Fujifilm FinePix S5700

Pre-PMA 2007: Fujifilm has chosen today to announce its PMA 2007 compact digital cameras, starting with the upgrade to the popular S5600 budget super zoom. The S5700 brings many improvements including a redesigned body and control system, 7.2 million pixel sensor, ISO 1600 and several new features. It's a solid upgrade but we're not sure that the claim from the press release that it's 'the ultimate camera for every occasion' would stand up in a court of law...

Press Release:

Fujifilm upgrades EISA award-winning SLR-style family camera with new FinePix S5700

Fujifilm is pleased to announce the new FinePix S5700, a refinement of the FinePix S5600, voted “European Zoom camera of 2006-07” by EISA (the leading European association for consumer electronics). The new model’s compact and robust but lightweight outer-shell, combined with Fujinon 10x optical zoom lens, ISO 1600 sensitivity, Fujifilm Intelligent Flash system and multiple scene selections, make it a truly take-anywhere camera. Thanks to an improved menu system and button layout, rocker zoom and mode dial, the FinePix S5700 can be operated easily with one hand.

The modifications to the FinePix S5700 mean it is easier to use than anything that has gone before. It will be a faithful companion for any and every event, from nights out or the kids’ school play or sports day, right through to countryside walks and family holidays. It’s the ultimate camera for every occasion and perfect for users who always want a camera to hand, but prefer to get creative, not technical, with their photography.

Key improvements of the FinePix S5700 over its predecessor include:

• An enhanced ergonomic design of even smaller proportions, which make the camera portable and easy to hold in one hand, whilst retaining its powerful 10x optical zoom.
• ISO sensitivity up to 1600, guaranteeing crisp images, with no need for flash, even on a night out or when snapping moving subjects.
• The introduction of Fujifilm’s Intelligent Flash and Natural light plus Flash modes for images that are faithful to the original scene, even when flash is required.
• 2.5-inch, 230,000-pixel screen, making it much easier for users to compose, review and share images.
• Dual compatibility for Fujifilm’s traditional xD-Picture Card™ and the popular Secure Digital (SD) card format, providing a greater choice of storage options.
• 7.1 Megapixel CCD sensor
• An intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) system, which guides the user through the menu via a series of pop-up prompts, and an improved button layout, which mean the camera is easier than ever to navigate.

The FinePix S5700’s ISO 1600 sensitivity means photos can be taken in low light, without flash, resulting in much more natural looking shots that are closer in colour and tone to the original scene. When flash is preferred, over-bright faces and disappearing backdrops become a thing of the past thanks to the introduction of Fujifilm’s Intelligent Flash system, which controls power output to achieve natural foreground illumination with balanced background exposure. Natural light plus Flash mode takes two photos in quick succession - one with, and one without, flash. Both photos are then displayed side by side for quick comparison so users will never again be left struggling with flash settings long after the moment has passed.

The FinePix S5700 was developed with usability firmly in mind. Thanks to its sturdy design and lightweight proportions it’s ideal for people seeking fun and point-and-shoot simplicity from a camera that will produce top-quality images, no matter what the subject. Users of all abilities can experiment with different angles, subjects and distances and an array of special scene modes, accessible for the first time via the FinePix S5700’s new mode dial, mean the right settings are just one touch away. The camera’s powerful zoom lens, with new ‘rocker’ control for fingertip zooming, means nothing is out of its reach.

The integrated Fujinon lens also means users will never have to contend with dust on the sensor or need to invest in more equipment. The lens itself is more compact than its predecessor’s, but retains the flexible zoom range from wide angle to telephoto, enabling users to shoot from distance or close up. A fixed lens housing also ensures fast start-up time of just 1.1 seconds, so the moment will never be missed.

Fujifilm’s Anti-Blur mode, which makes use of the camera’s ISO 1600 sensitivity and an ultra-fast shutter speed combine to combat the effects of subject and camera movement. For those also keen to capture moving images, the FinePix S5700 has a movie recording mode with sound, ideal for creating high quality home movies without relying on a separate camcorder.

FinePix S5700 features at a glance:

• 7.1 million effective pixels
• ISO 100 – 1600 sensitivity range
• Compact lens with 10x optical zoom
• Easy-to-use mode dial and ‘rocker’ zoom function
• Improved 2.5 inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels
• Dual compatibility for xD-Picture Card and Secure Digital cards
• Intelligent Flash and Natural light plus Flash functions
• 12 scene position modes
• Rapid start-up time of 1.1 seconds and shutter lag of 0.01 seconds
• Powered by four AA batteries
• 27MB internal memory

Adrian Clarke, Fujifilm’s Director of Photo Products, commented, “The FinePix S5700 represents the logical, but still impressive, evolution for the S series. We have refined an award-winning format, to give users even greater flexibility and freedom to capture images in a wide variety of situations. We are confident that this camera will once again set the standard for compact SLR style cameras.”

FujiFilm FinePix S5700 Zoom (Finepix S700) Add to: Login to add this item to your gear lists.