‘Tis the season for CES, when every electronic manufacturer on the planet tries to get a few minutes of your attention…all at the same time. Realizing information overload may not be a good thing, several companies try to build anticipation by announcing their key CES offerings early, hoping that by implanting themselves on your neurons first, their products are more likely to stick.
So, today FujiFilm is introducing the A610, A800, and F40fd FinePix cameras. The FinePix A610 and A800 are intended for first-time buyers of digital cameras, offering friendly point-and-shoot capabilities and an easy-to-use icon-based interface. The A610 runs off two AA batteries and sports a 6 megapixel resolution, about 10 MB of built-in memory, a 3× optical zoom, autofocus, sensitivity to about ISO 400, NTSC/PAL video output, and USB 2.0 connectivity. The FinePix A800 offers similar features, with an 8 megapixel resolution and sensitivity down to ISO 800 at full resolution. Both models sport a 2.5-inch LCD display, storage to FujiFilm’s xD or standard SD media, and automatic scene mode selection. The A610 and A800 are set to reach consumers in March, 2007, at prices of $129 and $179, respectively.
Also joining the FinePix lineup in March will be the FinePix F40fd, designed to be a compact point-and-shoot with features intended to appeal to both new and experienced digital camera users. The 8 megapixel F40fd will offer FujiFilm’s face detection technology (for making sure up to 10 people in your candid snapshots is recognizable), along with a dual-shot mode which takes two shots in rapid succession, one with flash and one without. And the sans-flash shot might not be too shabby, since the F40fd can crank to ISO sensitivities as high as 2000, capturing images in low-light conditions. And, if the slow shutter speeds in low-light pics have you worried, the image stabilization technology built into the camera has you covered. The F40fd lso offers infrared and USB 2.0 connectivity, an xD/SD memory slot, a 3× optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, and 14 built-in scene modes. Expect to see the F40fd with a retail price around $299.
And, for crime fighters, CSI wannabes, and the all-too-successful paparazzi among us, FujiFilm has announced its IS-1 digital camera which shoots in both the visible and infrared light spectrums. Intended for law enforcement, medical, and research applications, the IS-1 is a followup to the FinePix S3 Pro UVIR D-SLR the company introduced lat summer, offering a continuous live preview mode for composing and shooting during infrared photography, a 10.7× optical zoom, nine megapixel resolution, and accepts filters to isolate particular wavelengths. The camera also comes with image stabilization technology, and FujiFilm’s Hyper Utility Software to provide law enforcement personnel with side-by-side image comparisons and metadata analysis.
“The FinePix S3 Pro UVIR has been well-received in the forensic and scientific markets, and we anticipate an even better reception for the IS-1 digital camera in these same channels,” remarked Darin Pepple, Marketing Manager for FujiFilm’s Electronic Imaging Division. “Law enforcement and scientific departments often contend with very restrictive budgets so a product that can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations, without draining too much of their resources, is quite appealing.”
Um&helip;sure. The IS1 will hit authorized dealers in February with a suggested price of $899.
