Fujifilm’s FinePix S8400W has got the once-over by Daniel Bell on ePHOTOzine.  

This is classed as a ‘bridge camera’ – or should it be called a ‘hybrid camera’?  As far as appearance goes, it certainly looks like something cobbled together.   For a camera so light and small, the DSLR-style pronounced, protruding grip stands out as does the flash housing on the plate.

Bell’s review is nothing if not honest; you don’t often read sentences like this one: “At ISO 6400 and 12800 image quality is dreadful, these two settings are best avoided.”  At the same time, because it’s so strikingly honest, we can take him at his word when he says, “The EVF is very bright and makes shooting easier in low light, in bright light when outdoors and when using the zoom” and “Good value for money.” 

The lens goes from 24mm up to 1056mm (35mm equivalent), but what’s especially eye-catching is this spec: f/2.9 to f/6.5.  This f-stop range compares favourably with other superzooms and other inexpensive cameras.

The best thing about this 16.2 MP camera is that it’s chock-full of features, all available at a wallet-friendly price.  Importantly, it also has WiFi plus USB and HDMI slots.  The whole package is just right for that young ’un who wants to get a ‘real camera’.  

Bell says about the FinePix S8400W that “image quality isn’t the best, but it’s not bad, particularly if you tend to share on the web.”  How about sharing using jAlbum 11, then?

Image via CrunchBase

jAlbum is an album/gallery app that’s been around for a while.  It’s free but comes with a ‘Pro’ option.  The highlight feature of Version 11, just out, is seen by Softpedia as “converts over 160 video formats suitable for the web (mp4).”

Photographers, however, would be interested in the app’s utility for pictures and here it doesn’t disappoint.  Novice or amateur photographers who’re interested in a fast, inexpensive, no-fuss way of creating albums/galleries may want to take a look at this app.

The just-issued press release, available on Shutterbug, explains that all you need do is drag-drop your entire folder (or any selection of images) and jAlbum will do the rest.  Feel free to add skins (themes) and customize as you go along!

It also has some features that would be attractive to aspiring pros: batch watermarking and integration with downstream service providers.

In an age when your sole rights to your own images seem to be questioned and infringed at every digital stop, perhaps jAlbum 11’s biggest selling point is its declaration: “jAlbum does not claim any rights to your images, and never will.”