Fujifilm launch FinePix F610 - first compact to offer 6 million pixels

Fujifilm has added its 4th Generation Super CCD HR sensor to the F610, allowing it to achieve a recorded output of 12 million pixels - meaning users can enlarge to unprecedented print sizes without loss of quality.

Successor to the popular FinePix F601, the F610 adopts the same upright format and builds on its performance and handling to create a formidable camera for photography enthusiasts. Feature-laden, yet easy to use, the FinePix F610 encourages experimentation whilst also offering automatic modes for the less confident user.

The FinePix F610 is technically versatile and offers significant creative control over all elements of the picture-taking process. In addition to full manual, aperture and shutter priority modes, it also offers four special scene modes - Portrait, Sports, Landscape and Night Scene - to help select the most appropriate settings in difficult shooting conditions. In terms of design, the innovative Fujifilm upright format has a clear photographic advantage: the camera is less prone to shake when held one-handed.

Whether you're an old hand at digital photography, or a newcomer to the art, the FinePix F610's two LCD screens are a huge boost to the camera's usability for any photographer. The F610's designers have taken the innovative approach of displaying shooting information on one LCD screen, and devoting the primary 1.8" screen to the image. On the professional FinePix S2 Pro digital SLR, this arrangement won many plaudits, and now on the FinePix F610, nothing will impair the view of the photo.

Ideal for capturing the action, the camera offers both continuous shooting and movie modes. In continuous shooting mode, the user can select either the top five or final five shots - making it the perfect camera for sports events. The movie mode captures at an impressive 30 frames per second in 640 x 480 (VGA) quality.

Adrian Clarke, Fujifilm's Director of Consumer Products, commented, "The FinePix F610 is a good example of how professional-level features and quality are beginning to trickle down into the hands of the consumer, with no additional cost implications. Take the dual screen function and the six million pixel Super CCD - these two features were only previously available in the pro-specification S2 Pro. Now they will be found in the pockets and bags of a wider range of photographers, from beginners to more experienced enthusiasts."

FinePix F610 : Features at a glance

• 4th Generation Super CCD HR sensor with 6.63 million total pixels
  
• 6.3 million effective pixels with 12.3m recorded pixels
  
• Two LCD screens - one for camera settings, one for viewing images
  
• Ultra-fast start-up (1.3 seconds)
  
• Stylish, upright design; robust aluminium casing
  
• High sensitivity - up to ISO 800 speed (3 million pixels)
  
• 1.8", CG silicon 134,000 pixel TFT LCD monitor
  
• Fujinon Super EBC 3x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 35-105mm on a 35mm camera)
  
• Continuous shooting mode (top and final 5 at 3.3 frames/sec up to 5 frames)
  
• Continuous AF mode
  
• Movie capture at 30 frames per second (fps) with sound (640 x 480 pixels)
  
• Four picture-taking scene modes - Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Night Scene
  
• Exposure modes - Programmed AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
  
• Video Out socket for fast and easy on-screen TV viewing
  
• PictBridge compatibility for direct printing
  
• xD-Picture Card™ storage, providing large capacity, low power consumption, fast write speed

Super CCD HR technology
Fujifilm's Super CCD HR technology allows high resolution sensors to be housed in even smaller digital cameras. The benefits include ultra-high resolution images and high sensitivity, enabling faster shutter speeds for action shots and low light photography

Prints from digital cameras
Digital cameras can now get real photographic prints from digital images, without needing a PC or Mac. An increasingly wide number of High Street photographic retailers offer Fujifilm FDi print services in-store, allowing users to view, select and even improve their images via an easy-to-use touch screen. The prints are developed on true photographic paper, delivering superb results that are guaranteed to last.

Fujifilm FinePix F610 Specifications

Number of effective pixels	6.3 million pixels
CCD sensor	1/1.7 inch Super CCD HR
Number of recorded pixels	Still image: 4,048 x 3,040 (12.3 million pixels) / 2,848 × 2,136 / 2,016 × 1,512 / 1,600 x 1,200 / 1,280 x 960 Movie: 640 x 480 pixels, 30 frames/sec.
File formats	Still image: JPEG (Exif Ver 2.2) Movie: AVI (Motion JPEG) (Design rule for Camera File system compliant / DPOF-compatible)
Printing	PictBridge compatible
Storage media	xD-Picture Card™ (16 / 32 / 64 / 128 / 256 / 512MB at time of going to print)
Lens	Super EBC Fujinon 3x zoom lens, F2.8 - F4.9
Lens focal length	Equivalent to 35-105mm on a 35mm camera
Focus	Autofocus / Area / Centre / Multi, Manual Focus
Focus distance	Normal: 60cm to infinity Macro: Approx. 9cm - 80cm
Shutter speed	3 sec. to 1/2000 sec
Aperture	f/2.8 - f/8 10 steps in 1/3 EV increments Manual/Auto selectable
Sensitivity	Auto: Equivalent to ISO AUTO (125 - 400) / ISO 200/400/800 Manual: Equivalent to ISO 160/200/400/800 (resolution is set at 1M / 2M / 3M for shots taken at ISO800)
Exposure control	64-zone TTL metering-multi, spot, average
Exposure modes	Programmed AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual
White balance	Automatic Manual: Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (daylight), Fluorescent light (warm white), Fluorescent light (cool white), Incandescent light
Viewfinder	Real-image optical viewfinder
LCD monitor	1.8" CG silicon TFT (134, 000 pixels)
Flash	Auto flash using flash control sensor. Effective range: - Wide angle: 0.3m to 4.2 m - Telephoto: 0.6m to 2.6m
Flash mode:	Auto, Red-eye Reduction, Forced Flash, Suppressed Flash, Slow Synchro, Red-eye Reduction + Slow Synchro
Self-timer	Approx. 2/10 sec. delay
Video Out	PAL
Terminal	USB 1.1
Power source	NP-40 battery (710mAh, included ) or AC power adapter AC-5VW (included)
Dimensions	71.9 (W) x 93.0 (H) x 31.3 (D) mm
Weight	195g (excluding batteries and media)
Digital zoom	3.2x (1,280 x 960 pixels), 2.5x (1,600 x 1,200 pixels), 2.0x (2,016 x 1,512 pixels), 1.4x (2,848 x 2,136 pixels)
Shooting modes	Normal: Auto, Scene Position (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night Scene) Programmed AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual Continuous: - Top 5 (3.3 frames/sec. up to 5 frames) - Final 5 ( 3.3 frames/sec. up to 5 frames)
Colour modes	B&W / Chrome / Standard
Movie recording	640 x 480 pixels: 30 frames / sec. With monaural sound, AVI format (Motion JPEG)
Voice memo	Up to 30 sec. WAV format
Playback	Single frame (with max. 25x playback zoom), 9 multi-frame
Accessories included	16MB xD-Picture Card Li-ion battery (NP-40) AC power adapter (AC-5VW) Hand strap USB cable A/V cable Instruction manual PictureCradle CD-ROM with USB driver, FinePix Viewer and ImageMixer VCD2 for FinePix
Optional accessories	xD-Picture Card™: 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512MB capacities available Rechargeable battery (NP-40) Battery charger (BC-65) - charged in approx. 2 hours AC power adapter (AC-5VH/5VHS) PC card adapter (DPC-AD) Memory card readers (DPC-R1 and DPC-UD1) CompactFlash™ card adapter (DPC-CF) Soft case (SC-FX610)