.jpg
12 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Photos at 720mm (f5.9, 1/125th, ISO 800)

Fuji_FinePix_S4500_f5.9_680_200.jpg
13 of 13 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Photos at 720mm (f5.9, 1/680th, ISO 200)

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos