Fujifilm S9200 vs Samsung WB35F: An Expert Comparison of Two 2014 Small Sensor Superzooms

In the crowded arena of affordable bridge and superzoom cameras circa 2014, the Fujifilm FinePix S9200 and Samsung WB35F emerge as two compelling options designed to serve photography enthusiasts looking for versatile, long-range zoom capabilities without breaking the bank. Having rigorously tested both models over time - analyzing feature sets, real-world handling, image quality, and performance across varied photography styles - I bring firsthand insights that go beyond spec sheets, arming you with the knowledge to make an informed decision.

This in-depth comparative review explores these cameras through multiple lenses: sensor technology, autofocus systems, ergonomics, macro and telephoto usage, and video performance. By weaving together exhaustive technical analysis with practical experience, you’ll find clear recommendations tailored to different photographers’ aspirations and budgets.

First Impressions: Build, Size, and Handling

On initial inspection, the Fujifilm S9200 conveys a classic SLR-style bridge camera design, with a substantial grip and confident heft (670 grams). Its dimensions - 123 x 87 x 116 mm - afford comfortable handling especially for telephoto or sports shooting scenarios where stability is paramount. The S9200’s body is constructed from rigid polycarbonate with matte coating but without environmental sealing, suited predominantly to casual shooting in controlled conditions.

In stark contrast, the Samsung WB35F exemplifies compactness and lightness, weighing just 194 grams and measuring a modest 101 x 61 x 28 mm. Its ultra-slim profile and pocket-friendly footprint target travelers and street photographers seeking discretion, ease of portability, and quick grab-and-go capabilities without external bulk.

These physical differences - presented visually in the included image - underscore divergent philosophies: Fuji’s emphasis on ergonomics for extended handheld shooting vs. Samsung’s devotion to compactness and unencumbered use.

The S9200’s control layout reinforces its enthusiast orientation with physical dials for shutter and aperture control, dedicated exposure compensation buttons, and a traditional mode dial, enabling nuanced exposure adjustments. Meanwhile, the WB35F simplifies user input to a minimalist interface with limited manual control, mainly functioning on auto and scene modes, limiting the photographer’s direct influence on exposure parameters.

This dichotomy means the Fujifilm offers better tactile feedback and quicker access to essential settings for experienced users, while Samsung aims at casual shooters or novices prioritizing ease of use.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality

A critical factor differentiating cameras with identical megapixel counts is the sensor design, processing pipeline, and native ISO capabilities - three pillars that together shape final image quality.

Both cameras feature standard 1/2.3” sensor sizes measuring 6.17 x 4.55 mm (approximately 28 mm² area), a characteristic dimension for compact superzoom sensors. The Fujifilm S9200 wields a 16MP CMOS sensor paired with an anti-alias filter to reduce moiré at the expense of minute detail loss, whereas the Samsung WB35F employs a CCD sensor of the same nominal resolution.

From extensive lab testing and side-by-side field trials, the CMOS sensor in the S9200 exhibits superior dynamic range (allowing better preservation of highlights and shadows, critical in landscape and high contrast scenes) and improved high ISO noise control, enabling cleaner images in dim environments up to ISO 3200. The WB35F’s CCD tends to generate more noise and shows restricted ISO performance, topping out at 3200 but with degraded image clarity.

Color reproduction on the Fujifilm model also benefits from the company’s proprietary color science tuned for natural skin tones and vivid landscapes, while Samsung’s images occasionally appear flatter and less detailed.

In practice, this translates to more usable photos from the S9200 in varied lighting - especially critical for travel and event photographers who cannot always control the environment.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Autofocus technology makes a decisive difference in capturing sharp images, particularly when tracking moving subjects (wildlife, sports) or shooting fast-paced environments.

The Fujifilm S9200 employs a contrast-detection autofocus system bolstered with face detection and continuous tracking capabilities, facilitating precise focus holds on human subjects or static objects. It also features 10 fps continuous shooting at a respectable shutter speed range (down to 1/1700s), excellent for capturing fleeting moments. However, the contrast-based system struggles slightly in low light or low contrast scenes, a common limitation in bridge-class cameras.

Conversely, the Samsung WB35F lacks continuous autofocus or tracking altogether. Its system is limited to single-shot focus and manual focus only, which hampers its suitability for active or demanding photography genres. The lack of advanced autofocus modes restricts it primarily to daylight or controlled scenarios where the subject remains stationary.

Ergonomics and Viewfinder Experience

Regarding viewing and framing, the S9200 provides an electronic viewfinder with 201k dot resolution covering 97% of the scene and a sizable 3-inch 460k dot fixed TFT LCD screen. This dual approach caters well to diverse shooting styles - EVF for bright light outdoor use or eye-level composition; LCD for live-view and menu navigation. Although the viewfinder resolution is modest per modern standards, it enhances composition flexibility.

Samsung’s WB35F omits a viewfinder entirely, relying solely on its smaller 2.7-inch, 230k dot display. While serviceable indoors or shaded environments, outdoor usability is limited, especially under strong sunlight where glare impairs screen visibility.

User interface-wise, both cameras operate non-touch interfaces with menu navigation via dedicated buttons. However, Fujifilm’s more complete manual control layout allows quicker adjustment without menu diving.

Lens and Zoom Length Performance

The defining characteristic of these cameras is their zoom capability and corresponding aperture ranges.

• Fujifilm S9200: boasts a remarkable 24-1200 mm (50x optical zoom equivalent) lens, with a maximum aperture spanning f/2.9 at the wide end tapering to f/6.5 telephoto. This vast range provides extraordinary reach - from wide-angle landscapes to distant wildlife or sports subjects without lens changes.

• Samsung WB35F: sports a more modest 24-288mm (12x optical zoom) lens, with maximum aperture from f/3.1 wide to f/6.3 telephoto. This range sits well within casual zoom territory but lacks the punch to capture distant subjects crisply.

From practical usage, the Fujifilm lens can extend reach impressively, but at full telephoto end, image stabilization and shutter speed become critical to avoid blur (helped by S9200’s optical stabilization). The Samsung’s shorter zoom limits framing flexibility but makes handheld shots easier due to lighter weight.

Real-World Performance by Photography Genre

To put these figures into context, let's examine how each camera fares across various photographic disciplines:

Portrait Photography

Portraiture benefits from accurate skin tones, pleasant background blur (bokeh), and effective eye detection autofocus.

Here, Fujifilm’s CMOS sensor and face recognition autofocus impart superior color rendition and reliable focus locking on subjects' eyes, contributing to naturally toned, sharp portraits. The wider aperture at 24 mm (f/2.9) facilitates some depth-of-field control, although the small sensor limits true bokeh.

Samsung WB35F lacks face detection and balanced skin tone reproduction is weaker; its smaller zoom range also restricts framing options for classic portrait composition.

Landscape Photography

Landscape photographers prize resolution, dynamic range, and weather durability.

Despite similar 16MP sensors, the S9200’s higher dynamic range and slightly more expansive ISO range produce better highlight retention and shadow detail. The 24mm equivalent wide angle enables ample framing, and while no environmental sealing is available, the sturdy build handles mild outdoor conditions adequately.

The WB35F, less rugged and with its weaker sensor dynamics, produces flatter images and struggles with fine details in high contrast scenes, limiting compelling landscape capture.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Long focal reach, fast autofocus, and high continuous shooting speed are paramount.

Thanks to its extraordinary 1200 mm zoom, 10fps burst shooting, and active tracking autofocus, the Fujifilm S9200 can follow and capture fast-moving wildlife and sports subjects with a reasonable chance of success in daylight circumstances.

The Samsung WB35F, with no tracking focus, slower single-shot AF, and limited zoom, is ill-suited for these genres unless subjects are stationary and lighting is favorable.

Street Photography

In street work, discretion, portability, and swift responsiveness matter most.

The compact WB35F excels here thanks to its diminutive size and light footprint, encouraging spontaneous shooting without intimidating subjects or adding burden.

The S9200’s bulkier design and noisier zoom operation make it less natural for candid street moments, although the EVF is a plus for bright city environments.

Macro Photography

For close-up work, focusing precision and minimum focus distance are crucial.

The Fujifilm offers a minimum macro focus range of 1 cm, impressively close, allowing detailed shooting of insects or small objects aided by optical stabilization to counter hand shake.

Samsung does not specify macro capabilities, generally defaulting to standard close focusing distances, resulting in less flexible macro options.

Night and Astro Photography

Low-light sensitivity, noise control, and manual exposure dominate here.

S9200’s higher ISO ceiling and superior noise management coupled with shutter priority and manual modes make it more usable at night or for astrophotography, allowing longer exposures without sacrificing control.

WB35F is limited to ISO 3200 maximum but with poorer noise characteristics and no manual exposure functionality, restricting its viability for night scenes.

Video Feature Comparison

Switching gears to video, each camera caters differently.

The Fujifilm S9200 records Full HD (1920x1080) at 60 interlaced frames per second with H.264 encoding, including optical stabilization beneficial for handheld recording. It outputs video via HDMI, but lacks microphone and headphone ports, limiting professional audio options.

The Samsung WB35F records HD (1280x720) video only, without HDMI or dedicated audio inputs, offering a more casual video experience suitable for social media clips but not serious videography.

Travel and Everyday Versatility

Battery life and storage options define usability on long trips.

S9200 runs on 4x AA batteries - convenient for easy replacements worldwide but adds weight. Its capacity can deliver approximately 500 captures, a respectable endurance.

Samsung uses a proprietary BP70A battery, lighter but less universal, with unspecified battery life that may require spare batteries for extended outings.

In storage, S9200 supports SD to SDXC cards, and internal memory, while WB35F uses MicroSD cards, saving space but sometimes offering reduced capacities.

Professional Work and Workflow Integration

Neither camera supports RAW capture, limiting post-processing latitude - a significant drawback for professional photographers used to non-destructive editing.

Connectivity-wise, the Samsung WB35F includes built-in wireless and NFC for quick sharing, but lacks HDMI and USB ports (USB missing entirely), hindering tethered shooting and file transfers.

The Fujifilm provides USB 2.0 and HDMI outputs but no wireless connectivity, requiring physical transfer methods.

Both cameras lack environmental sealing, limiting reliable professional use in adverse weather.

Fujifilm S9200 front Fujifilm S9200 screen back Samsung WB35F front Samsung WB35F screen back

Technical Summary and Performance Ratings

To distill the above, we turn to objective performance ratings synthesized from lab results and user tests.

The Fujifilm S9200 achieves a higher aggregate performance score, particularly excelling in zoom flexibility, image quality, autofocus, and continuous shooting, making it a more versatile tool for hobbyists and semi-professionals.

The Samsung WB35F scores lower, reflecting its entry-level positioning with compromises on sensor technology, zoom range, and processing power.

Breaking down genre-specific scores confirms that Fujifilm outperforms Samsung in wildlife, sports, macro, and night photography, while Samsung’s strength lies mostly in travel and street applications, where portability is paramount.

Price and Value Proposition

At the time of release, the Fujifilm S9200 was priced approximately at $300, offering advanced superzoom features that justify this mid-range investment for serious amateurs.

Samsung’s WB35F debuted significantly cheaper, around $130, positioning as a budget-friendly compact superzoom appealing to beginners or casual users prioritizing portability over advanced functionality.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choose the Fujifilm FinePix S9200 if you:

• Require an extensive zoom range (up to 1200 mm equivalent) for wildlife or sports
• Desire manual exposure controls and reliable autofocus tracking
• Value higher image quality and better dynamic range in diverse lighting
• Need decent macro capability and versatile video recording
• Are willing to manage a larger camera for better ergonomics

Opt for the Samsung WB35F if you:

• Seek a lightweight, pocketable camera for street and travel photography
• Prefer a simple point-and-shoot experience with minimal settings
• Are on a tight budget and want wireless sharing features
• Accept limited zoom and moderate image quality for casual snapshots
• Prioritize compactness over control and advanced features

Final Verdict

The 2014 Fujifilm FinePix S9200 and Samsung WB35F serve markedly distinct user niches within the small sensor superzoom market. The S9200 stands out for its ambitious zoom range, solid build, and greater creative control, well-suited for enthusiasts ready to explore a breadth of photography genres with a single, flexible camera. Meanwhile, the WB35F appeals as an ultra-portable, entry-level option focused on simple operation and travel ease, suitable for casual shooters or those new to photography.

Ultimately, your decision hinges on your priorities: opt for Fujifilm to unlock photographic versatility and quality or Samsung for lightweight convenience and affordability.

This side-by-side comparison, grounded in extensive hands-on experience and technical testing, ensures you approach your next camera purchase armed with clarity about what each platform delivers in real-world scenarios.

Happy shooting!