Fujifilm has today announced the FinePix S5000 Zoom, a ten times zoom compact 'SLR-like' digital camera with a three megapixel SuperCCD HR (the fourth generation SuperCCD sensor). Although not as sophisticated as the S7000 also announced today the S5000 does still have a fairly considerable range of features including full manual exposure control, continuous shooting (and auto focus) and CCD-RAW. Suggested list price is $499. We had a brief hands-on with the FinePix S5000 and have posted a six page preview of this interesting and affordable digital camera.

Click here for for our detailed preview of the FinePix S5000 Zoom
(includes specifications and comparison)

Click here for FinePix S5000 Zoom samples @ FinePix.com

Press Release:

Fujifilm FinePix S5000 Zoom: up close just got closer

Fujifilm launches its first digital camera with 10x optical zoom

Fujifilm today announced the FinePix S5000 Zoom, a high specification, compact and affordable digital camera with an awesome 10x optical zoom Fujinon lens.

This neat, SLR-style camera will satisfy the most ambitious photography enthusiast's appetite by enabling them to capture close-up, pin-sharp distant subjects. Unlike the multitude of silver-bodied compacts on the market, the designers of this camera did not focus their thoughts on the interior of a handbag or shirt pocket when they conceived the FinePix S5000 Zoom. Nothing has been compromised in the pursuit of optical and imaging excellence - in fact, despite its ultra-compact dimensions, the FinePix S5000 Zoom will spend little time in any bag.

Take it on safari and the10x zoom will truly encapsulate the detail of Serengeti life. The FinePix S5000 Zoom's capacity for continuous shooting also guarantees you can track classic sporting moments frame by frame. It even achieves sharp focus on moving subjects, so memories of sporting events will no longer be ruined by far-off, blurry action shots.

In addition to the spectacular zoom lens, the FinePix S5000 Zoom also boasts Fujifilm's Super CCD HR technology, ensuring images are clearer and sharper than cameras with a traditional CCD. Refined in-camera signal processing has taken Super CCD HR's performance to a new level of sharpness and image purity. What's more, the resulting 3.1 million effective and 6 million recorded pixels can be stored exactly as they were recorded, using the camera's RAW mode.

There are other 10x optical zoom cameras available, but no other camera can boast the photographic achievement of packing such a powerful sensor and optical zoom into such a compact body. The FinePix S5000 Zoom's 10x zoom lens is a real feat of optical engineering, and will quickly lay bare the limitations of the widely-misunderstood 'digital' zoom.

With low power consumption - just one of the benefits offered by the xD-Picture Card™ system - and spot metering to capture complex image tones accurately, the FinePix S5000 Zoom is a technical all-rounder with a lens that excels.

The FinePix S5000 Zoom looks like an SLR, weighs the same as a compact camera and handles like a dream. Give it the chance to perform, and this product will really show its worth. So take it out there, and let its actions speak for themselves.

FinePix S5000 Zoom: features at a glance

  • Fujinon 10x optical zoom lens equivalent to 37-370mm on a 35mm camera
  • Compact, SLR-style body shape to give you features and performance without the bulk
  • Fourth Generation Super CCD HR sensor with 3.1 million effective pixels, delivering 6 million recorded pixels
  • QVGA movie capture at 30 frames per second (fps) with sound
  • High sensitivity settings (up to ISO 800) to allow photography in a wide range of situations, including low light without flash
  • Improved autofocus for faster shooting response
  • xD-Picture Card™ providing large storage capacity, low power consumption and fast write speed (512MB card now available)

Adrian Clarke, Fujifilm's Director of Consumer Products, commented, "This is like an SLR's little brother - with all the enthusiast attitude, but less of the cost and complexity. Photography fans awaiting a truly compact digital camera capable of 10x zoom will be genuinely excited by the FinePix S5000 Zoom."

Pricing and availability

The FinePix S5000 Zoom will be available in September 2003 at a price that will be finalised closer to the retail launch.

Click here for for our detailed preview of the FinePix S5000 Zoom
(includes specifications and comparison)