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A Brand-New Design

A total redesign from the conventional Bayer Pattern CCD, the Super CCD uses the aforementioned octagonal-shaped sensors rather than square or rectangular sensors. In addition, the Super CCD spaces the photodiode sensors much closer together than in the conventional design, and arranges them in a honeycombed RGB pattern slanted at a 45-degree angle. The changes are designed to produce greater sensitivity to light, higher signal-to-noise ratio, more extended dynamic range, better color reproduction, and improved resolution.

In our testing, we found the FinePix 4700 Zoom a refreshingly speedy camera that boots up in seconds and recycles just as rapidly. With interpolation, the camera can output photos at a top resolution of 2400 by 1800. You can choose from nine combinations of resolution and compression that can capture between 9 and 248 images or record up to 80 seconds of 10-frames-per-second AVI video (with sound) at 320 by 240 or 160 by 120 on the 16MB SmartMedia memory card that ships with the camera.

The Good ... and the Not So Good

We were delighted with the FinePix 4700's variety of playback modes, especially the ability to zoom and generate a close-up view of any part of the image in the LCD viewfinder. That feature is particularly handy for viewing the actual level of detail you've captured.

However, while shooting in automatic or movie mode is simple, manual mode gives the user a bewildering selection of options, including white balance, digital zoom, ISO equivalency, degree of sharpness, exposure compensation, flash intensity, metering mode, flash mode, and manual focus.

Moreover, our test images, while quite acceptable, were not as good as images we shot with several 3-megapixel digital cameras. Despite a high density of data, FinePix 4700 images lack a certain crispness, or "snap," due in part to reduced contrast. While exposures are quite accurate, colors are slightly washed out and exhibit a slight, but seemingly inherent, softness.

The Fuji FinePix 4700 Zoom will appeal to people who want a small, lightweight, easy-to-use camera that will turn heads. However, if you need top image quality, look instead at the current crop of 3-megapixel digital cameras.