Fujifilm has introduced the FinePix F70EXR featuring a new half-inch 10 megapixel Super CCD EXR sensor. It has a 10X image-stabilized zoom starting at 27mm equivalent and a 2.7 inch LCD screen. The EXR technology uses the sensor in three different ways to optimize resolution, dynamic range or low-light performance. The camera features a new Pro-Focus and a Pro-Low light mode which use multiple exposures in an attempt to mimic DSLR depth-of-field and low light performance.
22 July 2009: Fujifilm today announces the FinePix F70EXR, the Company’s first model in the growing long-zoom compact sector.
The FinePix F70EXR gives three critical improvements on current models. First, image quality. The one drawback with long zoom cameras is that the sensor has to be necessarily small, with less light reaching the CCD than would be the case with standard compacts. Fujifilm has introduced its award-winning EXR technology into the FinePix F70EXR, giving a significant improvement in image quality against other models. The second major benefit of the FinePix F70EXR is the neat compact design.
At only 22.7mm thick and crafted into a beautiful sculpted shell with a double -coated lacquer finish. Lastly, Fujinon 10x Zoom lens, developed in conjunction with the Super CCD EXR sensor, produces crisp high resolution results throughout the focal range, from 27mm wide-angle to 270mm telephoto.
Super CCD EXR-The Quality Edge
Introduced earlier this year with the FinePix F200EXR, this radical new approach to sensor technology has paid handsome dividends with a stream of positive reviews. Modelling the EXR sensor on the human eye, for the first time the user can ‘flex’ the behaviour of the sensor according to the scene to the photographed. When the light is strong and even, the camera can be switched to HR (High Resolution) mode to ensure every small detail is recorded.
When light is strong but contrasty, the sensor can switch to DR (Wide Dynamic Range) mode to get the optimal balance between highlight and shadows. Lastly, in low light the sensor will switch to SN (High Sensitivity and Low Noise) mode, to ensure clean noise-free pictures even in the darkest conditions.
EXR was invented to maximise quality when the size of the sensor is necessarily constrained. So EXR is a perfect sensor for a long zoom compact, delivering extraordinary results even in the most challenging conditions.
EXR Modes – You Decide
The FinePix F70EXR is fitted with the same EXR Priority modes as its more premium F and S sister cameras (F200EXR and S200EXR). Users can choose to default to HR ‘Resolution Priority’, SN ‘High ISO & Low Noise Priority’ or DR ‘D-Range Priority’ for consistent shooting using one sensor setting (for instance, always choosing ‘best dynamic range’ whatever the lighting conditions).
A fantastic addition to the FinePix F70EXR, EXR Auto takes the guesswork out of setting the camera by doing everything for you. EXR Auto is essentially a very sophisticated set of program modes. The camera can automatically detect six different types of scenes - Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Backlit Portrait, Night, and Night Portrait. The camera will recognize the scene and not only will optimise focus, colour balance, exposure, flash and sensitivity, but will also automatically switch the sensor to HR, SN or DR mode depending on the lighting conditions of the scene.
Users of the FinePix F70EXR will rely heavily on EXR Auto for their general photography, as for many, letting the camera ‘do all the hard work’ leaves the photographer free to concentrate on getting the best shot possible. And a camera like the FinePix F70EXR, taking demanding shots in challenging conditions from macro to full telephoto, needs a sophisticated sensor and control algorithms to ensure every shot looks the very best.
Super Slim 10x Zoom Lens
Most long-zoom compacts are hybrid models between bigger bridge equivalents and smaller 5x compacts. They are often bulky and not designed to be pocketable. After much market testing Fujifilm opted for a sleek, thin design, almost the same thickness as current x5 models. The FinePix F70EXR is not only perfect for general family use but also for ‘enthusiast’ photography and will be a perfect camera for both men and women alike.
The 22.7mm-thick metal chassis oozes quality while the double-coated varnishing not only protects the camera from accidental knocks, but provides a jewellery-like finish.
It’s all in the lens
Long zoom compacts depend heavily on the quality of the optics, so no expense has been spared to provide the FinePix F70EXR with the sharpest, clearest Fujinon 10x zoom lens. The lens of F70EXR features Super Electronic Beam Coating (EBC). The original coating system of Fujinon that keeps ghosting and flare to minimum to promise optimal picture quality. Enabled by making the reflection to low level even under extensive wavelength with special coating structure. At the same time, newly designed complex aspheric lens and original lens driving unit promises minimum color aberration all in a slim body.
DSLR-like Effects with Pro-Focus Mode
Typically, one of the ways to distinguish ‘DSLR’ photography from ‘compact’ photography has been the use of ‘wide aperture’ to create mood and depth in a picture. These ‘professional’ shots are now possible on the FinePix F70EXR, uses Pro Focus Mode to combine 2 or 3 burst shots together. Through complex digital imaging technology, a crisp shot of the subject is created against a defocused background and foreground. Ideal for portraiture, nature photography or any subject which needs ‘lifting’ from its background, the FinePix F70EXR Pro Focus Mode provides satisfying professional results at the touch of a button.
The Pro Low-light Mode is applied to solving the problems of noisy low light shots. With current cameras, it is possible to achieve relatively blur-free low light shots using high ISO and CCD shift (or optical image) stabilization. But this comes at a cost, as the ISO 1600 setting will invariably produce distracting and ugly noise. Once switched to Pro Lowlight Mode, the camera will take burst of 4 high sensitivity images using Pixel Fusion Technology* in quick succession. By Multi Frame Technology, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th images are overlapped to create one image with extremely low noise.
Load Your FinePix F70EXR with Film
Similar to other high-end FinePix models, the FinePix F70EXR offers 5 different film ‘modes’ to allow the photographer full creative expression to explore a variety of pre-set colour and contrast modes designed around Fujifilm’s most famous film emulsions. The modes are: Velvia/Vivid (for dramatic full saturation colour), PROVIA/Standard (for classic ‘neutral’ photography), ASTIA/Soft (for gentle, low contrast portraiture and soft, fine, smooth tonality), Sepia (for antique, warms tones) and Black & White (for dramatic monotones). In the Velvia and Astia modes, the dynamic range can now be set to 800% to improve highlight detail yet further.
New ‘Super Intelligent’ Flash
The FinePix F70EXR offers a radically improved flash control system which efficiently controls the level of flash for a given exposure to produce beautifully balanced flash illumination across the foreground and background. Gone are the ugly washout shots where the subject is blasted with light and the background dark and unexposed. Super Intelligent Flash is most useful in macro photography where the contrast between subject and background can be especially challenging, but is also effective for night and backlit photography.
New High Contrast LCD
The FinePix F70EXR is fitted with an improved high contrast 230k dot 2.7” LCD. The high contrast LCD is a considerable benefit in bright light. The Wide View Filter on the LCD means that the camera can be pitched at various shooting angles to enable framing of awkward shots. Viewable at 160 degrees in both vertically and horizontally, the LCD is bright and clear for beautiful rendition of shots in playback.
Dual Image Stabilization
Long zoom cameras need stabilization more than any other compact, with handshake and subject movement a particular problem in low light at telephoto range. The FinePix F70EXR reduces blur to a minimum by deploying Picture Stabilization to automatically increase shutter speeds to freeze action, and CCD Image Stabilization to counteract the problems of handshake. By cleverly combining these two, blur is reduced to an absolute minimum.
Face Detection With Automatic Red-eye Removal
To provide perfectly exposed and focused portrait shots, the FinePix F70EXR is fitted with Fujifilm’s latest Face Detection technology which is able to track up to 10 faces simultaneously, at almost any angle to the camera. The system instantly corrects red-eye, as fast as 0.1 second, and then saves both the original and the corrected image file automatically.
Summary of the FinePix F70EXR Specifications
- Super CCD EXR 1/2” 10 Megapixel switchable sensor
- EXR Priority Modes and EXR Auto Modes
- Fujinon 10x optical zoom (27mm - 270mm)
- 2.7”, 230k dot High Contrast LCD Monitor
- Ultra High sensitivity (up to ISO 12800 at 3 MP Resolution)
- Pro Focus Mode / Pro Low light Mode
- Dual Image Stabilization (ISO and CCD Shift)
- 5 Film Simulation Modes
- Up to 800% Wide Dynamic Range
- Face Detection with Automatic Red-eye Removal
- Super Intelligent Flash
- Movie Mode with sound (640 x 480, 30 fps)
- High Speed Continuous Shooting of 5 fps up to 12 frames (3 MP resolution)
- 230 shot battery life (with included NP-50 Li battery
Availability & pricing
The FinePix F70EXR will be available end of August 2009. SRP will be announced nearer to the date of the launch.
* Pixel Fusion Technology: Technology of Fujifilm changing the colour filter arrangement. Two side-by-side, same-coloured pixels are taken together as a single pixel. The area of imaging elements is doubled, the sensitivity is twice the normal level, and "dark noise" is extremely small. Therefore, it is possible to create a high sensitivity image with little noise, instead of increasing the gain from a single pixel and increasing the noise
Fujifilm Finepix F70EXR
| Sensor | • 1/2" Super CCD EXR |
|---|---|
| Image sizes | • 3616 x 2712 |
| Movie clips | • 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels @ 30 fps • AVI (Motion JPEG ) |
| File formats | • JPEG (Exif Ver. 2.2 ) • Movie : AVI (Motion JPEG ) with sound • Audio: WAVE format, Monaural sound |
| Lens | • Fujinon 10x Optical zoom lens |
| Image stabilization | CCD-shift |
| Digital zoom | Approx. 4.0x |
| Focus | Auto Focus |
| AF area modes | • Cente |
| AF assist lamp | Yes |
| Focus distance | • Normal: Wide angle: Approx. 45cm / 1.5 ft to infinity, Telephoto: Approx. 2m / 6.6 ft. to infinity • Macro: Wide angle: Approx. 5cm/ 0.2 ft. to 80cm / 2.6 ft Telephoto: Approx. 90cm-2.5m / 3 ft to 1m / 3.3 ft |
| ISO sensitivity | • Auto |
| Metering | TTL 256-zones metering |
| Exposure modes | Programmed AE, Aperture Priority AE, Manual |
| Shuttter speed | Auto : 1/4 sec to 1/1500 sec All other modes : 8 sec to 1/2000 sec |
| Aperture | Wide: F3.3 – F6.4 Tele: F5.6 - F11 |
| Shooting modes | • Mode dial: Auto, EXR, Natural Light, Natural Light & with Flash, SP, P, M, Movie |
| White balance | Automatic scene recognition. Preset (Fine, Shade, Fluorescent light (Daylight), Fluorescent light (Warm White), Fluorescent light (Cool White), Incandescent light and Custom |
| Self timer | Approx. 10 sec./ 2 sec. delay |
| Continuous shooting Modes | • Top-3 • High-speed Top-12 (Number of recorded pixels :”S” only) • Final-3 • High Speed FInal-12 (Number of recorded pixels :”S” only) |
| Flash | • Auto flash Effective range: 4.2 m |
| LCD monitor | • 2.7 inch |
| Digital input/output | • USB 2.0 High Speed |
| Video output | NTSC / PAL selectable |
| Storage | • Internal memory (Approx. 47 MB) • SD/SDHC memory card |
| Power | • Rechargeable NP-50 Li-ion battery (included) |
| Weight (no batt) | Approx. 180 g |
| Dimensions | 99 (W) x 59 (H) x 23 (D) mm 3.9 (W) x 2.3 (H) x 0.9 (D) |
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