There are a few other differences that will be rather important to shootability. I will summarize all differences here based on the Fujifilm global web site specifications:
1. Resolution: 12mp versus 10mp. Since sensor size has not changed, it is likely that the F70EXR will have better HR mode images because of a slightly lesser tendency for selective noise reduction to kick in. And at web sizes, the difference in resolution would be irrelevant anyway.
2. Internal memory: 40MB versus 47MB. Strange. Bigger images but smaller internal memory. Not important, but still strange.
3. Aperture range: Widest aperture remains the same … f/3.3 through f/5.6. But the narrow aperture range (remember that there are only two possible apertures at any focal length and the narrower one is actually the same size but uses a neutral density filter to accomplish the exposure change) has change dramatically. A *full stop* from the F70’s f/6.4 to f/11 up to f/9 to f/16 for the F80. Wow … the cam’s tendency to kick in the higher aperture early and drop shutter speeds really low has been a real problem …. what’s that going to be like when shutter speeds are cut in half again?
4. Scene modes: F80 adds dog, cat and underwater. :-)
5. Continuous shooting speed: The F80 is slower … 1.6 frames in top 3 mode instead of 1.8. 4.2 frames versus 4.8 in top 12 mode. The processor was obviously not changed to handle the larger amount of data. No surprise there.
6. Auto focus: F80 adds tracking mode to the auto focus options. I wonder how well that works with contrast focus. Might be useful if the processor can keep up.
7. LCD: 3” versus 2.7” but both have the same resolution. Thus, the F70EXR will have the crisper display. What a shock …
8. Movie modes: F80 adds 720p resolution. Nice. But the sound remains monaural, and it is very likely that they did not change the microphone, which means that the F80 will also be overwhelmed somewhat at concerts. Not as bad as the F11 was, but far moreso than the ZS3. That should have been their target.
9. Photography functions: F80 adds face recognition. Spies of the world rejoice.
10. Playback functions: F80 adds picture search. No doubt hooked into the face recognition tricks.
11. Video output: F80 adds HDMI port. Makes sense with the new HD video.
12. Size: The F80 is 0.7mm thicker (that’s more than it sounds) and weighs 0.2oz more. This is the wrong direction in today’s market.
Summary: Not one important addition from what I can see. Boris mentions in comments on my last F80 post that the F80 has an orientation sensor, but I do not see it mentioned in the detailed specifications. The resolution bump is irrelevant for prints of typical sizes yet might kick in more selective NR, resulting in more smearing. The change in higher aperture could cut the already low shutter speeds in good light even further … causing more blur at max telephoto. I just don’t get it …
I wish I could get my hands on one of these to test against my F70EXR …
Update on 10 August 2010: I purchased one of these months ago and have been using it almost exclusively for the last two months. The bottom line for me is that the 2mp does improve detail retention *very slightly* in bright light, and destroys low contrast details at L size (but you should never shoot L size anyway.) The extra mp do add some chroma noise, especially blue channel pollution when shooting in really nasty orange light. The F70 is better there. But not enough for me to avoid the F80. The HD video is nice, but not enough better than The F70 to write home about. The orientation sensor is a great feature. All in all, I really like the F80EXR and am really looking forward to the F300EXR. I wish Fuji would stop revving this line every six months ... Being triple-dipped like that is starting to really annoy me ...
