Fujifilm rolls out FinePix Z100fd compact camera

It looks like Fujifilm just couldn't wait for CES to take the wraps off its new FinePix Z100fd, with it instead doing things the old fashioned way today by issuing a press release from its cozy confines in Valhalla, New York. A follow-up to the company's now year-old Z5fd model, this one ups things to a full 8 megapixels and packs a slightly larger 2.7-inch LCD (not to mention a 5x optical zoom), while also maintaining a slim 19.8 mm thick form factor. You'll also get the same "Blog Mode" and face recognition features as before, and your choice of four, two-tone color schemes, including pink, silver, brown, and black. If that sounds like it's for you, you should be able to get your hands on one sometime this month for $250.

[Andrew @ Jan 4th 2008 2:32PM]

When I was very young we had a 35mm camera with a removable flash that looked something like this.

Stats looks pretty decent for the money though.

[helloUser @ Jan 4th 2008 2:34PM]

The lens on this series of cameras is terrible. Edges of every photograph taken (especially when wide open) pictures come out so soft, it looks like theres motion blur. Not to mention, noise levels are also pretty outrageous. I returned mine almost immediately after. Definitely not worth the money.

[Gurs @ Jan 4th 2008 2:58PM]

This is basically the same press release that Fuji put out back in July! After six months, I was hoping to see an actual camera instead of yet another press release. See:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0707/07072606fujifilmz100fd.asp

[mike @ Jan 4th 2008 8:55PM]

Same press release as it's the same camera.. and it has been available... in Europe.. where dpreview is located. Now the press release is here in the states, as the camera will be here in the states.
dpreview.com itself is an English site... as in 'God Save the Queen' English.
One of the best photo sites on-line too, not just a little bit because of the very active forums there.

- Mike

[Anthony @ Jan 4th 2008 3:05PM]

I can't speak to this camera but I can say that my wife & I upgraded to a "high end" Sony & haven't been nearly as happy as we were w/ our z1. I plan to give this one a shot. Couldn't be worse. Sony's menu is totally unintuitive, at least for us.

[CaptSaltyJack @ Jan 4th 2008 3:52PM]

Fuji has really gone downhill with their point and shoots since the F30. I own the F30, and it's really a great camera, except for the overly dark shadows and blown-out highlights. But other than that, it takes excellent night shots, and I have no issues. I keep reading bad things about their latest cams, though. A real shame.

[Mike @ Jan 4th 2008 3:58PM]

I disagree. I've owned MANY Z-Series and think they are great pocket point & shoots. Seems like the Fuji strategy has been to go low-end pocket snapper and high-end home and pro. They have stopped trying to hard in the midrange where a camera has to be everything to everyone, which is why the Z's leave some disappointed. Me, I love 'em cause all I use them for are pics of family and friends and vacations and what not. They usually wind up on Photobucket anyway.

[nikcam @ Jan 4th 2008 4:28PM]

This camera has been available in Ireland for 3 months and is a cracker. While some of the z series deliver rubbish images, the z100 actually takes good pics thanks to ccd shift IS and decent iso capability.

[Killer1 @ Jan 4th 2008 4:48PM]

It's a Cybershot wannabee. Look at the cover.

[mike @ Jan 4th 2008 8:48PM]

This thing has been out in Europe for a little while already, new in the states though.
This is the only cam in this 'series' with this lens... a 5x folding optical internal zoom... pretty snazzy if it works.
Most of the comments I've seen from Europe so far are pretty positive.. in contrast to the z5 and z10 of recent times.
Sony doesn't have anything with a lens like this at the moment... so I don't think it wants to be anything but what it is... an interesting little camera.
It's on my short list for a pocket cam...


- mike

[Wwhat @ Jan 5th 2008 12:23PM]

Those folding optics always suffer from dark corners, I wonder if they found a fix for that yet.