FujiFilm announced the 14-megapixel FinePix S4200, S4500 and SL300, budget-priced, super-zoom digital cameras. The S4200 (pictured above) has a FUJINON 24x long-zoom lens (24-576mm), and the S4500 and SL300 both offer an extraordinary 30x long-zoom (24-720mm), for capturing even the most distant images. The SL300 makes long-zoom control even more flexible by adding Dual Zoom Control, so users can zoom in and out using the zoom dial on the top of the camera or on the side of the lens.
These FinePix cameras have large, bright 3″ LCD screens, Electronic Viewfinders, and also come equipped with a powerful sensor shift Dual Image Stabilization to help keep even the most difficult images sharp by allowing users to adjust the ISO setting from 64 up to 6400. This year, the new S-Series cameras boast improved start up times and auto focus times as fast 0.35 seconds in low light, and two power options for versatility: AA battery power for the S4200 and S4500 and rechargeable Li-ion power for the SL300.
FUJINON Zoom Lens and Dual Image Stabilization
The FinePix S-Series each feature Dual Image Stabilization CCD sensors and high ISO sensitivity settings for blur-free images, but with even greater zoom capabilities. Users can now capture anything from a stunning distant landscape to getting up close with Super Macro Mode as close as 2cm for breathtaking detail.
- The FinePix S4200 has a 24x wide angle zoom 24mm — 576mm FUJINON optical lens
- The FinePix S4500 has a 30x wide angle zoom 24mm — 720mm FUJINON optical lens
- The FinePix SL300 has a 30x wide angle zoom 24mm — 720mm FUJINON optical lens with dual zoom control for flexible shooting
HD Movie Capture
All three FinePix cameras also offer sharp HD movies in 720p with sound at 30 frames per second (fps) with one-touch ease. With a mini-HDMI output connector, it is easy to connect and view images on your HDTV (HDMI cable not included).
Smile and Blink Detection
The FinePix S4200, S4500 and SL300 all include Smile Detection that recognizes the moment your subject smiles and releases the shutter only when this happens, ensuring a happy photo every time. Additionally, the Blink Detection function warns you if any of your subjects have blinked so that you can re-take the photo if necessary.
Face Recognition and Image Searching
With Face Recognition on the FinePix S-Series, users can tag and name eight of their favorite subjects and the camera will automatically recognize that person in every photo taken thereafter. This allows users to search for all their pictures of any of these people, by name, using the Image Search function. Image Search, found on all three cameras makes finding the people and places you’ve photographed easy to categorize and find.
Photos: SL300 front and back
This works in the same way for other categories of photo: the camera’s SR Auto Scene Recognition technology registers whether you’ve taken a picture of a person, or a landscape, or if it’s a night shot or macro shot, so you can filter your search by subject matter or even date and get straight to the photo you are after, quickly and intuitively.
Panoramic Shots
The FinePix S4200, S4500 and SL300 all feature the easy-to-use Motion Panorama shooting mode, which takes three successive shots with a helpful tool which automatically releases the shutter once the images are fully aligned to seamlessly stitch the shots together in-camera. This feature allows users to get creative and see impressive results with no fear of uneven landscapes or shaky horizons.
Social Networking and Photo book Features
The FinePix S4200, S4500 and SL300 all offer in-camera tagging capabilities for both Facebook and YouTube, allowing you to select photos and movies for upload on either of the sites, making for easy upload once you connect to a PC and launch MyFinePix Studio. The feature saves time, and enables users to share special moments right away on their social networks.
Photos: S4500 front and back (S4200 has the same back view)
The three FinePix models also allow you to tag in-camera the images you want to feature in a photo book, which can be viewed separately in-camera and later created and ordered in a Photo book quickly and seamlessly.
Other features include:
- TTL Hot Shoe (SL300 only): Allows users to add accessories, including FUJIFILM external flashes.
- Tracking Auto Focus (AF): Tracks fast moving subjects so they don’t escape from the frame in a blur. Subjects will be tracked automatically for as long as it is kept in the frame and the shutter is half-pressed; when users fully press the shutter button your subject will be in the centre of the photo in perfect focus.
- i-Flash Intelligent Flash: Offers a 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.
- Full Manual Controls: Gives the user the choice of direct access to manually control the settings and shooting features (program/shutter-priority/ aperture-priority/manual), and the specially designed chassis includes dedicated command buttons for quick and easy key functions.
- Instant Zoom/Zoom Bracketing: Useful for high level photography. The Instant Zoom function captures moving subjects at high zoom settings. After zooming on a subject, a single button gives an additional 1.4x or 2x digital zoom. Zoom Bracketing automatically captures the same image three times with zoom ratio settings of 1x, 1.4x and 2x with a single shutter release.
- Continuous Shooting: High speed continuous shooting up to 8fps.
- AA-Battery Power (S4200/S4500 only): Using AA batteries is convenient for on-the-go digital camera users as it eliminates the need to charge battery packs, allowing for lots of picture taking and the ease of battery replacement.
- Li-ion Power (SL300 only): Rechargeable Li-ion delivers reliable power for 260 shots per charge.
Pricing and Availability
FujiFilm FinePix S4200 → $229.95 (February 2012)
FujiFilm FinePix S4500 → $259.95 (February 2012)
FujiFilm FinePix SL300 → $299.95 (March 2012)
