• Design, Build quality, Looks
• Unique 4-way direction controller & LCD
• Full metal lens cover
• Fast USB connectivity
• Supplied batteries and charger
• Excellent ergonomics, well positioned and though-out controls
• Fast startup and processing
• Large internal memory buffer means never waiting for the camera
• Auto bracketing mode
• MJPEG movie mode
• High sensitivity (ISO 200 lowest)
• Good white balance, Good colour dynamics

• Annoying inability to have LCD come on automatically on power-up
• No real manual controls (shutter priority or aperture priority)
• Uncertain battery life
• Weak flash
• Average image quality, obvious interpolation and lack of definition pixel-for-pixel (this pushed the value for money factor down)

Overall conclusion

Here's my rating of the FujiFilm FinePix 4700Z:

The 4700Z was certainly an interesting camera, a design of two opposites.. Great design, build quality and ergonomics. It's great to see digicam manufacturers thinking about how we actually use the cameras rather than just bolting a button here or there, and there's some really nice touches on the 4700Z that make you think. Unfortunately this wasn't matched by the pixel level image quality demanded by the more mature end of the digicam market. Up close images were fuzzy, had odd pixel effects and chromatic aberrations towards the corners of the frame. If you're shooting for the web or for e-mail then image quality will be just fine, otherwise you may wish to consider a 3 megapixel digicam.

UPDATE: This review was initially based on an early camera, to the best of my knowledge (and what I was told by FujiFilm) it was a full production camera. Due to the results of the review FujiFilm supplied me with another camera some 2 weeks after publishing the review. This camera had a higher serial number and was without the "4.3M" sticker. I re-ran sample shots and resolution tests (in fact the res charts & colour charts now available in the digital camera database), as my findings were no better than my initial findings no changes have been made to the review or my conclusions.

Below Average

So which one should I buy? A question I get asked several times a day, and I wouldn't like to say In a new addition to my reviews (after the amount of feedback I normally get) I've added a link to a specific forum in which you can discuss the review or ask me specific questions which I've not answered in these pages.

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