Fujifilm Finepix S700
Reviews of the latest cameras Comparisons by price and features
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infoSync World, Norway
We attended Fujifilm Finepix’s Z10fd launch party at the Fillmore here in New York and got an early look at Fujifilm’s tweener-targeted point-and-shoot.
Aimed at the teenager growing up in the heyday of Web 2.0, Fujifilm seems to envision their neon-colored point-and-shoot as the centerpiece of their socially-networked lives. At the launch event for their Finepix Z10fd camera, featuring MTV-favorite rock bands The Bravery and Locksley (not to mention miniature hamburgers and hot dogs), Fujifilm made no bones about who their audience is. But does the hardware stand up to the needs of a 13-year-old with a MySpace addiction?
They’ve included a beam feature, using Infrared beams to transfer photos from one camera to another, also working with any Infrared beaming device, like a mobile phone. The “Blog mode” crops and resize photos in-camera, for instant uploading from a computer. “Auction mode” allows users to combine multiple images into one to quickly post to an auction site like eBay.
Of the four current Z-series models, the Z10fd certainly stands out the most. A brand new “Twin Ring” button structure on the back panel of the camera pairs with a curvy form factor to separate it from the sharp, crisp lines of the rest of the Z-series. The Z10fd also becomes one of only two Z-series cameras that are compatible with both SD and SDHC memory cards in addition to xD. It is also available in 7 colors, as opposed to the Z-series standard of 4.
The interface hasn’t changed much from the standard Finepix menus, but the slideshow, scrapbook and micro thumbnail view options were probably the most interesting of the camera’s features. The slideshow could be played with music, and both the scrap book and thumbnail views allowed us to view a lot more images than we’d ever imagined looking at on a camera’s LCD screen. We’ll wait to pass judgement on the images it took until we can shoot outside of a dark club and view our photos on a computer.
Spec-wise, the Z10fd is incredibly average; the 7.2 megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom lens, VGA video and face detection can be found on countless other cameras. We liked that it had 54MB of internal memory, but the low ISO setting (max of ISO 1600) and the 2.5-inch LCD with only 150,000 pixels were disappointing.
Fujifilm seems to have attempted to streamline and simplify the proliferation of photographs between kids and their friends, but on first glance they seem to fall short. They seem to be pushing the youth angle really hard, and while they seem to have the marketing down, the technology is just the opposite: old. IR beaming is a slow, line-of-sight dependent transfer technology (where’s the Bluetooth?). Rather than resizing photos in-camera for easy uploading once hooked up to a computer, why can’t we have Wi-Fi to send the photos directly from the camera over the internet? These are all prevalent technologies, in no way unreasonable to expect from a camera being marketed the way the Z10fd is.
October 29th, 2007
Small digital cameras crammed with more features for less cash
Modesto Bee, CA
By NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN.
last updated: October 28, 2007 03:33:22 AM
This season, you’ll see small digital cameras not only in sober black and silver but also in hues such as wasabi green and sunset orange.
In a recent study, Consumer Reports found that even modestly priced models are offering more and more features, such as image stabilization, which can compensate for camera shake and minimize blurring, and face detection, which aids in portrait shots. The touch-screen technology found on the iPhone and other smart phones is showing up on more digital cameras’ LCD screens, and those screens are getting bigger.
Prices have dropped, too, especially for compacts and SLRs. In recent ratings, CR rated two compacts priced at or near $200 among its Best Buys. And now you can find respectable compacts with familiar brand names for less than $200.
According to CR, the best budget choices overall are the Canon PowerShot A550, with 7 megapixels, at $150, and the Canon PowerShot A460, with 5 megapixels, at $130. Several models proved competent though slower than most, including the Kodak EasyShare C653 (6 megapixels) at $140, the Nikon Coolpix L10 (5 megapixels) at $120, the Pentax Optio M30 (7 megapixels) at $190 and the Olympus FE-210 (7 megapixels) at $140.
The Polaroid T737 (7 megapixels), at $180, proved too slow for action- packed scenes. It has the biggest LCD of the group, at 3 inches, but its image quality is fair to middling. Next-shot delay is a full five seconds, longer than any rated model. Shutter lag is also on the slow side, at 1½ seconds.
HOW TO CHOOSE — Here’s what you need to know to choose the camera that’s right for you:
Don’t buy too big or too small. Almost all the cameras that CR rated took decent pictures. Your choice will depend a lot on whether you favor small size or extra photographic power and flexibility.
Compact cameras, too big for a pocket but small enough to fit easily in a bag, remain the best choice for most people, especially if your budget is tight.
Don’t overspend on the specs. While some 5-megapixel models might linger in stores, most new cameras now offer at least 6 or 7 megapixels.
A growing number of point-and- shoots, or cameras with built-in lenses, offer 10 and 12. Six megapixels provide all the resolution most people need. If you often crop or dramatically enlarge your images, get at least 7 megapixels.
Weigh zoom trade-offs. Another feature to consider carefully is an optical zoom range that’s greater than the 3x found on most cameras.
(A zoom lens’s range is the ratio of its highest telephoto focal length to its lower wide-angle length. For example, a zoom lens considered equivalent to a film camera’s 35 mm to 105 mm lens has a range of 3x.) Greater zoom means greater weight and bulk, though a few pricey compacts manage to squeeze 10x into a package just a few ounces heavier than many basic compacts and slightly larger than many subcompacts.
Forgo the extended warranty. CR has found digital cameras to be among the most reliable products in its subscriber surveys. About 5 percent of those purchased from 2004 to 2007 have been repaired or had a serious problem. Yet in its latest electronics buying survey, CR found that more than 70 percent of digital-camera buyers were pitched an extended warranty in stores.
Best times to buy. Camera prices don’t fluctuate seasonally, but most new models reach the market during two periods: March through May and September and November. During those times, many older models are replaced by more capable ones that often cost about the same. To catch the wave of the latest models, buy between November and February or May and August, when older models might be discounted before they disappear. But scrutinize offers that are too good to be true, since some dealers use them to unload refurbished cameras.
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October 29th, 2007