14 DAY TRIAL // "There can never be too many compacts on the market", this seems to be the motto of most camera manufacturers. Fujifilm makes no exception as the company has announced the launch of its latest Z-series, the FinePix Z100fd.
As expected, the model is aimed at amateur users who care a lot about how their digital cameras look and not so much about specs. Well, it doesn't mean that its performances are worse than those offered by the competition, but it does mean that its features are more or less standard for this class.
The model's casing has a thickness of 19.8mm, which is enough nowadays for an 8 megapixel 1/2.5-inch CCD and a 5x optical zoom lens. It also incorporates a 2.7", 230k pixel LCD with a reinforced glass coating for scratch-free durability. In terms of ISO sensitivities, the camera is able to go up to 1600, but don't even dream of going over ISO 200 (ISO 400 is usually the decency limit for digital compacts) without some serious noise and noise reduction algorithms that ruin sharpness.
More importantly, the FinePix Z100fd has a dual image stabilization system, consisting of a mechanically stabilized CCD and high ISO sensitivities for total anti-blur protection. As expected, the valuable component is the mechanically stabilized CCD, the second part being a pure marketing strategy.
This slim point and shoot also features the company's proprietary Face Detection Technology, which is able to identify up to 10 human faces with a single touch.
As for its design, the press release has this to say: "the FinePix Z100fd sports a totally redesigned metal body that is guaranteed to turn heads wherever you take it. From its unique 'diagonal slide' lens cover and illuminated 'Z' logo, to its eye-catching color combinations, the FinePix Z100fd sets a new standard in sophistication. Available in four two-toned color schemes, 'Shell Pink', 'Satin Silver', 'Cappuccino Brown' and 'Tuxedo Black' (a striking black special edition with a contrasting white sliding cover panel), the FinePix Z100fd is sure to stand out in a crowd."
Availability for the FinePix Z100fd is slated for January 2008 and the announced MSRP is $249.95.