Epson PhotoPC 3000Z

By reducing jagged interpolation artefacts in the first instance, the JPEG compression stands a better chance of creating a superior quality compressed picture. And, indeed, the initial results appear impressive. A 2,544 x 1,904 HyPicT-enabled image was totally free of JPEG's trademark blocking and smearing.

For testing, I set the camera to manual mode, switched the flash off and then poured light from blue natural bulbs onto the subject. Next the shutter and aperture were configured to create the optimum balance between focus and saturation. Close examination of the images revealed that the 3000Z can capture a surprising level of fine detail. It's also more than capable of generating colours that are true to life.

Indeed, direct comparison with last month's FinePix 4700 Zoom showed that the 3000Z is far superior. The FinePix 4700 produced shots that looked grainy and synthetic by comparison to the 3000Z, which was more lifelike and vivid.

So, is the 3000Z worth the asking price of £680? In terms of image quality it's certainly a contender and its excellent zoom lens, equivalent to 34mm-102mm on a 35mm camera certainly boosts its case. It has a wealth of manual image controls to boot. The problem is actually using them, and getting the best from the camera is, at times, fiddly and on other occasions frustrating. Epson could do well to take a leaf from FujiFilm and examine how it creates interfaces and menu systems.

So, if you're serious about your snaps, what should you buy? Our A-List shows that the Olympus' Camedia C-3030ZOOM (reviewed issue 70, p173) is still a great camera. It boasts a 2,048 x 768 maximum image resolution, image quality is amazing and there's 16Mb of SmartMedia to store all your images. What's more, costing only £589 it's a bargain when compared with the Epson 3000Z.

Author: Martin Cooper