The Fujifilm FinePix S1 ($499.95) squeezes a 50x (24-1,200mm equivalent) lens into a body that's about the same size as a small D-SLR, without skipping on amenities like a vari-angle LCD and a sharp EVF. Its focus is quick, even when zoomed all the way in, and a weather-resistant design makes it a great camera for travel. It's not without some issues; images show a little too much purple color fringing and the video quality leaves something to be desired. We recommend the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 if you can forgo a 50x lens; its 24x zoom opens to f/2.8 throughout its range, and will be more than enough telephoto reach for all but serious wildlife shooters.
Design and Features
Like most bridge-style cameras, the S1 is modeled after a D-SLR. It has a deep handgrip, a pop-up flash and hot shoe, and an eye-level electronic viewfinder. Its lens juts out from the body, but it's fixed, so don't try and remove it. It measures 3.6 by 5.2 by 4.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 1.5 pounds. It's noticeably bulkier than the Olympus Stylus 1 (3.4 by 4.5 by 2.2 inches, 14.2 ounces). The Stylus 1 has a much shorter 28-300mm zoom lens, but its 1/1.7-inch image sensor is markedly larger in surface area than the S1's 16-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor, and its lens maintains a maximum f/2.8 aperture throughout its range. Neither camera comes close to the 1-inch sensor in the 5-star rated Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10, but you could buy both the S1 and Stylus 1 and still have money left over when compared with purchasing the RX10. There are also pocketable options out there that pack a lot of zoom, like the 30x Nikon Coolpix S9700, if you're looking for something that's a bit more portable.
But it's that small sensor that makes the S1's zoom range possible. The lens is a 24-1,200mm (35mm equivalent) design with a variable aperture that starts at f/2.8 and narrows to f/5.6 when zoomed all the way in. In layman's terms, that means that the S1 only captures one-quarter the light at its maximum zoom as it does at its wide angle. The only camera that approaches the S1's zoom ratio without sacrificing light-gathering capabilities is the Panasonic FZ200; it also uses a 1/2.3-inch sensor and maintains an f/2.8 aperture throughout its 24-600mm (24x) range. At the 600mm setting the S1 is rated at f/5.4, which only captures a tiny bit more light compared with its f/5.6 rating at 1,200mm.
Fujifilm has put a lot of thought into the S1's design. Like the Sony RX10, the body is weather-resistant, so you can use it without worry in rainy or snowy conditions. Controls are ample, with a zoom rocker, flash release, and framing assist button located on the left side of the body. The framing assist button is almost a necessity with a zoom this long; pressing it pulls back the lens a bit and shows you an outline of the frame that your zoomed in focal length captures, to which it returns upon release. It's a great tool if you're photographing birds or other wildlife and have lost your subject; the wider field of view makes it quick to reacquire them, and the lens returns immediately to the tighter field of view so you can grab the shot. The lens itself is pretty quick to move, requiring only 2 seconds to go from its 24mm position to 1,200mm.
The remainder of the controls are located on the right side. On the top plate you'll find the standard mode dial, the power button, buttons to adjust exposure compensation and the drive mode, and the shutter release, which is surrounded by a second zoom rocker. Rear controls include a toggle switch to change between the EVF and rear LCD (there's no eye sensor, unfortunately); a control dial (above the thumb rest); a movie record button; playback, menu, Wi-Fi, and delete controls; and a four-way joypad that houses the programmable Fn button, as well as controls for the self-timer, macro focus, and flash output control. The Menu/OK button sits in the center of the joypad.
There's no overlay menu system for quick shooting adjustments like you'd find in other cameras. Instead, you'll have to rely on the programmable Fn key to fill in for any settings not covered by the standard controls, or dive into the menu to make adjustments. I programmed the Fn key to adjust the focus mode, which gave me quick access to adjust the flexible spot focus point which I prefer, but there are 11 total functions which you can assign to Fn.
The rear 3-inch display is mounted on a vari-angle hinge; it can flip out to the side, face in any direction from straight down to all the way forward, and can sit flush against the rear either facing out for use or in for protection. It's plenty sharp thanks to a 920k-dot resolution, and bright enough for use on sunny days. There's also an eye-level EVF; it's one of the best you'll find in this class of camera, as it matches the 920k-dot resolution of the rear display in a 0.2-inch space. My only complaint is that there's no eye sensor, so you have to manually toggle between the EVF and LCD. If the LCD is turned in toward the body the EVF is always active.
Fujifilm has been slower to add Wi-Fi to its camera lineup, but it's doing its best to play catch up with recent models. It's built into the S1, so you can copy videos and JPG images over to your iOS or Android device using the free Fujifilm Cam Remote app. There are some limitations, and some foibles. First, you can't copy Raw images or 1080p videos; if you want to be able to share images quickly shoot in JPG or Raw+JPG, and keep videos to 720p resolution or lower. And when you're downloading the app to your device, make sure you pick the right one. Fujifilm has released a handful of apps, and they're not all compatible with every camera. If you happen to own multiple Fuji cameras, you may run into another hurdle. I last used the Cam Remote app when reviewing the X-T1. At first I struggled to get the S1 to connect, but realized that was because my phone still had credentials for the X-T1 saved; resetting the app resolved it, but if you have an X-T1 and an S1 in your bag you'll have to reset the app when going back and forth between them.
In addition to file transfer, the Cam Remote app works as a remote control for the S1. Its functionality is limited; you can set the self-timer and flash output, zoom the lens, and fire the shutter to capture a still image or video—but that's it. There are no manual shooting controls available, and you can't select a focus point via touch or other means like you can when using the same app with the X-T1. There's also a geotagging function, but its usefulness is hit or miss. I was able to add coordinates to a photo right after I captured it, but the app doesn't seem to keep a log of movements, so unless you remember to tag photos soon after you've shot them, you're out of luck. If you're a serious geotagger there are better ways to add location data to your photos—one is to get a location logger app for your phone that can export a GPX file which can be imported into Lightroom along with photos to add location data based on timestamps.
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