Best Cameras in Low Light

Fuji and Ricoh digital cameras have the edge in low light

If compact digital cameras have one Achilles' heel in reviews, it is that none are great performers in low light -- such as indoors, at night or at dusk. The exceptions in this category are the Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR (*Est. $330) and the lesser-known Ricoh CX1 (*Est. $320). Both cameras break new ground with versatile sensors that produce great image quality in low-light conditions.

According to Leonard Goh, writing for the Asian arm of CNET, the Fujifilm F-series has always excelled in low-light conditions, but the 12-megapixel F200EXR is the first to use Fujifilm's Super CCD EXR technology, which "changes the way the sensor's pixels work according to different lighting conditions." The camera's sensor has three modes: high resolution, high ISO/low noise and dynamic range. This versatility allows for better low-light performance and a wider dynamic range than any other digital camera. It's literally three cameras in one sensor, says PhotographyBlog.com's Mark Goldstein.

High-resolution mode, as the name suggests, gives priority to resolution, using all 12 megapixels to create a rich image. The high ISO/low noise mode, explains Goldstein, "combines adjacent pixels to create larger photodiodes." The larger photodiodes absorb more light and color, giving a boost to low-light conditions. This brightens dark scenes and reduces image noise, but photos record at a reduced 6-megapixel resolution. The D-range priority mode shoots two images simultaneously but at different exposure settings; then, the camera merges the two photos into one 6-megapixel image. This process, known as "pixel binning," increases dynamic range up to 800 percent, says Goldstein, "preserving detail in the shadow and highlight areas that would otherwise be lost."

The sensor on the Fujifilm F200EXR digital camera is armed with Auto EXR, which recognizes a scene and automatically selects the best shooting mode. Reviewers rave about the feature. "It's the first time we relied so much on an automatic mode because we trusted it," says Goh, although users at Amazon.com are less impressed. "Hit or miss," say several users, who add that Auto EXR doesn't always choose the best mode and tends to generate excessive image noise.

For most critics, the images produced by the F200EXR digital camera live up to its promise. Goh and his fellow testers are "astounded by the high dynamic range and low noise levels." Jeff Keller of DCResource.com found the ISO capabilities on the Fujifilm digital camera a full stop better than the competition, while Smith says the F200EXR has better low-light focusing than any other compact on the market. In tests at DigitalCameraInfo.com, the F200EXR narrowly beats the Canon SD970 IS for color accuracy, and noses ahead of the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 digital camera with richer resolution and lower image noise.

Despite its cutting-edge technology and the addition of five film-simulation options along with 15 presets, the Fujifilm F200EXR has a few chinks in its armor. When the EXR modes are in use, the manual aperture and shutter priority control sit on the bench. The aperture priority mode is also limited to two settings: minimum or maximum. Small buttons on the back of the camera, a confusing interface and a 5x zoom lens that doesn't work in movie mode are other drawbacks.

These gaps leave room for the lesser-known 9-megapixel Ricoh CX1 digital camera to break into the ranks. Like Fujifilm, Ricoh uses new technology that merges photos to boost image quality. In Dynamic Range Double-Shot mode, the CX1 shoots two back-to-back images at different exposures. The shots are then combined to create an image with a dynamic range that "far surpasses most other compact cameras," says Goldstein. Sometimes, though, the consecutive shots are misaligned, leading to a soft, out-of-focus image.

Still, critics are unanimous about the CX1's stunning image quality. In their review of the Ricoh digital camera, testers at Which? magazine find excellent yet subtle color reproduction, as well as superbly contrasted shadows and highlights. In Goldstein's tests of the Ricoh camera, the colors are less saturated than those of the Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR, but shots at 1600 ISO hold their own for small prints and web pages.

While Ricoh's method yields positive results, it can't match the versatility of Fujifilm's EXR technology, nor does it enjoy the added flexibility of manual aperture and shutter priority settings. Nevertheless, the CX1 has "blazing fast performance," according to Steves-Digicams.com. Whereas the F200EXR lopes along at 1.4 fps for three continuous shots, the CX1 cranks out 4 fps at full resolution and 30 fps at 2 megapixels. Start-up to first snap is about three quarters of a second.

In addition, the Ricoh CX1 digital camera has a "few noticeable tricks up its sleeve," says Goldstein. For starters, the CX1 has a longer 7.1x zoom lens than most compact cameras. It spans a whopping 28 mm to 200 mm and comes with sensor-shift stabilization (which experts say works just as well as optical image stabilization). Other goodies include a good-looking 3-inch LCD with a 920,000-pixel resolution, and an electronic leveling meter for straight horizon shots. The sleekly designed body comes in three colors: silver, black and champagne pink.

While reviews don't offer much comparison between the Fujifilm F200EXR and Ricoh CX1, both cameras garner praise for their performance. It boils down to a choice of what's most important -- the versatile sensor technology of the Fujifilm F200EXR, or the powerful features and style of the Ricoh CX1. If you think you'll be shooting lots of indoor photos, both cameras can step up to the plate.