Fujifilm's F800EXR, trying to win back the smartphone crowd with wi-fi

With all the focus on Fujifilm's gloriously stylish range of premium cameras, it's easy to forget that they've a range of competent compacts, too. Yesterday, they added one more to the line-up, ready to convince the social media savvy cool kids that they really do want a compact in addition to their smartphones.

This is the F800EXR, successor to the F770EXR. This makes it a little bit more than your average point-and-shoot that's a mania of megapixels and frenzy of filters packaged in garish pink. It's Fujifilm's flagship compact camera, with full manual control and Raw capability. 

It comes with a 16 megapixel back side illuminated EXR-CMOS sensor (the EXR sensor is Fujifilm's proprietary technology that enables the sensor to switch between three modes–high sensitivity/low noise, dynamic range, and high resolution–depending on conditions, for optimal results), 20× optical zoom, and when you deploy the intelligent digital zoom function, you can bump that up to 40×. In auto mode, it can select between 103 patterns to get the best results for an image.

The press release is very cleverly worded to make it seem as if the F800EXR has a faster start-up, shot-to-shot, and auto-focusing speed than its predecessor. However, looking back at the F770EXR's spec, they remain at 1.5 seconds, 0.8 seconds, and a minumum of 0.16 seonds (at the shortest focal distance), respectively. 

But the focus is on making it connected and trendy, so what's the deal? First, you can transfer photos to a tablet or smartphone that has Fuji's Photo Receiver app installed. Up to 30 photos can beam their way from camera to device in one go, wirelessly, and password free.

Second, with the Fuji Camera app, you can send your camera's location back to itself, via your tablet or smartphone. And via that, your camera can also act as your tour guide for wherever you happen to be. Somehow, that seems needlessly complicated to me, with far too much backwardsing and forwardsing between devices. And really, why not just use your iPhone or your iPad to locate your nearest landmarks and points of interest? There's even an app to pinpoint the closest public convenience, and your camera can't do that.

Like any good camera, it has its filters, so that you can flip between pop colour, high-key, toy camera, miniature, dynamic tone, and partial colour, at the touch of a button. And of course you can make full HD video (1920x1080 pixels).

You can create 360º panoramas and there's a multiple exposure mode, too.

When it comes out (I've heard rumours of August in the US, September in Europe, and prices around $350 or £280), it'll be available in black, red, or white.

The question is, is all of this enough to convince those who are deserting compacts and heading off towards the bright horizon of the smartphone? I don't think so. If you want convenience and immediate Facebookableness, you'll still use your smartphone. If you want a gamut of impossible filters, then you'll stick with your smartphone, too.

If you want a compact camera because of the benefits of having a compact, the wifi gimmicks probably won't make much difference. I've a compact for situations when my dSLR is inappropriate or inconvenient, but I still want the control it affords. I'm hardly going to edit my Raw images on an iPhone, am I? And transfering them wirelessly sounds murderous. My parents use a compact camera because they don't have a smartphone, which makes the F800's connectivity a joke for them. We'll buy compact cameras because of their performance, not because of their corresponding iPhone apps.

I remain convinced that there's a place for compact cameras in the market; I think that camera manufacturers need to work out where it is and concentrate on that.

Writing good press releases - a quick and dirty guide

Stirrups... leg up... helping each other out... okay I'll get back in my box

Every week a stream of emails tumbles into my inbox attempting to convince me to cover numerous products, services, or projects that are somehow going to revolutionise the photographic industry, alter my life beyond my wildest expectations, or maybe even bring world peace.

As a general rule, most of the literature that I get to wade through is well written and well pitched, so it executes its intended purpose with aplomb. But sometimes, PR people just get it wrong. At best it can be sigh- or groan-inducing; at worst, you might hear an anguished scream released into my Twitter stream. Of course, it is far better to actually do something about the phenomenon of poor PR, instead of just moan. So in the interests of the betterment of society, here's my idiot's guide to producing reasonable PR that shouldn't leave journalists and writers everywhere banging their heads on their desks.

1. Provide a concise, accurate précis.

In the first paragraph of your release I want to know exactly what your product, project, or service is; why it is going to change my life in heretofore unimaginable ways; and just how it is a revolutionary upgrade on its predecessor, if it has a predecessor. If it's filling a hole in the market, tell me that, instead.

2. Include images.

I write about photography. I'm immersed in an image-based community. I, and dare I say it the people who read what I have to write, want to see what a product looks like and just what it can do. Reading about it is not enough. Don't make me go on a wild goose chase for useable images. Either attach some to the email or provide a link to downloadable examples. Even if you're just announcing something as mundane as corporate appointments, include a decent-sized version of the company logo.

3. Think about your language.

The tone of the language that you use in your PR acts as a key reflection of your company, how it operates, and what it stands for. Some companies are fluffiness incorporated and I expect their PR to reflect that by being informal and relaxed. On the other hand, some companies are going to use far more formal language. Both are entirely acceptable, and so are the infinite points in between. All you have to be is appropriate.

However, your text must not, under any circumstances, be dry or dull. You do not want me to fall asleep when I'm reading it. That's no way to sell a product, even if it can control the International Space Station in its spare time. Do not, whatever the temptation, use a smiley. I don't care how fluffy you are, you still need to be professional. If you want to use humour, I won't complain, but ensure that I laugh with you and not at you. Finally, do not talk down to me. I'm not stupid.

4. Provide your PR in good time.

Breaking an embargo is more than our professional reputations are worth, but in order to provide timely, accurate coverage that does justice to whatever radical product you're launching, we really do need to receive the relevant information ahead of the scheduled release. Put the embargo across the top of the literature in big red letters, and send it out a day or two in advance. We'll honour the embargo and thank you for the advance notice.

5. Provide background information.

Who, what, where, why, and when. If you're a small or new company, provide me with some background information that tells me about you, your history, and your philosophy. It makes you far more approachable and will help to bring to life whatever I write. You don't have to include the information in the PR itself - a link to a website is sufficient - but make sure that it's accessible.

6. Check your facts.

And that doesn't relate just to your product. If you're addressing an email to me personally, please ensure that you have my name and gender correct.

7. Include the basic details.

Chasing you up to find out how much something will cost or when it will become available is a frustrating waste of my time. If you don't have exact dates or prices, that's fine, but please acknowledge it.

8. Give a named individual as a point of contact.

It's entirely possible that I'll need to contact someone for more information or some kind of clarification. If you give the direct details of the individual responsible for handling these sorts of enquiries, it will inspire far more confidence in me than a generic email that I can't be certain will be answered or even reach the appropriate person.

9. Be friendly, polite, and personable.

You know, when I do call you up to find out something more, to request a review model, or to check a fact, please do not sound as if you would rather be anywhere else than on the phone to me. I won't mind if you say that you don't have the answer immediately and need to check, but I will mind if you don't get back to me. Similarly, I will also mind a great deal if you don't respond to an email or return a message left on your voicemail. That's plain good manners, let alone good business practice.

10. You'll win some; you'll lose some.

For various reasons, I might not want or be able to cover your pioneering gadget or ground-breaking service. If that's the case, please don't harass me or try to second-guess my motives. It won't win you any favours. Ask me politely, and I'll likely provide you with feedback. Be rude to me, and I'll not forget in a hurry.

That's especially important because just because I cannot or will not feature your gizmo this time around, it doesn't mean to say that I won't be interested in upgrades or releases next time around. Unless of course you were rude to me.

Remember: I need good PR to do your product justice. The more that you can help me, the more that I can help you. It's that simple.

Canon 60D reviews round-up

There seemed to be a great deal of consternation when the Canon 60D was released. It didn’t appear to offer a reasonable upgrade for 50D users and what Canon was trying to achieve with it wasn’t necessarily obvious. Now that the dust has settled and people have had the opportunity to play around with it, it’s become clearer that Canon have developed a camera that sits perfectly between the entry-level 550D and the higher-spec 7D. And a rather yummy piece of camera it happens to be, too.

Camera Labs says ‘Ultimately if you forget about its predecessor, the EOS 60D is a successful DSLR which sits comfortably between the models on either side of it and is very enjoyable to use. It fulfils its brief of offering a decent step-up over an entry-level model without the cost, weight or complexity of a semi-pro body, and if you’re into video you’ll love the articulated screen and manual control over audio levels.’ – Read the full review on Camera Labs.

CNET UK says ‘The Canon EOS 60D is a pumped-up powerhouse of a digital SLR. It’s crammed full of class-leading but consumer-friendly features (we’ve only been able to touch on them here), and it may be the only camera that an amateur photography enthusiast will ever need.’ – Read the full review on CNET UK.

DigitalCamerainfo says ‘The Canon EOS 60D represents the middle of Canon’s SLR lineup, but it is a top-notch camera in terms of performance, handling and flexibility. We found that it had excellent color accuracy and took sharp images, although the 18-135mm kit lens that Canon sells with it has some issues.’ – Read the full review on DigitalCamerainfo.

Digital Photography Review says ‘The 60D is probably best understood as a ‘super Rebel’ – it’s a more comfortable, more flexible and faster-to-use version of Canon’s justly popular entry-level DSLRs.’ – Read the full review on Digital Photography Review.

Engadget says ‘Overall the 60D scores highly and easily bests the 50D it replaces, but the real competition is Nikon’s D7000…’ – Read the full review on Engadget.

ePHOTOzine says ‘If you were previously tempted by an upgrade to the EOS 7D but don’t really require the weather sealed magnesium build, faster continuous shooting speeds and better autofocus and certainly can’t justify the cost, the EOS 60D could be the camera for you. Likewise if you feel you’ve reached the limits of your entry-level Canon camera but don’t fancy biting off more than you can chew.’ – Read the full review on ePHOTOzine.

PhotographyBLOG says ‘Ultimately the 60D takes some of the best features of existing EOS models and blends them together to create a DSLR that challenges the likes of the Nikon D90 more directly than the previous 50D did.’ – Read the full review on PhotographyBLOG.

Pixiq says ‘All in all, the EOS 60D offers the best value for serious shooters in the Canon DSLR line. If you’re considering an upgrade, you should be impressed with its versatility, speed, convenience of operation and image quality under most types of conditions.’ – Read the full review on Pixiq.

The Digital Picture says ‘The bottom line is that the Canon EOS 60D turns in very good performance, has great image quality and comes in a very affordable package. It is a camera that many of us will be happy to own.’ – Read the full review on The Digital Picture.