Fujifilm FinePix 4700 Zoom

Next, we took the FinePix 4700 Zoom for a trip around town to test its ability to work in real working conditions. It worked reasonably well. It's CCD and image-encoding algorithms were able to generate reds, greens and blues that were true to those found in a sun-drenched London logjam. Indeed, the FinePix 4700 Zoom's results were almost on a par with images generated by Olympus' Camedia C-3030ZOOM (reviewed issue 70, p173) - a camera noted for its excellent image quality.

We particularly liked the FinePix 4700 Zoom's Preview feature. When you're out snapping, the camera generates a collection of thumbnails as you shoot. By using the intuitive controls you can elect to store or discard shots, thus saving media space. This is certainly faster than the more traditional digital camera solution of storing a picture, reviewing it, then deleting it.

For those with a penchant for nocturnal photography, the FinePix 4700 Zoom has a Night mode - although digital cameras tend not to perform well in the dark. Testing did, however, reveal that the FinePix 4700 Zoom was capable of capturing surprising amounts of image data even in restricted lighting conditions.

So, is Super CCD technology an electronic revolution? In all honesty, we'll have to say no. The Fujifilm FinePix 4700 Zoom is an excellent camera and, thanks to its slick design, will keep the keen, well-healed amateur user happy. A more professionally-minded photographer would, however, be frustrated by the FinePix 4700 Zoom ultimate lack of quality and detail.

These lacks can be traced back to the camera's CCD. Even with a limited number of specially shaped photodiodes, there's no escaping the fact that the camera will have to interpolate the data its CCD captures in an effort to create large, high-resolution images. And even with the most sophisticated optics and algorithms, visual information gleaned from interpolation will never be as true as picture data captured through digitisation. So if you're a stickler for detail, we'd have to recommend Olympus' Camedia C-3030ZOOM.

Author: Martin Cooper